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6 1 2 Reviezvs of Books In truth it has been a strange war ; one in which England has learned what will make for her eventual good. In war failure teaches lessons, not success. When Pretoria was taken, however, would it not have been more generous as well as far-sighted to make an end of it by liberal terms, rather than demand unconditional surrender with all its sequelae ? This book is full of picturesque interest, though so unnecessarily- outspoken that one wonders whether Mr. Davis will hereafter be as much at home in Piccadilly or Pall Mall. Theodore Avrault Dodge. Roger Ludloio, The Colonial Laiumaker, by John M. Taylor. (New York and London, G. P. Putnam's Sons, pp. i66.) This book is ad- dressed to the general reader rather than the historical student. A few new facts are brought to light ; but they were hardly sufficient to require a volume to put them in their proper setting. The bibliography which is appended shows that the author has spared no pains in collecting his material ; but it is to be regretted that he has seldom referred to his au- thority for any statement, except in so general a way as to furnish little assistance to one who desires to verify it. The volume has neither notes nor inde.x. A letter of Ludlow's is quoted (p. 70) which brings into light one phase of his character which has been little noticed heretofore in New England history. In 1637, during the first Pequot war, he writes, and with evident sincerity, from Windsor, to Pynchon, at Agawam, at a time when each was directing the defensive operations in his neighborhood : "I must confess both you and ourselves do stand merely by the jjower of our God : therefore he must and ought to have all the praise of it." The most valuable part of Mr. Taylor's work is to be found in the sixteenth chapter. Here we have the results of new investigations of his own, which are of great interest. What became of Ludlow after he left Connecticut, in 1654, was wholly unknown until within recent years, when he was definitely traced back to England. Mr. Taylor now takes up the story where Waters, Stiles, Chester and Beers had left it, and shows us that after his return he fulfilled important functions under the English government. He went from Connecticut to Virginia, and thence to Ireland (p. 145). A few months later, after a short visit to England, we find him placed by the Irish Council on a special commission of seven, headed by the Chief Justice, to determine all claims as to forfeited lands in Ireland. This was followed in a few weeks by his being put on the commission of the peace for the county of Cork (p. 148), apparently as a justice of the quorum. Mr. Taylor argues with much reason that these appointments would not have been made so soon after Ludlow's arrival, had he not been invited by Cromwell to return to Ireland for that very purpose. Failing to get the ministers of New England to remove there,