The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-09-15
Notes and Announcement nts.

EranclS Oerry calrnelu Calls Joaquin MlHer
'The Epic Poet of the Wigwam."
Somebody writes to the Library Journal
about recent catalogue of antiquarian books,
that placed the "Frogs" of Aristophanes under
the head of natural history-class, reptiles.
The Jews and their Prosecutors is the titls of
forthcoming volume by Eugene Lawrence, to
be included by Harper s. Brothers in their
Half Hour series.
The news comes by way Of the English Ex-
aminer that San Francisco Divine has pub
iished small volume entitled, The Devil; Can
He be Converted?
Mr.. William Young, formerly editor of the
New York Albion, and now in Paris, has writ
ten blank verse play on the subject of Co
rinne, Madame de Staels well-known work,
which he hopes to have produced in America.
Says the Worcester Press: If you want TO
get up reputation as poet prepare poem
that will look like pair of stairs and call il
"Only"-only baby, or cold potato, or any
inconssquential article.
The Russian novelist Tourgueneff is still wor-
rying the Contributors to the Club in the Octo-
ber Atlantic. They have given up trying to
epoll Ills uduo, put aIo uaIu at Worh lihlug uis
stories.
Matthew Hale Smith, the inveterate chiffon
ier, calls his book about Europe, "Chowchow," /"
and his capacity for chepping language into
chips, and contributing nothing to human nour-
ishment, makes the title well chosen.
Mr.. Longfellow contribute a poem called
Haroun al Raschid, to St. Nicholas for October,
and Donald G. Mitchell ok Marvel) will write
of Madame Coffin, the author of that charm
ing old story, Elizabeth, or the Exiles of Sibe-
ria.
Parts and of Mrs. Martha j. Lambs
"Ristory of the City of New York. continues
the narrative from the year 1868 to
1851 is richly illustrated, and is in itself addi-
tional proof of the authors industry and abil-
ity.-Published by A s. Barnes, New York.
This month j. r. Osgood s. Co. publish
Household Education. by Harriet Martineau;
Que Year Abroad, by Miss Howard, whose One
Summer is now winning European reputation,
and Few editions of John James Piatt's West
ern Windows and Landmarks and Other Po-
ems-volumes which have been very kindly re-
ceived in this country and In England.
The new household edition of DR.. Holiness
poems soon to be published by James r. Os-
good 8 Co. will be the only complete collection
Of his verses. He has rearranged the poems,
placing them in their proper order for the first
time, instead Of. adopting the slightly hap
hazard arrangement of former editions. The
general style of Osgood's household editions is
too well known to need description.
The Russian novelist Tourgueneff is the
worst abused man Of the day as regards his
name. Yet Scribner's Monthly few years ago,
in adopting the spelling we use above, stated
that it was by the authority of Tourgeneff him.
self,-which ought to be enough. Readers will
also take notice that the accent is required by
the Russian language to be placed on the Sec
ond syllable.
Swinburne has taken to novel-writing; his
first attempt beginning In the London Taller,
under the title, "a Years Letters; by Mrs.
Horace Manners" Its opening chapters con-
sist of a "letter to the author" being piece Of
tremendously heavy irony on British morality;
and of prologue relating who "Lord Cheyns"
was-this parsonage being apparently the des-
tined hero
Mrs. Harriet Prescott Spofford is busy re-
vising her Harper papers on household art, for
publication in a sumptuous volume on Art Ap-
piled to Household Furniture, which Harper
& Brothers will publish, it is hoped,
before the holidays. This, with Col. Nichols's
Art Education, and Mr.. Benjamin's Contem-
porary Art will make an interesting trio of art
books in uniform style.
"Togas and Toggery is the title of Clarence
Cooks forthcoming Scribner paper on dress,
which will be finely illustrated. Mr.. Cook has
become a thorough disciple of Herr Tenfels-
drockh; he says: "Clothes seem to 60 hand in
hand with mans development as a social being
and every high-tide in civilization has been
marked by great inventiveness, splendor and
even luxury in dress
In Scribner's Monthly for October will be
published paper by George S. Merriam enti-
tied Christianity and Free Thought, in which
he traces the growth of Christianity away
from the simplicity of its founder, and dis
cusses the substitution (as he says) of other
tests of fellowship than that of right conduct.
A curious comparison is made between Mr..
Moody and John Henry Newman, and alto
gether the paper is said to be one that will
awaken attention and discussion.
John Burroughs is appreciated in England,
American flavor and all, and indeed could hard
ly escape recognition in the land of Gilbert
White of Selbourne. Says the London Academy
of his "Birds and Poets:' "'See, the smell OF
my son is as the smell of field which the Lord
hath blessed'-such ought to be the text for a
review of this little volume of essays. Those
will love it who love the eartb its genialty, its
sanity, its joyousness its simplicity, its tender
ness"
A Modern Mephistopheles meets various
judgment. Mr.. E. d. Burlingame lin the
North Amercan) admires it as ''a fresh
and dainty fantasy" whereas the Pail
Mall Gazette e,-attributing the book to
woman, and apparently not sus-
pecting it being Observation-Disclosures it in a
long critiques beginning ''this is one of those
dreary works in which the sense, whatever
little there may be of it, is so hidden away in
floods of nonsense that it is only with the
greatest difficulty discovered by the reader."
The three "wittiest Boston sayings" which
DR.. Holmes referred to in his memorial speech
of Motley,-ths Literary World learns were
enooo'-A' uAAs uAOticJ .. 0No 10 tho AuAo-
ries of life and we will dispense with its neces-
saries." Votaire has said somewhere that
the luxuries of life are its necessares; phil.
osophlcal remark which may possibly have
suggested the witty paradox of Mr.. Motley.
2. Mr.. 7. G. Appleton's: "Good Bostonians,
when they die, go to Paris" 3--'After all,
the feeling that she is well dressed brings a
peace of mind to woman which religion can
not give" But who was the author of the
third?
Mr.. Pierce's "Memoir and Letters of Charles
Sumner" will probably be issued by Roberts
some time in October. Lee s. Shepard, who
publish Summers works, will issue another vol
ume this autumn, and will eventually publish a
life of Sumner in single volume. The life OF
Gerrit Smith by Mr.. rockingham will be pub
lished by Putnam in the early winter. The