New-York tribune., 1910-03-23
The CleUer Excursions of Mr.
Mar BeerbOhm.

YET AGAIN BY Max Beerhohm. iamo.
pp. VIII, SO. The John Lane Company.
Mr Max Beerbohm provides I'm his ca
recr q charming example 81 the literary
value OF gentleness He was horn with
a sense of measure. Probably he would
prefer 10 be regarded as a temperament
formed by artistic discipline. He is on
the side of gOod taste. good manners. the
right tone. and. in q word. an Of the
things which signify unsloeping defer
cnco % tho Graces. His writings are
nothing II not carefully studied. Yet We
insist that the secret Of his small gift.
small and fragile but worth while, Is n
secret Of Unborn character. He may
have lived laborious days and nights pol
ishing his dainty style. but We read him
for the sake of a quality which does not
come by effort. but is purely spontaneous
and personal This new collection Of his
essays, light as thistledoWn. has the
virtue ~ work done with an almost art
less sincerity.
There Is q good deal of human nature
about Max" Take. for example. his
little piece on Seeing People on" Il
am not good al H." he says TO do II
well seems 20 me one of the most diff
cult things in tho world, and probably IL
seems So 20 you. too" AS he develops
his theme you wonder dimly II he is not
a shade too precious" and then. as he
passes into a vein OF ingenious foOling.
you note his drollery and nothing else.
But presently you ind yourself IN
mood. ''MaN's" mood. and idly your mind
plays about the whole familiar trial or
seeing people OF. You smile and in the
smile Is a tribute of sympathy, = feeling
OF gratitude for the authors amiable
satire. We VIII not attempt 10 translate
into simple terms the subtle point OF that
satire. In the hrst place. IL Is too slight
q point. for ali its subtlety. But That rs
part OF its charm. Max" does not take
himself or his divagations a. al seri-
ously He has his gently playful
thoughts. and IA his demUre fashion
would doubtless go to the stake for
fhen: hut he knows that nobody VIII
ask him 10 40 that. and so he brings
them forward very lightly. very suavely'
and. above all. IN the discreetest possible
tone OF voice. There is humor every
where in this book but IL is humor OF a
delicate sort An exquisite talent like
Whistler's," he says, whether In paint
ing or I'm writing. Is always az its best
on a small scale" A talent like his own
is AZ It's best on a small scale, in canoes
Of literary form, in thin jets and crit
icism that may not leave durable I'M
pression. but are al the moment curl
ously snuring and suggestive. Original
witty. urhane he is also, I'm his seem
ingly artificial way, very much in ear
rest. The fragments Of Journalism which
he has brought together in this book de-
serve a place apart among the cleNer
ephenere of the day.
Paris Is 10 have little weekly paper
for children. wherein VIII be treated sub
iecss properly appealing 10 such readers
tho latest exploits of aeroplanes, criu-
cisms ~ Juvenile literature. news con-
corning Wholesome sports and articles
on theatrical events suitable for the
eouuE person schools, IL is stated, are
subscribing FOR this paper. In the town
81 Dantzic the authorities are trying The
experiment in the public schools Of max
ing the daily newspaper the reading
textbook. Politics and crime are eN-
cluded, the reading being confined 20 sci
.utioc and literary news and weather re-
ports. Even stock Exchange informa-
tion is discussed. The experiment Is
popular and 50 Ear u is thought 10 be
successful.