Sir Edward Cast gives us in two parts his third
volume of Lives of Warriors of the .Seventeenth Century. (Murray.)—The first of the two is devoted to military, the second to naval, heroes who have had com- mands "before the enemy." They are pleasant and easy reading enough, though the style is never attractive, and sometimes very incor- rect. Nor, as far as an unprofessional reader may judge, do they seem very instructive. The author's position, unless we have misunderstood him, is that military science is of but little account, military experience everything ; and we presume that his books are intended to supply, as far as anything other than actual service can supply, this experience. We cannot see that they are likely to have this use. If any profit in a military sense is to be got out of reading about a battle, that battle must be described with the utmost lucidity and precision. How can that be done, when you narrate the careers of nine or ten Generals and not far- from twice as many Admirals, each one of whom fought, to take a single average, some half-dozen pitched battles ? But we have no wish to speak slightingly of General Cust's book. It has, we have said, the grand merit of being readable. The author has a thorough interest in his subject, and, though he does not shrink from showing his sympathies. and something of national pride, he is laudably impartial.
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