Ulrich the Ready. By Standish O'Grady. (Downey and Co.) —Standish
O'Grady has in this historical romance presented a most admirable and vivid picture of Elizabethan Ireland. It is difficult for the most skilful writer to give a clear idea of the con- fused international and tribal politics of Ireland in those days, but the author has contrived to do this, and also to delineate some types of the Irish and English of those days, and their manners and civilisation. The story relates some incidents of the last rally of the great Western chieftains to throw off the English yoke on the landing of the Spaniards at Kinsale. The description of Shame Ogne and his castle of Dunamark, and O'Sullivan Bare, to whom he had been compelled to yield the chieftainship, are capital sketches of the Irishmen of those days. Even more striking and vigorous are the types of the fierce gallowglasses and mercenaries who played such a conspicuous part in the Civil Wars. Ulrick himself is a very pleasant hero, though even he is not spared, insomuch that the savagery of those days is shown in him, and he is not made out to be better than his contem- poraries. There can be no doubt that our author's men of mark are just portraits, and Sir George Carew, Mountjoy, O'Sullivan Bore, and Archer the Jesuit are drawn for us as they were in the flesh. Ulrick's love-story furnishes the much-needed softening to a narrative of what at the best can only be called a horrible war. Let us add that the author's style and charm and his knowledge of Elizabethan Ireland has produced, as was to be expected. a fas- cinating tale and some most able sketches of character and Irish politics.
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