The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-09-13
TERMS $500 PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE,

tracts and comment It's title does not pre-
csey define its design Afternoons with the
Masters of the Sonnet would have more
clearly denoted its limits and aims. Mr..
Deshler's work evidences much literary taste
and enthusiasm of type at once feryent and
painstaking, and his critical comments, not
aiming at especial show of originality, and free
from any pretentousness, are usually Just ana
appreciative. The plan of the work is pleas
ant one; to avoid the set form of the essay,
Mr. Deshler has arranged the seven chapters
of which his work consists, in the form Of IA
miliar talks of a Professor and his friend, in
course of summer afternoons. 1t requires, OF
course rarely delicate and strong dramatic
talent in the essayist to carry out such plan
to perfection-Mr. Bayard Taylor's brilliant
echo Club" may be cited as the model of
dialogue-essay writing; for there is never
heard any click of the machinery-the talk
seems made by the men, not the men by the
words set in their mouths Mr.. Deshler sue
ceeds only tolerably in the dialogue as such;
it is rarely quite easy or natural and the
brightness is a trife excited and lacks the
bubble and flow of unrestrained summer-day
conversation But there is little need to linger
upon any shortcomings in this regard; for the
dialogue form, adopted merely for the purpose
of lessening the danger of didactc speech
hard to avoid in writmg-affects little
the real purpose and worth Of the volume. 1t
is always convenient and useful thing to
have the course OF one branch of literature
traced FROM its earliest growth; shown as
affected by the times and their events; here
dwarfed by dull or careless fostering, here set
all a-blown by the hands Of genius. 1t is this
that Mr.. Deshler has done very readably and
well-for the sonnet. He believes that the
sonnet originated in Italy, early in the 18th
century; and Fra Guittone, of AreZzo, gave to
it its regular form. Dante and Petrarch,
Shakespeare, Milton, Herrick, Herbert, Pope,
Cowper, Shelley, Keats, and host of other
poets dead or if in our own day, are called
upon to attest by their works the merits of the
sonnet; and the comments with which Mr..
Deshler accompanies these numerous extracts
prove him to have made close and observant
study of the varied beauty in which, from CEN
tury to century, the sonnet has appeared. Mr..
Deshler's literary style needs practice and
pruning; it is little obscure with words,
over-many and over-long; but there is enough
thought and body in his talent to repay techni-
cal study. afternoons with the Poets is
less one would say, the work of a literary ex-
pert than of man who has had great pleas
ure in reading, studying and talking with his
friends about poets and poetry; and who, very
reasonably, believes that others will share his
pleasure if he communicates its cause 1t is
book worth writing and worth reading; and
will increase by its numerous quotations and
excellent notes the interest felt by students OF
literature in the difficult and elegant art of the
Sonnet
Half Hour Recreations in Popular Science.
Selected and Edited by Dana Estes (Boston:
Estes & Lauriat; Portland: Dresser & McLel-
LAM is one of those amazing collections OF
Arabian Nights Entertainments thatsmodern
Science continually relates and which are as
true as they are wonderful In our nine
teenth century we become accustomed to the
improbable-for the impossible of yesterday is
the actual of tomorrow; and we accept with
entire docility the latest declarations of scien-
lists. So rapid and SO innumerable are the
steps of progress in science, that our faculties
of admiration become fairly dulled with con-
slant use This volume of Half Hour Recrea-
tions contains chapters upon some of the most
notable of recent discoveries in various depart
cludes are selected for their practical as well
as their theoretic value. Prof. Tyndall writes
upon Transmission Of Sound by the Atmos-
phere; Prof. Braun of the Glacial Epoch;
Prof. Garbit of the Telephone and Phono-
graph; Prof. Lowering on Sympathetic Vibra-
tious as Exhibited in Ordinary Machinery-the
latter notably fine paper. The other twenty
one essays--from which these examples have
been selected at hazard-are all of popular and
genuine interest. Many illustrations are given,
to accompany the text. Messrs. Estes & Lau-
riat do a good and praisewortng deed in pub
fishing a book at once so valuable and so
attractive.
The Law of Hotel Life By r. Vashon Rog-
ers, ir Boston: Houghton, Osgood & Co.;
Portland: Dresser & McLellan).
This is very ingeniously constructed book,
treating of the obligations of host and guest,
in hotels, boarding-houses lodgings, etc. 1t is
to render it more lively and amusing read
ing than the laws and bylaws are wont to be-
written in the form of a story. Mr.. and Mrs.
Lawyer set forth upon pleasant trip; and the
husband lectures very pleasantly and brightly
to Mrs. L. and to friends and chance acquain-
tances upon the liabilities of inn-keepers as to
care and accommodation of their guests; their
responsibilities in regard to valuables, left in
rooms or deposited in hotel safes; damages by
fire or accident etc. The travelling public is
so large in America, and SO many and various
are hotel experiences that volume like this
is exceedingly useful for protection equally Of
host and guest; and its lively, clear and reada-
BILE style, entirely free from dark techncalities,
aI hv wi
and page of law decisions bearing on each case
are siven) fit it admirably for popular use. 1t
is an original and well-executed manual, equal
ly entertaining and reliable; and copy OF 1T
should have a place beside the Hotel Register
in every public house in the United States, SO
that guests need not fear any injustice from
the diamond studded and tyrannous hotel
clerk: and he, on his part, will be supported by
legal authority against any unreasonable de-
mands of boarders.
Messrs Appleton of New York publish in
their new Handy-Volume Series Mr.. Charles
Reade's inimitabe Peg Wellington, the best,
it may almost be said, the only really good
literary work Mr.. Reade has ever done. Writ
ten in legitimate novel FORM it has all the
charm and brillance of the best "high come
dy''; the author has caught to perfection the
sparkle and audacity of the time when Cibber
wrote, and Garrick and Mrs. Wellington
played. The wit of that day was like its snuff
boxes--a little fine gold, with false brilliants,
and pungent and irritating contents-but IL
was lively and unrestricted. play of wits
was rapid and sharp as bout of rapiers-and
they were not particular il the buttons flew
off the foils in course of contest. Peg Voting
ton is novel fairly radiant and delicious-the
style of it is like a peach, penetrated with
sweetness. its velvet roundness crimsoned with
sunshine, and exquisitely piquant. But the
peach is at perfection for day-and ME-
Reade's manner at its ripeness in Peg Wof-
fiIgton, reached the stage beyond in his sue
ceedinS works. Its fine SAVIOR became smell;
its delicate sharpness of flavor grew bitter,
sour, and repulsive. To drop the peach-ex-