The Portland daily press., 1877-12-22

| Single Famous Poems, edited by Rosster
johnson, New York: Henry Holt & Co.
Portland: Loring, Short & Harmony contains
great number of poems which have taken
strong hold of popular fancy, and which were
written by men and women not eminent as
poets, so that they are represented by no vol
ume OF collected writings. Every one will find
10 tnls volume some poems which have pleased
him and which he will be grateful to Mr.. John
son for preserving from the temporary crcula.
tion which ends in oblivion. The volume is
tasteful in appearance, with full-glt edges.
Poems by Mrs. Louise Chandler Moulton
lBoston: Roberts Brothers; Portland Loring,
Short q Harmonds dainty volume of musical
poems. Mrs. Moulton's verse is delicate, brill
liant and abounds in rich aud often elaborate
musical effe Its. 1t is occasionally too sad to be
wholly healthful; but the exquisite finish of
| some of her saddest songs leads one to the hope
and belief that the grief ia an artistic assump-
ton and requires less sympathy and condolences
than admiration OF its dramatic beauty. Mrs.
moulton combines graceful, womanly and
tender feeling with color and beauty Of design;
and with a genuine sense of the music Of
words.
Miss Blanche Howard's favorite work, One
Summer, is published by Messrs. j. r. Osgood
20. as holiday volume in snmmer-like dress
| OF green and gold, with illustrations by Hop
pin. The story itself is too well known and
| liked to need description; the illustrations are
rather spirited but careless aud scratehy 10
manner; and really lessen the readers pleas
ure by the disappointing portraits they give of
the hero and heroine who,-left to imagina-
ton-would take on whatever brave and lovely
| aspect best pleased the readers fancy-but
whom Mr.. Hoppin depicts as the commonplace
young man and woman Of the period and not
| favorable specimens of their kind.
Cherry Ripe, by the author OF Comiu' thro'
the Rye New York: d. Appleton & Co., Port
land: Bailey & Noyes) is an extraordinarily
beautiful novel; written with sustained power,
brilliant and fervid Imagination. and poetic
choice of words. The story is one of absorb
| ing interest; it has the charm Of French ro-
nance without its undesirable qualities; and
the characters are original and exceedingly
we'll done. 1t is one of the best works of fiction
| that have appeared for long time; and its
highly artistic manner is worthy of great
praise. The illustrations by Mr. @. s. Rein
hart are graceful and very attractive.
Our Artist in Cuba is bright little volume of
characteristic sketches of that locality. drawn
and commented upon by Mr. G.. w. Carleton,
the publisher. The sketches are very bright
and funny and full of suggestion and spirit;
the odd little chicken, that Mr. Carleton has
elected as his sign-manual, peeps from the cor
ner of seach page with intelligent interest. 1t
is very amusing souvenir of Cuba and con-
veys lively idea of the place in easily dis
| counted burlesque. cortland: Bailey & Moves.
That Young Man Boston: N. Fl. Whitney
/ q co., is another of the wearisome series in
troduced with the expletive that" and tempt
ing the reader to throw them aside with exple-
tives more decided in tendency. The inten-
ton of the book is good, but its exposition of
the way to make money by trickery Is more
lively and impressive than the excellent SER
mon with which it closes, setting forth the
folly of such ways TO we alth.
The Sarcasm of Destiny, by NJ. e. W. S.
Is not the tragic caterwaul against Fate that
| its own name aud the initials which are the
authors nom de plume might imply. 1t is a
society novel, fairly well written and of very
| good tone. 1t has variety and interest and
will give pleasure to many readers, who will
be agreeably disappointed in its unaffected and
| good style. New York: d. Appleton & Co..
Portland: Bailev sz Moves