The Story of My Captivity During the Boer War. By
Adrian Hofmeyr. (E. Arnold. 6s.)—Mr. Hofmeyr tells us that the greater part of this story was written in prison, and that this fact accounts for many "seemingly hard words." It might have been better to rewrite it, and give deliberate conclusions, and not impressions of the moment. Certainly the book is now and then somewhat wanting in dignity. A few well-considered sentences in which the writer might have summed up his experiences and opinions would have been more effective than these complaints, however great the justification for them. And then the figure of speech of which "honourable (?) "is a specimen, and the empha- sising of irony by italics, do not add to the force of the narrative. Nevertheless, it is well worth reading, and weighing,—especially by politicians and journalists who greedily seize hold of any story that tells against the British, and if they cannot get facts in streams, or even driblets, are quite willing to put up with hearsay. And what Mr. Hofmeyr has to say about the relations, past and present, of the two white races in South Africa is of great importance. It is useless in this place to repeat what has been said over and over again. But that the Boers, deceived by a Hollander clique, forced the war upon us, is abundantly clear. It is pleasant to read that Mr. Hofmeyr, who has great oppor- tunities for judging, has good hopes for the future.
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