me of the satisfaction of a discoverer and leaves me merely the sense of
being rather old…fashioned in my painful emotions。
I。
I wish I could pretend that my author philosophized the facts of his New
York with something less than the raw haste of the young journalist； but
I am afraid I must own that 'New York in Slices' affects one as having
first been printed in an evening paper； and that the writer brings to the
study of the metropolis something like the eager horror of a country
visitor。 This probably enabled him to heighten the effect he wished to
make with readers of a kindred tradition； and for me it adds a certain
innocent charm to his work。 I may make myself better understood if I say
that his attitude towards the depravities of a smaller New York is much
the same as that of Mr。 Stead towards the wickedness of a much larger
Chicago。 He seizes with some such avidity upon the darker facts of the
prisons； the slums； the gambling…houses； the mock auctions； the toughs
（who then called themselves b'hoys and g'hals）； the quacks； the theatres；
and even the intelligence offices； and exploits their iniquities with a
ready virtue which the wickedest reader can enjoy with him。
But if he treated of these things alone； I should not perhaps have
brought his curious little book to the polite notice of my readers。
He treats also of the press； the drama； the art； and； above all；
〃the literary soirees〃 of that remote New York of his in a manner to make
us latest New…Yorkers feel our close proximity to it。 Fifty…odd years
ago journalism had already become 〃the absorbing； remorseless； clamorous
thing〃 we now know； and very different from the thing it was when
〃expresses were unheard of； and telegraphs were uncrystallized from the
lightning's blue and fiery film。〃 Reporterism was beginning to assume
its present importance； but it had not yet become the paramount
intellectual interest； and did not yet 〃stand shoulder to shoulder〃 with
the counting…room in authority。 Great editors； then as now； ranked great
authors in the public esteem； or achieved a double primacy by uniting
journalism and literature in the same personality。 They were often the
owners as well as the writers of their respective papers； and they
indulged for the advantage of the community the rancorous rivalries；
recriminations； and scurrilities which often form the charm； if not the
chief use； of our contemporaneous journals。 Apparently； however；
notarially authenticated boasts of circulation had not yet been made the
delight of their readers； and the press had not become the detective
agency that it now is； nor the organizer and distributer of charities。
But as dark a cloud of doubt rested upon its relations to the theatre as
still eclipses the popular faith in dramatic criticism。 〃How can you
expect；〃 our author asks； 〃a frank and unbiassed criticism upon the
performance of George Frederick Cooke Snooks 。 。 。 when the editor or
reporter who is to write it has just been supping on beefsteak and stewed
potatoes at Windust's； and regaling himself on brandy…and…water cold；
without； at the expense of the aforesaid George Frederick Cooke Snooks？〃
The severest censor of the press； however； would hardly declare now that
〃as to such a thing as impartial and independent criticism upon theatres
in the present state of the relations between editors； reporters；
managers； actorsand actressesthe thing is palpably out of the
question；〃 and if matters were really at the pass hinted； the press has
certainly improved in fifty years； if one may judge from its present
frank condemnations of plays and players。 The theatre apparently has
not； for we read that at that period 〃a very great majority of the
standard plays and farces on the stage depend mostly for their piquancy
and their power of interesting an audience upon intrigues with married
women； elopements； seductions； bribery； cheating； and fraud of every
description 。 。 。 。 Stage costume； too； wherever there is half a
chance； is usually made as lascivious and immodest as possible； and a
freedom and impropriety prevails among the characters of the piece which
would be kicked out of private society the instant it would have the
audacity to make its appearance there。〃
II。
I hope private society in New York would still be found as correct if not
quite so violent； and I wish I could believe that the fine arts were
presently in as flourishing a condition among us as they were in 1849。
That was the prosperous day of the Art Unions； in which the artists
clubbed their output； and the subscribers parted the works among
themselves by something so very like raffling that the Art Unions were
finally suppressed under the law against lotteries。 While they lasted；
however； they had exhibitions thronged by our wealth； fashion； and
intellect （to name them in the order they hold the New York mind）； as our
private views now are； or ought to be； and the author 〃devotes an entire
number〃 of his series 〃to a single institution〃fearless of being
accused of partiality by any who rightly appreciate the influences of the
