The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-10-05
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

IHe Lilo anu L6tGoTS OF J0nn Brown.
Edited by F. B. Sanborn. Boston: Roberts
Brothers; Portland: Loring, Short & Har-
MON. John Brown is an historical charac-
ter. His services in Kansas, and the sacri-
fee he made of himself to free the slaves of
Virginia, will ever constitute a chapter of
thrilling interest in the history of American
slavery. Slavery itself will unhappily, but
Of necessity, fill prominent place in the
history of the country. How it was intro
duced and grew into power will be the theme
of the historian; how it fell cannot be told
without the introduction of the stalwart fig
ure of John Brown of Kansas We are
aware that many have questioned the right
fulness of Browns proceedings, and dispute
his title to an honorable distinction among
the heroes of our history. The lawfulness,
the legality of his action is indeed question:
able, or rather unquestionable, since there
is no doubt whatever of its illegality. But
its rightfulness, and, therefore, essential
lawfulness according to higher law, is equally
demonstrable. Slavery is contrary to the
light Of nature and the rights of man.
Therefore no human law can rightfully pro-
tect it as other property is protected. Wher-
ever the institution exists, it must be OBJ
noxious to all noble minds, and liable to
assault from those who behold only to detest
it. Such man was John Brown. A lineal
descendant from Plymouth pilgrims, his
righteous soul was indignant, and rose in
wrathful scorn, when he remembered the
wrongs of the slave, and thought of the dis
grace the Institution brought upon the COM
mon country. In Kansas he had been an
eyewitness of the cruelties and villainies of
which the slave-holding cast were capable.
Much had he and his friends endured at
their hands. Continual meditation on the
foul ways of the system fired his brain till he
resolved single-handed to encounter the
monster in his den and make the wilderness
of Virginia howl with fear for the future, if
not with sense of present insecurity. He
believe that he could at least initiate a
movement which would eventuate in the de-
struction of slavery throughout the land.
Nor did he miscalculate the chances, or over
rate the Importance of his daring achieve
ment. True, his bold experiment was APP
parently failure, and he e-piated his dis
obedience of State and National laws by his
death. All this entered into his calculations
and was the price he was ready and willing
to pay for the right and the privilege of
striking the first blow. This aeGs the first
blow, and though it fearfully rebounded up
on himself, it struck hard and right home.
From that day slavery was doomed Made
restless and energetic from sense of inse-
curity and rising menaces, the slavocracy
became more defiant than ever and when
their defiant spirit assumed the form of ag-
gressiye assault upon the very flag which
alone protected their property in slaves, the
doom of the institution was sealed.
How John Brown was trained, and by his
varied experience fitted and melted to play
his part in the great drama of the war of the
rebellion may be read in these letters, which
will long remain his best monument. They
furnish ample proof Of his sincerity, integ-
rity and spirit of self-sacrifice.
Even if the reader fails to approve his acts
he cannot fail to discern or respect his I'M
finching courage and his uncompromising
honesty.
An excellent portrait of John Brown is
prefixed to the volume
AS 1t Was Written. A Jewish Musicians
Story. By Sidney Luska. New York: Cas-
sell & Co. Limited. Portland Loring, Short
d Harmony So much of a sensation has
been created by this novel that everybody
will be glad of the bit of gossip regarding it
and the author, given us by "The Lounger''
of the Critic According to this authority
Sidney Luska is anon de plume 1--WE were so
Impairment as to guess it to be that of O. M.
Dunham) and this is the first book of a young
man of twenty-four, who has hitherto writ
ten only a few short stories. We are told
that this book was written between the
hours of two and six o'clock in the morning
when, according to tradition, all the iends
and wierd creatures of the earth and air are
abroad on wild pranks bent. Anything more
appropriate to the time "when graveyards
syawn, etc, )" we have never had. Mr.. LUIS
ka's story is very clever, ingenious and orig-
nal, and contains a suggestion of terrible
metaphysical possibilities. 1t is one intense
sensation from start to finish, and the action
is so rapid that it does not occur to one to
put down the book until the last word is
reached. One begins by thinking it an in
tensely sentimental musical novel of the
Charles Auchester" type, but we are pres
emily launched upon sea Of crime, trial
for murder, wonderful metaphysical prob
lem, and carried along so rapidly from one
startling development to another, that it all
seems like dream of hasheesh or opium,
and ones senses become involved in such
haze that the coming back to reality is quite
shock. Indeed the story gives one neac
sensation which is worth while in this day
of weak-tea and milk-and-water society nov
els, which are flung to a coniding public ad
nduSedDa.
Pere Goriot' Scenes from Partisan Life
BY Horore de Balzac. Boston: Roberts
Brothers; Portland: Loring, Short g. Har
mon9 Pere Goriot is the first of a series of
series of TRANSACTIONS of Balzac's novels
which are to be published by Roberts Broth
ers. This specimen volume is gotten up in a