The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-11 00:00:00

LITERATURE,

New Novels.

John Law, the Projector, By W. Harrison
Ainsworth. 3 vols. Chapman and Hall.
The romance of history always possesses peculiar
charms for Harrison Ainsworth, the nic st romantic

and enthralling of modern noveliets. In the other

qualifications of the art he may yield the palm to
one or other of his gifted confrres, but in the
power of captivating the attention, and stimulating

hq interest of his readers, ho is, perhaps, un-

rivalled, as the readers of " 11,30kw00d," and " Jack
Sheppard," end " C:ichtoil" may bear witness.
To enhance the fascination of his imaginative

stories, Ainsworth, as wo hay° said, is always

anxious to invest them with an air of history. The

very titles of his principal .romances—too wells
known to require any recapitulation here—will at

once corroborate cur remark. Another incident
from the record of that trnth which is stranger than

fiction, and one as yet untouched by the pen of
novelist, has suggested the subject of Mr Ainsworth's
new work. The celebrated John Law, the Projector,

is his hero, and—
" All that in past times our forefathers had told
Of the gorgeous Mississippi and the southern seas of gold"—
forms the theme of his romance. The prologue

o the tale, which introduces John Law o

Lauriston to the fashionable world of London

savours, perhaps, rather too much of melodra-
matic romance. Tao tragic episode which terminates
the existence of the aged and hobbling Othello,
Beau Wilson, while it threatens the life of his
innocent but suspected spouse, the fair Belinda, is

ost improbable and most theatrical. When the
real story begins in earnest, and Law is in
the midst of his financial projects and counter-
projects in Paris, his career is described with Ains-
worth's customary skill. With increasing wonder
and interest we follow the development of the
grand " System" till the unknown and insignificant
Scottish private gentleman has become Finance
Minister of France, and the hero of popular enthu-

siasm. Hera is a vivid glimpse of the Rue Quin

campoix, where was situated Law's Bank, when
the phrenzy of share-buying was al its highest :

THE RUE QUINCANPOIX.

The crowd in the Rue Quincampoix was like no other
crowd. Never before had such a motley assemblage been
brought together—nor will ever be again. Such was the
variety of costumes and characters that the scene resembled
a grand carnival, except that the msjority of the actors
came for purposes of speculation, and not for amusement.
Where but in the Rue Quincampoix. could have been
seen nobles and manants, priests and valets, magistrates,
philosophers, and chevaliers d'industrie, bargaining toge-
ther ? Where but in this street could be seen richly-attired
women of high rank, and of great beauty, mingling with
such a crowd, and transacting business with any one they
met? Nothing but the frenzy for gain which had seized
persons of all classes could account for such proceedings.
The wonderful fortunes known to have been made in the

Rue Qlincarnpoix caused every one to rush there, hoping
to be equally lucky, Business was universally neglected.
Nothing was thought of but stock-jobbing. Nothing
talked of but the price of actions—how they rose--how they
fell. Even in our speculating times it is scarcely possible
to form a notion of the frenzy which then prevailed—which
sproad like a contagion through Paris—through all the
provinces of France, and indeed throughout Europe.
Ia evidence of the agonising interest excited, let us
quote the following
Aniruz STRATAGEM.

A handsome carriage, provided with a pair of fine horses,
was standing at a little distance from the entrance of the
hotel. Inside it was a lady, richly dressed, but with no

pretension either to youth or beauty. Her features were
quite unknown to Law. No sooner, however, did he show
himself, than, being descried by the lady, she thrust her
head and shoulders out of the carriage window, and screamed
to the coachman,
" There is M. Law I D oft' t you see him ? Do as I bade
you, drole I—quick I—quick
Upon this, to Law's infiaite surprise and consternation,
the coachman lashed his horses furiously, and driving the
carriage against a high stone placed at the edge of the
pavement near the entrance of the port.:-cochere, instantly
overturned the vehicle.

Law flew to the poor lady's assistanc3, and succeeded in
extricating her from the carriage, which luckily had not
sustained much damage, and was soon set right by the
Swiss porters, who now rushed forth.
Meanwhile, after conveying the lady into the vestibule,
and offering her a seat, Law inquired with much solicitude
whether she had sustained any injury, upon which she re-
plied that she was only a little shaken.
"To confess the truth, M. Law," she added, "I have
tried in vain to obtain admittance to you, and so was obliged
to have recourse to this stratagem. I hope you will pardon
me, and let me have fifty shares."
"Well, madam," replied Law, laughing, "since you
have incurred all this risk, you shall not go away empty-
handed."
And taking out his porte-feuille, he gave her the shares
she required.
While contemplating the anxiety of tho crowd we
become acquainted with the following startling—