The Portland daily press., 1873-12-20

most cordially commend this to holiday buy
ers, who may be certain in presenting it, that
their gift will be appropriate and welcome
Published by James Miller, CAT Broadway,
New York.
For sale by Bailey & Noyes.
The Rising Faith. nv @. A. BarseI
author Of "Radical Problems.',
DR.. Bartol is a seer; whether he belongs
to the race of prophets is more than doubtful
For prophet is not a speaker. merely; he
is a speaker-forth, into light, from the mys-
terry of truth; seer and annunciator. That
DR.. Bartol sees something is evident from the
quantity of his speech; that he is speaker
forth is at least doubtful, notwithstanding
that evidence. The ordinary reader, puz-
zling over his orphic sayings, will find that
not much is here made known to him, though
he may defer to the possibility that the ex-
traordinary reader may find these sayings in
telligible. And yet there is singular charm
in these fluent utterances. You think there
is profound meaning in them, though you
don't quite know what it is, and you read on
in the hope that if you only look sharp you
may see light; and now and then you hit on
something that does seem luminous; you find
sparks. The book sparkles and fascinates,
like the stars, but as an illuminator is not a
success; it is even not a little exasperating,
its promise is so much greater than its sup
ply.
DIR. Bartol says: ''By indirection we can
not find direction out, but by John the Bap-
lists burning and shining light" Now, that
is good; that is trne; and it is very happily
expressed. o, DR.. Bartol, if you would only
remember that, as you write. But it is at
once amusing and Irritating to read the con-
text on both sides of that plain saying. Here
is the whole passage-"This is the grace of
Christ, that, like his seamless vesture, there
was no parting his body and soul, and the
same inseparableness is our share of the
atonement. By indirection We cannot find
direction out.but by John the Baptists burn
ing and shining light. Engineers drill the
Alps to mathematical line, which for all
manhood, is the shortest distance between
two points," The book is not all like this,
if it we e, we well might cry, Give me Hagars
arithmetic in preference to this! Sometimes
the sentence is sharp and clear as a stroke of
lightning. For example, mobility is insen-
sibity to opinion" There is no mistaking
that. You may doubt it or deny it; but at
any rate it strikes you. Here, too, is some
thing that is at once simple and oracular:
81 desire quality, and to meet people of quail
ity, about whose persuasion or purpose am
in no doubt. They prevail because they re-
peat and never cancel their blows, but move
steady to their one object, while duplic ty
shuffies, is self-contradictory and weak.
Double and devil are the same word. In
cards the deuce is lowest, and the ace takes
the packs
Here, also, is something that needs no in
terpreter; but what blazing condemnation
of the writer's literary style e!-'truth is nev-
er more vague than electricity in a thunder
bolt"
We give few of the sayings most intelligi-
be,
''The pungent orator is asked why he can
not talk about something else than Justice; it
is so personal; 1t gets into families.
Zone seeker with news of God and tldings
from Heaven, tingling from the telegraph
that terminates in lowly and loving heart,
outbears every decree of the synod"
''Let us decline being tugged and towed
like boat at some steamers stern in spiritu-
al men'licancy."
"That cultivator with his lawn, garden and
greenhouse has raised everything but him
self into gentleman. He is cactus that
has not yet blossomed"
"Not aohence l came, but ,chdt become,
is the question. No matter about far-off
cousins: let gorilla be my ancestor if love
God and serve my kind"
These extracts will serve better tLan the
table of contents, to indicate what the book
is about; it touches everything, with hardly
more regard to its doctrinal topics than Arte-
mus Wards lectures to theirs. The book is in
teresting; agood booi, to read aloud and puzzle
and laugh over "a good book to read thoughtful
ly alone.-as to its value, readers will decide
differently y-Doubtless, some will want to take
the following sentence out of its connection,
and apply it with meaning, not intended, to
the author himself:-"When 1 publish, /
sport. my worth.''
For sale by Lorlng, Short & Harmon.
Fiszmarc,n, or, the Magic Hammer. BY
This is lively tale of magic and glamour,
located Of course in the mystical east The
hero, blacksmith's boy, falls in love with
the daughter of the Grand Mogul and meets
with his marvellous adventures in fulfilling
the conditions imposed by the cruel parent
upon her suitors. He goes through the
"Bloody and Horrible Land" kills the wick
ed giant Honey boy and penetrates to the
country of the Amazons. The King of the
Gnomes ''backs'' bim and he is miraculously
helped through many vicissitudes. The COM
monplace reward of marrying one woman is
not enough for this hero, so his sufferings are
concluded-or continued-by brace of spous
es, the enchanting Queen of the Amazons,
and the lovely Bulbulina, daughter of the
Grand Mogul. The book is bright, pleas
ant, entertaining bit of extravaganc suitable
in mechanical execution for the holiday trade.
The illustrations by the author, prominent
lawyer of Springfield, are vivid and grotesque.
Published by Whitney & Adams, Springfield,
and Lee & Shepard, Boston.
For sale by Bailey & Noyes.
Aunt Jos Scrap-Bag.
Aren't you glad little ones Chow Chow and
Cupid have come at last just in time to wish
us a "Merry Christmas and with them
"Huckleberry" Nelly and her hospital, "The
Moss people, and lots of others. We think
Cupid manly little fellow in spite of his
dainty clothes, and hope that when he is old
er, he will uphold the rights of his sex in
spite Of ChowChow's pernicious and revolu-
tionary principles. What do you think Kate
bought with her money? ? she wanted to buy
grandma, but as she hadn't enough, She
why forgot that Christmas hadn't come yet,
drru rf1ot YOU mustn't know unytl,;ps- s>Se>.t
your presents till then; well when you find
the book in your stocking, as you certainly
will on Christmas morning, you will know
all about it; and ''What Fanny heard and
about Mrs. Turtles party at the bottom o
the sea, and lots of other jolly times. Now
goodbye; be sure and not forget to wish Miss
Alcott ''Merry Christmas" in your hearts,
when Santa Claus brings you the nice new
book she has been writing for you.
Publishsd by Roberts Bros. Boston. For
sale by Loring Short & Harmon.
The Proud Mrs NC Bride.
This book written by John G.. SAKE in
his inimtable manner. and illustrated by