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The function of the historical novel as explained in authors' prefaces

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Content THE
FUNCTION OF THE HISTORICAL NOVEL AS EXPLAINED
IN AUTHORS1 PREFACES
0 *
'
— - — U
A T h e s is
P re s e n te d to th e D epartm ent o f C om parative L i t e r a t u r e
U n iv e r s ity o f S o u th ern C a lif o r n i a
In p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t
o f th e
R e q u ire m e n ts f o r th e
D egree of M a ste r o f A rts
By
E s th e r M a rg a re t Wollam
May 23, 1932
UMI Number: EP43836
All rights reserved
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This thesis, written under the direction of the
candidate’s Faculty Committee and approved by
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Research in partial fulfillment of the require
ments for the degree of
I
I* 1
Master...of...Arts..
ecretary
Dean
D a te J a n e— 4 , -1-932-
Faculty C om m ittee
Professor Struble
Chairman
Professor Cooke
Professor Early
GONTENTS
CHAPTER Page
INTRODUCTION
I . DEFINITIONS....................................................................... 5
E a rly r o m a n c e s . ..................................... 6
N ovel of co n tem p o rary m a n n e r s ................ 12
H i s t o r i c a l n o v e l .................................................... 15
I I . THE HISTORICAL NOVELISTS DEPEND THEIR GENRE . 17
Union of h i s t o r y and f i c t i o n .................. 21
S c h o la rs h ip f o r th e a v e ra g e r e a d e r ............ 24
I I I . LITERARY CRITICISM OP THE HISTORICAL NOVEL . . 36
The p ro b lem o f h i s t o r i c a l a c c u ra c y . . . . . 38
The q u e s tio n of p r i o r i t y ............................ 60
Old d i c t i o n and a n c ie n t m a n n e r s .................... 68
IV. CONCLUSION .................................................................................. 94
BIBLIOGRAPHY.............................................................................102
1
INTRODUCTION
I t h a s “ been n o tic e d from tim e t o tim e t h a t th e r e
i s c o n s id e r a b le m a te r ia l o f I n t e r e s t and v a lu e to be
fo u n d In p r e f a c e s to l i t e r a r y w o rk s. P a r t i c u l a r l y i s
t h i s tr u e o f p ro s e f i c t i o n . H ere i t i s t h a t th e w r i t e r
may s te p in to h i s own c h a r a c te r and t a l k to h i s r e a d e r s ,
f o r r a r e l y d o e s a n o v e l i s t p o s s e s s t h a t in g e n io u s and
d e l i g h t f u l q u a l i t y w hich e n a b le s him to i n t e r r u p t th S
s to r y h e i s t e l l i n g , draw up h i s c h a i r to th e f i r e s i d e
c i r c l e and co n v e rse w ith h i s "D ear R ead er” a s d o e s F i e ld
in g . Nor do we have many T h ack eray s to come up o n to
th e s ta g e and J o s t l e th e p u p p e ts a b o u t. F or th e m ost
P a r t , a u th o r s m ust h id e b e h in d t h e i r own c r e a t i o n s , b e
in g c o n te n t to s te p b e f o r e th e c u r t a i n s o n ly f o r an
o c c a s io n a l b r i e f I n tr o d u c tio n .
The p r e f a c e , th e n , g iv e s th e w r i t e r an o p p o r tu n ity
f o r a l i t t l e In fo rm a l c h a t w ith th o s e whom he i s e n t e r
t a i n i n g : a s o r t o f p r e lim in a r y t e a w here th e sp e a k e r
o f th e d ay may m eet h i s a u d ie n c e b e f o r e th e r e g u la r
a d d re s s b e g in s . In th e in tr o d u c t io n he may e x p la in th e
n a tu r e o f th e book, g iv e th e c irc u m s ta n c e s under w hich
i t w as w r i t t e n , o r p e rh a p s make an ap o lo g y f o r i t s
e x is te n c e a t a l l . T h is i s v e ry d e l i g h t f u l , and f r e
2
q u e n tly p ro v e s t o "be more o r l e s s e n lig h te n in g , b u t
I t i s c e r t a i n l y n o t in d is p e n s a b le . As D ick e n s ex
p l a i n s , m ost p r e f a c e s a re in te n d e d to s a t i s f y th e
a u th o r r a t h e r th a n to i n s t r u c t th e r e a d e r :
An a u th o r who h a s much to com m unicate u n d er
t h i s h ea d , and e x p e c ts to have i t a tte n d e d t o , may
b e com pared to a man who ta k e s h i s f r i e n d by th e
b u tto n a t a t h e a t r e d o o r, and se e k s to e n t e r t a i n him
w ith a p e r s o n a l g o s s ip b e fo re he g o es in to th e p la y .
