THE INVASION.
FOUR goodly volumes, from the pen of the author of the popular romance.of the Collegians, fallen still-born from the press Alas, it is melancholy to see talents like the author's utterly lost, by an unhappy choice of subject. Not one of the Irish novelists has evinced a more thorough command of the fiery passions than this writer; not one electrified the readers by descriptions of a more spirit-stirring power. The subject of the Invasion is a perfect peat-moss : the author and all hia talents sink in it up to the neck, and the struggle for life is more than commonly long. The Invasion is an invasion of Ireland in the time of Charlemagne, when the land of St. Patrick was a highly civilized and enlightened country, abounding with universities and learned teachers. The invaders are the Sea Kings, from Denmark and Norway. The country invaded is the neighbourhood of Bantry Bay,—the scene of another invasion, at a subsequent but not more enlightened period. Like all other novels solely devoted to the description of ancient manners and customs, the invasion is an utter failure. It is in vain that the author attempts to interest us in the times he describes; for lie is so taken up with his own an- tiquarian lore, that lie nearly forgets that which alone makes an- tiquities worth thinking about—man—character—events. The principal personages are a young Irish sub-king.or chieftain, and a Northumbrian literates, a pupil and protege of the famous Al- cuin of York, who flourished at the court of Charlemagne. Be- sides this, a Northman named Inguar comes in for a share of in- terest—of the bad kind. The best scenes are those which relate to his countrymen the Sea Kings. Some of the descriptions of these fine fellows, as they are tossing about in their leathern co- racles on the roughest waves of the North Seas, remind us of what the author can do when properly employed, instead of thus elabo- rating a crotchet.
Previous page
