The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1867-06-13
the a,uhihach novels. :

10 discover and bring out new
novelist OF genius Is 10 confer real
benefit on mankind 1t is bDoa, as
great IN is way, as the discovery OF Il
new metal or of new motive power
The Appletons deserve the credit Of iu'
Producing the American public to an
entirely new realm Of fiction, wherein
the enehanter's wand is wielde- by a
now hand. We alludc to the brilliant
series Of novels by Miss Muhlbaeh. now
in course Of publication by them house.
The writer is a German woman, living,
we believe, IN Berlin aud her novels
are first published there, and translated
here BY prActised hands. OF hnrsclf
we know nothing; but her intellectual
powers are wildly revealed in the works
under notice. She is person oicrudl.
ton, extensive and quite accurate, pos
scssing an extraordinary imagination "a
siIt Of making dialogue, which iils her
well for high order Of draWas. it she
cared to attempt them, yciu' Of Wit
which is French, aud aftShipor which
iA4'hglish, besides a realistic style OF
descriptions which belongs Of right to
the age OF the photograph. The choice
of her subjects exhibits her sen3us.---
She takes the tine OF Frederick the
Great, aud Joseph the Second, for ex-
ample, and upon the background OF
facts which the chronicles oil those per
iods.ail'ord, she embroiders the bright
aud sombte cplors, the light aud shade,
Of Der fiction, with the skill of Goa
summate artist In all history there
cannot be Gund mdre picturesque scenes
more effective grouping, than Miss
Muhlbach finds in the annals Of ia,
German, French aud Russian courts Of
the last century. The main facts are
SO well known as to ilupart to her stor-
les the true historical air, and before
proceeding far in them. We become sat
isiied that in her description OF persons
places, costumes. manners, aud all that
goes to make up the characteristic life
OF au epoch, she is conscientious and
reliable. She also gains our confidence
in her analysis Of the motives Of great
persouages--a most difficult task one
in which grave histo ians most often
fail. As history, her works are truly
valuable, containing not only all that
could be gathered, worth knowing, from
the heaviest Of authors, but presenting
it in manner which makes lis acIuisi.
ton and retention by the memory a
matter of real pleasure.
But it is as novels that Miss Muhl.
bach's books possess their highest
charm. All this exhibition Of histori-
cal lore is but the means to the ond 49,
Her beet is TO write stories which
shall enthrall her readers, and she does
1t, Not for many years say, not
since the Waycrly uoyels-haye such
entertaining, such thoroughly readable
books appeared, No dull chapters mar
the progress of her narratives. Some
historical novelists haze thought it ne.
cessary 10 administer to the diguity of
History, by mixing up quantities Of dry
statistics with their fictions. Miss
Muhlbach skips chronologics, aud the
like rubbish, and gives US nothing of
history which is not Of itself interesting
Hence her novels are of kindthl QUO
wishes there were more of them We
never tire Of her heroes her Frederick
for instance. lie figures in various at
titudes, in her 'Frcicsick the Great
aud His Friends" Joseph IL aud
His Court" aud "Berliu aud Sans
Souci; " yct when VIC have read them
all, VIC are by no means eloycd with
that particular historical DISH, but ask
for more of it. There cau be no better
evidence Of the genius OF writer than
this OF portraying the same character
IN series OF books with historical con-
sistcncy, and yet with undiminishcd in
terest. la Miss Muhlbacks case we
think the interest increases as We nd.
vance in the life aud fortunes Of her
iAvprite Fritz A part of the charm,
when we pause to analyze it, is her ST. le
perhaps the lreest and most spark
ling that ever ran from womau's hem
IL has an individual quality, hard to
define, like that which we sec in some
pictures but it is unmarried BY man.
ncrisms or grotosqueries of any kind.
t"Joseph the Second and His Court;n
1.-The Merchant of Berlin.h s9Frcderinl rho