The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-03-28

ROBERT THE BRUCE. And The alrug-
gle for Scottish independence hy Sr
Herbert Maxwell Bart NJ. II.
q. r. Putnam's Sons, New York, Lon
don.
For Sale by George NJ West.
In presenting the history of the era
in Scottish history with which this
volume deals, the historian has 20 contend
with many difficulties. What they arc
Mr.. Maxwell has stated in his introduc-
ton. lie truly says that If anyone were
10 tempt five hundred years hence, 10
write the life-say. OF Prince Bismarck
and a history OF the war between Ger
many and France IN lS7O-'1. and should
be forced TO rely exclusively on tne
newspapers circulating at that time In
the two countries. supplemented by few
German and French poems and songs
composed about the middle OF the TWEEN
tleth century and the chronicles OF IN
temsely partisan writers, reviewing the
clusef and events of the war AZ dis
lance Of sixty or seventy years, he would
be FAR better equipped for his task than
one who should have undertaken. COM
paratively few years ago. 10 compile
history OF Robert First Of Sc tland and
the winning OF Scottish independence.
lie would, OF course, have to discount
freely the statement OF journalists on
either side respecting the causes which
brought the war about. and the motives
and conduct of those engaged In it, but
he would. at least be able to trace tho
movements OF armies. the Identity %
commanders. and the conduct Of troops
on both sides in the field. by means OF
the graphic descriptions supplied by war
correspondents. Now there were no war
correspondents in the campaigns of Ro-
f-,t I'm ion \. "a
the armies Of England invading Scotland
were accompanied by scribes specially
commissioned 10 record the course OF
events. One Of thesc-thc Anonymous
author OF The Siege Of Caerlaycr0ck -
fulfilled his task with admirable minute
nCss and as the victory lay with his own
side with what may be assumed TO be
toieranlo fidelity Even he. however, les
open TO tie suspicion which attaches 10
all metrical composers, FOR nobody expects
n poet 10 sacrifice the elegance Of
stanza or the neatness Of a rhyme 10 the
inexorable limits OF hard facts. on the
other occasion the result was not so sat-
isfactory. Baston-a Carmelite friar-
rode with the mighty host with which
Edward the Second intended finally TO
crush the Scottish nation in 1914. But
unlucklly for his patrons. honest Basion
was made prisoner az BannOckburn
and paid for his ransom by submitting
his long poem. Of which he had probably
composed the greater part before the
battle. TO such alterations az made II
celebration Of the Scottish triumph. Ihere
were IL Is true, many contemporary
chroncers busiy at work; but not only
were they all. with the exception OF the
French priest Frolssart. writing from an
English point of view, but. except SIR
mi hos
compiling their histories In the secius.on
OF some cloister. often FAR from the seat
Of war. and always IMMERSED In military
operations. The dominant motive In
such a history as Pierre l.angtofts was
clearly however unconsciously to the
writer. to Justify the policy OF Edward.
the First towards Scotland. There X. I'M
happily no contemplating. written by
a contemporary. to set forth the case OF
Wallace and Robert de Brus. after allud-
Ing 10 various English chronicles OF the