But at present the critical or descriptive feuilleton is generally confined to some special occasion, such as a royal or national celebration. Scandinavians frequently complain of the fine type in which American newspapers are printed. Although in most of the Danish and Norwegian papers the Gothic type is used, the lines are so generously leaded that the page has a very open appearance and it is easy to read, while in the Swedish papers, in which the Latin type is used altogether, the typographical effect is excellent. As much cannot be said of the paper, which is invariably soft and easily rubbed. American subscriber to a Scandinavian newspaper frequently receives his news. in a very torn condition, and he may consider himself fortunate if he does not have to supply whole lines from the context. Scandinavian weeklies and monthlies, on the other hand, use a very fine quality of heavy paper, and their me An Trav. chanical make-up compares favourably with the best foreign work. Of late years the mechanical appearance of many Scandinavian newspapers has been changed, from the American point of view improved, by the introduction of head-lines. As a rule, this is a mark of progress, and it is found especially in the radical papers. But even the Berlingske Tidende, the most conservative paper in the North, often heads its correspondence and other news with cheaper papers have genuine "screamvery striking type, and many of the ers. Many of the cheaper Danish papers have during the past few years introduced illustrations, but the innovation is even less successful from an artistic point of view there than it is with us, and it seems to be passing away. Illustrated advertisements, on the other hand, are freely used, even in the Berlingske Tidende, and they often show great originality. Several Danish artists have devoted their attention to this branch of art. Although in general advertising is less developed than in this country, in one respect Scandinavian advertisers have a decided advantage in being given a place on the first page, which often contains more advertising than news-matter. By a curious arrangement, one of the Danish papers, the Berlingske Tidende, issues a morning edition that consists exclusively of advertisements and a few stray items of news. This edition frequently reaches twelve pages, all but two of them containing nothing but advertisements. The evening issue as a rule contains only two or three pages of advertisements, and they are never admitted to the front page. To an American reader the death notices in the Danish papers appear strange. They are always signed by the nearest relative or relatives, and the relationship of the deceased to all the signers is given. Thus a man may be described as "Our dear father, father-in-law and uncle," or "Our husband, father and brother." The exact distribution of rela tionship is more or less indicated by the order of signatures. Substantial Copenhageners and former Copenhageners have the same feeling toward the death notices in the Berlingske Tidende that New Yorkers of the same class have for similar notices in two of our New York papers. The most reputable physicians advertise their absence from town, giving the name and address of the colleague to whom their practice is referred. The very best newspapers, too, frequently contain advertisements of offers of marriage. Notices of patent medicines, on the other hand, are not numerous. This does not, of course, indicate a higher standard of journalistic morality, but a less active supply and demand of quackery in Denmark than in America. Most of the foreign telegraphic news is obtained through Reuter's or Ritzau's Bureau, but the leading papers have special correspondents at many points, who, in addition to their regular mail matter, send occasional telegrams. Special attention is paid by newspapers like the Berlingske Tidende to the careful and detailed reports of scientific congresses, particularly those at which Scandinavians appear. Scandinavian correspondents are as a rule much brighter than German writers, and they have the born journalist's eye for attractive news. One of the most complete series of foreign letters was that written by the special correspondent of the Berlingske Tidende from the Danish man-of-war the Valkyrie, on which Prince Valdemar made a trip to China, Japan and Siam this spring. The regular Paris correspondent is Olivier Clairefont, and this summer there is besides a special correspondent. As a result of the close communication between Scandinavia and this country, American news fills a somewhat important place in Danish papers, and its treatment is in the main intelligent. To be sure, correspondents are sometimes misled by our humorous writers into stat ing that American dramatic criticisms are always written by the sporting editor, and that the New York hospitals are always closed during July and August to give the doctors and nurses relief from the extreme heat, but these are exceptional, and they are accepted in good faith because many actual American occurrences do not seem much less strange. I was once asked by one of the Danish higher clergy if it were true that the account of the miracle of the water changed into wine at Cana of Galilee had been omitted from the American New Testament out of deference to the temperance movement. He said that he had read it in a newspaper, but could hardly believe it possible, although one read so many strange things about America. It may be added that this incident occurred fourteen years ago. A word about the Danish newspaper But at present the critical or descriptive feuilleton is generally confined to some special occasion, such as a royal or national celebration. Scandinavians frequently complain of the fine type in which American newspapers are printed. Although in most of the Danish and Norwegian papers the Gothic type is used, the lines are so generously leaded that the page has a very open appearance and it is easy to read, while in the Swedish papers, in which the Latin type is used altogether, the typographical effect is excellent. As much cannot be said of the paper, which is invariably soft and easily rubbed. American subscriber to a Scandinavian newspaper frequently receives his news in a very torn condition, and he may consider himself fortunate if he does not have to supply whole lines from the context. Scandinavian weeklies and monthlies, on the other hand, use a very fine quality of heavy paper, and their me An Trav. chanical make-up compares favourably with the best foreign work. Of late years the mechanical appearance of many Scandinavian newspapers has been changed, from the American point of view improved, by the introduction of head-lines. As a rule, this is a mark of progress, and it is found especially in the radical papers. But even the Berlingske Tidende, the most conservative paper in the North, often heads its correspondence and other news with very striking type, and many of the cheaper papers have genuine "screamers." Many of the cheaper Danish papers have during the past few years introduced illustrations, but the innovation is even less successful from an artistic point of view there than it