The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-06-21

literary notes, their dates ranging from 1856,
upon the lives and writings of several note
worthy men. The quality of Mr.. Gladstone's
writing is particularly attractive; he inspires
liking and trust at the outset, by his liberal,
frank and spirited manner; and the large
and humane quality of his thought wins
continually upon the readers sympathy.
AS representative of progressive and enlight-
ened British sentiment, his remarks upon the
government of his country have great weight,
and will be found exceedingly pleasant and in
structive reading. 1t is Of course, unnecessary
to note here his political attitude, which is SO
well known and greatly respected. Among
the chapters of the volume containing papers
of literary and biographical nature, most read
ers will turn first to the chapter upon Tenny-
son; and will not fail to be much interested in
the view that Mr.. Gladstone took of the laure-
ate and his verse, twenty years ago-a view
which the writer does not now wholly endorse,
he tells us in his footnotes; but which certainly
contains some very strong and original thoughts.
1t is needless to say that, with few slight ex-
ceptions, Mr.. Gladstone thoroughly admires
Mr. Tennyson's poems. He comments finely
upon the skill with which the laureate has
adapted the Arthurian stories to his own
times; the fine tact, for example, with which by
slight touches and omissions as slight he has re-
versed the degree of admiration in which one
holds King Arthur and Sir Lancelot, accord
ing to Malorys chronicle-not lessening Lance
lots praise but raising King Arthur to tho
complete ideal of royal manhood. Mr.. Glad
stone Is not slow to note Tennyson's marvel.
lous mosaic of words-wherein no syllable
could be changed without marring some deli
cate fitness of sound to sense; and he admires
the justness and beauty of his choice of ex.
preston. His higher qualities of literary and
moral conscience are likewise noted. 'Maud''
and its delirious- tremendous hero receive some
hard hits, for which Mr.. Gladstone apologies
in contrite footnote of recent date, but which
he, as well as his readers, cannot fail to enjoy.
The truth is-as Mr.. Gladstone evidently rec
ognized even when he liked Maud less than
he does now-that it accurately represents,
with much dramatic distinctness, type Of dis
contented Young England and of callow mis-
anthropg in general, and Maud's lover is no
more to be confounded with Mr.. Tennyson
than dado of daisies on a fair green ground is
to be labeled Portrait of Mr.. William Morris,
pardi-author of the superb ode so familiar to
all Italians and lovers of italian liberty
30 patria mia, vedo le mure gil arehi''-
Mr.. Gladstone evidences his sympathetic and
generous spirit, by the force of the fidelity
with which his thoroughly healthy mind fol-
lows the gloomy intricacies of the nature Of
Leopard, so strangely mixed of great poetic
passion and sickly, respondent fancy. In pity
ing and admiring Leopard, the reader admires
and envies Gladstone. Whatever may have
been the faults of the Italian-and evidence
seems to show that his morbid soul exagger-
ated all the dark shades of his life whether Of
fault or misfortune-they were bitterly expi-
ated by his continual tortures; and his fine
traits of nature and his literary gift were strong
for Italy in her dark days. A man much to bo
blamed, more to be pitied, was Leopard; but
above whatever of soiled clay it may stand,
rises, like marble image his ode, the word of
his faith-Italia! Opposite from this picture
as the north from the south pole, is the brief
sketch of good Bishop Patterson, brave man
as he was righteous. The essay on Macaulay
is brilliant example Of the critic criticized,
with the sound sense and good feeling never
lacking to Mr.. Gladstones work. Sketches
of Blanco White of Wedgwood, and DR.. Nor
man Mcleod complete the interesting contents
of the volume. In reading these articles, ex-
tending over long period of time. the reader
is struck by the steady growth of the authors
talent, progressing without violent transitions,
but with wholesome and rich ripening to its
present power.
Color Blindness, its Dangers and its Detec-
tion Boston: Houghton & Osgood; Portland:
Loring, Short & Harmony is a volume upon
the curious optical defect written by Dr. JEFF
fries of Harvard University. Color-B Blindness
total or as regards one or more of the primary
colors-is more frequent than has been sup
posed or rather it should be said, that atten-
tion having been recently directed to the sub
iect many cases Of it have been discovered.
Persons are often unaware of their defective
sight of color, for no man can describe to
another the splendor of scarlet or the cool
beauty of blue, or the glories of gold and green
in fruit and leaf so that the sensation is in the
least degree clear to him, who cannot see the
colors with his own eyes. DIR. Jeffries in
stances family where some of the children,
being color-blind, never could find columbines
tinction or color between the green and red
while their fortunate sisters filled their hands
with berries and flowers But if the loss of
enjoyment were the worst result from color
blindness it would be comparatively little
matter. The signals on railways, red and
green lights, are, of course, likely to be con-
founded by color-blind persons; and examina-
ton has proved that many such are employed
upon railway trains. DIR. Jeffries has written
this volume in the interests Of railroads and Of
the public, and it should be widely read. He
has made eighteen thousand examinations for
color-blindness; and his theories are thus very
practically supported. The cover of the book
| really deserves word for itself; with its
broad bands of red, green and purple-it is
| bright enough to induce color-blindness in q
person of normal eyesight, and gives very
lively and attractive appearance to the seien-
tifc pages which it binds.
An Attic Philosopher in Paris, by Emile
| Souvestre (Appleton's Handy Volume Series;
! Portland: Dresser & McLellan) is good trans
lation of a charming volume of delicate and
cheerful philosophy. One makes no apology
/
| it was irresistible and pardonable. AS to the
reflections upon daily life and scenes, of
which the book consists, they have the IA
miliar grace, the purity and cheerful
ness, the refined brilliance, softened by q
| slight veil of genuine pathos, which character
ize the writings of NJ. Souvestre.
In Old Creole Days, volume of stories Of
the French Quarter of New Orleans New
York; Scribners; Portland: Loring, Short &c
Harmon) Mr.. George W. Cable has made q
decided happy stroke. The stories have dis
tinct flavor of their own with much dramatic
power and strong swift movement that car
ries the reader with it. They are so lifelike
that person entirely unfamiliar with Creole
life would unhesitatingly declare them to be
accurate pictures, ,.in the same instructive way
in which one takes the similar quality Of Cots
chalk's Creole music. 1t goes unchallenged,
it is strange, but it certifes to itself. Mr..
L oh aSz 1f Il - N.nI~