The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-03-08
Recent Publications.

Recent Publications.
Mr.. Howells's story, The Lady of the Aroos-
took, which has appeared in recent numbers of
the Atlantic Monthly, is now published in very
tasteful book form by Messrs. Houghton s. Os-
good, Boston; portland: Loring, Short & Har-
mon.) 1t deserves to rank among Mr.. How
ells's successes in fiction; and most readers
will approve the return to narrative form in
place of the semi-dramatic style of his recent
stories, which seem to occupy a middle ground
as insufficient in movement and plot for stage
purposes, and .at the same time lacking the
descriptive touches that supply to the reader
the action and decorations of the theatre. The
present story illustrates a phase of the inde-
pendence and unconventionality of the Ameri-
can girl-precisely opposite from the type
chosen by Mr.. James in his Daisy Miller. The
circumstances of the Lady of the Aroostook are
much more opposed to the rules of society than
those that surround Daisy Miller The latter,
travelling with her mother, the invaluable
courier and the shrewd and precocious little
Randolph-who is, by the way, the most per-
fec,ly photographed likeness in the story; as
portrait of Young America in the
relation of brother as Valentine de Bellegarde,
the debonair, elegant brother of the heroine of
Faubourg ST. German. In the Lady of the
Aroostook, Lydia Blood goes to- Europe under
the care of the captain of a sailing vessel, q
highminded New Euglander,
with daughters of his own at home. The other
passengers upon the Aroostook are three young
men; two CT whom are thoroughly fine in ma
ture and training, and the third is fairly we'll
intentioned, but fiourishing example of the
class which those of US who affect English
phrases, call the cad. When Lydia discovers
that there is no other woman on board, she is
naturally sorry and somewhat disturbed; but
in her self-respeciing innocence of q New
England country girl, maintains her calm
poise as the Lady of the Aroostook until the
ship touches the Italian coast and she is safe in
her uncle's charge. Mr. Howells has treated
his story with great refinement and spirit and
a fair degree of power. The scene where the
undesirable passenger endeavors to combine in
ebriation with politeness and moral philosophy,
isexquisitely humorons, and has touch broader
and more distinctly masculine than is often the
case with Mr.. Howells's work. The sketches
of Venetian society, slight as they are, are
quite mastery; clearly indicating the novel;
lists perfect appreciation of the City of the Sea-
to which he has given already his finest work.
The Lady of the Aroostook is a story that will
excite comment aud discussion, and is not
likely to arouse hard feeling and prejudice as
Daisy Miller has done among class of readers
uhO ~ hoe n JofI -
dividual of our glorious country, and fail to
B'e that Mr.. James warning, though somewhat
exaggerated in form, is well meant as
it is well executed. Mr.. Howells's novel
deals With the reverse side of the subject,
the simple and innocent dignity of our
finest American girls, which holds them
in exquisite self-restraint. Lacking this quail
Daisy Miller! In brief, it may be
said of the Lady of the Aroostook that it will
be widely read and much liked. Whether the
plot is not something too pronounced in situa-
ton and limited in movement is a question
rather of literary art than of the interest of the
story.
Another volume of Mr.. Longfellow's Poems
of Places Boston: Houghton & Osgood; Port
land: Loring, Short, & Harmony is devoted to
the Middle States, and contains some very
beautiful verses, while others again fall below
the poetic standard. For example the Gates of
the Hudson, with its incorrect and dissonant
rhymes, and which sings itself to the tune of
Yankee Doodle, thereby failing to fulfil two.
thirds of Its aim to be ''erand, gloomy and Pc
culiar." 1t would have been pleasant to find
in the volume more poems of the honored and
beloved Bayard Taylor. who most fully of all
American singers, combined the high traits
that make the national poet. But any crii-
cisms seem little ungfateful toward Mr..
Longfellow, who prepares for Us Baedeker of
the bards, a Murray married to immortal verse.
Prof. William j. Rolfe's excellent and in
every respect valuable edition of Shakspeare's
Plays includes the text Of Romeo and Juliet
Mr.. Rolfe's verbal notes are remarkably clear,
sensible and unaffected; and he has fine
scorn of those critics who torture the words of
Shakespeare into fantastic and far-fetched mean.
ing, and insist that every adjective shall have
great intellectual purpose in its careless, tune
Iul grace.
Harper's Greek and Latin Textbooks for the
use of Students portland: Lorng, Short &
Harmony receive an addition to their number
Cicero de NatEra Deorum, de Divin-
atone, aud de Fato. 1t is matter for regret that
NJ Cicero's decesse prevents him from the pleas-
nre that such a tasteful, substantial and con-
venient edition of his works would have afforded
him.
A History of the Church of England is the
title of large and carefully designed volume
BY Rev. G. G. Perry, of Lincoln and Wadding-
ton, Eogland. Naturally it reads very much
ike history of England itself, SO closely are
ths annals of church aud state connected. It
s arranged with much method, fully indexed,
aud the chapters provided with headings which
give clear sketch of their contents. The vol
ume traces the English church from its begin
ming to the present date; and is supplemented
BY an historical sketch of the Episcopal church
IN America, by Mr.. j. A. Spencer. The work
has large scope and abounds in detail, evident
" well designed to meet the wants of those
readers who wish to trace the progress of the
Episcopal denomination through the periods of
history New York: Harper Brothers.)
The Life of Washington Irving is one OF
series written by Prof. David J. Hill, the au-
.hor of well-known work upon rhetoric, and
published by the Harpers. 1t is fitted for pop
hI,, srvttf osr