The Portland daily press., 1875-05-01
Magazine Notices.


Magazine Notices.
The Aldine for May, 1875 (No. II of the cur
rent series) comes to us in good time, and quite
as well freighted with the good things of art
and literature as have been the last previous
numbers (which is literally saying everything
for its excellence in both details, while the fact
is quite sufficient explanation of the rapid in
crease in circulation and influence lately mani
fest in this type-publication of the progressive
age.
Pictorially, something of an excursion is
made, in this number, into that land of faery
which, as one Of the writers remarks, we all !
| like to visit occasionally, however we may be
ASHAMED to have the fact and the propensity
known to the business world There are no
less than two glimpses of our little pet, Cindsr
ela,-the first, capital picture. by Bertrand,
of cinderella in the Corner" and the second
Cinderella's Pumpkin, from the marvellous PEN
Gil of Gustave Dore. Then we have also by
Dore, The Fatal Spindle, showing scene
which all will remember, from the fine old sto-
ry of the Sleeping Beauty. Two glorious do
mestic pictures Of the French school, The Re-
turn from the Field, by Deloffe, and The
Young Marauders, by Bougereau follow; with
one of the most effective Southern European
scenes we remember, in A Funeral on the Ad-
| riatic, peep at the nightside of Venice, by
| Amberger. A fine picture Of the Pass of Fin
stermunz, in Switzerland, and a very hand
some circular engraving of the Fresco Centre
Piece of the Museum at Leipsic, after Theo- Q
dore Gros scare supplemented by picture
which we have left to the last, as the most
striking of all-Ethan Allen at Tieonderogs
by John S. Davis most effective rendering Of
that notable scene in Revolutionary history, in q
pursuance of the Aldine's very welcome ten
dency to illustrate the Centenary as 1t could be
illustrated by no other publication of the day.
Literariy, this glorious array of pictures is
we'll supported-with abundant interest," il with
something less than the usual variety. The
fine English story, Lost Lillian BrscY, comes
to one Of those startling conclusions which
make the blood tingle with satisfaction; and
the new novel of the Revolution, The Spur of
Monmouth, opens out in the second number,
with all the force of its first promise, introduce
ing some new characters worthy Of that re-
markable time. Besides these, there are, Of
prose articles, the following: sharp editorial,
appropriate to the day: Our Tin Wedding, By
ron's Last Effort, startling statement, by
Geo. W. Clarke; Flower Thoughts and Fam
cies, by Dene Williams; School Out of School,
by Mrs. NJ F. Butts and many other papers
of interest, in the worlds Of Music, Art and
Literature;-and of poems somewhat re-
markable force in A Bird of Passage, by Ed
gar Fawcett; The Saddest Fate, by Kate Hill
ard; Sorrow and Consolation, by Mrs. z. Rago-'
zin; The Shaker Lovers IA literal novel In
verse) by Annie E. De Friese and Letbe, by
Frederic R. Marvin. Taken all in all, 1t is not
too much to say that the Aldne, in its present
issue, is up to its best mark, and one more
proof that the best art and the best literature
can be gathered between the same covers.
The Leonard Scott Publishing Co. (No Al
Barclay street, N. " have just rspublshed
The British Quarterly Reuiew for April, 1875.
The contents are as follows:
+. Gaspard de Coligny. H. The Higher
Pantheism. III. Bjornstjerne Bjornson as .
Novelist ". Livingstone's Last Journals.
v. Knglake's History of the Crimean War.
vi. Ultramontanism and Civil Allegiance.
VII. Mr.. Gsdstone's Retirement from the
Liberal Leadership. VIII. Internal Evidence,
in a Case of Disputed Authorship. ss
The Life of Coligny, with which this num-
ber opens may be looked upon as either
biographical or historical article, so closely is
| the life of the great Huguenot leader coz
| nected with the political movements of his,
| time and country. The writer, while he does
l not portray him as faultless man, gives him
| credit for all the good he attempted and ac-
| complished.
The essay on The Higher Psntheism begins
| by explaining that it is neither review nor a
reply, but simply a discussion Of the theory of
Pantheism, as set forth in Mr.. Pictou's book
reviewed In a former number. Each stand
point of the work is taken up separately and
exposed to the streng light Of, ,,the Bible. In
conclusion, the writer remarks that Mr.. Pictou
"has yet TO learn the farther lesson of the
weakness, not the strength, of human powers,
witch may make him glad to grasp as
Burns confesses he was, at revealed religion"
The third article gives short and interest
ing sketch of the life and surroundings of the
Norwegian novelist whose works have lately
become familiar to us. but is chiefly devoted to
review of his novels, of which it contains CO.
pious extracts
1t is followed by Livingstone's Last Jour-
nails, a paper which frst describes the physical
character of Africa, and its effect upon the
races that inhabis it, and then tells the story
of Lvingstone's wanderings and the love and
courage of the native attendants, who under
took nine months journey to bear his re-
mains to the coast.
Kinglake's History IF the orimean War has
reached the fifth volume, a synopsis of which
is here presented to the reader.
Ultramontanism and Civil Allegiance. This
paper begins by defining Ultramontanism, as
explained by Archbishop Manning, and then
sets forth the growth of Papal power and its
claim to supremacy over civil power, in cases
where the two conflict This power Of the
church rests its claim upon the dogma OF In
fallblty, and the relationship of those who
accept that dogma to the government cannot
be the same as formerly, because, 'if the In
fallble assure a man that obedience to the
throne involves the loss of the SOUL and disobe-
bedence to the throne is everlasting life and
reward, 1t is easy to see what devout spirit,
ambitious of notoriety aud martyrdom, who be-
lieves that what the Vicar Of Christ enjoins, is
likely to do"
Mr.. Gladstones Retirement from the Liberal
Leadership. In this essay the principles of
Liberalism, the administrative talent necesss-
ry in statesman, and the duties Of prime min
isters and cabinets, are discussed, as well as
Mr.. Gladstone's particular action, and his pa
pers on the Vatican DEGREES, with the several
answers they have called forth.
In the last article. the authorship of the Ode
to the Cuckoo is commented on at some length,
and the number closes with the usual notices
of Contemporary Literature.
Books Received.
The Chemistry of Light and Photography.
Rv DR. Hermann Vopel Volume XIV OF the In