N e v e rth e le s s , a s p r e f a c e s , th o u g h seldom r e a d ,
a re c o n tin u a lly w r i t t e n , no d o u b t f o r th e b ehoof of
t h a t so r i c h l y and so d i s i n t e r e s t e d l y endowed p e rs o n
ag e , P o s t e r i t y (who w i l l come in to an immense f o r t u n e ) ,
I add my le g a c y to th e g e n e ra l rem em brance.^
T here i s a ty p e o f in tr o d u c t io n , how ever, t h a t
e n la r g e s o n e ’ s l i t e r a r y p o in t o f view , g iv in g a u th o r s ’
t h e o r i e s , e x p la n a tio n s o f d is p u te d q u e s tio n s and s c a t
te r e d b i t s of l i t e r a r y c r i t i c i s m . Such m a te r ia l i s
f r e q u e n tly p re fa c e d t o th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l, f o r , i f
one e x c lu d e th e dram a, no o th e r g e n re of p ro s e f i c t i o n
i s so much in d is p u te . I t i s a l t e r n a t e l y condemned a s
u n h i s t o r i c a l and I n a r t i s t i c , and p r a is e d a s h ig h ly u se
f u l and e n t e r t a i n i n g .
Should th e h i s t o r i c a l elem e n t o r th e s to r y p r e
dom in ate? Ought th e le a d in g c h a r a c te r s to b e p e rs o n s
of h i s t o r i c a l s ig n if ic a n c e ? May th e a c tio n of th e
n o v e l ta k e p la c e d u rin g th e l i f e - t i m e o f th e a u th o r?
M ust h i s t o r i c a l a c c u ra c y b e m a in ta in e d a t a l l c o s ts ,
1 D ick en s, P ick w ick P a p e rs . P r e f a c e , p .v .
3
o r m ig h t th e d ra m a tic q u a l i t y o f th e s to r y j u s t i f y an
o c c a s io n a l ju g g lin g o f f a c t s ? t h a t ab o u t to o much
s c h o la r ly d e t a i l , and sh o u ld th e r e b e n o te s t o sub
s t a n t i a t e d e s c r i p t i o n o r in c id e n t s w ith th e n o v e l?
I s i t n e c e s s a ry alw ay s to r e f l e c t th e age and c o u n try
o f th e n o v e l In th e c o n v e rs a tio n ? A ll th e s e q u e s tio n s
and many more come in f o r t h e i r sh a re o f d is c u s s io n
and c o n tro v e rs y . Not in f r e q u e n tly a re th e v a ry in g op
in io n s o f th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s t s fo u n d in th e p r e
f a c e s to t h e i r w orks.
A ll th e s e o p in io n s a r e a v a i l a b l e , o f c o u rs e , b u t
so s c a tte r e d t h a t th e y seem to th e av e ra g e r e a d e r , b u t
i s o l a t e d comments. When th e r e i s so much c o n tro v e rs y
r e g a r d in g th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l, a stu d y o f th e com par
a t i v e v iew s o f a u th o rs a s e x p la in e d in th e in tr o d u c
t i o n s seems a t l e a s t to be J u s t i f i e d . M oreover, th e r e
i s no e a s i l y a v a ila b le work on th e l i t e r a r y c r i t i c i s m
of th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l:
Of th e c r i t i c i s m of th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l, th e r e
i s a s y e t no h i s t o r y ; n o r i s th e r e any, of th e c r i t
ic is m o f p ro s e f i c t i o n . In th e s e r e s p e c ts ., a s in
n e a r ly a l l o th e r s , s c h o la r s h ip in p ro s e f i c t i o n l a g s
f a r b e h in d s c h o la r s h ip in o th e r g r e a t f i e l d s of l i t
e r a t u r e . 1
W e a r e n o t s u g g e s tin g in any way t h a t t h i s b r i e f work
1 E rn e s t Bernbaum, w0n th e H i s t o r i c a l N o v el1 1 , Modern
L anguage A s s o c ia tio n o f A m erica. V ol. 4 1 , p. 4 2 4 .
