The Sea Beggars: Liberators of Holland from the Yoke of Spain

A review from The Critic, Volume 39:

Spain and the Netherlands, England and the Transvaal. Between these two struggles Mr. Versteeg draws a close comparison in his preface to tl1is little sketch of one phase of the Dutch war of independence. When he wrote, he thought the English could no more conquer the Afrikanders with their unacclimated horses on unknown ground than the Spaniards could successfully contend against the Netherlanders with their imported ships on foreign waters. Since the author laid down his pen the situation, however, looks less favorable to the conclusion of his parallel. England must conquer in the end, for she has resources where Spain was exhausted.

This is a well-told story, a very personal and individual description of the lawless pirates whose tastes drove them into an occupation which later circumstances dignified. They developed into freebooters when the revolt against Philip made them valuable and then into patriotic fighting for their homes, sailor-founders of the famous Dutch navy. The narrative is essentially popular and is based on modern Dutch writers. For example, the description of the siege of Leyden is taken from “ Leyden’s Wee en Zegepraal," by Hofdyk. But this is quite legitimate. Dutch authors are, as a rule, sealed books to an English public.