The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-03-24
DAILY PRESS,
PORTLAND.
l
FRIDAY, MARCH "a, 1871. /,
New Publications.

New Publications.
Messrs. Lorihg, Short & Harmon have sent
US the copy of the new edition of Barnes's
Notes on the Acts, published by Harper &
brothers. The revision which the work uu-
derwent by the author iu the last wears of his
NE, rehuers 1t oil increased value to the Bible
student.
from Shore to Shore is the title of a xol-
ume of poems by Mrs. Phebe A. Hanaford is.
sued from the publishing house of b. r. Rms.
sell, Boston. The opening poem gives the
title to the volume, which is a fine collection
of beautiful thoughts from one of the most
gifted women of our day-an earnest Chris
tian worker on the platform, in the sacred
desk and in the haunts of vice and sin-labor-
ing to restrain the erring, restore 1.-THE fallen
and strengthen the weak. The contents are
divided into Poems of Christian Faith, of
Friendship, OF Patriotism, of Sympathy, Som
nets, Memorial and Miscellaneous Poems.
open the book where we will we feel that the
authors faith, is touched with her sympatby.
melted by her pathos, or stirred to emulation
by the ringing measures of her triumphs. The
book has fine portrait of the authoress. Re-
ceived from the publishers.
The Franco-Prussian War, by Melville d.
Landon, published by Carleton. New York.
comes to our table from Bailey G. Noyes. The
mteit OF the work, the author tells us, In very
brief preface, is "a daily synopsis of the main
facts connected with the war: to seize upon
rough facts as find them-in diplomacy, in
battles or in literature; reproduce them In
plain Saxon, and let the intelligent reader lido
his own thinking" Now this Is rather for
bidding inscription. to put upon the opening
pages OF work intended for popular instruc-
tion in the crowded history of one Of the most
important eposhs OF the 10th century; espec-
tally when few writers have the faculty of in.
spiring the details of events with the vitality
that moves the imagination and promotes
thought. Beginning his story with the abdi-
cation of Queen Isabella of Spain he carries
the reader through those eventful seven
months, and closes with the surrender of Par.
is, the signature of the armistice and the de-
cree for the elections and convocation of the
assembly on the 18th of February. he d.
gresses only to give ms, in their proper places,
short biographical sketches of the more noted
actors in this strange eyent;u history" and
illustrates his narrative Of military movements
by clear and convenient maps. The more
important official and unofficial documents
bearing ON the diplomacy of the war are here
preserved, and we also have some relations
touching the canses of it which we have
found nowhere else; and we have also, as q
help to study, an excellent index.
There is delightful attractiveness about
the letter press that gives promise Of pleasure
and profit, which is thoroughly fulfilled in the
perusal. The authors style Is lively; his
powers of description bold but not exageera-
ted; and while he deals faithfully with facts,
he gives us now and then a spice of humor
when it is needed to best reflect the !opiniops
OF the people, and he catches quickly the lu-
dicrous side of events as they transpire; while
the more serious phases of the war are treat
with the dignity which their Importance re.
quires Nothing appears to have escaped
his observation, and his book is alike valuable
to the student and those who seek it chiefly
for entertainment. Mr.. Landon, we are in.
formed, is journalist of much experience.
and well versed in European politics, and
here we find some of the secrets of the success
OF his book.
West1ard by Rail; the New Route to the
East is volume the material of which is
contained in series Of letters written to the
London Daily Ne,cs by Mr.. w. F. Rae, a
gentleman attached to 1.-THE editorial staff of
that paper. Mr.. Rae belongs to the first of
the two great classes into which English tray
elers are divided-those who admire and
those who detest America. Our genial au-
thor's impressions" OF almost everything he
sees are extremely favorable. lie likes New
York, foreving it with all his heart for 1esep-
bling Paris more than London, wonders that
Chicago should have grown to such magnlf-
cence in less than falfa century, finds Sac
ramento fully civilized aid the people in no
special degree given to cutting each others
throats, and fairly glows in contemplating the
beauty vf American women, who are not On
ly lovely after type of their own, but have
thousands of representatives in different
parts OF the country of the types of beauty pc
culiar to France, England, Spain and N ,rth-
ern Europe. The descriptions of scenery are
vivid, and there is freshness about the book
that is very pleasant. The Mormon episode
will be read with special interest. I'D. Ap.
pleton & Co., N. Y. For sale by Bailey q
Noyes.)
The Heir Of Redclgte has probably been
wept over more than any novel IN the
English language, corresponding In this
respect with the French Paul and
Virginia and the German Sorrows of
Werther, but OF course in no other respect
whatever with either. Thousands with whom
this emotional romance is an old favorite will
be glad that the publishers of a new edition of
Miss Yonge's Novels have begun with The
Heir of Redclgfe. 1t is brought out in two
cloth bound volumes of a. decidedly UNIQUE
but altogether tasteful style. Each volume
has new engraving for frontispiece. Uni
form with the Heir of Redclute we already
have Heartsease ty the same author, also in
two volumes. The latter work though less
widely known than the former is of hardly
less thrilling interest. 1t is to be followed by
other novels by the same aut bor in due time.
I'd. Appleton & Co., New York. For sale by
Bailey & Noyes,).
TRAVELS IN CENTRAL AMERICA BY Ar.
THUR MoRELET.-Leypold, Holt & VIII
liams, New York, 1871. For sale by Loring
Short & Harmon.
This book, translated from the French
gives us much curious and interesting inior-
nation concerning portion of our continent
about which little has been published, and
that little is not easily accessible. Some thir-
ty years ago the French endeavored to estab.
lish colony upon the coast OF Yucatan; bat
the unbealthiness of the climate soon thinned
the ranks of the colonists, and compelled the
survivors to leave the country. One Of the
leaders of that expedition, DIR. Fossey, served
as its historian, and published an account Of
the country in French and in Spanish; but
/ am not aware that his book was ever trans
lated into English. Our own countryman,
Stephens, has contributed as much as any
one, perhaps, to the general knowledge Of this
country; but il is only here and there that his
path comedies with that of the chevaler Mo-
relet. Even with all that has been told US Of
that country, much remains which it is dssir-
able to know. Deep mystery hangs over its
extensive ruins. The wealth Of its tropical
productions has not been dreamed Of Across