The Portland daily press., 1886-03-27
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

The Scene Of the Prelate. A novel by
Isaac Henderson. Boston: Ticknor & Co !;
Portland: Loring, Short & HARMONY, is laid
in Rome, and it narrates the somewhat pain
full experience of a young American girl,
who seeks relief from the gloom caused by
the death of her father, in the companion
ship of married school-friend, domiciled for
year in the Eternal City. Helen Rath-
borne, the heroine Is strong character, al
belt she is not "strong-minded woman :" is
''lovely, fair" not beautiful; isrich, we'll
educated and accomplished. She has bit
ter experience as the chance depository of a
dark Jesuit plot to destroy handsome and
eloquent apostate Prelate of the Church of
Rome, whom she warns of his danger at the
expense of her reputation. They fall in love
with each other, and would have married
but for the tragic collision at sea of two
ships, one of which bears Helen, the other
Altieri, who is doomed while saving the
life of little child. To this child Helen con-
socrates her future life
The purpose Of this novel appears to be an
attack upon the principal dogmas of the
Catholic Church and, especially, the wicked
wiles of the Jesuits. But the author gives us
no reasons, does not bore us with theological
dispositions, and apparently does not know
much about either the G itholic Church or the
Society of Jesus. Whatever argument-or
rather suggestion-there is seems to lean to
Herzog, DIR. Dollinger and the "old Cath
Ollie" doctrines by means of which Altieri,
like Pere Hyaclnthe, would have justified
the remuneration of his VOW of celibacy to en-
able him to marry the lady of his mundane
love, for whom he exchanges our Lady of
the Immaculate Conception. 1.-THE Prelate''
will be read with interest, and one need not
fear that it will do so tremendous a thing as
shake the pillars of the Church of Rome.
Narrative of the Military Service of Gen.
w. B. Hazen. Boston: Ticknor & Coz
Portland: Loring Short & Harmony Gen.
Hazen, now the well known Chief of the
Signal Service, has given us valuable con-
tribution to the literature of the rebellion.
The General graduated at West Point in
1855. Four years later he was dangerously
wounded while fighting Indians in Texas;
yet he calls this piece of good fortune,
since ii sent him North and saved him from
the capture which befel his regiment at the
outbreak of the rebellion. In September,
1861, he was made colonel of the Forty first
Ohio. In January following he commanded
brigade in Buell's army, and in August.
1864, a division Of the army of the Tennes-
see. He took part in the battles of Shiloh,
Stone River, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge,
the Atlanta campaign and march to the seq.
He was thus brought in contact with Grant,
Sherman, Rosecrans. Thomas, Sheridan,
Howard, Logan and others, all of whom he
praises or criticizes in the freest manner.
Indeed, the General has an unfortunate pas
sion for giving his opinion of things that did
not concern him. Moreover, his nature is
plainly belligerent, SO that he rarely lacked
having quarrel on his hands. But all this
added to the narration of his own service,
which unquestionably was of great value,
makes very entertaining reading. Gen. Ha-
zen was a diseiplinarian of the first order;
he knew what a soldier should be, and he
had the gift of impressing his genius upon
others. Such officers were rare alb the out
break of the rebellion. We are not sur
prised after reading the narrative to learn
that the general Is still finds great deal of
hot water in attending to his duties in the
weather bureau.
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