The Portland daily press., 1885-06-06

one had better take it with them into the
country this summer, when we can promise
them several agreeable hours in the society
of the queer, kind old Loig+rot, the pretty
Marie, Rudolf and Madame Carouge, and
the hungry wolf Madame Bobineau who
would so gladly have eaten poor Red Riding
Hood. We shall not hint at the plot for
that would spoil the whole for prospective
readers.
democratic Government. By Albert Stick
ney. New York: Harper & Brothers
Portland: Lorlng, Short & Harmony. This
is study of high politics in which the dem
ocratic plan of government is shown to
be possible only among an intelligent
and moral people. 1t is demanded
when people become fitted for it.
and they can maintain it only by per-
petual vigilance. The leading idea of the
author is that the people to be truly repre-
sented must choose the officers of govern
ment and not allow rings of politicians do it
for them, as they will be sure to do unless
prevented. Any government deserving the
name democratic must provide some simple
and easy process, by which the people csn
form and utter its will and judgment. 1t
must so organize the body polite that the
people shall be able to select freely the men
of its own deliberate choice for the highest
places in the state. 1t must secure TO those
men time aud opportunity to get skill and
training in public affairs. 1t must keep
them thoroughly under the control, not Of
professional politicians, but of the people,
1t must secure a wise, stable public policy,
and vigorous administration OF that policy.
1t must be government of the people, by the
people, Tor the people-not a tyranny, of the
people, by the election machine, for the
election machine
Landscape. By Philip Gilbert Hamerton.
Boston: Roberts Brothers; Portland: Lor-
ing, Short & Harmon) This is one of
Hamerton's most delightful volumes, work
which cannot fail to please all his old adj
mirers and to win him new friends. After
Rnskin, no writer of our day has equalled
him, andhe has the advantage over Ruskin
even in being practical and successful ar
tist Nature to him presents thousand as
poets, each deeply interesting and all sugges-
tive of thoughts too deep for tears. The va
rious effects of landscape upon MS are care
fully noted, and the elements of our emo
tions analysed. He attempts to account
for our feelings of atfe ction for nature and
the power which nature has over our minds,
and how in her various moods she reflects
and intensifies ours.
The scenery of different countries is also
descanted upon-the most beautiful land
scapes in England, France, Germany. Swift
erland and Italy. Mountains, valleys, lakes,
rivers and the ocean furnish themes for the
poet, painter, and all who have eyes to see
and hearts to feel. Trees and flowers rece i've
much attention from the author. Finally,
he ma es study of the poets from Homer
TO Tennyson, from which we discover how
much more infinitely and lovingly nature is
now observed and reported than in the days
of old.
The Protestant Faith. By D. II. Olmstead,
New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons; Portland
Moring. Short d Harmon. It might be OBJ
jected to the leading title of this book that
it is misleading, since the aim of the author
10 to argue against what he conceiyes to be
the error, not only of the Protestant, but of
all religions viz. faith or belief. according
to the author, belief has no moral value, and
is even pernicious in its tendency If this
10 hos II hot H.,
all great deeds spring from faith, and believ-
ers are mainly relied on to organize and car
ry on nearly all benevolent and charitable
work of the world. There is no state of
civil society founded on u belief, no system
Of morality based on skepticism. 1t would
surprise us all If appeals for the poor and
needy, the weak and defenceless, were made
to protested unbelievers. All such appeals
are habitually made to believers. This is
the rough and common sense view of the
matter which Thurlow Weed took in his Gel
ebrated letter to Ingersoll, and is the test
which we journalists are compelled to take.
We record events and in doing so can but
notice til at the work of the world, more es.
peclally nearly every systematic charity or
benevolent agency, originates with and is
carried on by Faithful men and women
i. e. those who believe in some aspect of re-
ligious truth.
The Russian Revolt By Edmund Noble.
Boston: Houghtou, Mfiin & Co.. Portland:
Loring, Short & Harmon. Of late, Russia
has received unusual attention owing in part
to the probability of great war with En-
gland. The danger of an Immediate conflict
is passed, but all agree that it is only
postponed. An occasional war with some
foreign poweriis necessity for such coun-
try as Russia, where the government is des-
potic, the people poor and discontented, and
the army lsrge and powerful. The causes
OF the discomfort so apparent in Russia of
late years, are discussed by the author with
fulness of detail which indicates intimate
knowledge of that empire. The early histo-
ry, gradual development, relations of races,
adoption OF foreign manners, the power of
the priesthood, spread of education, liberation
OF the serfs, expansion of trade and COM
merce, introduction of liberalism in politi-
cians-all these pass in review and their re
lation to the grand result is clearly shown.
The book is very readable
a ialy Dr.,