The Portland daily press., 1882-03-18
Recent Publications.


is always full Of color and music, it is genuine
ly lyric and free from the over-subtle move
ments of some brain-power or another, that
many Of our feminine writers of verse mistake
lor passion. 1t is easy to tell the true note
struck, from the false one; and Mrs. Spofford
sings with the surety and freedom of natural
poetic instinct. Occasionally too frequent re-
currence of rhymes in the middle of lines and
other over -assonances, seem to indicate that
her native sense Of the music of verse needs q
little more careful training; but SO few-in
these days when all the vitality of many very
well-gifted writers seems drawn to the brain,
leaving the heart to beat languidly and the
voice to grow thin and cold-so few then, in
these days, have the frank delight in nature
and life. the direct and warm faith, the i'm
pulse, the color and light that flash like wings
of birds through Mrs. Spofford s songs, that any
dispraise is ungracious, and we have only
thanks for volume of verse delicate, pleasur-
able, clear and impassioned
A Home Idyl and Other Poems. BY j. T.
Trowbridge. Boston: Houghton, Mffiin q
Co.: Portland Loring, Short 81 Harmony If
honest and manly thought, a fair degree of fan
cy and eloquence, and good. if not especially
artistic use of metrical resources, make poet
Mr.. Iroe5ridg5 is one. Indeed, he may very
justly be ranked above many verse-writer of
greater pretensions, for his songs have always
the core Of poetry, love of whatever is human
and hatred Of all that is ugly and base. His po-
etry is for the people, not dialect-verse or over
obvious and foolish and cheap sentiment, but
good, sound-hearted verse that rightfully be-
longs to the class of general readers. The
Home Idyl, which gives its name to the vol
ume, is poem Of much. real sentiment and
many beautifully expressed thoughts. The me-
tire is not we'll chosen, but is faithfully adhered
to-; it has cldence slightly bizarre, which is
unsuited to the eminentiy plain and serious
subject. Old Robin is capital eulogy OF one
of the best gifts of life, a good horse. The Old
is fine sketch in the low
tones of New England coloring. The poem
written on the occasion of Mr.. Whittier's sew
entieth birthday is charming, as genial and
wise as befits gift to the great and dear poet.
Two poems for festive meetings are felicitous.
Under Moon and Stars is a fine poem in which
Mr.. Trowbridge's style rises to degree OF
large Imagination quite above its usual level;
the metre is finely handled and the vocabulary
poetic and impressive. The metre is somewhat
less desirable as recalling Edgar Poe's Raven,
Of which it is no great dispraise to sey that
ones ear grows tired. Three sonnets are ex-
cellent. The Tragedy Queen is interesting,
but the metre is awkward, and its modulations
seem unnatural The Isle of Lambs. with its
charming name and delicate lumi-
nous quality, is the best verse that its author
has written.
The Four MacNicols. By William Black.
New York: Harpers; Portland: Loring, Short
& Harmony This story for boys will be read
not less eagerly by those of their elders who en-
Joy and appreciate Mr.. Blacks unrivalled pic
lures of the sea. His art is brilliant, varied
and exact, the colors and alternate light and
shadow, deeps and shadows of the sea, the su-
perb atmospheric effects, are marvel of vision
and language. Understanding that the ardent
young clientele of his present story will not care
to wait for the fine and elaborate indications of
color ard outline, he has sketched his sea-views
lightly and firmly, and told in the most lively
and whole-hearted fashion the story of the
MacNicols, their fun In the sombre old rains,
their brave work at the kerring-ishery.
A new volume of Professor William J. Rolfe's
series of Shakspeare's Plays New York: Har-
pers; Portland Eoring, Short & Harmony con-
tains the comedy OF E5vv-s fzabvr --'s;.s'.
was, aeeeFdSng- liezt.sxt esisiaa
played before Queen E izabeth at the Christ
mas season of 1897, and in the ensuing year r.
T. Gentleman (Mr. Robert Tofte) wrote dis
NAL little poem, relating how that he took his
lady to the Play,
(Which to heare to my small Joy did stay,
Giving attendance to my froward Dame
Professor Rolfe, following DR.. Furnivalps view
thinks it probable that Loves Labor Lost was
Shakspeare's first drama. Notes and critical
remarks are quoted from Mr.. Edward Dowden'
Coleridge's brilliant Notes and Lectures IA fine
passage here is the just and highly artistic note
upon the value of lyric repetitioD) and from
other authorities.
A remarkably good and cheap edition OF
Shakspeares Plays begins with the Tragedy oil
Hamlet, published by the Useful knowledge
Publishing Company of New York. IL is
handy volume for the pocket. type and paper
are generously afforded for the small price of
twenty cents. and the text and numbering OF
the lines follow the "Globe Edition" except
in passages lett there coniectural, where Dsce's
reading is adopted.
Manual of Historical Literature. By Charles
Kendall Adams, LII. D., Professor of History
in the University of Michigan. New York:
Harpers; Portland: Loring Shoit & Halmon.)
This valuable work is monument of research
and industry. 1t contains, following the in
troductory chapter, very large, well-grouped
and indexed collection of paragraphs charac-
terizipg various historical volumes as to Ielia-
bility, interest, style, etc. 1t is generous and
much-needed labor, and DR.. Adams has per-
formed it with great faithfulness, zeal and
learning. Such a volume as this will prove
a most useful guide TO the student of history,
who may we'll grow bewildered lacking such a
clue in the labyrinth of historical writings. 1t
will be found indispensable to persons engaged
in forming public or private libraries, who will
acknowledge themselves greatly indebted to
DR.. Adamss compact and judicious criticisms.
Luck OF Roaring Camp, &C. BY Bret Harte.
Boston: Houghtop, Miffiin & Co.; Portland
Loring, Short & Harmony is the second volume
of series of the authors complete works, now
in course of publication. 1t is pleasant to vel
come to library shelves this worthy edition OF
Mr.. Harte's inimitable stories, sketches and po-
ems.
John Fax and Msmelon. BY Albion w.
Tourgee, LII d. Author of A Fo rs Errand.
(New York: Ford, Howard & Hurlbut; Port
land: Bailey & Noyes) II was the tremendous
impulse, the eager crowding and rush OF things
that clamored to be said that gave the intense
interest to Judge Tourgee's former stories
The strength of the matter carried the manner
with it, the writer's speech was inspired by a
purpose that lifted it to heights of eloquent
prophecy and denunciation. Now, telling
these stories of ''the South without shadow,
they are, like other shadeless pictures, some
what fiat; and the authors style falls into
commonplaces and faults Of construction. Yet
this shall in no wise lessen the place which
Judge Tourgees brave and brilliant work has
already won for him in literature-half dozen
rather weak stories might well be pardoned
after the tense strain Of the earlier volumes.