The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-12-20

To say that Jean Ingelow has written a
new book is to say that great many
people are hidden a delightful refresh
ing intellectual lunch al fresco. How
pure and dainty and clean her friends
are! How charming it is to spend an
hour in their company, and how much
better we feel after It'll A Motto
Changed is love story, the first and
last scenes of which are laid at a seaside
watering place on the south coast of
England, with view of the Scotch
Highlands and bits of heather disposed
between. There isn't shred of Society, ;
not word of gossip nor touch of breath of
scandal from first to last; and yet a
fine young fellow woes and wins a
bright, beautiful maid, whose style of
person is not even described. We should
love Jean Ingelow as we love fresh air
and bright sunshine. New York:
Harper & Brothers; Portland: Loring,
Short & Harmon.
The recent death of Francis Parkman
has brought more wildly to public at
tention his magnificent work as he this
torian of the early scenes ON this conti-
nent. Two men, more than all others,
have called the attention of mankind
to the incidents of the great struggle
which wrested the north eastern por-
lions of this continent form the red men;
Cooper by his novels, peopled by ideal
red and white men; Parkman by his
histories, peopled by the real red men
and white men. Many who have read
the historical works of Parkman do not
know how he gained his knowledge of
Indian life and character, because they
do not happen to have read "The Oregon
Trail" This charming work is the
narrative of a residence of several
months among the Sioux, which the
youthful Parkman ventured in order to
prepare himself for his life work. The
work has been before the public many
years. but never in a more delightful
form than the edition offered this year.
(Bnston: Little, Brown & Com pany;
with spirited illustrations by Frederick
Rem ington.
Ivan the Viking. By Paul Du Chaillu.
New York: Charles Scribners Sons;
Portland Loring, Short & Harmon.
The large audience present at Mr.
Chaillu's recent lecture in Kotzschmar
Hall Will be easily persuaded that he
could not write a dull book. His vivid
style OF narration insures animated and
picturesque views of the countries and
people he describes. He was one of the
first. in our time to visit and explore the
interior of the dark continent whose
fauna and fora he studied and classified,
astonishing the then incredulous world
with the wonders of Africa. No less
vigorous has been his enterprise in ex-
ploring 1.-THE Land of the Midnight Sun, u
which he so named. and by his nara
tives has made familiar to thousands of
readers. N or are his volumes .merely
descriptive books of travel M. Du
Chaillu is scientist, as well as trav-
eller. His passion for seeing ministers
to his greater passion for knowledge.
Thus he is the author of scientific
treatise on the Norsleand and Norsemen,
which he followed up with this historical
romance of Ivan the Viking, tale OF
two countries, showing the connection
between them, and how the one origi-
mated the other. For Norseland, or
Scandinavia, according to M. Du Chaillu,
is the true Fatherland of modern Eng
land, and, therefore, of America as we'll.
Nor is he mere tn eorist He relies on
facts which he adduces in great num-
Der and with such success, as to have
made powerful impression on the. mind
of Mr.. Gladstone and many. others. The
reading of Ivan the Viking does not,
however, depend on any theory for in
terest. AS historical romance it will
rank very high, for it's power to please,
while it equally instrucus those who de-
sire to learn.
Grey-haired people who read Xavier
Saintine's Picciola as a French exercise
in the days of their golden youth will
recall it as perhaps the most charming
text book ever in their possession. It
seems to have disappeared from the
French curriculum, but will hold it's
place .among world classics as long as
the French tongue is spoken by men.
To those who prefer, as Emerson did, a
good English translation to the labor
of an original with the lexicon at ones
elbow, the standard one just republished
New York: D. Appleton &C.,; Port
land: Loring, Short & HARMONY with
the exquisite illustrations by F. j.
Gueldry, will be welcome-particular
welcome it should be to those to whom
Picciola is still sealed book. The
merits of the translation are too we'll
known to call for commentator, the
mechanical execution of the volume is a
pleasure to book-lovers, and the illustra-
lions, full Of character and real inter-
probation. will delight the eye of the ar
TTFE'S STINCET AI,I, GGIOW