The Portland daily press., 1868-05-26
Reeeut PuhIications.

Charles Scribner & Co., New York are the
publishers of a new novel of American lie
which is greatly superior to most OF the stories
that come swarming from the press. 1t is
called Mdr0dret; or, Life an Prairie Home, and
the true name of its author is veiled under the
nom de plume of Lyndon" Simple in plot
and unambitious in design, it is yet remarka-
bic for freshness of style, for truthfulness to
the facts of daily life, for accuracy in the de-
lineaton of character, and for the pure ana
healthy moral tone which pervades every page.
1t is interesting without being eXtraVa@ah1
or sensational, and elevated, even reilSlous III
sentiment without being narrow, or maWk-
ishly sentimental. The author, who is appar-
emily n lady. has succeeded in doing what few
women writers-begging their pardon-have
done; that is in drawing the character of a
man who is at once thoroughly religious and
thoroughly manly. In making man CHRIS
tan they are too apt to make him mllksop,
or a bore. Mr.. Russell is neither of these, but
downright good fellow, and worthy OF the pure,
noble, womanly Margaret. We do not under
take to give our readers any idea of the story
but advise all to get the book for themselves.
1t is one which will interest the old novel-read-
ers, yet may safely be put in the hands of the
young. (Received by Bailey & Noyes)
Lee and Shepard, Boston, have brought out
number four of Olivier Optics Young Anaerica
series of stories of travel and adventure for
boys. 1t is called Dykes and bitches, and re-
cords the adventures of the crew of the acad-
emy ship and her consort the Josephine" in
Holland and Belgium. We are inclined to
think it the very best of the series thus far.
Certainly it is in no way inferior TO those
which have gone before it. The story is full
of life and adventure, the characters of the
boys are well kept up, the descriptions of the
scenes through which they are taken are es-
pecially good, and a great amount of hstori-
cal and other information is conveyed in
manner not only interesting in itself but well
adapted to excite the desire for further knowl-
edge. The volume is neatly printed and illus
trated, and bound in a style uniform with
those which have preceded it. (Received by
Short & Loring, and by Bailey & Noyes.)
Hurd & Houghton, New York, publish King
Sham and other atrocities in Verse; including
Humorous History Of the Pixies Peak Ea-
citensea1, by Lawrence n. Greenleaf. AS will
be inferred from the title the contents of the
book are meant to be funny, and the author
tells us in his preface that though critics may
sneer readers will laugh. We think it likely
but whether at the verses or their author we
leave each reader to judge for himself. The
mechanical execution of the book is neat
(Received by Short & Loring.)
The last issue of Ticknor and Fields "auto-
graph" edition OF Dickens contains the Chris
mas Books and the Sketches By Boz. IL is il
Illustrated by sixteen of the original etchings,
many of which are by the inimitable Cruik-
| shank. (Receiyed by Hall L. Davis.)
| III. B. Fuller, Boston, publishes in neat
pamphlet form. little manual of Croquet, by
Captain Mayne Reid, in which all the terms,
rules, and other mysteries of this fashionable
and fascinating game are fully set forth. The
proper ground, the croqueterie, the game, its
slang and its attractions generally are here all
explained. Summer is coming, green lawns
are everywhere. Old and young, babies and
grandiathers, young lovers, grave clergymen
all sorts of people in short, can play croquet,
Let them get this little book and learn all.
about it. Received by Short and Loring)