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Article REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS: Page 1 of 8 →
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Review Of New Publications:
REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS :
Walsingbam , or the Pupil of Nature , a domestic Story , by Mary Robinson , in 4- 'vols , iivio . Longman . Price 14 .... boards . TO compose a good fictitious history is not the work of an ordinary mind . To display man as he really is requires accurate observation , a comprehensive understanding , and the power and habit of investigating moral causes . Unless we know human nature , ive cannot describe it : if we comprehend it only partially , our descriptions must be imperfect : unless we can trace
effect to cause , and demonstrate consequence , the description will afford little important instru-fion . Every person of lively ingenuity i even with the advantages of education , is no more fit to write a good fictitious history than a good real history—to compose a Gil Bias , or a Tom Jones , than to equal Robertson's Charles V . Not only a knowledge of human nature in general , but of man as modified by the studies , pursuits , manners , and circumstances , in which he is attempted to be represented , is requisite . From the qualifications necessary to form an able novel-writer , the number is very small of those who have succeeded in that kind of composition . Our Smollets , our Barneys j our Fieldings , our Le Sages , are not more numerous than our Gibbons , our
Robertsons , our Fergussons , and our Humes . Although the writer of Walsingha . m certainl y does not deserve to rank in the highest class of novelists , she is entitled to a respectable place in the second . If she does not discover that comprehensive genius which can grasp a variety of parts , and mould them , into one consistent whole , she displays considerable acuteness , and still more vivacity of fancy in observing and painting some of the parts . The fable is perplexed and improbable . The following are the outlines : —
WalsinghamAinsforth , after having been , in his infancy , the chief favourite of his uncle and aunt , Sir Edward and Lady Aubrey , of Glenowen Castle , in Glamorganshire , is , on the birth of an heir to theAubreys , left to negleft . — SirEdward soon after dying , his lady , from certain transactions , becomes under tbe direction of her housekeeper , Mrs . Blagden , who had been abandoned after seduifion by Walsingham ' s father , and revenges the perfidy of the parent on the innocent child . Walsinsrham not knowin g of this instigator of
his aunt , imputes her neglect to the birth of his cousin , and himself as supplanted by the young proprietor of Glenowen . He is indebted for his education to a Mr . Hanbuiy , a young clergyman , of whose sister , Isabella , lie becomes enamoured . Sir Sidney Aubrey , after receiving foreign education , returns to Wales , and is suspected by Walsingbam to have deprived him of the affe & ions 01 Isabella . A duel ensues ; but , by the moderation of Sir Sidney , without bloodshed . WsOsingham , however , being represented to Lady
Aubrey by her confidante , Mrs . Blagden , as having attempted to assassinate Sir Sidney , is obliged to leave Glenowen Castle . Going to Bath , he falls in with demireps of quality that solicit his love , and gamblers of quality tlv . it seek his purse—both to no purpose . A duel is likely to ensue between him and a peer , the head ot" a gang of titled sharpers . Colonel Aubrey , uncle to Sir Sidney , and a warm friend to Walsingham , trying to prevent the duel , quarrels himself with the peer , and wounds him mortally . Aubrey disappears , Walsingham hastens to London to join him , meets with many adventures and < : Xav ? . & . zis— - ( those of rank generally bad ) is summoned home by Lad y VOL . x , o
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Review Of New Publications:
REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS :
Walsingbam , or the Pupil of Nature , a domestic Story , by Mary Robinson , in 4- 'vols , iivio . Longman . Price 14 .... boards . TO compose a good fictitious history is not the work of an ordinary mind . To display man as he really is requires accurate observation , a comprehensive understanding , and the power and habit of investigating moral causes . Unless we know human nature , ive cannot describe it : if we comprehend it only partially , our descriptions must be imperfect : unless we can trace
effect to cause , and demonstrate consequence , the description will afford little important instru-fion . Every person of lively ingenuity i even with the advantages of education , is no more fit to write a good fictitious history than a good real history—to compose a Gil Bias , or a Tom Jones , than to equal Robertson's Charles V . Not only a knowledge of human nature in general , but of man as modified by the studies , pursuits , manners , and circumstances , in which he is attempted to be represented , is requisite . From the qualifications necessary to form an able novel-writer , the number is very small of those who have succeeded in that kind of composition . Our Smollets , our Barneys j our Fieldings , our Le Sages , are not more numerous than our Gibbons , our
Robertsons , our Fergussons , and our Humes . Although the writer of Walsingha . m certainl y does not deserve to rank in the highest class of novelists , she is entitled to a respectable place in the second . If she does not discover that comprehensive genius which can grasp a variety of parts , and mould them , into one consistent whole , she displays considerable acuteness , and still more vivacity of fancy in observing and painting some of the parts . The fable is perplexed and improbable . The following are the outlines : —
WalsinghamAinsforth , after having been , in his infancy , the chief favourite of his uncle and aunt , Sir Edward and Lady Aubrey , of Glenowen Castle , in Glamorganshire , is , on the birth of an heir to theAubreys , left to negleft . — SirEdward soon after dying , his lady , from certain transactions , becomes under tbe direction of her housekeeper , Mrs . Blagden , who had been abandoned after seduifion by Walsingham ' s father , and revenges the perfidy of the parent on the innocent child . Walsinsrham not knowin g of this instigator of
his aunt , imputes her neglect to the birth of his cousin , and himself as supplanted by the young proprietor of Glenowen . He is indebted for his education to a Mr . Hanbuiy , a young clergyman , of whose sister , Isabella , lie becomes enamoured . Sir Sidney Aubrey , after receiving foreign education , returns to Wales , and is suspected by Walsingbam to have deprived him of the affe & ions 01 Isabella . A duel ensues ; but , by the moderation of Sir Sidney , without bloodshed . WsOsingham , however , being represented to Lady
Aubrey by her confidante , Mrs . Blagden , as having attempted to assassinate Sir Sidney , is obliged to leave Glenowen Castle . Going to Bath , he falls in with demireps of quality that solicit his love , and gamblers of quality tlv . it seek his purse—both to no purpose . A duel is likely to ensue between him and a peer , the head ot" a gang of titled sharpers . Colonel Aubrey , uncle to Sir Sidney , and a warm friend to Walsingham , trying to prevent the duel , quarrels himself with the peer , and wounds him mortally . Aubrey disappears , Walsingham hastens to London to join him , meets with many adventures and < : Xav ? . & . zis— - ( those of rank generally bad ) is summoned home by Lad y VOL . x , o