The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-12-13

the requirements wide rather than pro
found or sensitive, to which his readers art
accustomed. 1t is pleasant to find him
paying high tribute to the genius Of
hossetti in whose hands, he finds, the Eng
iish language has proved itself plastic
as the Italian. In order to represent
with an approximate fullness and fairness
the extraordinary increase In the number OF
Snnnets and sonneteers during the past two
decades. the editors of this collection have
been able to devote little space to any one
poet' choosing ofeach the sonnets which. In
their opinion, are the best. A few examples.
LOT instance that written by Daniel Webster.
are historic rather than literary In their
value. 1t would be an interesting study TO
compare these selections with those Of Mr..
CrandalPs anthology. observing the agree
ments and divergences of judgment between
the compilers. On one point. certainly. Mr..
Crandalps sense of editorial propriety shows
Itself superior: Inserting as many as six or
eight sonnets by certain poets, he contents
himself to be individually represented by
two examples-enough to prove his practice
! as well as his theory Of the sonnet. Colonel
Higginson includes four of his own poems
no more, respectively. of those of Longfellow
Lowell, Aldrich or Glider; and two each by
Is. Z. Stedman and the beloved John G.
Whittier. Boston: Houghton Mifiin & Co. :;
Portland: Loring, Short & Harmony
The Worlds Desire By FL. Rider Hag-
gard and Andrew Lang. One faneies that
1t may not be impossible to trace the general
lines of division of labor In this joint work of
romancist and poet. And Mr.. Lang, indeed,
Is not only poet, but also very positive
and lively man Of letters, who enjoys ad-
ventures en- the high seas of Ink, steers
braVely, and never strikes his flag. Ulysses,
the world-wandering and much-beholdlng
Greek, has been already the theme of Mr..
Lang's sympathetic pen; and 1t would not
DC matter OF surprise II il has been by sug-
gestlon OF his collaboration. that Mr.. Haggard
has turned his abundant fancy to weave
story of the return of Ulysses from his last
voyage-not washed down by theIgulfs-ofa a
new appearance of Helen of Troy. the
Worlds Desire, and Of a wondrous love
arisen between the twain. Mr.. Haggard,
versed In the lore Of Egypt, has made Ulysses
and Helen meet at the court of Pharaoh, the
Meneptah who restrained the tribes Of Is.
rael. The Egyptian queen, Meriamun, is
also madly enamored of Ulysses, who with
his famous bow has defended the royal
household from the Jewish soldiers. Helen
dwells as mystic priestess of Hathor, god
dess OF love, and wears for sign ruby star
Her rival, Meriamun, warned in dream of
the strife, repeated from the beginning to the
end of the world, of re-incarnations of her.
self and Of Helen, works magic by means Of
jewelled snake, which is Sin itself and fed
from her own life. The tale is supposed to
be told by Rel, the priest, and through its
wild events and balf-lyric expression runs
the strange allegory OF the eternal woman
hood divided into love sacred and profane,
and man who walks between her of the Star
and her OF the Snake. This subtle under
word is strongly emphasized. The incident
al verse by Mr.. Lang is very musical and
well adapted. The romance will be thor
oughly acceptable to Mr.. Haggard's many
readers. New York Harper & Brothers;
Portland Loring. Short & Harmony
DR.. LIE Baron and His Daughters. By Jane
G. Austin. Mrs. Austin's carefully studied
especially valuable as preserving and con-
Meeting details of the life Of the early set
tiers. Viewed as works of fiction, perhaps
the historic material Is kept rather too much
In sight, One imagines the authors table
heaped with documents for constant refer
ence; and so conscientious is her wish to
describe in full detail that her material
sometimes appears somewhat crowded and
lacking relief and atmosphere. The present
novel, which she dedicates to all her kith
and Kin by the name and lineage Of LIE Baron.
contains enough matter for three or four
DOCKS. Only real life could so lavish events.
These, taken from chronicles Of the Colony.
include strange scenes, and will lead the
reader. as the author, to reflect that our fore
1atners lived quite as intensely. if not as SCI
entlf1cally as we do. Mrs. Austin works pa
tently and with real affection to revive the
story of the old times, and shows a minute
acquaintance with her topic. To students Of
the human element in history, as to those
who turn willingly in thought to the past.
her stories are of much interest Some un-
lucky influence prevails over the spelling and
accent Of many French words In this vol
ume; and, by the way, Mrs. Austin falls
into the very common error of making the
term nee preface the baptismal name as we'll
as that OF family, Of one of her welded hero.
Ines. These are trifies, but worth avoiding
In another edition of so estimable a book.
lboston: Houghton & Mif1in; Portland:
Loring, Short & Harmony
The Gallant Lords of Bois-Dore. By
George Sand. This fascinating tale of the
reign OF Louis XIII with its alteration of in
terminable romances, its astounding nymphs
and shepherds of the Hotel Rambouillet.
Its violent social contrasts, its singular ideals
appears In d very attractive edition OF two
volumes, excellently translated by Mr. Steven
CLOVIS. Within these books, whose covers
are powdered with minute golden lilies of
France, one makes the acquaintance of the
old Marquis of Bois-Dore, posing for celia
don of porcelain. of the beautiful Lauriane.
Mario bewitching as Mozart's Cherubino
ana most OF brave personages, high and low,
summoned from historic shades by the magic
pen of George Sand. (New York: Dodd.
Mead q Co.; Portland: Stevens & Jones.)
Little Jarvis. By Molly Elliot Seawell.
The i've hundred dollar prize offered by that
prodigy Of circulation, the Youths Compan.
ion, was indeed well bestowed in its award
to the author of Little Jarvis. So nimbly
and sweetly has Mrs. Ssawell blent history
with fancy, that the very young midshipman
Jarvis, the cherub who usually sat up aloft
in consequence Of his pranks contrary to
naval discipline, becomes also an accredited
citizen of the stery-world, one of the types
that remain In mind. as we'll as an actual
officer of the old Constellation. Mrs. Seawell
has told the tale of Little Jarvis In frank.
flexible style. beginning in high fun ana
closing with true dignity Of pathos. The
episode of the challenge, with the perfume
tory reproof administered by the lieutenant.
and the subsequent invitation to dinner; the
half infantile, half heroic ambitions Of the
boy and his wholly noble sleadfastness unto
death. are related with genuine power New
York: ID. Appleton & Co.. /; Portland Stevens
& Jones)