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Art. XIX. Adeline St Julian: or, The Midnight Hour. A Novel. By Mrs Anne Ker, Author of the Heiress Di Montalde, &c. 2 vols. Kirby. London. 1800.
Why this performance is termed a novel, we are at a loss to determine: certainly not because it possesses any novelty; neither does the general acceptation of the word warrant its adoption in the present instance. According to the modern school, it falls under the denomination of ROMANCE; for, if improbability and absurdity constitute that species of writing, Adeline St Julian is sufficiently romantic. [202] The story is made up from that sublime production, the Castle Spectre, and from Mr Whaley's tragedy of the Castle of Montval, with several incidents freely borrowed from Cervantes; or, perhaps, at second-hand, from his Shakesperean dramatiser, the author of the Mountaineers. Had we any influence with Mr Astley, the Amphi-theatrical Manager; we would recommend Mrs K to his employment, as a kind of journeywoman manufacturer of ghosts, secret doors, &c. &c. As a fair specimen of the style of this novel, we present our readers with the first paragraph:
Near the town of St Amans, in the province of Languedoc; which, in the year 1632, was situated on the border of a forest, called the forest of St Amans; which forest, since that period, has been greatly diminished; so that at the present time, there remains little more than a cluster of trees; but in the year 1632, was very extensive.
We are not vain enough to suppose that this lady writes with an intention of pleasing the Reviewers, yet we cannot refrain from offering a piece of friendly advice. Let her peruse Dilworth, Dyche, Fenning, or some other of our minor grammarians, with some little attention: it may prevent her from being perfectly unintelligible. [complete]
Provided by Julie A. Shaffer, January 2000
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