In Defence of a King. By H. S. Wheatley Crowe.
(E. Howell, Liverpool. 6s. 6d. net.)—The "King" is, as might be supposed, the "blessed martyr, King Charles L" Mr. Crowe exhausts him- self in praise of him, and in vituperation of his adversaries. "An ambitious and troublesome society of rogues," is about as mild an expression as he employs to describe the Parliamentary party. When he comes to the Scots nothing but " damnable infamy " will suffice. It is really a curious thing that he sees nothing to blame even in what fervent Royalists have agreed in condemning, the King's dissimulation. He emotes, for instance, the letter in
which with cynical frankness Charles describes his policy. He was waited upon by all factions, and would join the one whose conditions were the most advantageous, and then " when the time comes, I shall very well know how to treat these rogues, and instead of a silken garter, I will fit them with a hempen halter."
Not half as much as they deserved," is Mr. Crowe's comment. Does he ever think that if the King had had his way we should be by this time in the condition of Russia ? Mr. Crowe and his friends are not worthy of the liberty which they enjoy.
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