4
a p p ro a c h e s such h e ig h ts o f s c h o la r s h ip . W e o n ly say
t h a t th e la c k o f such a w ork on l i t e r a r y c r i ti c s m
makes t h i s stu d y to u s more i n t e r e s t i n g and p r o f i t a b l e .
No a tte m p t h a s b een made to go i n t o th e w r i tin g s
o f th e c r i t i c s , a lth o u g h th e y h av e b ee n c o n s u lte d from
tim e to tim e . The r e s e a r c h done h a s b een g u id ed by
th e d e s i r e t o know th e v iew s o f th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l
i s t s th e m s e lv e s . The p r e f a c e s o f th e a u th o rs have
b een o f param ount im p o rta n c e , b u t t r a n s l a t o r s ’ i n t r o
d u c tio n s and e d i t o r s ’ n o te s have n o t b e e n o v e rlo o k e d .
These l a t t e r a r e of i n t e r e s t p a r t i c u l a r l y when one
c o n s id e r s t h a t th e e d i t o r s and t r a n s l a t o r s a r e o f te n
n o v e l i s t s th e m s e lv e s . Any s t a r t l i n g o m is sio n s o f
h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s t s o f n o te may be e x p la in e d by
th e f a c t t h a t a few of th e b e s t w r i t e r s have n o t
in c lu d e d su ch m a te r ia l in t h e i r I n tr o d u c tio n s o r
have w r i t t e n none a t a l l . Many o f th e n o v e l i s t s
have e x p la in e d t h e i r t h e o r i e s a t le n g th , o th e r s have
g iv e n o c c a s io n a l h i n t s ; and i t i s o u r p u rp o se t o con
s id e r th e s e c r i t i c a l b i t s w h ich have f a l l e n from th e
p en s o f w r i t e r s i n t o th e p r e f a c e s o f th e n o v e ls .
5
I
DEFINITIONS
The h i s t o r i c a l n o v el from i t s v e ry name, d e
c l a r e s i t s e l f t o b e a co m b in atio n o f f a c t and f i c t i o n .
I t m ust s a t i s f y th e dem ands o f th e n o v e l i s t a s a re c o r d
o f human em o tio n and s tr u g g le ; i t m ust com ply w ith
th e h i s t o r i a n ’ s id e a o f v e r a c i t y . T here m ust b e an
a c c u r a te c o n c e p tio n o f th e s p i r i t o f h i s t o r y and th e r e
m ust be th e p ro p e r im p o rta n ce g iv e n to in d iv id u a l en
d e a v o r. S n a il w onder t h a t t h i s g e n re h a s b ee n c a lle d
th e m ost d i f f i c u l t o f a l l p ro s e f i c t i o n .
The n o v e l h a s b een v a r io u s ly d e fin e d a s a s l i c e
o f l i f e , a p i c t u r e o f r e a l l i f e and m an n ers, and o f
th e tim e s in w hich i t i s w r i t t e n ^ , a p r o s e - f i c t i o n
d e a lin g r e a l i s t i c a l l y w ith a c t u a l l i f e 2 , ’’th e s to r y
of an e x p e rie n c e in human l i f e u n d er s t r e s s o f emo-
tlo n ^ , o r th e b le n d in g o f th e charm s o f th e im ag in a
t i o n w ith th e f o r c e of r e a l i t y .
