IN THE MASTERTON LIBRARY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8453, 1 June 1907, Page 5

IN THE MASTERTON LIBRARY.

(Specially Written for the Wairarapa Age.)

No. 111. Deeds That Won the Empire. Fights for the Flag. How England Saved Europe. Wellington's Men. — W. H. Fitchett, 8.A., LL.D. These books form no unimportant item in the Masterton Library, and are doubtless known to many of our readers. Dr. Fitchett floated into fame on the first mentioned, and that continues the most popular. The j spirit of the book is well piit in the , following extract from its preface: "The tales here told are written, not to glorify war, but to nourish patriotism. They represent an effort to renew in popular memory the great traditions of the Imperial race to which we belong.' . . . What examples are to be found in the tales here re-told, not merely of heroic daring, but of even finer qualities—of heroic fortitude; of loyalty to duty stronger than the love of life; of the temper which dreads dishonour more than it fears death; of the patriotism which makes love of the Fatherland a passion. These are the elements of robust citizenship. They represent some, at least, of the qualities by which the Empire, in a sterner time than ours, was won and by which, in even these ease-loving: days, it must be maintained." Dr. Fitchett's graphic pen'with his grasp of detail, and accurate sense of proportion, presents us with pictures that rivet the attention, and enables us to follow the narratives with unflagging interest. The sketches, besides being interesting, are instructive, and convey informatioa that may be depended upon. They are, as their author sta js, historically accurate. For example, the introduction to the s.rcount of Trafalgar gives a most clear view of the strategy that prepared for and led up to that crowning victory. It shows us Napoleon with his plans definite, formidable, profound, resolute to b& master of the Western World. "Let us," said he, "be masters of the Straits for six hours and we shall be masters of the world." To that grand consummation, the one only insuperable obstacle was that tight little island on the opposite side of the Straits; and this its indomitable defenders were he never should get at. His urn.y of 130,000 veterans—the most brilliant soldiery of all time—he might mass in the vast camp at Boulogi.e, ready to leap on British soil. For their transport he might build a flotilla of over 1,000 boats each to carry one or two guns and 100 soldiers. As convoy he might collect fleets in Toulon, Brest, Rochefort, Ferrol, but there they had to stay. Nelson watched Toulon for two years, Comwalli vatched Brest for three, Collingwok... sealed up Rochefort, and Pellew Ferrol. At last, after vast scheming, a large French fleet was got together; but it never reached Boulogne to convoy the army to England—being annihilated by Nelson at Trafalgar; and Napoleon, "with that swift and terrible power of decision in which he has never been surpassed, flung the long-cherished plan of invading England out of his brain, and dictated the orders which launched his troops on the road which led to Austerlilz and Jena, and beyond to the flames of Moscow and the snows of the great retreat; and which finally led Napoleon himself to St. Hele: a." This nv.y give a very hr. perfect idea of this book. To be enjoyed it must be read. W j can think of no more pleasant way of passing a long winter evening ..ian in reading aloud to a family or a small party round the fire, one of the Deeds that won the Empire. New Zealanders have given sufficient evidence of their love of Empire—in spite of the fact that several politicians opposed the patriotic proposal to send contingents to South Africa. They, however, may be taken as exceptions that prove the rule. "Wellington's Men," the author describes as an attempt to rescue from undeserved oblivion a cluster of soldierly autobiographies. They: are pages of battle literature, written by the hands of soldiers, actual human documents, with the salt of truth, of sincerity, and of reality Jn every: syllable. . . . They seem to put the reader in the actual battle-line; and give pictures of such battle landscapes as will never be witnessed again. There is much humorous reading in the book, which will be found interesting throughout.

Of the other two books mentioned at the head of this notice, we have not space now to speak, further than to say that they will well repay perusal. Some knowledge of the great deeds of the past is a proper recognition of those who took part in them; and an incentive to duty. Aa Macaulay says: "A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors, will never achieve anything worthy to ba remembered with pride by remote descendants."