6 JANUARY 1973, page 14

Painting And Social History

Basil Taylor Goya: The Third of May 1808 Hugh Thomas (Allen Lane £1,95) David: Brutus Robert L. Herbert (Allen Lane £2.25) Van Dyck: Charles I on Horseback Roy Strong (Allen......

History From Coinage

Simon Hornblower Cleopatra Michael Grant (Weidenfeld and Nicolson £4.25) Biography is the easy approach to history, according to Syme, in his Tacitus. Easy for the reader,......