The Portland daily press., 1885-12-19
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Evolution and Religion. BY Henry Ward
Beecher. New York: Fords, Howard &
Hurlburt) In this volume Mr.. Beechel
gives eight sermons, The subjects are a,
follows: Introductory, The Signs of the
Times, showing how Jesus denounced those
who had no spiritual instinct by which to
discern the work of God that was going on
in their own time. Evolution in the Human
Consciousness of the Idea of God-growth
Of mans conception of Deity. The Two
Revelations-th physical universe and the
human soul, Gods thought in the evolution
of matter, and Gods thought in the evolu-
ton of mind. The Inspiration of the Bible,
a striking argument to show that the Bible
interpreted by Evolution will be freed from
WORKOUT philosophers and left a clear shin
ing light, unclouded and more powerful than
ever In maturing the fruits of the Spirit of
God in the world. The Sinfulness of Man, a
distinct ayowal of mans weakness and
wickedness made clear, not as the result of a
fall, but Of the fact that man began at the
bottom and is but slowly rising through ami
NAL conditions to higher ground. The New
Birth naturally deals with the antidote for
death in trespasSes and sins, and proposes
to show how the Christian doctrine of Re
generation fits into the System of nature
which the theory of Evolution is supposed to
exhibit. Divine Providence and Design
deals with Gods direct activity in thecrea-
tion, development and government of this
world. Evolution and the Church closes the
sermons with review of the great worth of
the Christian Church as an organic entity
and discriminating exhibition of TIE value
which the newly growing theory is to bring
to the Church in many directions of working
efficiency. The whole series of sermons is
Of a fundamental and theoretic. rather than
of practical and specific character.
The Duchess CT Langeais. BY Honore de-
Balzac Boston: Roberts Brothers, Portland :
Loring, Short & Harulon) This second
volume of Balzac's works issaed by the BoS-
ton firm cortaines besides the principal ro-
nance which gives title to the volume, four
minor novels, each in different vein and
each illustrative of some pha;e OF the au-
thor's genius. The limits Of the DAILY
PRESS do nor permit detailed sketch Of
eraiy merits. We can only repeat what We
said on the appearance Of the first volume
that the American public owe debt of graf
itude to Roberts Brothers for furnishing
them so good translation of the master
pieces Of the great French noyeiists. While
me might differ with the publishers in the
selection made for these earliest volumes,
we willingly eoncede that all Balzaes writ
inss are Of such high merit AZ tn make the
choice difficult,
In England and Egypt (Boston Ticknor &
Coz of the Timely Topic Series. by Dir.
George Aakepeace Towlt, the author gives
a most interesting condensed history of mod
ern Egypt The small volume presents In a
very clear light the important events Of that
country during the last seventy years; its
present iaterna: condition; the conquest and
Of the region of the Soudan; the
rise OF the False Prophet" the reasons for
which and the processes by which English
influence has been acquired in Egypt; and
the events beth in Egypt ana the Soudan
which have :aken place,3ls consequence of
English iatprferenep. Not the least later
estil,s 81 thc)Ghaptors is one gu the Suez
Cana, 4fi.ich contains besides is history
description If the manner in which its con-
strnction has materially modified the politics
of Europe.
4 Mortal Antipathy, By Oliver Wendell
Holmes. Boston Houghtol, Milfiln s. Co. :;
Portsni Loring, Short & HARMONY Our
old friend, The Autocrat of tie Breakfast
Table, seems to be possessed of the spirit of
immortal youth, and we find his New Por-
folio Of to-day as full of wise thought, bril-
liant wit and exuberant fancy, and as char
acteristie Of its author as anything we have
had in the past from this genial hlmorist
and philosopher. Many have read the story
which in book form has for its title A Mortal
Antipathy, under the name of The New
Portfolio, as it appeared monthly in the col
umns of the Atlantic N nthly; but those
who have not done SO have a rich treat in
store, and when they have reached the last
page will cry, rice le DR.. Holmes; and may
there be many more words of wisdom still in
store for us from this rich and fertile source.
The Dawning. A novel. Boston: Lee &
Shepard; Portland: Bailey & Noyes.) With
this volume we have not even pseudonym
20 give us a clew to the authorship. But it
begins, "Thc pride of Boston is Beacon Hill, >"
and we ought to know from that quite well
what is to follow. We are introduced immedi-
ately to the ''first families" and the Cabots
Bowditches, Kings, Sears, and Langdons
nOl rIt htrf1 rod
If we DO not know our duty to Gsd and man
after reading this book it will not be the
fault of the author, whose purpose seems TO
be & serious and sincere endeavor to open the
eyes Of the frivolous and fashionable to the
social wrongs which are so conspicuous and
yet are apparently UNDECIDED by those whose
duty it is to recognize, and. so far as possi-
Bile right them.
Wakulla; A Story of Adventure in Florida
By Kirk Munroe. (New York: Harper &
Brothers; Portland: Loring, Short & Har-
mon.) Mr.. Munroe, the author of this vol
nIne, now with Harper Brothers, viii be re
membered by many Of our readers as a for
MGR resident of Portland and sub-editor of
the PRESS He has, in Wakulla, provided
the boys with a, very interesting tale of boy
ish adventure in the land of oranges. The
Elmer children, formerly of Maine, move to
Florida with their father, who owns plan
tstion there. and they have grand time
fighting forest fires, killing alligators, getting
buried in underground river; and yet all
their experiences come naturally and not in a
sensational form. The book is attractively
written, the Illustrations are good, and every
boy would like to own copy
The Last Leaf. By Oliver Wendell Holmes
Illustrated by George Wharton Edwards and
r. Hopkinson Smith. Boston: Houghton,
Miffiin & Co.; Portland: Loring, Short &
HARMONY Justice cannot be done to this ell
egant volume in notice Of it. The illustra-
tions are exceedingly beautiful and exquisite
ly finished. The book contains twenty-four full
page designs and other unique drawings, all
of which interpret with great felicity the
picturesque fancies of the poem. These de-
signs are finely reproduced by prototype.
Printed on the choicest paper and SUI
perbly bound it makes holiday book
quite beyond the ordinary range. The last
pleasant tribute to this poem antecedent to
this volume, was the printing of it in raised
letters for the use Of the blind.
Bonnyborough. By Mrs. A. ID. T. Whitney.