For Queen and Emperor. By Ernest Protheroe. (R.T.S. 3s. 6d.)
—This "Story of Valour and Adventure" is concerned with the fortunes of a young Briton who has become a Roman without ceasing to be a patriot. Agricola and Suetonius Paullinus are among the personages of the drama, and Boadicea is made a prominent figure. The scene is changed to Rome, and we have, among other things, a description of a gladiatorial show. Altogether, the story is well described by the sub-title. We cannot but criticise the choice of names. " Vestris " is scarcely suitable to a young Roman lady, nor " Clodamus " to a veteran Roman soldier. It would have been well, too, to consult a table of Roman money before constructing the scene where Voetris buys "a string of pearls of great size and lustrous beauty" for " f-a- score sesterces," a sum which comes to just twenty pence.
Previous page
