The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-07-29
Recent Publications.

Harper g. Brothers; Portland: Loring, Short &
1 Harmony. Notwithstanding the poverty of ma
terial which exists for the making of biogra-
ply of the poet Gray-Mr. Gosse's contribu-
ton to the English Men of Letters Series is
one of the most valuable and interesting, on
account of Its exquisite literary quality. 1t is
scarcely matter for regret that SO few out
lines for the strictly biographical part were TO
be obtained, since Mr.. Gosse's critical faculty
which includes remarkable understanding OF
the technique of verse gives such light and col
or to the poets likeness Asa youth, Thomas
Gray was melancholy and full of uucomforta-
| BILE genius. A portrait of him 81 the age OF
| thirteen, is in the Fitzwilliam Museum at
Cambridge England. Mr.. Gosse says: 1.-THE
head is good in color and modelling; a broad,
| pale brow, sharp nose and chin, large eyes and
a pert expression give lively idea of the pre-
cocious and not very healthy young gentleman
of thirteen. He is dressed in a blue satin coat,
lined with pale shot silk, and crosses his stock
inged legs so as to display dapper slippers OF
russell leather" His father, a man violent to
the verge of madness, rsfus to educate
Thomas, who went to Elton at his mothers ex-
pense. Gray, Walpole, West and Ashton
the two last died young-formed an insepara-
BILE quartette of friends at Elton. Here Gray
wrote stately heroic verse in praise OF trapball
and birdsnesting, and moody and moral lines
in Latin hexameters. Horace Walpole de-
clared that "Gray never was boy" He was
| fond of music, and his fine apprehension is
proved by his being the first to call attention
20 the superiority of Pergolesi's compositions
in an age that heard Leonardo Leo Hasse and
da Vinci. At Cambridge, which was full Of ri
OF and stupid violence in true Georgian fash
ion Gray found little to his liking. In 174S.
when the Duke of Newcastle took the Chancel-
lorship there was general disturbance. "Ev-
cry one," Gray wrote, whilst it lasted was
very gay and very busy in the morning. and
very owlish and very tipsy at night" OF an
orderly and timid nature. Gray lost little of his
melancholy among such noise and commotion.
Mr.. Gosse's praise of the Elegy in Country
Churchyard is so enthusiastic, SO sensitive and
just that nothing less than the reading of it,
word for word, will suffice to the student of
English verse. 1t is interesting to see. pointed
out by Mr.. Gosse, how the superb modern mu-
sic of verse began in Grays odes." This man.
ner of rhyming observes the biographer) this
|. rapid and recurrent beat of song was the germ
out of which have sprung all later metrical in
| ventions, and without which Mr.. Swinburne
himself might now be polishing the heroic
coupet to Its last perfection of brightness and
sharpness"
Victor Emmanuel. By Edward Dicey, NJ.
a. New York: G. P. Putnams Sons; Pert
land: Loring, Short & Harmony. This is
compact and admirable record of the history of
| Italy-the most brilliant, intense, pathetic of
| modern historic times. The half-century of
| Victor EmmanuePs life, 182e7S, was period
| of tremendous import to Italy. 1t saw her in
mortal sleep at the very door of death, and saw
her reawakened by her strong sons that gave
| her the life they owed her. Without claiming
| for Victor Emmanuel the genius of the few
| men that stand as landmarks of history. Mr..
| Dicey shows how the fortunes of Italy were de-
pendent upon the action of the king. There is
little need to recount here the list of campaigns
and of notable names that belong to the rec
ord Of the political progress of Italy. 1t is
| fresh in the memory of men; but Mr.. Dicey's
work places it in clear order and ineligible
| form for students of history.
Camps in the Rockies. By VIM. A. Baillie-
Grohman. (New York: Charles Scribner's
Sons; Portland: Loring, Short & Harmon)
This is lively account written by an English
traveller, of his soiourn among the Rocky
Mountains and the great cattle ranches of the
western plains. The chief merit of the book is
its unfailing tone of healthy goodnature as lit
erature it certainly can claim little distinc-
ton; and the American citizen will be greatly
entertained by the authors desire to appear
like one who went west to grow up with the
country, assuming all sorts of slang phrases,
and recounting as new stories that have long
since passed into the limbo of comic almanacs.
But it is an an honest, hearty book and gives
many particulars of the rough life of western
camps and good descriptions of the country.
Pen Pictures of Modern Authors. Edited
by William Shepard. New York: G. P. Put
nams Sons; Portland: Loring, Short & Har-
mon) This second volume of the Literary
Life Series has the merits of its predecessor 1t
abounds in well-written and interesting
sketches OF many of the prominent men and
women who have been and are eminent in lit
erature; and its gossip keeps on the right side
of the line which divides the circumstances of
writer's private life which may suitably be set
forth for the public, from those concerning
which tits intrusive and over-curious to inquire
1t is volume which cannot fail to be much
enjoyed and appreciated.
In the Saddle Boston: Houghton & Milf
fin; Portland: Loring, Short & Harmony. A
little volume, in flexible covers suitable to be
contained in the pocket of some rider and read
er who may take advantage of the summer
days to mount his horse and SO fare forth to
ride over hills and dales; man and horse to-
gether taking their pleasure in the large,
light and free winds. Some OF the most IA
NOUS poems which have bsen written upon the
gallant deeds of men and horses are to be
found here-Browning's wonderful ballad
How They Brought the Good News, Bret
Harte's admirable hexameters of Chiquita and
the mystic ballad of True Thomas, the superb
instantaneous touch with which Mr. Longfel-
low showed Rousham Beg leaping the chasm
contrasts with the strange reiteration of rhymes
in William Morriss Riding Together. These
are but few among the many fine poems
which illustrate the ancient loving comrade-
ship of man and horse
Political Economy. By Prot. r. E. Thomp-
son philadelphia: Porter & Coates; Portland
Hoyt Fogg & Donham). Prof Thompson's
work is of practical character, intended for
general reading or as textbook for students
of political economy. he belongs to the Ma
tionalist School of Economists, of which some
of the great names are Hamilton, Henry Clay
and James A. Garfield The argument of his
work aims to prove that protective policy en-
sures the prosperity of national industry; and
brings forward historic evidence to prove how
greatly Free Trade between two countries has
the effect to impoverish the lesser nation and
render it dependent upon the greater. The
work is written with care, and is direct and
agreeable in style.
Two pretty little volumes of the Science
Ladders Series are Vegetable Life and Forms
81 Tapd opd Watar Nav York. O. p put-