Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-10-26


families, and amongst mankind. In the es-
says of this volume DR.. Elan treats of Nat
ural Heritage" of "Degenerations in Man."
of moral and Criminal Epidemies." of
Body and Mind" illusions and Halluci-
nations" "SOmnambulism." "Revery and
Abstraction" Although these subjects have
a psychological sound, we assure our readers
that the manner in which they are treated
make them highly interesting and of great
value. DR.. o. W. Holmes has said There
are some people who think that everything
may be done, if the doer, be he educator or
MUSICIAN, be only called in season. No
doubtful IN season would often be hun
bred or two years before the child was born |;
and people never send as early as that. The
| train of thought which probably led DIR.
/ Holmes to this conclusion is admirably stated
/ by DIR. Elan in this work.
Mr. Alexander Smith, one of the lesser
| known of the later English poets who has
written little of verse since his h st brilliant
| production "A Life Drama" and by which
| ne is best known, gives the appropriate title
of "Dreamthorpe' to his ''book of essays
written in the country" 1t is, too, charm
| ing collection of bright essays, dozen in all,
on quite a wide range of subjects, all of
which will be especially pleasing to whoever
loves books and garden" the topics being
about equally divided between the two.
Among the subjects are: A Lark's Flight,
Men of Letters, On Vagabonds, Christmas,
Godfrey CHANGER, A Shelf of Books, Books
and Garden, etc.
The manner in which the works of Rich
ard Steele have been associated with those
of Addison in literary history has served to
obscure somewhat their high individual
merit. The comparison always invited with
peerless diction of his literary partner was a
disadvantage to Steele, and would have
soured a disposition less wholly generous
than his. But, Steele was loyal friend, and
found an ever keener delight in the successes
of Addison than he did in his own. We are
glad that one volume of the Good Com
pany" series is devoted exclusively to Steele.
Here under the title 1.-THE Lover and Other
Papers" we find some of the most delicate
touches, and finest depth of sentiment, of
that highly talented essayist Surely there
could not well be found better company than
this exquisite little volume.
Two volumes of the series are given to
Miss Frances Power Cobbe, since Harriet Mar
tineau, the most accomplished, original and
vigorous woman writer in Great Britain One
is entitled Religious Duty" the other
!
towards the development of thesm as a re-
ligion for the life no less than a philosophy
for the intellect; viewed from the somewhat
peculiar standpoint of the writer, who tries
to follow out to its consequences the doctrine
of the absolute goodness of God in the af-
fairs of life. In the second treatise Miss
Cobbe makes sharp and critical inquiry
into the present condition and future pros
poets of religious faith. By the title one
might infer that Miss Cobbe is something of
an conoclast, which may be true to a certain
degree That the truth is moving, as was
the Ark of the Jews, all will admit-we be-
lieve it is moving onward TO the land OF green
pastures and still waters, not away from the
ancient light, which is not broken. We can
not accept all of Miss Cobbes beliefs, but it
is because we think her to be greater and
better than her books that we read them at
all
We recognize an old friend in the "Wish
ing Cap Papers" in fact two old friends.
The first is the genial essaylst, Leigh Hunt.
second only to the genial Ella his very self,
the author of the collection of delightful
papers under the above title; the second is
the editor, the late J. +. Babson of Melrose.
Mass, whose initials modestly attached to
the preface of the volume do not give the
casual reader any idea of his peculiar fitness
for the editorship of Hunts miscellaneous
writings, he who also so well edited the es-
says of Lamb. OF the thirty or more essays
in the volume, all are charmingly written,
ADAPTED to many moods of reverie. and its
re- perusal by old readers, or first reading by
new ones, will serve to give pleasure to many
firesde winter evenings.
A collection of the miscellaneous essays,
sketches ard papers of Douglas Jerrold,
that caustc English critic of whom
Leigh Hunt once said that eff
Jerrold had the sting of the bee
he also had its honey"-a most happy but
sharp crticism-forms one of the above
series, and like the Leigh Hunt essays has
also been collected and edited by MIR. Bob
SON 1t comprises Jerrold's essays on the
.'Fireside Saints" Mrs. Caudle's Break
fast Talk, and twenty other papers, besides
the humorous Hedgehog Papers" The
book abounds in rare wit, and the essays
possess much literary merit, though they
have lesser rank than the efforts in the
same vein of Lamb, Hunt and the more
brilliant and better known English writers.
1.-The Blue and the Gray" is the title of
A new series by tlat always popular writer,
DllYer cpuc W hian l. huahs) y the III -
volume of which. Taken by the Enemy,
has just been issued from the press of
Messrs. Lee and Shepard of Boston. The
volume is "a m, printed on substantial stock,
and contains 344 pages. 1t is needless to
say that it is intensely interesting. The
name of the author is sufficient guarantee
of that OF the many artistic and unique
bindings which have rendered the exterior of
recent books so attractive, Il is is certainly
entitled to high rank. The binding is
| most beautiful combination of blue and gray
cloth with gilt and black ornamentation.
The G. A. II, and confederate veteran badges
side by side in gilt, surmounted by gilt
wreath form unique part of the design.
This series will be sure to meet with a wide
sale.