History of New Zealand. By G. W. Rusden. 3 vols.
(Melville, Mullen, and Slade, Melbourne.)—This is a reprint and second edition of the work which Mr. Rusden originally issued in London, and which involved him in such protracted litigation and heavy damages in our Law Courts. The libellous passages have doubtless been carefully expunged ; but the author has been tempted to add a preface of nearly forty pages which is a complete résumé of the trial, " Bryce v. Rusden ; " and to
republish his pamphlet on General Gordon (" The Great Re- fusal"), which now appears as a wholly unnecessary anti- Gladstonian addition to his third volume. A re-perusal of Mr. Rusden's work leaves us with all our former admiration for the author's thoroughness of treatment and for his skilful literary handiwork ; while, despite the result of his memorable trial, we cannot but feel a large measure of sympathy for the author's Quixotic defence of the despoiled Maori race. In saying this we are quite alive to the irritating tone of many of Mr. Rusden's tirades against Downing Street officials and Colonial politicians and land " sharks." Mr. Rusden as a " good hater " certainly comes up even to Dr. Johnson's required standard; and his evident bias should be carefully noted by the reader. But we firmly believe that his intention throughout was for good, while his tributes to such men as Bishop Selwyn rise to a very lofty kind of literary eloquence. The book, although far too bulky, remains the only history of New Zealand in any comprehensive sense.
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