The Portland daily press., 1886-10-30
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

The Children of sthe Week furnishes the
honest and only authentic account Of GER
tain stories as related by the Red Indian to
Alexander Selkirk, Jr." The Alexander
Selkirk of this story is not lineal descend
ant of the Alexander Selkirk of the Robin
son Crusoe narrative, but small boy whose
lonely appearance suggests the hero of De-
foes creation, and the Red Indian is the
head on an old copper cent. which finds
tongue for Alexander's benefit an tells
him series of stories which amuse him
immensely, and will probably have the same
effect on other boys of Alexander's age. The
book is profusely illustrated with pictures
that will captivate young children. Alto
gether it is avery entertaining book of its
kind, and if children once get their eyes on
it there will be no peace in the household
until it is purchased. (New York: Dodd,
Mead q Co Portland Loring, Short & Har-
mon.)
Ancient Cities From the Dawn TO the
Daylight By Rev. VIM. Burnet Wright
This volume consists of series of descrip-
tive and historical sketches of cities connect
ed with the experiences of the "chosen peo-
pie" of the Old Testament. Each city is SCI
lected because its history appears to Illus
trate some utterance of Christ, or because of
the obvious manner in which it aided in pre-
pairing for the New Jerusalem" The author
succeeds in indicating in each sketch the
character of the man or men for whose in
fiuence the name of the city stands. The
concluding paper is longer than any of the
preceding, and given in two parts; treating
of the New Jerusalem" the "City which
hath foundations" and of its MAKER and
Builder" The perusal of the volume will
throw light on many portions of the Bible,
and awaken desire to learn more Boston
and New York: Houghton, Mifiin & Co.. !;
Portland; Loring, Short & HARMONY
The Book of Eloquence is collection of
extracts in prose and verse from the most
famous orators and poets, intended as exer-
cises for defamation in colleges and schools.
Books of this description are common
enough, but there is great lack of freshness
n the most of them, the same orations that
have been doing duty in the schools for the
best part of century composing the larger
part of them. While the masterpieces of all
times are preserved in this volume there is
an abundance of selections that are fresh
and new and relating to the live topics of TO-
day. The book is compiled by Mr. Charles
Dudley Warner, and this fact of itself is a
sufficient guarantee of its excellence. Dos
ton; Lee & Shepard; Portland: Loring,
Short g. Harmony
The Child's Book of Health, by Albert F,
Blaisdell, M. D., is intended as text book
to teach young children some of the simplest,
yet most important laws of health. The
book is adapted by matter and style to the
youngest readers. Physiology is too much
neglected in the education of children.
Thousands and tens of thousands of them
grow to manhood and womanhood with very
slight knowledge of the structure of their
bodies, or the functions of its different or
gans. The laws of health are frequently trans
crossed and the foundations of disease laid
purely through ignorance. OF late there has
been general awakening to the necessity of
such education, and one of the results of it
is this book of DR.. Blaisdell's. Boston: Lee
& Shepard; New York: Chas. T. Dilling-
ham; Portland: Loring, Short & Harmony
The Story of Germany, by Sabine Barring
Gould, is another Of the series of historical
studies prepared for young people, which are
published by the well known house of G. p.
Putnam's Sons, New York. In the compass
of four hundred pages the compiler has given
a graphic outline Of the history and growth
of the German people. The field is large,
but the selection of material has been we'll
made, and the story is told in such way as
to adapt it to the wants of the class of read
ers to which it is addressed. 1t is not an
easy thing to write histories for young peo-
pie, and this publishing house is to be con-
graduated upon its success in this field,
which is due largely to the good judgment it
has shown in calling to its aid writers who
have special fitness for the work. PORTLAND:
Loring, Short 81 Harmony
Professor Church's books are always valu-
able and interesting, and his latest, Two
Thousand Years Ago, or the Adventures of
a Roman Boy, is no exception. The main
action Of the story belongs to a critical and
interesting period in the last years of the
Roman Republic, ~ b. c. The hero begins
his career during the Social War, in which
Rome was fighting for her supremacy, and
the civil war, the long conflict between the
mobiles and the people, which terminated by
Sulla's victory. In the latter part of Mr..
Church's story the Republic has passed
away, and the Empire is divided between
Anthony and Augustus. The book is as
entertaining as it is instructive, which is
saying a great deal for it. New York: Dodd,