The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-10-24

The vexed question how far letters may be
treated as the property and at the disposal of
those into whose hands they fall, will be re-
newed in presence of this volume, and could
it here be settled, might be so upon the basis
pure and simple, of right or wrong, since
there is almost absolutely nothing in these
letters that might not have been written
with view to their publication, and much,
very much, that the world could i'll afford to
lose. Written as friendly letters are, DR..
Charming expressed occasionally in them
half formed thoughts and opinions, calling
out in this way an open discussion in which
he was willing, as he well might be, to abide
the issue. This we take to be the reason for
which he wished to make sure that his por-
ton of the correspondence should be either
destroyed or returned to him. In writing
for publication he had no more thought of
style than in private communication, but
sought only to fill heart and mind to the full
with those divine truths of which he felt the
absolute sureness, and then, without thought
of himself, gave them utterance. This
formed his only style; therefore no fears Of
criticism on that point could have influence
with him; only dread lest some hastily
formed opinion, thrown out in the freedom
OF letter-writing, might not always be thor
oughly just. OF this his nephew, W. H.
Charming, assumes the risk, if such it may be
called, and is abundantly justified so far as
anything is concerned beyond fulfilling the
expressed wishes of his uncle. Miss Akin
herself seems to have placed no restrictions
upon toe use of her letters. Some of them,
indeed, having been published in 1864, in
connection with her memoirs, led to the
earnest call from friends of DR.. Charming that
his part of the correspondence might also ap-
pear. Ten years have since elapsed; therefore
it is not hastily or without consideration that
this volume is given TO the public.
In the year 1926, at the house of her aunt,
Mrs. Barbauld, Miss Akin first met DR..
Charming and was fortunate enough to draw
to herself so much of his esteem as should in
duce him to send her copy of his "Life and
Writings of Milton" In acknowledging this
gift the correspondence was opened that was
continued until the death of DR.. Charming,
nearly twenty years after.
The letters of Miss Akin seem to have
afforded great pleasure in that they gave de-
cided views of events and their actors-of
opinions and their supporters-of books and
their authors-all in fact that would chiefly
interest cultivated mind on this side the
ocean; she caught quickly and penned vivid
ly, while he responded sometimes to agree
with her judgments occasionally deferring to
them, but perhaps quite as often differing
from them with the freedom that her strength
challenged and returned. Both had deeply
at heart the good of the human race and he,
a conservative among reformers, afforded
great spiritual help to her, radical among
conservatives. Each made friends for the
other; DIR. Charming sending many of his
choice ones with letters of introduction to
her, while she gave copies of his writings to
few who could appreciate them. Also she
sent him from time to time such publications
as he would care to have, yet not otherwise
obtain.
With gratitude for mutual kindnesses,
with the interests of the world of authors
and events of their past and present, with
plans and hopes for coming good, and with
many charming bit of personal history and
sudden glimpse of inner feeling, these letters
are full, and although pages might be given
in quotation to win favor for this volume it
is too desirable as whole not to be so left
fAr ifs fortunate possessors.
PROSPER MERIMEE's LETTERS TO AN INCoGNTrA.
wien Recoliections by Larmarune and George
Sand. The third Of the "Bric-a-brac Series."
Edited by R. H. Stoddard. New York: Scribner,
Armstrong & Co. Eor sale by Lering, Short 8
Harmon.
The third volume Of Bric-a-Brac will be en-
Enthusiastically hailed by the general reader.
1t is in many respects the most entertaining
Of the series. Nearly half the volume is
taken up by Prosper Merimee's Lettres une
Inconnae. This remarkable correspondence
gives the reader series of letters in which
sharp criticism, the caressing ,s'lttle language"
of lover, and sparkling epigram are unique
ly blended. A delicious bit of fattery is not
infrequently yoked to biting truth, and
burst of passionate tenderness is tempered
with many harsh words. At times he is gra-
cious, affectionate, earnestly in love; at other
| times, bitter and cynical. This remarkable
correspondence began in 1912 and closed in
1870, but two weeks before Merimee's death.
He found in the Inconnue Ga radiant coun-
tenance, a subtle charm, white hand, su-
| perb black hair, nature SO refined as to
epitomize rounded civilization" He
studied her "with ardent curiosity, had GER
tain theories respecting her character de-
rived from observation of her gloves and
boots, and the color of the frocks she wore.
He bluntly tells her that he shall never be in
| love with her and in the next breath con-
fesses that he is ''horribly jealous" He
avows that he could think of nothing TO say
to his wife on his wedding day unless it were
a compliment to her nightcap, and then pays
the most delicious and delicate of compli-
ments to his fair correspondent. One letter
may be burst Of passionate tenderness, and
the next a prolonged sneer.
The section of the volume assigned to
Lamartine gives his last published work
twenty-five Years of My Life" work in
which, says De Ronchaud, 'Lamartine's
whole nature comes out in its living simplicity
Nowhere else has he shown so much of his
heart" ..s....4
The Souvenirs ct Impressions of George
Sand, book of personal impressions which
reveals marvelously little Of the great author
closes the volume.
ar,r DnADE. BY Robert Lowell, author OF The
New Priest in Conception Bay etc. Boston: Rob
erts Bros. For sale by Loring, Short and Harmon
There are many books written for boy
most of them trashy, and written for th'
purpose of amusing them in some idle mo
ment, but with no higher motive in view
But now and then we meet with such book
as Tom Brown at Rugby and at Oxford ant
the like which, while intensely interesting
stimulate the mental powers to higher ant
purer effort, and exercise an influence owe
the future life of the boy as great as fha
emanating from any other source; such
book is Anthony Brade and as such it
worthy of commendation and faithful peru