[Books by Alfred Saunders - Reviews]
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History of New Zealand
by
Alfred Saunders.
Opinions of the New Zealand Press on Vol. 1.
The Thames Star, November 27, 1896.
Mr. Saunders' book contains 455 pages, a complete and most handy index, and many illustrations of European and native men of note who took a leading part in the public affairs of the Colony in its early days as a British possession. Of the author's style we can speak favourably, and the comprehensiveness of the information afforded demonstrates his thorough competence to undertake the task of writing a history of the Colony, and the patience lavished in the collection of the required data. Mr. Saunders is well qualified to compile a history of New Zealand, as he has been a member of the House of Representatives for many years--indeed is known as 'the father of the New Zealand House of Commons'-- and has been in close touch with the leading Ministries who have controlled the destinies of the Colony since 1860. Every patriotic New Zealand colonist, who desires to read an unprejudiced history of the land of his adoption, and also those who first saw the light in this Brighter Britain, should procure a copy of Mr. Saunders' work. It is well worthy of a position in any library, can be read with interest, and possesses a rare merit --often absent from historical works--in that it is instructive but not wearisome, and scholarly without being pedantic."
The Otago Daily Times, November 28, 1896.
"The book succinctly yet clearly narrates the earliest history of the Colony, particularly that part of it in which the missionaries figure, and this portion of Mr. Saunders' volume is of considerable value, seeing that the narrative is clear and terse. It cannot be denied that Mr. Saunders brings many qualifications to his task. He claims to have been the first settler who landed from the first immigrant ship that entered Nelson Harbour on February 1, 1842. He has had a long and honourable connection with public affairs, and is, at the present moment, the member of the House of Representatives who has served longest."
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The Lyttelton Times, December 1, 1896.
"Mr. Saunders has in perfection that practical knowledge of his subject which never fails to give to any book a peculiar value.. . . We rise from the perusal with the conviction that it is a valuable addition to the literature of the Colony, and with the hope that the author may be spared to bring his work to a successful close."
The Evening Star (Dunedin), December 19, 1896.
"The general reader who wishes to acquaint himself with a history of New Zealand which combines reasonable length with reliable information--strong outline with careful detail--cannot do better than read the present volume by Mr. Saunders. The general plan and construction of the book are admirable. The author is well acquainted with his materials and his characters. He couches his narrative in terse, well condensed chapters. . . . The style is often very elevated and dignified, as, for instance, in the author's eulogy of the life and labours of Samuel Marsden, and in many other passages which the reader cannot fail to discover. In his descriptions of the wrongs and wars of the Maoris--for whom he displays intense sympathy -- the author writes powerfully and trenchantly. Indeed, after reading all the blunders of the English authorities as they are portrayed by Mr. Saunders, the reader is tempted to agree with Mr. Gibbon that 'history is indeed little more than a register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind.'"
The Press (Christchurch), January 6, 1897.
"Readers of the Press. . . will find abundance of telling facts and good racy anecdotes in the present volume for their information and entertainment. We, ourselves, were particularly interested in the account of the foundation of the Nelson settlement. Mr. Saunders was the first settler who landed from the first immigrant ship which entered Nelson Harbour on the 1st of February, 1842, and he gives us a most interesting account of the establishment of the settlement.. . . It is when we come to Mr. Saunders' own personal recollections that the work becomes most interesting. He gives us, for example, a graphic and in many respects entirely new account of the Tua Marina tragedy, or Wairau massacre, as it is more usually called. Mr. Saunders represents the killing as having been brought on by something worse than blundering on the part of the officials.. . . Mr. Saunders' work is a narrative of considerable importance and surpassing interest."
The Oamaru Mail, January 7, 1897.
"Of course Mr. Saunders deals very largely with the political history of the Colony, but even that part of the work will not be found dry or uninteresting reading.... With some knowledge of
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the events recorded, we are impelled to say that he has fairly and honestly stated the facts. If he does occasionally hit hard, the blow is neither undeserved nor viciously applied. With confidence, we commend his work to the perusal of those who would learn something of the early history of the Colony,"
The New Zealand Times, February 8, 1897.
"The author of this volume (which we hope will be followed by a second, completing the history to the present time) has for years been looked on as the Nestor of the House of Representatives in which, until the last election, he was the oldest member, as he is one of the oldest colonists, having arrived in Nelson just 55 years ago. Few--now, alas! very few--of the surviving colonists of New Zealand have had such large and varied colonial experience, and they are still fewer who could have produced a volume like this in which is narrated the early history of New Zealand carried up to within the last 36 years. On the whole, the narration may be said to be as fair and impartial as it is possible for an historian who has, during his long political career, taken a prominent part in both the local administration of the old provincial system and in that of the general politics of the Colony.
. . . The reader feels that the author's honest convictions are honestly recorded, and that a desire to be fair and just animates his pen. We view the book as a valuable contribution to the history of this Colony, and earnestly hope that the author may live to complete the task which, as he says in his preface, he undertook at the eleventh hour because the most promising and fitting of his comrades had one by one gone to their rest. . . Finally, we compliment Mr. Saunders on the industry and research testified by his book, which has also the advantage of possessing a copious and complete index; and we repeat the hope that he may be spared in hale and hearty condition to finish the task he has begun so well."
