The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-12-06
TERMS $500 PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE.

first saw Handel. The only instrument in the
house was a little spinnet belonging to the
child, but upon this Handel played in his
grand STYLE ''The moment he was gone"
saws Mrs. Delany IT seated myself to my in
strument and played the best lesson had then
learnt; my uncle archly asked me whether
thought I should ever play as well as Mr.
Handel If did not think l should cried L,
Il would burn my instrument? A comic
sweet, little vignette is this OF the bright ana
airy child. The letters of Mrs Delany are
choice and delightful reading, simple and
graceful in expression and full of lively charm
She excelled in the feminine arts of the needle'
she painted with much SKILL and had peculiar
manner of cutting and coloring paper flowers
with the precision of botanist and the beauty
of nature. The description in detail OF her
embroideries will greatly interest modern wo-
men who learn to-day the very stitches over
which Mrs Delany's needle poised and flashed.
And the spirit that animated all these delicate
arts was that of a refined and lovely woman,
with whom we can have friendly converse and
sympathy-though we live in our nineteenth
century and she was lady of ''the teacup-
times of patch and hood"
Among recent fiction is to be noted Messrs.
Harper's library edition of Miss Muloch's new
story, Young Mrs Jardine, novel whose pur-
pose is thoroughly good, while its sentimental
ity is occasionally something too much. Its
neat and attractive binding is in the style OF
other volumes of the Library edition.
New publications of Messrs. Harper in their
Franklin Square series are: Poems OF Words
worth; Cousin Henry, good novel by Mr.. An
thony Trollope; The Bertrams, reprint OF an
admirable story by the same author; reprint
of Miss Austen's Sense and Sensibility, true
classic of the commonplace-in its best sense,
be it understood High Spirits, a collection of
clever and readable stories by Mr.. James
Payn; The Parson of Dumford, story OF Eng
lish country life, written by Mr.. George M.
Fem; and lastly, graceful and picturesque
story by Mrs Oliphant, named The Fugitives.
All these publications are for sale in Portland
by Messrs. Loring, Short and Harmon.
Irene the Missionary Boston: Roberts Broth
ers; Portland Loring, Short and Harmony Is
the title of an anonymous story which has ap-
peared in recent numbers of the Atlantic
Monthly. Quite original in design and char
acters, and containing some very good touches
it fails to reach the standard of the best Amer
lean fiction. 1t will be read with interest by
many persons for its descriptions of life in the
Holy Land, and for its mild mingling of relig-
ion and romance.
hons nf World
with General Grant by John Russell Young,
New York: American News Co.. contain
graphic, minute and brilliant descriptions OF
India Although the personal Interest which
the reader takes in General Grant is the domi-
nant feeling excited by the narrative OF his
iourney-the excellence of Mr.. Young's work
also appeals powerfully to the imagination.
Few books of travel are SO free from faults and
full of positive value and interest as are these
records of a tour around the world. MIR.
Young's tact in regard to personalities is ad-
mirable He tells the reader precisely those
things in regard to the personages of the party
which interest him rightfully and refrains
from all the trivial and silly particulars which
tourists often note down, imagining that they
amuse the reader by detailing their little dis
comforts, minute triumphs and elaborate jokes
Mr.. Young is a born reporter-he selzes the IN
slant, takes the spirit of scene, and writes
clearly and compactly, often with much poetlc
feeling, and invariably in picturesque man.
ner This record of the wanderings OF our
modern Ulysses is as adequately written asst
is of absorbing and genuine interest to the peo-
pie who delight to honor General Grant. A
lo frt 1a arand
is called forth by the perusal OF these volumes
that General Grant, standing great historic
figure in the full and uncompromising light OF
the present, is most thoroughly esteemed and
warmly loved by those whose good fortune it
is to know him personally. Met face to face
he loses nothing of his epic grandeur AS war
rior, president, friend, man-all honor to Gen
eral Grant!
A third volume of the Bible for Learners Sc
ries BOSTON, Roberts Brothers; Portland: Lor-
ing. Short and Harmony is translated from The
Dutch of DR.. Hooykaas by Mr.. Philip FL.
Wicksteed, sanctioned and assisted by the au-
thor The Dutch school of theology, by its
vigorous and sometimes over-bold inquiries and
assertions, claims hearing in the controversies
of the present time; and though conservative
believers will not accept unreservedly its the
ories, it often comments effectively upon points
which have darkened Christian counsel. Es-
pecially is this the case in the volumes upon
the Old Testament; where history and tradi-
ton, chronicles and inspiration are SO mixed
that many persons do not attach faith to the
verbal correctness of each separate chapter and
d. inlr hava not
enough imagination to see with eyes that be-
lieve, the mysteries of the New Testament;
and thus, with the best of intention and desire
to do good they fail to touch with their reason
the heights to which simple and pious soul
has no difficulty to attain.
The Influence of Jesus, is the title of a vol
ume of religious lectures delivered by Rev
Phillips Brooks, according to the terms OF
! legacy of the late John Bohlen, of Philadel-
| phia. Mr. Brooks eloquence, and humane and
| forcibe thought are well known to many read
| ers who will gladly avail themselves of thi'
| publication. The subjects Of the lectures are
as follows The Influence of Jesus on the
| Moral, Social, Emotional and Intellectual Life
of Man, (New York: e. p. Dutton and Co.;
| Portland: Hoyt, Fogg and Donham)
Juvenile Books.
Never was the literary outlook brighter for
the children; never did the holiday season
usher in a better and more delightful crowd OF
new books for the boys and girls. First on the
list comes Mr.. Sidney Lanier's admirable work
| The Boys Froissart. If ever writer was
born to set all sweet souls in the way of manly
deeds-it was Sir John Froissart. In the fine