An h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l, one w ould n a t u r a l l y su p p o se,
m ig h t b e d e f in e d a s a r e c o r d of human s tr u g g le and
em o tio n , more o r l e s s r e a l i s t i c a l l y p o r tr a y e d , in some
s o r t o f an h i s t o r i c a l s e t t i n g . B ut i t i s n o t so
1 C la ra R eeve, The P r o g r e s s o f Romance (1 7 8 5 ).
2 C ro s s , The D evelopm ent of th e E n g lis h N o v el.
I n tr o d u c tio n .
3 S to d d ard , E v o lu tio n o f th e E n g lis h N o v el, p . 90.
6
sim p le a s t h a t , f o r th e r e i s c o n s id e r a b le d i f f e r
en ce of o p in io n c o n c e rn in g a d e f i n i t i o n . S h a ll
one in c lu d e o n ly th o s e n o v e ls d e a lin g w ith an age
p re c e d in g th e l i f e - t i m e o f th e a u th o r , and h a v in g
th e h i s t o r i c a l elem e n t co m p arab le t o th e f i c t i o n a l
p a r t? S h a ll one in c lu d e th e n o v e ls whose c la im to
b e in g h i s t o r i c a l r e s t s o n ly upon a l l u s i o n s t o a c tu a l
h a p p e n in g s o r to r e a l p e rso n s? Then th e r e i s th e
problem of th e co n tem p o rary n o v e l of m anners w hich
i n tim e assum es som ething of th e a s p e e t o f th e gen
e r a l l y a c c e p te d ty p e o f h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l. F i n a l l y ,
we f a c e th e q u e s tio n o f th e e a r l y rom ance.
One i s so accustom ed t o c o n s id e r R ich ard so n a s
th e f i r s t n o v e l i s t , and S c o tt a s th e f i r s t h i s t o r
i c a l n o v e l i s t t h a t i t i s e a s y t o f o r g e t t h a t th e r e
m ig h t be som ething w o rth c o n s id e r a tio n from an
e a r l i e r d a t e . Sheppard t e l l s o f a Roman s o ld i e r
i n 53 B.C. who was re p ro v e d f o r ta k in g from h i s
k n ap sack and r e a d in g a s c a n d a lo u s f i c t i o n a b o u t
h i s t o r y . 1 The same com m entator a g a in m e n tio n s
The Book o f th e C o n fe ssio n of A se n a th . composed
som etim e b e fo re th e C h r is t ia n e r a , a s an exam ple
of an e a r l y h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l. I n th e t h i r d cen
tu r y i t w as p u t i n t o C reek , and in th e t h i r t e e n t h
^The A rt and P r a c t i c e of H i s t o r i c a l F ic ti o n ,
p . 31-
7
c e n tu ry i t was t r a n s l a t e d i n to L a ti n “ by B ishop G ra ss-
t e t e of L in c o ln . *The h e ro was J o s e p h , th e son o f
J a c o b , and th e h e ro in e P h o tip h a r's d a u g h te r, A sen ath ,
whom Jo s e p h m a rrie d a f t e r many s tra n g e and e n t e r
t a i n i n g v i c i s s i t u d e s in th e c o u rs e o f tr u e l o v e .* 1
The E a s te rn t a l e s , th e e a r l y N o v e lla of th e I t a l i a n s ,
and th e t h i r t e e n t h c e n tu r y G e sta Romanorum a l l c o n ta in
germ s o f th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l.
Even in th e e a r l y a tte m p ts a t rom ance w r i t i n g
t h e r e w as some en d eav o r f o r a c c u ra c y . Lodge sa y s
o f h i s H is to ry o f R o b e rt, Second Duke o f Normandy,
surnam ed R obin th e D lv e ll (1 5 9 1 ), t h a t i t w as *drawne
o u t o f th e o ld and a n c ie n t a n t iq u a r ie s * ; and t h a t he
c la im s to * sta n d n o t so much on th e te rm e s a s th e
t r u e t h . *2 La C a lp re n e d e , one o f th e b e s t o f th e
s e v e n te e n th c e n tu ry w r i t e r s of rom ance sa y s of h i s
t r i l o g y O assan d re (1 6 4 2 ), C le o p a tre (1 6 4 8 ), and th e
u n f in is h e d Faram ond (1 6 6 1 ), t h a t h e i s a c c u r a te in
a l l r e s p e c t s , t h e r e b e in g n o th in g opposed t o t r u t h ,
a lth o u g h th e fa n c y may e n t e r from tim e t o tim e . M rs.
