The Portland daily press., 1880-12-22
Recent Publications.

Pastoral Days. By w. Hamilton Gibson
(New York: Harpers Portland: Loring, Short
& HARMONY is not surpassed in exquisite de-
sign and arrangement by any one of the ele-
CANT holiday volumes of the season. 1t is
description of the varying charms of country
life and scenes throughout the cycle Of the
year; and Mr.. Gibson's delicate, brilliant and
sympathetic pictures in words keep equal pace
with the beautiful illustrations which he Law
ishes rpon these pages. He is no day-dreamer,
no vague impressionist with pen and pencil;
there is clear, fresh and satisfying quality
prevailing IN his work, together with tender
and quick fancy. He sees and depicts the
changes of the pastoral year as they exist, illu-
minating them, but not Disgusting, with his
keen observation of the artist. The gift OF
this volume is royal gift of fair large lands
wherein the seasons come and go, leaving after
them their delights of pictured memories.
DIR. Schliemanns Ilios, City and Country of
the Trojans, New York: Harpers; Portland
Loring, Short & Harmony narrates his re-
searches during the years 1919 on the histor-
ic site of ancient Troy. How fascinating is his
recital hardly need be hinted the reader is
filed with keen delight of olden things come
near. of the kingly shades of Homeric heroes
that tstrike hands through the darkness with
us who have heard their story. To see the
likeness OF the cups, the vases, the weapons
and household implements, the round small
bracelets that clasped the wrists the carven
loops of gold that hung in the ears of Trojan wo-
me- nd m do Iioht in Al a;r l.
things give us to see the life of Troy town
more clearly than we could know it from the
great song sung through seven cities. In
speaking of a trait often noted in criticising of
Homer-the appropriation of an adjective, sell
dom varied, to each person-Dr. Schliemann
considers that these epithets were associated
with the praise and worship of gods and
demi-gods, and were necessary as part of
the due honors at the mention of
their names. This may be one of
DIR. Schliemann's theories which are some-
times formed on slight grounds; but the facts
that he gives the world are too superbly valua-
BILE to make it needful to criticize too close
ly his fancies. Many illustrations add to the
interest of the volume, while the appended
chapters by eminent scientists, and Prof
ply, vary the narrative of the finding of Troy
town. The volume is monument of historic
research.
The Personal Life of David Livingstone. By
William Garden Blaikie, d. D., L. d. New
York: Harpers; Portland; Loring, Short &
HARMONY is volume to be sought by those
who have admired the persistent and ener-
Oafi il nhara Of fl,a
from the history of his wanderings. DR.. Blaikie
writes with warm interest in his subject and
fully sets forth the courageous and faithful
nature of DIR. Livingstone. Although not es-
pecially designed for holiday gift-book-the
worth and interest of this work give it a place
among books TO be noted at this time.
Ben Hur. A Tale of the Christ By Lew
Wallace. (New York Harpers; Portland:
Loring, Short & Harmony. It is rare that a
story wherein sacred personages are made to
figure, even though written with the best of
motives, does not jar upon the readers mind;
but this is not the case with this work. in
which General Wallace shows tact and rever-
ence, together with the vivid historical imag-
alton that made his "Fair Cod so brilliant
picture of the days of the Incas Ben-Hur is a
story of Judea, during the thirty years of
Christ's life; and depicts the growth of the
Christian religion and its influence among the
people. The delicacy and richness of color,
the reverence and reserve of the story, give it
high place in that most difficult department,
religious fiction.
Messrs. Scribner of New York send to the
PRESS the handsomely bound volume of their
magazine from May 1880, to October, 1880, in
elusive. The magazine, by the worth and va
riety of its reading matter, the high quality
OF its illustrations, the suitability of its
contents to the best popular taste, and the en-
terprise of its management, is gaining and hold
ing foremost place in magazine literature.
(For sale in Portland by Hoyt, Fogg & DON
ham)
The Story of the United States Navy. BY
Benson j. LOSING New York: Harpers;
Portland: Loring Short & Harmony, is an ac-
count of the past and present history of our
navy, prepared at the desire of Capt Luce,
commander of the training ship Minnesota,
and examined before publication by the Naval
Bureau, in order to insure complete accuracy
1t is volume that every boy will very right
fully expect to find among his Christmas gifts.
1t contains sound information and is well
illustrated.
The Mountains in Winter.