The Portland daily press., 1877-04-07
Recent Publications.

quered a new Napoleon. TRAMP
Recent Publications.
The APOLOGIES OF JUSTIN MARTYR. To which
is appended the Epistle to Dognetus. With In
PRODUCTION and Notes by B. L. Giderseeve. New
York: Harper q Brothers. For sale by Loring,
Short & Harmon.
To the excellent series of Christian lGrsek
and Latin Writer'S the Harpers have added the
Apologies of Justin Martyr, edited with his
torical and grammatical notes by Prof. Glider
sleeve of the Johns Hopkins University.
Justin, philosopher and martyr, was born in
Samaria at the beginning of the secoEd CEN
tury, and was of the stock of the Greek colony
sent to Sichem by Vespasian. As soon as be
came to years of understanding he betook him
self to the study of philosophy. After studying
with S.oics, Psripatetics and Pythagorsans,
and finding himself ill-pleased with them all,
he became Platonist, and eagerly acquired the
wealth of new thought that lay In that system,
hoping in short time to become so wise as to
see God, the goal of Piatonic philosophy But
one day, he tells US, as he wandered by the sea-
side brooding over the mysteries of his creed,
he met a venerable man who taught him how
to find the true God. His conversion appears
to have been as electric as that of Saul and
theologians consider it quite as miraculous
some contending that the venerable stranger
was an angel, Others. that he was st. John risen
from the dead. The weight of authority is
in favor of the angelic theory. But however
that may be the conversion was lasting, and
Justin labored earnestly for the new faith to
ma tvrdo To A.
think it needful to discard the old learning, and
wore his philosophers mantle all his life. In
deed his training in the ancient schools was tho
secret OF his success as missionary, for it had
given him deep insight into the nature of
Hellenism and taught him how best to meet
and overcome the arguments of the apologlsts
of the gods. His work was mainly polemic
and apologetic, and the treatises which bear
his name hold loft7 place among the remains
of the fathers.
In the front rank of his works stand the two
Apologies, so excelently edited in the volume
under consideration. The First Apology is
noble appeal for liberty of conscience, manly
protest against the punishment of Christians ~
Christians, lofty vindcation of the character
of the Christian religion. The Second or Lesser
enemies of Christianity and gives the reasons
why Christians complained of persecution, why
God did not interfere to deliver His people. To
the Apologies is added in this volume the Epis-
tie to Diognetus letter clearly not Justin's
the scholars hold, but still a treatise Of great
repute in the Patistric remains. The value
of this edition is greatly enhanced by the
brilliant and instructive Introduction, giving
highly interesting sketch of the Christianity of
Justin's time, which Prof. Gidersleeve fur
nishes.
THE GOLDEN BUTTERFLY. BY the authors Of
Ready-Money Mortiboy, etc., etc. New York:
| Harper q Brothers. Portland: Loing, Short &
Harmon.
This is remarkably bright and well. written
novel, and combines the refined, practisei and
easy tone of good English fiction with breadth
and richness of humor distinctivey American
in its manifestations Moreover, it il de-
| cided advance upon the former works Of the
authors, in construction and characters, but
| especially in the freer and less exaggerated
| types that it represents. The hero of the story
not indeed its jeune premier, but the person.
age whose fortunes are the turning-point of
the actioh-is an American, Mr. Giiead P.
Beck, who has come to London to spend fab
| ulous fortune which has bubbled up for his be-
hoof in the liquid gold, vainly sought by the
| old alchemists and which we know IS petro-
| leum. Bot in this character of Mr.. Gilead P.
Beck are the skill, moderation and apprecia-
tive insight of the writer's displayed, which
| give this novel its marked merit. Mr.. Beck il
l d genuine American, not caricature; some
i forI &C oIla,- -
no means insisted upon; Lis humor is of the
| serious, unlimited species that so perplexes
those unused to it; his desire for cultivation
| and the refinements that his money can pro-
| cure, his eagerness, wholly without vanity, to
| meet the eminent men of literature and art;
| his stad, suitable and decorous demeanor, and
i the touch of poetic impulse which leads him 10
| keep the Golden Butterfly as q talisman-su
Iorm rounded, distinctly drawn portrait of an
American, and one highly creditable to the in
sight and.delineation of the authors. The pro-
logue, sketch OF deserted mining town, Is
good. The artistic twins are worthy of Dick
ems. Agatha is lightly outlined, but with deli
l cate and clear touch. Jack is a very agreeable
character, generous, tender and whole-souled.
The heroine, Phillis, is very sweet and fresh,
1 tnougn her pecurar educatlon' anu INC Will VI
her guardian, according to the terms OF which
she has been brought up, are rather unnatural.
| A return to the subject of Mr.. Gilead P. Beck
must be pardoned-to direct the readers atten-
tion to his account of his experiences as editor
in a fighting community, experiences which
were an episode among many, including nearly
every employment to which an honest Ameri-
| can can turn his hand.
| MY LADY HELP, AND WHAT SHE TAUGHT ME.
BY Mrs, Warren. Boston; Loring; Portland:
Loring Short & Harmon.
! Experimental domestic economy. As Sc forth
| in print always has an interest for those who
have contended more or less successfully with
the difficulties described, though not perhaps re-
warded by the perfection reached BY the pains
taking housewife of fiction. This little book
that, under very slight disguise OF . story,