The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-04-19

New York: Scribners Portland: Loripg,
Short 81 Harmony. It is story Of unique,
Iresn ard vigorous quality, and is exceedingly
interesting as the picture of an element which,
constantly increasing in America, finds Q sim
guiarly lit interpreter in Mr.. Boyesen. This 10
tine Scandinavian population which is already
large, and, mixing less readily with the gep-
eral current than do some other nationalitiee,
retains much of its characteristic simplicity
and its Morse traits Of frugality, sobriety and
indisposition to sudden or unprecedented
action. Mr. BOyesen Ia an American by
adoption as he is Morse by linesge;
he sees each nation from the stand
point OF the other and the understand
ing Of itself. He is enough a man Of the
new world to note the traits of the older nation
with quiet humor or with serious appreciation;
and he is wholly free from the snobbisbness
that would mark or deprecste the simpler ira
ditions of his own county, while he is fally in
Aloe with the rapid march of our American
life. The characters Uf Mr.. Boyesen's story are
individual and exceedit gly we'll drawn; the
| motive OF the action is founded on local poli-
tics, and this point is particularly well treated
| by the novelist, who catches the republican
spirit which sees in a local election the germ Of
Presidential contest, and rates at their value
| the tempestuous seethings BY which towns Of
| teapot consderablepess supply by their united
| efforts the steam-power Of the natos. Mr..
| Boyeseh's work is essentially mauly and fue;
| the story is we'll constructed, strong and read
| able.
The Mail Carrier, by Harry CAstleman, be-
longs to the Boy Trapper series and is 10 tie
writer's well-known style. 1t will interest the
| boys who have followed the fortunes of Dsv,
Don and the rest in previous volumes. (Phila.
delphia: Porter s. Coates; Portland: Dresser &
McLellsn.)
Messrs. +. A. North & Co. of Philadelphia,
publish book of sacred NJ uslc which they FORE
stall comment by naming the CIownng Tri.
unph. 1t is commonplace in words and music
and is of average meri: as to binding and print,
Some Of Miss Mitford's charming sketches
of Oar Village are Published In Messrs. Harp
er's Half Hour Series. The same publishers
offer in their Franklin Square Library, two
good novels, The Grahams Of Invermoy and The
Sherlocks-the latter seeming rather to be an
excuse for the introduction of certain poems,
evidently by an admirer of Keats, and accred-
after the unhappy poet with differences which
render him more socially smsnsble. 1t is q
pleasant, but not very strong, story. (Portland
LorlDg, Short & Harmony
In the preface to his Health and how to pro
mote 1t New York: d. Appleton s. Co.; Port
land: Dresser, Mcclellan s. Company.)
DR.. McSberry says that the work sis ad-
dressed to the general reader, and the Ian
guage is such as any physician may use in con-
versation with an intelligent pstisnt,"-a
statement which compels the belief in one
who has read it that the author has been 60
fortunate as to associate with those medical
men only who can. aud commonly DO, garnish
their daily conv versation with quotations from
the classics, aud with such only of their sick as
are capable Of readily understanding them.
All the way through are sprnkled words, tx-
pressions, whole passages even from the old
Latin authors, with an occasional, though
slight, lapse into Greek, and frequent dashes Of
modern French, which would not be utterly
out of place in an address TO a presumably
learned body, but which are indefensible In
book which is designed for the average reader.
This unrestrained inclination to pedantic ex-
hibition of his varied linguistic attainments is
most serious bIemish, and is all the more to
bs regretted in q book which is so admirable,
from scientific point of view, and which,
but for this obstacle, would be likely to
attain a deservedly wide circulation
among those for whose benefit it was
written. The scope of the work is limited to
the consideration of the hygiene of the organs
Of nutrition and relation; but this Is quite the
usual thing, and looked at commsrcally, Is
perhaps polite; Tor book on general hygiene,
addressed to common people, which should
contain more than the vaguest suggestion Of
human reproductive functions, and should give,
however purely and truly, comprehensive
rules for the preservation of health in this re-
gard, would be ignored by some reviewers, con-
sidered uncalled for by others, and by most of
the rest consigned to the limbo of obscene liter
ature. We would seem to be waiting until the
preventsble diseases of this character become
so unbearably common that some active educa-
tioual steps will have to be taken. Probably
they would be taken at once if intelligent peo-
pie generally understood the extent to which
these disorders prevail, their loathesomsuess
and widespread influence and the need of pre-
ventive measures. H. G.
The series of Health Primers, (Nsw York:
D. Appleton & Co.; Portland: Dresser Nc
Lellan & Co.. four numbers of which we're re-
viewed few weeks ago, is continued by two
more volumes, one on Personal Appearances in
Health and Disease the other on Baths and
Bathing. The first Of these treats of the form
and szs of tbs body, the changes which take
place in the fatty layer in the bony Fl framework
and in organs the artificial alterations in shape,
the color of the body and its notifications 10
health and sickness, and finally, of ten permanent
habit, and tone 1t is very interesting and
being quite out Of the ordinary line of hygenic
sermonizing. will be reg arded as refreshing
reading by those, if any there be. who are
aweary of the iterations of the apostles Of
health-by -right-liviDg. There are few ana
tomical errors as where the bones of the foot
are seven in number, but thsy are OF no practi-
cal harm. Signs of hasty composition appear
also in the choice of words occasionally, and
are the more noticeable on account Of the uui-
form accuracy aud elegance of the other num-
bers in the series.
The primer on Baths is well written, and full
of practical and useful information and iustruo-
tion The chapter on bathing localities is more
fitted for English than American reading, but
contains precepts which are as applicable here
as on the other side of the Atlantic.
F.HG.
Books Received.
L'Assnmmair. A Novel. BY Emile Zola
Translated by John Stirling. Paper, $50 pp, rs
cents. Philadelphia: 7. B. Peterson s. Bros
Poems of Places. Edited by Henry w. Long
fellow. America. Western States. CLOTH 25ipp.,
ST. Boston: Houghton, Osgood s. Co. Portland:
Loring. Short s. Harmon.