The San Francisco call., 1909-08-29
New Books Briefly Noted

Thomas Dykes Beasley of Alameda
has written the first poem to celebrate
our Portola festival. The Coming of
Portola'' is written in five visions. The
first describes the bay of San Fran
cisco and surrounding country before
the coming of the white man. Then
comes Portola, hunting for Monterey
bay, which he passes by accident and
is so overcome by the size and beauty
OF the bay he finds that he names it
for his patron saint. Francis. and
claims 1T for Spain. The next vision
builds the city and the fourth vision
destroys 1t by earthquake and fire The
nfth and last is called THE New City
and Second Coming OF Portola"
The poetry leaves much to the imag-
nation and has much room for i'm
provement, but the author has done one
lnlns weH: He has told the Portola
story graphically and clearly and the
whole thing is In the space of 160 lines.
Curlously enough, very little history
or Portola is found in the ordinary
textbooks, and ever since the carnival
talk began the most surprising ignor-
ance has been manifested. This little
poem, though of not great literary
merit. should answer these ouestions
satisfactorily. The poem is published
IN pamphlet form by the author. (1S22
clinton avenue. Alameda. Price Is
cents.)
The Rev William Greenwood. M A..
Pn. -, formerly professor of languages
In Highland Park college, Des Moines.
Ia. has written a book entitled
Horace, the Greatest of Lyric Poets >,
IL Is an account of his life a transIa-
tion In prose or verse of the best OF ALI
MS writings. an explanation of his
meters, and an estimate of his qualities
and perennial influence. The author
says IN MS preface that this study of
the poet has been prompted and
shaped primarily by a teachers solicit
tude to inform and inspire his pupils
The book really is addressed to the
multitude of bright men and women
who have missed the technical training
or the schools in the masterpieces OF
classical literature. 1t is divided into
four sections devoted to the ID books
or satires. CD epodes, ts) books of odes,
and (D books of episties and a secular
hymn 1t is small, compact book and
OF much interest and appears to cover
the ground thoroughly. published by
the author S1.00)
little pamphlet entitled Shake
speare, the Worlds Greatest Psychist," :"
is written and published by D. ]. Ball
of San Francisco In 1t he tells us
Just when Shakespeare is expressing
himself and his views through his
Nhdl dClC4c anu WlCiA lit tt not In9
book is poorly written and full OF con-
tradiction. and only OF interest to the
blindest follower of spiritualism. (25
cents.)
The Pathfinder for August contains
as its headliner an appreciation enti-
tiled Edward Rowland Sill: a PREACHER
Poet It Is written by Charles B.
Mitchell and is worthy of all praise.
He quotes a few lines here and there
as evidences of character, but the
whole article shows study and love for
the all too little known Sill The
Venus OF Milo" which is perhaps SilPs
greatest poem Is quoted entire. The
other contributions to the number are:
The Centenary of DR.. Holmes" by
Julian Park; The Legend of ST. HUI
bert" by Anne Warner; and a poem,
Goldsmith by Adalena F. Dyer This
little periodical is constantly improving
and deserves to become better known
published monthly at The Univer-
sity Press of Suwanee. Tenn; SO cents
a year, 10 centa copy.)