A NEW BOOK.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12239, 12 June 1909, Page 3

A NEW BOOK.

"THE KING'S FRIEND."

The author of "Bush Life in Australia and New Zealand" has surpassed himself in his latest production. "The "King's Friend" is a fine thrilling story of the heroic age of Scottish history— the age of Wallace and Bruce. It is a stately and sympathetic picture of the strenuous life, a patriot's proud portraiture of the struggles which were the supreme secret of Scotland's strength. The book is very long. There are parts which would well bear condensation. Some of the dialogues, etc., seems prolix to men living in this age of rush and racket. But, perhaps, for this very reason they are all the more faithful ■ epresentations of an - age, one of the charms of which was its leisure, when men talked as they ate, and slept with the composure *of men too strong to hurry. The work too, shows here and there signs of that cool unconscious assumption of the innate superiority of the Northern to the Southern mind which is the easily besetting sin of Scotchmen. But- these are insignificant drawabcks to the worth of a work which may fairly be pronounced colossal. Tho vivid dramatic power with which 't makes the panorama of that age of storm and stress to pass before us almost reminds us of Conan Doyle' 3 mas-ter-piece, "The White Company." The. story opens with a description of the 'tragic death of the father of the hero, Archibald Sinclair, describes the decision of the lad for a life^ of arms, the circumstances which led him to go over from the side of Bruce to that of Wallace, when the former was still fighting for King Edward, the reconciliation jof Wallace and Bruce, the self-sacrifice | with which Archibald throws himself into the patriotic cause, and the. steps by which he rises to a reputation for heroism, loyalty, tack and prudence, | which break down even the reserve o* Bruce and win for him the title of " The King's Friend. The battle pieces art-, superb. The love scenes are exquisiso. The wail over the stain is described with a patdios which almost makes the reader hear the moan of the bag-pip is. But the central charm of the book is in the dignity of the leading figures heic brought on the stage. The hero °jr Archibald Sinclair, is a noble type of the old-time warrior and courtier, strong, fearless, sane, chivalrous in his loyalty, tender and gentle in his love, majestic in his anger, noble even in -Jus-grief; His faithful herdman, Neil Flaming is in his way just as fine a chairi/ite" as the chief. In fact, Sinclair and !<''eming are almost a resurrection of Acliiiles and Patro. The old priest Father Buchan gi-ips our very heart strings. | Tho sweet constancy of the wojji'ei;- i: i worthy of the. sublime courasp o£ the | men. The chime of marriage bells,floats I over the roar of battle. The stutoly I drama .moves on to ttie great climax «t ' Bannockburn. The epilogue hushes 1 every heart with its touching description of the death of. Bruce, and" the curtain falls at last with a paneggric of the long peace slowly blotting out the memory of war. and the scenes of strife. We strongly recommend everyone who has any boys to. get them a copy of "The King's Friend."