The Portland daily press., 1875-02-20
Magazine Notices.


The Atlantic for March has been received.
The reader of course first turns to the poetry,
for verse that appears in the Atlantic estab-
fishes thereby an immediate claim upon the
attention. Perhaps the most noticeable OF the
original contributions in poetry is Rose Terry's
"Penna's Daughter" Cornish legend, and a
powerfully drawn picture of shipwreck.
Kate Hillard has dainty little poem, musical
and fanciful, entitled 'Fancy's Masquerade.
"Hilda" is a poem dsagreeable in theme but
excellent in treatment, by John Vance Cheney.
Louisa Bushnell has some pleasing verses
called Delay" "By the Dead is a sonnet by
Albert Laighton with a flavor of the cypress
about it. Paul Hayne has some effective word
painting in "After the Tornado" Beyond
RecaIl' is tender bit of verse by Mary +.
Bradley But perhaps the best poetry OF the
number is by Forceythe wilson,a young Amer
lean poet who died SO young that his talent
must in some degree be judged by its promise
rather than its performance. The extracts,
some Of them very beautiful, from his writings,
are given in a tender and appreciative sketch
Of him by John James Piatt.
The article of the number which will COM
mand the most general perusal is by Jules
Marcou, and is vindication of Amerigo Yes
pucci from the charge Of having stolen the
laurels of Columbus. The writer maintains
that the name "America" was given by Colum-
bus himself, and that it came from "Americ,'
the Nicarsguan name for mountain range in
Central America. s, q ,Hf ai't. E ..r1e "a,
| Taxation without Jurisdiction Uncoustitu-
tionaP' is a paper by David A. Wells, which
presents some facts and reasonings worthy OF
| the attention of the statesman and the capi-
talist. t'+ u t-.' '''-1- .'.' 49,
| Mr.. Sanborn's "reminiscences of John Brown
| bring the sketch down to the inception of the
| Virginia invasion, and perceptibly increase in
| interest. f.r. .r.. Il. ...- 8 egg.
A very entertaining article is furnished BY
| w. j. Hoppin on certain historical portraits
lately exhibited in Paris. N. s. Shaler writes
a suggestive paper on state survey for Mas
sachusetts.r Mark Twain continues his inter
esting sketches of boat-life on the Mississippi.
| Henry James's powerful novel of "Roderick
| Hudson" advances space. Boyesen tells
! Scandinavian story of love and revenge. An
| other story is Brother Christopher, by Z. 5.
| Thayer. . e.r.i ..l1. ..f.sa ..f- ..s. ..
The editorial department is excellent. The
performance of Lohengrin by the Strakosch
troupe, the Boston Art Clubs exhibitions, and
compulsory education are treated of. l..
| Harper's Magazine for March. with over q
| hundred illustrations, is crowded with the rich
est variety of interesting reading matter. The
opening article, by William 81. Rideing, beau
tifully illustrated, introduces us to the bold
scenery, curious antiquities. and quaint customs
| of the Isle of Man A briefer illustrated arti-
| II. N l;, sr hoaf Va
| derful and picturesque Mont st. Michel james
Parton continues his illustrated papers on Car
| ricature, this month treating of Caricature in
| the Middle Ages, with especial reference to
those burlesque designs which disfgured ca
thedrals and prayer-books. Eugene lawrence
gives series of pen-and-ink pictures OF the
Remains of Lost Empires, accompanied by
magnificent engravings. A thrilling Story is
| toll by S. S. Conant, in another illustrated pa
/ per, of David Liyingstone's researches in At
| RIGA and his last days. The fifth paper of the
| Centennial Series concludes the review of Me-
chanical Progress, with an exceedingly inter-
esting and profusely illustrated account of
inventions of the century which concern print
| ing and book-making. 1-,f ? ia.g II
John Bigelow concludes his remarkable pa
per on De Witt Clinton as a. Politician. giving
us striking account of the antagonism be-
tween Clinton and Van Buren, Of Clinton's du-
el with Swartwout, and of his Presidential as
piratons. .. ..-. ..r s. bio. #'r..e1 ...
The second installment is given OF Mrs.
Thackeray's serial story, Miss Angel; and the
Rape of the Camp Is continued.
There are two excellent short stories. The
poetical contributions comprise A Charming
Woman, by John G.. SAKE; Two Sonnets, by
Alfred H. Louis; and "A Dream, by Miss II. r.
Hudson.
The editorial departments are especially in
teresting, Mr.. Curtis contributing one of his
| most characteristic Easy Chairs, and the Scien-
tifc Record being unusually full and interest
ing. af- d.
| Petersoa's Journal of Popular Literature, for
March, is received Henry Peterson supple
ments his article in the last number on the
Growth of the Earth, with another article on
The Drying Up of the Seas in which he shows
how all the great inlaEd seas are being dried
up and wasting away, and therefore how strong
the presumption is that the vast ocean itself is
thus gradually 6rying mp. He also brings for
| ward some entirely new views as to the forma-
ton of mountain ranges and volcanoes.
| John Smith also has another article on the
hard times, entitled The True Financial Policy,
in which he takes the ground that the recent
Resumption Bill, though manifesting great in
genuity as an embodiment of a diverse public
opinion, is in itself very unwise measure.
His view seems to be, let the currency alone,
neither increase uor diminish its volume; and
the gradual expansion of the business Of the
country will ultimately bring it so near the val
ue of gold, that We shall be able to glide almost
imperceptibly into specie payments, ii the lat
ter should be found desirable
Besides thess two articles there is a curious
story called A Druggists Romance, by Eliza
Archard. an interesting paper upon the hard
sbips endured by Russia's political prisoners
while on the way to Siberia, finely written
romance entitled Was Hael, and large num-
Der ofo ther stories, etc.
Some one in New York writes as follows of
Scribner for March:
al suppose that after this March number of
Major Powell's Colorado papers is published
the public will wake up to the extraordinary
interest Of the series, both in story and lustra-
tien, and will be looking up the back numbers.
A more splendid feat has seldom been described
SO modesty and well, by the hero himself. In
fact the public seem to be looking up the back
numbers of this volume of Scribner already,
for the publishers are reprinting some, and
expect to be compelled to reprint all the issues
since the beginning of the volume in Noven-
ber."
DR.. Hollands "Story Of sevenoaks" may
have something to do with this unusual de-
mand This reaches its third installment in
the March number, and the villain of the play
is taken from the quiet of Sevenoaks to the