CURRENT LITERATURE.
Paul Kruger. By F. Reginald Statham. (T. Fisher Unwin. Is. 6d.)—This is a mere piece of book-making, probably in- tended as a counterblast to the extravagant "Appreciation of Cecil Rhodes" which appeared a year ago. Mr. Statham has employed some industry in trying to ascertain the early history of President Kruger's family (which came to the Cape from Germany in the second decade of the eighteenth century, and, a hundred years later, played a prominent part in "the great Trek "), but he has nothing new to say of the President himself. Mr. Statham excels at invective, as his novel, "Mr. Magnus," showed; but as a panegyrist he is not so convincing, and he cannot be considered an altogether trustworthy historian. He is not always accurate, and he passes lightly over incon- venient facts. On the other hand, this book states the case for the Pretoria Government with considerable ability, and even eloquence. It is, in fact, a political pamphlet, and not a Life of Paul Kruger. Whether we shall ever have a satisfactory Life of the President of the South African Republic is doubtful, for " Oom Paul" is content to do his own work in his own way, has a great contempt for interviewers, hates notoriety, and is not likely to write his own memoirs. At any rate, the present volume will disappoint any reader who expects to find in it a faithful account of this extraordinary career. The most amusing statement in the book—at least to one who knows South Africa—is a footnote to the effect that Mr. Bryce's "Impressions of South Africa" "is in many respects mislead- ing." Mr. Statham's volume includes a useful map, but although it deals with the history of nearly a century, and mentions a multitude of names, it has no index.
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