《best historical novels and tales(乔纳森尼尔德历史小说故事精选).》第2章

novel　〃historical〃；　the　mere　allusion　to　real　events；　or　the　introduction　of　
dates；　may　give　us　sufficient　ground　for　identifying　the　period　with　which　
a　novel　deals。 Of　course　the　question　as　to　whether　a　particular　person　or　
event is truly historical； is not always an easy one to answer。 By the　
adaptation　in　it　of　some　purely　mythical　character　or　event；　a　novel　is　no　
more constituted 〃historical〃 than is a Fairy…tale by the adaptation of　
folklore。 King　Arthur and Robin Hood are unhistorical； and； if I have　
ventured　to　insert　in　my　list　certain　tales　which　deal　with　the　latter；　it　is　not　
on　that　account；　but　because　other　figures　truly　historical　（e。g。；　Richard　I。）　
appear。　As　there　has　been　some　dispute　on　this　question　of　the　Historical　
Novel proper； I offer the following definition：A Novel is rendered　
Historical by the introduction of dates； personages； or events； to which　
identification can be readily given。 I am quite aware that certain well…　
known novels which give the general atmosphere of a periodsuch； for　
5　
…　Page　6…
A　Guide　to　the　Best　Historical　Novels　and　Tales　
example； as Hawthorne"s 〃Scarlet Letter〃 and Mr。 Hewlett"s 〃Forest　
Lovers〃do　not e within the scope　of　my definition；　but this is just　
why　I　have　added　a　〃Supplementary　List〃　of　semi…historical　tales。 And；　
while　I　am　alluding　to　this　〃Supplementary　List；〃　I　should　like　to　give　my　
reason　for　omitting　from　it　one　remarkable　book　which　has　every　claim　to　
be considered representative of the mid…nineteenth century。 Readers of　
〃John Inglesant〃 may be reminded that in his interesting preface Mr。　
Shorthouse　alludes　to　William Smith"s　philosophical　novel〃Thorndale。〃　
As a picture　of　Thought　developments in　the　early　Victorian period； the　
latter work has special historical interest for the philosophical and　
theological　student；　in　this　respect　it　may　be　likened　to　Pater"s　〃Marius　the　
Epicurean；〃　which　vividly　reproduces　the　Intellectual　ferment　of　an　earlier　
age。 〃Thorndale；〃　however； is primarily didactic； and　the philosophical　
dialogues （interesting as these are to the metaphysician） hardly atone to　
the general reader for an almost entire absence of plot。 The above is；　
doubtless； an altogether extreme instance； but the exclusion of several　
other　works　from　the　category　of　Romance　seems　to　follow　on　something　
like　the　same　grounds。 Becker"s　〃Charicles〃　and　〃Gallus〃　are　little　more　
than school textbooks； while； turning to a less scholarly quarter；　
Ainsworth"s 〃Preston Fight；〃 and even his better…known 〃Guy Fawkes；〃　
may　be　cited　as　illustrating　what　Mr。　Shorthouse　means　when　he　speaks　of　
novels　〃in　which　a　small　amount　of　fiction　has　been　introduced　simply　for　
the purpose of relating History。〃 In all such cases the average novel…　
reader　feels　that　he　has　been　allured　on　false　pretences。 I　am　well　aware　
that　not　a　few　of　the　books　included　in　my　List　might　be　considered　to　fall　
under　the　same　ban；　but　I　think　it　will　be　found　that　in　most　of　them　there　
is　at　least　a　fair　attempt　to　arouse　narrative　interest。　
ing　to　the　List　itself；　it　will　be　noticed　that　I　have　been　somewhat　
sparing in the books given under the 〃Pre…Christian〃 heading。 Novels　
dealing　with　these　very　far…off　times　are　apt　to　be　unsatisfactory；　the　mist　
in which events and personages are enveloped； takes away from that　
appearance　of　reality　which　is　the　great　charm　of　the　historical　novel。 We　
are hardly concerned； in reading 〃Sarchedon〃 and similar books； to get　
away　from　the　purely　imaginary　pictures　which　spring　from　the　Novelist"s　
6　
…　Page　7…
A　Guide　to　the　Best　Historical　Novels　and　Tales　
own brain； and the danger is that the very elements which add to our　
interest　in　the　tale　as　such；　will　go　far　to　mislead　us　in　our　conception　of　
the　period　dealt　with。 There　is　none　of　that　sense　of　familiarity　which　we　
enjoy when reading a sixteenth or seventeenth century romance； in the　
latter　case；　the　historical　background；　being　easily　perceptible；　merges　for　
us　with　the　creations　of　the　author"s　own　imagination。 Where　the　writer　
of　an　〃ancient〃　romance　happens　to　be　a　scholar　like　Ebers；　we　feel　that　
so　far　at　least　as　historical　presentment　goeswe　cannot　be　far　wrong；　but　
the bination of great scholarship and narrative capacity is； alas； too　
rare！　
I　have　likewise　refrained　from　giving　many　tales　dealing　with　Early…　
Christian times。 We are here； it must be admitted； on controversial　
ground；　and　under　the　First　Century　heading　I　have　endeavoured　to　insert　
romances of the highest quality only。 For instance； I think that Dr。　
Abbott"s 〃Philochristus〃 and Wallace"s 〃Ben Hur〃 ought to satisfy two　
different　types　of　readers。 And　this　is　the　place；　doubtless；　to　say　that　in　
my　lists　will　be　found　books　of　widely　differing　merit　and　aim。 School　
teachers； and others in like capacity； will easily discriminate between　
authors　suitable　for　juvenile　or　untrained　tastes；　and　authors　whose　appeal　
is specially to those of maturer thought and experience。 Differing