The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-01-13

backwoodsman who must supply daily needs
with sure shot, than like the dapper citizen
who goes forth fully armed to shoot at some
more timid creature than himself.
Monte Rosa The Epic of an Ain. By
Starr b. Nichols. Boston: Houghton, Mifiin
& Co.; Portland Loring, Short & Harmony A
long and very ambitious poem, overlooking at
especially inspired moments the rules of verse
which are binding upon ordinary poets. The
volume is'elegantly printed, in flexible covers
of creamy ieatherette.
A Whimsical Wooing. By Anton Giulio
Barrili. Translated by Clara Bell. (New
York: William s. Gottsberger; Portland:
Frank B. Clark.) An ingenious and brilliant
novelette,, with the inimitable gayety Of Ital-
ian comedy. Impossible, vcluble as mask at
the carnival, it is full of rapid and tireless wit
Quintus Claudus. A Romance of Imperial
Rome. By Ernst Eckstein. Translated by
Clara Bell New York: William s.. Gottsper-
ger; Portland: Loring,. Short g. Harmon }
One of the romances founded upon studies of
antiquity, in which Professor Ebers's brilliant
success has led to much imitation among his
German contemporaries. Quintus Claudius is
an interesting tale, and has both literary merit
and power; but the readers satisfaction is
much marred by the pedantic mass of foot
notes with which the text is encountered
Professor Eckstein ia not, however, to be held
wholly responsible for this intrusion OF foot
notes. he purposely avoided disturbing the
reader with constant references, and had ar
ranged them as an appendix, where the trans
lator would better have placed them in the
American edition. Professor Eckstein's schol-
arship is evidently profound, but his art as q
novelist is not equal to Professor Eberss, nei-
Their does he carry his weight OF learning so
lightly and easily. As picture of Roman So
cety in the first century Of our era, Quintus
Claudius includes many interesting details.
j. Feninore Cooper. By Thomas R. Louns-
bury. Boston: Houghton & Mif1in; Port
land: Loring, Short & Harmony This new
volume OF the American Men of Letters Sc
ries will be of especial interest as the first pub
lished biography of its subject. AT the time
OF Coopers death, he enjoined upon his family
never to permit the preparation of any author
lied memoir of his life. Professor Lounsbury.
in the present volume, has acted in accordance
with the spirit of the novelist's wish I and has
| given such biography as the public has
| right to expect. That is to say, such passages
of Cooper's lie as were patent and we'll known
or were connected with his writings are af-
forded; and his private letters and affairs are
left where they belong, in the possession of his
family. The result is, an accurate and snffi-
GENTLY full account of Coopers work and the
events Of bis life, and q lack--which no reader
should regret-of the record OF matters
more OF less important which Mr..
Cooper considered as his own prop
erty, and subject 10 his testamentary
| disposition. "A. mans legal right to
his own history is a subject not for
INFLATED by jurisdiction. Perhaps it is re-
served for DIR. Holmes to. define its limits as he
has done those of the rights OF Authors-so wit
tily, genially and justly that his decisions can
not be forgotten or disputed.