The Lion of the North. By G. A. Henty. (Blaokie
and Son.)— Here, in this "Tale of the Time of Gustavus Adolphus and the Wars of Religion," we have another pleasant admixture of history and fiction. No one produces this kind of book in greater, abundance than Mr. Henty, and no one produces it of better quality. Malcolm Gnome is, as may be perceived, of the same nation to which Quentin Dur- ward and Dagald Dalgetty belonged. In fact, he may be said to represent the poetry where Dalgetty represents the prose. He takes service with Gustavus Adolphus, distinguishes himself in a battle, and helps to defend a town, is present when Gastavus is killed at Liitzen, rescues a young lady who has been carried off by the Imperialists, and in due time reoeives his reward. All this is very well told. Bat we mast take leave to except to Mr. Henty's con- temptuous reference to the petty affairs of " Athens,.Sparta, Corinth, and Thebes." Athens was on a small scale ; but it had a good deal to do with the history of the world. If Mr. Henty poses in the character of the imparter of useful information, it would be as well not to begin in his first chapter by making one of his characters speak in 1630 of King James as being still alive. The "old pedant who would not put a man in motion for the cause of his own daughter" had been dead five years, if the histories are right.
Previous page
