The Portland daily press., 1877-10-27
Recent Publications.

In the work entitled Economies, or the Sci
ence of Wealth CNew York: G. P. Putnam's
Sons; Portland: Loring, Short & Harmony Pro-
lessor Julian Sturtevant of the Illinois College
undertakes to improve upon the common defini-
tions in use in political economy. He holds
that wealth. labor and capital have heretofore
been loosely defined, and he describes wealth
as anything which can be owned and ex.
changed for an equivalent" labor as sthe ex-
ertion of mans natural powers for the purpose
OF producing such changes as conduce to the
qualification of human desire, and the supply
OF human want, and capital as Everything
produced by previous human labor which still
remainssunexpended." That these definitions
are simpler, clearer or more exact than the
generally accepted ones is not apparent; indeed
the definition of labor would apply to eating or
any other qualification of our appetites The
work in spite of the constant efforts to recon-
cile facts and principles with these defini-
tlons,-efforts always ingenious and sometimes
satlstsctory,-is correct and pleasing state
ment OF the truths of political economy, logic
ally arranged and happily illustrated. The au-
thor has not materially added to our stock of
facts, but he has ably restated those facts and
clearly set forth the inferences properly drawn
from them. His chapters on 'wasteful expend-
iture" and public liberality' are very suggest.
i've, and valuable aids to a. broad consideration
OF those topics. In our present situation as
nation they are especially timely.
j. Il. Osgood & Co. send in, through Hoyt
Fogg q Donham, the first volume of the series
OF Boston Monday Lectures, the subject being
Biology, by Joseph Cook. 1t comprises thir.
teen lectures, with seven chapters styled "Pre-
ludes on Current Events" Mr.. Cook believes
IN Darwin and Evolution, but opposes the Ma
terialists. The dangerous attack upon Re-
liglon by distinguishedi scientists has caused
Mr.. Cook to be welcomed with great enthusi-
asm as champion who is ready to meet them
upon their Town ground, and his style is very
attractive while bis arguments seem strong.
de accuses Huxley of unfairness when, after
finding masses of protoplasm, as he thought,
IN the sea depths, and then, on refutation, dis
claiming it, he afterwards assumed it as o
proven fact in his New York lectures. Also
IN pcturing the Eocene horse of Wyoming as
large as ordinary horses when Dana reports 1t
not larger than fox. He holds that intelligent
men, though not scientists, are competent to
look into the logic of the facts presented, and
to test all which touches immortality, the soul
and all that is highest in human endeavor.
Mr.. Cook ventures to give new definition of
life: "fhe power which directs the movements
of biolpasm." This is certainly more intelligi-
BILE than that of Herbert Spencer, and other
philosophers who have essayed it, He bolds,
and cites the sblest microscopists to sustain
him that the latest and best results of micro
scopical study show that matter alone cannot
originate or accountfor life. His arguments are
plain and logical, and certainly convincing to
those who have leaning towards religion. A
great conflict is arising between materialism
and religion, which cannot be avoided by the
ologians, and Mr. Cook is the Greatheart who
clasps Religion to his breast and strides boldly
into the Valley of the Shadow of Doubt. ready
with trenchant blade to fight both giants who
oppose and lions which would rend his faith.
His manner is said to be even more attractive
than his writings, of which our people will
have an opportunity to judge this winter, as he
will close the Mercantile course with lecture
January Sd.
According to English reviewers, Mr. Swim
burne's "Note on Charlotte Bronte' is some-
thing more than an extravagant and eloquent
eulogy of its distinguished subject, and de-
fence of her writings and her character from
criticisms which have been passed upon them.
1t is keen and vigorous assault upon some of
his contemporaries, notably George Eliot,
whom he contrasts with Charlotte Bronte to
the formers disadvantage. The Pail Mall Ga
zette compares Mr.. Swnburne's book to one of
those little books in which people us. to be
asked to write down the names of the poets
and novelists whom they liked and did not like.
1t has taken the pains to draw up little list of
Mr.. Swinburnes admirations and aversions,
and finds that he likes Mrs. Lynn Linton,
Prof. Nichol, Sidney Dobell, Wemyss Reid,
the Brontes, Mrs. Gaskell, George Sand, Vic
tor Hugo and the French; he dislikes the
Quarterly Review, the Spectator, Mr.. E. A. .
Freeman, Miss Broughton, Mrs. Oliphant and
the Bulgarians; and he "regretfully considers
George Eliot and Alfred Tennyson.
d. Lothrop & Co. propose to publish Decem-
ber the first number OF the Boston Book Bull
letin, quarterly eclectic record of American
and foreign books, to contain classical list of
shO UOoo bOOho puUAlSucu III buo ullcu 0LdtoS
during the quarter preceding the date of issue.
alphabetical lists Of the. best books published
in England, France, Germany, &c., brief re.
views of such books as may be sent to the pa
per, and such other literary matter as will make
the Bulletin valuable to librarians and book
buyers. This department will include short
articles. original and selected, on the choice
of books, their moral and aesthetic influence
i n the home circle, and thence upon the nation
the relations of literature to art, science and
religion and XII indred topics. Original articles
and reviews will be contributed by Edward
Everett Hale, A. Bronson Alcott, J. T. Trow-
bridge, f. b. Perkins of the Boston public
library, Professor John Fiske and f. B. San
born. The dates of publication will be Decem-
bsr 1, March 1, June 1, September 1. One hun
dred thousand copies of the first number will
be issued.
William Everett denies that he is the author
of the Great Match in the No Name Series.
Mr. Edward Jenkins of Ginxs Baby fame is
at work upon a new novel. He has associated
with him in its authorship Mr.. William Gilbert
father of the dramatlst. 1t is limited that as
Mr.. Gilbert is rather dull and Mr.. Jenkins
rather hysterical the conjunction should be
frui tful.
1t is a curious coincidence that leading
character in Edward Egglestons novel of
Roxy, begun in Scribner for November, turns
out to be the very counterpart of Mrs. Bur-
nett's "Lodusky'', published in Scribner for
September. There is even a ball-roomsscene in
Roxy which will remind the reader of similar
scene In Lodusky. But although DR.. Eggles-
toms story appears after Lodusky, itlhas writ
ten long before, and, neither writer has bor-
rowed from the,other. Mrs. Burnett was sim.
ply found (or imagined) in North Carolina the
same type" that Dr. Eggleston has found Tor
imagined) in Indiana. DIR. Eggleston's char
acter is called Nance Kirtley.