The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-12-28
SATURDAY MORNING. DECEMBER 20.

ley was in the House of Representatives of
Massachusetts but crushing reply to his elab-
crate report as Chairman of the Committee on
Education, cured hm-happily fer himself-of
any desire for political promotion In MassAchu-
setts. His second novel, Merry Mount, was
better than his first. Founded On history, 1t
showed the true bent of his talent. In friendly
emulation of Mr. Prescotts contemporary
work, he next wrote the history of the Con-
quest of Mexico. His relations at this time
with Mr. Prescott do great honor to the fine
temper and mind Of both historians. Mr. Mot
ley visited Europe again for the benefit of his
"Dntch Rspublic;'' and crossed the water sew
eral times after this. His History of the Meth
erlands WAS published in 1859, and was hailed
with acolsmations by the reviewers. In these
serious tasks DR.. Holiness insight fails not to
recognize the impulsive sprite of Motlsy's
youth-as he elegantly says: "Just enough to
remind me of those perilous shadows Of his
early Tina through which his richly freishted
argosy had passed with such wonderful escape
from their dangers and such very slight marks
Of injury. Motley's wit must have had hard
time of 1t struggling to show its spapgles in the
procession while his gorgeous tragedies went
sweeping by" AT the time of our civil war
Mr.. Motley wrste two powerful letters to the
London Times, in which he explained at length
the immense issues of the struggle. His grief
at the death of Abraham Lincoln was great,
and strongly expressed. He wrote to DR..
Holmes ut the close Of q long letter: III wish
could bore you about something else but Amer
lean politics. But there is nothing else north
thinking of in the world'' MIR. Motley was
twice forced to resign his office; once on &C
count of violent letter written by Mr.. Seward
at the direction of the President, Andrew john
son, and inspired by coarse and practically
anonymous letter received by Mr.. johnson,
purporting to come from one McCrackin, of
New York, at the time resident in Paris. In
1869 President Grant appointed Mr.. Motley
to the EDglish mission. On account of some
expressions in regard to the Alabama claim it
was suggested to him that he tender his resig-
nation, but, declining to do this. he
called His next aud last great literary work
was John of Barneveld, which was the occs-
sion of fresh words of admiration from the ar
nv of reviewers. In 1874 Mr.. Motley's wife
died. In 1875 he returned for the last time to
America; and died In 1877. For sole inscrip-
ton on his gravestone, with the dates of his
birth and death, be chose this yyt: In God
is light, and In him is no darkness at all. In a
brilliant and able chapter DR.. Holmes sums up
the traits Of Motey's life and character, and an
appendix contains many valuable particulars.
Social Etiquette in New York is the title of
sensible and refined manual of etiquette New
York D. Appleton & Co; Portland: Dresser &
McLellan). 1t is the best work of its kind that
hs~ Of lioho nd NIT
the gratifying ssumption-usually neglected
in behavior books-that the reader has been
decently brought up, and has average intelli-
gence. 1t is very valuable as guide, espec.
tally to certain points of conventional ETH
quette which society In large city finds nee
sssary. The Diary of Woman, is a novel of
pure tendency and interesting delineation
translated from the French of Octave Feuillet
New York: ID. Appleton & Co.; Portland:
Dresser & McLellan). Two more volumes are
published of Mr.. LongfeloW's Poems of Place
and are devoted to poems of New England,
Its scenery and associations. Naturally Port
land people will turn to the poems of their own
place-represented by MI. Longfellow's favor
tie and familiar My Lost Youth; his graceful
contribution to the Fair of the Maine General
Akers Aliens fine poem, with its true elegiac
cadence, In Fessenden's Garden. Many nota-
bic poems are included IN these volumes. APP
ple-Blossoms, the volume of poems by the two
little girls, Elaine and Dora Goodale New
York: G. P Putnams Sons: Portland: Loriug,
Short & Hsrmon) is certainly quite a remark
able work for SO young writers. Dora's poems
are Of greater average merit than those OF
Elaine; they are fresher and somewhat more
childlike. The two portraits show bright and
thoughtful child-faces, healthful too-wbich is
pleasant thing to see. The little girls have
uncommon facility in language and think and
express as grown persons would. Sometimes
their verses seem as if they had read overmuch
poetry, and are beyond the line of feeling natu-
raj to a child. OF course it is difficult not to
encourage such decided talent and of so early
development; but it seems as though the home
atmosphere OF SKY Farm must be something
overcharged with literary electricity; and the
precocitJ of these two children is both interest,"
ing and little pitiful. Some Of their poems
would do credit to older poets; others again are
almost unpleasant in their DOMINIC of grown
mp emotion and language. Certainly these
little girls hsvs fine possibilities, and it is to
be hoped that wholesome and judicious care
will prevent them from the usual collapse Of
youthful prodigies. Meg, Pastoral, and other
Poems, by Mrs. Zadel Barnes Gustaf-
son Boston: Lee s. Shepard; Portland: Hall
L. Davis) are collected from the pages of vari-
Gus magazines, and are flowing in rhythm and
graceful in fancy. Tue Children's Night is
remarkably pretty fairy tale. In her lighter
verse Mrs. Gustafson is at her best. The poem
70 Bryant is injured by over-frequent reference
TO and quotation from his works-which give
1t too neatly complimentary q quality. These
poems are refined and agreeable and betray no
effort or difficulty in composition. The b.
hemian, story by Mr.. Charles DsKsy New
York: Scribner; Portland: Loring, Short &
Harmony is disagreeable in design aud style,
leaving an unpleasant impression after it, and
having no literary merit to have given it the
distinction of print. The Leaven worth Case,
By Anna Katharine Green New York: 6. P.
Putnam's Sons; Portland: Loring, Short &
Harmony is highly wrought story OF detec-
tive management In q murder case. Three
more volumes of the inexhaustibie Haif-Hour
series Of Messrs. Harper portland: Loring,
Short q Harmony contain Christmas Stories by
Mary Cecil Hay, E. W. Robinson and Justin
MCCARTHY; Twas in Trafalgar Bay, by Messrs.
Besant and Rice; and The Sorrow of Secret,
by Mary Cecil Hay. As might be expected,
all these are well written and enjoyable.
Messrs. Harper add to their franklin Square
Library Miss YoDgs's Christians and Moors of
Spain; The Irish Bar, comprising much inter-
esting information and many good anecdotes,
edited by j. Roderick O'Flsnagau: Elinor
Dryden, novel BY Katharine S. Macquoid !;
and Light and Shade, story of Irish life, BY
Charlotte G. OBrien. These volumes are for
sale by Loring, Short & Harmon. Clarks's
Harmonic School for the Organ Boston
Oliver Ditson; Portland: Stockbridge) is a
well arranged and instructive work. The
theory of music is fairly we'll developed, with
some obscurity as to the chords of the so-caJied
extreme sharp sixth, and diminished seventh
which offer great difficulty to the theorist who
insists that they shall range themselves in
rank and file with the docile and we'll behaved
trlads and chords of the seventh. The manual
practice is good, aud the selections are notably