Life of the Duke of Wellington. By Rosamond Waite. With
Portrait, Maps, and Plans. (Rivingtons.)—This is the fourth of a series of " Historical Biographies," edited by the Rev. M. Creighton. The plan pursued in them is based on the true notion that history is better learnt by becoming fully acquainted with the details of stirring episodes, and the actions of the heroic men who have generally come to the front at Such times, than by general abridged accounts of the whole time. If a personal interest can once be aroused in the mind of the reader, the surroundings follow as a matter of course, and- with people of ordinary power, group themselves conveniently round the central figure. The quantity of detail given in this little volume is wonderful. The writer seems to have the gift of making the most of words, and the scenes of special interest are most graphically portrayed; such, for instance, as the siege of Badajos, and the wonderful three days of June, 3.816. The complicated politics, too, of the great Duke's lifetime seem somehow to unravel themselves in the story, for which the author deserves the gratitude of her readers, since it is generally the ease that what seems so easy in the result is produced by groat painstaking in the process. A few anecdotes are given in Wellington's own words, and are very characteristic. He thus tolls of a scene which occurred during his advance from the Ebro to the Douro :— "I got famously taken in on that occasion. The troops had taken to plundering a good deal. It was necessary to stop it, and I issued an order announcing that the first man taken in the act should be hanged upon the spot. One day, just as we were sitting down to dinner, three men were brought to the door of the tent by the peel*. The ease against them was clear, and I had uothing for it but to desire that they should be taken away and hanged in some place where they might be seen by the whole column in its march next day. I had a good many guests with me on that occasion, and among the rest, I think, Lord Nugent. They seemed drendfrilly BE-lucked, and could not eat their dinner. 1 didn't like it much, myself, but OA I told them, I had no time to indulge my feelings; I
must do my duty. Well, the dinner went off rather gravely ; and next morning, sure enough, three men in uniform were seen banging from the branches of a tree close to the high-road. It was a terrible example, and produced the desired effect ; there was no more plundering ; when, some months afterwards, Llearned that one of my staff took counsel with Dr. Hume ; and as three men had just died in hospital they hung them up, and let the three culprits return to their regiments.'—' Weren't you very angry, Duke Well, I suppose I was, at first ; but •ns I had no wish to take the poor fellows' lives, and only wanted the example, and as the example had the desired effect, my anger soon died out, and I confess to you that I am very glad now that the three lives were spared."
We conclude our notice of this excellent little volume by quoting a remark which applies, we believe, to all really great soldiers :—" This great soldier uniformly gave his counsel in favour of peace. He always considered that when war could be honourably avoided, it should never be undertaken." Tho maps and plans add greatly to • the value of the book, the print of which is clear and good, greatly to the advantage of clover young men who have but little time to spare, and road in railway carriages.
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