The Portland daily press., 1879-04-26

VI "ousicnss including those who claimed the
throne when In exile, aud the French and
Spanish kings who claimed the kingdom. IL
would be likely to stretch the period materially.
The vista Of the ages narrows as 1t goes back
into the distance. Looking back seventy five
years we see, far remote, the picture of Napo-
leon in his cooked bat and white breeches,
riding along past the Great Pyramid on Q
dromedary led by blue.robsd Arab, bat the
picture Of Abraham riding along the same road
four thousand years before, with bis train of
camels, asses and servants, and his beautiful
wife, at the end of the picture In the far dis
lance, gives one no idea of time and space.
Tue author alludes to Prof. Piszzi Smiths
theory OF the measurements Of the Great Pyra-
mid corresponding with the size and shape of
the earth, only to sgree with Sir Henry
Jsues. who designstes. il as "crochets
about numbers" 1t was a pity to "punc.
ture the bubble" for it was delightful to
think of, as existing, a structure built by
primitive men under divine instruc ton,
containing prophecies of all the past, ard Of the
future until the millennium; but these cores
pondential things clap over so much when
they focus themselves" that we can spare them
better than II they were more filing. The des-
cription OF the expedition, with it's camels,
tents, bedsteads, coops of poultry and supplies
OF canned meats suggest a pleasant journey
through the DESERT OF course they found the
spot where the Israsltss crossed the Red Sea-,
and were satisfied that the miracle was c.
incidence Of wind and tide. Even the supply of
quails was not unnatural, bat the mama Is un-
explainsble. The modern article, produced
n tha xso 2.
whole product Of the district would not sup
port one man. Lady Aune Blunt broached 9
new theory on this point. She thought the
mama might have been Q species OF truffis
of which the Arabs are fond. One evening her
servant picked q large basketfui 10 quarter
of an hour. Some measured twelve inches
round. Thay are white and soft like potatoes
and much lighter, can be eaten raw, bot are
bstter when boiled. They grow near the surf4ce
and sometimes crop mp above the ground. DR.
Bartlett evidently had not heard of this desert
product. He adopts the theory that the famous
Sinsitc inscriptions are only about 1000 years
old. They are mostly names coupled with
phrases, such as "Msy-he-be-remem mbered." He
quotes one Christian name, "Dsscon job"
and uear 1t ths comment "a bad company
that; l, the soldier, wrote IL with my hand"
ThiDk Of scientists in the year 1919, when
CONCISE and clear phonetic characters shall have
superseded our clumsy alpsabst, going through
the deserted valleys of the White Hills aud
wondering if the prominent inscriptions on the
rocky cliffs. plantation Bitters, s. T. 1860
X" are historical arcana. Biblical students
will follow the journey through the desert and
through Palestine with much interest, as the
author compares the work of many previous
travellers in his attempt at identifying places
of interest, and promptly discards all improba-
bic statements. 8. b.
Life aud Times of Stein, by j. r. Seeley
Boston: Roberts Brothers; Portland: Loripg
Short s. Hsrmon, Whoever expects In this
very solid and valuable work of Professor
Seeley a biographical portrait with the person-
al detail. the current gossip Of the time, the
marked human interest concentrating upon the
sole figure of the man whose lifs is recorded,
will bs disappointed. Stein was a representa-
tive German of his day; around him circled the
tremendous history Of the Nspoleonic period;
and by his place as we'll as his powers be was
10 situation to greatly affect the movement of
affairs. He is then, taken as point d'dppai
from which to draw the great battle-scene; as q
means of rendering more connected and more
comprehensive the annals of phenomenal
period of war and of politics. Prof. Seeley
frankly disclsims any especial interest 10 Stein
as q character, apart from his circumstances,
when the biography was first projected; but In
Its progress he became gradually impressed
with the weight of STEMS character and infiu-
encs. The biography. so far as it concerns its
aphiect narannallv ia avidantlv cayeful and
JUST as an historic work, it is still more valua-
BILE from the new phase of the Napoleonic peri
cd which it represents. 1t is the minority re-
port; the history of the defeated; the reverse of
the medal Of victory. In the dazzling splendor
Of the career of Napoleon, one naturally looks
at the figures which it Eliminates; shsdow
falls over the lands desoated by defeat Writ
ten by an impartial band, many years after the
events had taken their place in the sober rank
and file Of history-this view of the policy, the
struggles, the resistance of Germany forms an
exceedingly valuable and, in no small degree, q
novel addition to historic literature. Although
large and comprehensive task, the writing Of
this volume could hardly bs said to be O
grateful one; it is not easy or particularly at
tractive reading, 90 little of heroic personal
story or epic brlliance is permitted to il; but
the reader may be sure that in its thorough
Knowledge and its painstaking accuracy
Prof. Seeley's work will be of the greatest
worth to those who desire to have q clear and
full impression of most remarkable epoch of
history. So large is the scope Of the Volume
that IL is not easy to make quotations from it,
aud its plan, as well as the unpretentious and
solid manner of its execution. is such that no
extracts can give an idea Of the whole, grave,
important and we'll arranged.
Mrs. Oliphant's very agreeable group of es-
says upon the subject of Dress form q volume
of the Art at Home Series philadelphia:
Porter s. Coates; Portland: Loring, Short &
Harmony. To say that it very greatly changes
the aspect of the question would be to say that
Mrs. Oliphant has successfully warred upon
Worth, slain Harper's Bazar and sire wed the
fought field with Revues de Modes, to say
nothing of leading 10 csptive's chains the indi-
vdual taste Of the femiuine public. But such
| was not at all the intention of the writer, who
| in a charming, bright and womsnly style,
glances at the historic and artistic elements of
dress, calls Herrck's Julia with her spleudor Of
silks and bravery of brocade and the "wild
| civility" of her careless shoestrings," and
| Chsucer's dainty Prioress with her wimple and
| beads, to witness that the poets take note of
| feminine gear. Then the writer goes forth
| in something of Amszonian temper to prove
that lords, as well as ladies, are sometimes fam
tastical in their array, but makes gracious
amends to all men living by praise Of the
modern coat and hat But she defends her
sisters against the return of the Greek CLIFTON,
| which some of the srt-smitten sort would
wrap their wives and daughters ina garment
difficult to drape, not easy to wear, and impos-
sible to work iD. Andromache, carrying her
boy in her white arms, trailing her robes of
fine wool through long galleries when she
went to meet Hector, is stately and graceful
figure; but modern woman, ascending flights
of stairs from baseme Mt kitchen to nursery In
the third story, with the young AstyanAx on
one arm, a pitcher of water 10 the other,
would have need of at least q third hand to
clasp the plastic folds of gsrmept-reallr less