The Portland daily press., 1891-09-25

Points of View. By Agnes Reppller.
These papers by Miss Repplier, reprinted
from current periodicals, are decidedly book
ish, and are written with a practised essay
TOUCH They are very entertaining, full Of
humorous and clever expressions and con-
tain more than a little of wholesome and
cheerful thought. AT the same time Miss
Repplier's work is too much inclined to
whimsical assertions rather wilfully contra
dictory of the general opinion. and to self
consciousness which, not precisely disagree
able, Is however less than tasteful. 1t would
be desirable, both as discipline and as test
of her powers, that she would write group
OF essays embodying only her literary likings
and appreciations, ignoring for the time her
prejudices and her ironies. For the supreme
viitue of the critic is to admire intelligently
and generously; much less of artistic train
Ing and temperament is required in order to
find fault. Neither is constant use of the
sub-humorous manner-with its seric-comic
employment of long words and its dellber-
ate reflections Of meanings favorable con-
dition for the attainment of a sound literary
style. Ii tends to hardness of touch, to
chilly 'braininess." and becomes rather
wearisome. An example of this forced Gen.
trariety of literary temper is the essay upon
Books that Have Hindered Me. Tie silly
protest against Uncle Toms Cabin is un-
worthy Of writer as really clever and culti
waited as is Miss Repplier. When her style
becomes serious aud affectionate 1t is at its
best. as in the graceful vision of women i'm
mortAlized by their poet-lovers, in the essay
upon English love songs. or 10 the brief and
dignifed tribute to Robert Browning at the
close of the same paper. The best of these
essays is that entitled Pleasure, where the
authors protest against the dreary insstence
upon ethics in modern fiction is strongly and
reasonably expressed, and well founded upon
artistic principles An offence to good
taste, however, is her sketch of the person at
bay who should mail his thesis conspicu-
ously to the door post and snortingly await
developments She is correct in the asser-
tion that pleasure is the rightful goal OF art:
and wisely notes that the final test and vic
tory of AIT is to produce its delight even by
means of pity or tragic emotion. IF we did
not feel more pleasure than pain in the
tragedy Of Othello, it would not be great
play" Boston: Houghton, Mfain & Co;
Portland: Loring, Short 6 Harmon. Price
S125)
Church and Greed. BY r. Heber Newton.
The liberality of the religion of DR.. Newton
has already been made known to the public
by that most effective, though unintentional
form OF dvertisement-persecu Read.
ers, whether they are classed In his own or
In other denominations, can meet his SER
mons upon the broadcast ground of theology
and of humanity. Recognizant Of the tran
sitions In the forms Of faith and of the new
testimonies of science. he says: "But relig-
ion, immortal ever. has lived on above the
crum bling graves of the religions In which
it has temporarily tabernacled. A
new synthesis of religion seems oncoming.
God is preparing surprise for His chill
dren." The sermon, Fold or Flock, defines
the difference between the shepherding
which would build walls and that which at
last will lead together oil the focks, Of Ju-
piter and Isis, of Zoroaster and of Buddha,
as Of Christ, into one fold. In the lyric as.
criptiens Of the Niceue Greed, DR.. Newton
hears also the mystic rituals of all the an
Gent faiths, the affirmation of the ''secret
doctrines" known only to the initiate few,
typical OF the life OF mans soul In Its seven
stages of Incarnation. Baptism, Temptation,
Crucifxion. Burial, Resurrection and Assem-
sion. New York: G. p. Putnam's Sons;
Portland: LoriDg, Short & Harmon. Price
70 cents.)
Gambling. By James Harold Roman. This
is an elaborate and ingenious special plea for
games of chance. founded upon the natural
instinct Of mankind to seek the favors of
Fortune, ever since the times when her tenn
pies crowned Praeneste, and ''dotted the
sunlit landscape from Thebes to Rome"
The author protests against sumptuary laws
which restrict individual liberty and those
that confuse the maItrn prohibitam with the
NAHUM per SC. The latter point is well
taken, for surely one of the most mischiev-
GUS errors of law making is to ignore the
division between crime and simple non-con