The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-02-07
From the Philadelphia Public Ledger.


Wy some points of merit over and
above those which characterize
theluseful American volume of that name.
Both publications are rather free in using
the material which those who are to be
treated furnish to the editors, and re-
suits are sometimes arrived at almost as
ludicrous as the little sketches in the Con-
gressonal Directory. The English book
asks for information regarding the ''recre-
ations" of the men and women whom IL
chooses for its biographies, practice
which somehow assumes that human be-
ings will have ''recreations." This is prob
ably a lingering survival OF the easier
life which is led by the inhabitants of
the. British islands. 1t is only In this
country that we live to make money and
give no care to our pastimes, for which
reason some of the Americans in the book
have been hard pressed to find an answer
to the EDITORS query about their sports.
score. perhaps, of distinguished clti-
zens of Philadelphia and eastern Pennsyl-
vania are found in the English who's
Who for 1908. Several such as Dr. S.
Weir Mitchell, Horace Howard Furness,
Owen Wister, Howard Pyle Max Adler
(Charles Heber Clark, so popular a
humorist in England; John Luther Long,
Harrison S. Morris and Agnes Reppler,
entirely neglect the question. The emil
nent Henry G. Lea plainly remarks under
"Recrations," in the sketch of his life
none except historical research" There
are some other prominent persons in our
city and it's neighborhood, however, who
have found pastimes for themselves and
we hope that they really own bodily profit
and advantage. John Bach McMaster, the
American historian, says that his recrea-
ton are boating, tennis, golf. shooting"
Provost Charles Curtis Harrison, "crick-
et riding" Dr. j. William White, bicy-
cling. swimming, walking, climbing, row.
ing, automobiling;p Lloyd Mifflin. the
poet so much esteemed in England,
painting, riding, driving and the pursuit
of literature" George Horace Lorimer,
editor and humorist. shooting, fishing.
gardening" Joseph Swain. president of
Swarthmore college, tennis
In larger national fields Mr.. Taft, whom
many have picked out to be our next
President, seems to have no recreations,
as is the case with Booker T. Washing
ton. They, in any event, have failed to
name them. President Roosevelt, on the
other hand, mentions 'ranching and big
game hunting on the great plains and In
the Rocky mountains" and adds, for the
information of the nature fakir," that
he is much interested in zoology, espe-
cially mammology and field natural his
tory generally" Whitelaw Reid says that
his sports are riding, driving, rowing,
shooting" and Walter Damrosch plays
tennis.
1t is interesting to follow, ALSO in their
idle hours some of the larger American
literary figures who are not Philadel-
phians. There is Henry Van Dyke for
example. with ''angling. hunting, bicy-
cling, skating, book collecting in English
poety;" Richard Watson Glider, FARM
ing, etc. Bliss Perry, fishing, golf"
Thomas Nelson Page, horseback riding,
living in the country" William Dean
Howells, theatre, reading. walking, gar
dening;" Marion Crawford navigator,
and holds professional masters certificate
from association of American shipmasters
and United States marine board"
Much may be suggested by this inter-
esting study of the recreations of Ameri-
cans. This one fact. at least seems te
force itself upon the attention: the ex-
treme rarity of instances in which our
eminent people mention WALKING as a
pastime. Dr. j. William White and Will
liam Dean Howells alleges that they walk
about for fun, but host n'England fnd
1t an amusement Here all of us-the
great. the near great" and the plain
people of Lincoln--see no recreation in
going over the country on foot. Nine
out Of TO- who are down in the road, wish