The Portland daily press., 1877-03-23
Magazine Notices,

HdrpefS magazine for April is laden with
even more than its accustomed variety of in
structive and entertaining matter. The lead
ing article, by Harriet Prescott Spofford, is an.
eloquent history of Renaissance Decoration, as
applied to furniture, illustrated with twenty
one superb engravipgs
DR.. A. l.. Gilhon concludes his illustrated
paper on the Atlantic Islands. Mary Treat
contributes one of her chapters of gossip
about birds. in another illustrated article In
Shoemaker and Naturalist also illustrated
s. s. Canant gives US a charming narrative
of the adventures or Thomas Edward, a Scotch
naturalist, and the subject of a recent bioara-
ply by Smiles. DR.. John w. Draper continues
his very interesting description of remarkable
experiments made by him. The experiments
are fully illustrated. In Fiction this number is
one of marked interest. Besides 4 Woman.
Halter and Erema, there are four excellent
short stories by John Esten Cooke, A. P. c.,
T. L. Mccarthy and Rebecca Harding Davis.
Henry w. Longfellow contributes poem en-
titled Vittoria Colonna. Elizabeth Stuart
Phelps is the author of another poem, entitled
A Song of the Garden.
Anna G. Bracket, in brief but vigorous
article, makes a strong plea for the Liberal
Education of Women; and Edward Rowland,
in an able paper traces the development in our
Public Libraries.
The fifth and sixth numbers of Mrs Martha
j. LAMBS History Of Ne,o York, have been re-
ceived from the publishers, A. S. Barnes and
Company, New York. They evince the same
careful research and skill in narration which
characterized the earlier numbers, and are of
great interest to all who take pleasure in our
earlier history. Here are some data which
make us appreciate the difference between then
and now in New York. Thus in June. 1896.
occurred the first opening of Nassau street,
which was then known as ''the street that run
by the piewoman's leading to the city COM
MONS" the land alongside of which was given
to Tennis De Kay. the petitioner, for the privil-
eye of making a cartway, as compensation
for his labor, About the same time the corpo-
ration of the city of New York appropriated
the first dollar ever expended upon the clean
ing of the streets. 1t is curious to know that
EGO was the limit Of the sum set apart for this
purpose In the spring of the next year, 1897,
the streets of the city were first lighted and the
way in which this was done appears in this
decree issued by the corporation: 'The board
taking into consideration the great inconven-
fence that attends this city for want of lights in
the dark time of the moon in the winter season,
it is therefore ordered that the housekeepers of
the city shall put out lights in the following
manner, viz: every seventh house shall cause
lantern with candle in it to be hung out on
a pole, the charges to be betrayed equally by
the inhabitants of the said seven houses"
The establishment of the first night watch
illustrates also the primitive condition of
affairs in New York. -Four good and honest
inhabitants of the city shall be appointed
whose duty it shall be to watch in the night
time, from the hour of nine in the evening till
break of day, until the 25:h of March next;
and to 60 round the city each hour of the night
with bell to proclaim the season of the
weather and the hour of the night
Wide A,cake for April gives three graceful
contributions to Easter literature, The Easter
Festival, by j. Newton Perkins, A Love Les
son, by Mrs. Burten with an exquisite illustra.
ton, and A Story Re-told, poem by Miss
Poullson with two dainty pictures Elizabeth
Stuart Phelps contributes one of her finest
poems, At the Party, finely illustrated by Miss
Humphrey. Miss Farman has a funny piece
of verse entitled Mammals Spring Story &C
companied by lovely naorceau of picture.
The long stories Of the number are evidently
designed to captiyate the boys. Quinnebasset
Girls, the serial by Sophie May deepens in in
terest. The Fourth Adventure of Miltiades
Peterkin Paul, in which he loses his dinner, is
capital. Mrs. Helen Tracy Myers gives valu-
able paper relative to Sweeping the Carpet.
But the chief feature, to the little boys and
girls all over the country, subscribers and nom
subscribers to Vide Aacake, is the article en-
titled The Society of Wide Awake Helpers.
This Society arranged the Boston Dolls Fair
last season, and in this article their work for
1877 is laid out with rules and prize-list.
d. Lothrop & Co., Publishers, Boston.