The Portland daily press., 1872-12-21
Recent Publications.

LITTLE PEOPLE OF THE Snow. By William
Cullen Bryant.
Among the choicest of the many volumes
prepared for the holidays, is the ''Little Peo-
pie Of the Snow, an exquisite fairy-tae in
verse, telling in simple, touching and poetic
language how little maiden, wandering in
the snow, met snow-baby who showed her
the wonders of the realms of winter; how at
last, wearied, she fell asleep in the white,
soft snow-wreath, never to wake again; how
the sweet snowbaby wept for the harm she
had done, and with her little sister sprites
laid garlands of frost-fowers on the grave of
the dead child. Mr.. Bryant's beautiful verse
is illustrated by exquisite engravings from de-
signs by Albert Fredericks, which merit very
high praise for expression and execution.
The artist has caught the spirit of the grace
full phantasy OF the pet and has illustrated
the myth, so in harmony with the mountain
scenery of New England. with drawings at
once powerful, delicate and full of the cold,
brilliant life of the north.
The mechanical execution of the book is
exceedingly beautiful, and nothing could be
more charming or appropriate than the orna-
mentation of the covers from original designs
for snowfakes, from the pencil of the great
artist, Jack Frost.
Published by D. Appleton & Co., N.
For sale by Bailey and Noyes.
We have received from Messrs Hoyt, Fogg
and Breed, a very elegant holiday edition of
the poems of J. G.. Holland, entitled GAR
NERED SHEAvEs," and containing ''Bitter
sweet ''Kathrina," and the collection of
shorter works published under the title of
''The Marble Prophecy and other poems."
The book is tastefully bound; printed on
tiuted paper, gilt edgei and red lined; and
has beside the frontispiece portrait of the
author several illustrations.
Published by Scribner, Armstrong & Co.,
New York.
WINNING Hrs SPURS. BY Rev. Elijah Kel-
logg.
This is the fourth volume of the "Whisper-
ing Pine Series,' by this well-known and
popular author. Mr.. Kellogg's books are
such as parents will be glad to place in the
hands of their children, sure that the in1u-
ence of the pleasant pages is thoroughly
good one. winning His Spurs is an inter-
esting story, showing how energy, sound
principles and the refining influences of
good home will help boy to choose his way
in life and succeed in his undertakings.
Published by Lee and Shepard. For sale
| by Loring, Short and Harmon.
MIDDLEMARcH; Vol. II: By George Eliot.
This great NOVELETTE, greatest of the pres
ent time--is completed. And the importance
of work like this, in these days of sensa-
tional and unnatural fiction, can hardly be
overstated. The quiet power; the broad
human sympathies of George Eliot; the un-
erring skill with which in her novels she
balances forces which, modified by the con-
tinual attrition of circumstance, work to-
gether towards the result that we call Desti-
| ny; the wise moderation and impartislity in
her portrayal OF character; the consummate
art which is nature; the profound, kindly
knowledge of life; and the wealth of genius
which perfects every least detail in its spon,
taneous and lavish strength--all these are
well known to the admirers of this frs
of living novelists. The second volum,
of "Middlemarch fuldls every expectation
awakened by the first. Dorothea, the hero
inc, is, by nature, second Romola: But she
is Romola "with a difference"
The nineteenth century is not that in
which Savonarola taught, England is not
Italy, and the influences which surround the
daughter of Bardo are far other than those
brought to bear upon Mrs. Casaubon. Happy
for Dorothea, that viii Ladisaw is not Tito
Melema-that her devotion is not spent for
nothing and her ideal rudely brokenl The