of being banned by the Russian censor: very recently, a Russian woman
told the present writers that "The Sowers" is still the first book the
travelling Russian buys in the Tauchnitz edition, as soon as he is out
of his own country--"we like to hear the truth about ourselves."

In the same year as "The Sowers," Merriman produced "Flotsam." It is
not, strictly speaking, a romance: some of its main incidents were taken
from the life of a young officer of the 44th Regiment in Early Victorian
days. The character of Harry Wylam is, as a whole, faithful to its
prototype; and the last scene in the book, recording Harry's death in
the Orange Free State, as he was being taken in a waggon to the
missionary station by the Bishop of the State, is literally accurate.
Merriman had visited India as a boy; so here, too, the scenery is from
the brush of an eye-witness.

His next novel, "In Kedar's Tents," was his first Spanish novel--pure
and simple: the action of "The Grey Lady" taking place chiefly in
Majorca.

All the country mentioned in "In Kedar's Tents" Merriman visited
personally--riding, as did Frederick Conyngham and Concepcion Vara, from
Algeciras to Ronda, then a difficult ride through a wild, beautiful and
not too safe district, the accommodation at Algeciras and Ronda being at
that time of an entirely primitive description. Spain had for Merriman
ever a peculiar attraction: the character of the Spanish
gentleman--proud, courteous, dignified--particularly appealed to him.

The next country in which he sought inspiration was Holland. "Roden's
Corner," published in 1898, broke new ground: its plot, it will be
remembered, turns on a commercial enterprise. The title and the main