Captain Fortune. By H. B. Marriott Watson. (Methuen and Co.
6s.)—The days of the Great Rebellion have always proved a rich mine of material for the novelist who wishes to write historical romance. Captain Fortune, though not dealing with the most critical period of the Civil War, is a fairly amusing story of events in Cornwall in the year 1643, a period when the Par- liamentary generals were not very conspicuous for ability, and when Cromwell did not yet hold high command. The book is practically occupied with the account of the journeyings of a young Royalist heiress to and from the Court of Charles at Oxford. For the greater part of her travels she is under the care of " Captain Fortune," a Parliamentary spy, who contrives to make her accept him as the Royalist escort whom she expects to meet. As Captain Fortune has to avoid coming in contact with both sides whilst in charge of this young lady, the book is almost over-full of ingenious escapes, and the reader's interest palls a little, for he becomes as certain that Captain Fortune will extricate himself from any given mess as that Sherlock Holmes will unravel the mystery provided for him at the be- ginning of every new story. Although, therefore, the opening of the book is interesting, it becomes rather wearisome about half- way through, and towards the end the reader has an uncomfort- able feeling that he is reading passages which are already familiar to him. Mr. Marriott Watson should beware of the monotony of thrilling adventures.
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