History of Portugal. By E. McMurdo. 2 vols. (Sampson Low
and Co.)—The two volumes at present issued recount Portuguese history from 1097 to 1481, a troubled period which literally reeks of blood, cruelty, and intrigue. The monarchs who suc- ceeded the first of their line inherited all the fickleness of their French parentage with the fierceness of the Southern sun. Hence, Portuguese history is that of a Kingdom whose great opportunities were continually wasted in sanguinary revolutions and petty wars. Mr. McMurdo's volumes, being compiled from reliable records, must possess a certain authority. They do not impress us by their closeness of reasoning or clearness of view. They are far too discursive on matters which can rank only as petty scandals, and not as facts of historical importance. Historical sequence is observed, and more than that we cannot allow. We should look in these volumes for some tragedy, some gloomy legend, not a succinct account.
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