Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-07-13
Current Literature.

FRIENDS: DUET. By Elizabeth Stuart Phelps
author Of "The Gates Ajar," "TEe Story of
Avis" etc. Boston, Houghton, Mfn & Co.
l2mo. PIP. 255. Price S125. This highly gifted
and popular writer in this her latest book has GER
tainly given one of her very best. While the
storyi an exciting one, its teachings and nspira-
tons are all healthful, and the end is reached
through experiences which natural and not
uncommon in this checkered life Of ours young
widow and the friend Of her dead husband en-
deavor to be friends Sympathy changes to pity
and pity to love. The dead husband is never for
gotten, but the changes of earthly circumstances
force upon the thoughts OF these two friends the
fact that they need each other in closer bond
than that OF friendship. Miss Phelps selects her
characters with commendable discrimination.
Nordhall is an upright, noble man, inspiring re-
spect and reverence. Reliance is true woman.
Their solution OF the difficult problem before them
| was natural, honorable and Christian.
The TnEIsrIc ARGUMENT is the title Of the lee
lures delivered by the late Professor ]. Lewis
Diman before the Lowell Institute in the spring
| of 1880 as given to the public in an attractive
volume by Messrs Houghton, Mifilin & Co
These lectures at the time of their delivery were
| regarded as an eloquent and unanswerabe pres
also to show in what way the theistic argument
is affected by recent theories. Professor Diman
brought to this work ripe scholarship, an earnest
but extremely candid spirit a wide acquaintance
with the literature of the subject, a judicial
temper, and a literary style vigorous, clear and
felicitous very far beyond the average. This is
rare combination Of qualities, and this volume is
| the result OF it. The appeal is to the intellect
rather than to the emotions, but the language is
| luminous and eloquent, and yields keen pleasure
| to the reader. The book is one of the noblest
! and most important Of recent contributions to
religious literature, and all thoughtful minds will
reckon 1t boon. 1t has been edited for the press
| by Professor Fisher of New Haven. Its perusal
serves to make more keen the universal regret for
| what seems the untimely death OF the author.
A MORSE SToRY.-One OF the most attractive
| and charming books Of the season is the first
volume of Mr., Bjornstjerne Bjornson's novels
| entitled Syinope Solbdkken, which Messrs. Hough-
| ton, Mfln & Co, present in a translation made by
| Professor X. b. Anderson. Bjornson is regarded
| as the strongest representative OF contemporary
| Morse literature, whether as poet or a novelist,
| and the volume in question is strongly marked
with that peculiar style which constitutes the espe
cial attractiveness and beauty of Morse literature
| The present story-the first which Bjornson
wrote, and so properly the first in this American
| translation Of his novels-s tale of the love of
| two young Norwegian peasants, and illustrates
| the Christening and tanning influence which true
| girls love may have in subduing wild and
rugged nature. 1t is strong, and vigorous with a
vigor born Of simplicity, realistic in the better
sense and tender and pathetic. 1t has the charm
Of an dyl, and 1t gives portraiture of northern
character so true and vivid as to be almost photo
| graphic. Professor Anderson, the translator,
preiaces the story with an interesting sketch OF
the authors life, and striking portrait Of the au-
thor forms the frontispiece, The is neat and
appropriately marked with the Norway pine,
LosGFELLow LEAFLErs,-w are told on every,
| hand that the true way TO save our youth from
the demoralizng effects OF the literary trash OF
| the day is To pre-occupy their minds with that
which Is good Acting upon this hint Miss J. T.
nodgdon, an intelligent teacher in New Hamp
shire, has prepared a little collection, called
4" longiellow Leaflets" comprising numerous ex-
tracts from the poems and prose writings Of Mir.
Longtellow chosen with special reference to use
in hools,-peces that can be used for recitation,
defamation, for reading at sight, for reading in
concert etc. They are arranged in two forms:
one pamphlet for the teachers use, the other
grouping these various pages as leaflets In an en-
velope, and intended to be distributed among the
pupils, 80 that they may read or commit to mem
DRY the poems or prose passages which the leaflets
contain. Some OF these may be used each day
as kind of literary impulse, and can also be used
| on special afternoons which may be devoted en-
tirely to literary exercises The character Of the
selections promises the best results from their