The Sun.
London, England, 1825-05-24 00:00:00

LITERARY NOTICE.

JNIARIAMNE, an Historical Novel of PALESTINE.
The general opinion of the country has crush-
ed the attempt made some time since, to decry
the prevailing practice of writers selecting some
striking historical incident as a subject for a tale.
We disaprove of those works in which the truth
of history is violated, since it leads to error.—
111 the work before us the historical outline has
been rigidly adhered to, so that the reader may
suppose himself perusing not only a detail of
those actions attributed to the characters, but
all the mental operations, influences, and con-
flicting passions which produce the catastrophe.
In short, an historical novel so constructed is an

illustrated history.
The work before us is entitled to the praise of
originality, since the characters, manners, customs, '
and opinions delineated in it have never before
been handled by any other writer of this class. To
all this we must add, an attempt, and we think,
as adapted to this work, eminently successful,
to employ the STRUCTURE Of lIERRER POETRY,
where, consistently, it could be introduced. Our
limits will not permit us to offer more than one
specimen. It is a dark metaphorical warning
given by Herod's mother to the Essene Mozrah
not to permit love for one far above him to pos-
sess him. It must be remarked by the reader
that *very other line forms a continuation, and the
last cont ains the climax.
" The gadding and fruitful vine
Twineth not round the tree of the desert,

It adorneth the palace of the King,
And is not planted to spring up and wither away.
And being cherish'd produceth its fruit in due season,
The lily of the garden, and the cedar of the forest grow not
together."
The tale is of the beautiful and heroic Princess
the last of the Asmoneau line, who married
Ilerod the Great. The characters of Babarrah,
Dermah, Mezrah, Szc., are added by the author,
as well as the highly-wrought and pathetic
episode of Zillah. We unhesitatingly say, that
a more difficult subject was never chosen by a
writer, and that it is treated with knowledge,
taste, and judgment, and in a style which proves
the author's experience. We cannot descend to
mention typographical and other trifling over-
sights, easily rectified in another edition. The
work is dedicated by permission to Sir Walter
Scott, with an appropriate and polished intro-
ductory Letter.
The subject of this historical novel was
adopted by ELLTAII FENTON, the Poet, whom
POPE has honoured by a laudatory epitaph, and
his tragedy, entitled Mariamne, though not re-
commended by much poetical merit, was render.
ed popular by the acting, particularly that of
BARR yin the Hero. It was afterward revived,
and that of Mr. SMITH, commonly styled GEN..
TLEMAN SMITH, revived its attracrion also by his
merit in the same character. In the work before
us the Author had a more difficult task than the
Dramatist, who gave a mere outline of the story.
The present Author, however, has introduced so
many new characters, and expanded the story to
such a►► extent, still keeping historical truth in
view,and has enlivened it so with dialogue, that we
seem to be present at the various scenes, we sym-
pathize in the feelings of the interlocutors, and
wait with anxiety for the expected result. It
is really a very interesting work, and as such we
recommend it to the notice of the Public in ge-
neral.