fine arts upon the morals and refinement of mankind。〃
He devotes even more than an entire number to literature； for； besides
treating of various literary celebrities at the 〃literary soirees；〃 he
imagines encountering several of them at the high…class restaurants。
At Delmonico's； where if you had 〃French and money〃 you could get in that
day 〃a dinner which； as a work of art； ranks with a picture by
Huntington； a poem by Willis； or a statue by Powers；〃 he meets such a
musical critic as Richard Grant White； such an intellectual epicurean as
N。 P。 Willis； such a lyric poet as Charles Fenno Hoffman。 But it would
be a warm day for Delmonico's when the observer in this epoch could
chance upon so much genius at its tables； perhaps because genius among us
has no longer the French or the money。 Indeed； the author of 'New York
in Slices' seems finally to think that he has gone too far； even for his
own period； and brings himself up with the qualifying reservation that if
Willis and Hoffman never did dine together at Delmonico's； they ought to
have done so。 He has apparently no misgivings as to the famous musical
critic； and he has no scruple in assembling for us at his 〃literary
soiree〃 a dozen distinguished…looking men and 〃twice as many women。。。。
listening to a tall； deaconly man； who stands between two candles held by
a couple of sticks summoned from the recesses of the back parlor； reading
a basketful of gilt…edged notes。 It is 。 。 。 the annual Valentine
Party； to which all the male and female authors have contributed for the
purpose of saying on paper charming things of each other； and at which；
for a few hours； all are gratified with the full meed of that praise
which a cold world is chary of bestowing upon its literary cobweb…
spinners。〃
It must be owned that we have no longer anything so like a 'salon' as
this。 It is； indeed； rather terrible； and it is of a quality in its
celebrities which may well carry dismay to any among us presently
intending immortality。 Shall we； one day； we who are now in the rich
and full enjoyment of our far…reaching fame； affect the imagination of
posterity as these phantoms of the past affect ours？ Shall we； too；
appear in some pale limbo of unimportance as thin and faded as 〃John
Inman； the getter…up of innumerable things for the annuals and
magazines；〃 or as Dr。 Rufus Griswold； supposed for picturesque purposes
to be 〃stalking about with an immense quarto volume under his arm 。 。 。
an early copy of his forthcoming 'Female Poets of America'〃； or as Lewis
Gaylord Clark； the 〃sunnyfaced； smiling〃 editor of the Knickerbocker
Magazine； 〃who don't look as if the Ink…Fiend had ever heard of him；〃
as he stands up to dance a polka with 〃a demure lady who has evidently
spilled the inkstand over her dress〃； or as 〃the stately Mrs。 Seba Smith；
bending aristocratically over the centre…table； and talking in a bright；
cold； steady stream； like an antique fountain by moonlight〃； or as 〃the
spiritual and dainty Fanny Osgood； clapping her hands and crowing like a
baby；〃 where she sits 〃nestled under a shawl of heraldic devices； like a
bird escaped from its cage〃； or as Margaret Fuller； 〃her large； gray eyes
Tamping inspiration； and her thin； quivering lip prophesying like a
Pythoness〃？
I hope not； I earnestly hope not。 Whatever I said at the outset；
affirming the persistent equality of New York characteristics and
circumstances； I wish to take back at this point； and I wish to warn
malign foreign observers； of the sort who have so often refused to see us
as we see ourselves； that they must not expect to find us now grouped in
the taste of 1849。 Possibly it was not so much the taste of 1849 as the
author of 'New York in Slices' would have us believe； and perhaps any one
who trusted his pictures of life among us otherwise would be deceived by
a parity of the spirit in which they are portrayed with that of our
modern 〃society journalism。〃
FROM NEW YORK INTO NEW ENGLAND
There is； of course； almost a world's difference between England and the
Continent anywhere； but I do not recall just now any transition between
Continental countries which involves a more distinct change in the
superficial aspect of things than the passage from the Middle States into
New England。 It is all American； but American of diverse ideals； and you
are hardly over the border before you are sensible of diverse effects；
which are the more apparent to you the more American you are。 If you
want the contrast at its sharpest you had better leave New York on a
Sound boat； for then you sleep out of the Middle State civilization and
wake into the civilization of New England； which seems to give its stamp
to nature herself。 As to man； he takes it whether native or alien； and
if he is foreign…born it marks him another Irishman； Italian； Canadian；
Jew； or negro from his brother in any other part of the United States。
I。
When you have a theory of any kind； proofs of it are apt to seek you out；
and I； who am rather fond of my faith in New England's influence of this