7 JANUARY 1905, Page 30

That Little Marquis of Brandenburg. By W. R. H. Trowbridge.

(Hurst and Blackett. 6s.)—When it is said that this book gives a detailed account of the cruel upbringing of Frederick the Great, it is obvious that the story cannot be very pleasant reading. Frederick is represented as an-amiable, sensitive boy, and to read of the discipline applied to a mind of such material by Frederick William is like reading of the struggles of a helpless creature caught in a trap. The book ends with the execution of Katte, and the reader who has persevered to the last page will probably think that he has had quite enough. As it deals with so repulsive a subject, it is a compliment to the author to say that its perusal is not a pleasure, but a pain.