The Portland daily press., 1873-07-07
Recent Publications.

Bresssnt: BY Julian Hawt -orne.
The proper position in literature OF this sim
gular novel will Re, it seems to us, somewhat
determined by future works of its author.
Mr.. Hawthorne is at once aided, and placed
under certain disadvantage by his fathers
reputation as writer. How far the charac-
teristics of the elder Hawthorne have been
Inherited by the younger, and how far the
similarity is the result of direct imitation is
very difficult to decide from first work.
Mr.. Julian Hawthorne lacks the fine and sin
gular -dAlinatn- -aaarnnntinn of the power of
language, so brilliantly developed in his fa-
ther's writings-and there much to be rip
enc / and finished in his style. The plot of
"Bressant' is disag eeable one. The mi
mute analysis of thought ard feeling, to which
the author is addicted, needs the wonderful
touch of his fathers pen to give it interest
and to raise it above the repulsive 1t is per-
haps hardly fair to young writer, to COM
pare him constantly with one who stands 90
high in rank-but the style OF the one so
strongly suggests the other that the parallel
forces itself upon the mind of the reader.
Much interest will be felt in ''Bressant" and
while awaiting farther development of the
talent of its author, we may safely say that
the present volume is written with good in
tention, earnestness, and degree of power.
Published by D. Appleton & Co. NY. For
sale by Bailey & Noyes.
Wit and Wisdcns Of George Eliot
This ia tho suuoocfix-o t;tla >fo -, olo<~n.,4
tie volume published by Roberts Brothers,
Boston. 1t is needless to speak here of the
wonderful genius of George E9t-for every
book that she writes becomes at once the
theme of universal comment and admiration.
The present volume is edited with much care
and appreciation; the index gives hints of the
various subjects of the extracts, which are
classified under the titles of tie works from
which they are taken. We hope from time
to time to enrich our columns from these
choice pages. Admirers OF George Eliot-and
who is not of them ?-will find the present
volume very efficient and valuable aid to
them in recalling their impressions of the
brilliant and profound thought of this mar
vel 'us writer; excellence of mechanical exc
cution adds to the general attractiveness of
the book.
For sale by Loring, Short and Harmon.
The New MagdaIen. ny WiIkie Collins.
That the author of the New Magdalen has
undertaken difficult task, with sincere in
tentiorfto do good, we think none can deny.
As to the measure of success attained, opin-
ions will widely differ. The narrative runs
easily and not unnaturally, the author
wisely taking his readers into his counsels at
the outset, instead of leading them blindfold
through mysteries so dear % the sensational,
SO trying to the common sense reader. The
characters are well, not wonderfully. drawn
The style is readable and not too diffuse.
The chief exception to be taken is that the
author has found it necessary to make recti-
tude in the person of one heroine, unattrac-
tive, repulsive even, in order more fully to en-
list plying sympathy on behalf of the unior-
tur ate one; aud because, on the other hand,
there are many good points made, this needs
all the more to be indicated for the office of
those all devouring readers who so eagerly
seize upon any novel that comes from the pop.
ular pen of Wilkie Collins.
Published by Harper Brothers. Reprinted
from the Monthly" For sale by Loring.
Short and Harmon.
We have received from Messrs. Lorinr.
Short and Harmon, copy of .'The Hour
and the Man., a historical romance by Miss
Harriet Martineau, the scene of which is
laid in st. Domingo in the troubled times of
Toussaint L'Ouverture 1t is finely written,
and possesses much interest, which the
name Of Miss Martineau would lead the
reader to expect. From the above named
firm, we have also He Cometh not, she
said'', brilliant novel of modern English
society, from the pen of Annie Thomas MRS.
Pender Cudlip). Both novels are published
by Messrs. Harper Brothers, New York.