As a background for an American historical romance Louisiana between
1810 and 1816 appears a very apt selection, and New Orleans about the
time of the English invasion a judiciously chosen stage. Even more happy
seems the choice, for a hero and protagonist, of Jean Lafitte, smuggler
and slave-trader, also strongly suspected of piracy and near-piracy at
not infrequent intervals through a considerable period of time, but not
certainly any sort of rascal, and indubitably very much of a gentleman;
popular, admired, even beloved. _Black Ivory_ is a felicitous title.
An historical romance is likely to interest its readers in proportion
to the enthusiasm of its author for his plot, his characters, and their
environment. (What measure of success my El Supremo has had has been due
largely to the completeness with which I was carried away by what I had
read in the writings of the Robertsons and others concerning Paraguay and
Francia.) In any historical romance the blaze of the author’s delight in
his material is what kindles the glow of enjoyment in his readers.
Considering what I know of the author of _Black Ivory_, of his absorption
in his work, of his flair for what is worth writing about, of his plot
and characters, I forecast that readers of _Black Ivory_ will find
themselves interested, entertained, and rewarded.