The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-11-12
Recent Publications


Country Byways By Sarah orne Jewett.
boston: Houghton, MfAln & Co.. Portland
Loring, Short s. Harmony Miss Jewett has
| won for herself the friendship OF choice circle
of readers; the appreciative and cordial liking
| of the very class of people whose society must
| be as agreeable as their literary approval is
valuable. And no small debt of gratitude is
| due to her for the exquisitely truthful and
\ delicately retouched care of her New England
/ sketches Her dialect studies are admirable;
she does not in the least sxaggerate the homely
speech and to the purpose, of our farming and
seafaring folk. Moreover, she does not rely
too much upon dialect for "local COLOR, but
uses enough of it to give human interest to
landscape and atmosphere that are equally
characteristic of our section of the country.
Miss Jewetts observation and sensitive inter-
est in what she sees are exceedingly quick and
accurate, and show the growth that follows
cultivation. Her style, polished to well-rounded
simplicity, conveys her impressions easily,
clearly, and with leisurely and rastful flow of
words. Her work seems lately little mora
| refectve though her keen outlook for charac-
| teristic touches Of human nature and for pic
| turesque glimpses Of sea-margin or roadside.
is alert as always. The eight sketches which
| the volume Of Country Byways com.
| prises, vary somewhat in keynote and COM
| position-but are all easily in the range Of one
| of the pleasantest and freshest voices that
| speak to US from the pages Of choice books that
each holiday season brings with 1t.
Spain and the Spaniards By Edmondo de
| Amicis. (New York: G. p. Putnam's Sons;
Portland: Loring, Short & Harmony Another
OF Signor de Amicis's brilliant records of trav.
| el, fairly palpitating with eager sensation and
sustained at the highest degree of vitality. The
/ coloring of his superb word pictures is like
that Of Venice glass, transparent luminous
and set With gemlike points. Signor dc Ami
| els is poem where Bsedeker is prose-but his
| descriptions are actually not less circumstan-
| tial than those of guide-book. But every de-
tail is illuminated by the delight OF this Pas
sionate Pilgrim in each fnlly-lved moment.
| An italian all over, Signor de Amicis gives
1 himself up to the impression, that he receives,
| has no false shame in the wonder, amazement,
exaltation which he experiences, and yet again
true Italian--can break of his lyric raptures
| for momentary fine smile, taking up his su-
| perb theme precisely where he left 1t.
AS to this volume upon Spain and the Span
| iards, one cannot say that it equals the au-
| thor's Studies of Paris-a theme especially
suited to his brilliant and vers itile touch: but
| it remains one Of the most vital and pictpr-
esque books yet written concerning Spain.
/ Recent numbers of Messrs. Harpers' Frank
| lin Square Library are the Braes of Yarrow,a
Ill G-I IL
the days following the battle OF Flodden Field.
| by Mr. Charles Gibbon. one OF the strongest
and best of modern novelists; A Lifes Atone
ment, vigorous story by Mr. David @. MUIR
ray; Sceptre aad Ring, an amateurish but
| qnite pleasant novel by Miss B. III. Buxton;
| Reseda, mild and agreeable society story by
| Mrs. Randolph; and With Costs, graceful
and brightly written novel by Mrs. Newman.
| Baby Rue. No Name Series. Boston: Rob
erts Brothers; Portland: Loring, Short & Hsr-
| mon.) An anonymous novel, containing evil
| dences of talent worth training, and some very
bad work in the way of "fne writing" Baby
| Rue was little daughter Of the Leszinksky
| line-and the family annals are set forth By
| way of an appendix to the book, with historic
detail meant to support the rather fimsy fab
| rc Of the story in a way to remind the reader
of the Antiquary's remonstrance against un-
| truth with circumstance" Tho softening Of
| feet of little Rue's baby hands upon the hearts
| of the noble red men her captors; the figure
adorned speech of the natives the melodramat-
| ic poses and rarefed virtues OF the Leszinkskys
| NJ. and Madame; and the dreadful old drunk
| ard who preserves all the most chiyalric vir-
| tues--in alcohol-are described with the fervor
of first essay in fiction. The plan Of the story
| was too elaborate and remote for the auttor's
| hand; but it proves undsnisble and spontans-
GUS talent which ought to make second and
better-considered story, of more simple struc-
ture, a real success One might well think that
this is the effervescence Of the talent that now
may begin to run steadily and clear.
Wild Work. The Story of the Red River
Tragedy. By Mary e. Bryan. New York: d.
Appleton & Co.; Portland: HoYt Fogg & Dom
ham, A novel founded upon the southern
| Reconstruction times; written tolerably well
as to interest and incident. The author takes
| her view from the southern side, though she
| evidently endeavors to write with impartiality.
The episode of the ride of young girl to warn
| her lover, so brilliantly described BY Judge
| Tourgee in his novel, appears here in little
| altered shape, and in far less swiftness aud
strength Of delineation. Wild Work has some
| interest as a romance of sectional history, but
will hardly repay the readers time.
The Bloody Chasm. By j. W. De Forest.
| (New York D.. Appleton s. Co.; Portand:
| Hoyt, Fogg & Donham) Another novel found
| ed upon sectional differences, but by ne means
so sanguinary as its very dissgresable title
might indicate. 1t is quite lively and spirited
in style, effective rather than strong or delicate
| in workmanship; and not at all beyond the de-
| gree of average merit.
The Price Of a Life. By Rsbecea Forbes
| Sturgis, CNew York: G.. W. Carleton & Co.;
Portland: Hoyt, Fogg & Donham) is story
| Astounding in sensational incidents spiced to
suit the taste of the devourer OF this style OF
| fiction.
| Oddities of the Law. By Franklin Fiske
Heard. Boston: Soule & Bugbos) When
the reader recalls the kingly succession Of great
minds and brilliant wits that have strength
ened and illumined the processes OF law since
Magma Charter-it will be a matter Of surprise
to him that this volume includes so few, COM
paratively, of fine or really humorous utter
ances-and so many anecdotes that are unin-
teresting, well worn and even coarse.
Books Received.
Volcanoes; What they are and what they teach
BY John W. Judd. International Scientific Series.
Vol. XXXv. Cloth, illustrated, 3s1 PIP. New
York: d. Appleton s. Co. Portland; Hoyt, Fogg &
Donham.