The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-08-26
DAILY PRESS,

PORTLAND.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 26. 1871.

Sir John Lubbock lately gave an amusing
account, in Parliament, oi he text books used
IN The British elementary schools. For in
stance, he found it stated, under the head of
geography, that Ireland was in America. Un-
der the head of botany, the children were in
formed that sap was not black, as was gener-
any supposed. but in the opinion of many
emlIent authorities, of a dark blue COLOR
Again under the head of vegetable physiology,
IL was stated that the seed OF sweet pea was
not much larger than pins head, vet il con-
tanned, compactly folded up, large, branchy,
towering plant. In animal physiology they
were taught that fishes had no voice, except
seals and whales. Insects they were told, had
their uses, and fly keeps the warm air pure
aud wholesome by its constant zigzag fight.
But IT was not only in matters of natural
science that these books were susceptible of
improvement, for some of the moral teaching
they conveyed might be questioned; as, for
example, the tale OF the boy who, when he
hesltated TO rob an orchard, was induced to
Join in the depreciation by the argument that
MS refusing to do so would not influence the
result, and he is made to sum up the train of
moral reasoning thus:-
'Since they will take them. will On too.
He'll lose none by me though get a few
he asked whether that was unobiectionable
moral teaching. In another place was the
story of how boy in humble life rose to be a
master manufacturer by first saving, through
dint OF industry and seltdenial, e700, and
risking it over and over again, till at length
he found himself in possession of 100000.
Were the working classes to be taught that
the way to get rich was by risking their saw
ngs over and over again? In answer to an
inquiry, he said that these books were issued
by the national society, and had been adopted
in the educational code within the last few
months.
The NEW PoET.-The newspapers stories
concerning Miller's domestic troubles have led
him to furnish, for the American edition ofhis
poems, one written to his wife, and entitled
"Myrrh." He says it was written with his
hearts blood. 1 will give yon few stanzas,
which l think we are bound to accept as his
own version of the story:
"And you and have buried love;
red seal on the coffus lid;
The clerk below The court above,
Pronounced IL dead; the corpse is hid.
And |, who never crossed your will
Cohsent-that you may have it STILL
What recks 1t now whose was the blame?
But call 1t mine; for better used
Am 10 wrong and cold disdain-
Can better bear to be accused
OF all that wears the shape of shame
Than have you feel one touch OF blame,
90 alone; no little hands
To lead me from forbidden WAYS,
No little voice in other lands
Shall cheer me all the weary daas;
Yet these are yours, and that to me
Is much indeed, anu 1t must be,
did not blame you-do not blame.
The stormy elements OF soul
That have scorned to tone or tame,
Or bind down unto dun control
In tull, fierce youth, they all are YOURS
With all their folly and their fore,
But should you sometime read a sign
A name among the princely few,
While you are with your friends and wine.
Then careless turn to one or Two;
Say. ale was mine, bis smiles his tears
Were mine-were mine for years and years."
AS poet, at least, the smiles and praises of
women are not wanting to Miller Helen
Hunt writes: 81 feel, sometimes, as if | must
write TO him and thank him for being alive.
Harriet Prescott Spofiord says that sin liter
aturc Miller has dscoved America" In a
review OF "Sons of the Sierras," which will
contribute to the next Old and New she writes
"These poems may not owe their superiority
to their purely American type, but it leads to
them a ovelinterest for most readers between
the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. They won
der that the wild mountain ami tropical life
has found no laureate before, and thele is to
| them something as fascinating to contemplate
| in this singers issuing through the Golden
| Gate upon the world as in the unevailing and
| uplifting of the great Californian land. itself.
| The greater part of the scenery and incidents
of Songs of the Serras' belongs, in fact, to
that most briian espOde in all the epic of our
history whose details comprise the war with
Mexico, the discovery OF gold, the rush of en-
igration, the the growth of shining cities on
the Pacific shores, the building of State-an
episode in which every passion and every race
has had its part, but which we have been ac-
cosiomed to consider presaic matter of-fact,
| until the enchanter came and transmitted it
| into the realms of poetry."-L. N. c., Boston
| Correspondent of N. Y. Tribdne.