The Portland daily press., 1895-06-10
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Russian Rambles By Isabel F. Hap
good, Author of the Epic Songs of Rus
STA. In the opening chapter of this work
the author says, "We imported into Rus
STA untaxed, undiscovered by the custom
house officials goodly stock OF misad-
vice, misinformation, apprehensions and
prejudices like most foreigners; albeit we
were unusually well informed and conf
dent that we were correctly posted on the
grand outlines of Russian life at least.
| We were forced to begin very promptly
the involuntary process of getting rid OF
them The authors travels in Russia
were especially successful because of her
acquaintance with the Russian language.
| With this work she hopes to dispel some
of the false ideas current in America in
regard to the Russian people. Russian
Rambles is a record of interesting per-
sonal experiences told in easy converse
tional manner. She takes a very fayora-
Bile view of the Russian people. Rus
slams of all classes, she says, from the
peasant up, possess naturally simple,
sympathetic disposition and manner as
whole tinged with friendly warmth,
whose influence is felt as soon as one
crosses the frontier Russians have, be-
come SO accustomed to hearing and read
ing remarkable statements about them
selves that they ony smile indulgently at
each fresh specimen of ill-will
or ignorance. Passports, Police
Eypari a11n q
with the Russian Censor Russian
Summer Resort, A Stroll in Moscow
with Count Tolstoy, Count Tolstoy at
Home, A Journey on the Volga, The
Mimi Novgorod Fair and the Volga
are among the most interesting of the
book Some chapters of this volume have
already appeared in various American
periodicals. Boston and New York ::
Houghton, Miffiin & Company. Port
and: Loring, Short & Harmon
Letters of Celia Tha xter Edited by
her friends A. f. and r. L. The letters
this volume contains written by Celia
Thaxter to her friends show clearly the
character of the woman who was loved
and reverenced by all who knew her.
Many of her letters show her boundless
sympathy, her keen appreciation of the
best in those she loved, and her wonderful
growth in beauty and roundness of char
acter. Her biographers say of her, 'The
capabilities which were developed in her
by the necessities of the situation during
her life at the schools in winter We're
more various and remarkable than can be
fifty told The glimpse we get in her
letters of the many occupations show
what energy she brought to bear upon the
difficulties of the place. The truth was
she could do almost anything. How
beautiful her skill as dressmaker the
exquisite lines in her own black or gray
or white dresses testified to everyone who
saw her She never wore any other colors,
nor was anything like trimming ever
seen about her " She was certainly one
OF the truest women in the world, always
helping to make a bright spot around
her, to give of herself in some way. She
felt profound love for nature and her
power of observation was uncommon. and
everywhere we find her longing for larger
knowledge. "What ever sorrows life
brought to her, and they were many, and
Of the heaviest kind, this exquisite enjoy
ment of nature, the tender love and care
for every created thing always stayed her
heart. " Mrs. Thaxter found herself as the
years went on the center of u company
who rather selected themselves than W re
selected from the vast number of persons
who frequented her brothers. "house of
entertainment" at the islands. Perhaps
no large social success was ever built
upon such unworldly conditions. She
swung as free as possible of the world of
society and its opinions, forming a center
OF her own, built upon the sure founda-
tions OF love and loyalty. She was gener-
Gus IN giving invitations to her parlor
but to its frequenters she said IF people
do not enjoy what they find they must go
their way, my work and the music will
not cease " The study of nature and art
was always going on around her work
table. A part of the Lords universe. -
that Celia Thaxier always felt herself to
be. and for many years she was impatient