The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-31 00:00:00

'wen us,

Mr. Harrison Ainsworth's New Novel.
John Law : the Projector. By William Harrison
Ainsworth. Prologue, Chaps. Bentley's
Miscellany for November.
Pleasant news for the lovers of romance! To wit
that in what was originally Boz's Monthly
bantling, what is still, though Buz has long ceased to
have anything to do with it, one of the liveliest of
our popular periodicals, Bentley's Miscellany, there
is begun an entirely new and original story—a story
of comparatively modern times, founded upon his-
torical data, and carrying us back to the begining
of the last century, a new romantic narrative of
mingled fact and fiction, by the author of " Jack
Shepherd." 0117 only regret is that this new story
is not to be illustrated, like so many of its former,
predecessors. A happier notion in the selection of
his hero, even Mr. Ainsworth has never yet
had. And in the choice of his themes—as
we ourselves in these columns have more than once
had occasion to remark—the Romancist of Rook-
wood is always peculiarly fortunate. Instance this
—" The Admirable Crichton!" Instance this,
again, "Dick Turpin," the famous Highwaymen !
Instance, " Jack Sheppard," the notorious house-
breaker, afterwards renowned (may we say, a trifle
more creditably ?) in our criminal annals as the
wonderful Prison-Breaker ! Instance, " Old St.
Paul's," that tale of the Great Fire and the
Great Plague of London ! Besides all which,
who is there among Mr. Ainsworth's readers
who bears not still in vivid recollection, the
atmosphere of romance with which his pictu-
resque imagination has enveloped so many
other of our grand old public buildings—yet sur-
viving amongst us—as is not the case in regard to the
one already mentioned, namely, that swept down
amidst the crashing ruins of the Great Fire, Old
St. Paul's Cathedral. Palaces, for example, dating
far back in our annals, such as the " Tower of Lon-
don," " Windsor Castle," " St. James's," and so
forth—tales so exquisitely embellished by the mar-
vellous etching needle of rare George Cruikshank!
Here, again, is as capital a subject in its way as
any Mr. Ainsworth has hitherto hit upon—the
wonderful life and adventures of the most extraor-
dinary financial schemer upon record, John Law,
"the Projector," as our novelist calls him—the most
audacious blower of bubbles that ever breathed the
breath of life. The story, in its mere name, promises
delightfully. And the five chapters of the Prologue
already encourage this happy augury of success
Here is our romancist's vivid portraiture of his hand.
some herc—

JOHN LAW, THE LAIRD OP LAURISTON.

John Law was just then 34, but he looked almost 10 years
younger. His personal advantages were remarkable—figure
tall and commanding, slight, but admirably proportioned;
features classical and regular in outline ; eyes large, azure
in colour, and somewhat prominent ; complexion delicate as
a woman's. Yet, with all this apparent effeminacy, a very
manly spirit dwelt in his breast. John Law was remarkably
active, excelled at tennis, rode boldly and well, was an
ardent sportsman, expert in the use of pistol and small.
sword, and his courage had already been proved in more
than one encounter.

Though no shallow fop, who thought only of decorating
his handsome person, John Law did not disdain the aid of
dress, but, as we have seen, set himself off to the best ad-
vantage, just as he sought to improve his great natural
endowments by study and art. In his n-anner there was
perhaps a little--very little haughtiness, but it was totally
devoid of insolence and assumption, and the pride he mani-
fested seemed almost inseparable from the consciousness he
could not fail to possess of great mental powers and personal
advantages. When he was resolved to please, his manner
was so fascinating that he was quite irresistible.
Whether that smooth and serene brow could ever be
darkened by frowns, that soft and suave expression be obli-
terated by angry passions, those eyes of summer blue and
almost dove-like tenderness emit terrible and scathing
glances—whether any such changes as these could be
wrought, will be seen as we proceed with our history.
The scene in St. James's-street with the Irish sedan
chairmen—the scene in White's Coffee House where
Law plays at Basset among the " S wells " of those
days (then called " Beaux") and breaks the bank—
the scene in the Ring at Hyde Park, where the two
heroines are introduced, to wit, Belinda and Lady
Kate—all these lead amusingly up to the incident
of the present instalment (with the climax of which,
it closes)—the Duel in Hyde Park between old
Beau Wilson and young Charlie Carrington. We
look forward with lively interest to the continuance
of Law's adventures.