The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-07-13
TERMS $500 PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE

TERMS SS.O'
ton: Estes s. Lauriat; Portland: Loring, Short
& Harmony is novel of Russian society, and
is also brilliant pure and charming. 1t is the
work of a Partisan lady whose feminine traits
are very little disguised by her masculine nom de
pI't'ae. The volume belongs to the Cobweb
Series-but has none of the sinister hold of the
imagination that some of the previous novels
wearing this uniform have possessed. The
fascination of Dosia is powerful, genuine and
legitimate. The heroine is of that most diff
cult class to paint-an ing6nue, capricious and
tender, with the ferocity cf kitten and the
fervor OF woman. How perfectly Henry Gre
Vile has drawn this Ariel-like figure is attested
by the reality which Dosia assumes to the read
or, the love and interest which one feels for
her. Even before she appears in person one
loves her shadow, the charming silhouette that
the recital of her cousin, Pierre Monrief, makes
of Dosia. This Pierre is q noble and honorable
young hero; his friend, Sowrof is more mature,
man of fine and philosophical thought and
sensitive morality; Princess Sophie is the ele-
CANT, sagacious but thoroughly womanly grande
find their ultimate happiness must be learned
from the romance itself. AT present it is
enough to say that Dosia is one of the most
brilliant and delicate novels of the day, in
which the intention of the author has been in
terpreted with entire grace and fidelity by Mrs.
Sherwood, who mast find much greater salts.
faction in so dainty task than in the transla-
tion of the unnecessary and tresome panorama
of vice afforded by the novels of M. Alphonse
Daudet, in which she has, however made
literary success.
In the attractive "Harper's Library of Amer
ican Fiction appears two fresh volumes, both
OF them interesting and of good degree of lit.
erary merit. Mag, q Story of To-day, is a
novel written with purpose, and that most
charitable one-setting forth the degrading in-
fluence of Jail and prison life upon young and
unhardened offenders, who are thus thrown
into the company of those old in crime. With
the story of poor Mag, is contrasted the life of
young girl, rich and petted, who nevertheless,
devotes herself earnestly to the task of better
Ing the condition of the unhappy waif, tossed
about so cruelty by the worl1. The romance of
BERTHE, with its happy conclusion, lights up the
story which might otherwise be too painful. 1t
is thoughtful work, and is written with
brightness, power and good sense. Miriam's
Heritage is the title of the other new volume
of the series and is pleasant story of life near
the Delaware river. The author, Mrs. Alma
Calder, has succeeded in writing an agreeable,
original and life-like novel, which is quite un-
pretentious and will pass away summer after
MI nd. T.ori Gbnr
& Harmon.
Messrs Harper add to their "Franklin Square
Library" series of novels, Henriette, a story of
Paris in the exciting days of 1872. It is written
with brlliance, force and the wide social
knowledge of which M. Ernest Daudet. at his
best, is capable, and it mas the merit of high
tone and sincere quality which have too often
been wanting in his former novels. French pol
tics are romance, are drama, are epic verse by
tunes-it was easy for NJ. Daudet to compose
brilliant novel of which they are theme. The
varied interests of the time and action which
he has chosen to delineate form a complicated
and rich back ground for the lovely and devot-
ed Henriette and the Marquis de Boisguerny,
politician of honor and the most enlightened
fidelity to his France. 1t is novel which will
be of use and interest to men who are in the
midst of our own political affairs-in face of
the communists who wish to parody Paris in
its most terrible phases. Another volume of
the series is Paul Knox, Pitman, a story of the
English coal mining region, by John Berwick
Harwood. 1t is well written with power and
interest," and possesses the earnest quality and
genuine local tone of Mrs. Ohphant's stories,
while it is unmistak ably mans work. 1t is
AMI Myy' Miy'efGflaglIy Gaaflys Fl IGS90a aus sstoEEz
nance by the author of those remarkably
beautiful novels, the San Maid, aud Artistic.
1t is original and charming, with frequent
passages of prose poetry so genuine in quality
and SO wholly without effort that they add
greatly to the pleasure of the reader and to the
worth of the novel. There is a deicacy, q fin
ished and brilliant touch in whatever the author
writes that gives her work place among the
best, "The Franklin Square Series of novels
are to be commended very highly for good
selection, and for the light and convenient
form for snmmer reading. Portland: Loring,
| Short & Harmon.
| Aiiadne, also by Henry Greville, is anony-
mously translated 10 Messrs. Appeton's col
| lection of Foreign Authors. portland: Dres-
ser, Mcclellan & co., 1t is as delicate, as full
| of the genuine gift of the romsncist as is
| Dosia-but the sadness of the story of Ariadne
| denies 10 it the sparkle and delicious atmosphere
| of fortunate gayety that are so powerfully the
| charm of Dosia. In Arisdne is drawn char
| acter that resembles Madame Sands Consuelo,
| the artist soul which receives its inspiration
| from its own womanly essence. 10 contrast to
this is the light wilful nature of Olga, of whose
| selfish thoughtessness Ariadne's grief and
| death are the result. The opening chapters
| are bright and extremely graceful; the catas-
| trophe is impressive and singulaily artistic.
| Ariadne's death is yelled by the cloud that
lures her to the edge of the promontory. She
had the song Of Ssppho, her sorrow and her
rock Henry Gfeville places herself in the
| foremost rank Of French novelists, not less
| by the pure and womanly quality of her work
than by the passion and strength and the ele-
| CANT literary traits of such novels as Ariadne
| and Dosia.
Msericoriia, by Ethel Lynn Linton, is in
debted to Daniel Deronda for its catastrophe,
| wherein the elegant villain is lost out Of a
| sailboat, his wife conssnting However, no
one will feel troubled at the woes of the hero
| heroine, whose conscience is very intermittent,
| but which finally sends her to a nunnery. The
hero is weak decoction of knave and fool
The villain Is to be praised for the liveliest in
| tention to copy Grandcourt, but resembles him
as baby's block might look like the bust Of
| Nero. The second heroine, who is a we'll
dressed ninepin, set up of Fate Gas the author
of the novel would say) to be knocked down by
the tragic prima donna, has much excuse for
her folly, which is more than can be said of the
rest of the personages. The style of the story
| Is easy and some times poetical, but is un-
wholesome and preposterous in design.
| The Handy Volume Series of Messrs. Apple
ton of New York cortland: Dresser, Nc
Lallan s. Co.. promises to be exceedingly pop
ular with summer tourists, for its convenient
size, clear type, and agreeable selection of nov