The _incognito_ of
their authorship is removed, but with it none of their genuine fame;
and, like few works of the same class, their popularity bids fair to
outlive hundreds of matter-of-fact works, whose realities might have
been expected to ensure them a more durable character. It would be
idle, at this time of day, to go over the ground upon which the
_Waverley Novels_ will take their stand among our national literature:
they are not merely pictures of fact and fancy blended by a masterly
hand, but beyond this merit, they abound with so much knowledge of the
human heart and the mastery of its passions, as to render them
interesting to every reader beyond _Robinson Crusoe;_ and above all,
the free, conversational style in which this knowledge is imparted, is
one of their greatest attractions. The author does not account for
effects by any tedious appeal to our judgment, but he strikes at once
at our feelings and common sense, and we become, as it were,
identified with the dictates and impulses of his heroes. This merit
belongs to _book-effect_, as _situations_ belong to stage-effect; the
endings of his chapters are like good _exits_--we are sure to be
curious as to the following page or scene.
But we are trifling, like a subordinate who stays behind to say a
silly thing in a farce. Having overrun Scotland, England, France,
Palestine, and Germany, Sir Walter, in the work before us, introduces
us to some of the most stirring times of Swiss story.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25