The Romance of Australia. Edited by Herbert Strang. (Henry Frowde
; Hodder and Stoughton. 6s.)—This volume belongs to a series entitled "The Romance of the World." Australia in the matter of romance more than holds its own, if we remember how short is the time since its first discovery. This year might, not without good reason, be called the quater-centenary of this event- " between 1511 and 1529," Mr. Strang, who has evidently studied the authorities available, would put it. The real story, however, begins a century later. Luis de Torres, writing from Manila about what he had seen of the Terra Australia, dates his letter July 12th, 1607. Another explorer came twenty years later, and the more famous Tasman, starting from Mauritius October 8th, 1642, found Tasmania—its other name came from the planner of the expedition, Antony van Diemen. The discoveries and early navigation occupy the first section ; "Early Settlers," the second; explorers the third, under the title of "Across the Island Con- tinent " ; the exploration story is especially romantic ; and " Adventures in the Bush," a chapter not by any means finished, the fourth. The volume is full of most attractive reading.
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