King James the First : a Historical Tragedy. By David
Graham. (Macmillan and Co.)—No one who reads Mr. Graham's book can fail to see that he possesses a more than ordinary share of dramatic talent. His situations are, for the most part, good; and some of the speeches contain both fire and power. We are, however, inclined to think that he has been unfortunate in his choice of a subject. A historical play is a difficult thing to attempt; it needs, in fact, a master's hand. Again, the characters are weakly drawn. They have no individuality about them. Indeed, there is little to distinguish them from each other except their names- In the scene at the armourer's shop, Mr. Graham has attempted to introduce something of the comic element. But he does not strike us as having been very successful. Still, there is much in Mr. Graham's work that gives promise for the future. The dialogue is spirited, the language simple, and the versification fairly good. We should recommend him, though, to avoid such lines as,— " And his strong words are a protest against it."
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