The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-09-23
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Mr.. Henry James publishes an exceed
ingly pretty volume with artistic covers
and creamy, often uncut, leaves, which
contains three stories, or studies-The
Private Life, Lord Beaupre, and The
Visits. The style of this author is so
finished and discriminating that you feel
as if he used language as master does
musical instrument, the violin for in
stance, with consumate skill, extracting
from its soul unexpected sweetness and
delicate suggestion. He is an adept
in literary fnesse.
The Private Life turns upon the quest
ion of an alter ego, an actual body. A
group of clever people serve as back
ground, and their personalities make an
attractive story, but under it all turks
a pro blem, though it be gracefully and
even, amusingly disguised in raillery and
wit. Somewhat after the fashion of DR..
Jeckell and Mr.. Hyde-only more agreea-
bly, and without CHASTITY tragedy-do
realities and non-realities play at hide
and seek. Is the.man who poses in So
cial society and fills the bill with
wonderful detail, exhausted thereby and
literally nil when his public is gone
Just as the vibration must have an ear
to make itself sound? And is the man
who never brings out his best, acting
only for the real self who works while
he plays?
Lord Beaupre is gentleman, and very
few writers can make that elusive per-
sonage for us. Moreover his adventures
in coming into fortune are most divert
ing, and it is really pathetic his helpless
honor Of having English girls thrown at
his head. Doubtless this dread is Fein-
forced by his fondness for one delightful
young woman in particular, and in the
end our sympathies go with him, and
we begrudge. the young American his
luck in the conquest of the heroine of the
story.
The Visits is scarcely happy compan-
ion to it's predecessors; it is uncanny and
shocking, and in it's Interpretation it is
difficult and unpleasant. (New York:
Harper & Brothers; Portland: Loring,
Short & Harmon. Price $1.25.
Of the many European trips taken in
print, none. have been based upon just
the practical grounds adopted by William
Henry Bishop (agthor of Old Mexico,
Detmold and The House of a Merchant
Prince) in his A House Hunter in
Europe, for Mr.. Bishop proposes to tell,
and does most successfully tell, just how
people of moderate means may take up
life abroad and keep house on the other
side of the water. With his family of
two and later of three, he tries five years
of foreign living, in Paris, Villefranche,
and Nice, with trips into England, Italy,
Spain and Algiers, and gives you rents,
prices of provisions (you must by the
way know the language sufficiently to
understand what you are being, charged
for your table supplies), ways, means,
customs and enjoyments. Much sparkle
and fun, philosophy and scholarly obser-
walton, originality and research go to
make up the narrative and we commend
A House Hunter in Europe as read able
and interesting, as well as profitable and
satisfactory. If you are going on the
continent by all means peruse the vol
ume; if your fate keeps you at home,
refresh yourself in another's travelled
happiness New York: Harper & Broth
rs; Portland: Loring, Short & Harmon.
Price 81. So
The Niagara Book. A Complete Souve-
mir of Niagara Falls. Containing sketch
es, stories ssand essays-descriptive hui
morous, historical and scientific, written
exclusively for this book. Illustrated by
Harry Fem. With it's green and silver
cover pictures and dainty head pieces
outline map, drawings and excellent
text, this volume is really remarkable
for so low price as is put upon it. Nj
agara has been a part of our Columbia
Exposition, and all tourists who have
visited the Falls this season will find
here a valuable reminder of their trip
and mine of information.
Howells gives "reminiscences of early
and late .pilgrimages to Niagara Falls;
Frederic Amy paints it's chamrs in the
language of a lover and rapt devotee;
Prof. Shaler geologizes it, and David
F. Day gives its fora and fauna. OF
Mark Twain's contribution one may say
tits refreshingly irrelevant, ridiculously