Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-08-08
NoNsENsE.-we find the following extract


I" the American Waverly.' Some other jour
nal calls her 'the American Mrs. Walter Scott
This is high eulogy, but il II after all an
empty recompcnse. The fair novelist ought TO
have some pudding with so much praise"
REMARKs.-We speak for our single selves
when we remark, that we are not a little sur
prised to find that our worthy cotemporary,
Major Noah, should think for q moment, tha,
we intended to place Mrs Royal before the
world as the competitor Of the Scottish Wuver-
ly, Sir Walter Scott, or that we intended TO
rank her among the distinguished writers of
the age. Something like year ago, whilst
the old lady was in Boston, she addressed to
us letter, wherein she stated, that the cits
of the Literary Emporium had given TO her the
appellation of the American Uyarerly;"-
and we doubt not some of them did so out Of
sheer sport and ever since then, when speak
ing of her, we have good naturedly, called her
by an appellation which she seems to be very
anxious 10 wear.
We think the Major is as familiar with Mrs.
Royall as we are; and hence lie cannot be in
sensible of her eccentricitics, her weaknesses
and her merits; and we should have supposed
that he would have read our language as il was
written, and understood it az il was meant.
This is, however. a very small affair, and We
should not have noticed il, had il not been for
an apprehension that the misrepresentation Of
Major Noah would give an impression that We
pla &C inestimable value on the talents Of Mrs.
Royal, and arc disposed to rank hcr among
the ablest of modern novels's. Nothing can
be further from the fact than this; and we are
certain that we have been among the last to
pamper the pride or vanity Of our goodly lte-
rary matron. Since we have found il neces-
sary to speak seriously of Mrs. Royal, it be-
comes us, in justice to her, to say, that from
the moment Of our acquaintance with her, We
have seen nothing in her conduct to which the
most fastidious sticklcr could take any eXcep-
ton. 1t is true, she is exceedingly garulous,
and sometimes impudent; but both OF these
faults should be ascribed to dotage, and to
those weaknesses which always accompany
approaching old age.
Mrs Royal has seen better days. aad a
happ,e fate than that which now attends her:
and from a,lluence, has been reduced to a state
of absolute poverty. large fortune, to which
she was a rightful claimant, was, by the tech
ncality of the law, torn from her; and an in
dvdual who ranks among the distinguished
men OF the National Councils has grown purse
proud ann arrogant withnhe possession of that
wealth, which Of right, belonged to this ntor-
tunatc lady. Thot Mrs. Royal is woman of
indisputahle talcnts;-a woman of brilliant
genius, neither of which have, however, been
properly appreciated, will not be denied; i'll
deed, she is almost destitute Of those refine
ments of education, so essential, and almost
indispensable to novelist. In her productions
there are often found vivid descriptions and
correct imagery; but then they are lost in the
mazes of absurdity with which her books
abound. Taken "a they stand, her literary
performances are highly crodi.abio 10 her, and
would not disgrace those Who have enjoyed an
cstimablc reputation, among the members OF
the blue stocking coterle.
Until reduced TO poverty by the chances Of
ihe law, Mrs Royal thought not, and drcamt
not Of becoming an authoress, and It was with
the hope Of obta i.ing an honest livelihood, and
little of the worlds wealth, to rock the ere
die Of declining life, that che took up her pen,
and at tho advanced age Of sixty, ventured
upon the literary world. Laboring under all
the ombarrassmcn's and disadvantages which
have attended her, il is indeed singular that she
has met with the success that has attended her
in her numerous literary enterprises.
Having been educated in the wids OF the
west, she is but little acquainted with the
world, and hence she often appears ridiculous
ly obtrusve and impudent, when she intends
no offence. If she have taults.-and II Is cd
mit,ed that she has---those who cege in con-
tact with her, and feel the full force of thcm,
should ascribe their osisiogce rather TO the
weakness Of agc. and the errors of education,
than TO the corruption of the heart.
Taken call and in all" she may indeed
bc pronounced an odd compound, strange
specmen of the ecccntricitics Of mortality,
be;np. who, if she he not an instruetress, Is
admirably calculated to amuse tho world, and
60 elici, the shafts Of un,ncrted sarcasm and