New-York tribune., 1907-11-30

BY Allan Fea. With illustrations from photo
scrbner's Sons.
OLD AND NEW JAPAN. By. Give Holland.
svo. pp. iX, 2g2. E. Z. Dutton & Co
INDIA IMPREssI2Ns With Some ,! Notes tss,.ot Of
crane, r w s With trontispiece in color
ny the author. Svo. PIP, Hi. 525. The Macmillan
Company.
THE STORY OF THE WHITE HOUSE. By
Esther Singleton In two volumes. illustrated
-STo pp xxTvii, S1s; xiii. $40. The Mcclure Com
pany.
hIs5ItNSt0 sFFN AND DEsGRIBED BY FAAI0Ts
WRITERs collected and editfd 10y Syo
pp xiv. 500. Dodd, Mead & Co
The old conventional Christmas book began
n fall into disrepute many years ago and to-
day it IS rarely encountered. It's place has been
taken by the book framed with more regard for
substance than for glitterng outward show. and
intended to take permanent place in the library
Of the thoughtful reader. Yet the publishers
are in no wise Indifferent 10 the spirit OF the
HOLIDAYS They make these books really more
attractive in Typography, illustrations and bind
ing than were the Raudy ephemeral gift hooks
Of an earlier day. This policy yields especially
good fruits Uherc the work of travel is con-
cerned. the work devoted TO the general inter
ests of some picturesque region or to the his
toric monuments of given city or country.
sted above the broad tendency is toward a SC
rious discussion Of things that are worth while,
and their writings are put forth at once in gala
dress and in such shape to last. We have
never a warmer welcome than for such publica-
tions these.
1T is perfectly possible TO journey to Eleusis
by train" This sentence in the seventh chap
ter Of Mr. Marden's Greece and the -45gean
Islands strikes the keynote of the current
literature of travel. II does not mean that
the poetry OF the past has been turned into
prose, but simply that the world has been made
smaller and more convenient of access in its
every part Take. for example, the storied land
OF which Mr.. Marden writes. A visit TO it must
ever be a romantic adventure but difficulties
that confronted the traveller not so very long
ago are. now nearly all removed. and this author
will show you how easily and comfortably you
may explore all the ancient sites He fears that
he is liable to the charge of having occasionally
given his pages ''guide-bookish sound" but
we do not see why this should be regretted. The
facfsis that the value of the book lies Just in
the, Practically with which it has been writ
ten so that the traveller is sure to be really
helped if he follows in Mr.. Marden's footsteps
and accepts his advice The opening chapter
on Travelling in Greece" is just what is needed
We appreciate, too. the one on Modern Athens,
which is well calculated to initiate the reader
into the spirit of tbe country as it is, matter
often contributory to more sympathetic uh-
Outstanding of the Greece of the past. More
over Nh Mardens guide -bookishness does not
in the least initiate against his describing the
,opographical and architectural landmarks OF
the country with ali of the feeling and literary
s,Iggestiveness to be expected Of a man or
culture and imagination. His book. with It's
halftones from well chosen photographs, is pre-
ciselv the one wanted alike by the traveller and
By the reader at home who is interested in haV-
ing brief survey of the subject
Research in Italy is. of course, we'll repre-
sented among the holiday books. 1t has pro
duced valuable study in The Builders Oh
FLORENCE, bv Mr. J. Wood Brown This author
has adopted an admirable method. comhlnihg
architectural and historical elements in the
rainting of a kind of picture of Florentine civ
fization His aim has been TO show, in the first
place how the River Arno has determined the
character of the town, and how that character
has been further developed both by the CONNER
cial interests of the citizens and the humanistlc
spirit which moulded their thoughts IN the
golden age of their artistic activity. HIS choice
Of buildings for more or less minute analysis
seems at first blush little arbitrary ana 10 the
lover of Florence some of his omissions may
seem especially regrettabIe. But as Mr.. Brown
proceeds in his narrative the reader observes
that the plan used is really sound one The
author deals with this or that building as IT is
a monument of FIorentine commerce, religious
feeling or civic pride. and in each case he goes
for the work possessing distinct historical sig
nicance. Though his treatment frequently
takes a rather technical turn as Is legitimate In
book addressed in part TO the architectural
student it is free from pedantry and will
be appreciated less by the layman
than by the scholar. The human side Of
the subject is not neglected II Mr.. Brown
writes as a critic in discussing. for example, the
FACADE Of Santa Maria Novella, he is equally
careful 10 note the relation TO that edifce Of
a great family like that of the Rucellai. His
text is much enhanced in interest by large
collection of picturesque sketches in black and
white from the graceful hand of Mr.. Herbert
Railton.
In The Old Venetian Palaces" Mr.. Thomas
okey discloses the same gift for the flexible
and entertaining harding Of historical lore
which he has made 50 effective In previous
volumes. and adds to his work the charm which
comes from a keen appreciation Of architecture
for its own sake. On the whole, however, while
We vaile his notes the artistic aspect of his
subject we arc still more grateful for his gem
e-osity in all those matters watch mean roman
Tic association. and for his vividness in repro
ducing something of tho social movement in old
Venice. He will toll you how member of the
house OF Morosini set out to complete in one
year group Of thirty dwellings to be given by
him 10 poor noblemen. and he will tell you how
these sixteenth century buildings were planned
Tney to have "on the upper floor two
rooms and Kitchen porteg0 IN soter-probably
d Kind Of loggia on the r0of--and below, an
uto1go-probably a place in which TO stow the
Ie'2e oars, cushions, and other furniture of a
eondoin, place for wood. wine store tcdHeUc),