The Portland daily press., 1875-01-23
SINCE for like that ii is, what it pretends to be,

since, for like that ii is what 1T pretends 10 De'
an extravaganza.
The illustrations are bad and should have
been omitted; indeed, the book would have
been ornamented by their absence.
LITTLE CLASSICS, Fifth Volume. Laughter. Boston:
j. r. Osgood & Co. For sale by Bailey & Noyes.
The fifth volume of the dainty "Little Clas-
sics' series will receive qnite as warm well
come as its predecessors. More delightful
reading within equal compass cannot be found.
The present volume bears the sub title,
daughter" title which is justified by the
humorous cast of the selections The book opens
with Dickens famous Christmas carol, in
which Scrooge and Tiny Tim figure. This is
followed by that wonderful Haunted Crust of
Jerry Rouse's, of which Katherine Sauneers
tells so sweet a story. Charles Lambs immortal
Dissertation ON Roast Pig, is the third OF the
selections, and the fourth is Mrs Il. A. Walk
ers amusing grumbe at the Total Depravity OF
Inanimate Things. Mr.. E. E. Hale's Skeleton
in the Closet (Belmonte, of thirty springs) fol-
lows, and is followed by Hugh Millers Story OF
Sandy Woods Sepulchre. Holmes ingenious
collection of puns Tade at the Asylum for de-
cayed punsters, General Grffin's Tibbot
O'Leary and his bewigged wife, and William
Carleton's Neal Malone, are the remaining Sc
lections.
THE ISLAND OF FIRE S74--1s7i By Rev. P. G
Headley. Boston: Lee & Shepard. For sale by
Loring, Short G. Harmon.
This volume, the author tells us, was sugges-
ted by the Icelandic Milennial jubilee. The
suggestion was a fortunate ore for the book is
an excellent popular account, historically accu-
tI,o, Of
the Sagas. 1t is intended to cover the whole
field of the thousand years of Icelandie history.
OF course this necesstates considerable con-
traction and some incompleteness in detail, but
the broad outlines are preserved end particu-
lar attention is paid to the picturesque features
of the narrative.
The book opens with an account of the Nor
thern Sea Rovers and their European exploits.
An entertaining and graphic account OF the
Scandinavian mythology and myths and OF the
heroes of the old Sagas is given. The famous
emigration to Iceland is then described. After
this the singular history of the island from the
landing of the Mortimer to the celebration of
the Milennal jubilee is given. A full de-
scription of Iceland, its people, its strange and
rugged scenery, its customs and traditions, its
language and literature occupies proper place
in the volume.
HYMNS AND RHYMES FOR HOME AND SCHOOL.
Collected by Mrs. G. S. Guild. Boston: Nichols g.
Hall. For sale by Bailey & Noyes.
This neatly gotten up volume contains large
number of poems, some excellent and all good,
calculated to interest children and young peo-
pie Many of the selections indeed will be ac
ceptable to adults. The editor has evidently
been guided by the rules of good judgment and
good TASTE The selections number over one
hundred. AS examples of their quality may
be mentioned Under the Lighthouse, by Celia
Thaxter, Skipper Ireson's Ride, by Whittier,
The Glove, by Leigh Hunt, Queer, by Christi
ma Rossett, Three OLD Saws, by Lucy Larcom,
The Old Clock, by Charles Swain, The Baby
by George Mcdonald, Kitty in the Basket, by
Mrs. Follen, Family Concord. by DR.. Watts,
and the Flight of the Birds, by Harriet KIM
ball.
the READING CLUB, Edited by George M. Baker,
No. q Boston: Lee s. Shepard. For sale by Lor-
ing, Short q Harmon.
This handy little volume in flexible covers
contains selections in prose and poetry, ''se-
rious, humorous, pathetic, patriotic and dra-
matte" for readings and recitations. The se-
lections appear to have been carefully and ju-
diciously made and embrace such favorites as
Holmes Opening of the Piano, Ruskin's Work.
ers and Thinkers, Nora Perry's The Last Ride,
Thomas Corwin's Militia General, Will Carle-
toms Coin Home To-day, Lovers Quaker
Meeting, Sheridan Knowles The Modest
Cousin, Whittier's The Sisters, the trial scene
from The Merchant of Venice, r. III. Stod-
dard's Two Anchors, and the experiences of
the Pickwick Club on ice, from Dickens.