The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-12-15
Recent Publications,

'Ao'ner Ooose Is relatively sober and su0dued,
ln snort, scrupulously observant of logical CO.
herence, probability and historical fact Ac-
companying the letter-press are a profusion OF
colored designs, the deliberate absurdity of
which cannot be surpassed. Second, Popular
FAIRY Tales with illustrations by Dore The
volume contains number of those immortal
stories, ever fresh and new, which have delight
cd many generations of children in the past,
and are equally pleasing to those of to-day.
A"onS those are Blue Beard the illustrations
VI wnch show Dore's peculiar power, Little
heo hlding- Hood, Cinderella, The Seven
League Boots, &c. This book will not only
deisht the little folks but its illustrations, by
the most vigorous and original of modern ar
fists, will make it interesting to people of ma
turer ago. Some Of the engravings are already
familiar to the public, but their rare excellence
will always prevent anything like safety
Third, a Visit from Santa Claus, with illustra-
tions by Scattergood. This familiar little poem
by Clement G. Moore, beginning "'Twas the
night before Christmas" is here presentsd in
thin paper covered book which is as bright and
cheerful as the theme itself.
The International Rait,cay and Steam NaUi-
CATION Guide for December is now ready. 1t is
published by @. r. Chisholm & Co., Montreal,
and is an exceedingly useful and interesting
publication, which steadily gains in popular
ity.
On The TRAIT of War, by Alexander Innes
Shaud, correspondent of the London Times, is
as accurate and entertaining as can be expect
ed of book prepared in such hot haste ito
se1l.~ 1t treats, of course, of the war now in
| nd q y,1op, ,forx Oh r.:
the narrative down to Sedan and the seige Oh
Metz. Published by Harper & Brothers, and
for sale by Hall L. Davis.
The Adventures of a Young Naturalia by
Luciep Bart, edited and adopted by Parker
Gilmore, is 12mo of five hundred pages,
bound in red morocco cloth and beautifully IL
lustrated with III engravings. The advsn.
lures described are in the midst of the wild
scenery Of the Mexican Cordilleras-a terra
incognita to most people and therefore addi-
tOnally interesting. Besides the excitement
afforded by the recital of adventures there Is
superadded the pleasure of gaining vast deal
of information in regard to ornithology, en-
tomology and zoology of the region through
which the travellers passed. For boy there
could be no more acceptable or valuable pres
ent for the same price. published by Harper
& Brothers,) Hall L. Davis has it.
The Atlantic Monthly for January is cram
med with good things as is always the case
with the holiday number of that magazine. OF
the poetry we have already published "Doro-
thy O." by Holmes-a writer, by the way,
from whom the public hears much too little in
these days. Longfellow and Whittier also
contribute to this department Senator Will
sons "New Departure of the Republican par
ty" will attract much attention. 1t gives us q
better idea of its author than we ever had be-
fore. 1t speaks volumns for his sagacity, dis
interestedness and true political insight. The
other articles are A Year in Venetian Palace,
by Howells; Miss Moggaridge's Provider, by
Mrs. Spoford The Valley of Gastein by Helen
Hunt; Madam Delias Expectations by Hig-
ginson; .Castilian Days by John Hay; Our
Eyes and How to take Care of them by DR..
Williams; Kate Beaumont by j. w. DeForest;
American Life in florence by M. L p; Coun-
try Winter lin New Hampshire by Helen
Hunt; Our Whispering Gallery. The last is
by James 7. Fields, senior member Of the firm
of Fields, Osgood g Co. 1t is the first lot an
eagerly expected series Of sketches of the many
famous literary men whom the author has met.
These sketches. judging from the first, which
gives Mr.. Fields recollections of Thackeray in
pleasant colloquial style, will be more enter
tanning than anything that has appeared in the
atlantic for long time. This sketch of Thack-
cray seems to us to be as nearly perfect a
sketch both in manner and matter as has ap-
peared since Boswell laid down his gossiping
pen. Yes, tits trfs Boswellian, and we
mean nothing disparaging by the epithet. A
man like Mr.. Fields who for more than quar-
ter of a century has been on terms of personal
intimacy with the most distinguished literary
men of his times, must have something ,of the
spirit of hero worship which made Johnson's
biOgrapher so unapproachable in his chosen
field.
The publishers of Scribners Monthly made
special effort to make the January or Christ
mas number of the periodical attractive. Their
success is commensurate with their efforts
There are no less than ten illustrated articles.
The paper is of extra quality and the type is
clear and beautiful. The leading article is an
interesting account of Fairmount Park, Phila.
delphia, one of the most remarkable works Of
the kind in the world. Sixteen sketches ac.
company the text from the pencil of Thomas
Moran. Prof Wilder gossips about Kings of
the Air, his article being elegantly illustrated.
Next comes the Goblin of the Ice, or Christmas
at the North Pole, by DIR. Hayes, story
founded upon quaint Greenland legend and
presenting some striking phases of life and ad-
venture within the Arctic Circle. The story is
splendidy illustrated, the picture of the COB
lin by Mr.. Bolles, being real work of genius.
Miss Trafton's story, Mirabels Christmas, is
full of power and pathos. Wilfrid Cumber-
mede is continued, with an illustration. Ma
tasqua, is concluded, and a new story is begun
by Hans Andersen, in his best and brightest
vein, the latter being appropriately accompa-
MED by portrait of the author. Among the
illustrated articles are Ships, by J. T. Headley.
and Strasbourg after the Surrender with sy
pictures from photographs made especial
ly for the magazine. Ex-Minster John
Blgelow contributes an important pa
per on the Terms of Peace proposed by the
Great Powers. Mr.. CrOunse's How we
Escaped War with Spain, will attract immedi-
ate attention; while other interesting articles
are entitled A Christmas Eve in Germany,
and Tartinis Dream-Mus Two poems, The
Christmas Door and The Northern Lights, are
illustrated, the latter by Thomas Moran; and
DR.. Hollands Christmas Carol is accompanied
by music, by George j. Huss. There is also q
hitherto unpublished poem by N. p. Willis to
his sister, Fanny Fern. The publishers prom
liable, Scribner's is edited by DR.. Holland.
MlSCELLANEOUS