The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-12-12
My Summer in Garden. BY Charles Dudley War
ner. Boston, Fields, Osgood g. Co.


My Summer in Garden. BY Charles Dudley War
ner. Boston, Fields, Osgood & Co.
A dash of nice nonsense comes in upon
ones serious reading with much the same
pleasant effect as the glass of Roman Punch
in the middle of fashionable dinner; while
to continue the simile, witty satire might
take the place of the puDgent cheese which at
later period in the repast stings the weary
palate into renewed vitality. The Roman
Punch we certainly have in Mr.. Warmers
delightful book; it is rest to the brain, and
arefreshment to the spirit to be so entertain
ed by funny fancies and so beguiled by sheer
nonsense. That garden, moistened, as he
says, during the drought, only by the sweat
of honest toll, has raised crop of comicali-
ties worth all the sqashes and celery and even
the onions which did not grow upon its "pus-
ley" ridden soil. The qups and Jokes and
absurd reflections which sprang up in its
owners brain; the moral teachings it sug-
gested; the scientific facts it developed aie
surely better than the most successful attempt
at turnips. Still ones sympathies are ten
derly touched, and ones feelings almost lac
cerated by the pathetic account of the hone
less struggle waged so long against the birds
of the air, the insects of the ground and the
children of the field. Often, too, have we
since heard in our dreams the "melancbolv
moo" of that dreadful cow. There is also one
paragraph which though it must be consider
ed an "aside" from the garden proper, will.
we are sure, meet with comprehendng an
probation from most of its readers; we refer
to the authors experience with "plumbersn
and his philosophical reflections upon their
mode Of lite. All who have had anything to
do with this extraordinary class of persons
must have been struck with the pecuiiarities
SO ingeniously described by Mr.. Warner
We commend this account to all dwellers
IN city houses who wish for hearty laugh.
we nope the garden will reappear next sea-
son, and II it does not blossom like rose and
'iuxuriate as vineyard, that the seeds OF
thought which its owner hoed in last year,
will germinate and grow into big shrubs of
thought and spreading trees of wisdom, under
which we NAV in time sit at our ease and be
again inwardly refreshed. M. j.. s.
THE PUBLISHERS OF LrrTEL's LIVING AaB
announce that they will begin, with the new
year. the publication of serial story entitled
'sSeed- Time and Harvest, or During Nv An
premiership" translated specially for them
from the Plat deutsch of the distinguished poet
and novelist, Fritz Reuter-. No German au-
thor OF the present time is more popular in
his own country than Reuter-, and by MANY
he IS considered the most popular German
writer of the last half century" His stories
are written in Pldtt-deutsch, a dialect of North
Germany, ard the English writer. Cbarla,
Lee Lewes says that "the Germans of the
HoAo oo"shoih otates3 WHtTe f'tUtf. QputscH. ia
unknown, now frequently learn il for the sols
purpose; a;.m Of reading Reuters works." Reuter-
genuine poet and the fascinating delineator Of
the lives OF his Plat t-deutsch neighbors, and as
snch Is probably more beloved than any other
herman author of the day. The story in ques-
ton is said to be one of his best works, giving
US charming acquaintance with his quaint,
interesting Plat deutsch people. The publica-
ton of the translation is announced to be be-
gun in the frst number of The Liring Aqe for
1871, and to be continued from week to
week until it is completed.
The Licing Age for 1871 will also contain Sc
rial stories by George Macdonald and other
distinguished English authors, together with
the usual amount of the best scientific and lit
erary matter of the day, making in all more
than three thousand large pages of reading
matter year. The last two numbers of 1870
containing the beginning of Geo. MacDonaId's
story, are promised gratis to all new subscrib.
ers for 1871.
The subscription price of this sixty-four page
weekly magazine is IS, but for ten dollars any
one Of the American S4 magazines is sent with
The Living Aqs for year. Littell & Cav,
Boston, are publishers.