M anley sa y s o f h e r w orks: *T hese n o v e ls have T ru th
f o r t h e i r F o u n d a tio n ; s e v e r a l o f th e F a c ts a r e t o be
I p r o th e r o , *Growth o f th e H i s t o r i c a l N ovel*,
Q u a r te r ly R eview . V ol. 206, p . 25.
2 S heppard, A rt and P r a c t ic e o f H i s t o r i c a l
F ic ti o n , p . 31.
8
found in A n cie n t H is to r y ; to w h ich , ad d in g d i v e r s new
I n c id e n ts , I have a tte m p te d , in Modern E n g lis h , to draw
them o u t o f O b s c u rity , w ith th e same D esign a s Mr.
Dryden had in h i s T a le s from B occace and O haucer.
T here w ere many a tte m p ts a t h i s t o r i c a l f i c t i o n b e
f o r e th e tim e of S c o tt. M adem oiselle de S c u d lry r e a l l y
u s e s th e g r e a t Conde a s h e r h e ro f o r th e immense Grand
Q yrus. 2 S ophia Lee h a s a s th e h e ro in e o f The R ece ss
(1783) a f i c t i t i o u s d a u g h te r o f M ary, Queen o f S c o ts
and th e Duke o f N o rfo lk . Thomas N ash*s U n fo rtu n a te
T r a v e lle r (1594) i s l a i d in th e tim e o f H enry V III
w ith h i s t o r i c a l c h a r a c te r s in tr o d u c e d . Jo h n B a r c la y 's
A rg e n is (1621) i s an h i s t o r i c a l rom ance w ith th e
s e t t i n g in th e im m ediate p a s t , in tr o d u c in g , u n d er
c l a s s i c a l nam es, such c h a r a c t e r s a s P h i l i p I I of
S p ain , H enry I I I and H enry IV o f F ra n c e , Queen E liz a
b e th , G a th e rin e d e ' M edici and G a lv in . L ik e th e
A s tre e (1610) o f H onors d 'U r f e , I t en jo y e d c o n s id e r a b le
p o p u la r it y a t th e tim e . T here i s more o r l e s s h i s t -
I P r o th e r o , "G row th of th e H i s t o r i c a l N o v el",
Q u a rte rly Review . V ol. 2 0 6 ,p . 54.
2 Sheppard g iv e s th e le n g t h a s b e in g o n e - th ir d th e
le n g th o f th e e n t i r e W averly n o v e ls . The Grand G yrus
b e lo n g s t o a group o f ro m an ces p a tte r n e d a f t e r th e
® rench, w h ich w ere p u b lis h e d from 1625 t o 1675* They
in c lu d e th o s e o f G o m b e rv ille , L a C a lp ren d d e, M ad elein e
d e S eud& ri, and Madame de l a F a y e tte .
9
o r i e a l 'background I n th e E liz a b e th a n rom ance by
Thomas D eloney, Thomas o f B e ad in g , o r th e S ix
W orthy Yoemen o f th e W est (1 5 9 6 ), d e a lin g w ith
th e age o f H enry V III and in c lu d in g a num ber o f
h i s t o r i c a l c h a r a c te r s . D eloney h a s b e e n r e d i s
co v e re d by M. Abel C h e v a lly , th e F re n c h c r i t i c , a s
th e f i r s t n o v e l i s t to g iv e r e a l i t y to th e p a s t .
