Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-12-04

trait circumstance and time, have
given to the female of the species its most
valid claim to the sustained interest and atten-
ton of posterity. Given it much of its fame,
in fact.
Queen of Sheba, for instance gadding off to
pay royal visit to King Solomon proper
Queen should do, and going home, SO the Cos
sips said, seeded with new dynasty for her
realm Cleopatra royal Egyptian in somewhat
promiscuous dalliance with Roman generals to
the temporary discontinue OF the imperial
armies even. Helen Of Troy, setting lover and
husband by the ears till from so slight mat
ter, issued the Trojan War, whose only salvage,
of count, is the great Homeric epic of that
event. And, beside these the whole Mediter-
rapean httoral is peopled with gfostly Sirens
and Circes that have retreated into the further
past of myth and legend. With all Of them
the notable fact is that they have survived to
this day, not by the craftsmanship of their era
and period Of influence Not by sagacity in
religious, political social problems that must
have existed at those times and for whose So
luton some of them were severally set high in
power No, instead, 1t is By virtue of their
female gifts that they maintain their hold upon
posterity, by their personal man -power over
king, conqueror or other great male. And down
to this day paramount interest and curiosity
have centered upon the same theme, Gripping
many a sound judgment. defeating many a
forward movement, distorting many a kindly
point Of view from the purely personal imagin-
ings of ignorance and inexperience that have
lifted vicious gossip to a passion destructive
alike to its victims and its proponents
And so we come to Marie Stuart, known
chiefly a Queen who deserved exactly what
she got from Queen Elizabeth. A wanton, with
out question a murderess to name the most ap-
petizingy outstanding of her sins against crown
and subjects and herself. That about sums the
common stock of knowledge concerning Mary
of Scotland
Familiar in ou.I..-2 at least to general read
ers, is the story of Marie Stuart, with the dis
tortions and prejudices of the years upon it.
1t can serve no useful end therefore, to reten
it, certainly not for the mere sake of starting
up with Mr.. German the You're another!"
ragged contention Better, it seems to me- to
discover the purpose of his study to step into
his attitude, to go along with him upon this
freeh quest of the human
Times and events are the making of all of
Us. These, varying from period to period
change standards of character, modes of be-
havlor, codes of morals, the decisions of those
coming after. Therefore a good BODY of the
best work here goes into recreating that par
ticular age of Western Europe when the ref
ormation, clearly politco-regious move
ment in that quarter at least, was Joining
Catholic France and Scotland against the
fervent Protestant ardors of Henry VIII whose
eyes were covetous for an expansion of his
domain, whose hands were hot for the harvest
OF despoiled monasteries. period of warfare
Creachery, intrigue, unhappy and dangerous
time Into this period two little girls were
Dorm Born to be rivals and enemies. One of
them, Marie Stuart was "anointed" Oueen of
Scotland when only baby months old
When but years old she was quietly sent over
to France by her French mother Mary of
Guise there to be trained in the business of
being queen. And this she came to be first
ch0rf
France, then back to the homeland a Scottish
queen Where, before, there had been intrigue
ana warfare. both open and hidden it became
upon the return of Marie accented a thousand
1oid. You remember the high points of politi-
cal enmity, the death of Darnley the rise of
Boutwell, and on in a crescendo of disaster
TIL the execution OF the Queen OF Scotland at
the hands OF Elizabeth of England. Happily.
and helpfully, for readers Mr.. Gorman's story
does not run to disputation over who, and why.
AND what, and where. All that has been going
on Ior several centuries now. Instead he sets
the SITUATION with as much of accuracy as an
increased body of material and trained habits
OF research, and a sound literary imagination
can provide. He rebuilds that time and place
IN It's true essence of political and religious
1erment. And deep within this turmoil its
moving center, he places Marie of Scotland.
NOT female Machiavelli, not a wanton but
Just woman equipped only as woman is to
meet, to evade, to divert, to escape, as this
tribe has been doing for quite some time now
1t is this reasonable, and reasoning in-seetng
upon the body Of historic fact that sets The
Scottish Queen" to new high level of excel
lence for the benefit of readers 1t is more
over, a convincing hold upon the workings of
the human mind within its own field of cir
crnstance that again lifts this story out of the
Odd ruts of cratic and unsound conclusion. And
again, 1t is the authors indubitable artistry in
portrayal setting pictures over into the readers
immediate interest, that rounds the story to
10 hne substance. Never mind the argu-
ments. They are here, If you want them In
stead, gather up again, the scene wherein
little baby Is changed into queen. And again.
where the little girl, puzzled and a bit sad
but happy with her friends after all as children
are bound to be sets Of sailing AWAY to France