《best historical novels and tales(乔纳森尼尔德历史小说故事精选).》第5章

partly　out　of　his　erudite　conception　of　a　former　period；　and　partly　out　of　
the emotions and thoughts engendered by that very environment which　
was　his　own；　and　from　which　he　could　not　escape！　
Well；　to　all　such　criticisms　it　seems　to　me　there　are　ample　rejoinders。　
In the first place it must be remembered that History itself possesses　
interest for us more as the unfolding of certain moral and mental　
developments than as the mere enumeration of facts。 Of course； I am　
aware　that　the　ideal　of　the　Historian　is　Truth　utterly　regardless　of　prejudice　
and　inclination；　but；　as　with　all　other　human　ideals；　this　one　is　never　fully　
realised；　and　there　is　ever　that　discrepancy　between　Fact　and　its　Narration　
to　which　I　just　now　alluded。 This　being　so；　I　would　askIs　not　the　writer　
of　Fiction　justified　in　emphasising　those　elements　of　History　which　have　a　
bearing　on　life　and　character　in　general？ There　is；　doubtless；　a　wise　and　
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A　Guide　to　the　Best　Historical　Novels　and　Tales　
an unwise method of procedure。 One novelist； in the very effort to be　
accurate； produces a work whichbeing neither History nor Fictionis　
simply　dull；　while　another；　who　has　gauged　the　true　relation　between　fact　
and imagination； knows　better　than to　bring into　prominence　that which　
should remain only as a background。 After all； there are certain root　
motives and principles which； though they vary indefinitely in their　
application；　underlie　Human　Conduct；　and　are　mon　to　all　ages　alike。　
Given a fairly accurate　knowledge as regards the general history of any　
period； bined with some investigation into its special manners and　
customs； there is no reason why a truly imaginative novelist should not　
produce　a　work　at　once　satisfying　to　romantic　and　historical　instincts。　
Again；　if　it　be true　that　the novelist　cannot　reproduce　the　far　past in　
any　strict　sense；　it　is　also　true　that　neither　can　he　so　reproduce　the　life　and　
events of yesterday。 That power of imaginative memory； which all　
exercise　in　daily　experience；　may　be　held　in　very　different　degrees；　but　its　
enjoyment　is　not　dependent　on　accuracy　of　representationfor；　were　this　
so；　none of us would possess it。 In an analogous manner　the writer of　
Romance　may　be　more　or　less　adequately　equipped　on　the　side　of　History　
pure　and　simple；　but　he　need　not　wait　for　that　which　will　never　ethe　
power　of　reproducing　in　toto　a　past　age。 If；　in　reading　what　purports　to　
be　no　more　than　a　Novel；　the　struggle　between　Christianity　and　Paganism　
（for　example）； or　the unbounded egotism of Napoleon；　be brought more　
vividly　before　our　mindsand　this　may　be　done　by　suggestion　as　well　as　
by　exact　relation；　then；　I　would　maintain；　we　are　to　some　extent　educated　
historically；　using　the　word　in　a　large　though　perfectly　legitimate　sense。　
I recently read a work which here presents itself as admirably　
illustrating my meaning。 In her too little known 〃Adventures of a　
Goldsmith〃　Miss　M。　H。　Bourchier　has　contrived　to　bring　forcibly　before　
us the period when Napoleon； fast approaching the zenith of his power；　
was known in France as the 〃First Consul。〃 The 〃man of destiny〃　
himselfappearing　on　the　scene　for　little　more　than　a　brief　momentcan　
in　no　sense　be　described　as　one　of　the　book"s　characters；　and　yet　the　whole　
plot　is　so　skilfully　contrived　as　to　hinge　on　his　personality。 We　are　made　
to　feel　the　dominating　influence　of　that　powerful　will　upon　the　fears　and　
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A　Guide　to　the　Best　Historical　Novels　and　Tales　
hopes　of　a　time　brimming　over　with　revolutionary　movement。 Whether　
the　Chouan　revolt　is　in　this　particular　story　accurately　depicted　for　us　in　all　
its phases； or whether the motives which impelled certain public　
characters　are　therein　interpreted　arightboth　in　regard　to　these　and　other　
points　there　may　be　room　for　doubt；　but　at　least　the　general　forces　of　the　
period　are　placed　before　us　in　such　a　way　as　to　drive　home　the　conviction　
that；　be　the　historical　inaccuracies　of　detail　what　they　may　in　the　eyes　of　
this　or　that　specialist；　the　picture　as　a　whole　is　one　which；　while　it　rivets　
our　attention　as　lovers　of　romance；　does　no　injury　to　the　strictest　Historic　
sense。　
I know well that numerous novels might be cited which； besides　
abounding in anachronisms； are harmful in that they present us with a　
misleading conception of some personality or period； moreover； I　
acknowledge　that　this　defect　is　by　no　means　confined　to　romances　of　an　
inferior literary order。 That Cromwell has been unreasonably vilified；　
and　Mary　Queen　of　Scots　misconceived　as　a　saintly　martyr　how　often　are　
these charges brought against not a few of our leading exponents of　
Historical　Fiction。 Let　this　be　fully　granted；　it　remains　to　askTo　whom　
were our novelists originally indebted for these misconceptions？ Were　
not the historians of an earlier generation responsible for these wrong　
judgments？ True； the real Science of Historythe sifting of evidence；　
and the discovery and unravelling of ancient documentsmay be　
described