BOOK NOTICES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2389, 14 December 1899, Page 61

BOOK NOTICES.

THE GLADIATORS. Bt G. Whxte Melville. Melbourne: Ward, Lock, and Co. Dunedinr: Whitcombe and Tombs. ' . The present volume brings us nearly to the end ol the list of Whyte Melville's books, now being issued in such attractive form by Messrs "Ward, Lock, and Co. "The GJadiators," as its title implies, is a tale of ancient Rome, and though a late fashion has rendered us familiar exceedingly with such periods and their history, manners, and cuhtoms, .still tho touch of a master hancfc— though that hand be stilled in death— lifts "The Gladiators" far above its later rivals. - "Sarchedon," by the same author, has always seemed to us to rank only second to Bulwer Lytton's "Last Days 01 Pompeii," and "The' Gladiators" is not far behind. The brief reign of the Emparor "Vitellious, Nero's successor on the throne of the'Cssars, is the exact time chosen. The Emperor, though superior to Nero personally, had not altered the tone of his court, and we find ourselves surrounded by the class of uxorious patricians, the brutalised public, and the scorned and persecuted Christians, with which"Wilson Barrett's "Sign of the Cross"' has rendered us familiar. : In the cleverly-drawn and humorous characters, whose ambitions, intrigues, vices, love 3 and hates : make lip the intricate plot, several figures stand pfe-eioinent. Valeria, the beautitul and wealthy patrician lady, whose really fine character has been corroded and deteriorated by the license arfd excesses of -the tirres ; Esca; the British slave, who io noble " o* riband manly, courage joins a physique as magnificent as that of the Apollo Belvedere ; and the Christian Catenas, with his " exquisitely fair and modest daughter, Marianne. Then, too, there are the famous gladiators themselves, splendid types of their class (a study strange and deeply enthraling to nineteenth century readers), of whom Hippias and Hirpiaus share the honours between them. The culiurs and polish of the author's style. well known to earlier readers, has become historical to the rising generation ; and they are to be congratulated on an edition of "Whyte Melville's works which gives them the opportunity of enjoying such sterling and withaL fascinating writing.