The sun., 1916-09-10
THE FLAVOR OF CITIES.

The characteristics Of citics that give
them distinction one from another are
susceptible Of perfect dissection. Tho
task Is seldom attempted with any
rigor because of tho outcries il itnnc-
diately excites. People protest that "A
sort of sacriiege Is being done. Their
attitude is like that of W. to whom
a friend was explaining the simple and
entirely mathematical proportions Of
La donna e mobile"
Don't" groaned W. lie seemed
to think that the magic Of verdrs
tune would be destroyed by his friends
"quod crat demonstrandum."
IL Is essentially the same feeling that
underlies the attacks on vivisectiOn.
But. In the name of everything worth
while. was ever a dead thing worth
pulling apart? Only the living book,
sculpture. picture. view repays criti-
cal study.
The analyst Of the charms Of cities
will first take isto consideration their
relation to the sea.
1t Is true there arc cities Of peculiar
attractiveness that are not seaports--
Vienna and Paris. for example. But
such cities are few and have important
compensatory features. tho gay life cr
national capitals or histories that con-
fer upon them an unconquerablc pres
tige. The seaports have an advantage
that Il 10 difficult to overcome. They
are on the great main travelled high
way Of the world, they share It's mag
ntficent trafilc and arc visited by men
Of all races. creeds. tastes and codes
aesthetic. philosophic and moral. These
variegated creatures bring and carry
away all the goods. merchandise. costly
stuffs and golden dross of the globe.
the ebb and flow Of this life, as sure
as the ebb and fiow OF the ocean tides
in the harbor. creates a city cosmopoli-
tan. unpreJudiced, picturesque.
This 10 felt at once when the
stranger sets foot in New York. Saa
francisco. New Orleans. or Charleston.
South Carolina.
In the case Of New York there IS
always a profound doubt shadowing
every vista. Il this II cosmApolis? Is
it a chrysaiis?>
OF course there IS no such sense OF
tremendous hc;croson'ity arout other
cities Of North America. san Fran
cisco Is as brilliant and enchanting rs
when first viewed, on February
morning In 1909, while sunshine poured
upon it's white new buildings and green
grass made lovely every remaining
scar 1t has the misfortune to ho
provincial In a single rcspcct--it fan
cies that culturally Il IS independent
Of the rest of earth. Now, oven Boston
knows better than that.
b n-f.. nd
I Charleston are not intellectual Eat
then, who would wish them To- be? They
are offsets to Boston and san Fran
! cisco, which are our bright. advanced
! city children. although one wors'''ps
Z simple studous delights and the other
! prefers the flashing frenzy Of I'aris.tp
I poets and decad. nts. The air OF pre-
/ coc!ty invests both.
| Beside these coast towns how tnmH
and commonplace appear the inland
places. And beside New Work. how
limited the personalities of other citiaa
! ot t!:c :caboacd.
! New York has no tim" for - cIW.
like Boston or san FraLciscu; y" mo-
ments for tradition, Ike Charleston: ::
no passion for picturcsqucnesS, ike
New Orleans.
Here We go forward indomi.ahlr,
using all our energies to do the duties
of the city's life. All this scstll.n;
activity !s unified without conscious
effort. 1t achieves tr.umphs-the tr.-
umphs OF tho laws of nature. =. W."
cxpect Il petty pride To hc 'lSil@vc1 ~
evolution, as well expect tn" fore" "i
yravitation to boast its power as cN-
= e
consciousness to oNa,t itS"'i. u j. Cd
city without. premedtat!on. Il goes
about its tasks like II young giant, III
tensclv preoccup!ed ln simply E"t!u-;
them done. hoastln- never Of his iH-
tellect. his sNenSth or h.s beauty
hardly aware they exist.
stand In lower Madison street whc"
the horse cars still Jingle pJst L1D&
down the west line OF Chambers street
The eye travels through - region %;
small. old brick houses, ugly offs an
cobbled streets 20 the inIn"ns' sub
stance Of the Municipal Huiliin@. ui'-
flung I'm severe. handsome lines at tn
end OF the view NJ ui.ht tho sa2
moves frdn, the windows of the fr""'
coffee houses hcsidr The "'.scrNn'
this thing Of twcutN -uY. ~tori"s
starred with lights aud rts'mnliG-
nothing so much a. orc - Thus hos
aconal lanterns used 4 'catIry asu E.
, light the traveller on h WAY.
You have caught sight If Sew lort
in ono of its UNCONSCIOUS pu>cs; yr
! have seen tho Young q; NJ pi,,u"-s ,
: richt Tor tho night AVID ,tNr adr'.ro
> his rounded shoulder, irr sn dow"
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