The Portland daily press., 1881-12-17

Country, equl-distant from either shore; swing
ing on the separating sea, like Mahomet's cof-
Ga in the impartial air not of earth or heaven;
and isolated in this liquid loneliness of literature
while the actual business of letters passes by
him, from this to that shore.
A World of Wonders (Sew York: D. APP
pleton Il Co.; Portland: Hoyt, Fogg & DON
kam). An admirable popular volume present
ing with excellent descriptions and many
woodcuts the marvellous creations which natu-
ra' history includes. The lowest forms of life
existing in the sea, the terrible octopus-the
pieuvre so thrillingly and almost without exag-
geration described in Victor Hugos Tolers of
the Seattle curious plants, strange beasts and
birds, and marvels of fire and ice which are de-
picted in this volume will be an unfailing
treasury of interest and knowledge. 1t is pre-
ciseiy book to be enjoyed by q family circle
around tho Winter fireside, and also nveys
accurate and scientific information.
Thomas Do Quincy. By David Mason.
New York: Hsrpers; Portland: Loring Short
g. Harmony. Although De Quincy is by no
means one OF the most interesting subjects of
the biographies which are included In the Eng
fish Men OF Letters Series, Mr.. Mason deserves
praise for an acute and strong handling of his
theme. The literary qualities of De Quincy
are those upon which his memory must rest;
and his biography presents these in mastery
fashion, while estimating clearly, but with
charity, the grievous drawbacks to De GUM
cey's usefulness and success. So extended and
fine an analysis as this by Mr.. Mason can be
little more than referred to in the space Of q
review; the reader is recommended to the vol
ume itself for portrait Of man so rich in in
tellect, 80 poor in manly will and vigor
Manual Of Object Teaching. By N. A.
Calkins New York: Harpers; Portland: Lor-
ing, Short g. Harmony. Nothing in the mod /.
ern systems OF teaching inspires such conf :
dence in the healthy and reasonable future Of
the children OF this decade as the growing be-
lief in object-teaching, in the wide-awake and
lively testimony of eyes, ears and touch of
hands as q substitute for the strain Of memory,
neglect of imagination, comparison and refec-
ton, and the unreasoning tyranny Of text
books which were the outcome of the former
ten are quite too brief for sight and hearing of
the world and what is In it.; and if the tender
time when eyes are new, ears quick and fancy
forming is spent in bending over books, it is
time worse than lest-for it means quick facul-
ties blunted, habits Of FREQ observation checked
and perfunctory reliance on cut-and-dried
facts instead of delight, wonder, fancy and
strength which are childhood's right. A man.
nal like this Of Mr.. Calkins is useful to teach
ers, and will, moreover, suggest endless varia-
tions as occasion may arise.
A Study of the Pentateuch. By Rufus p.
Stebbins, D. d. Boston: George II. Ellis;
Portland: Dresser & McLellan). The works,
lately published by the school of Dutch com
mentators have suggested to DR.. Stebbins to
write this volume of inquiry and research con-
corning the age of the books of the Pentateuch
and notes upon tho theories of the Dutch
school,