The Portland daily press., 1876-11-25

AN ALPHABET IN FINANCE. By Graham McAdam.
With Introduction by R. r. Bouker, New York:
~. Putnam's Sons. For sale by Loring, Short
& Harmon.
Mr. McAdam found while engaged in edito-
rial work on the Brooklyn Times that in the
discussion of the currency by politicians and
journalists, and in the apprehension of the
problem by the people, the simplest principles
OF finance were continually lost sight of or mis-
construed. This led him to prepare for the COL
umns OF his paper series of elementary arti-
cles. These articles proved so acceptable that,
believing they might be of use to the wider cir
Gle reached by book, the author has gathered
them, much revised and extended, into this
volume.
1t is the purpose of the author to present q
''clear, clean-cut outline of the elementary
truths of finance, those truths which so many
of our Statesmen" entirely disregard through
ignorance or wantonness, "msking metaphor
do duty for fact, and assumption for argu-
ment," and confusing the country with such
mischievous but well-sounding phrases as 'the
peoples money" This purpose has been ad-
mirably fulfilled. Starting with the very
foundation principle that money is not only
medium of exchange, but a measure and stan
dard and store of value as well-qualities all of
which only a precious metal can furnish-hs
goes on to consider the relations of government
to money, the credit system, and the true ma
ture of the bank note. Then, passing from gen.
eral to special considerations, he treats of the
financial legislation of the last fifteen years
which may be described as the old Greek de-
scribed men, as mostly bad-and dwells upon
the importance and the necessary conditions of
resumption. While recognizing the fact that
hardship in the form of shrinkage of values
must attend resumption he Is strongly of the
opinion that this hardship is more than COM
pensated for by the return to an honest and sta
BILE standard of valae aud that it can be meas
urably escaped by wise preparation. Though
advancing no scheme of resumption he favors
the method of funding 10 interest-beariug
bonds.
The work is model of clear thinking. The
style is concise and animated, the re asoning
exact and the Illustrations happy. The book is
one which in these days of financial deluslon
should be in the hands of every voter. As Mr..
Bowker suggests in his introduction ian essay
ON the duties of citizenship which is one of the
most valuable features of the volume). the cir
culation of books like these among the mis-
guided is most effectual method Of doing mis-
sionary work. 'There will always be an influ-
ence upon congressman" he says, "from those
who must feel under contraction the pressure of
their own mistakes, tending to set aside any
plan of resumption the moment its success be-
gins to be proven by the.results at once desired
and dreaded. To give the requisite resistance
to ourrepresentatives they must be made to
know that to turn back will make them more
unpopular than to 60 forward" This persist
ence must come from the people; but in order
to secure itithe people must be made to under
stand its necessity. As means to that end
we heartily welcome this book.
GEMS OF THE DRESDEN GALLERY. Boston: j.
R. Osgood g. Co. For sale by Loring, Short 8
Harmon.
The house of Osgood & Company are pu',-
fishing this fall series of the handsomest and
in many respects the most valuable gift books
ever issued By publishing house in this ooun-
try. Unlike too many of the gift books it does
not depend alone upon the binder and glider
"
and sole value, though all these have done their
best. 1t is a reproduction by the heliotype
process of many of the most famous pictures in
the world. copies of which have SleretofoIe on
account of the high cost of good engravings,
been beyond the reach of the majority of those
who would delight in their possession.
The first of the series embraces some of the
the most famous and popular works in the
Dresden collection, collection which is, with
perhaps the exception of that at Florence, the
finest in the world. The volume has twenty
four plates, and the selections are made with
admirable taste. The frontispiece, and the best
executed heliotype between the covers, is that
flower of the Bolognese school, the "Ecco
Homo" of Guido Rsni. Following this come
other famous paintings; the Crowned Madonna
of the Meyer family, by Holbein, the best rep
resentatiou extant of the old German School;
the masterpiece of the collection, the Sistine Ma
donna ''that divinest image that ever shaped it.
self in palpable hues to the living eye," which
Mrs Jameson pronouuces the most perfect pic
ture in the world; Correggio's Reading Magda-
leu, which has been said to possess every beauty
belonging to the art of painting; the famous
4Ibldu O4uSutCi, ouiuo NOhuo nuu ouPio,
Paul veranese's Susanna and the Elders ad.
mired for its breadth and aff1 uence and glory of
handling; Annibale Caracci's Genius of Fame
Correggo's La Notte with its wonderful flood
oflight, picture Duke did not scruple to steal |;
Rembrandt and his wife, the best portrait of
the painter; Carlo Dolce's Christ insttuting
the Eucharist; Murillo's Fruit Sellers; the Quos
Ego of Rubens, that most wonderful monu-
ment of the daring genius of the painter;;'
Carlo Dolce's masterpiece, the st. Cecilia; the
disputed Ryckart portrait by Vandyke; Ruys-
daeps Cemetery; Gerard Dow's Writing Mas
ter; Pslmas Daughters; Philip Wouverman's s
Smithy, with its inevitable white horse; the
Ford of Nicholas Berghem; Netscher and his
Wife, title which, by the way is disputed
and the repusive Diogenes of Ribera.
The heliotypes, though occasionally made
quate, are generally excellent and equal to an
engraving. The Volume is of folio shape and
handsome enough for a Christmas present to
| the next President, providedkhe is discovered
| before that time The letter-press is explana-
tory and descriptive, conveying excellent critical
notices of the artists and their works.
| THE TITAN GALLERY. A Series Of Twenty-FouI
of the most renowned works OF TITAN. bOstoh
JR. Osgood & Co. For sale by Loring, Short 8
| Harmon.
This superb folio is thesecond of the series o.
heliotype reproductions of famous paintings
which Osgood s. Company are issuing in 81
sumptuous form. and in beauty and excellenc'
it falls in no respects behind its predecessor th'
HGsms of the Dresden Gallery" The VOLUME
includes careful selection of the most famous
and representative works of Titan. The plate
are twenty-four in number and include tina
noble picture, the Tribute Money; the match
less Assumption; the Great Holy Family; the
St. jerome with its haggard but peaceful look
ing lion; the Magdalen (the most satisfactory
representation in existence of the fair penitent)
the Entombment; the Dame with her arms up
reaching for the golden shower (the most &C
ceptable form, to the minds Of many, in which
love eau manifest itsel); those shapes of grac
and beauty, the Bella, the Sophronisbs, ant
the Mistress; the Madonna and Angels; tn
Three Stages of Life; the Supper at Emmaus
four of the unequalled portraits. Francis l..
| Charles ", Pietro Aretino, and Titan himself