The Portland daily press., 1879-03-29
Recent Publications.

|
Bedouin Tribes of the Euphrates, which is re-
ceiVed from Harper & Bros, through Loring.
short 81 Harmon. Although the Euphrates
valley and the Caravan route has been the
great highway of the worlds travel from the
fersian Gulf to Palestine and Egypt since the
earliest times and we are familiar with IL in
Sacred history and Arabian story, remember.
ing the Joprneying of the patriarchs to Pales-
tine, and Isaac sending and Jacob going back
for wives; and the adventures of Arabian mer-
chants who loaded their camels and started on
the dangerous journey from Damascus to Bag.
dad, yet scarcely any part of the world is really
less known and described. The author and
her husband had become familiar with the
Arabs in Barbary, Egypt and Syria and had
fancy to visit them in the Desert They struck
in from Aleppo, followed down the river to
Bagdad before they could shake off the Turk
ish authorities. Then they started off through
Mesopotamia where they had pleasant Jour
ney and were Hospitality received by the Arab
tribes which they encountered. After getting
saieiy througo to the river they took the cara
van route ior Damascus, but on reaching Pal
myra' managed to make another detour and
visit the other great tribes The narrative is
interesting, the descriptions are new, and the
book will be popular both with those who wish
to know how the granddaughter of the great
poet writes, and those who are curious to learn
how the city of Job and that of Zenobia look to
| modern eyes.
DR.. Moritz Busch's work, Bismarck in the
German War New York Scribuers; Portland /:
LoriDg, Short & Harmou), Is an addition to
4 Of "a
able. 1t proves the journalistic tendency of
writing, which constantly becomes more and
more marked. The practical denial of space
and distance which the wire, the submarine
cable, the telephone have made requires, as it
renders possible, closer, more rapid, more
| minute relation with current events all over
the world. In former days, the time that
must elapse before readers in America could
learn, not merely the particulars but the occur
renee OF an event of the overseas, gave to its
recital dullness as of past history. BY the
time we were ready to dance or to weep, the
tears OF alien grief were dry, and the pipes had
ceased playing. The extraordinary rapldity,
clearness, enterprise, detail of journalism rem.
der similar qualities necessary in other depart.
ments OF letters. DIR. Busch's volumes have
created discussion, enmity, but, above all, in
terest. Bismarck has found his Boswell in
DR.. Busch-f the incongruous likening of the
uncouth sage and the warrior statesman be ad-
missable. Not the least curious part of the
| affair is that Bismarck should have authorized
such lively and gossiping narration of his saw
ings and doings. The history relates every.
thing; it is as vivid. as circumstantial as VIC
tor Hugo's Annee Terrible; and-without the
tremendous passion of that supreme battle-cry
1t gives picture of war scarcely less graphic
in its way. Many quotations could be made
from every chapter, but so skilfully is the por-
trait OF the remarkable man painted with touch
upon touch, that nothing less than the whole
will satisfy the reader. 1t gives a remarkable
picture of the nco-Prussian war, the mo-
notony of its camp-life and movements of its
diplomacy, as well as the more brilliant epi-
| sodes of its battles
Daniel Defoe, by William Mimic New York:
Harper Bros; Portland; Loring, Short g. Har-
mon). We are so accustomed to associate
Defoe with his immortal Robinson Crusoe,
that it seems surprising thing that memoir
Of him should be published with no frontis-
piece portrait of the hero with pointed fur
cap, his parrot, cat and goat. But, as will be
gathered from Mr.. Minto's well written biogra-
ply. Daniel Defoe existed, and was particu-
larly active and influential for sixty years be-
fore he wrote the famous story. Robinson
Crusoe was however the crownipg blossom of a
life devoted to systematic-and apparently not
Observation-Disclosures lying. Mr.. Mimic
| sketches the main events of Defoe's life thus:
He had been a rebel, merchant, manufac-
of
bankrupt; had acted as secretary to a public
commission, been employed in secret services
by five successive administrations, written in
Vulnerable pamphlets and edited more than
one newspaper" The biographers material,
though exceedingly copious, was supplied By
the writings Of Defoe himself; and the latter
was by no means chary of his personal history.
but the difficulty of selection is increased by
the discount to be made on his statements.
Most of Defoes doings appear "greatly to his
credit'-but che himself has said it," Defoe-
the reader learns-was not the real name Of the
author of Robinson Ctusoe. Protesting much
scorn of people who prided themselves on COM
ing over with William the Conqueror, he grad
ually doubled his initial d; first signing him
Daniel ID. Foe, then De Foe, and latterly
Defoe. HE was great, a truly great liar"
says Mr.. Mlnto with fervor. perhaps the great
est liar that ever hyed;" and the singular
sophistry of the man, even the very richness of
his nature aud certain copscience-all went
to fertilize the soil of his lush mendacity. He
had superbly clear Imagination, and perhaps
at times confounded the real and the false; as
one is not seldom puzzled to know whether
some event has taken place, or was only a
dream. Defoe had great influence with the
masses, on account of his vivid, strong elc-
quence. Mr. Minto compares him to Goblet;
but says "Cobbstt is contained in Defoe as the
less is contained in the greater" After the
publication of pamphlet written at the top
of his fiercest sarcasm, Defoe was put In prison.
The people pelted him in the pillory with
punches of flowers, instead of passes eggs and
cats who had rendered account for the last Of
their nine lives; and out Of his prison he put
forth newspaper, which gave great scope for
the exercise of his Imagination and invectiye.
He was model time-server, and the delicate,
enharmonie modulations by which he changed
his political tune are impressive in their adroit.
ness. Mr.. Mimic says Defoe's principle was
''the appearance of honesty is the best policy"
and adds, 'Dsvatons in his writings from the
SouAoO VI tAo patElOt dlluUeb d5 OlIn-
cult to detect as flaws In the verismilitude Of
Robinson Crusoe." Mr.. Minto's summing up
of Defoe's life and character is very Intelligent
and charitable. The political times were bad,
and Defoe was not better than another in the
means he used, but his underlying motives
seem to have been often good He deserves
more gratitude as politician than respect as q
man: and the most durable work of his imsg-
NATIVE faculty is in the legitimate department
of fiction.
Stories from Herodotus and the Seventh
Book of the History is edited, with notss, by
Prof Robert P. Keep. New York; Harper
Bros; Portland: Loriug, Short Sc Harmony.
1t is a small and attractive book, calculated to
profit and please students of the Greek Ian
guage. Many notes add to the worth of the vol
ume; and the Greek matter is divided, with
brief explanations in Eaglisb, into paragraphs;
uh Facilitates tho Gtndanf's uotH