The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-08-01
THE SEASIDE.
Washington Star,
NEW PUBLICATIONS.


don, G. b. at Khartoum. Boston: Houghton,
Mif1in & Co; Portland: Loring, Short &
HARMONY. We have before us the journals of
Gen. Gordon, in which we get the details of
his last and fatal venture into the Soudan.
Gordon had twice before been sent into this
country-in 1874 when, alone and unarmed
he visited the savage tribes of the country
in an attempt to suppress the slave trade,
remaining nearly three years: again in 1876,
as Governor General of the Soudan, with
complete despotic power, civil and military,
for the purpose of extirpating slavery, and
establishing and keeping open a perfect
chain of communication between the coast
and the interior. The territory in which he
then operated consisted of tract about six
teen hundred miles long by seven hundred
miles wide, andhe seems to have been success
full in his mission, leaving the country in
goodcondition when he resigned in 1879 But
with the retirement of Gordon the old trouble
broke out afresh, terminating in revolt of
the most serious character which threatened
the oVerturning of all law and order and the
destruction of the Europeans and Egyptians
who were established at the several villages
and military posts. The extensive acquain-
that Gordon had acquired with uncivilized
and savage races, and the remarkable tact he
had always exhibited in their management
marked him as the man of all others to I'M
dertake once more the solution of this diff
cult problem-the quieting of the Soudan.
He acted under the instructions of the Brit
ish government as Major General of the
army; and also by virtue of firman from
tho Il badixta IF - l.;
mission is found in letter addressed him by
the Khedive dated Jan. 26, 1884, which was
to carry into execution the evacuation of the
territories of the Soudan, and to withdraw
the Egyptian troops, civil officials and such
of the inhabitants, together with their be-
longings as might wish to leave for Egypt.
This having heen accomplished he was to
take the necessary steps for establishing an
organized government in the different prov
inces for the maintenance of order and the
cessation of all disasters and Indictment to
revolt. The Khedive concludes: I'VE have
full confidence in your tried abilities and
tact, and are convinced that you will accom-
plish your mission according to our desire
Such was the difficult and dangerous mis-
sion of this distinguished soldier and philan-
thropist, but, with all the power of England
to back him up he failed and met misera-
Bile death. ''Too late" is what Gordon is
constantly reiterating in his journal; and it
seems as though the torpid movement of the
Circumlocution Office is responsible for the
disastrous outcome of his expedition. Cor
don was man of genius, philanthropist,
religious enthusiast, of indomitable will and
ardent courage, and established himself in
the hearts of all peoples with which he came
in contact. His journal gives his opinions
and thoughts upon all questions connected
with his mission, and his speculations upon
all sorts of questions outside it. We quote
the conclusion of the introduction to this
book written by A. Egmont Hake:
''In his Jonrnals-his last words-those
familiar with his character and life will see
Charles Gordon true to himself to the very
end. They will see in him the same ardent
passion for justice and for truth; the same
seorn for wrongdoing and deceit; the same
gentle pity for the sufferings of all and the
same mercy and forgiveness for his foes and
and with all this is combined the perfection
of humility and the sense of imperfection.
There is no Impotence, save with those who
Wronged his honor and the poor people for
whom he died; there is no unrest, for he
neared that life of action for which he had
long yearned; there is no sorrow, no dark
doubts, for Charles Gordon was with his
God. Z"
The news Of his death raised storm of
indignation against the British ministry, and
monuments are being erected to his memory
in his native land. The book is embellished
with portrait of Gordon and several maps
History of the Christian Church Dur
ing the Middle Ages. Vol IL From the XIth
to the XVIth Century. By Philip Smith,
B. A. New York: Harper & Brothers Port
land: Loring, Short & Harmony AS in sec
ular, so in sacred history, there are two class
es of writers, the original investigator, and
those who compile their works from these.
Of the first class, the greater number are Ger
mans, such as Mooheim, Neander, Gieseler
and Guericke. Mooheim was a pioneer,
Gieseler is very learned, but dry; Neander is
perhaps the best and certainly has the larg-
est clientele In English we have Milman
who is not inferior to the ablest of the Ger
MANS and the late Canon Robertson whose
reputation is deservedly high. The author
of this volume is careful, prudent and can
did writer. He does not claim originality,
but that he has compared the best authori-
ties and made conscientious and impartial
use of them. In spirit and aim he much resem-
bles Robertson. The style of the work is schol-
arly and clear. Of the illustrations we can
not say so much. Some of them are excel
lent, others inferior. Throughout the vol
ume there is an evident intention to do JUS
tice to all parties by giving hearing to ALL
The Middle Ages are blank to most people
We, therefore, commend this comprehensive
survey of the period to the more active and
enterprising minds of the age we live in. The
present volume should be read in connection
with Vol. l. relating to the early church.
The Song Celestial. From the Mahabha-
rata. Translated from the Sanskrit text
by Edwin Arnold, NJ. A. Boston Roberts
Brothers; Portland: Loring, Short & Har-
mon) The tides ebb and flow, and the tastes
OF men change with the seasons. Formerly |
the Orient was disregarded and despised. |
Now there is boom, at least, in it's litera-
ture. TRANSACTIONS are freely made and have |
ready sale. We are assured that the |
wealth of the Indies is not to be sought in |
spices OF gold, but in its sages and poets. |
The Mahabharata boasts of being ten times !
as long as the Had, and equally good poetry. |
Here we have translation of its gems by a |
master hand If the reader relishes it, he |
will, like Oliver Twist call for more, But if |
he finds it rather dull and distant, he will re-
turn to his Homer, the blind old man of |