The t i t l e s m en tio n ed a r e o n ly a v e ry few o f
th e t a l e s b e f o r e th e tim e o f S c o tt w h ich a tte m p te d
th e h i s t o r i c a l s e t t i n g . H is to r ic ro m a n tic ism had
no f e e b le l i f e b e fo re W averly. S a in ts b u ry sa y s
t h a t 1 1 S c o tt c r e a te d th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l a f t e r
some th o u sa n d y e a r s o f u n s u c c e s s fu l attem p t.* ^ -
T h is k in d of n o v e l had b een w an d erin g a b o u t f o r
more th a n tw o th o u sa n d y e a r s , h a v in g a p o in t added
h e r e , a n o th e r a tte m p t a t a c c u ra c y from a n o th e r , b u t
e v e r w a itin g f o r someone to p ic k i t u p , make i t s
h i s t o r y a c c u r a te and i t s c h a r a c te r s c o n v in c in g .
F i n a l l y , i t fo u n d a cham pion in S ir W a lte r S c o tt
who made o f th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l so m eth in g so d i f f e r
e n t from any p r e v io u s work t h a t i t seems alm o st a
new g e n re .
The h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l m ust b e more th a n a rom ance
1 S h ep p ard , A rt and P r a c tic e o f H i s t o r i c a l F i c t i o n .
P*3 0 .
10
w h ich in tr o d u c e s h i s t o r i c nam es. T h at i s one o f
th e d i f f i c u l t i e s o f th e s e e a r l y f i c t i o n s . T h ere a r e
many e a r ly s t o r i e s of A lex a n d er o r C le o p a tra , h u t
th e y have l i t t l e h i s t o r i c t r u t h . The in a c c u r a c ie s
do n o t seem to he d e l i b e r a t e , f o r many w r i t e r s ex
p r e s s an h o n e s t b e l i e f t h a t h i s t o r i c a l m a t e r i a l s
h av e b een c o n s u lte d . W hether th e a u t h o r i t i e s w ere
in a d e q u a te , o r th e r e s e a r c h i n s u f f i c i e n t , we c a n n o t
say ; b u t i t i s c e r t a i n t h a t th e r e a r e few ex am p les
o f a c c u ra c y i n th e s e e a r l y w orks.
Among th e w r i t e r s who a tte m p te d to fo llo w
a c tu a l c h r o n ic le s a r e Ja n e P o r te r i n h e r S c o t t i s h
C h ie fs (1809) and S t r u t t i n h i s Queen-hoo H a l l (li8 0 8 ).
Y et t h e i r n o v e ls a r e o f no im p o rta n ce e x c e p t a s
b e in g s te p s in th e e v o lv in g Of th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l.
S c o tt, th e n , i s n o t th e f i r s t h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s t ,
b u t he i s c a lle d th e f a t h e r of t h a t g e n re b e c a u se
he i s th e f i r s t to com bine re a s o n a b ly a c c u r a te h i s t
o ry w ith a good s to r y .
Mere a l l u s i o n to h i s t o r i c names and h a p p e n in g s
i s n o t enough. P a u l L e s t e r F o rd in h i s a r t i c l e on
*The A m erican H i s t o r i c a l N ovel*1 s t r e s s e s th e f a c t
t h a t th e n o v el m ust convey th e r e a l f e e l i n g s and th e
tr u e s p i r i t o f th e ag e; t h a t u n le s s th e atm o sp h ere
^ A tla n tic M onthly. December 1897.
11
be c o n v in c in g , and th e c h a r a c te r s t y p i c a l , no amount
o f m a te r ia l c o n c e rn in g b a t t l e s , k in g s and a c tu a l e v e n ts
can make i t t r u l y h i s t o r i c a l . T h is u n d e rs ta n d in g o f
th e s p i r i t of an age i s one th in g w h ich p la c e s th e
h i s t o r i c a l n o v el above th e u n em o tio n a l c h r o n ic lin g of
f a c t s . W A n o v el i s h i s t o r i c a l o r u n h l s t o r i e a l b ec au se
i t em bodies o r d o e s n o t embody th e r e a l f e e l i n g s and
te n d e n c ie s o f th e age o r g e n e r a tio n i t a tte m p ts to
d e p i c t , and i n no sen se b ec au se th e e v e n ts i t r e c o r d s
have happened o r th e p e o p le i t d e s c r ib e s have l i v e d .