is with us, and it seems to be passing away. Illustrated advertisements, on the other hand, are freely used, even in the Berlingske Tidende, and they often show great originality. Several Danish artists have devoted their attention to this branch of art. Although in general advertising is less developed than in this country, in one respect Scandinavian advertisers have a decided advantage in being given a place on the first page, which often contains more advertising than news-matter. By a curious arrangement, one of the Danish papers, the Berlingske Tidende, issues a morning edition that consists exclusively of advertisements and a few stray items of news. This edition frequently reaches twelve pages, all but two of them containing nothing but advertisements. The evening issue as a rule contains only two or three pages of advertisements, and they are never admitted to the front page. To an American reader the death notices in the Danish papers appear strange. They are always signed by the nearest relative or relatives, and the relationship of the deceased to all the signers is given. Thus a man may be described as "Our dear father, father-in-law and uncle," or "Our husband, father and brother." The exact distribution of rela tionship is more or less indicated by the order of signatures. Substantial Copenhageners and former Copenhageners have the same feeling toward the death notices in the Berlingske Tidende that New Yorkers of the same class have for similar notices in two of our New York papers. The most reputable physicians advertise their absence from town, giving the name and address of the colleague to whom their practice is referred. The very best newspapers, too, frequently contain advertisements of offers of marriage. Notices of patent medicines, on the other hand, are not numerous. This does not, of course, indicate a higher standard of journalistic morality, but a less active supply and demand of quackery in Denmark than in America. Most of the foreign telegraphic news is obtained through Reuter's or Ritzau's Bureau, but the leading papers have special correspondents at many points, who, in addition to their regular mail matter, send occasional telegrams. Special attention is paid by newspapers like the Berlingske Tidende to the careful and detailed reports of scientific congresses, particularly those at which Scandinavians appear. Scandinavian correspondents are as a rule much brighter than German writers, and they have the born journalist's eye for attractive news. One of the most complete series of foreign. letters was that written by the special correspondent of the Berlingske Tidende from the Danish man-of-war the Valkyrie, on which Prince Valdemar made a trip to China, Japan and Siam this spring. The regular Paris correspondent is Olivier Clairefont, and this summer there is besides a special correspondent. As a result of the close communication between Scandinavia and this country, American news fills a somewhat important place in Danish papers, and its treatment is in the main intelligent. To be sure, correspondents are sometimes misled by our humorous writers into stat ing that American dramatic criticisms. are always written by the sporting editor, and that the New York hospitals are always closed during July and August to give the doctors and nurses relief from the extreme heat, but these are exceptional, and they are accepted in good faith because many actual American occurrences do not seem much less strange. I was once asked by one of the Danish higher clergy if it were true that the account of the miracle of the water changed into wine at Cana of Galilee had been omitted from the American New Testament out of deference to the temperance movement. He said that he had read it in a newspaper, but could hardly believe it possible, although one read so many strange things about America. It may be added that this incident occurred fourteen years ago. A word about the Danish newspaper polemics, as they play an important part. Danish scholars are as quarrelsome in print as German university professors, and even strictly technical discussions are conducted in the daily press. A polemic is often started by a review of some book and an answer by the incensed author. Nothing can be imagined more wearisome to an outsider than those verbal duels, the only attractive part of which is the statement by the editor, "this polemic is closed." But the writers seem to enjoy it, and as nobody makes any protest, it is safe to assume that the readers do not actively dislike them. But as the Danish public is almost as patient as the American, it is possible that many secretly share my views. To any one at all familiar with Danish affairs the name Berlingske Tidende means a great deal, as much perhaps as the name London Times means to an Englishman. But as a result of the smaller conditions of Denmark and its consequently limited outside influence, the name of this leading Danish newspaper is probably met with here for the first time by a majority of the readers of THE BOOKMAN. And yet the mere fact that a newspaper has been published by one family for over one hundred and fifty years has an historical interest quite apart from the authority exerted by the paper. A complete file of the Berlingske, as it is familiarly called, is the best possible illustration of the history of Danish journalism. The single-column, eight-page sheet, with its entire absence of what we now call news and its baker's dozen of Avertissemens, which appeared in January, 1749, is one of the most characteristic incunabula of Danish newspaper publishing, and since then the Berlingske has passed through all the stages of the art. The founder of the paper, Ernst Heinrich Berling, was born in Mecklenburg in 1708. After learning the trade of printing in Germany Berling came to Copenhagen and established himself as printer and publisher. As his book-publishing business was less successful from a business than from an artistic and literary standpoint, he petitioned the Crown in 1747 for a royal privilege to publish a newspaper. The petition, the original of which has been preserved, is so characteristic of the attitude toward royalty of printers and other mortals in eighteenthcentury Denmark, that its beginning and conclusion deserve to be presented here. It opens as follows: Most puissant, most gracious Hereditary King and Lord! While your Royal Majesty was still our most gracious Crown Prince, I made several most gracious petitions, which your Royal Majesty was so gracious as to present to your Royal Majesty's Lord Father, of sacred and blessed memory. After a few more equally humble introductory sentences, the petition closes thus: "May the King of Kings bless your Royal Majesty, and the whole Royal Hereditary House with all temporal and eternal joys. This is the wish till my death of Your Royal Majesty's my most gracious Hereditary King and Lord! Most humble faithful subject, Ernst Heinrich Berling." If the persons are a little mixed there is no doubt of the loyalty of the petitioner. The reward was not merely a newspaper privilege, it was the newspaper privilege, giving its holde a practical monopoly of the business in Den |