Evening star., 1924-12-12
THE PUBLIC
LIBRARY
4. Makers of History.

ITO understand the past we must
look at it always when we can
through the eyes of cotemporar. es,
advises F'roude. Seen thus the past
becomes the present and - alive with
eager figures and dramatic events
pictured in colorful detail.
Freeman called Alfred the Great
the greatest character in history. One
is persuaded to agree with Freeman
as one follows the fortunes of the
King who defeated the Danes, rebuilt
the country which they had ravaged,
fostered education and religion and
did all things with the single thought
of what was good for his people. ono
of the best short lives Of King Alfred
Is that prepared by Sir Walter Besant
for the celebration Of his thousandth
anniversary. Besant quotes freely
from Asser, the Kings counselor,
thereby introducing much local color
and making Alfred's personality more
real.
When Sir Thomas More was on his
way back to the tower and execu-
ton, his daughter MegE watched for
him, and "as soon as she saw him,
after his blessing upon her knees rev.
| erently received, she, hasting towards
him, without consideration or care of
herself, pressing in amongst the
| midst Of the throng and company of
the guard, that with halberds and
bills went rount about him, hastily
ran to him, and there openly In sight
of them all, embraced him, and took
him abut the neck and kissed him.
Who well liking her most natural and
dear daughterly affection towards
him, gave her his fatherly blessing,
and many godly words of comfort be-
sides" With such appealing pictures
William Roper (Megg's husband) de-
scribed Sir Thomas happy family life,
his merry remarks, the fulfillment of
his public duties, his loyalty to the
King, his joyous acceptance of his
fate. The book is supplemented also
by the letters OF Sir Thomas More to
his daughter.
Isabel of CASTLE, whose marriage
with Ferdinand brought about the
union of the Spanish nationality, is
one of the most remarkable figures in
history. The turbulent conditions in
Spain, the intrigues and treachery OF
the Spanish mobiles, the Queens ruth
less expulsion Of the Jews, her relent-
less cruelty in the Spanish Inquisi-
tion, her giories in the conquest of
Granada and the discovery of the New
World make a drama of intense in
terest. All are vividly portrayed in
Piunket's Isabel of CASTLE"
Cavour of Italy was the promoter
of another national life. Although
William Roscoe Thayer is the author
ity on the life of Cavour, the book by
the Countess Cesaresco is briefer and
meets the demands of the usual
reader. Full of sparkle and interest,
1t presents the history of the unifica-
tion of Italy in fascinating way.
THE Diary and Letters of Frances
Burney' Mme. d'Arblay) are written
to Nobody, for she said, ITO Nobody
can l be wholly unreserved, to No
body can / reveal every thought
every wish of my heart, with the
most unlimited confidence, the most
unremitting sincerity, to the end of
my life" Her minute and animated
narrative is full of human interest
for she met all sorts of people and
portrayed all sorts, from the top of
society to the bottom. She had "an
untlring pen and eagle eye and a sin
gularly amiable disposition"
y sympathetic and trustworthy
presentation of the character and ca
reer of Mary, Queen of Scots, is found
IN Maccumm's Mary Stuart" OF this
romantic Queen, Greene says, Her
beauty, her exquisite grace OF man
ner, her generosity of temper and
warmth of affection, her frankness of
speech, her sensibility, her gayety,
her womanly tears, her manlNke cour-
age, the play and freedom of her ma
ture, the flashes of poetry that broke
from her at every intense moment of
her life, flung a spell over friend and
Zoe, which has only deepened with
the lapse of years.