Daily Kennebec journal., 1896-11-04

| VI NicOTSc Gduu ny nAi So JdIIleS M. Ian
caster One vol, 237 PIP, cloth, gilt tor
(Faience edition;) $1.0O. T. Y. Crowel
&, Co., Publishers New York and Bos-
/, ton.
| la Petite Fadette" was writer
| about the time Of the Revolution OF
1S4S when the state Of Europe seemed
most gloomy and uncertain The gifted
author set herself to work to create a
little circle of cheer,a light in darkness
! The story of the neglected girl who
through the transforming power OF
love, working on a naturally tender
| and unselfssh heart, grows into a beau
tiful maiden accepted on lnar own mer-
it. and finally to the surprise of all
proves to be the richest heress of the
little village. has scarcely an element OF
| tragedy In It, Toward the last there
| IS a hint, like minor overtone in a full
harmony, where the jealousy of the
weaker twin Sylvan suddenly bios
SONS into love for his brothers wife
and for honor's sake the young man
goes into the army. But this little mel
ancholy suggestion does not detract
| from the beauty and richness, the full
ness and JOY of the story. 1t is an al
most faultless creation Of the novel
| lists art, pure and sweet and immortal.
Mrs. Lancaster has rendered it into un-
| exceptional English, smooth, fluent
and graceful. The Illustrations are
effective and the little volume is gem
III artistic bookmaking.
A Gentle Heart. BY the Rev. ]. r.
MILLER, ID. y. One vol. 81 pp. 81. cents.
T. Y. Crowell & Co., Publishers. New
York and Boston.
We are strong" says DR.. Miller.
only as We are gentle. Gentleness is
the power of God working in the
world" 'Gentleness." he declares to
be the crownof all loveliness. the Christ
Lest of all Christly qualities" The
Bible constantly upholds this virtue
After the thunderngs, and the storm
and the earth quake, and the fire on Mt
Sinai, the Lord appeared in the still
small voice. Dr. Miller makes sim
Ills. affecting plea for this divine ex-
preston of goodness In homes and
everywhere. 1t is n lesson that some
must learn: Dr. Miller gives hints how
the attainment of it may he made. 1t
is one of the most effective booklets
fh!ch he has ever given to the public
Culture and Reform. BY Anna Rob
ertson Brown. Phi. d. One vol. 80 pp.:
30 cents. T. Y. Crowell & Co, Publish
rs. New York and Boston,
Miss Brown is well known as the au-
teoress of the popular booklet What
is Worth While Culture" Miss
Brown says, tends to be conservative:
it maintains dynasties, laws. schools,
social codes and conventional faith"
On the contrary. reform is revolution
ary, and represents dynamic instincts.
hanging the old order Culture stands
for the humane aesthetic side of life.
reform for the unresting tragic" Miss
Brown shows that al the close oG this
century we are living in a state Of
tux and unrest: the ground and foun-
cations Of our society seeming to be
AIKEN out from under our very feet. She
shows that the only genuine reform
rAust come from men, putting their
reckless, ansered, weary will, in har-
gAony with the Divine Will" Seek ye
.,rst the Kingdom of God must be the
gfeat command; then reform and cul-
ture will go hand in hand, and all will
be well With the world. 1t is an in
spring ideal that Miss Brown sets be-
fore the reader and it ought to do great
Gcod.
The Happy Life. By Charles w. Ell
iot, LID. President of Harvard Uni
,ersity. One vol. 50 pp.; 35 cents. T.
I. Crowell & Co. Boston, Publishers.
President Eliot has the well -merited
reputation of being one of the most
feiicitous of speakers: expressing his
thoughts in admirably chosen English
concise, luminous and harmonious. 1t
has been said of him, that he never
s.ys n word too much.
In his essay on THE Happy Life
he addresses especially young people,
who have by graduating from college,
entered under conditions of singular
privilege. upon rational and responsible
living He thinks that we are all
seeking the happcst possible life
amidst many of the old discourage
inents. and some new ones peculiar to
our time. He discourses of the lower,
'F'A' Hi-ii'i IftdSui -tftttSt VI lHt
table, of sight and of sound, love of
nature, family love, physical exertion.
OF reading and of society. He recon-
mends the joys Of service, the impor-
lance OF q. rational choice of belief.
Earthly happiness, he says sis not
dependent on the amount of ones pos
sessions,ur the nature of ones employ
ment.' The enjoyments and satisfac-
tons which he so eloquently describes.
are accessible to poor and rich, to
humble and high, alike, if only they cul-
tivate the physical. mental and moral
faculties, through which the natural
Joys are Won" President Eliot argues
deliberately in favor of a rational con-
duct of life on the this world princi-
pie, but he elinches his argument and
makes it doubly effective by declaring
at the end, that the result would not
differ lin any important respect from
'ne. right conduct of life on the prin-
ciples Of the Christian gospel"
1t is very clear, able and conyinc-
ing essay, and ought to be in the hands
OF every young man and young woman.
Happy Children. BY Mrs. Ella Far
man Pratt. One vol. 4to. with full
page illustrations in colors and many