The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-06-15

(Boston: Houghton, Osgood s. Co.: Portland.
Loring, Short & Harmony which appeared
originally in current numbers of the Atlantic
Monthly in 1871, and is now revised and
somewhat altered by the author, is a yery
bright aud compact story, the promise of which
has not been wholly fulfilled by the authors
later works. Construction, for instance, is
trait that is usually developed by practice; but
in this early work of Mr.. James one finds
plot that has continuity and fair degree of
progressiveness and point, and characters that
belong to the action, and have not apparently
struggled into the book for the purpose of pres
emily taking leave. as one assists at kettle
drum Watch and Ward evidences in Mr.
james share of the genuine gift of the move.
list; gift which he has recently diluted. be-
logged and set wool-gathering in devious
ways according to the Brahmipical school of
Boston fiction, in which nothingness is
the end of all things, and blessed are
the bdSes, and the nihlist is the
novelist. Because the dime novel has slot.
is it necessary that the test of Iefineu,ent in
fiction must be that the curtain shall fall upon
the just and the unjust alike without any specia,
denouenent for anybody? When a man takes
his pen in hand for the telli'ag of a tale. the
reader has right to look for SOM cohesion and
even point to the story-aise it is too much like
the half-recalled anecd .ots that we all know too
well, when the failure of memory must bs
made good by laughter which should have been
called forth II che point of the jest had not been
missing. Watch and Word is a story with a
distlnct beginning, and definite ending, aud
ialriy carried from the one point TO the other
ine style is good with distinc. flavor that be-
longs TO Mr.. Jamess manner; so netimes q
phrase or thought is too palpably conveyed
from the French giving the effect of rather crude
translation. instead of genuine Gallo grace
but Usually there is much liveliness and sparkle
together with many fortunate and telling
toochss. MIR. James is not great novelist as
Certain clique claim-but he is a skillful, ,cley-
er and very interesting writer, who, when he
concentrates his powels upon light, brilliant and
even sabtle work, is effective and happy in his
efforts; but who must beware of affectation. of
the dulling of his analytic gift by the persistent
use OF the faculty of Don.admiration, of dsrs-
gard ofS certain forHas and conventionalities
that exist in the art of the novelist, as in all
other arts; and he should. above all, cultivate
fresh, healthful and natural sympathies, the
opiy key to success in fiction; discard amateur
ishnesses of every kind and know ssParis and
the rest OF the world by actual contact with
men and affairs instead of at secondhand
through romances and the evolutions of fancy.
The Russians of to-day is another volume of
the franklin Square Library series New York:
HARMONY 1t is written by the author of The
Member from Paris, and is vivid and minute
picture of the present social condition of Rus
sia. The first chapter is devoted to a brief
and able recapitulation of Russian history
since the days of the Huns to the present date.
To this Introductory passage, succeeds a de-
scription of Russia in its many phases, told in
q way that Gradgrind would have despised, but
which to the general reader is full of the inter-
est,the reality and the charm that bare statistics
are powerless to convey.
The Annual Record of Science and Industry
for 1877 is the seventh of the excellent series
now familiar to students. began in 1871. Here
tofore the Record has for the lost part been
composed first oe summary of scientific pro-
gress during the year, and second of a series of
abstracts of the more important articles con-
tained in the proceedings of learned societies
and in the scientific and Industrial journals of
the day. The abstracts are now omitted. much
to the advantage of the book as a work of refer
ence, fol room is thereby given to an extension
OF the summary. A minute index is another
advantage which this volume has over the pre-
ceding ones.
Messrs. Harper publish in their popular
franklin Square Library series, in newspaper
form, the History Of Crime. by Victor Hugo,
recital which begins with the events of the
coup d'etdt of the first Napoleon and closes with
the victory of the Prussians at Sedan. The
picture of the valley Of Sedan, peaceful scene
haunted by the horror of war is in Victor
Hugo's most magnificent manner. In view of
the communist theories, set forth BY men who
have everything to gain and nothing to lose by
the madness of revolution, this History of a
Crime has terrible significance in its potent
warning cortland, Loring, Short & Har.
Harmony
Messrs. Harper Brothers of New York pub
lish another volume of Mr.. William j. Rolfe's
edition of Shakspere's plays-consaining the
comedy "As You Like IT, with full and inter-
esting notes, and long selection of passages
from Lodges novel to which Shskspere owed
the plot of his play, and of which the preface
probably suggested the pleasant title 1t is i'm
possible to praise too highly Mr.. Rolfs's edition,
which presents the great dramas in convenient
form, in every way suited for the student or for
library purposes. cortland: Loring, Short &
Harmony
Messrs. Harper also publish in their Half
Hour Series, Mr.. James Rowley's History of
the Settlement of the British Constitution; and
a lively and characteristic tract by Charles
Reade entitled the Coming Man, and which is
an ingenious and querulous plea for the equal
rights of the left hand. 1t contains very much
good sense, and its extravag ances of words are
rather agreeable at times and will serve to i'm
press the fact that he who is two.handed is
foreha -ded.
Notes and Announcements.
Mrs. Marion Lewe George Eliotl has written
a new poem with the title of A College Break
fast party. 1t will appear in July.
The latest about William Tell IS labored
historical book by X. L. Muller to prove the
reality of the entire tradition of Tell and the
liberation of the three forest cantons of Switz.
erland.
OF the corresponding members of the French
Academy, Germany has nineteen, Great Brit
ain sixteen, Russia six, Italy two, Austria one,
Denmark and Sweden four, Switzerland four,
Belgium two, the United States three, Brazil
one, and there are eleven vacancies to be filed.
The copartnershp of Scribner, Armstrong &
Co., the we'll known book-publishing firm, has
been dissolved by the death of Edward Sey-
mour and the withdrawatof Andrew g, Arm
strong. The new firm, consisting Of John