The Portland daily press., 1869-12-15

RECENT PUBLIcAroNs.-Hall L. Davis has
just received, from Fields, Osgood & Co. the
fourth volume of Thackeray's miscellanes, the
contents of which are "The Four Georges"
"The English Humorists of the 18th Century"
including Swift, Congreve, Addison, Steele
Prior, Gay, Pope, Hogarth Smollet, Fielding,
Sterne and Goldsmith, the Roundabout pa
pers, Charity and Humor, a lecture, the Fitz
Doodle papers, Critical Reviews, ETC., etc.
This volume is one of the Household Edition
of this authors works. The immense sale Of
this book alone accounts for the very low price
at which it is afforded.
No library is complete without Thackeray
and the quicker it is added to ones literary
treasures the better. Until lately no special
pains seems to have been taken to introduce
these books to the American public, but
Fields, Osgood s. Co., anticipating the grow
ing taste and demand therefor, have undertake
en- to supply the same, and the reading public
appreciate their efforts. If the demand for
Thackeray does not rival the demand for Scott
and Dickens we shall be greatly mistaken.
Mr.. Davis also has from the same house a
charming little book for children, entitled the
FAIRY Egg" No publishing house in this
country understands better the wants of book
buyers old and young, and the fact that a book
bears the imprint of Fields, Osgood & Co., is a
sufficient guaranty that the purchaser will
make good investment for his money
This one must be looked at and read, to be
appreciated for the delicate fancies of pen and
pencil it embodies. The "Three Friends will
be sure of making troops of friends among the
children, as the latter discover what bright
hued" delights come from the broken shell.
We have just received from Loring, Short g.
Harmon two books Of the Bayard Series from
the publishing house of Scribner, Wexford g.
Co., New York, viz: Saint Louis, King of
France and Vathek. This series is to COM
prise choice works Upon history, biography,
travels, essays, novelettes, etc., carefully edit
ed and handsomely printed. They are bound
in flexible cloth extra, gilt edges, with silk
head bands and registers and sold at S125 per
volume. The London NoncoRforn'tst says:
THE Bayard Series" is a perfect marvel of
cheapness and of exquisite taste in the binding
and getting up We hope and beleve that
these delicste morses of choice literature will
be widely and gratefully welcomed.
The London Illustrated Ne,cs says:
Everv one of the works included in this se-
rios is well worth possessing, and the whole
win make an admirable foundation for the Ii
brary of a studious youth of polished and re-
fined tastes.
st. Louis and his companions, as described
by Joinvile, not only in their glistening ar
NOR, but in their everyday attire, are brought
nearer to us, become Ineligible to us, and
teach us lessons of humanity which we can
learn from men only, and not from saints and
heroes. Here lies the real value of real his
tory. 1t widens our minds and our hearts,
and gives us that true knowledge of the world
and of human nature in all its phases which
but few can gain in the short span of their
own life, and in the narrow sphere of their
friends and enenies. We can hardly IMAGINE
better book for boys to read or for m en- TO
ponder over.-LOndon Tines
"Vathek." An Oriental Romance. By VIII
liam Beckford. Beckford's ''vathek" Is here
presented as one of the beautifully got-up
works included in Messrs. Low & Co.'S Bay
ard Series" every one of which is gem, and
the "Caliph Vathek" is, perhaps the gem of
the collection.-Ntustrated Times (London).