South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Wednesday 22 February 1899, page 6


KEVIEWS OF BOOKSr

'The Lost l'rovinces,' by Louis Tracy, George Bell & Sous, uoudon, through George Kobcrtson & Co., Adelaide. Here we have the forecast of a future war be

i-. ecu viciuuiliv uuu J niwci vjciuuwj » resolved that its neighbour must be crusbeU, and crushed the will be unless Jerome \'an.«;ttart comca to her aid. Jerome was a former French President, who after establishing u monarchy, hud with his wife, gene to the Adirondack .Mountains, in the .state of .New V6rk, to Heh. llu tisbing expedition is interrupted by a telegram iroin the Queen of France, imploring him to hasten to .ier am. Yansittart immediately buvs and ships 20,000 horse*. 'During his brief halt in .New 1'ork he had done much,' says the author. 'Not every man can contrive to expend twenty-five millions sterling in half that number of hours (we should think not, indeed);' but he had done this, to the huge benefit of France, as will be seen hereafter. \ansittart, accompanied by his faithful wife, and 110 less faithful henchman, Arizona Jim, arrives in France, and the tide of German successes is turned. 'That the author is an unconscious humorist u plainly seen in the conversations between iaiser William, Prince nouenlohe, (Jeneral von Waidersee, and the young Moltke, to say nothing of tnoee between the King of France, Arizona Jim, The Due de Tangier, and Jerome \ ansittart. The best thing in the book are the dozen spirited illustrations by H. Piffard.

'The Millionaires,' by Jrank Jrranictort Moore. Hutchinson t Co., London, through Seorge Robertson & Co., Adelaide.— In tiiis vivacious and interesting novel of the day ire are introduced to some of the cleverest ind most amusing characters that ever strayed into print, chief among whom are Lord BaHyseedy, an Irish peer, whose tenants are &} year* in arrear with their rents, and his niece, the Hon. Angela Prown, daughter of the peer's sister Patricia and Lord Glenmirk. The millionaires ire George Drummond, a South African jold mine owner, and Isaac 1'. Newton, the proprietor of Hail Columbia Universal Glaze. Lord Bai'vseedy and his party are rambling at Monte Carlo when George )nraunond puts in an appearance in his beautiful schooner, The Blessed Damozel, followed soon after by Isaac P. Newton in his magnificent steamer yacht, the Gloriana. The two millionaires had been acquainted in days gone by when in comparative poverty, but had not met for seven years. They are. delighted to see each Dther again. 'Wife*' ? 'Not even one.' 'Shake, George, you've been choked off?' ?'Well, I'm not married.' ''ame here. Are we wrong? Not much. Jt was all justifiable in the pioneer days, when Abram left Ur of the Chaldees, or when the Mayflower folks wanted colonizing material. But now we're on a different platform. You've a free taste in yachts, George. Say. Sure you can afford itf 'The same as I could a banana in the old days.' 'You've had your eyes open. What line?' 'South Africa. And yours?' 'Glaze.' 'Glaze? And what's Glaze T ' 'You've never heard of Hail Columbia Universal Glaze?*' 'Never.' 'Where have you been livinp, anyway? Haven't you a boiled shift and collar on at the present moment?' 'And what if I have?' 'If your laundress understands her business it's done up with Hail Columbia Universal Glaze. See those mahogony panels? rhey're finished with Hail Columbia Glaze. Wont glaze windows, George; that glaze is me.' 'And you've done well bv it?' '?Well ain't the word 'for it, sirree. lou've not been to our side lately.' 'Not for seven years.' ''That's how you come to be so ignorant of what's goingltn. People who only go to the States oncer in seven years can't know much of whafs going on in the world, there am t no hustle on this side, though L allow that for living it's the best side o live on. Old friend, I'm a shy man, but I do say that there's no square yard of picturesque landscape on American soil that doesnt contain an advertisement of my Universal Glaze, supplemented bv the nformation 'Won't glaze windows.' 'I say et who will hare the dead walls of my native land, but (jive me the glorious works of Nature, fresh from the hand of Providence, to make my glaze known, sir. You can t climb a mountain worth the name in America without reading nn advertisement of my jrlaze on every suitable rock. You can t go through the ineffable prairies without hearing that it won't glaze windows, just in case that you might forget and try. The Great Pacific Slope if painted with it, and every ship that steers through the Golden Gate towards the netting sun passes one of my cutter yachts with glittering white canvas, bidding her carry the glad news to the sunny isles of the ocean, and so on.' 'And you've found it pay?' 'I've got six million dollars out of it Why, I employ two-thirds of the literary talent of the States as puff-adders.' 'Oh; puff-aaders. I thought we in South Africa. . . . Well, I don't quite see what connection literature uaa with puffadder.' '?The puff-adders are the men who compose the puff ads. in the papers— you know the sort; they oegin as a story— strong domestic interest— a stereo-block, showier an infant asleep on its mother's lap, maybe. How did it get there, you askr Well, you re told, but only in the last line; the mother has uxsd the Hail Columbia Glaze, and her ironing day has slipped by like a dream, so that she can give nil her attention in the afternoon to pappa's little pink rosebud. See?' At Monte Carlo the millionaires make the acquaintance of the -W-naturcd Lord Ballyseedv, the 'charming Angela, .he beautiful and high-principled Valencia Mertpun, and a few others of the right sort. We should like to have reproduced a sample of the brilliant, with*, and amusing conversations with which the novel abounds, but space will not permit. To the wearj- and heavy-laden 'The Millionaires,' will prove a splendid tonic. The book is charmingly illustrated. 'The Battle of the Strong,' by Gilbert Parker, 3Iethucn & Co., London, per George Robertson & Co., Adelaide. In this story, based on historical fact, relating to the Island of Jersey, we have a good deal of patois, which necessitates turning up the glossary at the end of the book for explanations, a proceeding that is not calculated to enhance the pleasure of perusal. Tbere are a few good passages in the story, notably the one towards the end; but on the whole the book will not add to the reputation of the writer. Mr. Parker is more at home in his Canadian stories. Between the volume under notice and the 'Scats of the Misbty' there is a great gulf fixed, indeed, 'The Battle of the Strong' cannot be characterized as absolutely dull, but it is certainly a long way behind the past achievements of the talented author.

