The Portland daily press., 1875-07-03
Recent Publications.

Recent Publications.
NoRsEMAN's PILGRIMAG E. By Hjalmar Hjorth
Boyesen, author of f"Gunnar." Published by Shell
don q Co., New York. For sale in Portland by
Loring, Short s. Harmon.
This is a genuine romance-fresh, refined
and original; and it is exceedingly interesting
to note in it the blending of the northern spirit
dreamy, mystic, impossible with the keen,
practical atmosphere of American life. Mr..
Boyesen has succeeded admirably in portraying
hts hero, whose strength of Viking finds en-
ployment in everyday life; whose poetic spirit
that in the country and times of his ancestors
would have sung wild sagas of the legendary
past-contents itself in apprecating and trans
lating into words the "daily beauty" of what
he sees.
The serious poise, the northern simplicity of
Olaf's thought and feeling, contrast strongly
with the more complex, less lovable-and, in
deed, less fortunately depicted nature, be-
cause less perfectly understood by the author
of the heroine, Ruth. Her original, piquant
tone, her self-respectiug frankness are entirely
in harmony with the part which Mr.. Boye-
sen evidently assigns her-that of the best type
VI AuGElCdu SlEl3 Uut ueT COuNSTSdLlOu Is at
times little heavy, too often satirical; and,
gravest fault of all, she lacks the readiness of
sympathy, the promptness in placing herself
en- rapport with the circum stance, the moment,
without which the best of women must fail of
their truest influence and charm. These traits
just pointed out argue no blame to Mr.. Boye-
sens art, which is admirable, but simply that
he has not quite penetrated into American
character, which he sees wildly, but as yet, a
little specifically. He experiences a slight
difficulty and hesitation in adopting ideas that
belong entirely to our country, a sort of mental
broken English that renders his expression
little less perfect, while it gives it, however,
emphasis and point; and though his outlines
are clear and precise, he has missed here some
of the touches of shading, warm, delicate and
spirited with which Mr.. Howells would have
graced the same picture. Thora, the Morse
girl, is simply exquisite, and proves that any
want Of finish in the sketch of Ruth is only
owing to want of opportunity for complete COM
prehension of the subject. Nothing could be
more charming than this pale aquarelle, this
sweet snow.maden, tender, gracious, but with
out impulse or passion. 1t is a genuine tri-
umph to have drawn this figure, appearing SO
seldom, made up of half-tnts and vague out
lines, yet leaving upon the mind of the
reader an impression clear and delicate as the
perfume of white rose. The plan of the sto.
ry is not an uncommon one among modern ro-
mances which depend so much for their inter
est upon artistic fidelity to nature in studies of
character and of landscape. Accidentally
meeting in the chances and changes of CONT
mental journeying Olaf and Ruth form a
friendship, which, leading them through ways
made rich by art and story, prepares the de-
noueaent of the romance. Mr.. Boyesens ap-
probation of natural scenery and OF art, is sim
cere and unaffected; and he has the good taste
not to be ashamed of fresh, manly sentiment
in his descriptions of them. His talent is gen.
uine, and one that experience and time will
ripen without destroying the bloom of fresh
ness that rests upon it.
PAUL MAssIE. By Justin Mccarthy. New York
Sheldon & Co.
This novel, which appeared anonymously in
England in 1866, met with kind reception
and a ready sale, showing that of itself the
book contains the elements of popularity. 1t
is now for the first time published in this coun-
try, and comes to us under the authors name.
Paul Massie-a model hero, for we are told
he would have had grave and perhaps even
melancholy expression, but for the restless
glitter of his black eyes''-is introduced as a
young man 'born in Vera Cruz, educated in
| the United States, who had carried on business
| in California, Australia, Russia and India
been nearly all over Europe, spent at different
e., onI -, h,,tx H.
had never crossed the English Channel to see
the country which he always called his home" !"
"Evidently his uncle, the late Mr.. Eustace
Massie, never had any wish to look upon his
nephew. The nephew understood that there
had been some family quarrel about marriage,
| and troubled himself no further on the sub
| ject." But at last his uncle died and his son
| sent a pressing and brotherly invitation to
| Paul Massie to visit his relations in England.
| He was warmly welcomed by them, though,
strange to say, Mrs. Massie tainted upon seeing
her nephew; recovering shortly to give him
| greeting. The night of his arrival, having re-
| tired to his room, he had just lighted cigar
"a strong, pungent, fullfavored, one might
almost add, able bodied Havana" when he
called to mind the fact that its perfume might
| not be as agreeable to others as to himself. So
| he climbed from his window over the balcony
down one of the pillars to the ground, and
wandered away over the lawn to the sounding
sea. Here at midnight he discovered that be-
yond some lodges of rock, in little creek, the
waves had washed the deal body of a woman
| to the shore; rough man was bending over
the corpse, and had already transferred from
1 49, To-, 4 seo -. IT, III
secured, as we afterwards learn, letter ad.
dressed to the very man whom fate so strangely
| brought to the spot-Paul Massie,-5ut who
was fatally ignorant of the fact that this per-
tanned in the slightest to hi, past or future life
| In the course of time, however, he does dis
| cover that there is something strange and in.
| explicable-a secret-a mystery.
| 1t is for him-and for the reader-to unravel
| it and find the explanation with the close Of
the book.
| The story is romance" as the autho
states. But in most sensational novels tht
thrilling events are enacted by totally unnatura
men and women. Here we have, what woul,
be beexpected from brilliant novelist and essay
ist like Justin Mccarthy, well drawn charac
ters and many fine touches which make tn
book interesting and readable.
| A MAD MARRIAGE. By May Agnes Fleming
| New York; G. w. Carleton s. Co. For sale b
Bailey and Noyes.
Those who like the writings of this autho
will be delighted by ga Mad Marriage"
tells of people whose voices harden on the
slightest provocation, other people with cruel
ly thin lips and eyes with ominous flashes
others who make low bows and laugh mockinl
laughs, and still others who gnaw tawny nous
taches and thrive on that strange food. o
course these people do many wicked things
and attempt to do many more, but are foile
by the good people, of whom there are some il
the book. The novel belongs to the spasmodi
school, is very good ofits kind, and as excitin
as murder trial