The Temuka Leader, February 11, 1897.
"At an age when it is not given to many men to possess capacity for much mental or physical exertion, Mr. Saunders has rendered to the Colony a very valuable service in giving it a very interesting history of its earliest days. It is a valuable and interesting contribution to New Zealand literature. Mr Saunders' share in the work, taken from a literary aspect, is commendable in a high degree. The style is clear, concise, and incisive, so that 'he who runs may read;' the arrangement is good, and the narrative continuous, the interest in it being never allowed to flag.... The book, taken as a whole, is one of the most valuable, if not the most valuable, works published in New Zealand, for it is one which will live, and be of use to posterity. It is a history written by an eye-witness, for Mr Saunders was the first man to land from the first immigrant ship on the 1st
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of February in Nelson in 1842. He has since taken a leading part in public life, and has filled important positions, and was, therefore, an actor in some of the scenes which he describes. There is in this book much which the future historian will find valuable, and which cannot fail to interest the present generation. We shall, no doubt, have occasion to quote from it frequently, as it is full of very interesting information, but meantime, we can only recommend it to readers who desire to get a thorough knowledge of the first discovery and colonisation of New Zealand."
The Lyttelton Times, February 27, 1897.
"The following notice of Mr. Alfred Saunders' 'History of New Zealand' is contributed by one of the foremost public men of the Colony:--
"'Mr Saunders has succeeded in placing on record a lasting and living history of the events which encircled the cradle of the New Zealand Commonwealth. It is written from the point of view of one who has shown himself, over a long life, a close observer of human and other nature, and who, like the painters of the pre-Raphaelite school, trusts to truth of detail rather than idealism for the effectiveness of his picture. The colouring is strong, and the lights thrown are from the standpoint of a man ill-disposed to conventionalities and politically opposed to all that is connected with privilege, monopoly, sectarian leanings, or upper-class feeling; and with a large sympathy, sometimes a little exaggerated, with the popular side. His own strong personality is evident at every turn to those who know him, though he has suppressed all reference to himself, even when dealing with matters of history of which he might have said Quorum pars magna fui..... The early story of Captain Cook and Marsden is well and simply told. Mr. Saunders shows a keen and instinctive appreciation of the greatness of the characters he is dealing with, and he succeeds in impressing his readers with what is evidently his own feeling of the difficulties and struggles in which early New Zealand was involved. He might well have taken as his motto, Tantae molis erat Romanam condere gentem. Sir George Grey's character is well drawn. It is one--like that of all great men--of light and shade, and the shade, which is lost in the case of Cook and Marsden, is made more apparent in the case of Sir G. Grey. Still he has the place which posterity will give him, as the greatest man of his time in the period which began with British rule, and with which Mr Saunders is dealing in this volume.. . Those who do not know Mr. Saunders' book on "The Horse," one of the best books on that subject, and his love for that noble animal, will wonder at the prominence he gives to racing matters. This is, however, only by the way. The general effect is good, and the book contains a great deal of what is new, or what is rendered new by its grouping. The missionary period, the miraculous influence of Christianity, and the bloodthirsty savagery of Rauparaha are treated with a good deal of novelty. This is especially the
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case with the Wairau massacre, in respect of which Mr Saunders had peculiar opportunities of forming a correct opinion. He brings out more clearly than has been done before the mixture of muddlement and wrong-doing of which the so-called "massacre" was the outcome. The positive truth in respect of some of the details will always be a matter of controversy; but the importance of the event as a turning point in our dealings with the Maoris has full justice done to it. The false reliance on prestige obtained when Maoris had less knowledge of firearms, the personal character and conduct in the tragedy off Tuckett and others, and the muddle, and worse than muddle, of the New Zealand Company's land transactions are well depicted.... It will be interesting to learn how Mr. Saunders reads the signs of the times in the period of New Zealand's history which he will next deal with. At any rate we shall have the opinion of a man who is fearless and truthful. His contribution will be valuable as coming from one who looks at our democracy from a different point of view from that of previous writers of New Zealand's history.'"
The New Zealand, Herald (Auckland).
"The volume is tastefully got up, and the illustrations nicely executed. The work should be in every public library, and on the shelves of every public school library in the Colony. As a contribution to the history of New Zealand it is timeous and useful. We shall await with interest the advent of the succeeding volume, dealing with the history of the Colony from 1861 onwards."
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BY THE SAME AUTHOR,
"Our Domestic Birds."
Price, 6s.
"This book is described by the author, and not without substantial grounds, 'A Practical Poultry Book.' It is not a compilation, as so many books that concern the agriculturists are, but a work bearing traces in every part of large practical acquaintance with the subject."--Daily News.
"Every page is rich in information and suggestion. He has omitted the discussion of no point, from the construction of the house and the purchase of the stock to the appearance at table of the cooked product, whether egg or chicken. Six chapters are devoted to ducks, geese, turkeys, guinea-fowls, pheasants, and pigeons."--Glasgow Herald.
