New-York tribune., 1908-03-15
AMERICAN LETTERS.
Conn Comments by q Tro0eller
from Abroad.

ne tatr of an American book IL the hands
:, a. English critic varies oddly according to
- -sehcoI' 70 which that critic belongs.
mere are some writer's IN London who still
va-rjse the slang -whanging" methods Of an
-s-jer generation. There are others who some
res show so feverish a desire 10 be Just to
.-s;- --ansa1lantic brethren that they become
s--aniz5ng and a little absurd. sincere de-
s-e 10 make acquaintance with the subject and
20 treat Il naturally IS rare enough 10 lend a
epeciaI interest 70 what Nj Charles whitley
Is 10 say in e paper on American literature
-,t-ibuted 10 -T3iackwood's Magazine" Mr..
rtiblay. an intimate colleague Of the late W.
l HenIey's and an exernpIar Of his literary
-rcs is known for his scholarship and 1or
f. rigorous style. He has written admirable
-s,srs OF purely literary types. and has gone
.--tber afeld for the picturesque material Of
10 especially entertaining volume, a Book OF
S-znd-eIs-~ A visit 10 this country gave him
.gsior for 4 number of clever magazine ar
o sometimes exhibiting quaint limitations
~ often sh-ewd- His pages on New York
- distinctly suggestive. His remarks on
literature are not by any means conclusive,
III thsy rave certain interest
70 5o.e rot believe that We have discovered
,zz az OF letters. and for that he is grateful.
---elane and America" ne says. have trav-
I'd bv The same road 10 the same end. They
re- ackuow edged the same laws with an equal
III 0f obedience The ancient masters Of our
-7fsh sreech are the masters also Of Amer
o. -he truth is, thar from the first the writer's
America have Jagged hCuorably behind their
% TIE wises- Of them have written with a
.-dious care and quiet reverence. As if TO
-z-g the difference between the written Ian
!
s-yle which belongs TO their grandfathers"
e. N-hibIey observes that, in style, Cotton
ther vas but q belatec Elizabethan, and
-enr or modern writer's he finds the same
~alry 70 tradition "~Th0reau fondly believed
says that Walden had carried him near 10
4 .z1-e and he wrote with the accumulated
\-.dce of t1e centuries Hawthorne's language
rs as ancient II fashion as the Salem which
depicted Emerson Is described by this
4 kIsh commentator as an anarch who 10Uted
H -- conventions q art and life but Emerson.
- re az tod Has the servant Of tradition.
| g- be began co write his anarchy was sub
Sd and NJ whitley continues ''he instantly
zc-ns tie slave of al the periods which n
-=VIsed H vas q faithful follower Of the
5e. models ( patent student Of masters dead
a-5 gene Though he aspired 10 live wholly
.-Jz within. D. composed his works wholly
-1z without and fashioned an admirable style
-- h-zse1. mere antique n shape and sound
la -he style affected by the Engilshmen Of
Is -ne7 This Is certainly news. L is inter
ss:--g as showing hoN Emerson strikes well
| 1s@1.ng fUreig1e-.
Nr whitley writes admirably CT Poe's ideas
CT g-ye, BIT II -lls part Of his essay he re-
-ez-s t1s familiar error ot the EngIlshman
s-o haS CeVe- forgotten the criticism passed
E-n Poe D. so-e Ct MS contemporaries II
--z co-1--yl and has never learned anything
l21ct Whac has happened here since IF he
s-L a. exile Il American esteem" says MI.
1--5iey-in 5--ssf1- ignorance Of the fact that
o. has beer a5-z6altly appreciated ii this
| c-z--y-'he long since Won the freedom CT
T. la-gzr wc--G In the prose Of
--cz.a-re ard Ma--ar-ne ne lives q second
r whose lust-- -le Indifference Of his com
--o-s VII never dim NJ. Whibiey treats
ne phases 0f his theme with such insight
z; = IS pity that he had 10 friend al hand
} Sa7s hir1 fro-- tt.s lapse He pays a fervent
/ -'-ie 70 P2-k-~au, whom he describes as "of
---5e Ct Gi55ol and Aiichelet, Of Livy and
7-ar- though he undertakes cur HISTORIANS
re- II conveying Usual Impressions. 4 note
i H5--- Jane r. I.t--e puzzling We are