The Sun.
London, England, 1821-02-12 00:00:00

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time past exp.erieneed: ft has never. been sl
weak as since tlkey have laboured in its service,
Metaphysics is truly under great obligations to
them.

, • -
Owing to the use they hese made of it, we are
now completely disgusted with, it ;.and we sin,
cerely hope they will render the same service to
the new.literature which they, are endeavouring
to import anlong.us.'
The reasonable advocates of the romantic style.
cannot therefore drive .too quickly from thei,
ranks such imprudent and dangerous auxiliaries;
then they will
,be more readily listened ,
do
,not wish to - exclude them,. we only object. tat
those fantastical and monstrous innovations, which'
are equally..opposed„ to, good sense and to taste.
We blame the romantic style for .being totally;
regardless of our rules'; we are not, however,
blindly wedded to them, and there are instances
in which they may. be broken ; for our-literature
has also its laws of exceptien. : Our literary char-
ter is composed of excellent materials, and when,
its canons are violated, for its 04%11 benefit and
the gratification of the world, it sallies:et the,
rash innovator. Those faults only are unpardon,,
able which possess .no redeeining qualitieS : all
others .are excused for the. beauties which crigh.
nate froth them..
If
_therothantic style demands letters of natu-

ralizationthider these conditions, we will readily
grant theni. But to wish that it should reign
alone, and with undivided authority, and espe...
cially that Shakspeare should become the foun-
der of a new school among use is so,ridiculous:a
claim, that every enlightened friend or the To-
Mantic style is equally interested with uS. in
opposing it. , , ,

-,-But we beg, pardon for this digression into
which we hate been led by the great merits of.
Patinire and Flarninie. As we. had to notice a
delightful production, but by no means rothantic,
We conceived it our duty to attempt to neutralize
those mirliieVotis dispositions which might be
injurious to its success._ This..rothanee, besides,
is vot.very easy of analysis. It does not abound
in incident, but its chief merit consists_" in scenes
" and representations of great originality, which
4C have invariably a moral tendency, and are-ex-
" timely pathetic." This observation occurs
in a short preface by the author, and is confirmed
by the tears of her readers ;, but Madame de
Geniis adds; that." a writer of very moderate
" abilities, possessing the same idea and equal
64 knowledge of manners and the great world,
46 might produce as interesting a work." W e
deny the truth of this observation : it is not
enough to possess a happy idea which shall form
the basis of a work; and to be intimately ac-
quainted with manners and . the great world ; it
is also necessary•to kuow how to interest and
please.. To the talent of- discernment must be
united the power of desCription ; and the latter
does not often fall td the lot of ordinary writers.
The author of Pahnire and • Flaininie possesses
besides many other eminent qualifications, among
which is that exquisite tact of . adapting her: lan-
guagc, manners, &c. to the characters and. ranks
of the different persons in the story,
..a talent
which in the present day is very uncommon, and
not often to-be found in the writings of authors
vrh-o.rank above mediocrity.
Examine manners and the great world as Much
as you may, there yet remains a very important
study to be completed. it is said that a romance,
'we speak of good ones, is the history of the hu.
man heart ; and who knows this history so well
as Madame the Geniis ? or who can paint with so
much truth the usualworkings of the passions P
She developes their most delicate and almost

perceptible Shades ; even love has no secrets for
her, which would make us imagine her heart had
suffered not a little from the influence of that
pa:+nian, if we were not convinced that women
who are the least concerned in it, are better ac-
quainted with that master passion than men. It
is a gift bestowed on them ,by heaven, and which
is productive of infinite advantages to them.
This new romance of Madame de Geniis en-
gages our attention by the interest attached to
the characters : those of Palinfre and F/aminie

present a contrast, the moral design of which is
evident to every reader.—We would_ recommend.

the perusal of these volumes to our readers.
There is nothing improbable about them; cha-
racters in whom we take a lively interest, inas-
much as they resemble xiature ; sentiments suited
to the ranks of those characters ; 'a faithful de-
scription of the manners of the times ; and a
'clear, easy, and agreeable style-, are the charac-
teristics of the romances of Madame de Geniis,
and especially of the one just published.—
" Pshaw ! how natural it is !" exclaim oar ult'a-
romantic opponents ; and by so doing, without
intending it, they confer the highest eulogium on
Pabnire and Flaminie.

COLNET.

. , . LIBRARY.--The
'N K EMBLE'S IJIBRARY.-The sale of Tr.
Krintst.ffs Library, at Evans's, finished. on Tuesday; the
whole (with the exception of the Plays, which had been pre-
Vionkly transferred to the Duke of Devotishire•for an agreed
sum of QOOOl ) sold for about 2-0001. The hooks were in ge-
neral of a common clais there were, however, tlire rate
articles in 'Old English' poetry, and these called forth all the
spirit and enthusiasm of the collectors. " Syr Degore,"
Poetical Romance of excessive rarity, consisthig of tnliteett
leaves, printed by ‘Vynkyn de Worth., 361. Here be-
gynneth Treatyse of the Byrth and Prolibeeye of
Martin;" a Poem, printed by Wynkyn de Worde, VA. 15s. 6d.
" Chancer's Canterbury Tales," a IN:ant6cript.of the Wth or
15th century, 911: 10s. Gil. An extraordinary collection of
Drury-lace and Covent-garden 'Play-bills, front the year 1751
to the present time. The early volumes contain soniecurion.s •
MS. noes by Mr. Kumble, many relating to Gan iek, front
apttblisbed
nd %-rcyr:- fp
nTric(lijaks end' yt pherompt
af'gl tehe:()f
tNhlers."'En
Tur-
ner for 1891. A collection of early printed Spanish Come-
dies, bought by- !Or:licher for n7l. ;s. 61. ShAsPeare's
Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies, first 'edition, inlaid
throughout, not a very superb copV, was bought by Mr Bub-
at.,the ritormou, sum of 11•;:l. 7s.

During the conversation at told party, in
Yorkshire, a gentleman aaid .sorricqiing in praise
of Lady Diana (a most benevolent woman)
when a new Married lady oliserved she was an
old maid, and.of Course'very censorious. " Very
censorious, indeed, madam," replied Coun.;ellor
Banter, " he'r.whOle life and conduct is a libel en
many of her , • •
.-
On Saturday Iast,_OI:IARLF.S PiliLoi'3; ES. qp,
late of the Irish Bar, WaS callect:.t6'the, Cngl'sh
Bar by the Honourable S.ocii;ty
•
Telnple.

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