The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-06-02
NEW OBLIGATIONS.


NEW PUBLICATIONS.
James Russell Lowell's Works. New Riy
erside edition. With Portraits. Ten vols
crown 8vo. Boston: Hougton, Mifflin & Co;
Portland: Loring, Short Harmony II one
were called upon to name the two leading
poets and men of letters of to-day. probably
the names Of Oliver Wendell Holmes and
James Russell Lowell would come first
upon his lips. Both are well past what I'VE
call the prime Of life and yet we look upon
them as always young. Indeed, they are
young, so far as the reading world knows
them; for though relentless Time has set his
formidable figures against the record of their
lives, their intellects are still 50 bright and
keen, their hearts SO fresh and pure that we
see no sign of the destroyer of all earthly
things in the coinage which from time to
time, comes sparkling from this mint.
In some respects they are very like each
other. Both are wits and humorists in
verse and prose. Both have delighted and
instructed the people by their patriotic
words in times of public danger or dismay.
But we think we may say that, of the two,
while Holmes is loved the better, Lowell has
made more distinct and lasting impression
upon the thought and literature Of his time.
His temperament is different, he is more Jag.
gressive and has taken broader range of
thought, wider field of action than his
friend. Although there is always a moral in
his tales and poems, DR.. Holmes appears to
write as if the spring must bubble up and
overflow: Lowell writes and acts as If with
the fixed purpose to stamp himself upon the
hearts and lives of those who see and hear
him.
James Russell Lowell was born in Cam
bridge. Mass, Feb. %, 1919, and graduated
from Harvard in 1928, when he was class
poet, and from the Law School in 1S4O
Among his classmates in the latter place of
learning were Richard Henry Dana, Judge
Charles Devens, Elihu B. Washburne, Gov
Bullock; and Cyrus W. King, Albert Merrill,
Edwin Noyes and John Wright TIL ornton of
Maine But the law was too dry and exact
ing Tor the fancy Of the young poet and was
| soon abandoned for literary career.
His first volume of poems, a Years
Life" appeared in 1871 and was never
reprinted, though some of the verses
revised and polished were used in works
subsequently published.
In 1843 Lowell became editor of the Pioneer
literary and critical magazine, among the
contributors to which were Poe, John Neal,
Hawthorne, Parsons and Story.
In 1874 he published a volume of poems,
among them sonnets to Phillips and Giddings.
which contained the first evidence of the
strong anti-slavery sentiments which he SO
prominently entertained in later life and in
1S4S the Biglow Papers, strongly denuncia-
tory of slavery and the Mexican War.
In 1852 he travelled a year and half in
Europe. residing portion of the time In
Italy; and upon his return, his lectures on
the British Poets attracted much attention.
When Longfellow resigned his professorship
| IN 1866, Lowell succeeded him as Professor
Oh Modern Languages and Bellies Lettres at
Harvard, and took year in Europe, the
better to fit him for the duties of that posi-
ton. From 1857 to 1852 he edited the Sat
lantic" and contributed freely to its columns,
from 1868 to 1872 the North American Re-
view" and from 1872 he took two years rest
and travel in Europe. He was Minister to
Spain in 1877 and to the Court of St. James
from 1880 to 1885. While minister to England
Mr.. Lowell's diplomatic duties were not of
special Importance; but his elegant scholar
ship, bright social qualities and happy tact
liz afterdinner speeches gained for him great
popularity there and at home except with
our Hibernian friends. While in England he
elected Lord Rector of the University of was
Glasgow, Scotland; but resigned the posi-
| tion as incompatible with his office of United
| States Minister,
1t will be seen from this brief summary,
that Mr.. Lowell's studies and labors have
taken broad scope-broader. no doubt,
than that of any living man in this country.
Scholar, poet, orator, teacher, political
writer, diplomat, in whatever he has under
taken he has risen to the first rank: and al.
though now past seventy, we believe there is
good work in him yet.
OF the Riverside edition of his works which
we are here noticing. six volumes are prose
and four poetry. 1t is embellshed with two
portraits of the author, one from painting
by Page in 1913. and later one from photo
graph. The Riverside letter-pr and make
up leave nothing to be desired.
Eight Books of Cssar's Gallo War. By
VIM. Rainey Harper, Phi. D., and Herbert
Cushing Tolman, Phi d.. Yale University.
New York, Cincinnati. Chicago: American
Book Company A great many improve
ments and additions have been introduced
into this new edition of Caesars Commenta-
ries, with view to calculating the text, and
enabling the student to apply the grammati-
cal principles learned In the perusal of the
work. The book seems admirably adapted
to the use of pupils, and certainly its distinc-
tive features are calculated to greatly facili-
tate their progress.
Adellne's Art Dictionary. Containing a
Complete Index of All Terms Used in Art,
Architecture, Heraldry and Archaeology.
Translated from the French and enlarged.
with nearly 1000 illustrations. New York.
ID. Appleton d Co.; Portland Loring, Short
& Harmony The work, though based upon
Adellne's Lexique DIES Termes dart, is very
much more comprehensive than that work,
large amount of information having been
incorporated from F. w. Fairholt's Diction-
airy of Terms of Art" The book takes in
such terms as are generally employed in
painting sculpture, engraving and architec-
.uIe' whether descriptive of real objects, or
.ne principles OF action which rule the mind
- euiue the hand OF the artist, thus compris-
.ns Tue "Sthetlcs OF art as we'll as their prac
slcal results The design of the work is to
furnish comprehensive list of definitions
accurate, yet concise, covering sufficient
ground tor ordinary purposes. One of ito
most valuable features is found in Tho nv 9
merous Illustrations which oftentimes oiuo
much better idea of the meaning Of e tho
term than it would be possible 70 corUo Iuo
words merely. A'0S ny
Drinking Water and Ice Supplies and