The Portland daily press., 1869-06-30
DAILY PRESS.
Wednesday Morning, Jute 80, 1869.
Republican Nominations. .
FOR GOVERNOR
JOSHUA L. CHAMBERLAIN,
John Neal,. Aurebiegraph,.
OF BRUNSWICK

we nave received the following n0tlce oil
this volume and gladly give it to the public.
| We like such manuscript as this-so well
written, so well prepared for the compositors,
and so easy and graceful in style. This vol
ume is worth reading, and for the reasons so
well given by our fair correspondent. Mr.
Neal has had indeed a busy life, and his
brain and pen have been ever active. Age
has somewhat tempered his style, and he
does not so much "hurry up" things as he
did when he published the Yankee, one of
the spiciest papers ever published Ia our city.
His style of writing then was almost frenzied,
and but for the dashes he so often used, to
give his pen resting places and himself breath
| ing ones, be would have almost taken away
| the breath of the reader. He is somewhat
changed now, and yet there are marks still
left which cannot be mistaken. If we were
disposed to be censorious of public writer
of so wide reputation-of one whose blunt
honesty, fervent spirit, and brilliant, some
times almost wild, Imagination we have ad-
mired so many years, we should say that his
| disparaging notice of well-known fellow
townsman and neighbor whose influence has
been as wide as his own, and whose voice
has been heard advocating great and good
cause, not only in the new, but also in the old
world, was not only in bad taste, but betray-
| ed spirit not quite so meek as that Moses is
said to have possessed, nor so tender and full
of mercy as that manifested by our Saviour
when he said, "Father, forgive them, for they
know not what they do" We shall all do
well to remember how high on the list of hui
man virtues St. Paul placed Charity; and to
remember also how reluctant those are to
'cast the first stone" whose lives are regulat-
ed by this sublime virtue. at is not pulled
up, and behaveth itself not unseemly."
Portland people should look over this vol
ume If only for the sake Of the many familiar
and respected names which occur in it, and
the "reminiscences which they call up. The
recollections of SO old and active citizen
| necessarily possess value to those who came
later on the stage; and thou in an autobi-
osraphy the history of town incidents is prop
erly enough subordinated to the personal ad-
| ventures, yet they are intimately interviewer
with them, so that we have not only the por-
trait of Mr.. Neal in all attitudes, but sur
rounded by accessories which often divert the
1 attention OF the reader from the central fig
ure. Mr<Neal has lived life involving
good many personal changes, has seen some
thing of the world and its inhabitants, and in
his earlier days, at least, sought all opportu-
mites for enlarging his area of observation
and increasing his knowledge of books and
men. The amount Of reading and thinking
which his busy brain keeps up even at the
present time, would shame many a younger
man who calls himself student. When one
aims at versatility, thoroughncsslis quite out
of the question, and 1t is in vain to look for
exhaustive or unassaable conclusions when
one has given only rapid and cu sorry glances
| at premises.
The ground covered by the volume before
| us is vast enough for the most insatiate. 1t
| includes disquisitions on almost every topic,
| instruction in almost every branch of science,
| and touches all ologies and all isms. Gen.
orally good-natured, often sparkling, if sell
dom profound, the author moves about quite
at his ease and without any restraint OF diff
dence; and has in many cases taken the
| trouble to record matters which most persons
suarld- willingly -fass-hy- -unnnticed. But
these very things often make book the more
readable, and people, after all, do not dislike
| a gossiping chat upon unimportant affairs, if
| only the labor Of conducting the conyersa-
tion be taken out of their hands. From these
irregular jottings OF rambling memory each
| reader may pick out for himself the portion
| which interests him; and laying aside the
rosy veil which softens the outlines and beau
titles the tints of the past for its fond recall
er, may selze upon the reality in whatever
spirit he pleases. There must be many per-
sons still living to whom this autobiography
must speak with very personal nearness,
and who must have borne their part in the
l-passng of the events OF which Mr.. Neal's ac-
| count may stimulate their memory. 1t is
quite natural, and we hope rardonable, for us
to see the things we have done and said and
known in the past nnder fairer or a grand
er light than really shone upon them, even
for us, while they were happening. Mr.. Neal
has within his own breast a perennial fount-
ain overfowing with the fresh waters Of a
happy selfsatisfaction, and though to outside
barbarians this may present tempting oppor-
tunities for criticism, yet ior us, who know
and like the mau,-we can only say, "May
his shadow hever be less" and may his book
not fall among the Philistines.
M. ]. NJ. s.