More About Montrose

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 219, 16 September 1939, Page 8 (Supplement)

More About Montrose

NO richer field exists for the historical novelist than the story of the Stuarts and their supporters, and when we have read the fourth long novel which Miss Margaret Irwin has written about this period we still feel that there is much more we would wish to hear. In "The Bride" (Chiitto and Windu-0 she «ii\<»-i us the story of Louise and Montrose, and continues wea\ing some of the loose threads left over from "The Proud Servant* and "The Stranger Prince. - ' Jn her preface she tells the reader how nine years ago she began to write "Koyal Klu-h,'' which was to he a short I taking about three months to write, but the outcome lias , heen tlie writing of four long novels |>a<-ked with rich detail. This story opens at La Hagin* earlv 1 in where Klizabeth, Queen of | Bohemia. sister of Charles I. of Kngland. lives in comparative poverty with her daughters and her son It u pert. Karlv in the story comes the news of the execution of Charles, and .Montrose , conies to La Hague to prepare for his attempt to rally in support of the Stuarts. His friendship with the fascinating Elizabeth leads to his acquaintance with her daughter Louise. They become deeply attached to each other and are officially betrothed, but with knowledge of what may }>«. ahead of him he refuses to marry her until he returns from Scotland; then is told the unhappy story of his unsuccessful rebellion and his execution at Kdinburgh. It is difficult to say which part of the book is tlie most able, for unforgettable pictures stand out In every chapter; there are the delightful scenes of t he unconventional domestic life of Klizabctli and her daughters which are the great charm of the first part. Then gradually the personality of Montro-e Itegins to dominate the story, and in writing of his march across Scotland as a captive in disgrace, arid of his trial and execution by the Covenanters, the ' author succeeds in arousing in the > reader some of the feeling of devotion 1

to him which must have inspired those who actualh followed him. The book concludes ijiiietly in a more peaceful if less glamorous era. with an epilogue which shows Louise in her old age success! ully ruling a French convent. In times such as the present there is a certain relict to be gained from dwelling oil the evils of the past; and it is with Mime surprise, anil with encouragement also, that one realises how \erv great and how \ery widespread the evils were at this comparat i\el y iccent period of our history. •$>