The Portland daily press., 1885-10-24
SUPPLEMENT-.
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Poets OF America. By Edmund Clarence
Stedman. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin & Co. !;
Portland: Loring, Short & Harmony All
readers Of Mr.. Stedman's very interesting
and valuable work, the Victorian Poets, will
be greatly interested to see what he has to
say for the poets of bis own country. To
this later work the author has given the
same careful study that he gave to the earlier
volume, and he feels for it as keen an inter
est. In the view which Mr.. Stedman takes
OF American poetry he is most loyal to the
distinctive characteristics of the people and
OF the country. He does not agree with MI.
Grant White shat we still are essentially
English, and shall be so for a long series of
years to come; that our literature, like the
language we Inherit is wholly English and
must remain so for centuries" He thinks
on the contrary that Americans are recog-
nized abroad as being very different from
Engllshmen, not only in their features and
speech but in their sentiment, modes of
thought and feeling, and way of looking at
things. This being the case why should we
not have our own forms of literature? And
have we not distinctly American school?
Happy is the American poet who has fallen
into such hands as Mr.. Stedman's, who is at
present our critic par excellence, and who is
SO keen and acute, and yet gentle in his
methods We confess to suspicion that he
is moved by feeling of personal friendship
for most of these poets, and that he deals
over-tenderly with some of their faults,
while he loves to dwell upon their virtues;
4ho+ ha IL
mention several names which more severe
judgment might have left unrecorded. New
ertheless he has made an exceedingly inter
esting and clever book, and one which must
give great enjoyment to large class of
readers We are obliged to admit, much as
we love and admire our own poets, that the
Victorian field was richer one, the out
growth of an older civilization.
The Last Meeting A story by Brander
Matthews. (New York: Charles Scribner
& Sons; Portland: Loring, Short & Har-
mon.) Mr.. Matthew's story opens like one
of the purely society novels" in bright
and entertaining way, but we are soon led
into labyrinth of plot which becomes quite
exciting as it proceeds, and is almost as sem
sational as the works of Gaboreau. All ends
well and properly, however, and the result is
a bright, clean story with some flaws, as a
matter of course. The heroine is described
as young woman of unusual dignity, sense
and amiability, while the lovers quarrel in
the conservatory gives one the impression Of
a silly, petty, ill-tempered girl. Miss Pussy
Palmer is so utterly vulgar and common that
we wonder at Miss MarshalPs affection for
her. Since to speak any modern language
but his own is stumbling block to almost
any Englishmen, Mr.. Hobson-C holmondeley's
constant use of French phrases strikes us as
inappropriate and unnatural Again, that
Miss Marshall should meet her lover, after
a years absence during which time he is
supposed to be dead, at the Grand Central
depot in New York, and in that public place
fling herself into his arms or be embraced
and soothed' in the presence of the .'idle
and thoughtless," would seem unusual, to
say the least. But all these are trifies, and
do not prevent Mr. Matthew's novel from
being very creditable and entertaining.
The Story of Mary. By an American. New
Low & Co.; Portland: Loring, Short & Har-
mon.) This extraordinary novel is adyer-
tised as s'another Uucle Toms Cabin" and
doubtless the intention Of the writer was ex-
cellent. The book has power and pathos,
but is certainly the most unpleasant story
we have ever read, whether it be truth or
fiction. 1t supposed to be a picture Of the
present condition of the South, more espec-
tally the State of Georgia; and if we believe
this writer the days of slavery are to be re-
GREETED, the state of affairs being so much
worse for the negroes since they have gained
their freedom. The book is of the Tourjee
class, and the hero of it is ''carpet-bagger."
The writer is said to be "a lady well known
in social and political circles" and there is
in her work the ring of a campaign document.
But there is so much of it that is coarse and
offensive that it is difficult to believe the au-
thor to be woman. Possibly she consid-
cred the fame worth the candle. and that any
means were admissible in the interests of
reform" One is shocked and disguised,
but not persuaded by the style which is too
much that of the "dime novel" 1t may all
be true, and yet it has an artificial ring and
produces the effect of extreme exaggeration,
which is always pity where the aim is to
convince.
The Premises of Political Economy. By
S. N. Patten, Phi D. (Halle,) philadelphia:
Lippincott & Co. The history of Political
Economy is instructive. Its fundamental
truths were first clearly perceived and for
INFLATED only about century ago. Adam
Smith was the first to think them out. Since
The publication of his great work on The
Wealth of Nations, new theories have been
preached and old error further and more
fully exploded. 1t now claims to be sci
snce and to rank with the best. Economic
truths, however, are often mixed with an
Gent errors, and time is required for their
general acceptance.
The work before us is largely devoted to
The discussion of Ricardo's theory of rent,
4 theory which has received much attention.
nent of the science. Mr.. Patten dissents
from several of Ricardo's views, and defends
MS own with ability and with considerable
success.
The causes which affect prices, more es-
pecially the cost of food, are carefully con-
5idered and the errors of older writer's clear
y pointed out. This is the thought he has
worked out with the greatest care, and
which gives to the volume its special inter-
est and value.
The Worlds Lumber Room. A Gossip
About Some Of its Contents. By Selma Gage
London, Paris, New York and Melbourne:
Cassell & Co. Limited. Portland: Loring,
Short & Harmony We cannot too highly
this very instructive and enter
aiming volume. 1t gives, in popular FORM
ian account of the many ways in which ref
use is made and disposed of, first and chiefly
oyinature, and secondly by man. The author
has dispensed to us good big bits of popular
science, in chatty, gossipy way, which will
make the young people think they are only
being amused, while they are in fact acquir-
ing much very useful information One could
hardly believe dust heaps so interesting as
Miss Gage discovers them to be- ga poet or
a scientist she says, might assure you that
the unsavory looking cart of the dustman
was brim full of possibilities, more wonder
full than are dreamt of in fairy land" And
this she proves the truth of to our satisfac-
tion. The book has many Illustrations, and
is crammed full of good things about the dust
m l.prS 0f tho Earth mir and IUotar No ara