Soldiers of the Victorian Age. By Charles Rathbone Low. 2
vols. (Chapman and Ifall.)—Mr. Low knows very well how to tell a story of adventure by field and flood, as thousands of readers, both young and old, can testify. He has, too, a special acquaintance with Indian history, which occupies a large proportion of these two volumes. It is hardly necessary, therefore, for us to say that his new work is full of interesting matter, diligently collected and put into an attractive form. The "Victorian soldiers" whose exploits he commemorates are fifteen in number. No kind of arrangement has been attempted, nor can we discern any principle of selection that has been followed. Mr. Low does not limit his claim to men whose careers are finished, for eight out of the fifteen are happily yet alive. Nor does he follow any order of merit. We will not make any invidious mention of names that might possibly have been displaced to make room for others more distinguished, but take one which would certainly have a right to be included, even though the number chosen were to be less than fifteen. We have, and are glad to have, a sketch of the career of Sir James Outram. But why not also a sketch of Sir H. Havelock ? The two names have been inseparably connected together ever since the day Outram so generously waived his right to command in the advance to the relief of Lucknow. Then again, to take another example, this time from the living. Lord Napier of Magdala would be unanimously pronounced to deserve his place. But the Abyssinian campaign inevitably suggests the expedi- tion into Ashantee, and we naturally look for the name of Sir Garnet Wolseley. It would be ungracious, however, to make too mach of this. We are thankful to Mr. MR for what he has given us, and shall welcome another instalment of his graphic and vigorous narra- tives. The subject of Victorian. Soldiers is by no means exhausted, and Mr. Low has proved his capacity to deal with it.
Previous page
