New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-11-18
Literary .NesUs and Criticism,

4
| makes that remark of his that at bottom the
| question is one not much OF form as % idea
| he comes near TO the Of much OF that ad-
verse criticism which has been written on the
works of his hero. One does not need to be &
| hidebound advocate OF the sonata form in order
| TO perceive that Strauss musical edifices lack
/ the soul which is Indispensable to piece OF
| organic architecture. Mr.. Newman Is, In fact
| little too fervid but he is also too good a
critic TO be utterly insensitive TO his composers
| limitations He is constrained to express regret
| over more than of the later episodes IN
Strauss's development and he is especially 1u-
| dicious in his comments one phase OF the
subject which has led TO much foolish enthusl-
asm Strauss has written over hundred
songs" he says. but a careful study OF them
gives one the impression that he is not a born
song writer and that comparatively few of his
Ideder have much chance Of survival
He has written some good songs ana one OF TWO
| exquisite songs, but also a number that are
commonplace, or dull, or precautionary empty
or stupid, or downright ugly" Obviously. while
Mr. Newman overrates Strauss he has not part
ed with his common sense. His monograph, we
NAV add. is chiefly critical, but some biograph-
ical details are printed in the first chapter, and
there are some Introductory pages by Mt Al
fred Kalisch containing anecdotes,
The MULTIPLICATION of travel books is all along
lines of gravity The writers OF them are
mostly self-respecting persons who wish tner
statistics to be accurate, their history to be
significant OF an acquaintance with the best au-
thorties and their impressions to be appro-
pirate and artistic. They are to be commenced
for their seriousness. but it must be confessed
that the general tone Of their excellent DOCKS
leaves the reader only too willing to enter Into
nPy1iP fT,rps
Tbsckeray's THE Light Side of Egypt Cthe
Macmillan Company. Mr.. George AIDE. in a
prefatory note to this oblong holiday quarto'
alludes to the colored pictures OF Egypt winch
abound 81 art critic he says but 1t
strikes me that most of these pictures are long
On anpuIarItv and short on human interest.
For me, the Thackeray pictures The SAD
faced tripper from Birmingham and the lus-
cious bride from Carbondale. Penna. u b A.
como more blithely to the modern Inauguration
than do the Wondering remnants of old dynas-
ries" Mr.. AIDES heart is in the right place
He may well applaud Mr.. Thackeray's pict-
ures which as here reproduced in colors, form
about as entertaining a sheaf as we have seen
in long time. He is genuinely funny HIS
types are hit off with the drolest touch mag
Unable: the situations in which they find them
selves are perfectly true TO nature, but absurd
INST the same and Mr. Thackeray is not only
amusing but a clever artist into the bargain
The traveller who has been in Egypt Will be
glad to find this In his stocking on Christmas
morning, but the shopper looking for good
holiday gift need not pick this out for the
traveller alone. It would tickle anybody.
Another travel book that lifts itself out OF
the ruck is Mr.. Edward Hutton's Country
Walks About Florence" (Charles Scribners
be-
come really companionable. 1t is foible of the
authors to be a little precious in his style,
and his writing has for this reason proved on
occasion somewhat irritating. But It is easy to
forgive him his indulgence in pretty phrases
when he writes so good q guide book as this
one. Growing, others have grown little
weary OF Florence. which he aptly describes as
"a beautiful museum full Of priceless master
pieces" a place which has otherwise lost all
! character he went rambling through the Tuscan
hills and valleys which the traveller is, in nine
cases out of ten, apt 10 neglect. How many
of the temporary sojourners in Italy know
the names of such places Calenzano, Arti-
mino Antella and all the other charming OBJ
securities which it would be coed to enumerate
Just for the sake Of the meodious sylables de-
scribing them? Mr.. Hutton tells you where
they are and what they contain OF natural sim
pie beauty of art. He dips into history on
the way. and gives you when II is appropriate,
a passage out of VILLAIN, concentrating some
romantic incident. AS invitation to delight
full exploration this book is peculiarly welcome.
1t is pleasantly Illustrated with pen sketches and
with halftones from photographs of paintings.
A map rounds out its useful character
one of the best episodes in Lew WaIlaces
Ben Hur' is reprinted apart by the Harpers
in a holiday book called The Chariot Race"
The ten brief chapters which lead up to and
include this episode forth in good type,
with wide margins. and Mr.. Sigismond Ivan
owsId has provided four illustrations repro
duced in colors. The cover is gorgeous in pur-
pie and gold. The volume will be read for It's
own sake and doubtless it will send many to
Ben Hur''
Z - y LI:SG: