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simple ,- true , and through this union of qualities , eloquent . It consists of a statement of Unitarian Christianity , a series of illustrations of its distinctive excellences , and a vindication of it froui a tew popular charges . It is not , therefore , made to furnish extracts . The readers of Vestrt Libraries should see it entire .
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Art . IV . — The Sea Kings in England ; an Historical Romance of the Time of 4 If red . By the Author of " the Fall of Nineveh . " We cannot undertake to review novels—neither our limits nor the objects proposed to be accomplished by such a work as the Monthly Repository allow it ; but this book has attracted our attention from its connexion with Saxon
history . It is the first attempt of the British novelist , we believe , to make \ ise of the materials afforded before the Conquest : and the attempt has some , though very unequal , merit . The first volume altogether displeased us : it seemed a stiff copy of part of Mr . Turner ' s work , but the author rapidly
improves in the second , and in the third he writes with considerable power and spirit . The romance of King Alfred's history is well treated , and the battle scenes are given with much energy . Mr . Atherstoue , however , has surely confounded the provinces of the novelist aud the historian in his introduction of a
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learned discussion on a disputed passage in the life of the great King . It was in his power to insinuate his own views of the question , and , if his love of historical controversy would not be so
satisfied , to have stated his reasons in a lengthy note ; but all discussions of this kind are clearly inadmissible iu the body of the work . We take it for granted that an author has settled these things to his own satisfaction , and all we ask from him is to give us the best result he
can . The work contains abundant proofs also that the task of making Saxons talk aud act iu character is no easy one . The interest we have been hitherto led to feel for them , is too vague a thing for the novelist to lay hold of . We could fancy an interesting volume tnade up of the adventures of some wild sea king , and whoever has read Thierry ' s most captivating and pictorial history of the
Conquest , will remember traits of nationality , of moral courage , aud heroic devotion to a falling cause , which ought to endear the Saxon name to him ; but as to the fire-sides and dinner-parties of Saxon Theyns aud K aldermen in the eighth century , we have such vague hints to work upon , that we must either keep to fact , or wholly give the reius to imagination . We have no rich , racy chronicles , no vulgarly prolix statements of I he dishes or the discourse . We can
only peep into illuminated manuscripts , and , by the scriptural illustrations , the dresses , the furniture , and equipments ^ bestowed upon the personages of the Old and New Testament , iearn what were the fashions of the world 'from which the artist borrowed his ideas .
The industrious Strutt has , indeed , made us familiar with all the particulars that could be gleaned respecting manners and customs , dresses and diversions ; and the somewhat pedantic Mr . Turner has especially dwelt on the progress of what he is for ever calling " the Saxon mind ; " but there is so little life in the pictures given ua by either of these worthies , that we feel they are not the authorities which can inspire one who wishes to write the romance of Saxon
history . It would be in the highest degree ungrateful to quarrel With Mr . Turner , whose work is decidedly the best connected history of the Anglo-Saxons we have ; but yet , we think , the moral aud intellectual part of the subject might , in the hands of a more powerful writer * have been given with tenfold effect . Ta conceive justly and write effectively of the character of Alfred , requires much more than u knowledge of his political
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Critical . Notices , —Miscellaneous . 199
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GENERAL LITERATURE . Art . III . — The Rectory of Vale head . By Rev R . \ V . Evans . Smith and Co ., Cornhill . 1830 . There is some beauty in this book : beauty in the title , beauty in the frontispiece , and amidst its narrative essays much beauty of description aud some of . sentiment . But of the theology ( which
is the chief part ) we think very ill . The Christian home here depicted wants , to our apprehension , many of the elements of the most virtuous aud happy of homes , and we should have many fears for the judgments and tempers of the young people who were brought up in it , notwithstanding the truth and loveliness of the natural influences which are received
into it from the surrounding objects . If the author had read the Bible as he has read Nature , for himself , we should , we imagine , have been indebted to him for a work of much interest and value . We perceive no deficiency , but we regret a perversion of power . These remarks apply to the prose parts alone . Nothing can be said in excuse for the verse .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), March 2, 1831, page 199, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2595/page/55/
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