Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-02-15
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Producing Chac.Mool in the character of
i the God of Fire, in his romance The Aztec
Treasure House." now running as a serial
in "Harper's Weekly" The so-celled statue
of Chac-Mool was discovered in 1874, at
| Chichen-Itza, in Yucatan, by DR.. LIE Plon-
geon, and from him received the name by
which it is tentatively known. His asser-
| ton that it is portraltstatue OF uca-
| tan king is not universally accepted by
| Mexican psychologists. The learned Pro-
fessor Jesus Sanchez writes, substantially
on this head (Aaales del Mlseo, Tonic l., p.
| 270): THE North American archeologist
is sure that it represents Chac- Mool, King
| OF the Itzaes; but the circumstance that
| there have been found in the valley of
| Mexico and in the State of Tlaxcala
I other statues identical with this affords
| ground for believing that the figure is that
| of divinity worshiped alike in Yucatan
and in Mexico" Senior Chavero (AndieS,
| Tomo H., y. 263) not only affirms this be-
| lief in general, but specifically asserts that
| the divinity represented is the God of Fire,
and that the disk poised in its hands above
| its navel represents the sun. In that part
| of his Mexican Guide that treats OF the ma
tional museum, Mr.. Janvier briefly pre-
sents both sides eff the case, and adds ::
Very bitter controversies have ragged and
| of this defenseless stone image, the chief
| point at issue being whether it was or was
| not an idol" The matter is not one that is
| likely soon TO be settled, for psychologists,
of all men, are most tenacious OF their
| opinions-a fact that Mr.. Janyier brings
| out in his Aztec Treasure-House, in the
course of the absurd wrangle that Fray An
| tonic and Professor Palgrave, standing
among the bodies of the slain Indians, en-
gage in over the ancient sword.
The numbers of 1.-THE Living Age for
| the weeks ending January 25th, February 1st
and February Sth contain Robert Brown
| ing" Brazil, Past and Future" and "a
Lumber Room" Contemporary Pope
and Robert Browning, National; "Cardi-
mai Lavigerie and the Slave Trade, "A
| Winters Drive From Sedan to Versailles and
Round Pans During the Siege, Brown
| ing and TeDnyson, In the Days of the
| Dandies " Bldekwo0d; Romance of His
tory "Jacqueline de Laguette," Temple
Bar; Strangers Within Our Gates" Corn
| hill: The Father of Low German Poetry"
| Granville Sharp and the Slave Trade"
| "a Ballad of East and West Macmillan;
| children and the Poets, Leisure Hour.
THE Cats of Ancient Egypt" English L.
| lustrated; Housekeeping in Crete, al the
Year Round; intellectual Effect of Old
Age" Spectator; "Browning's View of
Life s. James, "Recollections of Car
| lyle" Fortnightly Marcia, M,uray's; "Ro-
nance OF History Temple Bar; Robert
Browning" Ne,0 ReUielQ; Dutch Girlhood, y
English Illustrated Secrets of a Cata-
lcgue." Chambers. The Age is published
weekly by Little & Co, Boston, and con-
tains choice papers from leading English
magazines and reviews.
Evolution" is the title Of large octave
from the press of James h. West, Boston.
II consists of popular lectures and dis
cussions before the Brooklyn Ethical Asso-
citation by Daniel G. Thompson, Rev. John
W. Chadwick, Garrett P. Serviss, DR.. Lewis
G. James. William Potts, Rossiter W. Ray
mond, PhD., E. D. Cope. Ph.D, Dr.
R. G. Eccles, James A. Skilton, Z. Sid
ney Sampson, Nelson c. Parshall, S.
n. Nichols, Rev. NJ j. Savage. The
subjects treated are Spencer, Darwin,
solar evolution and planetary evolution, Of
vegetable life, animal life, theology and
morals proofs of evolution, as related TO
religious thought, the philosophy OF evolu-
ton and the effects of evolution on coming
civilization. 1t appears to be systematic,
concise and very direct consideration OF the
subjects named. The collection of essays
certainly covers the whole field of thought
on evolution. The book cannot but in
terest large circle of readers. Herbert
Spencer is quoted as approving the scheme
OF the collection, he saying that 1.-The mode
of presentation seems to me admirably
adapted for popularizing evolution views"
Of the STORY of the Nations Series"
which we have repeatedly pronounced one
of the most useful and all-around valuable
series ever issued, we have "Barbary Cor
sairs," by Stanley Lane-Poole, with the
collaboration of DIR. J. D. Jerrold Kelley,
United States Navy. We attach so much
importance to the series because it is
means of appetizing or rather cultivating,
the taste for historical reading. Moreover,
it brings to multitude historical informa-
ton that would otherwise not reach them.
1t is presented also in a manner to invite
the broadest reading, and it engages some
of the first historical writers Of the age.
Such series cannot prove otherwise than
greatly useful. Twelve no., illustrated.
G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York; San Fran
cisco, The Bancroft Company.
Of the Riverside Paper Series, the issue
for February Sth is reproduction of Mrs.
Stoves Agnes of Sorrento" 1t is the
twenty third edition. 1t is the only story
that Mrs Stowe ever wrote of which the
scene is laid in foreign country, and con-
sidering how intensely American Mrs.
Stowe is, and what remarkable intimacy
she shows with American thought, habit
and feeling, it is somewhat surprising that
Agnes of Sorrento" which is an Italian
story, is regarded as one of her most sue
cessful and entertaining novels. Those
who have never read it have now an oppor-
tunity to doso at the slightest cost. Hough
ton, Miffin e. Co., Boston and New York
so cents.
The New England Magazine" for Feb
ruary (36 Bromfeld street, Boston, is more
than literally illustrated. Among the es-
pecially attractive numbers are 1.-The
Woburn Town Library" a paper that
ought to result in much more interest be-
ing taken in town-library work. The
Woburn is deemed the best model in
America. Another valuable paper is on
"Reeent Church Architecture in Boston,"
and still another of especial interest is on
The White Mountains in Winter" The
magazine is coming more and more
into favor and taking with each number
more prominent place in current literature.
ga Midsummer Drive Through the
Pyrenees" is the title of delightful book
of travel by Edwin Asa Dix, N. A, of the
College of New Jersey. 1t is richly Illus
trated The author saw well, clearly and as
lover of the beautiful. He saw as an his
torical student, the study of history being
his specially. He writes with charming
ease and Eliminates his text with folk lore
and historical anecdotes. 1t is, altogether,
handsome and agreeable volume. G. P.
Putnam's Sons, New York. The Bancroft
Company San Francisco.
Tropical Africa" by Henry Drum
mond, LID, F. R. S. E., has been re-
issued in muslin covers, Svo., 80 cents. by
John B. Alden, New York. Few books
treat of Equatorial Africa more concisely,
clearly, or satisfactorily. 1t is remarkable
that in the last chapter of this little vol
nme Mr.. Drummond prophesied precisely
the difficulty that has arisen between Eng.
land and Portugal concerning East African
sections. He also points out the danger to