The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-12-22
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Nothing is more essential to the cultured
person than thorough understanding of
the mother tongue. The meaning Of many
words can be understood only superb
cially without knowledge of their
history; and the general history Of the
language must precede any thorough
acquaintance with its use and force
Professor Charles r. johnson, of Trinity
College, Hartford. has written handy
little book entitled English Words,
an Elementary Study of Derivation, which
will be most acceptable hand book for
those who wish better acquaintance with
their mother tongue. (New York: Harper
& Brothers, Portland; Loring, Short &
Harmony
The Modern Science Series, edited by the
famous Sir John Lubbock, Is forthcom-
ing series of small books intended to put
in form for popular reading the latest SCI
entifc researches in geology. botany, natu-
raj history, et,. The first volume has
already been issued. 1t Is entitled The
Cause of an Ice Age. and is written by a
prominent astronomer, Sir Robert Bell,
LID, T. r. s. the royal astronomer of
Ireland, author of Star Land. The work is
written in plain language and illustrated
by several useful diagrams. New York:
d. Appleton & Co.. Portland: Loring,
Short & Harmony
The Makers of America series has al
ready been noticed favoIably In connection
with several notable works. The last two
at hand are works on the lives Of John
Winthrop and Cotton Mather. Joseph
Hopkins Twitchell is the author of the
study of the great man who was first gov
ernor of Massachusetts,; and Barrett Wen
dell is author of the work on the famous
Puritan Priest. (New York Dodd, Mead
6 Co.; Portland: Loring. Short & Har-
mon.)
Jasmin. Barber, Poet, Philanthropist.
BY Samuel Smiles. LII. d. New York
Harper & Brothers; Portland: Loring,
Short & Harmony The famous Gascon
poet was as vain man as ever lived, even
among authors, but If he had lived to read
what DIR. Smiles has published in
this volume he could hardly have
failed to have his cravings fully
satisfied. The English biographer is
less moderate in his praise than
was Paul de Musset, who said, SIT is a
fact that nj. Jasmin shaves more skilfully
than any other poet" 1t is most inter-
esting story, that of the life of this French
peasant whose genius and good heart en-
deared him to the common people while,
even in his life time. the critics applauded
him and great poets translated his verse
discriminating biographer, one who writes
English with better taste and does not
think it necessary to call attention to a
single fact twenty times And there is a
curious perverseness displayed in connec-
ton with this same fact. After stating
that Jasomin's ancestors, some of them. had
died in phospitoL and explaining that this
means an aims house for the aged he trans
lates it hospital in every one of the nu-
merous subsequent references. just as a
careless and initiative school boy would.
Mr.. Smiles translations from Jasmin war
rant his asking, as he does in the preface,
"the indulgence Of the reader" But the
book "a its three hundred pages gives the
reader fair account of the lovable though
sometimes amusing personality of the man,
narrates the story Of his rise from obscurity
to the position of popular idol well de-
served by him who was so frank, simple
minded, pure and unselfsh of life in addi-
ton to being almost genius. By his reci-
tations from his own works, in the latter
years of his life he gained upwards of $500
600 for charitable purposes which meant
much more there thanit would here, and
he put not cent In his own pocket He
we'll merits the statue which islands in the
market place of Agen where he was born,
lived for 66 years and died in 1864. the
city of which he said after being lionized
at the capital: eff Paris makes me proud,
Agen makes me happy"