The Portland daily press., 1877-11-24
Re cent Publications.

Recent Publications.
Mr.. Thomas Bailey Aldrich's Queen of
Shsba (BOston: J. r. Osgood s. Co.; Portland
Loring, Short & Harmony is fresh and original
aud, especially N its opening chapters, an ex-
quisltely told story. That the latter portion of
the work is not equal to its opening implies no
lessening of the authors interest or facility 10
his task, but is wholly due to the conditions OF
the story the first scenes are unique in their
desgn-their outlines even fantastic and almost
grotesque at times, are united perfectly to the
action and place, by dramatic possibility and
By the softening atmospheric quality of fsml-
lar landscapes, and are relieved by admirably
contrssted touches of prosaic deed ard speech.
1t is novel thoroughly American in tone
perhaps its local coloring and certain qualities
of thought and expression would stamp it as a
product Of New England-but it is wholly free
from the morbid fashion OF mental maundsriDg
that is at present unhealthily exciting the
brains of those unhappily circumstanced beipgs
who read and endeavor to iDwsrdly digest the
romanees of certain Massachusetts novelists,-
for example, of Mr. Henry James, who is
weary of this world, and of Miss Phelps, who is
bldsee of the next also. Mr.. Aldrich has the
finely mixed tenderness and humor, the rapid
genuinely emotional quality and the flank
serve that characterize the best and most un-
Affected American natures. His fancy is ex-
ceedingly poeical, and bis word-painting OF
landscape has the tone, at once brilliant and
veied, of the atmosphere of our seaboard
states. The story opens with much point and
energy. John Flemming's letter, to introduce
the hero, Edward Lynde, is more or less the
conventional explanation necessary to the un-
Outstanding of the plot of the comedy-tha'
scene SO familiar to everyone, wherein the
walking gentleman" draws chair toward the
tootliahts, seats his interlocutor suavely in the
same, places another for himself, and at once
proceeds to resume of the fortunes of the
drdnaatis perSon@ up to date. But this letter OF
introduction is so genuinely witty, so lightly
touched and easy in style that any convention
ality of design is at once lost in the agreeable
treatment. The description Of Lynde's ride
with the eccentric horse hired from the deacon,
the final elimination of the adventure in the
meeting with the Queen of Sheba and her
moonstruck court, is full of humor and of dis
tinct and powerful picturesque design. After
the scenes directly consequent upon this epi-
sole, the story runs more quietly, and the
Queen, restored to her simple state of one of
the maiden sovereigns of America, away from
the singular surroundings in which she frat
appears, an enchantment apart from common
life is very nice girl indeed. The last chap
ters of the book are refined, bright and grace
ful, they do not claim the power Of the first
scenes and tkey somehow lose in piquant hu
NOR aud take on the monotone of polite society.
But as whole, The Queen of Sheba is clever
and unique, and presents in charming guise
some of Mr.. Aldrichs best qualities.
Meta Hodens, from the French of Victor
Cherbuliez New York. d. Appleton s. Co..
Portland: Bailey Sc Noyes.) is by no means
equal in treatment or design to the authors
Samuel Brohl, which preceded it in the series.
Samuel lBroh presented strong and subtly de-
fned central figure, surrounded by others who,
of less dramatic value, yet deserved and re
tained the sympathy of the reader; and with
whose success over the bsffled adventurer, one
rejoieed with clear conscience. Meta Holdenis
is in brief, an aimless arabesque of moral de-
fections. A kindly but oficious woman, sd-
dressed in the letters which are the narrative,
is the only person left with claims upon much
liking or respect-and, be it understood, sne
does nothing at all. She is the passive recipi-
ent merely of the letters of the young artist,
his own hero, who in writing the others as
knaves succeeds admirably in his autograph
of fool. Meta Holdenis is an adve nturess
and is a pendant to the portrait of Samuel
Brohl, painted, it is true, with less degree of
skill and with the darker colors suitable to the
wickedness of q woman-whioh when it ex-
lists is SO far worse than that attsinable by a.
man. Beside wickedness, Meta and her blue
eyes ara dull, it is moreover to be said. The
whole story may be defined as an epic of un
comfortable infatuations, told with fair de-
gree Of point and the graceful diction that
rarely fails French novelist; but it lacks
unity and contrast in design and will not add
much to the fame of M. Cherbuliez
Money and Legal Tender in the United
States, by q. R. Ludermsn, Director of the
Mint New York: G. p. Patnam's Sons, Port
land: Loring, Short & Harmony, is work
which deals with facts rather than with thee
ries. 1t is treatise, brief and in convenient
form, on the laws relating to coirage, legal
tender and the money standard, complemented
by an explanation of the workings of the Mint,
and history of the currency Of the codntfy
and Of the changes to which from time to time
it has been subjected. In the present condition
of the currency question this little volume is
especially timely and in view of the discussion
now going Oh, of interest and value. Those
instead of facts will find it little to their TASTE
but whoever desires to understand both the
science and tde art of money in this country
will do well to study it. The history of the de-
monetization of the silver dollar and the re-
view of the battle of the standards are timely
aud instructive and not to be ignored by those
who wish to understand the silver ques-
tion. Dr. Linderman takes strong and posi-
tive ground for the single gold standard. The
appendix comprises statistical tables of great
value to all whose interest or duty leads them
to deal with the currency question.
Doubleday's Children, New York: G.. P.
Patnam's Sons> Portland: Loring, Short &
Harmony Is written by an author who signs
himself Dutton Cook, and who has genuine
and original talent for storytelling. The book
somewhat reminds one Of that pleasant but
rather crude, novel-Nimpott; although it is
very much superior to it in every way and if,
as seems possible from the style, it be by the
same author, it proves real and effective pro
gress. The title perhaps is not very we'll chosen
for these days of popular delinestion of the
average family, and leads to the expectation of
chronicle of precocous sayings and dOin gs on
the part of Doubleday's children. But, ex-
cept in the very first chapters, they are chill
dren of larger growth whose lives are re-
corded in this novel. The three principal actors
Basil, Doris and Nicholas, tell their own stories
and those of the people connected with them
There is dramatic power as well as real path hos,
and quiet hunor and variety in the work. The
scenes of the French Revolution ara viviily
painted, and the scope and style of the novel