The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-06-06
THE PRESS
SATURDAY MORNING, JUNE g 1e71
Recent Publications.

preface, quoting from "Il Penseroso' that
Milton in all the storehouse of his sublime
and delicate fancy could find no more excell-
ent type OF devotion, sobriety, purity, and
steadfastness than the "Pensive Nun" She
thus strikes the key note of the book, which
Is collection of legends ideaizng those low.
ing,charitable and devout women, the Virgins
OF God who consecrated their lives in convent
and nunnery to the service of Christ and to
deeds OF charity toward mankind The vol
ume is written in quaint, od-time style and
is as entertaining as any romance
The first legend is ''The Heir of Rouge
MAN, tale of the Shropshire monastery of
Wenlock, founded by the Cluniae monks, land
endowed by the great house of
the Fitzalans. The descendants of
Odo OF the Red Hand are Brought upon the
scene, and the canvass is crowded with state
iy abbeys and baronial castles, with knights,
and priors and pilgrims. ''Ethelind the Fair''
1t a tale OF Allhallows eve, and the scene is
laid in the nunnery at Barking, in Essex.
1.-The Goldsmith Daughter is pathetic sto-
| ry OF the time of the later Plantagenets.
1.-The Rose OF the Geraldines' tells the ro-
mantle story of the daughter of the noble
house of the Fitzgeralds, in the time Of the
atroclous penal laws imosed upon Ireland and
| OF the destruction o! the nunnery of st.
Bridget at Kildare. The concluding legend
is the sorrowful tale of Elizabeth Woodville,
the widow of Edward the Fourth, in her re-
treat in The wild towers of Bermandsey Con-
vent. As will seen the aim of the book is to
give picture of Conventual life in the days
OF Catholic England.
PRINCIPLES OF MENTAL PHYSIOLOGY. BY Will
lam b. Carpenter, M. D., etc. Published by d.
Appleton & Co., and for sale by Bailey & Moves
This book was commenced with the de-
sign OF making it a volume of the Interna-
t!Cnal Scientific Series, but necessarily grew
10 such size as, on that count, to unfit it
for the place originally intended The au-
thor is most eminent Psychologist, long
known to the scientific world as an investi-
gator, writer and lecturer, and deservedly oc-
cnpes position which constitutes him ar
authority on the subject which he treats. 1t
Is lmpractcable in our narrow limits to give
proper review of the book, and we must
content ourselves with stating its general ten
or.
The principal object is to show the fallacy
OF the methods hitherto prevailing, and even
now generally esteemed in the construction
OF mental PHILOSOPHERS, and to establish the
science OF mind upon true physical basis
Such studies have usually been conducted
from a nurplv matanbvscal stand ,>o;n+ b,,t
here we have recognition OF the depend
ence of mental operations upon bodily con-
diticrs. The leadir; ideas, of course, con-
flict with those which have so long been ac.
cepted by students, but are presented so clear
ly, logically and fairly as to readily persuade
most readers of their correctness, and to so
impress the still unconvinced as to lead them
to seriously reconsider the grounds of their
cherished beliefs. No one need shun the
| work from any notion that he is to have his
| previous opinions treated cavalerly, or that
| he is to be shocked by statements recklessy
made for the sake of attracting notice by their
brilliant novelty. Nothing could be more
candid and impartial than the authors man.
ner; and, by a judicious selection of familiar
Illustrations from his vast store, he has in
fused charm of freshness and life into his
style which makes his book absorbingly at
tractive to any who are at all interested in
the study of mental functions.
One cannot help noticing the prominence
given TO the reflex action of the mind, the
fact being beautifully developed that large
part OF our intellectual activity is essentially
automatic, an idea which will be new to most
people, the common belief being that we are
conscious of all the workings of our minds.
The book is admirable in every respect,
and must be regarded as very valuable con-
tribution to the study of human nature.
ELENA. An italian Tale. By L. N. comyn, author
of"Atherstone Priory." Boston: Estes & Lauriat
For sale by Desser s. Mcclellan. .ae.tz r-
This is a thrilling, and at the same time an
exceedingly pathetic tale OF life in that por-
ton OF Italy directly under the Papal govern
ment, during the Austrian occupation. The
plot itself is simple and common place enough
and the story is not at all remarkable, except
in the last three or four chapters; in which
the hero of the tale is condemned to death,
the execution of the sentence being carried
out by his best friend, and witnessed un-
Willingly by his wife this unusually dramatic
situation is described with power and feel
ing seldom seen in books of this character.
DANIEL CROCKETT; His Life and Adventures. By
John S. c. Abbott. For sale by Hoyt g. Fogg.
This book Is one of series of lives of
American pioneers and patriots, issued by
Dadd q Mead, New York. The life and ad-
ventures of Davey Crockett will always be of
interest to American youth, and to not a few
adults. The pioneer life was a strange one,
full of exciting incidents, incidents which lose
none of interest, when narrated in Mr.. Alb
botPs picturesque language. The volume is
neatly gotten up, and is illustrated with many
wood cuts. er,.fs o,s.,tss 4.
The QUEEN OF HEARTS. By wilkie Collins. For
Sale by Loring, Short s. Harmon.
We have here another volame of the Har-
pers' handsome illustrated library edition of
Wilkie Collins works. The collection of sto-
ries published under the ''Queen of Hearts,
has always been a popular one, and its pres
ent neat dress, will render it more attractive
than ever.
MY MOTHER ANDI. Love Story. By the author
Y of John Halifax, gentleman" For sale by Lor-
ing, Short & Harmon.
The illustrated edition of Miss Muloch's
works, published by the Harpers has been
enriched by the tender and charming love
story of ''My Mother and l." A criticism of
Miss Muloch's writings is at this time uncall-
ed for. She has enthroned herself in the
hearts Of a majority of readers OF fiction, and
any work from her pen is eagerly welcomed.
The story under consideration, if not one of
her best, is one of the most entertaining she
has written, and contains some idylic scenes
which will command repeated perusal.
HISTORY, ESSAYS, ORATIoNs, AND OTHER DecU-
MENTs OF THE Sixth GENERAL CONFERENCE OF
THE EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE, held in New York
October 2-12, 1873 New York: Harper & Broth
ers, 1874. Price 5000. For sale by Loring, Short
& Harmon.
In this volume we have a fitting memorial
of the meeting of the Evangelical Alliance in
New York, in October 1878. The prepara-
ton of the volume was confided to gentlemen
who contributed largely to the 81 ccess of the
conference, DR.. S. /. Prime and DR.. P. Schaff.
The former had ''the charge of the general