The Portland daily press., 1895-12-21

Llllth. A Romance. By George Mao
Donald. This work which is a fantastic
allegory, has attracted great deal of in
! tereso on account of it's strangeness and
the great difference between it and other
WORKS OF the author. The author seems
TO nave given his powerful imagination
Tree rein, and from it he has woven a
strange and wonderful story. 1t deals
with beings in the transmigratory state,
and they ap pear as birds and beasts and
in many gruesome forms. Lilith ID at
times a beautiful princess with deep, I'M
fathomable eyes, again a vampire, and
often fierce leopardess, which the au-
thor follows into mysterious, unoanny
places. The work abounds In mystic,
spiritual illusions, especially in the chap
ter called That Night. where the punish
ment and repentance of Lilith is skillful-
ly analysed. Throughout the work the
authors meaning is vague, and in one
chapter he says, II beg the reader to aid
me in the endeavor to make myself in
telligible, if here under standing be indeed
possible between us. l was in world.
or call it a state of things, an economy
of conditions, an idea of existence, SO
little correspondent with the ways and
modes of this world which we are apt to
think the only world, that the best
choice can make of word or phrase is
but an adumbration Of what Uwould con-
vey. I begin indeed to tear that l have
undertaken an impossibility; undertaken
to tell what / cannot tell, because no
speech at my command will fit the forms
in my mind'. The work is very skillfully
represented, and many of the descriptions
ale beautiful, but as whole it leaves a
very unpleasant impression on the mind
ofFthe reader. New York: Dodd. Mead
accompany
Dixie or Southern Scenes and Sketches
By Julian Ralph, author of On Canada's
Frontier, etc. The chapters which make
up this volume first appeared in Harper's
Magazine and Harper's Weekly as series
of papers upon the development of what
may well be called ''Our New South
and it's resources. The chapters are, The
Old Way to Dixie, New Orleans, Our
Southern Capital, Along the Bayou Teche
In Sunny Mississippi, Our Own River a,
The Industrial Region of Northern Ala
bama, Tennessee and Georgia, Charleston
and the Carolinas, Where Time has Stun
bered, Our National Capitol, The Planta-
ton Nevro, The New Growth of St.
Louis. This very interesting work with
it's many appropriate illustrations, is hand
somely printed and tastefully bound, and
makes very attractive volume. New
York: Harper & Brothers; Portland
Loring, Short Harmon.)
The Journal of Spy in Paris During
the Reign of Terror. This is genuin
fragment, appearing to be part of the
journal of an English spy in Paris, kept
during the terrible months of January to
July, 1894. "Raoul Hesdin' is the name
written upon the brown paper cover of
the book. The Girondists have fallen, and
the Maximum Laws have just been passed
at the point where the diary, as it exists,
begins. During the seven months, from
December, 1893, to July. 1894, IS occurring
the steady elimination of parties and in
dividuals by Robespierre for his own
benefit. The followers of Hebert fall in
March, those of Danton in April. Each
party leaves, however, "tail" which
gradually unites with those members of
the committees who are themselves
threatened, to work the Revolution of
Thermidor, the downfall of Robespierre,
and the beginning of the end of the Reign
of Terri or.
1t is through this most terrible period
of the French Revolution that Hesdin's
diary. as published, runs. From day
to day he jots down in crisp, trenchant
phrases events as he sees them and knows
them. 1t is a series of pen-piotures,
among the most vivid Of which are the
descriptions of the horrible famine in
Paris, the extent of vice, etc. New York
Harper q Brothers; Portland: Loring,
Short & Harmon
The Boy Officers of 1872 By Everett
T. Tomlinson. Third volume in The
War of 1912 Series. Illustrated. (Bos.
ton: Lee & Shepard; Portland: LorinR,
Short & Harmony In this, as in the pre-
vious volumes of the series, the author
endeavors not merely to tell story, but
to lead his young readers into correct
conception of the times and the men.
The section of our ountry where the
scene is laid is full of history and ira
dition, and DR.. Tomlinson, from his in
innate knowledge of the territory and
it's inhabitants, has abundant material
for an intensely interesting series. The
further adventures of the Field and
Spioer boys furnish the theme for the
"Boy Officers" and without departing
from historical truth the author finds
enough of interest and excitement to
satisfy any boy or girl, The boys con-
tinue their scouting expeditions and also
participate in several engagements, in
which they acquit Themselves with great