The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-07-21
Recent Publications.


found story of some originality and power, ,evi-
denoing genuine talent which is not, however,
precisely the literary gift, and which would per-
haps develope itself to more advantage in some
other branch of art. 1t is Enthusiastically a
Boston work. there Is a tendency to Latin quo
tations and abstract terms, and curious heav-
iness of expression at times, together with
keen and strong Ithought. The writer evident
ly wishes to show her dsapprovSl of the ten
dency to overgrown diction which is the snare
spread in the way of the Bostonian, in a lively
sketch Of miss, Corinna Guilty." but lapses
into the following remarkable sentence. on her
own responsibility: Immediately black-winged
Nemesis, sweeping from the clouds, poured the
jelly of irresolution into the fatal mould of
will" Comment 10 unnecessary, except to sug-
gest to Fate that sweeping should be deferred
urtil the jelly is removed from the incident
dust. Nimport contains various attempts,
more or less successful, to portray strong, &C.
centric and even tragic character. On the
whole, the readers impression will be that the
author has probably done better work in other
departments. and with practise will gain ease,
cearness and proportion in the literary work
for which she proves good degree Of talent,
among whose fortunate qualities is surely in
cluded that of holding the readers interest
throughout, and giving an impression of earnest
and sincere work. Nimport (n'importe) is
witty nom de plume for Bos.on-on the princi-
pie that ''what is mind is no NATTER
Mrs. Ross Chorch-better known by her
maiden name of Florence Marryatt-is the au-
thor of new and interesting novel which she
names Harvest of Wild Oats (New York: G.
w. Carleton; Portland: Bailey & NOyes); like
the previous works of the same author, 1t is
well written, dramatic, and shows knowledge of
English social life; The plot is we'll managed: ::
though the really excellent intention of the
story is msrred by the calm manner in
in which the sowing of the unhappy crop in
dicated by the title, is passed over as natural
and mott enough to have effectually removed
the sower from his position of hero But the
novel contains much bright and vivid delinea-
tion. and will no doubt be favorte with Flor
ence Marryatt's many readers.
The Mill of st. Herbot, is an idyllic story of
Breton life, by Katherine s. Macquod New
York: Harper Brothers; Portland Loring,
Short & harmony 1t is charmingly told, with
grace. delicate and artistic finish, and freshness
ofldesoription. 1t is series of. pictures of Ia
singularly romantic country, whose people,
simple and naV have the passionate nature of
the South, and retain the old-time customsIand
traditions of their fathers. As a study of
Breton life 1t has genuine vigor and color, as a
story it is pathetic, unaffected and admirably
told.
Mr.. Charles Reade's The Jilt, which like the
novelette, just reviewed. belongs to the Half
Hour Series Of the Messrs. Harper cortland !:
Loring, Short & Harmony is one of Mr.. Rsade's
poorest performances, which is very hard
thing to say of book. Stupidity, and intangi-
bic but very positive coarseness and sensation
alism are the faults of the story; and Its merits
are microscopic.
Heaps of Money, by W. E. Norris New
York: Harper Brothers; Portland Loring,
Short & Harmony Is well told. charming sto-
ry. There is much brightness and freshness in
Its estyle, sand without any sensational or
even exciting incidents there is no lack of in
terest in any chapter. The humor is genial
andlsparkling and not too conspicuous the char
acters are lfelike and skillfullydrawn aud there
isenough of griefs and difficulty to enhance the
pleasure of the reader in the final happiness of
the hero and heroine-not enough to cloud and
mar ones enjoyment or make one fear tragic
ending in ambush behind pleasant pages.
He who has vision Of fair woman shying a
volume of Daniel Deronda across the room in
utter despair of being able to surround the
heavy dlsquisitions on the Jewish question,
and has learned that they were injected by the
authoress as an admiring tribute to the senti-
ments of her husband, will look with sus.
picion upon . very solid-looking volume by
George Henry Lewes, Just received from j. R.
Osgood 8 Co., OF Boston, through Loring,
Short & Harmon, entitled "The Physical Basis
of Mind, being the second series of Problems
Of Life and Mind" and short study of the
book will increase his suspicious to certainty
that George Henrs's thoughts con awful SUBJ
jects roll - The volume contains fc ur ESSAYS
The first is on the Nature of Life. As the au-
thor fully adopts the theory of evolution, and
like Topsy, specs we grewed, he is obliged to
base his argument on the foundation which ''no
feller can find OUT anything about, lon which
Huxley and others are experimenting with dis
puted results, that there really is starting
point Having lifted ourselves by our boot
straps over that fence, we fiud, after long chew
Ing over the subject, that "Life is the sum o.
functions which are the resultants of vitality;
vitality being the sum of the properties of
matter In the state of organization" The argu-
ment by which he gets.at this result Is abstruse
and dark to the unscientiic mind, but this
statement Of it is as clear as crystal. On the
question of evolution he sdiffers from Darwin,
in suggesting that there were many independ-
ent starting points, theory which will get
over several difficulties which he suggests in
relation to the other. Having fully settled that
Life is Vitality and that Vitality is Matter set
buzzing, he goes forward to show where the
intelligence exists which rules and governs this
organized Matter. The second essay is on the
Nervous Mechanism, and is q long and care
fully studied paper, illustrated with anatomical
drawings, in which he attacks the "supersti-
ton Of the nerve-cell." The third is on Animal
Automatism, in which he attempts a psyche
logical solution of that much-debated question,
the relation between body and mind" In the
final essay the Reflex Theory is discussed, and
the opinions of those who deny Sensblity in
reflex actions is combatted from the biologi-
cal point of view. His final conclusion is
THAT the physiological properties of the ner-
vous system are inseparable from every segment
of that system; and the functions are the mani
festation of those properties as determined by
the special organs with the cooperation of ALL"
Mr.. Leves' arguments are logical and the
work is admirably written, but majority of
the people still believe that tie Lord breathes
into tman the breath of life, and are in
clined to think that there is an immortal spirit
within fthat controls and governs the
brain and nervous system. The case is
like ths- Suppose Mr.. Lewes and
some other savants come to Ameri-
ca, and being greatly pleased with one of our
hntAla wiah tn asnartain who In rnananar