BOOK NOTICES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11524, 9 September 1899, Page 2

BOOK NOTICES.

"History of New Zealand,. Vol. II." .By Alfred Saunders. Christchurch: Smith,

Anthony, Sellars, and Co.

' The 'first volume "of. Mr $aunders's ' interesting book was noticed in cmr columns. November 28> 1896. The period: treated ov by this volume extends from; the .eventful year, .1861, to the deaths of the Hon.: JohiY Ballance and' Sir William Eoxm 1893. .It thus covers a very important period, • comprising the greater period of tlie Maori War, its mismanagement' by General Cameron, and its '.successful'termination due to", thepatriotic efforts of the colonial troops, aided by. the .friendly Natives, .to whom MiSaunders does ample and well-merited: honour. The rise and progress of the bar-, 'rowing policy, which has laid such a burden, of taxation upon us, is ably traced from its' first inception by. the "Domett Ministry to its triunmhant' culmination in the five mil-, lion loan* of 1879. This, in Mr Saunders's opinion, has. landed us in a public debt " which would be extravagant and excessive if our population were 20 times as large." MrSaunders does justice to our public men, and speaks in terms of the warmest admiration of Sir George Grey, Mr : Stafford, Mr Ballance^. arid others.' He himself, has brought special qualifications to his task having'buen'".the first sei.fcier who landed from the first immigrant ship that entered Nelson harbour on February 1, 1842." He has also served' along- and* honourable apprenticeship to public afoirs. !This history is interesting . and' well written, and some parts of-it are. as amusing as any novel. The language is clear and good; the matter excellent. If politics predominate that is: only to bo expected, for in politics we find; the history of the nation. It is of courseMr Saunders's special study, and the one in which he is likely to.be most proficient; buf. politics in his Hands are more than usually interesting, as he shows us theirsecret working and the manner in which the ' strings are pulled; and points out to us the slow deterioration of character which:.: too often follows the desire for popularity and applause which marks the career of so many public men, too few of whom dare to tell the truth when it is obviously unwelcome. Not the least valuable part of the book is the chapter in which "the author ably sketches and gauges the characters of some' of our living politicians, from the' Eight Hon. Richard Seddon, downwards, and here his judgment and moderation are worthy of all praise. Taken altogether, Mr Saunders has produced an exceedingly interesting and pleasantly written work which" should be read by.all who desire to know something of the* story of their native or adopted land.

"Willow, the King." By J. C. Snaith. London: Ward, Lock, and Co. Dunedin: Braithwaite.

This is a cricketing novel from Cover to cover. It is indeed what it professes to be, "The story of a cricket match," and nothing more. There is no plot, other than cricket, no delineation of character, no delicate touches of nature,: but all the

dramatis persona2 —including the heroine — talk cricket, play cricket, live in :nd for cricket, and cricket alone. They n>.., \\axe other walks in life, ambitions "anc Professions,, but we never hear of then..' Even the love-making is done in the intervals of preparation for a game, and is so mixed up with it that the lady does not realise what is being said to her. The only human bit of the whole is where she makes her answer depend on the issue, of a trial of skill, and manages with true feminine art to defeat herself. The illustrations to the book, are remarkably good and lifelike, full of,sun and air. ..-..•

"Giants of the Game." By the Hon. It. , H. Lyttelton and others. Duhedin: j.. . Braithwaite. ',■■.;. - Another cricket book, but this time not a novel, but "reminiscences of the stars of cricket, from Daft down to the present day," including W. G. Grace, A. C. Mac-' Liiren, Ranjitsinhji, Abel. Spofforth, and other famous- cricketers, past and present, • illustrated with speaking -photographic.'like-; nesses. About- half the 'volume. is devoted, to Australian " Giants,'of the Game," and is written by George Giffen. in. a mostsympathetic . strain. The whole volume is valuable both as a reference and as" a plea- ■ s&nf sketch of the peculiarities' and methods of play of noted'men. As Mr Fry justly .remarks:." Cricket iiads the truth even more quickly than wine.does, .and it speaks-well, for the' human kind -that no pleasante'v fel-• low is to be met than the typical cricketer.'.' "Optimism goes well with cricket.- No one who- can liit a four'er, bowl a yorker, or -hold a swinging drive at long:on, has any right to regard life : otherwise than as desirable: Skill in cricket may not be,.the greatest good, ' but, .-■ possessed, even in a moderate degree; it can help 'more than, many'.-other}possessions, to' happiness." -A. -proposition which we. most heartily.endorse. Cricket is'one of. the best-recreations-that a man can hare, but it is not the '» be' all and end all" of life,-as-some enthusiasts appear to think.; : j ..- v ■''•• ".•-.' '' " - ••"'';'•■'.

