The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-01-01
E.nn The AZ Y Imerirnn.

A r,orory friend in whose good taste and ludg-
=, ,ye confide has seat us the following notice
mari of a work that is looked for with avldi-
=, aad which Carey l. Lea, ofPhiladelphia, have
nov in the press. -
,orlv is. we understand TO be completed in Sc
w., actayo volumes. We have had an opportu-
,,;,', nj neusing the whole of the first. Except
80, a the end ofthe volume, not sent OUT and
nartof the second, and hoped 10 have been able
,obave friyen an extract which might have SER
veJ as a key to the general spirit of the whole.
n this however, we are disappointed, This
extract would have contained a criticism on
Rurtc's celebrated Reflections written with
temperance and happy medium ofpraisa and
rensure. which strikes us US admirably illnstra-
Az of the good aud common sense which blends
so remarkably with the great genius OF Sir Wal
fer Scott The part of the work which we peru
cod was a summary OF the causes and events q
,be French Resolution, as far as the massacre of
the Swiss Guards. Two or three more chapters
uould have brought us to the kings ath
which the powerful and graphic hand of the au-
thor must have made extremely striking and I'M
posing. We are compelled to say that the feel
ipgs with which we read the first part OF the
work. were those of disappointment. So many
works have been written, and by men SO well at
ouaioted with and able TO portray the causes OF
the French Revolution, thar even the author of
Wayerly can find little of novel or original to
chain our attention. Conscious Of the tedious |
ness of the beaten track he has employed in |
great profuson, aud most often neither naturally |
nor originally metaphors and SMILES which, |
however well they may suit the style of no
vel take from the dignity of historical discussion.
The SMILES drawn from classical stores, are Of
ten of the trcSt kind, and in one place we OBJ
served no fewer than three successive sentences
nthe same page. which contained ms many la
bonred comparisons With regard TO the spirit
Of the work, il is liberal yet decidedly Loyal
The author is willing to give due credit to the
motives ofthe Constitutional and Republican lea
ders of the Revolution but the king, Louis
XVI is allowed no faults but those which cndear
him to1 Us. He is presented with all tho Nir-
tues9yhch Charles !. possessed, while his only
faults seem an unwlllingncss to shed the biood
OF his subjects and too great distrustot his own
judgment. Surely to an un'i1ssad mind, some
Eroaier and worse faults must have been found
IN his character, or Louis never could nave been
50 unpopular, and his person and authority SO
reylcd and desplsod, from the commencement
Of the struggle. There is one point IN which
thce views of the French Revolution will be
mo,t grateful TO Americans. Sir Walter Is emf
neniy just to La Fayette. Indeed, We are &C
4uuH''u WIN hO hstuIl VI 'i'''S 'h''N' ''''
exhibits La fayette in so respectable hight, ~he-
Cher as regards character, influence, or abilities
His motives are represented as pure his iniiu-
encc as great, and, with bnt one exception, pro-
perry and even generously exercised he is &C
knowledged as the leader of his party, and be-
comes without influence BY the dllninution OF
that party and lastly, his treacheronS imprlS-
onncnt by the Prussian monarch is justly and
warmly condemned Some of the characters OF
heReyolution are admirably slletched Danton,
RobeSperre and Aarat, are separately discrim-
inled aud marked out by few striking touch
eS, which convey in brief space excellent outlines
otheir character. But the description of the
more remarkable eyentS-thc stormlng OF the
bastilc the attack on the Palace of Versailles,
%pmhcularly the massacre Of the Swiss Guards,
are described with the same inimitable hand,
winch gives so much interest to the imaginary
MOI at Edinburgh, i'll the Heart of Midlothian,
indeed the interest wonderfully thickens as We
advance towards the fatal period of the birth, OF
Napoleon until Just before the trial of the King.
ole work has all the enchanting interest of ro-
nance. It's publication may, therefore, be cX-
pccted with the certainty ofthe greatest gratifi-
Cation and enjoymentby the reading public.