I, Erzählende Schriften 31, Fräulein Else, Seite 45

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GERMAN LETTER
September, 102 5
AM sorry to give Tux Diaz occasion to complain that its
4 German contributor has been remiss. Since I last had the
honour of reporting upon matters of cultural interest here, more
months have passed than an intentionally thoughtful reserve would
necessitate. I beg the indulgence of my readers, overwhelmed as
I have been, with present obligations. Your correspondent has
also been travelling more than is propitious to serious writing¬
partly for pleasure and instruction; partly (as a delegate to Flor¬
ence and Vienna for instance) in the interest of that highly im¬
portant matter, general European intellectual association and
intercourse.
As for Florence, I need speak merely of an International Kaltur¬
zoche, the notable feature of which was an exhibition of beautiful
books from Italy, England, France, and Germany, shown in sepa¬
rate national pavilions. A noble contest of craftsmanship in which
gupreme works of the imagination have here a technically appro¬
priate complement. My country, it may be said, honourably held
its own. All our important publishing houses exerted themselves
to display their best and most precious work—to outdo themselves
in the matter of fine printing and well tooled, whole sets. Indeed,
in our section there were so many examples of sound tastenless
conservative than the French and English, yet by a safe margin
avoiding eccentricity—that other countries seemed inclined to give
German bookmaking, the prize. In connexion with the exhibition,
moreover, there were lectures which happily attracted not only the
various national colonies, but Italians as well. Your correspondent
was honouringly placed in competition with a notable scientist and
speaker of high attainments, the famous philologist and translator
of ancient tragedies, His Excellency von Willamowitz-Möllendorf.
Turning to Vienna—I was there, a guest of the P. E. N. Club.
as I had been a year before, its guest in London. In London, John
Galsworthy is at the head of this organization; in Vienna it is
presided over by Arthur Schnitzler whose name is so well known
to American readers—Pirid tlie g00d föffühé ät table, to be placed