Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-10-04
Gbe 9aip sppE adturser. frOag unng, October l. 1879

style 1t is impossible to praise this story either
as to manner or matter. 1t is exceedingly OBJ
iectionabe in its morals, and shows evidence Of
hasty, careless composition. He takes in this
novel his favorite subject, woman, unfaithlu
to her husband, and makes her exceptionally
wicked even for ihis notions of the woman Of
fast, fashionable society. For sale by Sanford
& Co.
UPLANDs AND LowLANDs; or, Three Chap
tiers in Life. By Rose Porter, author of "Sum-
mer Drift Wood for the Winter Fire" The
design of this story is good; the life story, from
babyhoOd to early manhood and premature
death, Of one who was born with the instincts
and aspirations of an artist, struggles with un.
toward circumstances, and finally dies in pow
erty with his earthly ambition unsatisfed, but
happy in his hope of brighter pictures beyond.
The thread of the story is, however, very slen-
der. Miss Porter abounds in descriptive scenes,
which sometimes are rather too fowery and
sentimental to be quite in good taste. This IS
also published by Arson D. F. Randolph &
Company, New York, aud for sale by Sanford
& Co.
THE CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE CEREMONY, ITS
HIsToRY, SIGNIFICANCE AND CURIosITIEs, by
J. Foote Bingham, D. D. Published by A. D. F.
Randolph & Co.: New York. This book is de-
signed to interpret aud illustrate the marriage
service, under every accepted variety Of form.
To this end the author gives the text of the cere
monies OF the English, Roman, Greek and jew
ish churches, with the religious ceremony at
tending the rite of circumcision, notes and
ritual, practical and archaeological. For his
own part, he has written several chapters of Curl
Gus facts and observances connected with the
Christian ritual of marriage, with chapter of
warm-hearted counsel to the bridegroom and
bride He has evidently brought to his work
genuine enthusiasm for his subject, and much
patient study annd research, and has succeeded
in making a book interesting, curious, and of
some literary value. For sale by Sanford & Co.
FAUsTINA. A Novel, translated from the Ter
man of Ida, Countess Hahn-Hahn. Published
by G. W. Carleton & Co., New York The trans
lator of this book gives in preface short
sketch of the authoress. "Faustina," she con-
sders, "the most charming" of a series of nov
els, consisting of pictures of aristocratic life in
Germany, but she presents her translation with
difidence, "not knowing what the reception
may be of 'Faustina, foreign maiden in a
land of conventionalism." We do not wonder
at her hesitation, and only regret that it was at
last overcome. However charming the story
aud its heroine may be to German readers, to US
they seem unwholesome and unpleasant The
heroine having married unhappily, leaves her
husband, and forms an illegtimate connection
with a man for whom she thinks she has last
ing affection. On her husbands death she re.
fuses to marry her lover, although he desires it,
thinking marriage was the cause of her earlier
misery. She afterwards, however, finds another
man whom she loves better than the former,
and him she does marry, though unwillingly,
as he insists upon it. Her earlier lover thereupon
siekens and dies, and she, filled with remorse,
goes into convent. The book is for sale by
Sanford & Co.
THIRTY YEARS IN THE HAREM; or the Auto
biography of Melek-Hanum, wife of Il. H. XII
brill Mehemet-Pasha.-Th auuthoress OF this
book is of Greek and French parentage. She
married at thirteen years an English physician
twenty years her senior with whom she lived
very unhappily for five years, when her husband
determined TO get rid of her, and took her to
Rome, where he left her, and soon married him
self to a Greek widow. Considering herself, by
this act of his, free from her bonds, and making
the acquaintance of Kibrizli Mehemet-Pasha,
then military attache to the Turkish legation
at Paris, she, after some delay, marnes him.
At this point her narration of 'Life in a Harem"
begins 1t is very entertaining, circumstantal,
and apparently true to the life. The author by
her own candid statement, is by no means an
estimable person, but she writes frankly and
gives a curious insight into Oriental manners,
domestic and official, which can hardly be OBJ
tanned elsewhere, The book is published by
Harper & Brothers and for sale here by Grout s.
Putnam.
BLACKwooD's MAGAZINE, for September,
contains some chapters of the political novel,
"a True Reformer," which is very clever; a
curious politico economical tale, entitled,
"Glmpses of the Future" an elaborate review
of Charles Levers works, and a sketch of the
history, present condition and prospects of
Japan.
The OVERLAND MONTHLY, for October, has,
as usual, fresh and pleasant flavor of the Pa
cifc coast. The sketches of the northern Cali
tornia Indians are continued; the story of the
second and successful Fort Fisher expedition is
well told, and there are several other articles
that may be read with pleasure.
MERRY's MUSEUM, for October, contains the
following articles: Saved by a Fiddle; the Fog
Bell; the Fairy Bird, by Louisa NJ. Alcou; the
Haunted House; Breathing Spaces; Rboda /;
Grandmother's Childhood; in Peril; Carbon !;
an Old-Fashioned Fairy Tale; the Story of a
Street Urchin; Defamation: Puzzle Drawer;
Monthly Chat. 1t is a very good number