The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-11-26
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

AhAuOhSO VA 4NCW Lux nave DEOuEnL
forth such dazzling results upon this CONT
nent as to attract and enthrall the magma
tion of the student of history. He who medi-
tates upon the influence of New England.
thinks Of her as the land of Lexington and
Bunker Hill. the home of Webster and Sum-
ner and Garrison and Fessenden, the mother
of the sturdy and thoughtful emigrants who
have built up States and shaped public sen
timent In the great country from the Yves
tern Reserve of Ohio to Southern California.
This is proper view, but it is not the whole
view. While New England has been leading
great agitations for the rights of man, there
has been going on among her people from
the earliest times an industrial activity and
social schooling that have built the vantage
ground whence her statesmen and scholars
have launched their arguments and their
invectives, and where the emigrants have
been trained for success In other States.
The history of the industrial and social de-
velopment of New Eng land is not SO spec
tacular as the history of her political exis-
tence; but when told as Mr.. Weeden has
told 1t, this history is as fascinating as it is
valuable. 1t is the biography of the average
New Highlander, carried on from father TO
son down through all the generations from
the landing of the Pilgrims to the present
time. 1t tells the circumstances of his child
hood. his face and clothing, the opportuni-
ties for education, of the respect taught him
for bis elders; of the social amusements of
his day; of his manhood it relates the bust.
ness chances. the courses of trade, the new
and old industries, of his labors to advance
society by making better roads, better schools,
new opportunities for industries, new appli-
ances for household comfort, new articles of
food; it explains his business successes, or
his law suits and failures. the terms
of his credit; and when finally he is gathered
to his fathers the conscientious historian de-
scribes the funeral customs, the black dresses
for the family. the funeral rings. and gossips
to the reader about the terms of the will and
the value of the goods and chattels left.
The references to Maine, which are not SO
numerous as we could wish them to be,
show the nature of the work. Mr.. Weeden
refers to the attempted settlement of Norom-
bega; that beaver skins sold in Casco, NOW
Portland) at to 5 shillings in 1910; that
Winslow, In 1926 sent two shallops of corn to
the Kenebec River and exchanged the corn
for beaver and other furs; that the Plymouth
colonists in 1926 bought out the English
trading post at Monhesan Island and pur-
chased part of the cargo of French ship
cast away near Sagadaboc; that the fishing
settlement at Richmond Island, off Cape
Elizabeth, was one of the earliest trading
posts for foreign commerce; that a ship
built c n this island about 1851 was probably
the first regular packet between the two
worlds" that William White, a Derbyshire
miner, tried In vain to "turn the imperfect
ores of York. Me-, into metal" that in 1868
the Massachusetts Commissioners ordered
the people OF Wells, Saco and "Cape Porpus"
to make highways from house to house; that
in 1867 woman in Casco was bound in e5
against practising as a tale bearer from
house to house, settling differences between
neighbors;" that In 1897 there appeared to
be but one churn owned in Maine and that
butter was scarce article; that Indian
slaves were exported from Maine; that in
1871 the town of Wells manufactured iron be-
cause they could not get it from abroad that
In 1887 the first stages were started in Maine,
when Joseph Barnard, the old post rider.
started a two horse wagon that met the
Boston stage at Portsmouth" etc., ETC.
Among the most interesting chapters are
those devoted to the trading operations of
Peter Faneuil; the efforts of Samuel Slater
in introducing the cotton manufacturing in
dustry; and the labors of other industrial
pioneers. An appendix containing the prices
of commodities from 1880 to 1889 is a valua-
BILE and interesting addition to the work.
The Story of Scotland. From the earliest
times to the present century. By John
LII, d. New York: G. P.
Putnam's Sons; Portland: Loring. Short &
Harmon. This little book is the last pub
lished of the series entitled "The Story of
the Nations" and as an elementary work, it
has considerable merit. The limit of the
book admits of nothing beyond mere out
line or skeleton of the body OF facts going to
make up what is perhaps the most romantic
part Of the history of English speaking
people. The wild, fierce character of the
the Stuarts. the adventures of Prince Charlie
among them, the beauty and sorrows of
Queen Mary, make striking and picturesque
panorama of which the eye never tires.
The genius of Sir Walter Scott has cast
glamour about many of these scenes. Fergus
McIvor and his beautiful sister Flora, that
unique old Baron of Bradivardine, Rob Roy
Macgregor and Dandy Dinmoret are The
heroes and heroines of boyhood, and to the
writer the continual delight of his advanced
years.
This does not pretend to be scientific or
history, its size alone tells that;
but 1t is good book for beginners and not
bad one for hasty reference in search tor an
ordinary fact or date. The letter-press is
good and there are sixty illustrations.
England in the Eighteenth Century, Vols.
VII and VIII. By William Edward Hartpole
Lecky. New York: d. Appleton & Co.;
Portland; Loring, Short and Harmony Mr..
Lecky had originally intended to make the
sixth volume which carried the history up to
the outbreak of the French war in 1893 the
mai one, but to round out the Irish portion
IL became necessary to extend it to 1900 So
Tue seventh and eighth volumes which have
Just peen issued are in sense supplementary.
ueai'ng solely with Irish affairs from 1898 to
tne legislative union of England and Ireland
In loOO, and the abandonment of Pitts preat
measures Of Catholic Cancellation immedi-
ately following. Those who have road tho
rest Of the history will not fail to find in the
present volumes the same brilliant, forcible
and accurate treatment of events and ner
sonages which has made worldwide the rem
utation of William Edward Hartpole Lectv
as a historian. In his consideration of this
greatly troubled period of Irish history Mr..
Lecky assumes throughout an impartial at
titude and takes up causes and effects In a
spirit. Besides the political
history of Ireland at this time and pictures
of the great Irish and English leaders Of the
age, there are faithful descriptions given of
the condition of the country and people.
The recall of Lord Fitzwilliam, the extension
of Irish conspiracy and its relation to France,
the rise and influence of the Orange Associa-
tion and the opening causes Of the rebellion
of 1898 are the chief subjects dealt with In