The Sun.
London, England, 1814-10-14 00:00:00

(No.

•
_./1ie,44-Letci.r; an Historical Rontance,'lTMTl. Wise, Att.
time " The Loyilist;," &c. 12ma. 4 vols. Longman)
ilurst, Rees, OmVild Brown. 1914..
!"...41k
By the .preface., t* ..these volumes, we perceive
that the Author was fully aware of the difficulties
and dangers of her undertaking 'to mingle his-
tory with fiction, and a picture of the manners of
nouther age with something of the feelings of
more modern times. That seeing, she under-
rated thßse difficulties, is in.our opinion too pal-
pable ; not that she has failed to execute her
conception-with spirit, and given to the world a
work void of interest and amusement, but we are
convinced that the design in itself is faulty, and
that human genius, however powerful, could not
overcome the radical objections to which it is
,justly liable. Such productions are, in the first
place calculated to confuse and confound all his-
torical information. After following names well
known in the British annals through the towelling
and captivating adventures of romance, it is im-
possible to erase the impressions of entwined
truth and falsehood thus received, by the perusal
of a few dry and correct notes, descriptive of the
authentic' facts relative to these personages, at the
end of the volume. Thus reality and fiction be-
come inseparably blended in all our recollections
of their exploits, -and we are plunged so deep into
the maze of error as to he irretrievable.

Mrs. AlrEsT observes that the quantity of heavy
reading, and of research into mouldy,narratives,
v Lich was necessary to enable ber to acquire an
adequate insight into the characters of her dra-
matis person x, so as to fit them for her purpose,
has perhaps operated as a check upon the ima-
gination. Without intending to deny that, in
spite of this, the Lady has displayed a great deal
of imagination, we must so far _agree with her
as to concede that such .effect is to a certain de-
gree inseparable froM such studies. Why then.
should a writer, possessed of such abilities as our
"fair cotintrywoman, voluntarily consent to wear
these shackles which curb her genius, arid choose
to appear before the pribre in'rusty chains, when
she might have aci vanced with greater advantage and
tinder happier auspices in unrestrained and capti-
vating freedom ? ft would be difficult •to solve
-this problem satisfactorily, and especially as Mrs.
WEST has further chosen to circumscribe and
confine her ,exertions by a closer adherence to-
history than even her own design imposed, and:
,detcrmined' to allow herself feWer excursions of
fancy than she might reasonably have admitted
in a work where a departure from hiStorical truth
was at all allowed.

We kaow not whether to dispute or assent to
'the position, that a greater degree of interest
may be excited for a teal personage, as the hero
of a tale, than for one wholly imaginary ; but of
this we arc sure, that we prefer a being wholly
imaginary to one demi-real and demi-fabulous, a
kind of Centaur, half rational and half absurd. At
all events, we would have the imaginary greatly
to exceed the real in combinations of this sort ;
for your even-mixtures too often go to compound
a very curious breed, with all the dullness of ori-
-ginality, tin brightened by the flights of fancy.
Having thus stated, our sentiments generally
respecting works of the kind of that whose title
beads this column, we shall now briefly notice the
peculiar characteristics of that work itself.
The history of Alicia de Lacy, which it offers,
is interesting and instructive ; the picture of the
manners of the age, and circle in which the scene
is. laid, accurately drawn ; the romantic portion
of the work, as connected with the counterfeit
Agatha, and the imaginary death. of the Coun-
tess of Lancaster, poSsessed of powerful claims
upon the feelings of the reader ; and the style,
and moral principle inculcated by these volumes
deserving through Out of the highest commenda-
tion. There is often also a nice discrimination of
character, and an insight into the workings of
the female heart, which- evince the possession of
very considerable talents, and jus.tify us in passing;
a warm eulogium upon the Merits of the work in
these points. There are several poetical beauties
scattered through these pages, which well accord
with the general tone of the prose, and impart to
them a varied and pleasing ft:attn.:2.
Upon the whole, we would pronounce, that
Alicia de Lacy is a production which mature un-
•derstandings will peruse with satisfaction, and
which may be safely put into the ham2s of youth
and inexperience, as one which will amuse, while
it improves—and interest, while it impresses sound
and virtuous sentiments.

It would be in vain for us to lay any extract
from a work of this description before the public,
as an example of its nature. We therefore re-
commend the prose to a perusal, and conclude
with the following specimen of the poetry :

THE FORRESTERS' SONG.
" When fleecy clouds through azure fly,
And bees flit by on busy wing,
On vi'let banks we wood-nytnphs lie,
And hail the blossom-beariug spring.

" With beechen pipes of merry souud
The Demons of the fen we scare,
And by the galliards magic round
Fmehaut the spell-bound spectre Care.

Nor fear we, sire when vernal storms
Drive on our luids th, sleety hail :
Or whey, fall-charg'il with insect swarms,
We shiver hi the Etesiau gale.

sr With lev'rets and with kids we play •
•L' is }slated butterfly We chase:
Lit to the woud-larys merry lay,
And table the squirrel's friffic.racc.

" No armed Chief annoy'A our grove;
No dreaming. 111011 ks peccavi cry--
And here, ditguis'd, should Cupid rove,
We'll quickly make the tyrant

" ;yr is out queen ;,,v7e worship Sport ;.
And Lore to these destruction swore,
ria,te, Sylvan, from our happy Court,
Ur ti.tl4. to we of love uv 11. i

POLICE iNTELLIGENCE.