'Doctor Therne,' by H. Bider Haggard; Longmans, Green, & Co., London (through George Robertson & Co., Adelaide). In this medical novel with a purpose, the auLhor prcdicU the evil consequences that are likely to follow the anti-vaccination movement in Great Britain. M-. Haggard, in a prefatory ncte, say* that 'Some months since the leaders of the Government dismayed their supporters and astonished the world by a sudden snrrender to the clamour nf the Anti-vaccinationists. In the space nf z single evening, with a marvellous versatility, they threw to the agitators the ascertained results of generations of the medical faculty, the report of a Royal Commission, what are understood to be their own convictioiks, and the President of the Local Government ^Boord. . . . This strange paralysis of 'the most powerful Ministry of the generation, muse result hereafter in much terror, and in the sacrifice of innocent lives.' Doctor Therne, after some adventures in Mexico, where he sees smallpox in its most terrible form, settles in hi* native town of Dunchester, England, much to the annoyance of Sir John Bell, the old physi«-ian, who had Iwen in practice there for some fortv yean. Dr. Therne, although clever, would probably have never worked up a practice had it not been for a lucky accident. Sir John happcued to be away from the town when one of his patients, Major Selby, became dangerously ill. Dr. Therne on being sent for found that tha great physician had practically murdered the Major. After this Theme's practice increased and Sir John's declined, so the

latter was determined to be revenged on his rival How Dr. Therne was ruined by the diabolical action of Sir John, and how the former became, outwardly at least, an anti-vaccinutioniai. and entered the House of Commons ax the mouthpiece of tha; body ik described iu Mr. Haggard's most realistic manner. There are many striking, not to say terrible situations, two of which are depicted with a vividness and reality that savour of personal experience. The book is by no means pleasant reading, but those who get through tie first few page* will not put it, down till the last sentence is reached. 'The One Black Shadow, ' by Bessie Cole 1»nd F. W. D. Moore! George Robertson k Co., Adelaide.— This i* an interesting story of Australian. bush and city life. Jim aud Jack Marshall, two young Englishmen, are first cousins, and the best of friendsf- Jack is an orphan, easy-going, and a bit of a scapegrace, so his uncle, Jim's father, ships him off to Victoria, consigned to Mr. Mcyring, a rich squatter. Jim accompanies Jack, who is the hero of the story, so as to see him fairly started on the road to fortune, and our hero promises to shake off his habits of selfish indolence,' or worse, and begin life afresh in a new land. All goes well with the R.M.S. Athens until between Adelaide and Melbourne, when in a terrible storm her propeller breaks, and she drifts towards a rock-bound coast. Jim has a presentiment that he will be drowned. 'You will be saved, Jack,' he said, 'I'm sure of it. If so, and if my body be recovered, remember you will find a pocketbook inside my vest. It contains a letter of introduction to Mcyring, and a letter of credit on the Bank, and in that case you can introduce yourself to Meyring, and explain matters as you think best/' Jim's presentiment nroved correct. He is drowned, and the hero. who. is saved, in introducing himself to the rich old squatter, personates his cousin. The squatter's only daughter, Mara Meyring, is very beautiful, and heiress to her father's, immense wealth. The book contains some capital scenic descriptions of the Australian bush, and is not devoid of startling incidents.