The sun., 1907-11-30

and 90 can relate many unsertnluing Incl
dents. u % an intelf9ent srtist that "
talking, and We can imagine no pieAsanter
travelling companion.
OF a different character In @Cairo. Jerui
salem and Damascus" (Dodd, Mead and
Company. Mr.. D. 8. Margoliouth, who
supplies the text. seems to have been un-
duly impressed by the art Of Mr.. VS.. s.
Tyrwhitt's pretty water oOlOrs. and to live
up to them writes a history Of Cairo from
the earliest times. This has value. for it 10
based on Arabic sources beyond the reach
of the ordinary reader, but II has little to
do with the illustratiOns. The chapter on
Jerusalem il more descriptive and those on
Damascus are more entertaining.
Likewise dealing with tho Orient ID DR..
H. W. Dunning's To-day in Palestine
James Pott and Company. New York;.
This is a guide book and not an art book.
though IL is illustrated with many fine
photographs. The authors point Of view
is that Of tho aroh@Ologist rather than
that Of the Scripture student. and he Illus
trates his Journeys with incidents OF travel.
remarks ON the manners OF the people and
historical explanations.
Again the French cathedrals are assailed
by Elsie Whitlock Rose and VIDA Hunt
Francis In "Cathedrals and CIoiSters OF
Midland France" In two volumes "a. p.
Putnam's SOnsl. As in the previous vol
umes on the Oathedrals OF southern France
Miss FranGis's admirable photographs are
beyond all praise. They are artistic plot
ures and often represent buildings and
scenes that are almost unknown. The text
Is far less satisfactory: the selection Of Q
broad slioe Of France from east. TO west
was not judIoious, for the provinces had
little connection In their political and their
architectural history. The convenience to
the authors might excuse the arrangement.
even II It brings eighteenth and nineteenth
century churches into comparison with
architectural monuments Of earlier days.
but the effort 70 evolve a common bond for
things unconnected was un called for.
Descriptions Of single buildings, however.
often have value. and after the first chap
ters the typographical order In followed,
Savoy, Dauphiny, Burgundy, Auvergne
and Auuitaine. The incidents Of travel are
often trivial.
The Haytian Envoy 10 Washington, MIR.
J. N. Leger, has written . very Interesting
account OF his native land in -Hafti, Her
History and Her Detractors' (The Neale
FuDubulHB NOhnVhuyps au0 SAoAuct pAIb
Of the volume is filed with the history OF the
island, and in this the HaytiRn Judgment
OF the conduct Of the white Oppressors will
attract attention, as will MIR. L4ger's ssti-
mates OF Haytians who have become IA
nous. The politics OF more recent years are
rather hard to follow owing to the authors
condemnation, but perhaps they will always
b. inexpicable 20 outsiders. At the end
the author makes plea for his country iD
answer TO the accusations against IL. He
has an easy task in comparing Haytian
misdeeds with those recorded in European
history through the ages.
A thoroughly interesting subject is taken
up by Mr.. Thomas Okey In -The Old
Venetian Palaces and Old Venetian Folk
u. NJ Dent and Company: f.. p. Dutton
and Company; illustrated by or illustrating
the water colors OF Mr.. Trevor Haddon.
Some OF the pictures. particularly at the
beginning. are good they detcriorate some
what in color and drawing as the artist
goes on. Mr.. Okey's text is a miscellany
of architecture. history. legend. antiquities.
which cannot but be entertaining. but
which might. gain something from more
orderly arrangement. The book is a pleas
ing addition 70 the Venice literature.
A chatty repetition Of the commonplaces
about Japan by an author well acquainted
with the country will be found in Mr.. Give
Hollands -Old and New japan" u. M. Dent
and Company; e. p. Dutton and Company.
with colored pictures by Montague Smyth
The pictures are spoiled somewhat by an
attempt at impressiOnism or at japanese
effects; the small scale landscapes are
the best. The choice Of subjects shows
little discrimination. The narrative. how
ever. is readable. and many people un-
doubtedly will find pleasure in another
picture book Of Japan.
1t il entirely to the French side Of the
Pyrenees that Mr.. Francis Miltoun keeps In
Castles and Chateaux Of Old Navarro"
IL. C. Page and Company. He is pretty
heavy at times. but the region he describes,
from Perpignan to Biarritz, is picturesque
and not completely hackneyed in English:
there are plenty Of entertaining stories and
legends to tell The illustrations by Blanche
Macmanus. especially those in color. are
interesting and Of much higher merit than
the text
Italy hss exercised her power sufficiently
on Miss Lillian Whiting TO make her call her
book Italy. the Magic Land" little, Brown
and Company. instead Of -ths land beauti-
full In IL she expresses exuberant admirs-
tion for many Americans who have dwelt in
Italy. which must be rather embarrassing
for those still living. She praises Rome
and Naples and Vittoria Colonna and ST.
Francis and Venice in saocharine phrases.
and quotes literally but with little discrim-
instion from all sorts Of people who visited
the same places. The book Is illustrated
with photographs.
Two thick volumes on MEXICO in the
Twentieth Century such as Mr.. Percy T.
Martin provides (Dodd Mead and Com
pany). would be valuable and important
II written by the right man. Those who
have seen Mr.. Martins South American
book will know that he must be taken with
caution. He has seen Mexico recently and
his impressions must therefore be consid-
cred, but he has seen it with pretty optimistic
eyes and with the glamour OF possible British
profits before him. He has put together
much material, particularly with regard TO
business that would have been much more
ineligible il arranged with more method.
There is 90 much that should be known about
Mexico that his book. with some care. may
he made helpful.
A curious example Of sprightliness without
substance is offered by Miss Carolyn Wells