The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-03-20
CONCERNING BOOKS.

All lovers of Robert Louis Stevenson
will welcome with pleasure Mr.. l., Cops
Cornford's apprsciative and iotsrestinR
study Of the man and his books. An
eager and enthusiastic student OF Steven
sons works, as we'll as OF his personality
and temperament, NJ. Cornford was re-
markedly well fitted for the task which
he had set himself, and his achievement
lie In proportion.
The volume opens " it'll succinct and
clear sketch Of Stevensou's heritage and
his ancestry, outlines his life, and treats
Of him as the mora,ist, the artist, the
romantic and the Inner Of landscape;
closing with kesn and acute criticism
OF his style. and an epilogue which Ii
both brilliant and eloquent.
The volume 10 In nowise "life" OF
its subject, but q very vivid and telling
literary monograph, critical, yet most
kind and admiring, and from q point OF
view refreshingly new, the keynots being
the portrsit OF Stevenson BY his friend.
william Ernest Henley, which portrays
him in this wise:
Apparition.
"Thip-legged, thin chested. slight I'M
speakably;
Eeat-footed, and weak fingered; In his
face
Lean, large-boued, curved of peak and
touched with race,
Bold-lipped, rioh-sinted, mutabls as the
ees,
The brown eyes ra iisnt with vivaoity-
There shines brilliant and romantic
grace,
trace
OF passion and impotence and energy,
Valiant In velvet, light In ragged luck,
Most vein, most generous, sternly criti-
cal,
Buroon and poet. lover and sensualist;
A deal OF Arisl, just a streak OF Puck,
Much Antony, OF HBmlst most OF oil,
And something Of the Shorter Catechist. +"
Mr.. Cornford's volume Is published by
Msssrs. Dodd, Mead Co.. (Portland:
Loring, Short & Harmon, and IL dis
tlnctly valuable addition to Stevenson
Ian literature.
From the publishing house Of Messrs
q. P. Putnam's Sons portland: Loring,
Shors & Harmony, We have an excellent
WORK by Mr.. Noah Brooks, his subject
being Henry knox, A Soldier Of the
Revolution, Msjcr-General In the CONT
mental Army, Washington 9 Chief Of Ar
tilIery. arst Secretary Of War under the
Constitution. and founder OF the Society
of the Cincinnati. Ths time which this
history covers Is from 1850 to 1906 inolus-
I've, and in reading MIR. Brooks's most
Interesting volume, We are led to won
der, with him, "why 1t lie that figure
so commanding and q character so exalt
ed az TIE figure and character Of General
Henry Knox should have been SO moon
spicuous In the written history of the
Republic" Says bis tiographsr: Gwen
a cursory examination of the record Of
the times In which knox lived and
wrought will disclose his energetic per-
sonality. his pre-eminent abilities, his
lofty patriotism, and his winning man
ners- Above all. one who won and held
the affection and esteem Of Warrington,
as Knox did, could have Leen no common
man."
The author of this volume. -wbich 10 .
very handsome one, with many and val
uaple illustrations, has drawn his ma.
terisls from divers sources, but prinoi-
pally for the Knox Manuscripts. now In
the possession of the New England His
torio Genealogical Society, Of Boston.
Many valuable papers were for time
In the hands Of MIR. Charles S. Daveis OF
Portland, who began memoir of Knox,
but from failing health was unable to
finish 1t.
We are grateful 20 Mr.. Brooks for the
service he has rendered to lovers Of Colo
NAL History in general, and especially
to the people of Maine, General Knox's
home, "Montpelier" being at Thomastion
in that state, where Is also his grave,
although he was born in Boston.
fancy thsre will be no memoir OF Gen
eral Knox published which will be more
thorough, or eminentiy reada-
BILE than Mr.. Brooks's instructive AID at
tractive work, and it would be an orna-
ment to the shelves Of any library.
Among the Harpers' new books port
and: Lortng, Short g. Harmony are The
First American. by Leila Herbert; A
Destiny, by Julia Magruder;
and TIE Nerve of Foley, by Frank Il.
Spsarman.
Ons takes up Miss Herbert's volume
with sense Of sadness. that Young life
Of suoh beauty and promise should have
been so sadly cut short by death; and
this feeling gives an unusual interest to
the work to which this young girl gave
90 much time and thought and research.
scccooooooo.