Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1843-10-14
Vol. A..
: From the Netropolitan.

an Emigrant. Edited by late Colonial
Magistrate.
Since the time of Robinson Crusoe lit
erature has produced nothing like these
"Tales of the Colonies" characterized by
perfect simplicity and intense interest an
union so rare as to be often deemed incom-
patible, yet where found most potently en-
HANGING each others power, the narrative
carries on the reader with restlessness
from which he could not, if he would, es-
cape, and from which he would not if he
could.
Truthfulness and novelty--can there be
things of more attractive power!-are
stamped on the whole conduct of the work:
the truthfulness conducts from pageto page,
the novelty breathes over the whole. We
are here led into new walk of literature.
Van Dieman's land, with its primeva wilds,
its ancient solitudes, its vast prairies its far
spreading forests, its tangled bushwood, its
luxuriant vegetation, and its unpeopled ex-
tent of country, is the scene; while on it
we find the most marked, distinctive,
broadly separated, and effectively contrast
ed classes of population that the world
could produce.
We follow settler from England to the
shore of Australia, accompany him through
all his tolls, his vicssitudes, his labors, his
dangers, his difficulties, while the air of re-
atty so fastens our attention, that it would
be vain to tell US we have been doting on
fiction. Fiction it is not it is truth alone
which SO rivets our interest. We quite be-
ieve that not single incident in this whole
narrative is feigned. Nothing but truth
could so transport US into the midst of
scenes which are altogether out of the pro-
vince of invention. The simple energy of
the style has no equal save in De Foe. The
| freshness is so unstudied, the descriptions
so natural, the details so contiguous, and in
such plenitude, from beginning TO end; ev-
cry little incident is so accurately marked
and SO happily hit off, so simple yet so
truthful that we seem actually to hear and
see with our own visual and aural organs;
and, in the midst of this, shall we call il the
destinations of simplicity, we are met at
every. unexpected turn with new charm.
Little traps of the slyest humor into which
we trip and fall at every third step, and are
in them before we know where we are, and
so are obliged to laugh at ourselves as well
as our author. In truth we might say that
Goldsmith's delicate wit, and De Foes re-
alizing power of detail, uniting in this de-
llightful narrative, bestow each on the other
a new charm. .........
Among the characters there is one of the
happiest creations of originality, the old
man Crabb. So true, so grateful; forever
changing yet always consistent; detesting
everything, yet loving all; abominating the
country, yet never finding resolution
enough to leave it; always taking his pas
sage in the next ship, yet building house
and dwelling in it to his dying day. But
J we cannot, in a few brief lines, do Justice
to this most felicilous of cross-grained ex-
ceptions; it requires the whole work to I'M
ravel his simplicity. And though we have
his company almost in every scene, yet
: have we never enough of companion who
| so highly amuses us. Every stroke in
Crabb's picture tells; and then his phrase,
ology is as characteristic as it is racy and
, amusing.
Our readers will find this work will more
than bear out our commentator. While
e it is novelty in literature, it is also a mas
!, ter. piece in talent. Instance our extract
my presence of mind almost forsook me
: at this crisis. Escape seemed impossible
e and felt that was doomed to the mos
r horrible of deaths-that of being burned
n alive t#a -. ..
"The light of the flames increased, anc
4 the smoke inside the hut became almost in
n sufferable! Feeling that if | remained
/ where | was death was certain, ] deter
e mined to make a desperate effort to escape
> There was a little wind which blew thu
e smoke in the direction of the bacl
v of the hut; the natives, as knew b,
n their cries, were assembled in front.
s. ] determined to attempt my escape by TIN
: back window, hoping that the smoke in tha
q direction would cover my exit at the mo
: ment of pettiny ont IF the window whel