The Portland daily press., 1877-01-13

would not have been devoted to the novel in
question, except that, for the sake of authors
and public alike, it is we'll to suggest to pub
fishers that such irresponsible surplus of
praise defeats its own ends. Left to itself, a
newspaper would probably adjudge the book to
have degree of interest, some pathos and con-
siderable variety of incident and to possess,
perhaps average merit in its manner of relating
story founded upon the false premise that
"men were deceivers ever
POEMS OF PLACES. Edited by Henry Wadsworth
LonRfellow. Scotland Denmark, Iceland, Nor
way, Sweden. Vol. III. Published by j. r. o.
good & Co., Boston. For sale by Lorng, Short q
Harmon.
This volume completes the selections descrip-
tive of Scotland, and also includes poems sug-
gested by the scenery and legends OF Denmark.
Iceland, Norway and Sweden-among which
will be welcomed Mr.. B.yard Taylors fine
and sincere America to Iceland, and his superb
Norsemans Ride, with its cold ringing music,
like the icebergs song to the spring sun. Mr.
Longfellow's own poems upon Northern sub
jects, many of which are to be found in the vol
ume, are of the highest degree of spirit and
beauty. The contrast between the fine muscu-
lar quality of bis Thangbrand the Priest, and
the absurd bathos aud preposterous lack of
ftuess that characterize Ferdinand Freiligrath's
apostrophe to Icclaud-Moss Tea, which imme-
diately precedes it's something too much.
Each new volume of this series increases the
debt of gratitude due to Mr.. Longfellow, and
the poetic judgment with which his task is
inspired seems but rarely otherwise than un-
erring,
SHADOWS ON THE SNOW. By B. L. Farjeon, au-
thor of Blade O. Grass, Golden Grain, &C., &c.
New York: Harper Brothers. Portland: Loring,
Short g. Harmon.
Christmas story, approved by Charles
Dickens when it was sketched in outline, and
now elaborated for the public. 1t is close
imitation of the great novelist's work in design
and treatment. The mingling of pathos and
ioviallty is little hystericsl, but tia story has
good degree of interest and some power. 1t
is Mr.. Farjeon's misfortune to have taken for
his model aud followed so closely one who was
50 unique, and whose peculiarities which gave
the essence of individuality and worth to his
own work, must necessarily deteriorate and be.
come cheapened in the hands of a copyist. Mr..
Farjeon has talent enough to let 60 the leading
strings and do well by himself.
THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY INDEX, 1S57-1S76. Pub
lished by H. o. Houghton &, Co.. Boston. For
sale by Bailey s. Noyes.
This very carefully and conveniently ar
ranged index serves not only as guide to the
wanderer through the thirty-eight volumes
already published of the Atlantic Monthly,
but gives much interesting information, much
of which is now first made public, as to the names
of authors of many poems and articles which
have excited interest and comment. The charm
ing humor of the preface, clearly by Mr.. Howells
is enough to make an oasis in the waste places
of Worcester's Unabridged, and gives the
inquiring reader new zest to pursue his re-
search for article or author among the pages OF
the index with their interesting but dscon
nected' contents.
JOSHUA HAaGARD's DAUGHTER. By Miss M E.
Braddon, author of Aurora Floyd; John March
mont's Legacy, ETC., etc. Illustrated. New York
Harper Brothers. For sale in Portland by Loring
Short & Harmon.
This is an exceedingly good novel, origina
and entirely unsensatonal Miss Braddon has
much power over words and there often occur
in her novels passages of real power and beau
ty. Her pathos is genuine and her style often
fine IN its rhetoric and rhythm. Perhaps it is ow
ing to the amount of incident to be found 10 hel
early works. Miss Braddon has been clsssei
among the writers Of the sensational school,
but her later style of writing shows her prog
ress in the novelists art and should give her a
place among the writers of fiction whose
novels merit attention and praise.
COLONY BALLADS. By George L. Raymond. Pub
lished by Hurd g. Houghton, New York. For
sale by Bailey & Noyes.
1t cannot be said that this contribution to
the centennial literature of our country has
much poetic merit; in spite of their warlike
subjects and evident earnestness of purpose
these ballads are often decidedly comic; and
when the author INDUCES in the graces of elab-
crate rhyme and assonance the result is apt to
be preposterous. Students of the realistic viii
find food for thought in the difficulty which a
poet of small calibre experiences in reconciling
homely details of great deeds with artistic e1-
nraaann