SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.
rrnder this head:rig we notice such Books of the reek as have not keen reserved for review in other forms.;
The Romance of the Boer War. By MacCarthy (Moore. (Elliot Stock. 2s.)—Here is an Irishman—and, to judge from his name, a " Mebrew of the Hebrews "—who is not ashamed to speak good words about the British soldier. He is not a patriot after Mr. Dillon's fashion, nor a cosmopolitan of a type now too common (without national prejudices except against his own countrymen); he recognises courage and good faith and kindness when he sees them, and he has made a pleasant and, we may say, a wise little book out of a subject which has driven men into much odious and foolish talk. There are good stories in it,—as of the Irishman who, asking where he was and having been told that it was the Natal table-land, answered, " Begorra, Sir, I think the table's turned upside down, and we're walking over the legs of it." Then there is the story (due, by the way, to Mr. Devitt) of the British sentry who was found mounting guard over some prisoners of his own comrades He explained that the Boor sentry—a lad of fifteen—was dead tired, and that he had taken his place. Mr. O'Moore has gathered his stories from many quarters, tries to do justice all round, to foes as well as friends, and has made a very pleasant and cheery little volume on matters about which it is not easy to be very pleasant or cheery.
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