New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-13
Mr.. DRESSER ABROAD
An Unconventional Book of
Travel Rich in Observsti ton.

a TRAVELLER AT FORTY. BY Theo-
dore Dresser. illustrated by W. GlaCk-
ems. Sv". PIP. 80. The Century COM
pany.
Mr.. Dresser lays stress in the title
Ct his book upon the age at which
ne made his first pilgrimage 10 the old
; World. I'm his case. at least. no more
fitting period could have been chosen.
if one considers the result His point
Of view is firmly established. but he
evidently is not yet beyond the reach
OF usiasms-witness his delight in
half his years. But mostly nc has
the poise that analyzes an environ
ment rather than surrenders To IL. and
throughout he carries with him. and
applies that social conscience which
prcoccupation with present conditions
has called to life in all OF as. The
oldtime American tourist returned
home 10 boast confidently OF contrasts;
the modern traveller returns to draw
comparisons in degree. II is this at
/ titudc which links Mr. Dresser most
UNEXPECTEDLY. on the one hand. to the
( Mr.. Howells Of London Films. and
/ to the Arnold Bennett OF Paris
Nights" on the other.
/ MI Dresser. then. is more interested
/ in people than in places. in their con-
, dition Of life than in the surviving
monuments OF their past. Still more is
/ he interested in woman. or, 10 he exact
! in women. 1t is with two women that
( his book opens; it is with snatch OF
| conversation overheard on his return
| that il closes:
/ And he says to me- said one little girl.
stroIliuc with her picturesque COMPANION
on upper Broadway, If YOU don't do that
I'm through.
/ And what did you saw
+ was sure. then. that was really
home.
This interest in the eternal feminine
especially in its most sorrowful aspect,
is more or less 10 the fore according TO
our travellers ability to make himself
understood. In England ne makes
much Of it: in Paris he got along with
the aid Of an amiable Interpreter, a
thorough Briton at home, most thor
oughly not a BritOn abroad-w which.
after all, may he considered TO be most
characteristicany British. Mr.. Dresser
discovered that the English dislike US;
/ it is sufficiently clear from his pages
/ that he. in return. does not like them
/ overmuch. He lays stress on their eli
mate. especially when he comes 10 com
/ pare their "dreary, ghastly" poverty
with that Of the nations under more
/ generous sky. TO him, as 10 so many
other recent writers, England Is Slip
ping into the historic past, no longer
able to keep up for long with the
Younger nations. He is not Indifferent
to beauty, TO aesthetic culture-on the
contrary. he has discerning eye for
art-but upon visiting oxford after the
East End OF London. he opines that al
! ready the Western world is smiling al
solemnity and "A beauty which are no
| BILE and lovely to look upon, but which
cannot keep pace with new order and
a new need"
! In Italy Mr.. Dreiser's ultra-modern
! individuality surrenders to the mage
| of sheer beauty. The spell which the
| country lays upon all children of the
| north holds him in thrall. Here people
| interest him less, in part, perhaps. 1t
must be added. because their language
proved barrier that he could not
| overcome. Really, Italy is too beau
| tifuI." he exclaims. zone should be
poet in soul Unsuitable as To art, and
he should linger here forever" Still,
! in the end. like the Innocents Abroad,
he wearied a little Of the endless visit
ing of masterpieces hidden In churches:
well, I've had about enough OF this
what's the use?" And as Mr., Bennett
marvelled in Florence at the purpose
and the profit Of his countrywomen
who make the city their home, so Mr..
| Dresser wonders at PA, Ma, and the
children" abroad, who have no room
in their little crania for anything save
the standards of the Methodist Church
- <s.ssnn