Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-09-16
aAissellameous Department.
From the National Chronicle.
THE CRUSADERS.

|
difference OF opinion, of the most fat dull and n-
animate OF all the productions OF the writer; and
while displays least ingenuity in the plot is envened
by the cwest flowers of fertile fancy. 1t TO be sure
the strong and bold hand that filling up the can
and the picture far goes has strength of
reei-a reality that stamps every image the mind
but then, by comparison nth others of the same mas
ter IT dull plCture-the colours are dark and the
shadows heavy.-Add to this that the whole aten.
dau circumstances of the story, gloomy as it is in
itself melancholy. The death of Berin~er is in its man.
ner highly Improbable; and the conduct of the heiress
Eretlne, Is, throughout, equally unreasonable The
sameues Of the gloomy sceuc in the Marches tires ON
the mind,-and even admits to be tortured by the
oiuedevils, while porting over the page of a Novel;
his OF all offences, Is henous in maker of Ronances
like MIR. Udceriy. The question we have often heard
asked, who is the Hero of the Bet,0tked1 The writer
evidently Intended Ereae Bernge for his heroine but
ne lacy IS more so-and DdhaiGn resembles all his
o'her heroes WHO almost without acting being seen
decides the destiny of all the actors in the plot
Wayerly. whatever his iioators may alere 70 tho
contrary, possesses but little inycnon-aud no uncom-
mon power of imagination lie is by nature dry and
didactlc and better calculated for historian than
writer OF Romance: and in fact Inc more OF an Hisfo.
ran IN all his Novels than he poet; tor real roman
ceS are but prose poecak stores He has just thrown
upon history sufficient tint Of romance to make
So"ecdt inferestin9 little tnan it is i'll its
dead DETAILS and this he accompanies by The Dlu
ht'c form, into which he throws IL than by any mower
o " averly cannot create from his own
mind; but furnish him the terals and r the actors are
cdy uue 10 MS aHu, ne can bring them the Stage,
! ms is his .foTrtc-and beyond this he has no genius
In 1.-The Betrohedn he resorts to stale and worn ont
incidents The disguise OF the villain RaadaIi is not
so ablc;-but that of De Idcy out of charac-
Ter, ana exposes worn out stage trick After all h,
pants OF Egelins, and he retouches her too often we
nave no distinct idea of her character or PROJECTIONS
one Is strange compound OF violent passion, cxecra-
oie temper bind ogotry, and ridiculous superstiiion-
what Is worse than ALL she seems subject to tie Giae
deUks, ''hcaven the marl!n-De Lacy himself is
defoTme'i piece pe1ect chivalry; and like all the cha
racers OF this novel inconsistent and ,u,naturuL-duH
ana "nhcFeShnS As to Eceiine, her unteeling hvpo-
crisy IL detesubc. She loves Danan vet allows her
sell TO be pressed rs the pride of he Lacy-nav when
ne 9UeS TO give her up, she him back at the very
time she could have clasped Daman with RAPTURE to
her heart And this violence done to nature reason
ana PROBABILITY u.s. we maintain, the characteristic of
this novel-which we will venture TO allepe has been
spoiled by the torns of the author, in his attempt to
make it ercelenE 1t is piebald pachw orls;-grea
we admit, by comparison with every day sCribblers-
out not great-on the contrary-iule as a JTaceTiy
novel
The little poetry that nterspersed throughout The
bet'othed" is even below medlocry;-and if Walter
scott has still CObweb thread of claim TO the pthor
en- il.
Always an enthusiastic adnircr of Wavery, we utter
hese opinions with regret; but candour conpels us to
express them without constrain--We have TO favor
10 conciate from any quarterno prejudice TO CRAFTY
Tor our prepossessicns in his fyor-We shall give
our opinion OF the ''TtiSDlann in the same Manner
>flyperon TO Satyr.n
IH@ IALIsMAN-What glazing contrast 10 the
rSt taie!--We have trace Of the same pen-no in
efnal evidence that the author produced it!-hc
extremes OF good and bad rather excellent and worth
less were never before clearly exhibited seems
as the writer had in view but one obecto see ho,g
lar contrast could be carried.
We consider the 7uiisman as Che most suner;or nor
iornance that Waverly has given to the World Ii
charms moie-lt tascmates and letters you in delight
ai ABOVE all his others:--and thus in effect transcend
fIIIf 4 IcnI.n.
ence The story is better-the plot is more perfect
more OF Wholeit has unty;-e incidents are
more RAPID, and OF course more interchangeable nara
i've more free natural, and easy the characters befe,
Wefched, we were about say, but that would have
6een false eXpression-we should say better drawn
and panted for there sketches in the Tasnan
All are perfect glowing and beautiful pctures.-In fine
thIs book is legitimate child of polio and Minerva
ouf Inc 6efFothed is natural offspring of the dney at
PENDANTS on the inferior Gods.
Here again Waverly has been favourcd with history
10 hep him On his way-but he has fortunately been
lesS encountered with antiquity aud to this do we att: j.
oute the more agreeable and romantic cast of this tale
we have no tlresone descriptions i'm the Talisman.
all IS brisk, lively, and pungcnt; quick animated and
FIVacous.--EdIth is worth i million of EveHnes-'The
10" he2tcd Itcha'd will not bear to be compared
with DE Lacy.-The characters tb rouglout the two
works are all equally distant from each other Its
wonderful that one man should be so unequal.
iueFe Is NOT sufficient reverence of ''Holy Church. -
Ia these tales, TO up TO Walter SCOTS character
Palhtng.-Ihc journey of the Scotch Knight and Eic-
~" into he mountains, affords grand touches of the
PencH-the scene OF the chapel tooRichard's sick bed
Is extremely we-the sCufle at the rnoun-the night
Scene-tbe detection of the banner thief by the bound
are all sPlendid--bcauful paintings; not to omit sir
hGhneS intrusion on the royal fernales.-t is in fine
delicious treat; and all who have ever read Novel
should Pernse this to what novel should be-and
nose VINO are resolved never TO read one should break
their resolution this case TO be convinced how foolish
u IS TO bar out innocent delight which while pcases
me fancy strengthens the understanding by charging
IT'S views and augmentng IFS ideas. The Talisman is
itself an Immortality
ll"SDdGa mn tcJe-Among who have read Black |
' an" more VINO have not, the and ungaant
OPINION prevails that husband may chastisc his wife pro-
ueh the weapon be not thicker than little finger For
e oeheh OF the ladies' the information Of the gentlemen
ana inc honour Of land should be known that this
IS hot inc law OF South Carolina. There was decision
OF our constitutional (upreme) Court about thirteen wears
since pronounced by the LATE Judge WiIds in the dgned
sweetness of his noble spirit in which he proclaimed the
law OF South Carolina the subject Il, the following