The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-11-01
TERMS $500 PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE.

average successful novelist, but the fervor and
force of his imagination carry his story safely
over any lapses of literary construction. His
novel is the novel of poet. Boston: Roberts
Brothers; Portland: Loring, Short & Harmony.
Miss Alcott comes frisking forth at fall
cleaning time with Aunt JOS Scrapbag, full OF
all sorts of bright bits for the delight of the
children-and, let us confess it, their elders
quite as much. First in the volume is story
of how boy earned money to give his sick
sister visit in the country, by joining Pima
fore troupe. Eight little portraits of the prin-
cipal characters in Pinafore form the double
rontispiece. A Jolly Fourth, Seven Black
Cats, A Bright idea which would be good
title for the whole book-and other stories Of
equally taking names, make up a volume
which need only be announced to meet gener-
al welcome. Aunt JOS Scrapbag is published
by Messrs Roberts Brothers and for sale by
Loring, Short & Harmon.
Mildred at Roselands, by Martin Farquhar-
son Finley, author of the Elsie Books New
York, Dodd & Mead; Portland: Loring, Short
& Harmony is in tie authors usual style,
which may be described as sentimental, prg-
gish, narrowminded and sensational. The re-
ligious novelette, is sort of reading that is not
often healthful or desirable, and the conceited,
silly and bigoted little heroine of the present
story is very unsuitable acquaintance for
young people. Nothing discounts genuine,
pious sentiment more than the expression OF
pietistic sentimentality.
| A Gentle Belle (New York: ID. Appleton
| Co.; Portland: Dresser & McLellan) is
graceful and welltold tale by Christian Reid.
Anything from her pen may be safely recon-
mended as in every way superior to the aver
age of fiction.
Recent additions to Messrs Harpers Frank
lin Square Library are reprint of the adven-
lures of Mr.. Pickwick-leader of a chorus OF
immortal laughter all about the world Sir
Walter Scott's Talisman Young Mrs Jardine,
a novel by Mrs. Mulock Craik, as well meant
as it is wishy-washy; and Madge Dunraven,
story by the author of the Queen of Connaught
full of incident, and well written. The num-
bers of the Franklin Square Library are for
sale in Portland by Loring, Short & Harmon.
| Miss Maria Parloa, favorably known as the
author of the practical Appledore Cookbook,
and more recently as a lecturer to classes in
| cookery-has prepared manual upon new
plan. 1t not only gives many good
receipts for domestic cookery as taught
| by her in her classes, but directions and
hints for all branches of housekeeper's work.
| A portion of the volume is devoted to chemi-
! cal and hygienic considerations. Miss Parloa
| evidently appreciating the laws of demand and
| supply that govern the wellbeing of the human
| frame, and the sanitary conditions of pure air
| and water as we'll as suitably cooked food upon
| which the happiness and health of a household
| SO largely depends. Although small in size,
| this manual contains many and valuable aids
to the intelligent housekeeper, and is to be
warmly recommended (Boston Houghtcn &
Osgood; Portland Loring, Short Harmony
| Studying Art Abroad Boston; Roberts Broth
| ers; Portland: Loring, Short & Harmony is a
| little volume by Mrs. May Alcott Nieriker-
whom one always thinks of as the charming and
artistic Amy in Little Women. 1t is not at all
| treatise upon art, but simply the most
| thoughtful and practical suggestions in which
| Mrs. Nieriker utilizes her experience of for
| eign things for the Eenefit of her American
| sisters who may wish to study art in the capi-
tails of Europe. The selection of articles USE
full to carry in ones trunk, in the handbag, best
mode of travel, choice of boarding place, of a
| dressmaker, ETC., are often problems very
| troublesome to inexperienced travellers; for
| however entire the devotion of the student to
her art may be-these affairs of the world
have some attention. A lady who takes Mrs.
| Nieriker's little volume as her travelling COM
| panion will be saved from much annoyance,
| perplexity and discomfort
| The Sunken Rock is anew volume of Messrs.
| HarIer's Half Hour Series Portland Loring,
| Short & Harmony and is a picturesque sea
| yarn of the dangers of the Mediterranean. The
writer, Mr.. George Cupples, will be recalled as
having written story of similar nautical in
| terest, called the Green Hand.
| The Value of Life. A reply to Mr. NAL
| locks essay Is Life Worth Living? G.. P
| Putnam's Sons, New York; Portland: Loring,
| Short & Harmony A very able review by an
| anonymous Positivist of Catholic essay The
writer is learned, lucid, generally candid, oc-
casionally captious or hypercritical. He thinks
Mr.. Mallock ignorant of biology, and
actuated constantly by the false feel
| ing that Positivism is not a system
| to be discussed, but a foe to be crushed.
| 1t may be that he is right; but we should say
that he is himself although familiar with the
Scriptures and the prayer-book, not well ac-
quainted with the writings of modern theolo-
gians, and that he is curiously destitute of re-
| lgious feelings. He seems to assume that the
only religious feelings are fear and hope; the
| hope of heaven and the fear of hell. He says
that ''It is with Catholicism that Positivism
must be constantly compared and contrasted,
and not with Professionalism, nor with the
| looser systems of free thonght which have
| never embodied themselves in definite social
| institutions" But the majority of the read-
! ers of the PRESS are Protestants; and would
accept in Mr. Mallock's essay, and in the
anonymous reply, only the parts which are
good. The really positive affirmations
of the Positivists are generally good;
it is chiefly when they leave their own
ground and forsake their own principles that
L
| paintings; without an ear for music. yet criti-
cising music. With all that is admirable in
this reply to Mallock, it is painful to a reader
who has any religious sensibilities, and who
has any familiarity with the best modern
writer's of Professionalism" and "Free
Thought to find in it so many misapprehen-
sions and uncalled for denials of religious and
| moral truths. TIL
Books Received.
Famous French Authors. Biographical Por-
traits of Distinguished French Writers. BY Theo-
phe Gautier, Eugene de Mirescourt sc. Cloth,
illustrated, 1928 pp., s1.75. New York: r. Worth
ington. Portland: Loring, Short & Harmon.
The Chiidren's Book of Poetry. Carefully
selected from the works of the best and most pop
ular writer's for children. By Henry L. Coates.
Cloth, illustrated, 525 pp, S3 Philadelphia:
Porter & Coates. Portland; Dresser Mcclellan &