The Portland daily press., 1874-12-19

SPEAKING LIKENEssEs. By Christina Rossetti.
Published by Roberts Brothers, Boston. Port
land: For Sale by Loring, Short and Harmon.
This is one of the most attractive juveniles of
the season lin many respects. Miss Rossetti's
fame as poet will ensure her immediate well
come when she comes before the public with
her merry stories for the ehildren-and yet in
the very traits which have distinguished her
verse we find the sole objections 10 her present
work. 1t is too imaginative, we think, to be
quite desirable for children with intense and
fancifuI natures. While pleasing and inter-
esting them, the grotesqueness and wierd con-
ceits of Speaking Likenesses' would be apt
to over-excite them. and make the bedtime
moment of dread, and the mammals goodnight
kiss. and subsequent turning out Of the gas
light only the prelude to the vague terrors that
beset the baby Imagination. The very clever il
Illustrations by MI. Hughes are open to the same
o5jection,as they of course follow closely the de-
sign,of the story. Miss Rossetti is SO really re-
fined, there is such good intention in her
book, that we regret to make these structures
upon it. We believe. however, that the fault
of which we speak, is one that equally be-
longs to her writings for .'children of larger
growth; and, though its effects are not there
as pronouncedly undesirable, we are sure that
fewer studies of the distorted, the fantastic,
and the tltiuesque--if we may coin word
would result in manner more truly artistic,
collected and enjoyable in subject and treat
ment. Her clearly outlined figures would be-
come 1.-THE and lifelike Graces, instead of
Chinese idols, interesting by force of ugliness'
aud the value of her work would rise from the
capricous one of fashionable 6ric-a-brac to the
real worth of objects of art. of course we re-
fer to part, not by any means to all Of her
work, of which much is very beautiful. -
In spite Of the objections that we have be-
lieved it our duty to make in order TO set
parents on their guard against placing Speak
ing LikenessesY in the-hapds of eyer-sensitive
children. we hope that many merry rosy little
people will enjoy its quaint fancy, without any
harm-for surely it was the design Of its
writerto give only pleasure ~ IS ~
THE MAN IN THE Moon AND OTHER PEOPLE, by.
R.. W. Raymond. New York: j. B. Ford s. Co
From Hoyt, Fogg s. Donham.
A collection of admirable fairy tales Seven
of them are old acquaintance, having ap;
peared in 1870 under the title of "The Children's
Week., viz: "Hoyty Toyty," cumberland and
Sea-" ''Glorioso,' "The Christmas Angel,
s'The Idea that flew out of the Fire, 'The
Palace of the Days, and Karl the Fiddler"
These are newly arranged and thirteen others,
equally good, added to them, making one of
the best gift books of the year. "Under Land
and Sea- is most as good as Kingsley's Water
Babies. Some of the new:stories are by Sarah
D. Raymond. The illustrations are charming,
and the book is exquisitely gotten up.
MooRE,s IRIsH MrrenIEs. New York: D. q i.
sadlier s. Co. For sale by t. P. MCGOWAN.
This little edition of Moore's Melodies, en-
bellished with portrai.of the Irish poet, ap
pears Just in season for Christmas The handy
volume contains John Savages Memoir of
Moore, and notes historical and explanatory,
by the same hand. 1t is clearly printed on
tinted paper, and is neat edition for those de-
string to possess Moore's lyrics of his native
land. E 49,
CHIMES FOR CHILDHOOD. A Collection of Songs
for Little Ones. Boston, Estes & Lauriat. For
sale by Dresser Mcclellan g. Co.
The small people will be delighted to see this
pretty little volume and to read the songs
which great poets have written for their special
delectation. The book, handsomely printed on
tinted pager, is made up of such charming Sc.
lections as Clement Moore's Visit of Santa
Claus" whittier's Barefoot Boy Alling-
hams "Birdie," Longfellow's "Weariness,"
Howitts wood Note" Jean Ingelow's Sew
en- Times One" Lowell's Longing" Scott's
"Young Lochinvar." Mrs. Heman's "Casabi
anca," Longfellow's "Children's Hour" Ten
nyson's SHAY Queen and Shakespeare's
''Under the Greenwood Tree" As will be
perceived, all puerile verses have been reject
ed, while at the same time, the poems selected
ere those which in language and music will be
pleasing to children. The illustrations, twenty
in number, by Brket Foster, Millais, and
other eminent artists.
LITTLE Songs. BY Mrs. Eliza Lee Folen With
new illustrations by Miss L.. B. Humphrey Bos-
ton: Lee and Shepard. For sale by Loring, Short
and Harmon.
The "Litte Songs" of Mrs. Follen have all
ways been in great request among the little
felix's, and have passed through numerous edi-
TONS The face of the moralist, peepng out
ever SO slyly from under the cap and bells of
Mother Goose, commends the songs to the big
folks as well. The present edition, 10 which
all the songs are retained, is by far the best
which has yet appeared. 1t is enriched with
new and very pretty illustrations designed ex-
pressly for the work by Miss G. b. Humphrey,