." The Man-Stories of a,Black.Snake.".-: By W;: A: ■ B.: London:: Whittaker and ■ Co.'

■ This is a!collection of seven Tasniaiiian stories 'somewhat, lamely, strung- together under-tlie' device.: of„a snake story-teller.. 'The name irresistibly leads the reader to sspe'ct•' sbniething' in. -the^ style of Kipling's "'Jungle'Tales ?': but, there' is nothing 'here of .that thrill of verisimilitude which makes the: jungle -people ..friends for all time. It .i? true-/ that;-;these stories ..are not., shake stories: but man -stories/, but to. be of-any ethical yalue.'the ; .story-tellers' should .speak from- the . snake's;.point of view,,'; which; he .certainly does; riot; indeed,- in' two 'lie- does not a])pear at all except.as a mere spectator. 'JJhe merit of the .tales is exceedingly un-' ,eV[ual-|— '■'. The V'Baby ",,-ris very . sweet ..and touching, whereas "The old.man ip the log Hut "is.''the: record'of a cruel; hoax oh .-.a IJbor half^vitted; fellow which no man worthy of t-he^'name 'could ever.have perpetrated, .and which, the Black Snake re-. : fuses'to.'count'enan'ce even by his presence.;The anonymous author has set himself-..,fm almost -impossible' task if, indeed, he hopes in/these few.-.stpries.'-to,, prove, that "all; iptslligence .is ' one, \ whether ml man. or beast,-" ■; and that what may seem inferior • or. different-is '-but'temporarily prisoned | .in ,a-s material - frame• of :;less adequate de-: velopment.'" -.-■ To' shnw ■ this .would need skill far greater than, that'posssssed.by W. 'A. 8.,' ;aid the' . suggestion .. that.;.such idea's, oan ■; be . assimilated by young snakes who have-.-,, joever.,- : even . seen „ a man; is: somewhat ; crude. Apart'-.. from, its. ■setting the last stoiy, "The Hermit.' of.Settlement Island," ;has much merit in" a mysticftl ■point;'bf: ..view, and asa strong.: -irraignmetit, bf the .errors ,df Positivism.; Tne'. idea of the snake and the man seeing, •.Mve^tpreye and soul tp.;soul is good, and •iriginal, 'and. highly suggestive,;but is..not exactly'"ime'at.for "babes." The' book;con'..airis a. long', and explanatory-introduction. iiy 'Captain M. D. :Bell,_ and. ah-,interesting-' rScoimti of the beautifiil;mountain; district' of Zeehati,' so famous; for: its:: scenery and . jtiineral;:deposits.';:",The.;iian-Stor.!es■". are }idmi'rabiy got ;iip. •'.■ the''^papeiv' type,, and .binding, being excellent;:'... ■'.'.•■' ■'■ --:■-,'•: .-.■-,. ■ -;'

