The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-01-22

The ATLANTIC MONTHLY for February opens
with the second part of Holiness "Guardian
Angel" The story gets under weigh slowly,
the interest of the present chapters being
found mainly in the carefully elaborated por-
trait of the old Master of Arts, Byles Gridley,
which is presented in sharp contrast with that
Of the able young schemer, Murray Bradshaw.
characteristics of the Elizabethan Litera-
ture," is brief but brilliant and discriminate
ing essay from Mr.. Edwin P. Whipple, the
first of a series on English Literature which
that vigorous and polished writer is to con-
tribute during the year. "George Bedillon's
Knight" is the beginning Of story by Mrs.
Davis, author of "Life in the Iron Mills"
which exhibits thus far SEINE of the best traits
of that writer, her artistic skill and keen in
sight into character, without the coarse hard
ness of handling, and the morbid fondness for
mental disease which often make her works
repulsve. Mr. G. D. Shanly, who seems to
have had opportunities for knowing the ins
and outs of that subject, contributes an enter.
tanning article on the trials and difficulties in
cident to "CGmic journalism" "Katharine
Morne" is continued, and is as sentimentallv
didactic and as affected as ever Then comes
"a Drift Wood Fire." another of Mr. Higgin-
sons delightful "Out Door Papers," in which
fine thoughts and tender, graceful fancies fol-
low each other as rapidly as the waves upon
the beach over which in imagination he leads
us. "How Mr.. Frye would have preached it."
by Rev. Z. Z. Hale, is very striking record Of
an experience to which many a mans con-
science might furnish parallel, but our salts
faction in reading it is seriously married by the
feeling that no man who had passed through
such an experience ever could, or indeed ever
should, relate it to such an audience. The ex-
posture revolts us, as violation of that mental
naodesty which it is as much incumbent upon
us to observe as personal modcsty itself
Conspicuous among the attractions of this
number of the Atlantic will be the paper by
Professor Agassiz on "The Glacial Phenome-
ma of Maine" which is at once valuable for its
new scientific facts, and interesting from its
local descriptions An extract from this arti
Gle will be found on the fourth page of to-day's
issue. Mr.. VIM Howells contributes under the
title of "Forza Maggiore, lively Renaissance
of his experience of Italian travel; and anoth-
er well-known writer furnishes some interest
ing "Recollections' of John Vanderlyn, the ar
fist. The only political paperin the number is
that of Mazzini on "The Republican Alliance"
a considerable portion of which we give else
where. "The Standpoint of the Boarding
House." and the usual reviews and literary no.
tees complete the list of prose articles. OF the
poetical contributions "Elizabeth's Chamber"
strikes us as the finest in feeling and most SUBJ
tie in conception; Mona" by Alice Cary,
printed on our fourth page, is tender and me-
lodious; "The Guerdon" by Aldrich presents
in pleasing garb an old and favorite story, and
Trowbridge's "Real Estate" contains the sub
stance of many homiles. .1torl o-