The Portland daily press., 1896-12-16

nor unusual in tone and meter, 1t is
beautiful in conception, and firm in the
handling. The Raster carols sing them
selves, and8if we are not mistaken,s at
least two have been set to music.
We quote several stanzas from
NY SWEET PEAS.
Have you seen my sweet, sweet peas,
Posing lightly i'll the breeze?
q, the dainty, airy things,
With their many -color9d WINGS
Like gas butterflies, set free
Round my cottage by the saa!
Did they tire of gardens fair,
Sheltered with such tender care
That the salt winds they defy,
And the sea shells tints outvie
As they sweeter, brighter grow,
Sporting. swaying to and frof
Dainty darIingsl could they guess
All who owned their lovelinefs;
Faces frightened by their bloom,
Sick beds chesred by their perfume,
All who know and hold them dear,
Would they, could they, fly from here?
Some other numbers of this choice littlo
collection are Of eraver and deeper i'm
port All bespeak delicscy, love of ma
ture and a rich fancy
Brief History of The Nations and of
their Progress in Civilization. By George
Park Fisher. ID. D., LII. D., professor
in Yale University. NEW York Gin
cinnati and Chicago American Book
Company.) Prof Fishers present work
is based on his larger work Outlines of
Universal History" it is not mere
abridgemsnt, but consider able Of the
matter is recast. The idea Of the book
is to give tho most important facts OF
history, but with enough details to pre-
vent the work from being mere enron.
oiogy. Modern periods of history are
treated with moro fulness than the an
Gent periods. Che book contains % ex-
oellent maps and great many illustra-
lions, and is printed with an excellent
index. To those who are familiar with
the authors "Ontline of Universal His
tory it is needless to commend the work
To thoae who are not we would say that
for brief epitome of the worlds history
no existing book is ICON parable" to this
one.
Eighteenth Century Vignettes. Third
Series. By Austin Dnbson. With por-
traits in photogravure. New York:
Dodd, Mead &5ss..Co.; Portland: Loring
Short & Harmony fhis book treats ex-
clusively of eighteenth century thames.
The papers are in every way fascinating.
Mr.. Dobson understands thorc ughly how
to convey to his readers the charm of that
epoch which produced Swift and Addi-
son, Pope, Garrick, and host of other
imnortals. Thess are names which
have for the modern world an interest
and charm quite out of proportion to
the influence which they. ars exercising
in pressnt day life AM! literature. The
photogravure illustrations add not
littln to the attT activeness of one of tie
most noteworthy of the seasons holiday
publications.
The Bound Volume of Hnrper's Round
Table for 1896. The volume includes
1876 pages copionsy illustrated. The
special features of this book are that it
contains three complete books for boys
q For King or Country, :" a story of the
American Revolution, by James Barnes,
twenty four chapters in length; Rick
Dale, ''a story of adventure in the North
west, by Kirk Munroc, forty chapters in
length; and "a Virginia Cavalier"
without question the best historical. story
Of the boyhood of George Washington yet
written, by Molly Elliot ,Seawell, in
twenty chapters. Besides these long
stories thers sre shorter stories of from
five to fifteen chapters, as follows:
Crossing the XuaoaXelia,' a story of
Western camp life, by Captain Charles
Curtis; "The Middle Daughter a story
for girls, by Margaret E. Sangster: aud
GO The Voyage of the Rattletrap." hnm-
orous story of prairie schooner. by
Hayden Carruth.
Other features of the volume are from
eighty to a hundred ehort stories end
about one hundred and fifty pages on
modern outdoor Lathletio games. There
are also several interesting series of arti-
Giles, such as "The Tower of Many
stories, by Mrs. Lew Wallace, which
are five articles telling some of the
famous stories ofsthe Tower of London
Opp. SO, 1872, 24S, $50, and SS0); "The
American Nights Entertainments, by
Mrs. Emma j. Gray, series of twelve
articles on getting up entertainments for
young people. each article describing
suitablessfor one month in
the year. ''How Magic is Made by
H enry Hatton, series of interesting
articles on simple sleight-o tricks;
'sOut Of the Centre of Africa by Cyrus
9. Aeams, series Of articles on different
features connected with the
EXP loTations recently made in Africs.
New York: Harper & Brothers; Port
lani: Loring, Short & Harmon. Price
SIS. SOY
MAGAZINE NOTICES.