The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-11-17

of Sight and Insight is the utteranee of man
whose large possession of these qualities gave
him the hight to speak of them. The lecture
upon Music is notable as the thought and sen-
timent of one who, uuinstruc.e ed in the
technical portion of the art, could yet describe
as he has done, traits of various musicians. A
superb fancy is that in which he says GAN the
verdure of nature is born from the foam of the
sea-" and proceeds TO set forth the vision of
new and purer Aphrodite, a nobler beauty,
mother of heavenly love, double light in air
and wave" That these lectures are especially
alluded to here does not intend to imply that
the others incl1ded in the volume have less of
eloquence or of power; but that from these ex-
amples it was easy to give some idea Of Mr..
Kings style and scope in the brief limits Of
newspaper notice. The preface By Mr.. Il. P.
Whipple is of course digni6ed and most in
telligent setting forth of the gift and work Of
the lamentsd preacher.
Contemporary Art in Europe by S. G. w.
Benjamin New York: Harper Brothers: Port
land: Loring, Short 6 Harmony is very ele-
CANT gift-book for the coming holidays, and is
also exceedingly interesting and valuable as
giving knowledge, sufficiently full for popular
reading aud evidently prepared with care-of
modern painting, its various schools and most
fortunate exponents. 1t is sull of illustrations
which present likenesses Of many artists and
their works; not always very flattering portraits
it must be conceded. The illustrations are very
credtable, however, when it is remembered
that they with the text, are transferred from
the pages of Harpsr's Magazine, where of
course, fine steel engravings are not to be ex-
pected. 1t is one Of the many practical testi-
monies to the worth of such periodicals as
those of tue Mesyrs. Harper, that series Of
articles should, taken precisely as originally
Published, with only the differences Of fine pa
per and binding, at once bscome valu able and
elegant books The style in which these pa
pers upon Modern Art are written, is clear, un-
affected and sufficiently enthusiastic. The
volume is to be highly recommended as giving
fair and agreeable opinions of the painters aud
paintings now before the public.
Christmas Tide (Boston: j. r. Osgood & Co. );
Portland Loring, Short & Harmony is most
tastefully bound volume, containing four favor
ite poems, Whttier's River Path, Longfellow's
Excelsior, Lowel's The Rose, and Aldrich's Ba-
by Bell; illustrated by many of our best artists
and .engrsvers The poemsl themselves are tco
well known to need words Of description; the
Illustrations are numerous and beautiful, and
nothing is spared to form attractive gift-book.
Each poem, with its engravings, is also to be
had in asepsrate volume-so that the purchaser
may, if he can, choose between them.
A Bloekade-Runner By Capt. J. Wilkinson,
of the late Confederate Navy New York:
Sheldon & Co.; Portland: Dresser, Mcclellan
& Coz This is an exceedingly interest
esting account of blockade-running and the
naval doiugs before New Orleans; and is writ
ten with. an evident des Ire for fairness, and
with good temper. 1t belon gs to the literature
of the uDripe millennium which is at present
our national portion; and vigorously expresses
the ardent desire for amity on the part of the
enemies of the government-a desire which
has lately become conspicuous, and might we'll
have been thought of by them in its import
ance eighteen years ago.
What He Cost Her (New York: Harper
Brothers: Portland: Loring, Short & Harmony
is novel by Mr.. James Payn, and s easily and
quite well write H. It's, however, not an agree
able story, and the plot is abrupt wanting in
motive, and highly improbable; while it lacks
commonsense and good healthy moral percep.
tion.
st. Nicholas, dear patton of the children, is
fully represented in the unbounded wealth of
delight contained in the pages of his Organ
the st. Nicholas Magazine, Published by
Messrs. Scribner of New York. 1t is the very
paradise of young readers; it is full of delight
ful stories for little people-bs they adventur-
GUS youth to whom the sea calls in its resistless
monotonous song; or demure little maidens
with motherly love and housewifely care, open
ing like rosebud in ths warm atmosphere of
home, and the pressure of responsibility for a
happy family of dolls and kittens; there are
stories in little words and big letters, so that
wee ones may taste the joy of reading for
themselves; poems to light thoughtful eyes
of the older girls, and delicious giles for the
sleeping aud wakiog of. the babies. And pi =
tures!-pictures of the wonders of laud and
sea; of animals and plants and shells and
stars; of little children-sweetest of ALL These
pictures as well as the stories and sketches
which they illustrate, are By the best artists
and writers; nothing is ever admitted into the
fortunate pages of st. Nicho las that is not
choice of its kind, and will not help to form
lovely ideals of what is beautiful and good for
its young readers. Another virtue-a virtue Of
omission, so to SAYS the utter freedom from
goody-ism and the dismal doses Of 'mprove-
ment' that used to be the staple juvenile lit
erature. No infant prodigiss, ripe for college
course and precocous grave at the age of
thrna aaddan ita ad hah
that would lik e, dear mamma to know how
sugar is made" but don't cara to test the re-
sult-in brief, nothing that is unnatural, tedious
or dull ever creeps into the st. Nicholos Maya
zine. Mrs. Dodge, the editor, is lady of very
great literary taste, warm, motherly heart, and
entire sympathy for children. She instinct
lively knows what they want and gives it to
them. From the initial number in 1873 the
magazine has stead lily wos its way into the
homes and affections of little speople and their
parents. Such noted names as sthose of Will
liam Cullen Bryant, Longfellow, Whittier, Bay
ard. Taylor Sidney Lanier, Charles D. Warner,
Christina Rossetti Mrs. Harriet Spofford and
many Others among favorite writer's, and Messrs
Moran, Renhart, Champney, Miss Hallock, Miss
Curtis, Miss Bridges, and recently Mr.. Walter
Crane-as illustrators-are contributors to st.
Nicholas. The entire satisfaction that previous
volumes of this choice magazine have given,
seems only to iucte to greater efforts 10 the
line of perfection: the present Holiday num-
Der contains, in its covers-whieh are adorned
by design by Mr., Walter Crane, who is recog-
nized in England in his quality lof leader of
the present revival of the pictorial art of the
middle sges-the be ginning of serial by Miss
L. M. Alcott, "Under the Lilacs;' the first chap
ters of a story of tropical life, for the boys;
portrait, aud sketch Of the life of Miss
Alcott; poems by two little girls; Play, and
Christmas Carol, for the holidays Ewhen st.
Nicholas is master of thel revels; and many
other rare things. The attractions announced
for the coming year are numerous, and there is
no shadow of doubt that all promises will be
more than fulfilled.
A Journey of an Architect in the North
West of Europe, translated from the French of
Felix Narjoux, by j ohm Peto, is the title of
new book received from j. r. Osgood s. Co.,
through Loring. Short s. Harmon. 1t is pro-
fusely illustrated with phototype engravings,
and is printed from advance sheets. The author