The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-06-14
Recent Publications.

From the Harpers, through Loring, Short &
Harmon, is received neat little book of 17S
pages called the ''Rife Club and Range" by
A. HI. Weston, with illustrations. 1t is in
tended to give plain instructions for organizing
Rifle Clubs and conducting matches, and ap-
parently contains all the information there is
in the business. How much there is no one
would dream until he read this or similar
book. A list of rifle clubs is given, and among
them is found the Maine Rifle Club, Portland,
Me. SB
InfA duodecimo of $50 pages, James Anthony
Froude gives what he calls "sketch" of the
life of Caesar. Like all his work it is strong
and brilliant, giving series of graphic and
thrilling pictures of the great scenes in the life
of the greatest of soldiers Uuder his skiful PEN
Gil those shadowy Romans stand out like breath
ing figures, and the whole groups seem like the
soldiers and statesmen of our own day. He
throws powerful light into the vortex of Roman
life, and makes the reader shudder at the sight
and wonder at the man who could direct such
Storm though he did it at the expense of crush
ing everything before him. Pompey the Great
is left greatly shorn Of his glory, and Cicero is
shown to have been both weak and vain; poor
Cicero, as if it were not bad enough to be
called "Kikero." Mr.. Froude's opinion of the
Conscript Fathers is anything but fattering,
and if correct, they fully deserved the pretty
thorough annihilation which overlook them at
and after the battle of Pharsalia. The sum-
ming up of the career of the hero seems Just to
him and fair to his contemporaries, and the
work is certainly valuable addition to the
growing number of historical studies 1t is
published by Charles Scribner's Sons, and
fine steel plate of the head of Caesar is the
frontispiece. S. B.
Impressions of Theophrastus Such. By
George Eliot (New York: Harper Brothers;
Portland: Loring, Short & Harmony. With all
the respect due to- anything which George
Eliot may please to write, it must be said that
these recorded Impressions have lack of
readableness. 1t is very possible that we of
our day insist something too much upon at
tractiveness as literary quality; but it may
also well be that an author should meet his
readers half way, and set his excellent thought
so brightly or so POLITICALLY that we may be led
along with him, unwearied. The minute and
philosophical analysis of human nature has
been favorite exercise with thoughtful writ
ers since the beginning of written language.
1t is generalization of gossip; an implied COM
pliment to the reader and tacit assumption of
superiority on the part of the writer. Reflec-
tions-clever, silly, epigrammatic, profound,
dull, paradoxical-upon the minds of men and
women, abound in all departments of litera-
ture. Their development in story gives the
novel its charm, history reads itself by this
light, poetry plays all its divisions. But in
this late day of the world, abstract statement
as to human nature, little disguised with an
ecdote as robe, and proper name latinized,
moreover, as peg to hang it on-is very apt to
be voted dull. Daniel Deronda, in some re-
spects one of George Eliot's finest works, moved
with difficulty under the monologues of Nor
decai and its progress was still further re-
tarded by the asides which the author SO fire.
quently addressed to the reader. Still, the
novel had of itself enough force to make its
way, and make it effectively; and if the work.
man is to be known by the amount of chips
that surround his work bench, the innumera-
BILE crop of paragraphs which Daniel Deronda
called out from all sorts of aspiring thinkers
USUALLY little vague and super-subtile as
writers) evidenced the strength of its stroke
Probably George Eliot after her novel was
safely sent to press, had in her mind and note
book many excellent, interesting and valuable
facts and theories that, for various causes, she
had not chosen to incorporate into the pages of
Daniel Deronda So these were moulded into
series of essays and sent forth in book form
They contain very much of wisdom, OCCASION
ally notably fortunate phrase, more rarely a
lively and bright expression. Many sentences
deserve more than temporary. .honor and re-
membrance. But as whole, the work i'm
presses the reader as perfunctory, lacking in
natural and vigorous movement and-notwith-