The Portland daily press., 1891-02-20

humor really Shaksperian--like the humor
OF AS You Like 1t. or The Tanning of the
Shrew.'
The translator has chosen we'll the Gomez
dies by which to present De Musset to Eng
lish readers. Barberine is the type of less
tried and more modern Imogen. aud the
lines Of the light plot diverge gaily from
those of the nocella elected by Shakespeare.
(By the way. the proof reader should not,
nave let pass in the mention made of that
drama, such misprint as ldchimo for
Idchamol Fantasia, In the comedy of that
name, is one-and perhaps the most trans
parently masked-of De Musset's literary
DISCUSSES OF his own parsonage; daintily
cynical, In specious little gymnastic Of I'M
reason, the story goes nimbly to it's end.
Again, taking himself more seriously, he
appears as Perdican in the play No Trifilng
with Love. In the pr0verb-perhaps Of
these comedies the most perfectly to the
taste Of today-Either Open or Shut, it is
not easy to recognize in the good Count, the
ubiquitous De Musset. Perhaps he may be
the door that was continually turning upon
its hinges to I'll the salon of the Marquise
with draughts of cold air!
&sAA' " AL aonoldttUA 10 ukuo tluu Ud-
vorous. Sometimes his recognition of the
Shaksperian note in De Musset's work af-
fects his idiom trife too much, removing
1t from the Gallo tone. In The ominous elo-
quence Of the dialogue between Perdican and
Rosette, he has done some of his best work.
And throughout he shows himself apprecia-
tive and lively without any tendency to
mere bookmaking. New York and London:
Walter Scott. Price 40 cents.)
A Psalm Of Deaths and Other Poems. BY
Harrison Weir Mitchell. 1t is pleasant to
see DR.. Mitchell's poetic gift continually
develop and confirm itself. He is winning
desirable place among American poets,
and by legitimate and sound means. In the
Psalm of Death is found a wholesome seri-
BUSINESS of tone. and verse of which the
beauty arises naturally from the thought.
The finest passage is that OF Those Remem-
bered. where more than one picture is drawn
with true sentiment.
1t is certain that In the Valley Of the
Shadow the dialogue of Christian Centu-
rion and his little daughter, about to be cast
before the lions of the Circus Maximus, will
be soon popularized by the best public read.
ers. Master Francis Villon, "the mad, bad,
sad. glad poet; Saadi, the Persian; and
Dominique de Gourges, avenger of the Hu.
guenots murdered by Menendez in Florida,
are personalities depicted In telling verse.
Among the minor POEMS, may be especially
| noted for its sensitive, rhymeless music and
color of words, the Psalm of the Waters.
| Boston: Houghton & Mifflin; Portland:
L0ring, Short 81 FL armon. Price $1,5O.
Murvale Eastman. Christian Socialist
By Albion w. Tourgee. Each problem of
existence that arises for the especial consid
Grafton OF the world. calls forth new novel
by Judge Tourgee. 1t is impossible to gauge
the precise degree Of the force or value of
his views, while they have the evident merit
OF earnestness. good will and confident, 60
ahead fashion of disposing of difficult ques-
tions He does not amiss in grouping TO-
gether with his preacher who devotes a
years sermons to the study of Christian So
cialism, the lively and enterprising news
paper man, the capitalist and the poor man
withheld from his rights, and even au an
cient dodo astray, of the nearly extinct genus
OF Jonathan Edwards. Although, like 9TH
er works Of the author, Murvale Eastman
lacks fineness and distinction of thought
and literary manner, its practical applica-
ton of religious principles to the problems
of daily labor and life. the human interest of
the personages and plot will not fail to make
the book popular and useful New York:
Fords, Howard 81 Hurlburt; Portland:
Loring, Short & Harmon. Price S1.5O.)
A Sensitive Plant. By E. and d. Gerard.
In this volume of Messrs. Appleton's Town
and Country Libr airy will be found pleas.
ant and harmless novel, the story of young
girl of the tenderly timid type more common
In former generation than in these days of
self-asserting femininity. Naturally, the gen.
tie Janet suffers long and rather needlessly-
in the fashion of novel heroines-and is
finally made happy. Some entertaining
characters and scenes render slightly hu-
morous the romance of Janet and Cap
tain Chichester; the reader is l'personally
conducted" to the Highlands. German min
eral springs and Venice. In brief. it is
an innocuous and sufficiently readable novel,
meriting its place in the series. price 30
| cents.)
/ nEnCaAAV