"Mr. Saunders has carefully studied the habits, wants, and health of the poultry, and his advice on the subject is valuable both for its humanity and its good sense."--Morning Post.
"We have as a duty, and still more as a matter of taste, read and studied every fowl book and poultry guide published for the last thirty years, and we do not hesitate to say that this book of Mr. Saunders's is not only by far the best, but worth any dozen of the best of them. Mr. Saunders not only knows what he writes about, but he is able to make his readers understand as well. Independent of poultry altogether, the book is well worth reading for the information it contains on food, digestion, hereditary influences, and evolution."--Eastern Morning News.
"Mr. Saunders is evidently a cultivated man of the world, and writes about poultry in a way which shows that if he were so pleased he could discourse profitably on many other things as well. We believe this book will be much read by bird-fanciers here and in our colonies. The fourth chapter, on food, is, perhaps, the most useful in the book. The whole volume shows that Mr. Saunders has been a most careful observer. Many facts he tells will be useful to those interested in science who have little leisure, opportunity, or taste for rearing poultry."--The Academy.
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"Our Horses:
OR,
The Best Muscles Controlled by the Best Brains."
By ALFRED SAUNDERS.
"The best, most complete, and most useful horse-book we have read--and, we believe, we know most of them by heart--as regards breaking, training, feeding, and management; full of common-sense, giving many new and most useful devices; and informed, above all, by that spirit of gentleness and patience, without which no man ever got either the knowledge of or control over the horse.. . . It is quite a different kind of book from and very superior to the tap-room and brandy-and-water treatises which the experienced horse manager usually gives us..... The system of pony-training for children is excellent, and equally excellent is the system of gentling the horse by dusting him with a cloth and plying him with a pole; while the plan of putting a horse down with a rope bridle, in order to get control over him, is the mildest and, we think, the best form we have ever seen in a book of applying the irresistible force that brings a horse to the ground when a fore leg is lifted up and the head pulled to the opposite side. . . . . The book is admirably clear and perspicuous. . . The English plan has erred in teaching the horse too little; and Mr Saunders shows that it is at once possible, safe, and easy to teach him almost everything. His book is an admirable book, and every horseman should possess it."--VANITY FAIR.
Mr. Saunders has achieved a far greater measure of success, so far as words can contribute to the result, than has fallen to the lot of others who have trodden the same path.... In the main we agree with almost every word of the chapters on feeding and watering.. . . With the author's remarks on watering horses we cordially agree, and have many times wished that those stud grooms who keep horses entirely without water on hunting days could be compelled to run all day with harriers without any better foundation than dry toast or biscuit.....His work consists of upwards of three hundred closely printed pages, and we have no hesitation in strongly recommending it to the notice of our readers."--THE FIELD.
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"It is always pleasant to take up an able work on an interesting subject, and we candidly admit that 'Our Horses; or, the Best Muscles controlled by the Best Brains,' by Alfred Saunders, in many respects is one of the most charming books on equine matters and all pertaining thereto that we have perused for many a day. . . It is so ably constructed that we experienced a feeling of regret when, after reading every line, we came to a conclusion of the twenty-fourth and final chapter.. . . We strongly advise anyone who cares for horses or their treatment to purchase Mr. Saunders' work, and read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest his views, especially on 'Food,' 'Water,' 'Air,' 'Exercise,' 'Vices and Bad Habits,' &c., replete as they are with sound information from a practical point of view.. . . Summing up the work in its entirety, we give the highest commendation to it, and feel assured a copy of 'Our Horses' will be found in the library of every English gentleman, containing, as it does, a fund of information, innumerable amusing anecdotes, and experience amongst horses in various quarters of the globe."--BELL'S LIFE IN LONDON.
"May be read with pleasure and profit by all who either possess a horse or have ever occasion to ride or drive one. In addition to his hints on horse-breaking, our author has a good deal to say about horse-keeping and horse-choosing; and as he knows what he is writing about, and has had an extensive equestrian experience in various parts of the world, his observations can hardly fail to be serviceable to all save experts, and even they may find in 'Our Horses' something about their horses worth knowing, and which they did not know before.. . . Whether riding or driving, we are always at our slave's mercy; our control over him is altogether moral, and the man who shows us how to make this control at once beneficent and effective does a good thing, both for mankind and horsekind. Mr. Saunders belongs to the new school of horse-training, discards the cruel methods of old-fashioned breakers and rough riders, and shows us how horses may be rendered tractable and obedient by kindness and good management."--SPECTATOR.
"I ought to mention two really admirable books on the proper treatment of the horse--Mr. Saunders' 'Our Horses,' and the Rev. J. G. Wood's 'Horse and Man.' In these two books, Messrs. Wood and Saunders appear as the Clarkson and Wilberforce of a movement for the emancipation of our horses from senseless barbarities of all kinds inflicted in training, stabling, grooming, shoeing, mutilating, and harnessing them. Both authors seem to me to have proved the case of their dumb clients demonstratively."--TRUTH.
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