New-York tribune., 1922-11-19

eernIng "Br'er Rabbit'ss pictures. MISS
Ticknor relates the pathetic ending of
one of Harris's stories, "Blue Dave:
when the old mistress came TO die
she thought she was taking Journey,
drlven In her carriage by her faithful
negro. The carriage goes smoothly
little pause she asked, eIs David driv-
ing?' The weeping negro cried out
from corner Of the room, 'T'aint po'
Dave. mistressl De good Lord done
tuck hold er de Enes!' And so dream
ing, as. q little child would dream, the
old lady slipped from life into The
beatitudes,. if the smiles Of the dead
mean anything"
Miss Ticknor visited often In Eng
land. Stories OF George Eliot. Du
Maurier, the Coleridge family, descend
ants OF the poet, enliven the pages.
Ihe grandniece Of Jane Austen, who
Gnarmingly entertained Miss Ticknor;
Ihackeray's daughter, Lady Ritchie.
who told her many absorbing stories Of
her famous father, are generous com
tr1butors to the interest of the book.
which is admirably printed in clear.
large type end illustrated with nor.
traits Of many Of the authors iona Of
the finest being a portrait OF Henry
James) and with facsimilea Of thair
letters. seAA
Sir James Denham, in his sMemeqrs
OF the Memorable" Is self-recorded IN
sn,s volume ss . thoroughly likeable
n,;nglishnaan. he has taste, culture. ur-
raana.eo ponnomie and generous tenn
peramenr. AT the same time ne o,vos
tne impression Of distinct ins,,,sr r,.,,
a,s frequent visits to the Continay,t
IaAe ,a him over rather limited c;rc,1it
ne mas no antt-American feeling. In
deed, his youthful wanderinpa in ana
around Rome were charmed ~ eLa
, companionship of the sculptor Stora,
and his son. One OF the Ameri.e,,
women married to an Englishman' 80
commands his unqualified praise for
her exceptional social savoir in The
nigher circles. Yet ne never seen,a IN
nave felt any interest In America nor w
70 nave expressed a wish to examine II
as ciose range. Perhaps IL is as we'll.
sIhce Dy Ehls omission we are spared
Sns more OF tnose Impressions Of
america" by Englishmen who stav hera
twenty-four hours or 80 and then xnr;ts
about us. 'N0n ~T'se
well born, an Oxford man, with corn.
portable means, possessing a genuins 10
delicate and limited poetic vain CIV
James Denham added to these gnnd I
things the honor of becoming an NJ p
Yet his contacts have evidently baan
social rather than political, and he re-
counts innunlerabie week-ends In the
country houses of delightful friends,
which often extended to whole forf.
nights and longer.
By all counts Sir James is a VIE
torisn. His very leisure proves ii. And
vein of seriousness about his time
and acquaintance. One could not
imagine his reading Lytton Straehey
with any relish, FOR he would be
shocked. He has, Too, apparently, COM
mitted Burke's "Peerage'' to memory.
One or two chapters are devoted to
the intricacies Of social rank and
precedence, questions which before the
war were no doubt of much Importance
TO the great people Of the tight little
Isle, but now must seem, even TO them.
strangely out of tune with the times.
To American readers they are weari-
some and inconsequenGial.
Sir James is good story teller, how
ever, and has garnered some rare
ones, together with others entirely Vic
torian in their stiff propriety. He is
an agreeable writer whose specimen
sonnets have charm and whose prose
has an unfaiiing grace, with, now and
than, high descriptive beauty