New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-17

which they imposed on the imaginations OF the
suspicious. He has no skill in understanding
the arts of woman, but the form and figure. the
physical character of the court beauties, stand
out to him with all the actually and charm
which they might have had for any simple SOL
der Of the ancient regime.
The author appears to be Of that type of stall
wart Englishmen who can enjoy the spectacle
Of the French court with all the more freedom
and sense of security because Of their own
patriotic confidence that the moral standards
Of England incontestably sounder Lieuten-
ant Colonel Haggard is a Protestant English
man who reads with immunity NJ Paul de
KoCk. He approaches his subject in no spirit
J of detachment he enters into it with no skill
in penetration. Clad in his panoply of political
Professionalism, he marches light heartedly among
the factions of France. giving blow when a
chance offers His admiration of Queen Eliza
beth and her vigilant minister, Walsingham. is
unqualified. His attacks the Jesuits are
refreshing for their aggressive gusto. He in
stinctively takes sides against the Guise, the
priest. the Spaniard and the Italian. He is
credulous, whole hearted believer in the scene
he sees it, and he always sees it with a clear
ness of outline that is somewhat naive.
One selection will serve to illustrate the
authors method and style; style, it must be
confessed. that is none of the surest:
a certain Captain Gavaret had instructions
to murder the king. This man was in Henri de
NaNaTre's own service, and somehow the king
had obtained information of what was about to
take place. When Gavaret came to him on
horseback. intending to pistol him and fly, the
king therefore did not give him time
THAT is n very nice horse you have there
Captain Gayaret. Kindly get down and let me
try him. will your
OF course GaVaret had to comply, and no
sooner was the king in the saddle than he
opened the holsters took out the pistols and
fired them off. Then. turning to Gavaret:
Now, my man." said Henri, Il know perfectly
what you came here for. but | do not re-
quire the pleasure OF your presence any longer.
Be off at once. out of my sight and never let me
you again
This rebuke was all the punishment that the
crestfallen and terrified assassin ever received.
It is this king, the gallant Henry ". who
dominates the pages of Lieutenant Colonel Hag-
CARDS volume. one comes only on q passing
mention here and there of his marvellous adj
dress and bravery i'm the field one gains but
fragmentary notions of the constructive achieve
II cnts of his reign. but one never loses sight of
the fact that the king primarily a soldier,
ready at any time To throw himself into tho
saddle and lead charge. and that his policy
was the reorganization ana unifcation OF
France. 1t is. however. I'm his more personaI
relations as master. royal spouse n COM
rade and a lover that he appears before the
reader. Here the faults are set down without
excavation and without reproach. the virtues
are set off with the pleasure of a soIdIerlv
chroncler who delights in courage and marnan-
unity. one catch from these pages some
notion OF the captivating susceptibility with
which the always youthful king entered into
every new intrigue and Of the ease with which
its burden slipped from his shouldar s when II
no longer Charmed him. In all his personal
relations he had apparently the charm and nm
conscious cruelty Of a Donatello and was as
Incapable of any sense of personal obligation or
personal gratitude as he was incapable of mall
ice. The graceless readiness with which he
cast off old dog TO starve in the streets ru-
ned a discarded favorte to crafty the jealousy
OF her successor and dropped an old friend TO
reward inveterate enemy. the incurable boy