The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-01-02

when one sees it rising up our eastern SKY ne
cannot but wonder if that were the angel with
flaming sword which Adam saw as he looked
backward across the western desert.
FoREGoNE CoNcLusIoN. By W. d. Howells.
Published by j. r. Osgood & Co. For sale by
Bailey 81 Noyes.
The "Chance Acquaintance" and Wedding
Journey" of Mr.. Howells gave to him COM
handing position among American writers OF
fiction. This latest work of his, "A Foregone
Conclusion establishes him as the leader OF
them all. His claim to pIe-eminence will be as
little disputed as the claim of Hawthorne in his
day. 1t is not as mere story-teller that Mr..
Howells commands admiration, though he
knows how to tell story much better than do
the majority of those who make it their pro-
fession; but his skill in the delineation OF
character, his happy touches of fancy, his pure
and mastery English, and the Incompatible
finish of his style, give him place far above
the crowd of novel writer's.
The story is constructed with exquisite art.
The scene is at Venice, and the look is VeDe-
tian in its warmth and color. The characters
are four, two women, priest and an artist.
ii
opening pages of the volume, and one knows
from the first that the story of Don Ippolito
must of a necessity be a sad ore. The charac-
ter of the priest is wonderful conception, an
inspiration of genius, drawn in severe outline,
yet warm with coler. 1t is creation worthy
of the genius of the elder Hawthorne. Despite
the lofty treatment of the tonsured lover his
picture impresses us as drawn with all the fidel-
i.y of the Dutch school, The other actors in The
drama are quite as strongly marked individu-
alities Florida, the girl and the heroine, is
one of those women, 'lovely beyond compare"
yet endowed with the little pettishnesses
which pertain to all of us, of whom Mr..
Howells loves to write. No other living man
except Charles Reade can paint woman as
does the editor of the atlantic. Mrs. Vervain
is another character which bears the unmis-
taxable mark of Mr.. Howells' genius. Ferris,
the artist, is man to whom the lovers of the
impossible will doubtless object, but we con-
Tess to a warm affection for him, IN spite of, or
very likely because of his weaknesses. The
four men and women are four human beings
which no other artist in words could create
They are revelations of genius.
"a Foregone Conclusion" is without ques-
tion one of the noblest productions Of an
American pen.
The STORY OF Boon. BY II. II. Published by
Roberts Brothers, Boston. For SAFE by Loring
Short & Harmon.
The raiSon dStre that III. III. gives for her
poem, "Boon" is evidently no mere device of
a skillful writer. Her intense and sympa-
thetic nature has clearly been so possessed by
the profound pathos of her theme that it be-
came necessity to set it in words of her own.
Accordingly her work has an earnestness and
attraction derived from the power of her own
impressions, which inspire it with touching
beauty that wells a little the tragic outlines OF
this story, of which the truth is at once its
terror and its charm. In Mrs. Leonowen's
book, the story as tcld by the mouth of one of
its heroines, was frightfnl in its sadness, har-
rowing in its detail-and even in the measured
FORM of verse and softened by poetic Thought
it retains enough of its original quality to
move, almost too deeply for purposes of art,
the feelings of the reader. Criticism from
wholly literary point is in this case very diff
cult-though we may say that the wording is
beautiful and concise, and poetic feeling every
where present; while the accent is at times
faulty. II. FL. is not poet who plays with
words, altering sense TO conform 10 sound
but an earnest and thoughtful woman, who
does not spare her best gifts of heart and
brain.
SINGERS AN SONGS OF THE LIBERAL FAITH. By
Alfred B. Putnam. Published by Roberts Brothers,
Boston. For sale by Loring, Short & Harmon.
This volume, which, its compiler tells us in
the pr eface, had its origin in ten lectures Civ.
en- by him on the History of Sacred Song in
Hebrew and Christian times-contains large
and varied selection of hymns by different
writers, all of the Unitarian faith, though in
Guiding the widely different varieties of be
LEVERS, more or less orthodox, whose common
point of belief is Divine Unity. But, as Mr..
Putnam writes, quoting from some previous
author-"there is but little heresy in hymns"
and the reader, of any sect, must be bigoted
indeed who cannot find in this large collection
of sacred poetry enough to enjoy and approve.
Short biographical notices accompany the Sc
lections from each writer represented in it
and, though necessarily brief and confined for
the most part to more prominent facts in re-
gard to their subjects and dealing little in lit
erary analysis-will be found to add much to
the interest and value of the book. Among
the many brilliant and attractive gift books
that crowd the counters in the holiday season.
this quiet volume in its neat binding should
not be overlooked.
THE HOUSES OF LANCASTER AND YORK. By
James Gardner The fourth of the "Epochs of
History series. New York: Scribner, Armstrong
e. Co. For sale by Loring, Short & Harmon.
The fourth of the excellent "Epochs of His
tory" series embraces the history of England
during the long period from the beginning of
the reign of Richard III to the end of the reign
of Richard III, and covers the period of the
Wars of the Roses, and the conquest and loss
of France. 1t is this period of English history
which has been interpreted for us in Shakes
peare's sequence of historical plays The times
are fully and Understandings treated, and the
narrative is sprightly aud entertaining. The
period of Wycliffe, the rebellion of the Lol
Iards, and the instructions of Wat Tyler and
Jack Cade come within the scope Of this vol.
ume. A general view is given of contempora-
ry European affairs, and separate chapter is
devoted to the council of Constance and the
well executed maps add to the value of the VOL
ume as book of reference.
WINTER HOMES FOR INvALIDs. BY Joseph w.
Howe, NJ. d. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons.
For sale by Loring, Short & Harmon.
This convenient volume gives an account of
the various localities in Europe and America,
suitable for consumptives and other invalids
during the winter months, with special refer
ence to the climatic variations at each place,
and their influence on disease. The desirabili-
ty of such book will not be questioned, and
the manner of treatment of the subject will be
highly approved by all who read il. From per-
sonal and recorded observation, reports of
health commissions and meteorological records
Dr. Howe has been enabled to arrive at prop
er estimate of the value of different climates
in the treatment of disease. The advantages
and disadvantages are clearly set forth, so
that there can be no difficulty in making pro-
per selection for each invalid.
HELPS TO A LIFE OF PRAYER. By Rev. j. NJ.
Manning d. d. Boston: Lee & Shepard
In the preface to this volume the author says:
my own study of the subject of prayer, some of
the results of which art here gathered up, has
broupht tn me- a fuller exnerience of the near