The Portland daily press., 1875-11-16
Magazine Notices.

Harper'S Magazine for December is a number
especially rich in illustration. Probably no
more exquisite engravings were ever published
in any periodical than those which illustrate
the opening article of this number. Up the
Ashley aud Cooper. This article win be q
revelation to most readers, showing that even
in the New World are to be found old mano-
rial bones worthy of comparison with those of
older countries.
James Parton, in this number, treats of
Caricature in the United States, from BeDja-
min franklin TO Thomas Mast A portrait of
the latter heads the article. A finely written
and illustrated article describes Windsor
Castle, with its superbly decorated state apart
ments, its picturesque surroundings, and its
romantic historical associations In Talks,
Walks, and Drives, in and around Lea Castle,
near Kidderminster, England in the Summer
of 1872, Judge Campbell presents some very
interesting facts of Richard Baxter's life.
Among the illustrations is one of the monu-
ment dedicated last summer to the memory Of
this celebrated preacher.
James T. Fields concludes his entertaining
"reminiscences of Barry Cornwall" A. H.
Guernsey narrates the events of "BIoody
tion with Tennyson's recent drama.
The Hon. s. S. Cox continues his papers on
Legislative Humors, giving some sketches Of
Ben Hardin, Tom Corwin and Proctor Knott.
A brief but very pleasant and instructive chat
on the Art of Dining is from the pen of Miss
Julie Verplanck. President Barnard cou-
tributes for the First Century Series the first
part of comprehensiv review of the progress
of the exact sciences in this country during the
last hundred years Julian Hawthorne, in his
serial novel Garth, goes back to the scene with
which the story opened, aud from that point
resumts the thread Of the narrative. Short
stories are contributed by James Payp, Vir-
ginia W. johnson, and Mary Beach.
The poetry of the number is contributed by
Paul Fl. Hayne, r. II. Stoddard, John Swir-
ton and AT. The Editorial departments
are, as usual, full and interesting.
The following are the contents of the Vest
minister Reuiev, for October, recently repub-
lshed by The Leonard Scott Publishing Co. Al
Barclay Street, N. Y: The Marriage of Near
Kin; Quakerism; Lord Sbelburne, the MING
ter; The Religious Education of Children; The
Baroda Blunder; Montaigne; Physics and
Physiology of Harmony; Theism; Contempor-
ary Literature.
The writer of the first article discusses the
evidence for and against the marriage of near re-
Iations, and from all the facts adduced comes to
the conclusion, that there is no rational ground
for the prohibition of cousin carriages, or of
marriages with deceased wives sisters. A
short survey of Quakerism follows, in which
we are told with regret, that the old fashioned
Quaker is rapidly disappearing, and that after
few generations people will begin to ask
"What were the Quakers?' just as they now
ask, who were the Peripatetics, or the Es
senes. The Religious Education of Children
glances at the methods of religious instruction
at present in vogue, which are classed under
three heads-The Doctrinal System, the Terror
istic System, and the Morbid Emotional Sys-
tenn; all being illustrated by quotations from
aud references to various volumes devoted to
the spiritual guidance of the young. 1t points
with emphasis to the importance of the inf1u-
ences which operate on the daily life of chill
dren in moulding their character and ,om-
plains that parents are disposed to relieve
Themselves of the 'weariness of personally GEN.
ducting the moral ard religious education of
their children, by handing them over at the
earliest and most critical period Of existence to
the charge of persons only half educated.
The titles Of the remaining articles explain
themselves and as an analysis or summary of
them could not be satisfactorily condensed go as
to come within the space at our disposal, We
perforce content ourselves with saying that
thew merit more than passing attention.
The fact that the LiUing Age soon enters up
ON its thirty third year of continuous and sue
cessful publication, is remarkable one in the
history of periodicals. Ard as it is the only
thorough and fresh compilation Of current lit.
erature which embraces the production Of the
ablest living writers in science, fiction, poetry,
history, biography, politics, theology, philoso-
ply, criticism, and art, its importance to Am
ercan readers can hadrly be overrated.
In no other way, ii fact, eau so much OF the
best work of the best minds of the time be OBJ
tained So cheaply or conveniently, as through
this standard eclectic weekly.
The list of foremost authors of the DAY rep
resented in its pages, will be found in the pro-
spectus published in another column, anu IS OIL
itself sufficient es ideuce of the quality ct the
magazine, while IN quantity of readipe it Is nm
approached.