The Portland daily press., 1875-10-30


a new presentation. No one whose rare privi-
lege it was to hear the poet address his old
classmates in the noble and pathetic words of
his ''Morituri Salutsmus," can forget the
charm that radiated from his grand and Iowa
BILE presence. The poem had significance OF
personal tenderness and especial fitness tor the
occasion then-it is now to take its place among
his literary works, of which none exceeds it.
1t is wise strong aud sweet-a poets fitting
greeting to the living and to those against
whose names
"The fatal asterisk of death is set,''
and who wear-like the Italian poets vision of
one, heaven blessed,
"a golden crown made of immortal stars"
'Birds of Passage" sing in many keys, and
of each one the song is clear and tuneful,
whether they chirp among the sudden turns of
the 'Songo River" or sing of the sunny Ital-
ian Amalf or Cadenabbia, or of "Belisarius,"
song like the cry of an eagle, hurt to death.
Among the sonnets, those entitled "Chaucer,"
Keats" Sleep" and THE Tides are especi-
ally noticeable for clearness of conception, and
musical beauty of verse. The sonnet in Italian
is harmonious and stately. somewhat recalling
NhohHoui dDQ IuSilou lldusidttOu
repeats its besuty, as in MIRROR
MABEL MARTIN. By j. G. Whittier. Pub
lished by James r. Osgood & Co. For sale by
Bailey Sc Noyes.
No more exquistely tasteful gift book will
be found for the coming holiday season than
this The poem, under the name of "The
Witch's Daughter" was published in volume
OF ballads by Mr.. Whittier, and has had time
to take its place in the hearts of his readers.
1t is wholly an American poem, but not
aboundng in the traits that have come to be
considered distinctive of our national literature
and which are essentially western in their
wild romance mabel Martin is a story of
the old Puritan days, and is told with sim.
plicty, pathos, and warm, tranquil beauty
like that the Indian summer brings to glorify
with gol den mists the austere scenery of New
England. Mr.. Whittier is thoroughly inspired
by the legends of his own land. His life, apart
from the roughening rush of cities, bears in it
the sweet unworldliness of the Friends, and
his strong, rich and tender poetic nature rises
in its large kindiness above all set bounds of
place or of sect The pathetic story of Mabel
Martin, and its happy ending, the suggestive
uCoCIipbiOuo VI tuo cGcuto WutT6 tu6 p6TsOu-
ages of the simple drama lived; the merry
husking; the neglected, despised Mabel; and
the strong, brave figure of Esek Harden, who
bore under his Puritan's doublet as warm and
chivalrous heart as ever knight of Arthur or
man Of our own day-form peem that will
have lasting value 10 the historic literature
of our country and will be valuable alike in
its pure art and its human interest 1t IS as
true and clearly outlined picture of Puritan
times as ever Hawthorne drew, and unlike
his, is not the result of morbidly keen fancy
that sees as if looking through coiored glass
which spreads van light over everything.
The illustrations, engraved by Mr.. Anthony,
are exceedingly fine. Miss Mary Hallock, than
whom no one is more careful, spirited and
graceful in style, has designed the figures.
Mr.. T. A. Moran has been entrusted with the
landscapes, each in itself gem, and Messrs.
Harley and Waud have drawn the charming
vignettes. The rich gray binding, relieved ty
touches of black aud gold is very appropriate
to the Quaker poets golden mouthed singing.
In brief "Mabel Martin" is as faultess gift.
book as poet, illustrators and publishers could
combiae to made.
TALES OF THE ARGoNAUTs, AND OTHsREKErcHEs,
By Bret Harte, Boston: j. R. Osgood s. Co. For
| sale by Bailey 8 Noyes.
| The stories and sketches embraced in this
| volume have appeared in various magazines.
In their present form they will be warmly wei.
| coined by the constantly widening circle of the
authors admirers. The titles of the papers
are: The Rose of Tuoumne; A Passage in
e. &c NJ T1Lw nnI ", Al.
Pagan; How Old Man Plunkett went home
The Fool of Five Forks; Baby Sylvester; An
Episode of FiddletoTn; A Jersey Centena.
| ran
1t is fashion to say that Mr.. Harte has ''run
out;'' that he has, to use one of his favorite
mining phrases, worked his vein out; that the
chief charm of his writing was in the novelty
| of the subject treated 1t is true that there
came to him that great and sudden popularity
which usually attends an author who intro
duces the reading public to new and attract
i've field and that his succeeding incursions in
to the same region lack the charm of novelty
But with the exception of this quality of fresh
ness these later tales of his are fully equal to
those which made at once his reputation and
that of the Overland" He certainly doe:
not lack in power of invention; and his pathos
humor, and rare descriptive power are rather
augmented than lessened by use. We may
quarrel with his conceptions of the Californian,
but that once granted his art is not to be i'm
peached. Among the stories embraced in the
volume under consideration is to be found somt
of his best work. The story of IVAN Lee" i.
sufficient to make the literary reputation o
any man. The volume is to be heartily com.
mended to the admirers of Mr.. Harte, and viii
be found pleasing introduction by those read
ers, if any there be, to whom he is yet .
stranger.
| EVERYDAY RELIGION: Sermons delivered in the
Brooklyn Tabernacle by the Rev. t. De Witt Tai
mage. New York: Harper s. Brothers. Fo
sale by Loring Short s. Harmon.
An admiring religious journal, wishing Il
commend the Rev. Mr.. Talmage, once said O
him that he had "a red-hot heart" The sam
descriptive epithet may be applied to his doc
trine and his diction. He breaches hell-fire
but with it full and free salvation. He be
lieves in God of wrath-and of Justice a
we'll. The man has extraordinary force
powerful imagination, downright earnestnes
which appeals to the sincerity of ALL He him
self says that "life is to me rapture" He
in a continual ecstasy-of love or wrath. 0
half measures, either In doctrine, judg
ment or speech, be knows nothing. Tbi
earnestness which NAV repel some, is his grea
charm to the many. 1t must be confessed tina
it is pleasure to read in these days of mega
tions and half-beliefs his powerful appeals
rich in their wealth of illustration, and il
their graphic description. His extravagancies
abominable rhetoric and absurd affectation
may repel us but we must coEcede to hin
much originality, a rare command of pathos
a ST ncere hatred.of evil.
The present volume is made up of sermon
delivered in the Brooklyn Tabernacle, revised
from the photographic reports. 1t will com
mend itself not only to the hearty admirers @
Mr. Talmage, but also to those who while dis
trusting his method and dislking his manne
recognize the great qualities and fine talent
of the man.
The SCARLET LETTER. THE HOUSE OF THE SEvE
GABLES. By Nathaniel Hawthorne. Boston
j. R. Osgood s. Go. For sale by Bailey & Noyes.
The Messrs OsgoUd have now under way
new edition of the works of Nathaniel Hav
thorne. nearly uniform in style, though wit