《best historical novels and tales(乔纳森尼尔德历史小说故事精选).》第1章

A　Guide　to　the　Best　Historical　Novels　and　Tales　
A　Guide　to　the　Best　
Historical　Novels　and　Tales　
Jonathan　Nield　
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A　Guide　to　the　Best　Historical　Novels　and　Tales　
〃These historical novels have taught all men this truth； which looks　
like　a　truism；　and　yet　was　as　good　as　unknown　to　writers　of　history　and　
others；　till　so　taught：　that　the　bygone　ages　of　the　world　were　actually　filled　
by living men； not by protocols； state…papers； controversies； and　
abstractions　of　men。〃　
Carlyle　on　the　Waverley　novels。　
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A　Guide　to　the　Best　Historical　Novels　and　Tales　
Contents　
Introduction　
Pre…Christian　Era　
First　Century　
Second　Century　
Third　Century　
Fourth　Century　
Fifth　Century　
Sixth　Century　
Seventh　Century　
Eighth　Century　
Ninth　Century　
Tenth　Century　
Eleventh　Century　
Twelfth　Century　
Thirteenth　Century　
Fourteenth　Century　
Fifteenth　Century　
Sixteenth　Century　
Seventeenth　Century　
Eighteenth　Century　
Nineteenth　Century　
Supplementary　List　（Semi…Historical）　
Suggested　Courses　of　Reading　（Juvenile）　
Bibliography　
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A　Guide　to　the　Best　Historical　Novels　and　Tales　
INTRODUCTION。　
It is　not proposed； in　these preliminary remarks； to sketch　in detail　
the　origin　and　growth　of　the　Historical　Novel；　this　has　already　been　amply　
done　by　Professor　Saintsbury　and　others。 I　shall　be　content　to　approach　
the subject on its general side； offering； at the same time； some critical　
suggestions which will； I hope； not be without value to readers of　
Romance。　
But；　first　of　all；　I　must　explain　how　the　List　which　follows　came　to　be　
piled； and the object I have in offering it。　For many years I have　
been an assiduous reader of novels and tales in which the historical　
element appeared； supplementing my own reading in this direction by a　
careful　study　of　all　that　I　could　find　in　the　way　of　Criticism　on　such　works　
and their writers。 Only in this way could I venture on a selection　
involving a survey of several thousand volumes！ With the above　
understanding； I can say that no book has been inserted without some　
reason； while I have made all possible effort to obtain accuracy of　
description。 And this leads me to remark； that just in this process of　
selection　do　I　claim　originality　for　my　List。 Nearly　twenty　years　ago　an　
excellent 〃Descriptive Catalogue of Historical Novels and Tales〃 was　
published；　Mr。　H。　Courthope　Bowen　was　the　piler；*　and　I　would　here　
mention my indebtedness to him。 In Mr。 Bowen"s list； however； one　
finds　good　and　bad　alikeall　the　works　of　even　such　moderately　endowed　
writers　as　G。　P。　R。　James；　Ainsworth；　Grant；　etc。；　are　there　set　down。 It　
seemed　to me　that；　not　only was there　room for　a new　list　of Historical　
Novels （Stevenson； Marion Crawford； Conan Doyle； Weyman； Mason；　
and　a　number　of　more　or　less　capable　romancists　having　e　forward　in　
the　last　twenty　years）；　but；　also；　that　more　than　ever　was　there　a　need　for　
some　sort　of　clue　in　the　search　for　such　books。 In　the　last　year　or two　
there　has　been　an　almost　alarming　influx　in　this　department　of　Fiction；　and　
teachers　in　schools；　besides　readers　in　general；　may　be　glad　to　be　saved　a　
somewhat　tedious　investigation。　
* 〃A Descriptive Catalogue of Historical Novels and Tales； for the　
use　of　School　Libraries　and　Teachers　of　History；〃　piled　and　described　
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A　Guide　to　the　Best　Historical　Novels　and　Tales　
by　H。　Courthope　Bowen；　M。　A。　（Edward　Stanford；　1882。）　
Having　thus　attempted　to　justify　the　existence　of　my　little　〃Guide；〃　I　
pass　on　to　deal　with　the　subject　of　Historical　Fiction　itself。 Most　of　us；　I　
suppose；　at　one　time　or　another　have　experienced　a　thrill　of　interest　when　
some　prominent　personage；　whom　we　knew　well　by　repute；　came　before　
us　in　the flesh。 We watched　his　manner； and noted　all those　shades　of　
expression which in another"s countenance we should have passed by　
unheeded。 Well；　it　seems　to　me　that；　parallel　with　this　experience；　is　that　
which　we　gain；　when；　reading　some　first…rank　romance；　we　encounter　in　
its　pages　a　figure　with　which　History　has　made　us　more　or　less　familiar。　
And I would remark that the great masters do not； as a rule； make that　
mistake which less skilful writers fall intothe mistake of introducing　
well…known historical figures too frequently。 The Cromwell of　
〃Woodstock〃　has　an　element　of　mystery　about　him；　even　while　he　stands　
out　before　our　mental　vision　in　bold　relief。 Had　Scott　brought　him　more　
prominently　into　the　plot；　and　thus　emphasized　the　fictional　aspect　of　his　
figure；　our　interest　in　the　story；　as　such；　might　have　been　sustained；　but　we　
should have　lost that atmosphere of　vraisemblance which； under a more　
careful　reserve；　the　hand　of　the　master　has　wrought　for　us。　
But　it　is　not　only　this　introduction　of　personalities　which　constitutes　a　
novel　〃historical〃；　the　mere　allu