Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-11-02
LITERARY.
I" The Lone Doce !: A Legend Of Revolutionary
Iymes."-By Lady.

Times. "-By Lady,
character and every page Of oden history has been ancked
furnish novelty for unwrought mines Of interest tickle
the pallsd appetite of the publico write historical novel
worthy of the attention of the better order Of general readers
who choose solace themselves with fiction, f this be
proper for that species of composition which amp6es
and illustrates the trulh) This difficulty is hundredod
increased when the subject selected by the author imposes
wee the necessity Of limitations which is apt to fix the at
tenton the external gaces Of composition in degree
favorable the attainment of true excellence The study of
models has constant tendency to lead US away from nature
in the cultivation of art and, filling the mind with exam
Piles of the grand beautiful, to overpower il with
pecedent make genuine feeling at length give way to
IDEAS It is wonder, therefore, that we 50
often into all the of artificial habits. When the
savage thinks of setting himself off he taoes his body
paints in various patterns he bores holes In bis nose and
lips wherein he sticks pegs, buttons, he can procure
them he files his teeth to point stsins them black ne
bepastes his head with clay grease till it to attain
an unnatural magnitude and, finally he loads his and
legs with metal rings Thus arrayed he fancies that his
looks are more terrible attractive and it would be
easy matter convince him that he has not succeeded in
heghenng the elegance and symmetry bestowed by nature
on the human FORM So is in matters Of literary taste
the love of establishment grows into vice which reaches
the understanding and coups every perception; while
those who strain after the praise Of originality Of rich
fancy, who torture phrases and know difference between
ideas and their verbal signs be brought to perceive
that the best style is that which attracts least attention, and
which, like pure atmosphere transmitting and not intercept
ing the light shows all objects distinctly, while it remains it.
self invisible.
The foregoing remarks suggested themselves after CAREFUL
and may add deliberate perusal Of the very interesting
volume now under consideration which, although not rising
the dignity and importance of historical novel; is yet
most eicitous attempt link historical characters and his
torcal with the creations of imaginative and
somewhat meiaphyscaly attuned mind We have several
for noticing this work lengths it is credabe
as performance and brilliant promise. There
force and daring about some parts Of it which stamp
the production Of ordinary pen. combines vast pro-
fundy Of thought rich prousion Of imagery, lofty Dig
nifty of sentiment, exbiy and tenderness with nervous
energy Of description to be found only in the higher produc
tions of modern genius The extreme depths of human
affections and human sympahes have been sounded, and all
their infinitely operations seem to have been un-
folded to the acute perceptions of the fair author before u.s.
The promise of future excellence which her volume gives
justes in pronouncing that she will but bear in mind
that merit in order to thrive and perfection
have great patience she will yet stand second to Of the
female writers Of her age and country She has powers Of
the highest order and with her deep insight into the varied
Developments
Of all the secret springs of human emotion, with her mastery
the mysterious economy Of that submer portion of
in which the soul only is active, from which all
finest feelings derive their tone and temperament she may
boldly rely upon her We would recommend
to her to study the art of composionnot in rules lee
ure but in the calm yet ervent perusal of the master
spirits Of literature. She need fear becoming
mator-because she becomes admirer-any than
young painter need restrain himself from studying the old
masters lest his pencil should become that of copyist In
this where the mind innate power
where is the spirit rather than the mechanism that exa
ned-whee there exists genuine ambition after excellence
and where the study is regarded subserven to the pro-
gress Of intellect rather than stepping to immediate
effect. There minds to which would give directly
contrary advice but then they minds already 50 mbued
with the knack, not TO say vice, of imaton that if admitted
to hear the aeuahs Of the seraphm they would, instead Of
being hushed and haowed instantly strike up acarcatue
their own Jews -harps.
Having said thus much in candid admiration Of the real
talents displayed n the construction and conduct Of the story
Of which the " Lone Dove is the heroine, and which, by
heby, taken whole and story is sadly broken
into disointed and agmenta. and with here and
there the decided appearance of ncompeteness have
less scrupe in unburdenng ourse of certain objections
which weigh heavily upon spirit and which, 10
keep imprisoned in the chamber Of better judg
ment might be attended with fatal results moral
system.
In the first instance, we feel disposed to quarrel with
Miss (aas had nearly incurred the risk Of suit at
law by dvugng which must not be breahed above
although by deficient in moral beauty and abound
ing il stimulating interest," have compelled her to beat
the bush in the old literary preserves where searching
eyes and hands had gone before her, in the hope Of
tracing originality from the materials which earlier artists
had overlooked laid aside To do this successfully requ
ed the of Shakespeare Scott at least the prac-
ised skill of Cooper and it is dsparagement to the
gifted auhoess Of the Lone Dove say, that although
she has fine conception Of character and true eye for the
picturesque although her heart Is alive to all emotions
whether Of heroism Of pahos Of tenderness Of soow
she has yet acquired that bold elasticity Of step which is
necessary penetrate into the enchanted grounds Of the
American wilderness, and to produce from thence those
vivid startling and thrilling pictures of forest life, which are
"Not the hasty product Of a day."
but the well pened fruit of wise delay, and which have only
been achieved by those who had garnered truth and know
edge in their souls the rods of the Hebrew high priest were
laid in the silent sanctuary, and at the appointed time the
world felt the blessing for they brought forth buds and
boomed blossoms and yielded fruit The consequences oil
her not having been intimately conversant with the aby
rnhic ncaces Of her subject visible in the
stranings after effect and the frequent inoducions OF mys
ierous agencies which sometimes pail upon the patience OF
the reader Her Indian characters especially are too highly
and bear but shsdowy resemblance to their proso
types IN real lie, while there exaggeraon OF sentiment
oout mem which would be absolutely ntoerabe but for the
and beautiful language in which the most objec
aonsoe pecuaries Of the auihoress dressed up This
= particularly the with the character Of the "Lone
love- Wno although strictly child of the desert, has
oeen sunclenty nused in the manners of the wgwam to
more than an ordinary acquaintance with the habits
ana customs OF the primitive Indians in order to render the
OF as one plausible and attractive and not
loo "arnsy Of variance with the laws Of probability The