T hat i s , th e e v e n ts and c h a r a c te r s m ust be t y p i c a l ,
n o t e x c e p tio n a l, t o g iv e i t th e atm o sp h ere w hich, to
a n o th e r g e n e r a tio n , s h a l l make i t seem more th a n a
mere c r e a te d fa n c y ; and j u s t b e c a u se i t i s so much more
d i f f i c u l t to draw a ty p e th a n a f r e a k , and b e c a u se th e
e x c e p tio n a p p e a ls to th e l i t e r a r y mind so much more
th a n th e r u l e , we have i n e v e ry d ecad e a g r e a t m ass of
rom ance n o m in a lly d e s c r ib in g th e l i f e o f th e p e r io d ,
w hich, i f re a d a few y e a r s l a t e r , i s so u n tru e to th e
s e n s e s a s r e a l l y to seem c a r i c a t u r e r a t h e r th a n tr u e
d raw in g .
Mr. Ford g o e s so f a r a s to say t h a t th e n o v e l of
m anners ev en w ith o u t h i s t o r i c a l in c id e n t s o r r e a l
p e o p le may y e t convey a b e t t e r p i c t u r e o f th e tim e th a n
any rom ance, how ever e la b o r a te . *An atm o sp h ere can be
•^ A tlan tic M onthly, v o l. 80, p . 724.
12
a s h i s t o r i c a l a s an o c c u rre n c e , and a c r e a te d c h a r a c te r
can tr a n s m it a t r u e r sen se o f a g e n e r a tio n th a n th e
m ost la b o re d b io g ra p h y o f some a c t u a l p e rs o n . * ■ * ■
B ran d er M atthew s i s a ls o o f t h i s o p in io n , f o r he
b e l i e v e s t h a t th e r e a l l y " tr u s tw o r th y h i s t o r i c a l n o v e ls
a r e th o s e w hich w ere a - w r i tin g w h ile th e h i s t o r y was
a-m ak in g . I f The T ale o f Two P i t i e s m is re p re s e n te d
th e P a r i s o f 1789» The P ick w ick P a p e rs r e p r e s e n t s w ith
am azing humor and w ith p h o to g ra p h ic f i d e l i t y c e r t a i n
a s p e c ts of th e London o f 1837. The one g iv e s u s w hat
D ick en s g u e sse d ab o u t P ra n ce i n th e p re c e e d in g c e n tu r y
and th e o th e r t e l l s u s w hat he saw in E ngland i n h i s
own tim e .* 2
T re v e ly a n w ould a ls o in c lu d e th e n o v el o f contem
p o ra ry m anners w hich becom es h i s t o r i c a l in tim e . He,
w ith B ran d e r M atthew s, c o n s id e r s i t an e rro n e o u s id e a
t h a t th e a c tio n m ust have ta k e n p la c e i n a p a s t ag e.
E very c e n tu ry m akes th e n o v el l e s s tr u e t o a c t u a l i t y .
The need f o r p e r s p e c tiv e t o calm o n e 's e n th u sia sm o r
t o ch eck o n e 's e m o tio n a lism he b a la n c e s a g a in s t th e
id e a t h a t p a r t i s a n f e e l i n g I s n o t th e m a tte r o f a gen
e r a t i o n b u t of in d iv id u a ls . The n o v el of any age may
be w r i t t e n w ith p a r t i a l i t y , and th e n o v el of contem por
a ry e v e n ts m ig h t be h an d led f a i r l y .
1 I b i d .
2
M atthew s, H i s t o r i c a l N o v el, p . 18.
