The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-08-02
LITERATURE.
Books,


TIMES or LlNN.Kus. BY 4. Topelius. Trans
lated from the original Swedish. Chicago;
Jansen, McClurg Il CO. Ottawa: For sale
nv Hapeman " Graham. Price, 81 %.
, This is the fifth in the order of the great
Swedish series of historical novels known
as The Surgeons Stories 1t relates to
that formative period in Swedish history
when the country, brought 10 the verge OF
ruin by exhausting foreign wars, calls
truce TO its ambitions, turns inward upon
itself, takes account of stock so to speak,
and wisely applies itself to the work ofre-
cupeaton from its own native resources,
Inhospitable though the climate, and bred
to placing her main reliance on sea farlng
and commercial pursuits, the country is
driven TO seek refuge in its agricultural Ca
liabilities, and in this search Providence
gave her a pioneer no less intelligent than
wise in the father of botany, the great
Linnaeus. Though occupying a secondary
place in the story, which is one of deep ro-
mantle interest, he is often brought into
view, when we see him in all his simple
grandeur and realize:that the glamourof his
genius is over all the land The story is II
charming one throughout, and no feature
of it is more satisfying than the conscious
ness that ninete of it is simple histor-
ical fact
TIMES OF ALCHEMY. By l.. Topelius, Chi
cago: Jansen, McClurg Co. For sale ny
Hapeman Il Graham, Ottawa. sl25.
Thisis the sixth and last of this fascinat
ing series of romances known as "The
Surgeons Stories,' by Sweden's Walter
Scott, the great Topelius The lovers of
fine reading are under lasting obligation
to Jansen, McClurg & Co., for placing by
a faultless translation, this great work with
in the reach of English readers. In this
concluding volume is given striking pic
ture of the superstitions that prevailed
amongst all classes of Swedish society be
fore its clouds had yet been penetrated
and dissolved by the sunlight of exact
science that followed the career of Lin
naeus This superstition is eXemplitied
in the person of mysterious alchemist,
and in his experiments in search Of the
philosophers stone and the elixir of life.
The six volumes of this charming series
each possess the most fascinating interest,
and together form group of noble works
almost unrivalled in modern literature.
The titles of the works in their order are
Times of Gustav Adolf, Times of Battle
and Rest, Times Of Charles XII, Times
of Frederic l., Times of Linnaeus, Times
of Alchemy.
THE LAND QUESTION. What 1t Involves and
How 1t Can Be Settled. By Henry George,
author of Progress and Poverty" Social
Problems ,Sc. New York: John W. Low
ell IL Co. 10 cts.
The handsomely printed little volume
before ms, of some 80 pages, is intended,
we presume, as a convenient resume for
popular use, of the more elaborate work of
Mr.. George on the same subject. The hob
by of Mr.. George is Gland reform" as he
calls it, but which is really revolution of
the most radical kind The great evil of
the times, and he might as well say of all
times, is and has been the inequality of for
tunes. Some people are rich and bask in
luxury, others equally or more meritorious
drudge from morning until night, and can
barely exc out enough to support life. The
WI n1 fnr1t 1iaS in Gland pnnpnna1x - nd
to cure it, ownership in land must be abol-
ished! Instead of individuals owning
land and being landlords, the government
must own all the land and be the only land
lord, renting the land to whoever wants it,
collecting the rents, and paying the money
into the common treasury for the common
good! Nothing is easier" says Mr.
George. at is not possible so to divide up
the land as to give each family or individ-
ual an equal share; but il is possible TO
equally divide the rent, or, what amounts
to the same thing, apply it to the common
benefit Mr.. George is probably sane
man and may have some lucid conception
of how his system would work in practice,
but we honestly confess our imagination is
unable to grasp it,
Magazines
HARPER's MAGAZINE. Opening with a
frontispiece engraved from "A beautiful
painting by Dewing, the August Harper's
is illustrated with no less than 60 fine en-.
cravings The Artist Strolls in Holland"
by George II. Boughton, are resumed, with