The Portland daily press., 1875-02-20

more turbid and congenial atmosphere OF the
metropolis, where it seems IkeiS 'ha' he WIZ
run a course not altogether unprecedented IN
the history of successfnl ''vulgarians
Jules Verne's story has disappointed good
MANY people, who did not know it was written
for Young people, The Editors, by the way,
have taken it in hand, and are "condensing it,
into much more than its original interest.
Jules Verne icondenses much better than
Emerson. s--------------... ..---------
Speaking of condensation, Mr.. Stedman has
had to do not little of that in his 'Victoran
Poets;' the last of which interesting series
appears in the March Scribner. Stedman's
opinion of Swinburne will astonish many per-
sons whose knowledge of this author is like
celebrated old lady's knowledge of Johnson's
''How the Opera of Dante was Written"
is not an essay, as some will suppose; it is
story which contains suggestion to which we
beg leave to call Verdi's attention. ...I..
"Airy Lillian" is a fair sample of what may
be called an occasion story, and certainly
throws good deal of light upon rather OBJ
scure topic. ~ .l.r4t .... ID. ...l.. i-su
In this number we have one of the promised
papers by Albert Rhodes, who this time gives
an entertaining illustrated sketch of the IA
nous fabust, La Fontaine. Ht ut
"Some Old Letters are continued, and besides
their own interest are remarkable as being
accompanied by hitherto unpublished por-
trait of Sir Walter Scott, by the artist Newton
once well known in America and England.
Dr. Robinson says some bright things here
about DIR. Leonard Bacon and his book, under
the title of "New England and her Church"
Among the contributions is another r. ii. ID.
sketch, "The Poetess of Clap City"-you re-
member the lady, do you not?-and the poetry
is supplied by Samuel w. Duffield, j. G. SAKE,
II. E. Warner, q. f. Bates, G. p. Lathrop and
Joaquin Miller. .1I, no t-tluaa fH.A ''
The most noticeable features in the Editorial
departments are Dr. Hollands papers on Criti-
cism, and Preaching; summing up OF the
"Sex in Education" controversy, and new
departure" in the "Etchings" department,
which is much longer and more varied than
ever before. .ssiG'f b'nl5 7a' Af' -H
ONE of the greatest pleasures which 81
Nicholas brings to its readers, is certainly the
monthly chapters of Miss Alcott's story. This
time we catch delightful glimpse OF the
Eight Cousins" at home and in the very midst
of the confusion and riot produced by the re-
turn of their sailor uncle. In Mr.. Trowbridge's
serial the Young Surveyor is completely
astonished by finding his stolen horse where
he does. ,......... 90 .....
Almost all boys and girls like narratives of
wars and battles, and they will find story of
this sort in the poem called "The War of the
Rats and Mice" which is every whit as thrill
ing in its way as the deeds of any favorte hero
from Richard CGar-de Lion to Jack the Giant
Killer. The illustrations by Stephens are ad-
mirable; one of them, a true "battle-piece,"
representing tournament both exciting and
novel. .l-.. lea, .,..,..,.7 .....-
AS for the rest of the number, we have sever
al excellent stories by Frank r. Stockton, Am
allie La Forge and others, sketches of travel and
science with illustrations, an article by W. II.
Rideing on the Naval Academy at Annapolis,
French story, two delightful poems by Lucy
Larcom and Mary E. Bradley, and-besides
other good things-the irrepressible Jack-in-
the-Pulpit, whose fun and jokes are always
Auii VI "i'"oAiA. ll1Htl ..H "tbAt- ...