The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-02-09

frontispiece and full page cuts Of drawing
of Raphael, in the British Museum, and st.
Sebastian, from the engraving of Albert
Durer.
York. G. P. Putnam's Sons. Portland:
Loriog. Short & Harmon. tits conclusive
evidence that this little book has found favor
among business men abroad that this first
American edition is reprinted from the
serentyJffth English edition. The favor is
well merited. We have seen nothing so COM
prehensive and get so close and practical
upon the subject of which it treats.
What the subject is, let the author tell in
his own Introductory words:
''In 1873 circulated, gratuitously nearly
10000 Of my Essay on Business" written
with the purpose of stimulating and encour-
aging more honorable and truthful Com
mercial life. This book. which l hope all
who buy will read attentively throughout
is written with the same object; and If the
language seems too plain in some parts, the
excuse must be my desire to tell business
men something in such a way as will shake
them out of their apathy and indifference,
and make them ponder over my conclusion
that "their characters are, to great extent.
In their own hand-that they make or mar
themselves by what they do or leave undone."
Again, upon the first page of this book, the
author says: This book is not intended to
supply any technical knowledge of any
particular business-there are a few such
published; the object is rather to demon
strate the Importance of certain qualities
which constitute the character of the true
business man., enabling him, if not to SIZE
coed, to avoid failure; and also pointing out
the importance of doing business in truth
full, straightforward manner. These qualities
we'll considered will give you ideas and prin-
ciples-a kind of chart and compass for all
business men to regulate the helm of their
conduct by"
The subdivisions of the work are: Bust
ness, Business qualities, Health, Education
and Observation. Industry, Perseverance,
Arrangement, Pnnctuality, Calculation. Pru-
dence, Tact, Truthfulness. Integrity, Money
and few hints.what to do with it, Bank
Shares. Depression of Trade, Free trade and
reciprocity, Ciyil-serviee stores and Cooper
alive trading, and concluding remarks, all In
less than three hundred pages. 1t would do
no harm for every merchant and trader to
have one Of these books; and it would be a
good investment for him to place copy in
the hands Of every clerk and business en-
ploye in his service. 1t is no dull treatise,
but is written in light agreeable style, and
bountifully sprinkled with Illustrations and
quotations drawn from wide range Of read
ing and experience.
Bible Characters. BY Charles Reade, d. C.
l.. New York: Harper & Brothers. Port
land: Loring Short & Harmony The career
Of this most dramatic of novel and play
writers was not without its trials and tribu-
lations for in more than one direction he
was misunderstood and villifed 1t was at
one time charged against him that he was an
infidel; and for anyone who loved Cha rles
Reade, through his books, it is worth while
TO study his "Bible Characters" il for no
other purpose than to disabuse his mind, If
any such false belief has found Judgement
there. After some opening remarks, he
says; This is mere preliminary discourse, so
an example or two must serve. Many more
will follow, If God should enable a broken
old man to complete the work he has had the
hardihoCd to begin.
We heartily wish that his half-prayer had
been answered-that he might have contin-
ued the work. He takes up few Biblechar-
acters and discusses them with all the free
dom OF the modern novelist and dramatist.
yet with the true spirit of reverence-eyen
awe underlying all he says. The little book
is divided into "a Literary MarveP'-r'The
characters of scripture are marvel of the
mind 9-"Aids to Faith" "Nehemiah's
Works" "Jonah," David" "Paups Perse-
verance," to which are added Evidences of
Revelation" and Monumental Evidence and
Documental." All this covers but one hun
bred and six pages. Whatever else may be
said Of Charles Reade, he never bores. He
is intense, sparkling, dramatic, startling.
We think that even the jeanesse doree Of the
present time, not one in hundred of whom,
probably, ever read or reads the Bible; not
one in two thousand of whom ever read it
with love and appreciation, that even this
ornamental class, after reading these "Bible
Characters of Charles Reade" might be
temp ed to sit down and study the GoodBoo
from which they are drawn. We commend
this little work, also, to that class of clergy
men, If any such there be, who lugubriously
keeps the characters OF the scriptures SO far
away from us and so shrouded in solemn