The Portland daily press., 1889-06-03

the University of Oxford. and the anthor Of
well known historical works. His treatment
OF the story of Phoenicia is simple. thorough
ana interesting. While less attractive in its
style than some of the other books of the
series, 1t more than makes up for this def
cheney by its fullness and accuracy. its wise
selection of material and its sober and well
considered utterances. The history of
rhoenlcia Is one that appeals to the histori-
cal student py the important part which it
played In the worlds history for thousand
years, and the prominence it attained in the
practical arts of civilization. OF Semitic
origin, closely allied to the Hebrews. the
rhoeniclans yet differed from their Jewish
neighbors in important particulars They
had greater push and enterprise, more
mechanical skill and practical ingenuity than
the latter, but they lacked the finer qualities
oil the Jewish mind, its speculative force
and spirituality. They were the first syste-
matte traders, the first miners and metal
lurglsts, the greatest inventors, the boldist
mariners, the greatest colonzers; and if not
actually the first inventors of letters, they so
lar improved upon the mode of writing
which they found in use that their system
has been adopted, and suffices, with few
additions, for the whole civilized world
AS the author well says: "They were the
great pioneers of civilization, and by their
boldness, their intrepidity, and their manual
dexterity, prepared the way for the triumphs
OF later but more advanced nations"
Grandson Msther or An Account of the
Fortunes of Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas Gardiner.
BY Sidney Luska. Henry Harlandl New
York; Cassell d Co.; For sale by Loring,
Short & Harmony. There is a wholesome
sincerity and enthusiastic freshness about
Mr.. Harland's style which is very fetching.
Since the marked success of this authors
first literary venture he has continued to
succeed. and Grandson Mather" is not the
least attractive of his agreeable novels. II
is the story of young man who married q
wife and lost fortune at nearly the same
time and there is lesson to learn from the
way In which these young folks bore tbeil
tribulations, and came off with flying colors
Grandson Mather is the pen-name of this
nero, young Tom Gardiner, who makes good
the loss OF his inheritance by writing move
which proves happy "hit," and all zoe.
well ever after. Whether the advice from
Toms wife, Rose, with which the histor,
ends, Is altogether wise and practicable, VIZ
leave our readers to judge. She says, a.
pity these people who wait about marrying
until their struggles to get started in life are
over, until their incomes are to certain ex
tent assured. There's no joy greater in thi.
world than to look back upon your time Of
worry and hardship, and remember how you
went through it together, you and your wife
Yes, people who put off their mar
rlage until the battle is fought and won and
everything's serene,-cheat themselves Out
OF one of the richest experiences of life.'
And she is more than half right.
John Charaxes. A Tale of the Civil War
In America. By Peter Boylston. (Phila.
delphia; Lippincott Coz. Why this story
should be called "a tale of the civil war.
when there is no suggestion of any such
thing until very near the end of the book. il
would be difficult to say. Even in these last
forty pages OF the two hundred and eighty.
the subject of the war is treated so slightly
that it Is really of not the least consequence
in the movement of the story, which is an
SNNSSiJ NuAi oho, Ny tHo way anu one re-
| quires the patience of Job to read it from
beginning to end. The author seems to have
started with an idea, but so utterly fails to
develop it that it is entirely lost in a series
OF pages, which, so far as the reader can see
have no rdison d'etre whatever.
The Little Pilgrims, Further Experiences.
Boston Roberts Brothers; For sale bv
Loring. Short & Harmony OF all the stories
OF the unseen and invisible, Mrs. Oliphant's
sketches have found more sympathetic and
appreciative readers than those of any other
writer, excepting, perhaps, Miss Phelps. In
the little volume which has first come to us
we have the further experiences of '.,rhe
Little Pilgrim" told in the same sweet, sad
strain and with vividness of fancy and
an uplifting thought that is balm to the
hearts of many readers. Whether to read of
these imaginings, which seem at the moment
to lift the, veil from the future is in reality
help and comfort to those of us who are
most eager for light, longing to know what
God and Eternity conceal from us, NAV be
| questioned. But that to most the subject
suggests deepest possibilities, and holds as
| by spell, there is no doubt.