The Portland daily press., 1889-02-16

The Story Of Holland by James e. Thorold
Rogers. (The Story of the Nations.) New
York: G. P. Putnam's Sons: Portland ::
Loring, Short q HARMONY 1t was the fate of
Holland to play much greater role in the
great drama of European nations than her
present position merits or justifes. Once
the exponent of the greatest principles of
political and religious wisdom, around her
played all the conflicting forces of five GEN.
turtles. Yet today, in spite of the indefatig
able industry and habits of excessive clean
illness for which her people are distinguished
she now remains fifth rate power To
compress within book of the limit of the
Putnam series, all the kaleidoscope changes
in her history is a difficult task, Her chief
glory was the achievement of her indepen-
dence is war of unparalleled duration
the greatest and most important of all
European wars. The interest lies in the
spirit and tenacity with which the Dutch
chung to their purpose and achieved complete
success. Their foe was the Spanish King
backed by the Inquistion. They fought
against the divine rights of Kings and the
divine authority of an italian priest,-two
inveterate enemies of human prograss,-and
the successful revolt of the Netherlands was
the beginning of modern civilization.
England todayiis an aristocratic republic,
disguised by the fiction of powerless soyer-
eign, and Rome today enjoys an authority
only over those who voluntarily concede it,
with no power over those who decline to
recognize it. The world owes this largely
to Holland.
In that little storm-vexed, marshy and
sea-encroached nook of Northern Europe
also arose the science and practice OF inteli-
gent commerce. finance and banking: oro-
gressive and rational agriculture, philosophy
medicine. literature and the fine arts. And
the world today is by 50 much the richer and
more advanced for the intelligent example
of Holland.
Mr.. Rogers in scholarly manner has
grouped the principal facts that embody the
spirit OF her history-in a true and large
spirit-of just discrimination.
Chrystal, Jack q Co., and Delta Bixby.
Two Stories. By Kirk Munroe. Illustrated:
New York: Harper g. Brothers; Portland:
Loring, Short g. Harmony This is a pretty
and dainty volume, with remarkably good
cuts. we'll drawn and happily conceived.
The children like stories of adventure, and
VIII follow the fortunes of Master Jack and
mis- twin sisters Chrystal and Mabel,-the
latter being the Go" Of the firm,-in their
EFFORTS to earn their living with great delight
Delta B'xby whose history is also recorded
III MI. Monroes interesting book, will be
equally attractive for the youngsters. In
both stories the heroes and beroines after
much trial and tribulation, reach all that Is
desirable in the way of health, wealth and
happiness what more could one wisbo
Our Glorifed. Poems and Passages Of
Consolation Especially for those Bereaved
by the Loss of Children. Edited by Eliza
beth Howard Foxcroft. Boston: Lee &,
Shepard. Portland: Stevens & Jones) The
writer of the introduction to this little collec-
tion OF poems is quite right in thinking that
the motive which prompted 1t, and the cir
cumstances under which it was prepared
have given 1t special value.
Mrs. Foxcroft commenced the work of
which this volume is the result. while she
was suffering great loss In the distressing
death of a beloved daughter, and 1t was
ready for publication only few days before
Gods messenger came, without warning, to
take her from her busy life, and her labors
for the Masters little ones, to be again with
the child for whom she had longed with in