The Portland daily press., 1885-02-21
New Publications.


The Creoles of Louisiana. By George w.
Gable. New York: Charles Scribner's
Sons; Portland: Loring, Short & Harmony.
This interesting book is especially valu-
able and appropriate at this time, when
SO many Americans are turning southwark
to escape the tedious spring of the north,
and to attend the exposition at New Orleans.
Mr.. Gable in his earlier accounts of South
ern life surprised most of his readers, and in
his present work he does not fail to keep up
the charm, in his fascinating sketches of do
mestic scenes and ancient customs among
the Creoles, which we Americans have as
ISOLATED exclusively with European life and
landscape.
In our country, where the newness is the
most striking feature of our architecture,
and domestic furniture and implements, a
glimpse of the decay and Irregularities, re
suits of the melowing processes of time, if
not accompanied by meurnful degradation
OF the human family, gives a feeling of re-
pose and luxury that cannot be infused into
the spectator as he studies an orderly peo-
PAOf iifiHS III uOuoC5 tIduRGQ
with mathematical precision along the geo.
metrical streets of modern times. The tour
ist to the Exposition cannot better prepare
himself to appreciate New Orleans and its
environs than by carefully reading this book.
Mr.. Cables word pictures OF the iuxuriant,
almost wasteful productiyeness of the coun-
try are full of rich coloring; in bold relief
against the weird, sepulchral views he paints
of the dark expresses and dismal swamps.
Our enjoyment amidst the beauties of ma
ture in its grandest aspects is tame when
compared with the emotions awakened by
the same scenes where History leads the i'm
agination in peopling the stage with the
living forms of heroes acting the real dramas
of the past. As one travels about Louisiana
he frequently loiters at quiet places made
memorable by the impressive events and
deeds in the lives of men like Pere Antoine,
Etienne Bore, Gen. Jackson and Aaron
Burr, men whose spheres were not limited
by provincial bounds, and whose influence
has gone out over the whole civilized world.
Mrs. F. Fenwick Miller. Boston: Roberts
Brothers; Portland: Loring, Short and
Harmony Mrs. Fenwick Millers sketch of
Harriet Martineau, in the Famous Women
SeEies," is a fitting companion to the very
acceptable volumes which have preceded it.
Although the author bas drawn, for many
of her facts, upon Miss Martineau's own
Autobiography published in 1855, she has
still found much that is new to relate of
events which occurred both before and af-
ter that date. In regard to the volume
written by Mrs. Chapman in completion of
the Autobiography, Mrs. Miller is rather un-
necessarily severe; and the comparison
which she makes between her own success
and Mrs. Chapman's failure in treating the
same subject, is in rather questionable taste.
For this monograph, however, we have only
praise. 1t is written in sharming style, is
bright, vivacious, and full of interesting
matter. II Miss Martineau made some enc
mics, she also had many and sdmiring
friends, and was undoubtedly remarkable
woman, who struggled bravely against
physical disadvantages which would have
overcome many a stout warrior. She was
reiormer par excellence; brave, unselfish,
and with the courage of her convictions.
Such a life must be both interesting and
stimulating to those who have the benefiting
of mankind at heart.
American Statesmen. John Marshall.
By Allan Magruder. Boston: Houghton,
Miffln & Co., Portland: Loring, Short &
Harmony Mr.. Magruder says in the preface
to bis very interesting volume, "The great
fame of John Marshall, as Chief Justice of
the United States, has SO far overshadowed
the remembrance of his other services to his
countrymeD, as to render many of them
oblivious of his public career as soldier, legis-
lator, historian, envoy and statesman, both
previous 10 and after bis elevation to the
first place on the Supreme Bench. These
pages are designed to supply these almost
forgotten features of his active, busy life
in addition to sketching his more familiar
career on the bench.
Mr.. Magruder has accomplished his work
in most satisfactory manner, and with
the utmost skill and good taste. The re-
sr,lf to al H. will ho