The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-05-26
Recent Publications.

'ehieut nandDookS relating to the Eastern
question issued by the Osgood publishing
house. The history is<aan entertaining sketch
OF the origin and growth of the empire, and a
tolerably COED outline account of Russian gov
ernment from the days Of Rurik to the days of
Alexander. Rather more attention is paid to
the gossipy siGe of the story than to affairs of
state Thus in the ten page account of Gather
crime Ii. SIX pages are devoted to the To-
mantle story of the Princess Tarrakanoff
while the partition of Poland is dismissed with
line This inclination to personal gossip on
the part of the writer however makes the book
more entertaining; and the result is perhaps a
more striking picture..of the sombre despotism
of the Cars than would be conveyed by the
strict historical method.
The clearest, fullest and in all respects bss t
description of "the lay of the land" for which
Ottoman and Muscovite are now contending is
furnished In brochure entitled The Northern
and Asiastic Defenses of Turkey New York:
D. Appleton. Portland: Bailey & Noyes.)
One can get from its pages an excellent idea of
the topography of Turkey, and its defenses, the
position of the armies and their probable move
ments, and with the aid of the excellent maps in
the pamphlet, follow understandipgly the tele-
graphic accounts of the conflict. The descrip-
tion of the military resources of the combatant,
is also very convenient for reference.
The frequent mention of the scientific results
obtained by the voyage around the world of the
British steamer Challenger, (Cruise of the
Challenger, by W. j. j. Spry. New York
Harpers. Portland: Loripg, Shnrt & Har-
mon.) has made the name familiar to the pub
lie. The author of the present work, who was
chief assistant in the engineering department,
gives narrative of the voyage, sketching the
interesting events and describing the places
visited. not forgetting the scientific discoveries
which were made, much in the manner of the
old navigators whose adventures interested our
grandfathers. In their visit to the Antarctic
Ocean they made search for the continent de-
scrbed by Wilkes, but though they came with
in fifteen miles of its position it could not be
found. Capt Mares was in command, the man
who could not find the open polar sea, which
may account for the loss of that continent
which nevertheless must be there somewhere,
or the innumerable icebergs could not be
formed; still there is another geographical
NOocs AO4 SWAMI AotuiO SCoSidPhiOoi CApCuitlOu
to settle. The ease and comfort with which
this voyage was made shows as striking con-
trast to the old narrative. as do some of the
places visited where great cities have grown up
on what was then wilderness
G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, publish an
illustrated catalogue of the annual exhibition
of the National Academy of Design.
The illustrations are, with very few exceptions,
fac-smilies, by the photo plate engraving pro-
cess of sketches by the artists themselves, and
though rather suggestive than beautiful are in
teresting in treatment, and as forming sort of
connecting link between the picture as it first
appeared in the fancy of the painter and its
later translation into finished and technical ex-
preston. The catalogue is for sale by Messrs
Loring, Short & Harmon.
Messrs. James R. Osgood & Co. have added
to the volumes already published in their Vest
Pocket Series, Emerson's "Books, Art, Elc-
quence" and Success, Greatness. SC. thus
including much wisdom in little space The
readers of Mr.. Emersons writings are already
familiar with these essays; and the convenient
and attractive form of the vest pocket library
will Induce many to an interest in these vol
umes, who might otherwise have dstrusted
their capacity to enjoy his phlosophic thought.
(For sale by Loring Short s, Harmony
The Burning of the Convent, Boston: ]. r
Osgood & Co., Portland: Loring Short & Har-
mon) is an unique little work. 1t is story of
the burning of the Ursuline School in Charles
town, Mass, August II, 1S34-told with vivid
ness simplicity and interesting detail, by Mrs.
Louisa Whitney who was at tie time q
little scholar at the convent. The most re-
markable quality of the book is the entire
truth of its representation of child's under
standing of events-to the little girl her wax
doll Claribsl, left to melt 10 the
convent, was as real a parsonage as the Abbess
or as the leaders of the mob that fred the
building. Indeed the very catastrophe itself
seemed to the little girl as an appointed means
for her rescue from homesickness, and her
heroism was Inspired by the longing for her
mother her sister, and even her yellow
kitten. Apart from this really remarkable
dramatic quality, the events narrated form a
curious passage in the history of Massachu
sets.
Sorrento and Inlaid Work, by Arthur Hope,
(Chicago: John Wilkinson & Co. is very
pleasant and practical guide for amateurs in
the fWorite art of scroll-sawing. Beside many
valuable hints in regard to preparing the wood,
glue, the use of veneers, of sandpaper &c., it
contains number of tasteful designs for cas-
els, frames and brackets, some pretty silhou.
ettss in the well-known style Of Paul Konewka,
and an ingenious and fantastic alphabet. Those
interested in Sorrento work will find Mr.
Hopes book exceedingly valuable as an aid.
After Many Day, by Christian Reid author
of A Question of Honor, Morton House, &C.,
(New York: d. Appleton & Co. Portland
Bailey & Noyss) is refined aud very well
written novel. The writer displays the power,
grace aud sustained interest which she has
work from her pen.
Mr.. A. Bronson Alcott's Table Talk Boston,
Roberts Bros. Portland Loring, Short &
Harmony is volume not easy to comment
upon. Orphic utterancss are Of slippery ma
ture, and none but the independent Journal
ist' could fifty follow and translate the vary
ing and contradictory sayings with which the
overwi5e bewilder the seeker after an oracle.
There is vagueuess of phrase, corresponding
oracular rumbling of thought that bswilders
the practical person unused to tripods; and the
utterances seem to be of that kind which no.
body can deny, on account of lack of definite
knowledge of what they assert Again, that
which comforts the Bostonian intellect may
seem inuutritious to thinkers in less favored
districts. Perhaps after all, the most forcible
proof of the oldtlme Sibyps wisdom was the
practical manner in which she recognized the
fact that the mora of her utterances that were
lost to the world the greater the worth of those
that remained. Mr. Alcott's Table Talk seem
as il designed to beguile the vegetarians o
some harmless community above the impres
sion that poor humanity cannot but receive,
that graham biscuit are dry, and that whatever
of mental darkness was the portion of Egypt
its feshpots had attractions. In brief this
autocrat of the breakfast tabls is to the genial
writer of the essays familiar under that title as
"Boston crackers to mothers gingerbread"
Thus the subject may be stated to the average
mind.
Notes and Announcements.
Tennyson is said to be engaged upon another
drama.
Scribner &y Go have in press Shake speare-