The Portland daily press., 1870-12-01


It's indispensable connection with the great
questions of International and Inter Oceanic
communication, which have been forced upon
the attention Of the Commercial world by the
simultaneous completion of the Pacific rail-
road upon the western continent and of the
ouoN cahaL. -
Recent Publicasisus.
JOHN WHoPPER, THE NEwsBoY. With ulp..
hations. Roberts Brothers, Boston, 1871.
John may be denominated the Robinson
Crusoe OF the 18th century and seems to have
so modified his hereditary genius as to bring
1t into complete harmony with the REQUIRE.
ments OF the age. To go through the centre
Of the earth to China and not to have the
morning papers in ones bundle and box OF
matches in ones pocket and a fippant tongue
IN ones head, would be to be bebiod the times
in the most pitiable manner for an American
boy. John tells his story with simple honesty
which wins confidence, and his polite regrets
when he Is obliged to stretch his demands on
the readers credulty are almost pathetically
presented. To select from the incidents of hi,
career is df1cult to even elevate his filial piety
above his other virtues appears invidious; to
decide which is greater, bis ingenuity OF his sanq
Jroid 10 impossible. We cannot help suspectipg
him OF slight plagiarism from Victor Hugo's
IraraiOeurs de Ia Mer" when be becomes most
active ON board the iceberg, but in the prompt.
ness with which he inaugurated his specula-
tons In Canton we are sure that he is as orig
inal as In the local illusions which lean to-
wards Boston in such friendly and pleasant
spirit. We can only hope that the Chimes,
emiRrants will not hnd the end of the earth
which is in China, for If Roxbury were TO be-
come the point of arrival for ceaseiess supply
Of Coolies the politics of the State would be
more emhroiled than ever. We look 10 John
Whopper 10 protect us from such q disaster,
and to stop up hole which might prove fatal
to all geographical distinctions. MI Ms
tReceived by Bailey & Noyes.)
There is often curious but perhaps natural.
and maybe inevitable anti-clmax observed in
presenting the works of an author to the pub.
lie. First we have the ripe fruit Of his litera.
ry prime; then some less deserving effort that
has perhaps been for years waiting publisher;
next volume Of hitherto neglected coutribu-
tions to periodicals, and finally, II the author
il very distinguished, an ollapodtda contain
tanning fragments, fugitive pieces, poems (,f
the authors ordinary wares are prose) and ju
venie efforts II the author is dead and has
excited strong personal interest on accoun,
OF some peculiarity of his personal or ltera;
character. his letters are unearthed; and L q
sacri!e2e of br. akiug into the innermostr
cesses OF an authors soul by piilagiug his
note book after he Is dead and defen.eless
has in a late notable instance been per.
petrated. II an author were living and were
thns caught in literary undress, his emo
tions would probably be much the same as
II the public were to intrude when he was
bathing. To publish diary is less serious
off.nce against delicacy, for diaries that are
worth Publishing are written for that purpose
whatever air If Inconsistencies may be as.
sumed. But perhaps it is not fair 10 make this
KIND OF an Introduction to Arthur Helps Es-
says Written in the Iareruo,s of Business But it
does seem like presenting TO tie public the
chips aud unused material that accum mulated
while Companions Of mp Solitude Realmah and
the other serious work of the authors literary
life was in progress. But the essay on "Orgau-
ization in Daily Life. which is much the Ion
est paper in the volume, is thoughtful az,
elaborate. aud probably received as much at
tention as any other Of Mr.. Helps works. The
shorter essays are also VIC rth printing, and the
authors admirers will probably read them with
the same interest that they felt in Casimir
Mdrenan'a. The large sales Of Helps books al
they have appeared in rapid succession, is a
most convincing proof to his American pub
fishers, Roberts Brothers, OF his popularity,
(Received and for sale by Bailey and Noyes.)
An English widow with an infant son who
can for six years trust herself to the tender
mercics Of an Oriental despot in a semi.bai-
barous country like Siam must at least posses.
courage. Mrs Leonowens, the author of The
English Gocsrnsss at the Court Of Siam, not on
ly possesses that courage, but also faii literary
ability united with philosophic habit Of obser.
walton and generalization that make her DO X
avaluable as well as an interesting one For
six years she resided in the royal palace ~
Bangkok-not quite terra incognita no Y.
since our government has established friendly
diplomatic relations with Siam-wbere she
acted as the instructorof the Supreme Kinc's
wives and children and as his NJ ajesiy's secre-
sary, interpreter, Sc, &c. Siam being fairly
opened to civilizing iufuepces, and
still chersling as the bases of its society those
twin relics of barbarism, slavery and polyes.
my" which We put away from US, o! so many i.
many ages ago, still practcisg bloody rites of
human sacrifice on special occasions, burniug
the bodies Of the dead ian evidence of refine
ment. and not of barbarisn, 81 seems to us)
and still clinging to the religion Of Buddha
(which Mrs. Leonowens very clearly show. il
very far from idolatry, and which seems to ux
like the speculative subjective side of the
modern scientific development theory)-S
being such a country one can easily ina i'm,
what rich Geld is presented for the obser :. 4,
ton of sharp.sighted, quick k-witted, br v,
woman like the one who possessed such ex g.
traordipary advantages and has written ;;,is
book The volume before us, published by
Fields, Osgood 81 Co, is largo QUE, profusely
illustrated with pictures from photograpbs
presented by his late Majesty, the Supreme
King, who has been succeeded since Mrs. lie.
onowens' departure by his son. one Of that a.
dy's pupils. The book contains large nom.
Der OF interesting personal "reminiscences
sketches of the manners and customs OF the
people about the court of siam, aud finslis IL
truly valuable paper on the venerable ruins "f
Cambodia. which for many years have attract
ed the attention of scholars and travellers.
(Received by Hall a. Davis.)
The London Quarterly Rccie0 for October
contains three able articles on the European
war one ON Provost Paradol and Napoleon,
Third, which will be peculiarly interesting be,-
where the gifted French writer put an end f.,
his life, an account Of the ''Mismanagement II
the British Navy aud another Of the "Ineffi.
cheney Of the British Army" while "Gerlna,.
Patriotic Songs" will be read with peculiar
interest. All tho matter in this number i.
.imely and interesting. Published pv ,be
Leonard Scott Publishing Co., 14o Fulto,
street, N Y.
The Year Book Of Spiitual,s,n for 1871 con-
taius large auouDt OF information. presept-
ing the state Of spiritualsm for the currsDs
year throughout the world; philosophical, sci-
entific and religious essays reviews Of its Ill
eratnre; history Of American associations;
state aud local societie.; progressive lyceuDs;
lectures; medicines; SC. Complied ~ Hnd'
son Tuttlc and j. NJ. PEBBLES, and published bv
William White s. Co., Bonner OF Laghf Office,
Boston.
Some funny correspondent Of the Chica-
90 Adcance tells this anecdote to that Jour.
nal: "a good many years ago liberal csr-
eyman OF Boston met DIR. Woods and und.
took to make himself merry at the Doctors
expense. Il saw the other day picture OF
your seminary "a man putting pumpkins intu
q mill anil coIpiro ont tnip,Stors, sVaa -.