The Sun.
London, England, 1814-07-23 00:00:00

(No. XIII.)

TILE HISTORY Or FICTION; teing a Critical Account of the
most celebrated Pose !Voris of Fiction, from the earliest
of the Greek Romances to the Novels of the present age.
By JOHN Dust.9r. fa three Volumes 12nto.—LONGMAN,
HURST, REES, ORME, amiBROWN.
The present is an interesting and valuable
'ork. It is characterised by great research,
judgment, and taste. Indeed, there are very few
literary productions that malifest so much labour
in the acqusition of the requisite knowledge, and
:•:o much critical acumen in digesting the mate-
Tials of which it is composed. The Work is not
very susceptible of excerpts, though it abounds in
anecdotes; as they are SO comiected with the mat-
ter in which they are introduced as to require
much preparatory reading. It may be fairly said,
that the Author has fulfilled his taslj, and has com-
posed a Work that will keep its station. He has
given -clear and faithful abridgment of all
the Works of Fiction which hare ever en-
grossed. the notice of the world in the se:Tral
periods and various Countries in which they were

produced.lf the igndrance, credulity; and folly
of mankind in all ages were not so well-known,
it'woald be a matter of surprize, that most of
these romances could ever have -Occited so much
admiration and renown* But the Reader will, in
these volumes, obtain complete information re-
specting the nature, character; and scope, of all
of them that have risen into distinction, and Will
escape the labour, fatigue, and indeed disgust, which
must necessarily have attended a perusal of the
works themselves. The volumes-are divided into.
chapters, each containing an account of the seve-
rarspeCies of works of fiction ; and to render the
whole complete, the author has included Politi-
cal Romances, as well 'as the Heroic, Pastoral,
Scriptural, &c. &c. &c. The last 'volume is the
most amusing and interesting, because it relates
to works that have been produced near to our
own times ; and though they are, of course, more
generally known, yet many-circumstances attend-
ing their origin, and the 'matters to which they
allude, are deVeloped in such kmantrer as to
ex-
cite a strong interest. Though the work itself,
as we have said, hardly admits of extracts, yet
we shall submit a few passages to our Readers;
in which the Author enters- into a brief defence
of Novel-writing, and by which they Avill be
able to form sonic judgment of his taste and ca-
pacity for-the undertaking
But even if the utility which-is derived from
Fiction were less than • it is, how much are we
indebted to it for pleasure and enjoyment ! It
sweetens solitude and charms sorrow—it oecupies
the attention of the vacant, and unbends the mind
'of the philosopher.
.Like the enchanter, Fiction
Shows Its, as it were, in a mirror, the most agree-
able:objeCts ; :recalls from -a distance the forms
which are dear to 'Us, and soothes our own griefs.
by awakening our sympathy-for others. By its
tneans. the recluse is placed in the midst of so-
ciety; and he'who is harassed and agitated.in the
city, is transported ,to rural tranquillity and repose.
The rude are refined bsy an introduction, as ic
were,, to the higher orders of mankind, and even
the dissipated and Selfish are, in some degree,
'corrected by those paintings of virtue and simple
nature,- which must ever be employed by.the No-
velist, if he wish to awaken emotion or delight."
At the beginning of the Third Chapter the Au-
thor again enters into a vindication of this species
of-Composition, and traces the probable Causes of
their origin and .progress :

" Fabulous narrative, we have seen in ifor-
mer part of this work, like almost every one of
the arts of loan, originated in the desire of per-
fecting and improving nature, of rendering the
great more vo,t, the rich inure splendid; and the,
guy more beautiful. It removed, as it were, from
the hands of fortune the destinies of mankind, re-.
warded virtue and valour with success, and co-
vered yeachery and baseness with opprobrium'.
4, It was soon perceived that men '-4ymPathize
not with armies or nations, but with individuals;.
and the Poet who sung the fall of empires, was
forced to place a few in a prominent light, with
whose success or misfortunes his hearers might be"
affectec while they were altogether indifferent to
the iontsor dissection of the crowds by which
they were followed. It was thought, at last, that

narratives might hi composed where the.interest
should only be demanded for one or two indivi-
duals, whose adventures, ha7mpiness, ar misery,
might of themselves afford delight. The ex4eri-
.
meta Was attended Ivith success ; and as men
sympathize most readily with events. which. may
'occur to themselves, or the 'situations
they have been, or may be, the incidents, of fic-
tion deri'v'ed their character from the manners of
the age. Im a gay and luxurious country, stories
Of hive het.4me acceptable. 'Hence the Grecian
novels were composed, -and as, in relating the ad-
ventures of the loVets, it was natural to depict
what might really have taken place, the general
features of the times, the inroads of pirates;, reli-
gious ceremonies, cue.. were chiefly' delineated.
The habits of the honks, in like Manner, 'gave
rise to spiritual romance, and time notion of tran-
quillity in the fields of Greece may have suggested
the beau-iful rural images liourtrayed in the pas-
toral of LONGLYS

Upon-the whole this is a„-Wock of great
genet, and is written with ; 1 e.egance, acumen, and
judgment. AVe may, perhaps, return to the sub-
ject on a future day.

We must wait the-motnct►t when the protection of
France, our natural friend, and to whoa► ancient
treaties.united us under lief 'Kings, will restore
to us our territory, our commerce, and our iude-
pendence.

TUTGARD, JULY 13.-1 W had made great pre
parations for the reeeption,of the Emperor of
Russia, but a courier arrived With the information
that his Majesty 'must defer his visit till October..
The King had sent s the Grand Marshal of his
Court, Count Jamieson Walworth, to compliment
the Emperor, and lie returned with intelligence
that the Emperor wished to see his Majesty at
Heilbronn ; in consequence of which the King
immediately repaired thither from Louisburgh,
with a numerous suite.

FRENCH FUNDS.

5-per t'ents. 65-75.
Actions of the Bank

DUTCH MAIL:

Jut.r 2.—Eliza litionaparte arrived
the .26th of Julie at Gratz, where she in-tends to

remain.

MUNSTER,. JULY B.—Baron Viueke, Prussian
Civil Governor between the Wesel and the Rhine,
has announced, that, by a Convention concluded
at Paris on the 31st of May, some Districts on
.the left bank of the lints are proviSionally ceded
to the Prince Regent of EnglaLd.
Zuctcn, JULY 16.—1 t is. feared several Can..-
tons rvill refuse or delay to accede to the Consti-
-tutional Act., or Charter, agreed upon by the
Diet Lausanne has accepted. At Schweitz the
inhabitants, in a General Meeting, refused their
assent : they would not vote either for or against
it. It is. affirmed chat Berne,' Soleure, and Fri-
bourg, have :dui resolved not to accept it ; the
two latter have sent Deputies to Berne, _to con-
sidt with the principal Members of
Some Cantons,- desirous to 'appropriate a part
of the territory of St. Gall, this, as well as the
pretensions of the Abbot of St. Gall and. his Chap:
ter, have drawn the attention, of the Minis'ters of
the Allied Powers, who have addressed a Note
to the Little Council of St. Gall, disapproving the
disibemberment of any part of the Canton of St.
Gall, and declaring the pretensions of the Abbot
inaamissible. Dated Zurich, June 30.
(Signed) • SCHROYT,
Count COPO DISTRIA.
13111.7SSELS, • JULY 14.—The 'notorious Vander
Noot, Who acted so great 'a part here in 1789,
though 80 years of age-, wishes still to be talked
of. A pamphlet, which he has published lately
for that end, is, however, not calculated to draw
him from that obscurity into which Itewas fallen.