;'^A:V^aritai ; .•liability.";;:''By -.Elizabeth v Phipps; Train. V London :■ ■■'■ Ward,'!LdcK,' ■;.{'anid ,Cq.' ■"■;'j:£O *:■, .: _:"- : f i i There are tn'o' istories in this volume; and bbtli'.,bf . a ,highly jsensatipnal. and imprq-! bable ;'type. ■'.:' Indeed,; the" first; coiild' not have; occurred' ,in any 'country except I America, where divorce is easily obtained;,- ---: and;; ■.where ;Vit;-. is; '.perhaps '[possible -for "a' 'man to be ihtemipt'ed'- by %■ visit .from ..his" ;.'Srst; .wife-'.while', making, love^ t*o ;her; pro-- ' po'seti successor,.'when he takes; advantage' 'of the;-.presence': of-.,Np.:: 1' to:; enforce.''his I suit.'.to' No. \2.\ ■) In .the first story the herb suffers [ imprisonment if or 10 years to shield;i wifej.' who ' has forged-, her father's, name, arid who takes advantage of; her.- husband's uride'serVed punishment to;pbtain a: divorce. This/'jis; ; liability,"' which: se6ms.;to .us ;esceedihgly. far-fetched. The' second;,story—-'.'Madam of '■' The Ivies ' "—^ relates the experiences of a young, lady who; answers aiv',;advertiseinent in person, and;. "launches, herself', into;, a;* sea of complicated manceuyres,- in which <a- beautiful fair-haired fiend; "of '''-the": feminine 'persuasion "contrives, to wreck 'the; lives of/six person's! ;ind to,go mad hi ; the end. .The style of these:' tales is as .exaggerated' as their ,-mat----ter.' , The inflated . sentiments and: impossible, situations, the piled-up epithets, andi'lie constant, use and misuse of the little' word "so"—;whichVpccurs no less than five -l-iiaes: in_ one, jsentence—-.show that the irriter has still- .very much to. learn beforedie attains la position.' in literature properly "called. ■'.-,.::.;; -;,.... ■■> . '. ■ .- ■/.-••"■

•'The ■ Nameless; 'Castle." By Maurus ,;Jokai.., London:. Jarrold and Sons. Another of Jpkai's famous Hungarian fOiriMices, -which lias already reached a ..second .edition. ■ :Like the author's other, work's, this: is a • romance pure' and ■ ir-it-Kbutr 'the,- slightest-, substratum ''of his-, toncal.facfc.','.'. Whether.;- even .' the, 'greatj masters are ■ justified in taking such liberties is a disputed point, but, granting that, there, is'mucli to clia^m in this story, of a wandering. .P-rihce,ss, .loved/ taught, and tended ,with,untiring .devotion by her. devoted knight ,in -" The , Nameless Castle" : on the-banksof the Neusiedl'Lake. There is, however, .no historical; foundation for ili.e. . pre.tty;,. story, as :the fate of tie daughter, of, LouisyXVl is well known, and any .^substitution; .would, have been as unnecessary as imjjrcbable. She was given •up toher,,mother's .family, the Royal House of Austria, and in due;time married to her. cousin ■:the Due d'Ahgouleme. So. much -for tbq; real personage, whose fate was' iriuch ,less;'rdmaritic'than .that, of Dr Jokai's ; Princess Marie.... The knight .him-' sejf..isa- modern. Bayard, who loves his charge,; " as. the fakir loves his Brahma, and the Carthusian loves his Virgin Mary," and devotes: himself to her service through all. the best 'years, of-his .life, sternly, re-' .pressing every instinct but that of 'absolute loyalty a'rid-,.'. self-repression. The., beautiful spy, Themire, who .while playing at honesty ■ and . noble instincts gradually acquires'-thenj,' is :an excellent study and truly original,'so much so that the 'reader feels doubtful of.her boim: fides to the very end. . "The Nameless Castle "is a clean, pleasant, well-written story, ends well, and is—what it .professes to be—a pure,romance. '•.'; ..'. . .'■' .••'.', -.' '■ .„•..'.■'■",.

"Australian Sketches, with. Pen. and Pen- : cil.": B^y Harry Purniss. London: Ward, Lock, raid Go. .. A most'amxising series of colonial irriT. pressions,: in ■;.■ which it is hard to saywhether the letterpress or the illustration'sare the' more . entertaining. From the grinning kangaroo on the frontispiece to the football scrum on the last page, every line is excellent;-and every line tells. Most. of these sketches^.have already appeared.? either in the Argus^pr .the ". Wiudsor Maga-j zinc.", but' welhcdrtily^ welcome them- in; their present convement form. ; J.;' -.'. ,-■ ..

"The Heavenly Footman."'' By John Banyan. London : Wardj Lock, and, Co. = Dunedin: J. Braithwaite.

■'. This is a wonderful pennyworth.—clear type, good paper. This is an example; and one of the best, of the old-fashioned-! tract, and it certainty c.omp'ares' well with the modern ones, though '.the; style is" nipre didactic and less sensational. It will be. read with interest ;;bV"' Students .of classical English. , "■ ,; .'■'■'■ • ■