An Heroic Mould*

Who Wouldn't Be a Pirate?

The Story. After his harrying of the late Invincible Armada, Sir Oliver Tressilian has returned to his estate in Cornwall, resolved on a quiet life and marriage with fair Rosamund Godolphin. He is, however, taunted with his former piracy by Rosamund's young brother, Peter, and by Sir John Killigrew, who also wishes to marry Rosamund. Of course the great Sir Walter Raleigh and Hawkins had in their time been pirates and knighted for it by Queen Elizabeth; but Sir Oliver rightly resents the insult and nearly kills Sir John in a duel. Unfortunately young Lionel Tressilian, a scapegrace, kills Peter Godolphin in a drunken duel. Sir Oliver shelters his brother and takes the blame, and Rosamund believes him guilty.

Lionel is worse than a drunkard: he wishes Oliver's estate, and has him kidnapped to be sold as a slave to the Moors. In rage and bitterness Sir Oliver forswears his religion and becomes a Barbary Corsair, in high favor with the pasha. Sir Oliver plans a desperate coup of vengeance. As Sakr-el-Bahr, the Sea-Hawk, he descends with his pirates upon the Cornish coast and steals Lionel and Rosamund on the eve of their wedding.

Here is the full measure of revenge! Sir Oliver forces his young brother to work as a slave in the galleys, and sells fair Rosamund as a slave in the open market, only to buy her himself after fierce bargaining with the pasha. He nearly loses favor by this act, but equips another galley and takes to the sea. By chance he comes upon an English vessel sent to rescue Rosamund and in charge of the dry and bitter (but just) Sir Henry Goade. By this time Sir Oliver is beginning to feel the emptiness of vengeance. He saves the English ship from destruction by threatening to blow up the Barbary galley, is surrendered to the English, and tried for piracy against his own nation. But Sir Henry Goade realizes all the arguments in favor of the Sea-Hawk-- the terrible injustice done him, his sparing of the English ship, and (most convincing of all) Rosamund's love for him now that she knows what he has suffered.

The Significance. Though announced as a new novel and with no mention of the previous copyright, The Sea-Hawk is really a reprint of one of Sabatini's first novels. For that very reason, however, it is much better than his later and more successful but less brilliantly written romances. Both in style and color The Sea-Hawk continues the best traditions of the historical romance written frankly for pleasure and excitement. Sabatini is not at all "the modern Dumas" as some critics insist on calling him. He doesn't write in the grand manner of the great Frenchman, but rather on the smaller, but often equally exciting scale of Stevenson and Stanley Weyman. The Sea-Hawk is accurate and picturesque in history; but it never drags or preaches or forces historical scholarship or tedious archaisms upon the reader.

The Critics. Most of the critics have not noticed that The Sea-Hawk is a reprint; but almost all have accorded it the favor due an engaging romance. The New York Tribune speaks of the "gorgeous plot"; the Boston Herald names it " a colorful and dramatic tale "; the Boston Transcript praises it highly as " a marvel of its kind."

The Author. Mr. Sabatini is now in his forties and has been writing historical romances for many years; but not until the publication of Scaramouch (1921) did he come into popularity. Born of Italian and English parentage in Italy, Mr. Sabatini knows many languages, but has elected to write in English and make his home in England. The recent popularity of Scaramouche and Captain Blood (1922) has caused the reprint of earlier novels such as The Snare and The Sea-Hawk.

* THE SEA-HAWK--Rafael Sabattml-- Houghton, Mifttn ($2.00).