The Portland daily press., 1877-02-03


A piquant and graceful little story Of Reyolu.
tionary days in New Jersey. The style has the
mingled good and bad traits of Mr.. Harte's
inanner-his wonderful picturesque beauty of
INSCRIPTION, his rapidlty and brightness, togeth-
VI "iIn conscious coquetry in his analysis of
woman character, borrowed from Mr.. Charles
Reade; an uplifting of hands TO the gallery
gods copied from the less inspired moments of
Mr.. Dickens; and failure to reconcile possibili-
ties of fact or literary art with his story, and
careessness, that are the particular snares that
snatch himself. But it is very pleasant story,
and is more refined than dramatic truth has
always allowed to Mr.. Harte's western sketches
The character of Washington appears in very
human and refreshing guise--and Mr.. Harte's
touch of nature is great where he speaks of
Lady Washington's exit, ''leaving the central
figure OF history-as such central figures are
apt TO be left-alone." On the whole "Thapk-
full Blossom" is an amusing and impossible
little centennial extravaganza, which will
hardly add to Mr.. Harte's fame, but which will
entertain his many readers.
MICHAEL SrRoeoFF, THE COURIER OF THE CAR.
BY Jules Verne. New York: Scribner Armstrong
q Co. Portland: Loring, Short & Harmon.
This is one of those stories, characteristic of
NJ. Verne, that play the most dazzling jugglers
tricks with science and facts. One pardons the
irrespons.bility, the impossibility even, of his
narrative, for sake of his native and genuine
gift OF .he story teller. He has the art to re-
call to readers of ripe years the sensations
they experienced in their earliest reading of
Sintad the Sailor, and Robinson Crusoe-anJ
1t would be very unsympathets and austere
critic who would greatly blame an occasional
discrepancy, or failure to completely reconcile
the extraordinary conditions of the story, or
even to note with much severity the careless
ness of the literary style, for which the fresh
ness, rspdity and briiance of the narrative
atone. Moreover, NJ Vernes novels are en-
tlrely free from anything coarse or objectiona-
BILE; the honest. olen-air tone of his work
merits much praise, in presence of the un-
wholesome quality of most French fiction. NJ.
Vernes' stock of general information is inex.
haustible and really marvellous in its scope, If
occasionally unreliable in detail. Tho Mutt
neers story of Mexico, is also included in the
volume. and although brief, is exceedingly
interesting.
THE PLAINS OF THE GREAT WEST. By Richard
Irving Dodge Lieut.. Col. U. S. A., with an intro
duction by William Blaekmore. New York: G..
P. Putnams Sons Portland: Loring, Short &
Harmon.
In this large and fully illustrated volume
Col. Dodge gives his experience Of life on the
Western plains, and of the condition of the
Indian tribes. He was accompanied by Mr.
Blackmore, the English novelist who fur
nishes an introduction to the work, exceeding
ly clear and condensed in its statements Col
Dodge's work is evidently the narrative of an
eyewitness, who speaks of things as he sees
them, and appears to be actuated by desire
for fair representation of facts. The Indian of
these pages is not at all the noble red man of
romance, but neither does the author display
undue bitterness toward him. The accounts of
hunting upon the plains are graphic aud vivid.
The literary style is good, clear, unaffected and
to the point In his wish to present circum-
stantial and full description of Indian life and
warfare--two terms almost synonymous in their
wild existence-CoL Dodge's narration is some
times unnecessarily repulsiye in its details of
cruelty and atrocity. As whole, the work is
to be commended for its plain and experienced
presentation of Indian affairs
ELoQUENcE FOR RECITATION. Edited by Charles
d Warner. Published by Edison d. Eastman,
Concord, N. II. For sale by Dresser s. Mcclellan.
This is thoroughly good collection of ex-
tracts iu prose and verse suitable for declAma-
ton. Mr. Warmers selections are admirable
and beyond criticism. Approaching the need
OF orators in this land where the people choose
men among them as their mouthpiece, the
compiler has taken such extracts as will raise
the ideal and train the faculties Of young
speakers, while affording opportunity for their
best skill in worthily reclting them. II is also
of much value as presenting in compact form
specimens of eloquence and fine thought, from
which example may be taken by writers and
speakers. The volume is of widely different
character from many of those employed In
schools, because of the dignity and lasting
value of the extracts it contains; they are not
amusing and easy selections, desig igned merely
to call forth laugh on examination day-but
such as give boy sense of the worth, re-
sponsibility and power of the orators function
A MAD WORLD AND ITS INHABITANTS. By Julius
Chambers. New York: d. Appleton & Co. Port
land: Bailey & Noyes.
sensational and decidedly disagreeable
volume, in which writer, connected with one
of the New York papers, states that the events
and scenes which he describes came under his
observation during the season of feigned in
sanity which rerpotorial zeal imposed upon
him. He seems to have consulted all sorts of
authorities from the latest scientific works TO
Shakspeare's somewhat noted diagnosis of the
case of Hamlet. From the extreme circum
stantiality of his descrptions-for which it
would have been difficult in his role of anna
teur lunatic, to obtain material-and certain
fervor and personality of description, it seems
at least possible that the patients whose condi-
tion is described were also the result of careful
and ingenious reading of authorities, and per.
haps willingness to accept Office as an over
seer or inspector of asylums for the insane,
with the prestige which attaches to philan-
thropist and the salary which is the tangible
reward of the place.
THROUGH THE EYE TO THE HEART, EYE-TKACH
ING IN THE SUNDAY SCHOOL. By Rev. W. F.
Crafts. New York; Nelson s. Phillips.
An ingeniously undesirable work, full of al
sorts of tasteless devices for impressing religi.
GUS ideas by means of fantastic drawings on
blackboard. There is q sensationalism, vul-
garity and coarseness in its methods that rem
der it most unfit for Sunday school teaching in
spite of its good intention. II is q sort of in
struction that startles and excites child with
out doing much good; it tends to that over
familiarity, which proverbially leads to con-
tempt, for religious matters; and its elaborate
drawings would confuse the pupils ideas beside
utterly spelling whatever artistic feeling they
might naturally have. In brief, it Is an ex-
ceedngly disagreeable, repulsive book-totally
unfit for the purpose for which it is designed.
POEMS OF PLACES. France. Vols. and II. Ed
tied by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Boston:
J.R. Osgood s. Co. Portland: Loring, Short 8
Harmon.
These volumes are particularly interesting
| from the variety of poets that they represent,
and the beauty of the selections. Some Of Miss
| Preston's translations from the Provencsl have
| an honorable place. One misses little the
ballads of chivalry, aud the poems upon me-
| diaval subjects which the modern school OF
English poets supply-but it is ungracious to
question Mr.. Longfeilow's selection, which
| bowever appears to neglect a little the re-