The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-07-17
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

| media has been translated, especially of
late years, again and again, and copiously
treated of by authors of European reputa-
ton, still, even in England, comparatively
few among cultivated and intellectual people
have thorough knowledge of this great po-
en- Those who know enough of Italian
to read Tasso with ease and pleasure, sup
pose themselves incompetent to pass over on
to Dante. But they would understand him
very well with notes., and even highly edu-
Gated Italians would not always understand
him without them. The difficulties of Dante's
style are such as to be almost as much felt by
one reading translation as the original. 1t
is more than concise-it is elliptical, recon-
dite. The poem abounds with abstract dis
QUESTIONS, and the reader has constantly oc
casion, on the instant, to solve abusive
quasi enigmas, embodying the fictions of my
thology and the truths of science, according
the attachments of the period. But any ac-
quaintance with so sublime poet is better
than none. And great as is the profit to the
mind, of careful study of the Commedia,
far greater is it to the soul, thus contemplate
ing the most momentous, spiritual and emo
bling truths that can engage the thoughts of
man.
Through the Yellowstone Park on Horse
back. BY George W. Wingate. New York:
O. Judd Co.. In deciding to undertake a
| trip through the Rocky Mountains for the
health of himself and family, the author OF
| this little manual found it difficult to obtain
any reliable information in regard to the
| journey. He has done what one intelligent
| man can do to supply the defect. Starting
| with a good map on a large scale, he has
| filled out the routes, marked the points to be
seen. and has shown how to reach them. The
directions for travellers are full and explicit
as to what is required for outfit and miscel-
laneous preparation, the time to go, how to
go, what expenses to expect and provide for,
what to see and how to see it. There is a
good deal of descriptive matter also, pictur-
ing the points of interest in the natural seem
cry, the opportunities for sport, and the TO-
nance of the free life, which is the charm of
the excursion. The volume is we'll illustrat-
ed
Mr. Theodore S. Van Dykes Southern
California, New York; Fords, Howard &
Hubert; Portland Loring, Short & Har-
NOM, is mainly condensation of book
originally written for The American Field,
and published two years ago, while some
things have been added that appeared in let
tiers to the New York Evening Post, The
Sun and other papers. The present volume.
being written by resident Californian, is
the result of thorough KIN owledge Of the
country, and has none of the defects of the
tourists journal, which usually consists of a
transcription of hasty impressions. On the
contrary, we have here thorough and vivid
account of Southern California; its valleys,
hills, and streams; its animals, birds, and
fishes its gardens, farms, and climate; the
whole forming an unusually instructive and
interesting record.
Edna Lyalls Won By Waiting" New
York: D. Appleton & Coz is novel far
above the ordinary. 1t combines charming
story, with spirited account of the siege of
Paris during 1870z1S71, and one does not
weary of the many pages, which is saying
much for the book. The style is excellent,
and the whole is pervaded by pure and
wholesome religious tone.
Justina of the No Name Series. Boston:
Roberts Brothers portland: Loring, Short
& HARMONY is a fresh, attractive story,
which ranks pleasantly with the summer
novels, and is quite too good to spoil by tell
ing the plot, or sketching the characters be-
fore hand for the prospective reader.
Shaftesbury, the First Earl. By H. D.
Traill (New York: D. Appleton & Co;
Portland: Hoyt, Fogg & Donham.) Lord
Shaftesbury must ever remain deeply in
teresting, and in sense, important figure
in English history. He not only resumes in
himself the more salient characteristics of
his age of politics, but prefgures some of the
most striking traits of ours. In his own per-
son he typifes all the passion and profigacy,
reckless turbulence and Unsuitable ambition
of the troubled times in which he lived. He
also foreshadowed the modern demagogue,
the modern party leader, and the modern
Parliamentary debater-the three most nota-
BILE actors on the stage of later English poll
tics.
Mrs. Lilies delightful little volume, The
Story of Music and Musicians for Young
Readers, (New York: Harper & Brothers;
Portland: Loring, Short & HARMONY fuffls
most perfectly the intention of the author in
interesting young students in music in the
technique of their art, and in showing them
how, and under what circumstances the
great masters have worked. Beginning with
sketches of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven,
their instruments and their works, it comes
down to the more modern artists, Chopin,
Schubert and Schumann, comparing the mu-
steal standards of the past with those of the
/ ico doip fu11u Hing
trated and charmingly written.
Mr.. Howe's novel, A Moonlight Boy, Dos
tom Ticknor & Co.. Portland: Loring,
Short & Harmon) is the work of clever
writer, and has none of the crudity of his
The Story of Country Town. Success has
had beneficial effect upon this author
making his style less morbid and more at
ease than formerly, while it has not lessened
his painstaking and the honest effort to give
us of his best. The Moonlight Boy is
strong character, in whose fortunes we take
much interest; and if our readers wish to
know why moonlight" they have only to
turn to the pages of the book in order to as
certain.
Mr.. Hayward's The Cruise of the Alaba-
ma places the crew of that vessel in terri
BILE light, and makes one wonder that
Semmes and his officers accomplished any
thing under such circumstances. Mr.. Hay
wood has given us a dose of horrors, and ii
there were any alleviations he has forgotten
to mention them. His account of the fight
between the Alabama and Kearsarge is most
graphic, and he does not fail to give credit to
the Union officers and Seamen who were en-
gagged In it, The whole sketch is very en-
tertaining, and undoubtedly correct from the
authors standpoint.
The same publishers and translator gives
us a novel from the Russian of Nikolai Go
gol. 1t it the history of Taras Bulba and
his sons, and is full of fire and pathos 1t is
imbued with the atmosphere of oppression
so long breathed by the Russian people, and
is mind picture of characters and country.
Being tale of the CoSsacks, from whom the
author himself is descended, their exploits
and desperate deeds are described with a
picturesque fidelity, with background of ro-
nance which is very fascinating. This is
the first of Serns of works Inv this famous