The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-11-07
PORTLAND ILLUSTRATED. By John Neal. Port


takes sketch of the city he loves so well.
1t is broad and effective, done in strong
blacks and whites, and is more of ''char-
coal sketch'' than those of his namesake
which many people persisted in attributing
to him years ago. There is a rapid, hurried
movement IN its style which is eminently
fitted to history of the seven-league strides
which Portland has made during the last
three decades. Indeed the little CITY seems
to wear those wonderful boots of the fairy
tale.
From history, tradition and personal rec
election, from board of trade and industrial
reports. from newspaper clippings and the
dusty pages of forgotten gazetteers, Mr.. Neal
has collected his materials. Not only collec
ted but assimilated them, and the result is a
work strong in local coloring, rich in wealth
OF personal "reminiscences, and glowing with
local pride. He writes of Portland with a
fervor like that which characterized the citi.
zens of the Middle Ages, when the walls of
the town were the boundaries of the state,
and when the municipality called forth that
love and patriotic pride which we of a later
day have transferred to the commonwealth.
Not the least entertaining portions of the
book are the portraits of dead and gone local
celebrities. Mr.. Neal is much like the
lightning artist" who makes the tour of the
provincial cities every winter. He makes a
few bold, seemingly careless strokes with the
pencil, and the man or woman stands before
us, life like and in artistic proportion. guile
as effective are the pictures Of the old town.
There, he says, land he seems to point his
finger to it, on Exchange street stood the
first brick store, built in 1895, by Captain N.
Deering. Who doubts that the old citizen
sees the low, fiat, ugly shop? Side by side
are sketches of the old town aud the new,
admirably and effectively contrasted.
The book is full of what people are pleased
to call John Meals eccentricites of style.
And yet, probably no style is based on stricter-
theories Of art than his. He is a Pre-Ra-
phaelte in use of words. He writes, as he
strikes, to hit. He does nothing for ornament.
He has none of the elaborate fiourshes of the
old-fashioned fencing master, but lunges
quick and straight at the heart. Bret Harte's
happy phrase. ''sabre-cuts of Saxon speech.n
may be accepted as definition of Mr. Neaps
literary style.
An excellent portrait of the sturdy old
apostle of physical culture is the frontis-
piece OF the book, and many coed engrsvings
OF Portland past and present add much to
its value. As a volume of great interest TO
every Portander we heartily commend it.
We regret to notice the dsfigureme nts
caused by very slovenly proof reading.
BIBLIoTHEcA DIABoLIcA, being Choice Selection
of the most valuable Books relating to the Devil.
Scribner, Wexford s. Armstrong, New York.
This is an admirable catalogue, forty pages
royal octave of works relating to demonology,
arranged chronologically in two parts, the
first comprising serious and meditative
works, the second witty and humorous wri-
tings. 1t has also a copious index with notes.
quotations and proverbs. There are twelve
Illustrations showing the conception of satan
by different ages and nations. By these we
find that his internal majesty is generally rep
resented in some sort ofhuman shape, saving
among the Egyptians who had him pictured
as dog-headed creature, and the Assyrians
who represented him as winged bull ram
pant. The latter idea is good, and shows
the philosophers of Nineveh to have been
gentlemen Of taste. We may infer, likewise,
that the winged bull in its normal state, was
not simply symbolical, but actually wor-
SHIPPED as a deity. There are over 500
books catalogued, commencing with narra-
tive OF witch prosecution in 1924 in the
first part, and with Gesta Romanorum 1877
in the second. Notwithstanding this long
list we can think of some others which might
claim place, such as the Ettrick Shepherds
switch of Fife" Queens wake), Beckford's
Vathek, Bulwer's Zanoni and Strange Story,
Frere's Hndoo Legends, Geo. Sands Con-
suelo, &c. but the subject has countless
ramifications. II speaks of In crease Mathers
Remarkable Providences as ga very amusing
volume conveying a faithful portrait of the
state OF society, when the doctrine of re-
culiar providence and personal intercourse
this world and that which is unseen
was fully believed" as if the Spiritualists,
the Shakers and many other sects had not
kept the belief in fashion.
The large collection of works which the
compiler has succeeded in cataloguing, shows
the Importance of this branch of literature.
and he will merit the thanks of the literary
world.
The OLD WOMAN WHO LIVED In A SHOE. BY
Amanda M. Douglass.
Since the time when 'Little Women" took
our youthful population captive, and not
withstandipg the many really good books for
boys and girls that followed it, we have read
nothing better or fresher than 1.-THE Old Wo.
nan who Lived in Shoe"
AS its name indicates, we are introduced
20 poor, little old woman, living in tum-
ole-down shanty, with six rolicking boys and
girls, for whom she tolls uncomplainingly
Early and late.
The pranks of the children in the Gear old
hoe, and the fortune or ill-fortune that falls
% them as they grow to be men and women,
Ind go out into the world, make it a very
interesting book for even old people.
The style is vigorous and clear, the Incl
Tents natural and the pathos charming.
There seems to be no enforced moral.
They are simply healthy children, with strong
y individualized characters pushing their way
n the world, animated by their love for each
'ther and for the dear little homely grand
mother who has cared for them with such
weet patience through all, who had made
toll heroic and old age lovely, and out of
whose simple everyday existence have BIOS
omed the roses that still render this old
world bright and glorious, s,-Love, Labor,
Faith"
LITTLE CLASSICS, TRAGEDY. Boston, j. R. Os-
good q Co. For sale by Bailey & Noyes.
The third volume of the dainty 'Iittle |
Classics will be welcomed with delight by
II those who are fortunate enough to possess
he two preceding. The series has estab.
shed itself in popular favor with wonderful |
apidity. The present volume embraces Poe's
horrible "The Murders in the Rue
Iorgue," "The Lauson Tragedy" by De |
Torest; Herman Melville's "Bell-Tower;,
The Kathayan Slave" by Emily c. Judson; |
Henry Mackenzie's ''Story of La Roche" and |
)e Quincey's Vision ofSudden Death" 1t |
v;lI bo fnt,pJ op;Ia 90 opto,fo;,;ox -