The Portland daily press., 1876-12-16
New Novels.

The third volume of the No Name Series,
Boston: Roberts Brothers. Portland: Bailey
q Noyes) appears under the equally suggestive
and sphinxlke title, Is That All? 1t is clever
story, pleasantly written with many acute and
genial hits at the aesthetic affectations of some
circles of modern society, and an undertone of
good sense and feeling. The characters are
original, and the contrast between the large,
simple nature of Augusta aud the subtly drawn
figure of Mrs. Drown is very well managed.
1t is not impossible that the author of Is That
Ali? is Mr.. Howells--it is also possible that he
is innocent of this pleasant preparation. The
suggestion that the Guildford of the story is
Portland lacks confirmation. While there are
points of resemblance common to most small
cities, the scenery, surroundings and people are
such as to at once dispel the idea that our fair
city sat as model for the picture.
A Point of Honor, by Mrs. Annie B. Ed
wards, New York: Sheldon & Co. Portland,
Loring, Short & Harmony is q novel quite
different from her preceding ones, in which
she has lately displayed tendencies to fastness
aud tnge of coarseness. A Point OF Honor
is very we'll written, the story told with much
art, and the whole tone of the book is in Mrs
Edwards best vein-except that one misses in
it the gayety and brightness with which she is
apt to charm her readers, but which the some
what sombre motive of this novel renders in
appropriate. The book reminds the reader
little of Miss Mulock's best work, while the
action and style are more rapid and concise
than hers.
His Young Wife by Julie P. Smith New
4 D., D,:Io O.
Noyes) is silly, fippant and what our English
friends would call "bad form" 1t is not worth
reading though there are those who will find
amusement in it.
The Barton Experiment (G. w. Putnam's
Sons: New York. Portland: Dresser, Mcclellan
& Co.., is by the anthor of Helen's Babies, and
although it will hardly rival that exu-
berant epic of Babyland in popular
favor, it is bright. lively and full of good pur-
pose. 1t is temperance story, and if the COM
bination of genuine and rasy humor, the ire
sponsible exaggeraton which is the charm of
American diction in that department, and the
best of intentions do not fail of their work,
The Barton Experiment will succeed
Azalea, by Cecil Clayton, author of Efie's
Game, forms the 473d volume of Harpers Sc
lect Library of Novels, and is for sale by Lor-
ing Short & Harmon. 1t is a quiet, charming
and refined novel; story told skilfully and
well one of those Sketches of English social
life that, when we'll done are so pleasant 1t is
one of the novels that repay the reading.
Linked Lives by Lady Gertrude Douglas
(Published by Benziger Brothers. For sale by
7. p Nc Gowan), is a religions novel intended
for Catb roadars Of variad int nd
written with much earnestness of intention.
Pauline's Trial by Lydia L. d. Courtney
New York: G. W. Carleton. Portland: Bailey
& Noyes) is novel of high life in England,
alb Junding in adjectives and improbabilities,
but quite unobjectionable from a literary poiut
of view, and will afford few hours entertain
ment for the devoted novel-reader.
The publication in this country of Rhoda
Broughton's Joan published by d. Apple
ton & Co.. New York: for sale by Bailey g.
Noyes; was heralded by the announcement that
English critics had censured the story as an
immoral one. The hasty reader will Judge that
the censure was put forward to "balp' the mar
ket, or will accept the explanation which comes
over the water: that Miss Broughton' im NOR
ality consists in slurringly mentioning in the
course of her story "Glbey's champagne. -
Now Gilbey is a respectable London vintner,
aud the imputatiou upon his wares is not uu-
naturally considered immoral bv the great
shop keeping natio". But more careful peru
sal will go far to justify charge of immortality
| based on more substantial grounds.
| The theme of Joan is the theme of all other
| of Miss Brouehton's novels, the story of a We
man who unhesitatinely sacrifices herself for
| her lover, and of a man who is ready to sacri-
| flee all women to crafty himself. In the en-
| tire treatment of the theme, and not In any one
| word or picture, lies the immortality. Miss
| Broughton may sometimes teach that the wo-
man is wrong and fantastical in her sacrifice,
| but she never teaches that the man is wrong.
| She treats his self-indulgence as natural to the
| SEX something not to be condemned impossi-
| BILE to be done away with, as unavoidable as a
beard Never, even by implication does she
| question his perfect right to amuse himself at
| whatever cost to women. All this may be true
| to life, for it is too often the lot of woman to
| offer the sacrifice and man to accept it, but il
| is philosophy of the relation of the sexes
which there is no call to teach, or to accept as
inevitable. 1t may be pleaded that the pic.
| tuIt ID UuI u ilOu LudL Is QOl
true. Were the picture faithful one, were il
| good art, the intense selfishness of the man
his ingratitude, his inability 10 appreciate OIL
even comprehend the lofty self-abnegation Of
the woman, would produce feeling of aver
sion, distrust, contempt toward him. But Miss
Broughton's aim is. and she succeeds, to make
him an admirable thing, upon whom all the
sympathy and good will of the reader are law
| ished.
| Joan is an undeniably strong story, skillful
in construction and dramatic in treatment,
coarse it is true, after Miss BIoughton's meth
cd, but less coarse than her earlier stories. In
technical execution there is decided step for
ward. But the story is sad, Miss Broughton
is an artist who works OILY in monochrome)
disagreeable, unhealthy in spite of the