The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-11-01

and interpreter OF Shakespeare Mr. Hudson mas
won high rank and his comments are always
valuable. His General Preface to the volume
is an eloquent plea for the cultivation IN
schools of a taste for what is best In English
Literature; and speaks with sound sense and
fine rhetoric of the unhealthful brain excite
ment that prevails in our time. Mr.. Hudsons s
style is earnest sometimes little lacking IN
smoothness, and in the tranquil ease of which
he we'll understands the worth. His Memoir
of William Shakespeare, 1.-THE greatest, wisest,
sweetest of men," is not long, but contains the
authentic details of the life of the poet. The
History of the Play forms another Introductory
chapter, and gives interesting particulars OF
the scenes from which Shakespeare drew his
story Of the Merchant of Venice and the man.
ner in which he combined his materials.
Short sketches of the chief characters in the
drama are interesting, and prove how care
fully Mr. Hudson has done all that lay in his
power to assist the student of Shakespeare.
This volume belongs to series OF annotated
English Classics, published by Messrs. CHM
& Heath OF Boston.
NJ Jules Verne, heir and assign forever OF
the author of the Arabian Nights, has left his
wonderland where he played the most fantas-
tic tricks with science and jugged so Charm
ingly with the realities of the impossible. His
latest work is a compendium-and no small
volume contains the matter-of famous explo-
rations of the world. 1t is easily understood
that after the brilliant experiments where fact
and fancy underwent amazing chemical COM
binations in the hands of M. Verne-a sedi-
ment must have been left of historic and scien-
tiic nature that refused to commingle and fly
off in light and vaporous shape with the rest
Phileas Fogg went around the world in eighty
days-this pre-supposes a knowledge OF geog-
raphy on the part of his courier, M. Verne
The duellists upon the island OF the Medlt-
erranean were snatched into space by the ire
sponsible waggle of comet, at large without
license or muzzle- and it is NJ Verne who re-
counts to us the wonders of the inter-stellar
spaces and the physical geography OF his erratic
world, Gallia. His studies have been close
and accurate; it is his imagination that dis
torts them so delightfully."-. SO we need not
wonder when he writes of the travels of Han
no, Herodotus and Strabo; of Fa-Hian; OF
Wilibald in the Holy Land; of the medieval
travellers, Benjamin Of Tudela and Marco
Polo; OF of Columbus and the conquerors OF
Central America; or Of Walter Raleigh, of the
merchants and missionaries; and lastly of the
strange search in the ice-locked ocean that
moves about the North Pole. M. Jules Verne s
romantic and graphic style is well adapted to
recite these stories of travel and adventure.
The illustrations are numerous and notably
good; some are taken from old prints and
others from designs by l.. BENEFIT and z. Phil
ippoteaux, two artists similar in manner and
exceedingly dramatic in their work. The
translation of this important book is by Miss
Dora Leigh, and is well done. published by
Loring, Short & Harmony
Pocahontas New York: Dodd 4 Mead; Port
land: Loring, Short & Harmony is volume
for young people written by Edward Egg,es-
ton and Lille Eggleston Seelye. 1t is of aver
age merit, and useful as tending to interest
children in the early history of America.
Messrs. Roberts of Boston publish little
tions and letters of the pious Fen6lon, careful
ly translated and well arranged. 1t is choice
work of the most delicate and refined religious
utterances, and will give much profitable
pleasure to many readers. portland: Loring,
Short & Harmony
Mr. Thomas Moulton of Porter has prepared
a history of that town, including some annals
of the State of Maine more or less connected
with those of his township. 1t is a full history
of Porter in every particular and will prove
very interesting to those who are acquainted
with the town and its inhabitants published
and for sale by Hoyt, Fogg & Donham.)
Leigh Hunts Table-Talk, with his Imagina-
ry Conversations of Pope and Swift, forms one
of the Handy-Volume Series, for which the
public is indebted to Messrs. Appleton & Co. of
New York portland; Dresser & McLellan). 1t
is needless to describe the eloquent wit and
wisdom of the paragraphs which their author
collected under the name of Table-Talk, nor
the excellently serviceable and brilliant imagi-
nation that conceived the dialogues in the
word and manner OF the eminent men repre-
sented.
Another volume of Messrs. Appleton's Ham
dy Volume Series contains Mr.. Charles Reade's
Christie Johnstone, which will be remembered
as one of the authors early works, and in his
best manner. 1t is charming idyl of fish
ing town; and the heroine is one OF the fresh,
impulsive, large-minded women that Mr..
Reade drew with such point and iveliness in
his better days. Portland: Dresser & McLellan.)
In Prison and Out, By Hesba Stretton New
York: Dodd g. Mead; Portland; Loring, Short
& HARMONY is powerful and pathetic story,
written with a purpose. 1t sets forth the in
Justice Of certain English laws, which send
children to iails and prisons for petty offences,
even for beggary. From the prison the boys come
forth with q bad name fastened TO them and
their life is made hard to them by the unmer-
tied punishment which has been inflicted. Miss
Stretton tells her story with simplicity, but al
so with earnestness and force that cannot fail
to impress every reader. After the recital OF
the wrongs OF poor children in England, one
has lively sense of the worth of our Reform
Schools and Homes for Little Wanderers.
Old Friends and New, is the attractive title
of volume of collected stories by Miss Sarah
o. Jewett, the author of Deephaven. The
same qualities of charming frankness, tender
and bright fancy, and singularly pure and un-
affected use of words that won such instant
recognition and praise for Miss Jewett's former
work, are to be found in these stories, together
with constructive power that the plan of Deep
haven and Playdays could not so fully display
Miss Jewett's talent is one which will not fail
to gather to itself richness in the course of its
exercise. 1t is essentially talent of New Eng
land clear, sweet, wholesome and thoughtful
not particularly dramatic, or delighting in
brilliant and elaborate harmonies of language
Its womanly sincerity is everywhere apparent
as well as its entire refinement. Some of Mis-;
Jewett's stories, A Sorrewful Guest, for exam
pie, and Lady Ferry, have kinship will
Hawthorne's stories, though not at all i'll imi
tation of them. A Late Supper is a particu
larly pretty story; and A Bit of Shore Life Ii
another of the Deephaven sketches. (Bcston
Houghton & Osgood Portland: Loring, Shor
& Harmony