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Show AMERICAN HUMOR. sweetness Meenta Wanllng to Oar Camls An I.I. , H.ys llfmella. ,ln Ills comment upon "An Italian View of Humor" In tho North American Ameri-can Itevlew W. D. Howella criticises with some severity tho work of American Ameri-can pli'tornl humorists. Ha says: "The humlllulliiR truth Is that wa are still not only quantitatively but also qualitatively behind the English In humor, and not only In literary humor, but also In nrtlntlc humor. I have, named una urtlstlc Knifllnli humorist h was. lo be sure, a French llelglan on bla father's sldo who abounded In that sweetness which scema wanting In our comic artists. Hut Du Mnurlcr was not the only K.ngllsh artist who abounded In sweetness, and whose natlie was nlinnat a caress. Ther was Leech, Ihero was Doylo, there was Keeno, rnrh In his way most lovuble as well ns witty. Kit-opt Mr. Pster Newell, whoso Qualntuess Is full of gentlo el. arm, the only Amorlran like them that t enn think ot la Mr. Oliver Ilerford, who la an Englishman; tha rest of our good fellows have nil a biting bit-ing rather than a caresalng wit. They are Inferior lo tho Hermans as well as lha English In their want of sweetness, sweet-ness, their want of humanity, on may even call It. You ran hardly take up a copy of Fllegendo lllatter, or Jugend, or sveu Blmpllclsslmua, without coming com-ing on proof of the fact; a spirit of kindliness pervades not only thos lull lu-ll domestic, comedies which humoroua German art la so rich In, but It tinges th sharpest political aatlra on which th humorists may venture Id condition condi-tion where th law ot lea majesty la over-soul. W ar th most Intensely Intense-ly domesticated people Id tha world, with th purest and most loving family fami-ly life; but If you believe our graphic humorists, we ar always aiming to make mercenary marriages, wbsn wo are not trying for divorces, and our children are of an odlousneas for which universal putting to bed would b gross Indulgence." |
