The Portland daily press., 1880-03-26
Magazine Notices.

Scrbner for April closes the XIXth volume
of this Magazine, which will be ten years old
in November. The current number contains
large variety notwithstanding the space given
to the serials Mr.. Roes Success with Small
Fruits comes to an end with the consideration
of Raspberries, Blackberries, Currants and
Gooseberries, with hints about Picking and
Marketing. Mr.. Cables Grandissimes con-
tains the story of Bras-Coupe, of which the
reader has had provisions. Mr.. Schui ler's
Peter the Great proceeds to a third installment,
with accounts of the pacifcation of the Streltsi
after the Riot and the joint coronation of Peter
and Ivan as Tsars the third of the four parts
of Louisiana shows an admirable phase of Mrs.
Burnett's genius, the scenes between Louisiana
and her father being among the most touching
passages of her writing. Single papers of popu-
lar interest are not wanting in this number.
The Growth of Wood-cut Printing, by Mr..
Theodore L. De Winnie, the printer of Scribner,
deals with Early Methods ON the Hand-Press
and is to be followed by a second paper on the
Modern Method by Machines, the superiority
of which it is the object of the papers to dem
onstrate. The Orchestra of Today by Mr.
Sidney Lanier, is likewise expostory, being
descriptive of the differences of construction of
the best-known musical instruments. The
difficulties of counting time and of direct
ing an orchestra, and the desirability #
encouraging women to devote themselves to
this department of music, are incidentally
discussed. Eighty Miles in Indiana Caverns
is an account, by Mr. II. G. Hovey, of explora-
tions in Sibert's and Wyandot Caves, the lat
ter being the largest cavern but one in the
world. Rocky Mountain Mules, by Mr.. Ernest
Ingersoll, is an illustrated paper of fun and
adventure. An interesting anecdotal biogra-
ply of Jules Mchelet the historian, is con-
tributed by Mr.. j. D. Osborne, well known as
writer on Paris topics for this magazine. A
short story by Mrs. Julia Schayer is entitled A
Summers Diversion. The poetry of the num-
Der includes narrative poem, Fra Luigi's
Marriage, by Fl. H.; The Tornado, by Charles
de Kay, and poems by Dora Read Goodale and
Violet Hunt, the latter being an English girl
of seventeen, who is thought, by famous Eng
lish poets, to have very decided poetic genius.
This is her first published poem. The depart.
ments, though not quite so full as usual, have
a number of features. In addition to DR.
Hollands Lay Sermon for Easter, there is an
offer by the conductors of Scribner of prizes fol
the best wood engraving to be made by pupil
during 1880, the judges to be Mr.. Timothy
Cole, the engraver, Mr.. De Winnie, the printer
(above mentioned), and Mr.. Drake, the art-ed.
itor of the magazine. 1t is said that while art.
lists are complaining that the good times have
not reached them, the engravers have more
work, at lucrative prices, than they can do
Mr.. J. Watts de Peyster writes about The
First Breech-loading Rifle ever used in line Of
battle, and there are three explanatory cuts
from the piece in the writer's possession. Op
eras for Amateurs are treated in Home and
Society.