The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-06


vo.ume.
But, matters being as they regret
tably are in the case Of Rupert
Brooke. let us see. through eyes not
critical. what sort OF a traveller he
was. For one thing, on going into the
Canadian wild he took along Ben
Jonson and Jane Austen. ito keep me
English" lie INDUCES in occasional
somewhat socialistic speculations and
philosophers upon the American
melting pot civilization after this
fashion: "Nationalities seem to teach
another only their worst" But
he Is able sometimes to pass from a
youthfully destructive criticism 10 n
just appreciation oi customs unlike
those to which he Is native. A frst
impression Is that the appropriately
symbolic figure for a statue Of
the American would represent--Mr.
Brooke visited New York in summer
tlme-a man in his shirt sleeves. and
belted. More extended observation
overthroWs The shirt sleeved pro-
claimer of the some" ness OF this
great country, and sets up in his stead
the alert mechanic at the wheel OF a
ppWtTlui HnOtoT CdT. Inc COTuInS uCe-
ment parade OF the classes at a uni
vers.ty is a cruel reminder Of the
passage of time. II wonder IL Eng
lish nerves could stand H." Butt: Per
haps II Ia nobler. this deliberate view
ing OF oneself as part Of the stream.
To the spectator, certainly. the now
and transiency become apparent and
poignant" His comment on the cleo
trical night advertising in this town
has a shallowness not wholly due to
its playful spirit. The neutral
States in our civil war appear oddly.
And the ~octogenarian Bos;oniar. who
said: Tell me. do you know that
curious creature Matthew Arnold?'
spoke, of course. of the curious crea-
ture in his books, and knew the date
and hour OF Arno.d's death. And as
to the universal American conversa-
tioIal predatory "Wai'-We,l. But
Mr.. James expresses IL all as no one
else could:
The misfortune OF this set % letters L.
alas, in The fac: tina; they are Of 40 mod
crate d quantity. for We make him GU.
a. steadily more vivid and delightful while
his opportunit. grows lie is touching n
frs., inevitably quite Iu, emile. In tn.
measure Of his good faith; we feel him
not = dtilc lonely anu lost aad st-anied
In tir New York pandt nonium--oblixcd
TO throw him self upon sky scrapers and tn,
o'crspread bla ,kness pFicaed OUT n 8
nlcker.ns fury Of .nlgcd advertisement
for want o. some more interesting viea
% character and mann,-s. We long t.
take him by the hand ana SHOW him nnr'
I ligh's--'ycs Of bat mean.r range. aftei
? NIL being llTouafa to tho ram NJ 'he XA-
teal business blocks and the lur!I SIX
l clamor 'o- more dollar.
We like Mr.. Drooke's on Of
New York skyscraper architecture. IA,
recognized in their strength. their sus.
|. Gest.oa OF severity in line and thu
ligh;ness of their color "a kind of elias.
seal c~!.ns"-classical. Yet not OF F.u.
= rope. These blocks OF hav,
the air Of 'ed.fioes built to satisfy SOM
:d.ih.' no; for immediate ends OF bus..
+. mss convenience. But it was a fair
, unfamiliar To him; !; truly Represented
/, 10y It's housing. 80 d and hard a1t
i.ph;.' lie the steel Of their frame.
= '.":!i. 1t came upon me" he says
'tHat they cou.d not have beer
dreamed and made without some no
/. hi.ity. There spoke the competent
seer % human sights. II was the POI
who said of the Brouiilyn Bridge, seer
I IA tie evening: Its slight curve rs.
Vers purely outlined with Eight. oveY
IL luminous trains. like shuttles ". fire
a!e thrown across and across contin
uaily Weaving the stuff oc human oX,
, .Stence.'
In New Nu"N the oln I:ng..sn Wis
lt"r saw two types, and on'y TWO. %
Ane:,caa ta,es-,he upper middle
: AID the bower middle class" faces: an
these are very d.. t.nct," The more
/, ar.s;ocrat.C type is long. Offer
fine about the forehead and cy es.
and the eyes odd AN odd. tiret
rithos the who,e expression !!
ir.Snd'y, but puzzled. "as il o
' Il Perpetual. never quite .ucce,sfu,
, offort 10 understand something" I
il the face of an only child. Orough'
! NJ among adults, n partly due Il
! the cn .eJvOr To set their standards b,
: re culture ANA traditions of oder ma
tons The mouth is the most char
actcri>tiC feature; small, tight" dow,
n AT the corners. with a slight protrus.oI
L "a In. lower lip Puritan mouth
h Lowe: c.ass mouths are wider. coarsei
but more expressive. IL il the abscnc
of sou" that keeps wrinkles out q
e American faces? Americans are hand
ONE. but rarely pretty or beau
d tiful.'
Eth avenue Is the handsome.
r street imaginable" what the street
OF German cities ;ry to be" Stree
car conductors chew Cta ~seless.y
business has become q religion III
- more thaa the l.gnt. me;apho..cu
= sense az the word" Il has ritual an
q theology. h.Sh places and !jargor
:, priests and martyrs. Advertising I
n It's mos; mystical manifestations:
has depths OF coarscness and height
$ Of az. Street lights SHOW ON fac.
r hard, set, wolfsh, terribly b.ua.
Boston = scented with "a dci.c.ou
# nc,ent Tory.sn.'' yet BOSTON
alive" II used to" cad America 81
~ Literature. Thought, Art. everything
The years nave passed" Boston |
10 New York what Munich Is Il
Berlin: they were the leaders fort
years ago. and cant quite make on
that they aren't now" Baseball
merely glorifcd FOUNDERS" Har
ward is a spirit, a way OF .ookin
n AZ things, austerely refined. GENT
moral, kindly" Only because Nj
Brooke laughs at the America
Wal" which doesn't exist. som
readers Will snap up some OF hi
mite British lo~Cutions, 'Iearot riu-