The Portland daily press., 1890-10-04
CONCERNING BOOKS.
BY E. CAvAZzA.

BY E. CAVAZzA.
Idylls of the Field. By Francis A. knight.
These descriptive sketches of English rural
scenery, animated by its native birds and
four footed creatures, were originally print
ed in the London Daily News. Their tenn
per and tone are so purely idyllic, so remote
from the confusion Of the great city that the
readers must have welcomed them like
breath of fresh air blown in from the moors
and the sea-beaches. MIR. Knight nav be
called British cousin of the American Mr..
Gibson; while it is not all patriotic preju-
dice that finds In the cis-Atlantic idyllist
freer and more favorous charm. Mr..
Knights style, extremely delicate in verbal
effects and scrupulous and affectionate in OBJ
servation at times runs too near the line Of
the province of verse, and his adjectiyes,
usually apt, now and then delay rather than
point the effect Of the phrase. He proves
himself yeritable friend of the wild crea-
lures; he has learned the silence and the
stiffness which admit him to their company:
his interest in them is pure of the greed of
the egg-clutcher or the savagefy of the
the courage of the birds; and sees no longer
any beauty in the stiff mummy which the
taxidermist sets up as efigy of the winged
gipsies of the air. AS careful and sympa-
thetic studies of the natural and historic
charm of the Somerset region, as landscapes
delicate and bright in color and atmosphere.
Mr. knights Idylls will be found attractive
and valuable. Mr. K. Compton's illustra-
tions are charming; in especial may be noted
the sketch which accompanies the paper en-
titled Heralds of the Spring. Boston: Rob-
erts Brothers; Portland: Loring, Short &
Harmon. Price $1.5O)
Aztec Land. By M. M. Balou. Although
the writer Of this agreeable book of travels
had not the advantage of long stay in
Mexico-but merely the rapid general view
of the country which is afforded together
with the well-planned comfort of Raymond
excursion-his experience as sight-seer and
reporter has served him well. 1t is not a
profound or an especially picturesque work
upon Mexico. There is, for instance, more
artistic truth in Mr.. Janvier's recent fiction,
The Aztec Treasure, than in Mr.. Ballou's
facts. But as keen and comprehensive re-
porter Of Mexico as it is. its resources. its
people, its scenery, Mr.. Ballou is entitled to
praise and his book to popular favor. (Bos-
ton: Houghton, Mifflin & Co.; Portland:
Loring, Short & Harmon. Price $15O)
One Summers Lessons in Practical Per-
spective. By Christine Chaplin Brush.
This is useful and attractive little manual
explaining the first difficulties of the art of
perspective in drawing. Mrs. Brush, already
known as the author Of more than one clever
romance, colors these studies of lines by
means of pretty description of the farm
house where the artist summer b9arder.
begins the discipline of Little Letty's instinct
for drawing. Other young people will gladly
avail themselves of the clear and practical
Lessons given to Lefty, and join her class in
perspective. The instructions are exempli-
fed by illustrations. Boston: Roberts
Brothers; Portland: Loring, Short g. Har-
mon. Price rs cents.)
Dust and Its Dangers. By T. Mitchell
Pruden, M. d. In this handy and not over
technical treatise, DIR. Pruden points out the
peril from the ininitesimal enemies that sur
round us in the air, the particles of dust
which bear the micro-organism of disease,
seeds which require only favorable field
for their fatal multiplication. The analysis
of street air collected from different parts of
the city of New York, shows frightful diff
ference between the atmosphere of library
near Saith street and that of Cross street
where the sweepers were raising an evil
dust. The object of the author Of this man.
ual has been to teach people how to avoid
disease, especially pulmonary consumption.
by strict attention to cleanliness and to the
prevention of the dispersal of the dust which
contains germs of such maadies. New
York: G. P. Putnams Sons. Price rs cents.)
Vengeance is Mine. By Daniel Dane.
From sensational cover to cover this novel
undertakes to deal with the stormy passions
that move mankind. And the cover is very
sensational indeed. 1t is peacock green, it
bears large flaming sword in gold and red,
and also small likeness of a chemical re-
tort-evidently not the retort courteous. For
this is avery revengeful book. with very
bad hero who loves the wife of another and
poisons another most disagreeably with ty-
phoid bacteria, and employees his goddess
science to bad ends generally, until the ruin
of his hopes strikes him with the conviction
that vengeance is not the prerogative of man.
The story has power and is the work of
and original writer, but is frankly
disagreeable and improbable to the reader
New York Cassell Publishing Co.; Port
land Loring, Short & Harmony
Representative Men, Nature, Addresses
and Lectures. By Ralph Waldo Emerson,
form the contents of double volume of the
Concord sage, published in the popular edi-
ton of Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin and Co.
Substantial in binding, excellent as to type
and paper, the series is placed within the
scope Of modest expenditure. portland:
Loring. Short & Harmon. Price $1.OO).
Health for Little Folks. This prettily
bound and illustrated book is meant as
manual of physiology for primary schools.
the words are carefully chosen for clearness
and simplicity, and the topics are arranged
in convenient form for lessons 1t is pub
lished by care Of the w. c. T. u, and of
course emphasizes the dangers of alcohol and
tobacco. New York: American Book Com
pany)
Humbug GingerS