Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-05-16

| Sylvester, cloth. heavy coated, deckle-
edged paper, gilt top; Illustrated.
Boston: StanhOpe Press.
This is the third volume of Mr.. Syl-
yester'S Maine Coast Romance" the
| first two volumes of which, "CaSco
| Bay" and ."Old York; have previously
| been reviewed at some length in the
| Journal. and have served to establish
Mr.. Syivesters reputation as an cXccp-
| tionally strong ana interesting writer.
| The term Romance" is somewhat mis-
| leading in its application to these
books. II applies to them only 50 far
| as it serves to characterize the authors
| eraceS OF literary style, and his rare
| ability to Clothe the dry bones of his
| tory with flesh ana Hood; but no one
| must be led by it to suppose for mo-
| mcnt that the facts of history have
been il any way perverted in their
preparation. As 4 matter Of fact Mr.
| Sylvester has been exceedingly thor
| ough and painStaking in the securing
| Of his data, and mas spared 10 labor
| nor expense to insure the greatest pos
sible degree Of accuracy. He possesses,
| however, that faculty, 50 rarely found
| in writers of hstory-the ability to
present past scenes and events with
| Il sympathetic vividnesS that takes
| them out of the dim gray light of for
mer years, and makes them present
| day realities. AS presented by him
| they are not mere skeletons Of the dead
past, but living, breathing realities,
pulSating with the same hopes, and
| fears, and aSpirationS-the same joys,
/ and SORROWS, and shortcomings, that
are incident to common humanity
and which present no essential differ
| enceS from one generation to another.
| Customs may differ, the outward forms
Of life may change. but the human
heart, with its impulses and emotions;
| the motives that sway and determine
| the human mind. are essentially the
same yesterday, today, and tomorrow
For we are the same our fathers have
| been;
We see the same sights our fathers
have seen;
| We drink the same stream, we view
the same sun
And run the same course our fathers
have run"
1t is this rare ability to portray the
| life OF the past i'll the very fullness of
| its human charm and interest that has
| given Mr.. Sylvester q place by HIM
| self among the writer's of Maine history
and made his books perpetual delight.
All Of the volumes of this series are
| profusely and supcrbly illustrated
chiefly from pen and ink sketches by
| Mr.. Sylvester who is an artist of rare
| insight and skill in addition to his gifts
as q writer.
We cheerfully yield the palm to 1.-The
] SokOki Trail as tho best of the three
volumes dealing with early life and
| traditions that have thus far come
from Mr.. Sylvester's pen. 1t is in
scribed by the author to Kate Douglass
| WiSgin. and most charming "Epistlc
DodicatOry" procedc5 the Preface
The SokOki were one of the eight
tribes that composed the great Abenokc
family Of Indians which occupied at
| one time the whole northeast section of
North America even as far as Labra-
| dor 1t is from this tribe that the
autho" takes his title The beginning
of the trail starts with the first ap-
pearance or the strange ships of the
white explorers from Cape Breton to
Gaze Cod. 1t is wonderfully con-
dcnSod and vivid story of these earlier
explorers and their work which Mr.
Sylvester faS given us in the opening
chapter OF The Sokoki Trail''-an
admlrdblc forCrunncr of the more local
| lied chapters that follow it.
The story of the early days of the
Winter Harbor settlement, are told in
Mr.. SylvcStors inimitablc way, ana
with an historical fullncss and accu-
racy that shows low thorough have
been the authors researches. Another
delightful chapter tells the story of
The Isle of Bacchus" now known as
lichmonds Island. which lies a little
way out 10 sea from the Scarborough
shore.
An instructive and entertaining
ch?pter is devoted to the history Of the
Plough Patent which Vines dcsig-
mated rs the broken tytlo." The
transfer of this title to Rigby in the
spring of 1643, transferred large
territory which became known i'm
mediately thereafter as the province
OF Ligonia. The characters and
careers Of Rigby's agents Morton
ara Clceve are graphically set forth.
The record of Cleeve especially as
deputy president of Ligonia and the
final passage Of the Province Of Lin
ING" " li'S authority or Massachusetts
are tod in a manner to catch and hold
me closest attention Of the reader.
me Romance Of Black Point" and
Inc Sokoki Trail' which deals with
the traditions and history Of the early
Saco settlement, both add to the fasci-
nation of this book which is called q
romance but which is, in fact q
most valuable and enduring confirm
tlan to the historical literature of orr
State. ''i
Health Through Self-Control in
Ihinking. breathing, Eating. by Will
nam Anthony Spinney. A. NJ: 12no
cloth; laid paper; gilt top: 80 pagos
Price $l.2o net: s1.3O postpaid. 10th
rGn, Lee & Shepard.
Mr.. William Anthony Spinney. who