The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-04-29


tunate as to have taste for the beautiful and
out narrow means with which TO crafty it. It
mas iresnened the work of Hawthorne in the
minos Oh many who have long admired him,
and mas been the means of introducing him to
hosts OF others who had but scanty knowledge
of Americas greatest author.
The old Greek legends have never been done
into better form for Northern ears. II wa excsnt
the charming verses of William Morris. than
In the Wonder Book and Tanglewood Tales.
Ostensbly these volumes are for children. bur
the mature reader finds delight in Hawthorne's
presentation of the fair shapes of Greclan
mythology, delight proportioned to his ac-
quaintance with the fables in their original
form. Passing through Hawthorne's mind the
old tales acquire an inexpressible charm, and
in their new an exquisite diction have re-
ceived an added grace. 1t is the apologize of
Pygmalion and the Image again. He has put
soul into the beautiful but cold and heartless
shapes of Grecian fable. To use the express
sion of his own ''Mr. Pringle," his imagination
Is Gothic, and there is in his treatment Of the
classic myths an undertone of sadness alien to
the ancient mythology, but appealing with
the sincere nature-worshipers. Children feel
the charm, though the stories are TO them but
tales of wonder; those of maturity read be.
tween the lines and continually discover
touches of beauty and tenderness which quite
escape the observation of the child. The at
tempt to "render the fables of classical aatiaui-
ty into the idiom of modern fancy and feel
ing has never before been so triumphantly sue
cessful.
True Stories from History and Biography is
an attempt to describe the eminent charac-
ters and remarkable events of our annals in
such form and style that the young may make
acquaintance with them of their own accord"
and the attempt is highly successful one, as
might have been confidently anticipated from
the character aud abilities of him who made
it. 1T causes US to feel" as the author in his
preface expressed the desire it should, ''that
these characters of history had private and
familiar existence, and were not wholly con-
tanned within that cold array of outward action
which we are compelled to receive as the ade-
quate representation of their lives" 1t is per-
haps unnecessary to add that this volume, like
all Hawthorne's books for children, is delight
49, ~~"NiAS Ava 6ASWh uP pOOp3os
A curious blunder has happened in the bind
ing of the books of fable. The cloth covering
and title page of the Wonder Book enclose and
preface the Tanglewood Tales, while that col
lection wears the garb and bears the name of
the Wonder Book. The mistake is, however.
of no consequence to those who possess both
volumes.
THE AGE OF ELIZABETH. By Maudell Creiehton.
One Of the Epochs of History Series. New York,
Scribner. Armstrong & Co. For sale by Loring
Short g. Harmon.
Students will be glad to learn that Messrs.
Scribner & Armstrong have resumed af:
Ter considerable interval, the publication Of the
admirable series of Monographs entitled Epochs
OF Modern History. The volumes heretofore
issued, The Crusades, The Thirty Years War,
The French Revolution, and the others, have
amply fulfilled the promise made that the
manuals should bring out in the clearest light
the salient incidents and features of each
epoch. In this age of rapidly multiplying
books they have proved of great value to read
ers Of limited leisure, and have been of benefit
as introducing many to general knowledge Of
the epochs described and as refreshing the mem
ory of those who have made fuller study of
history. The volumes have been handsomely
printed, clearly and entertainingly written,
and furnished with all the maps and tables
necessary to the elucidation OF the text
The Age OF Elizabeth has all the merits of
its predecessors in the series, and the time is
one Of the most important and interesting in
European history. England under her great
Queen put herself at the head of the Protes-
tant league which was battling for religious
freedom and the liberties Of Europe, and though
the conflict did not end in her reign, chacs.~
was put to the vast power of Spain from which
that empire never recovered, and the Dutch
Republic took its place among nations The
revolt OF the Huguenots, the massacre of st.
Bartholomew, the destruction of the Armada,
the tragic story of Mary Stuart, come within
this period. While the history of England is
the central fact in the volume, all European
history is grouped about it, and thus the true
historical perspective is preserved. The work
is written in clear and animated style and
'he concise thought vigorously expressed. The
guide taken for the whole period is Ranke,
than whom no better authority exists, though
other authors are freely consulted. Several
maps and chronological and genealogical ta-
bles add materially to the value of the volume.
On FERMENTATION. By p. Schatzenberper. OF
the International Scientific Series. Cloth, Illus
trated. 3S1 PIP. New York: d. Appleton g. Co.
For sale by Bailey & Noyes.
The International Scientific Series has now
reached its twentieth volume. This last addi-
tion, On Fermentation, will be of interest to
large number of readers VINO are in search of
information upon alcoholic fermentation, the
functions of yeast, Tactic and butyric fermenta-
tion and putrefaction. "The study of fermen-
tation," says the author, "may be divided into
two parts, according to the nature of the fer
ment. First, that due to the Intervention of an
organized ferment, having a determnats form;
the second, that produced by soluble products,
elaborated by living organism" The larger
part of the volume is occupied with the first
division of the subject. OF soluble or indirect
ferments comparatively little is now known.
In the last chapter the author has brought
together the opinions of different authorities
upon the question of the origin of ferments.
As this question is intimately connected with
that of spontaneous generation, 1t is Of more
than common interest. Throughout the vol
ume the opinions and experiments of NJ. Pas.
teur of the Chemical Society, of Paris, are
largely cited. The illustrations are few in
number but we'll executed.
Centennial Guide Books.
Hurd & Houghton are issuing from the Riv-
erside Press series of centennial guide books
to the chief cities OF the United States, intend
ed to be complete, compact and convenient.
Already the volumes on Philadelphia, WASH
ington, and New York have been issued. They
appear excellently suited to their purpose, be-
ing complete hand-books in the most portable
shape, and marked by accuracy of statement