The Portland daily press., 1876-09-30


Already publishers are beginning to send out
the advance guard of the battalion of books for
winter reading. The "No Name Senes," (Rob-
erts Brothers, Boston; Portland, Loring, Short
& Harmony promises to be an interesting and
piquant literary enterprise. The binding, with
its MsphistophelIan colors of black and scarlet,
the fourleaved clover and the horseshoe which
encloses tho publishers monogram, together
with the mystery which is to enfold the names
of the various contributors to this series of nov
els-combine to give spice Of glamourie to
their appearance The pen of Sake Holm--un-
less she have double to undo her-is clearly
recognizable in the initial volume of tho series,
"Mercy Philbrick's Choice" Indeed the dou-
BILE veil of nom de plume covered by anony MOS
ity-if that be not a word sanctioned by any
dictionary, necessity is the mother of invention
this domino over her masquerade. has some
what exaggerated the traits, both fortunate and
undesirable, of SAKE Holm's style. "Mercy
Philbrick's Choice has degree of the direct
ness, the unworldly charm that gave SO pure
and beautiful quality to ''Draxy Miller" but
it has also the unwholesome introverted pas
sion, the want OF artistic reserve that were so
marked in ESTHER Wynn's Loveletters." It
may be against the etiquette of an anonymous
work, to review it as taken for granted to be
from the pen of special author, but the close
parallel of manner between SAKE Holm's sto-
ries and the present volume, gives the reviewer
the right to compare them, at least. A curious
mixture of passion and coldness of directness
and slowness of dramatic conception suggests
that the author needs more attrition with the
world, less theory and more active experience
to bring out the best qualities of an original and
undeniable talent Moreover, q thoroughly
bright and womanly woman, whose view Is not
limited by introverson-would be apt to draw
men as higher and richer natures than women,
not that she has less faith in woman but more
in map. The impression in "Mercy Philbrick's
Choice" is a want of healthy oxygen in the at
mosphere, which is yet luminous with an un-
certain light.
'Twixt Hammer and Anvil &c. w. Caile-
ton New YORK; Portland. Loring, Short & Har-
mop) is story of life in Normandy, by Frank
Lee Benedict. 1t is well written and not sell
dom brilliant the interest is sustained through
out and the characters are vividly depicted.
The action is spirited, and while the scene Of
the story and some of its characters recall
somewhat Miss Kavanagh's charming novels
of French life, the sty le has the masculine tone
of Mr.. Benedcts style.
ga Wcman's Wiles'' by Celia e. Gardner,
Carleton N. Y: Loring, Short & Harmon). 10
the story of an artful and designing young wo-
man and her adventures. 1t is. amusing in Its
| inelegance of language and characters, but is
quite study of commonplace coquetry--in
| fact it reminds the reader of a daguerreotype
of some conscious beauty, of the cheap jewelry
| and peanut Irritation class. who for the benefit
| OF an admirer has consented 10 enter the van of
the itinerant artist.
''The Two Destinies" (Harper, N. Y: Lor-
| ing, Short & Harmony is novel in which Mr..
Wilkie Collins, profitins by the researches OF
Mr.. Robert Dale Owen, and greatly aided By
his own fantastic and powerful imagin-
alton, has proceeded to found nara
| tive upon the fact that two kindred spirits
may "materialize" by temporarily quitting
their tenements of clay, and that body thus
materialized can write brief but important
billets dou1 to whomever they may concern.
| We have called this fact-a concession neess-
sary to the enjoyment of the story, which told
| in Mr.. Collins circumstsntisl style, has de-
| gree of exciting interest.
| "My Own Child" by Florence Maryatt, ID.
| Appleton, N. Y; Portland, Bailey s. Noyes) is
a novel of good degree of power and imagina-
ton, although somewhat carelessly written.
The design is original and the author Is,
as usual dramatic and vivid in manner.
'Gong to the Bad, (William f. Gill, New
York; for sale In Portland by Dresser, Mcclellan
& Co.. is mild title, whether it be intended
to describe the style of the author, Mr.. Edmund
Yates, The taste of the publisher who includes
this novel in series that already contains
some very undesirable volumes. or the reader
who could enjoy it. Whether it be either or
all three of these unfortunates, we offer as an
amendment the phrase of the auctioneer-ao-
ing, gone!
From the Philadelphia Ledger.l
| Cautann NAL Trunks