The Portland daily press., 1878-08-17
Recent Publications.

Mr.. Lonefellow, oy means of bis ch ar ming
volumes of Poems of Places, still leads with
singing host of followers around the world.
The latest volumes of the series, three in num-
ber, are descriptive of Asia; one of these
contains poems suggested by the sacred mem
cries of the Holy Land, and the others poems
OF the classic regions of the East, and of the
curious civilizations of India, Japan and China.
Among the choice poems are Bayard Taylor's
superbly lyric Bedouiu Song, selections from
Mr.. Longfellow's Keramos, some charming
songs, translated by Mr.. Stoddard from the
Chinese, and many other fine and notable se-
lections. Mr.. Lopgfellow's beautifully imagined
enterprise constantly proves its worth, in
crowning with poetic expression the places of
tradition and of natural lovelinesJ. Boston:
Houghton & Osgood; PortiaEd: Loring, Short
& Harmony
The Crew of the Sam Weller, by John Hab-
berton New York: G. p. Putnam's Sons;
Portland: Lorng, Short & Harmony is a story
OF fat-3oat life upon the Mississippi river, and
is in the sem'-rehgious and realistic manner Of
Mr.. Haboerton. There is something very
attractive in the earnest and practical way in
his pen; and the tendency to enlarge upon
sectarian points that he sometimes shows, is
not prominent in the present story. A young
man who has been guilty of one of the fash
ionable forms of bank robbery, trying to escape
from justice, hires himself as hand upon
hat-boat. Here good deacon encounters him
and endesvors to lend him some spiritual as
sistance, but is easily overcome hy the ready
and lively tongue of the young man who ar
CUES agsinst right and his inner conscience
with the volubilty aud inaccuracy of green
back advocate The bank defaulter is at last
converted by the simple faith OF an unlettered
woman who pited his evident discomfort, and
made him the subject of her prayers, and re-
turns voluntarily to the scene of his dishonesty
to give himself up to justice. The book Is
lively and readable, containing much matter
for thought.
Agamentcus, by L p Tenney Boston:
Lee & Shepard; Portland: Hoyt Fogg s. Dom
ham) is work of very unique and positive lit
erary quality. 1t is story of old times in
York and Kittery-Agamenticu as that region
was then called-and is made up largely of le-
gends woven together with the thread of the
narrative. Some traits are borrowed from well
known characters of the time, the strange epi-
sode of Handkerchief Moody is brought into
the story and transferred to one of the imagin-
ary characters. The style of the writer is
Strong. of a sharp and rough quality at times,
again delicate and spiritual-but always dis
tinctly New England product, keen hard aud
forceful as an east wind blown across stretches
of pine forest. Mr.. Tenhey's work reminds
the reader very strongly of Margaret" and
other writings of the late Rev. Sylvester Judd.
1t has much of the same individuality, and
grasp of the readers attention; aad whether
or not "Agamenticus' be quite to ones taste
he will not be able to lay it aside with a page
unread.
Mr.. Peter Crewitt Boston: ee s. Shepard)
is another story by the writer of That Hus-
band of Mine, and is impossible in structure
but quite entertaining 1t tries to be Dickens
esque, and succeeds in being jerky and ex-
aggerated-but will do well enough to pass an
idle summer afternoon. A few chapters OF a
companion volume, Nobody's Husband, are
appended by way of an advertisement, which
has a cheap look.
Nobody's Husband (Boston Lee s. Shepard)
is story, rattling, lively and rather common
in style. AT the close of the book are to be
found some pages of Mr. Peer Crewitt; and
the reader is expected to nibbe at the bait thus
held out, and purchase Mr.. Z. C's memoirs.
Books Received.
Jones' Journey TO Paris. With forty ariginal
illustrations Boards, 100 pp., so cents. New Yorki
Scribner & welord. Portand: Bailey s. Noyes.
| Triton,. A Novel. By Edwin Lasseter Bynner
author of "Nimport." Cloth, 4i6 pp., sI.25.
Boston; Lockwood, Brooks& Co. Portland: Bailey
81 Noyes.
Lights of the Old EngIi.h Stage. Hand-Vol-
ume Series. Paper, 225 pp 80 cents. New Yorki