New-York tribune., 1909-11-20
Mr.. JAMES ABROAD.
SOurenirS of His TrdCel in
Italy.

ITALIAN HOURS. BY Henry James. With
illustrations in color by Joseph Pennen-
4to. pp. X. $50. The Houghton Mifiin
Company.
Except for it's binding. which in defer
ence 10 the holidays bears a rich design
in gold and colors. this book might be
described as stately. 1t has a most dig
nified title page. and the text, with
handsome chapter initials, is printed on
a page which allows for broad margins
The paper. too. is soft and luxurious
Mr.. Pennelrs clever and picturesque
illustrations have been reproduced in
colors. and they. too. in some sort, re-
peat the holiday note. but the book re-
mains one Of those essentially distin-
guished affairs which are meant for the
suave beguilement OF hours In a library.
Its bulk Will. Of course, prevent its figur-
ing among the travellers impedimenta.
but We are not sure that. in any case he
would want 10 take Mr.. James with him
10 Italy. This IS no guidebook. Neither
is il a systematized collection OF impress
sions meant 10 help the reader in CO.
ordinating his own views" Mr.. James
has simply brought together a number
leaves from his notebook for good meas
ure. Being what he is, at all times
literary craftsman. this involves no ef-
feet of haphazard writing On the con-
trary. IL gives us just a sheaf of
characteristically finished studies. Mr.
James could not for the life OF him be
merely casual or slipshod.
To read this book is TO come upon a
thousand deftly drawn little pictures and
10 observe them as a well modulated
voice adds precisely the right comments.
Mr.. James is not the most exciting COM
panion in the world on rambles such as
We take between the covers Of this vol
Ume. Speaking Of the sentimental tour
list in Venice ne remarks that he likes
10 be alone; 10 be original. TO have ito
himself, at leasD the air Of making dis
coHeries. This traveller makes no dis
coyeTles. He does not even wear the
air Of making them. But, then. on the
other hand, he at least uses his own
eyes. and the impressions he records. if
not surprisingly new. have a certain
SAVIOR Of originality about them. Best
Of al. he never forces the note. When
ne goes 10 Rome ne does not try To be
august Here is d typical passage:
one Of course never Iasses the Colos-
s' um without paying II ones respects
without going m under one of the hundred
portals and crossing the long oval and
sitting down while, generally al The foor
OF Ihe cross IN The centre l always feel,
a. 4 90 50, as u 1 were seated IN the
depths II some Alpine valley. The upper
portions of the side toward the EsGullipe
IuOk remote and lonely as an Anime
. -
rugged sky line drinking in the sun ana
sllNered 10y the blue air, with much the
same feeling with which you would take
IN a gray clin on which an eagle might
lodge. This roughly mountainous quality
81 the great ruin Is IFS chief interest;
beauty Of detail has pretty well vanished
- pecially since the nigh-grOwing wild
flowers have been plucked away bv the
new government whose funCtionaTies. sure
~, al certain points Of their task. must
have felt II they shared the dreadful
trade II those who gather samphire.
II is well done, and there is much
more that is as good I'm this book Rid
ing about on the Roman Campagna. Mr.
James misses something. Nature. pure
and simple. eludes him. Perhaps il is
that he is fearful Of indulging I'm fine
writing" At all events he never let's
himself 90. In spite OF his fiorid tendency
Symonds got much nearer to the heart
Of the matter in such an essay as his
May in Umbria." MT. James is tact
ful rather than enthusiastic. and, while
the fervid vein can easily be overdone.
a little enthusiasm does no harm to the
writer on Italy. Again. in his not in
frequent remarks on paintings, Mr.
James is a little less than inspiring.
though now and then. as in his notes on
Carpacc.o and Tintoretto, he kindles to
his subject and writes with some per-
suasiveness. But, as We have indicated,
one does not go 10 Mr.. James for writ
ing on Italy Of any great substance.
one goes To him for just what lie has