Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-09-07
The Wren OF NEw-ENGLANp.
a Romance.
Phsladelphia--carey and Lea, PIP. 2l7.

We have read this Romance, as it is sty led, |
with an attention that has made master of its
general contents, although are not capable of |
quoting without copy, literally, from its pages.
Who the author of the book is, we have not |
been able to learn--our ignorance may be i'm
puted to want of am acquaintance with literary |
men, or to determination on the part of this |
particular writer, to lie perdu for a season, and
watch the effect of his abors upon the public
miui-the event is the same. We are, however,
consoicd for our want OF information, (when was
ignorance ever without consolation) by the re-
Election that we remain unbiased i'm our judg-
mcnts of the worb--Wc have no malice to gra-
tify, nor obligations to repay.
The time of the Romance is well chosen the
close of the Seventeenth Century, when the
public mind was deeply imbued with the super
stitiOn of witchcraft and demonaogy -although
it may be remarked that all the superstition of
that nature, which characteristics the book before
us, might have been found in certain parts of
New England, at the close or commencement of
any century: and we could point the ANONYMOUS
author, TO villages. where such character as
Annie Brown would, even at this day exercise
AN influence equal to that ascribed to her hun
dred ana thirty gears ago. This goes TO the
credit OF the work, as far pro5abitayisa praise.
IN the description of Scenery, the author has not
been so fortunate, as he has given rivers and
mountains, that are not, we believe, to be found
IN the vicinity. of the ocean in New England
Nor is there, in general, upon the trees in that
portion of our country, sufficient moss to pour
down thousand springs, dashng from rock TO
rock.n
We are not informed by the author of the
precise place in New England, which is TO be
considered as the Eden of his story; and our
recoilections of the se1boa,1 Of New England
90 not furnish us with any village or town that
Will answer to the writers description That
however, may not be considered legitimate OBJ
lecuor, as II Is the manners. and not the scene
ry OF New England, that are to be described
we cannot, however, lorhcar mentioning that
much interests adj lei TO a representation ofman-
ners, by ludicious and faithful delineation of
scencry-all The parts of Ncw England that
were most remarkable for witcl.crait. furnish
also, "rock, hill and dale" which would appear
as wen In print as the imaginary mountains and
raVincs of the volume before U.s.
10 his description of scenery, the author has
otonly failed, in respect to nature. but he has
( not oeen trne to art: at the close of the seven
tcenth century, the villages of New ENGLAND
presented very fe,o BRICK cHURcHEs-the au-
thor should have said meeting Howses-For were
tnc VuiaSe burial grounds AT that time scoyered
with numerous tonbs and slabs of grey tnarble,n
Upright head and foot stones of slate were
then, as now, the archives of the pious ,pennento
WoT's OF the time, relieved occasionally by a
roIgh granite, with the initials of the Io,i,-e,
below While on this subject it NAV NOT h..
1Iproper to remark another gross discrepancy.
engaged IhnTafIpr
Samoset, and while Mike is ascendinr Ia The
JAIL window, the ladder by which he mounts,
snps' " comes down with lis burtiien, sssprawl-
ing Al iult length, ana making the papeg,cnt ring
WIN ns laii."-in sixteen hundred and ninety
the o'ttases of New England pe,e not PAVED.
az the funeral of Lackbrain's child, the Rev
Nr. Bradley is said to have skneeled and oraxed
alond."-The Purtans of New Enrlanj ayoi.
dcd the act of kneeiing at prayer, as connected
with prel1tic ceremonies.
.again, on the same pare, f152lit is said the
,fsfi'. approachel with the lii of The coffin. -
In new England the top of the coffin is screwed
OYER as soon the corpse is placed in # An
aperture only is left open over the face and
breast of tlia deceased the cover to which
moves upon hinges. This Is practicable. be-
cause the top Of a coffin is there Fat and NOT
To2fed, as in this place.
ihe tea-tabe at the Parsons is referred TO as
matter of course. We would remark that in
those days the tea-ttbie was not a matter of
course.
ope oil the characters sc shoots n pheasant. ~
There are no pheasants in New England nor
any Thing SO dcnominated.
Frequent use IS made by the Indians of The
word Ptwi'Te.-'ihe word is not in use in New
EiiS'aha-no meadow, however extensive, is
there called prairie.
The allusion to" crackers at a doris tai! MS
aprematnre comparison crackers were not in
common use IN that early period
it Is n gross error to cali the Puritans OF New
England, PresbyIerians, and it is an absolute
injury 10 Their fame orepresent them as Brown
lists.
Numerous inaccuracies of this nature arc TO
he tonai in the work before us, which diminish.
es IN great degree the pleasure of New Eng
lanl reader.
There is much description in this book. and
Tor single volume Of 2l7 pages. we sl,ould
suppose great redundancy; particularly as a
.arse portion oiit appears to be either entirely
i'ncfui, or else written when the author was
upon thc cnciaii'ci mountains of Tennessee tu
"thch he teieres III his introduction The cave
Oh the recluSe appears tp us nc4lIy rratuitous.
Another tldt of the author is his positive rolf,
sal 70 let the sun Sc rise or 81 dowuD ;tl,rut q
Poetch account of the whole procecIngs--
ih5 occurs so often in the little work as 10 p.
aosoiuteiy tedious TO the reader.
In general the language of the author is o,c. !
s"'en' ana rs words well chosen, Vet there
ifc4ncnlly occurs tauolory that wcal<cns the |
eject % his DESCRIPTIONS aud DESTROYS The pleas |
ufc tiiat Womb otherwise be received For in |
s.ance---"th, 5eGH,fW and well kept lawn that |
siopei Tor some distance, covered w;;I the n1,,i
oe""i"S veriure" Such instances of natten- |
''n occur on almost every page.-'Fhere. is y |
gleii5h slnd of transpositnn io be found ir thc !
(Which" that Interferes viii, The beauties of f,a
yo'hmc-'a!1e the following as ~, irsiance-s.L, /
Sfe'"e they pursued their rontcr-,yiIy not tbcy |
pursued tbclr route in Siiencc this vouJ I,ye |
been more Prosaic, anil equally descriptive.
fhere Is sJfncthiur iiierc.rcoaf,I, i,,r.I, -, A.;