The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-10-09
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

We are novel reading nation to judge
by the number of ron1ances which oe-
cupy the reviewers table Chief among
the stories recently published stands
Hall Gaines The Manxman. 1t belongs
with Adam Bede, and Hardy's Tess yet
though its central tragedy is the same
as in those two works of art, its indi-
viduality is unique. The Isle of Man is
wonderful environment for the story
teller most quaint and unusual in its
history, political development and char
acter of the people Hall Game is as
much the interpreter of the place in,
fiction as Dickens was of London. The
Manxman is bitterly tragic and yet one
cannot lay the volume down to say this
tale is too sombre for me to read be-
cause real wit and humor crop out at
every turn and together with poetic
description Tighten the pages as we per-
use them.
London critics are united upon this
publication as Mr.. Gains chef-d' -oeuore
and London would make a lion of the
author just at present il he would con-
sent. But the concentration and power
which have made the book possible
mean an avoidance of interruption, even
of an agreeable character, and Hall
Game is something of hermit. The
Manxman holds the attention from open
ing to close, and is yividr and vigorous
far out of the common. With Trilby
Con totally different lines) it shares the
honor of being the novel of the day.
The extract of wit or of wisdom is here
COMPRISED as when Caesar says, "Taking
hell away drops the tailboard out of a
mans religion, eha" Or, @We're told
that man was made little lower than
the angels, but about women weir just
left to our own conclusions" And in
description often the same brevity.
He was in torment. But under his dis
tracted heart there was little chick of
frightened joy, like a young cuckoo
Matched in wagtairs nest" With won
derful touches of child life and early
love making; with the contrast between
the gentry and the fisher folk; with
life earnest, human, dramatic to the
core, this author enchains our hearts
and new, strong impress is once more
left upon US of the inevitableness of
natures laws and the mightiness of the
will which does not falter but realizes
in advance the certain result of weak
ness and misconduct. New York: D.
Appleton & Compay; Portland: Loring,
Short & Harmon. Price 81. SOD
In Old. New York, by Thomas A.
Janyier, illustrated, we have reada-
BILE and storified short history of New
Amsterdam, which will prove not only
valuable and accurate in itself, but also
personally fascinating to the lovers OF
our leading city, as we'll as TO the an
tiquarian and searcher among old papers
and early American documents. A
acteristic pictures in odd doorways and
quaint street scenes and forlorn Dutch
low roofs where now great edifces rear
their heads, make the volume very at
tractive. Yet Mr.. Janvierg attempts no
text book effect, but evidently means
simply to record the past of New York
in its out-of-doors aspect, its architecture
and environment and to brighten up his
description with occasional anecdote
and inference. New YORK: Harper &
Brothers; Portland: -Lorlng, Short &
Harmony
My Pretty Jane, by Fife Adelaide
Rowlands is prefaced by the authors
portrait and photograph and gives us the
attractive physiogomy of young lady
OF twenty-five, we should say. No i'm
maturity shows itself in the style of !, the
narrative, however, which is fluent and
finished. The story itself is distin-
guished for the sweet and charming
character of it's heroine, step-daughter
by hard fate, to young girl who had
discarded her former lover to marry
for wealth and position and by doing
SO developed into hard. bitter and ar
bitrary woman. In this experience as
in all Others, the venom brought, or
wrought, its own cure. (J.B. Lippincott
Company; Portland: Loring, Short &
Harmon.)
The Old, Old Story. A Novel, by
Rosa Nouchette Carey, has indeed moth
ing new in it's plot or construction, but
is told in the chatty detailed fashion
which has made this author SO popular.
There are some nice children. some live
ly young people, some adults. grave and
gay; and good deal happens and
great deal is said, and altogether if one
wishes to live in new surroundings for
time here is an excellent opportunity.
The unlikeness in first and second
marriage, as regards choice of tempera-
ment and disposition is set forth with
some skill. philadelphia: J.B. Llppin-
colt Company; Portland: Loring, Short
& Harmon. !, Price 81. co.,
A Bad Lot A Novel by Mrs. Lovett
Cameron. The title of this story refers
to the parents and daughters forming
an English family where poverty and