13
W . D. H ow ells s u g g e s ts such n o v e ls a s The V ic a r
o f W a k e fie ld , P am ela, E v a lln a , M arla E d g ew o rth 1s
B e lin d a , J a n e A u s te n 's P rid e and P r e ju d ic e a s b e in g h i s
p r e f e r e n c e s in h i s t o r i c a l rom ance. H is l i s t a ls o in -
- e lu d e s " a l l of Anthony T r o l lo p e 's n o v e ls and m ost o f
G eorge E l i o t 's ; my c a t h o l i c a f f e c t i o n f o r h i s t o r i c a l
f i c t i o n em b races even F i e l d i n g 's Tom J o n e s and De F o e 's
R oxana. These and n o v e ls l i k e them a r e w hat K ip lin g
h a s somewhere d e c la r e d th e o n ly h i s t o r i c a l n o v e ls , b e
c a u s e , b e in g t r u e t o th e m anners o f t h e i r own tim e s ,
th e y a lo n e p r e s e n t a p ic tu r e o f th e p a s t , w o rth y to be
c a lle d h i s t o r i c a l . * 1
On th e o th e r hand th e r e a re th o s e who i n s i s t t h a t
th e n o v el m ust ta k e p la c e some tim e p r e v io u s to th e age
co n tem p o rary w ith th e w r i tin g o f th e w ork; Jo h n Buchan
w r i t e s o f th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v el a s one w hich aim s a t
p r e s e n tin g th e l i f e and r e c a p tu r in g th e atm o sp h ere o f
an age o th e r th a n t h a t o f th e w r i t e r . A rnold B e n n e tt
a ls o i n s i s t s t h a t th e tim e of th e n o v e l m ust be an age
in w hich th e w r i t e r d id n o t l i v e .
Sheppard p r e s e n t s th e d i f f i c u l t i e s o f su ch a lim
i t a t i o n : "The She-W olves of M achecoul, f o r in s ta n c e ,
by A lex an d re Dumas, d e a ls w ith h a l f a c e n tu r y o r so of
F ren ch h i s t o r y , b etw een th e y e a rs 1795 and 1843. Dumas
lw The New A m erican Romances*. N o rth A m erican Re
v iew , v o l. 171, p . 945.
14
was b o rn i n 1803, so t h a t he w as l i v i n g d u rin g f o r t y
y e a rs o f t h i s p e r io d , b u t b o rn e i g h t y e a rs a f t e r th e
d a te a t w hich h i s s to r y o p en s. T o ls to y 's S e v a s to p o l
by th e s e d e f i n i t i o n s i s n o t an h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l; h i s
War and P eace j u s t su c cee d s i s b e in g so, a s he w as b o rn
e i g h t y e a r s a f t e r th e d a te a t w hich th e s to r y c lo s e s .
In th e c a s e o f c o l la b o r a ti o n , such a s t h a t o f B e sa n t
and R ic e , E m ile Erckmann and A lex a n d re C h a tr ia n , P au l
and V ic to r M a rg u e rite , o r ( f o r th e m a tte r o f t h a t )
Dumas h im s e lf and M aquet, La C ro ix , o r any o th e r of
h i s many w d e v l l s w, i t m ig h t be q u ite im p o s sib le owing
to th e d i f f e r e n c e s in a g e s to say w hich p a r t s w ere
h i s t o r i c a l f i c t i o n and w h ich w ere n o t. A rnold B e n n e tt,
b o ra i n 1867, c o u ld o b v io u s ly n o t w r ite an h i s t o r i c a l
n o v el ab o u t th e Franco-G erm an War, th o u g h Jo h n B uchan,
b o rn in 1875, c o u ld do so. A y o u n g er w r i t e r , l i k e
L io n F eu eh tw an g er, co u ld s e l e c t a p e rio d fo rb id d e n b o th
to A rnold and to Jo h n Buchan.
T h is c a r e f u l e x a m in a tio n o f th e th e o ry seem s some
w hat a b s u rd , and a t l e a s t t r i v i a l , f o r i t i s d i f f i c u l t
to s e t t l e on e x a c t b o u n d a rie s in any s o r t . o f f i c t i o n a l
w r i tin g . Sheppard d o e s , how ever, d is p l a y th e d i f f i
c u l t y o f d e f i n i t i o n s .
L e s l i e S tep h en , a tte m p tin g a s e ttle m e n t of th e
■^Sheppard, A rt and P r a c t i c e o f H i s t o r i c a l F i c t i o n ,
p . 1 7 .
15
r e l a t i o n b etw een th e tim e o f th e n o v e l and th e age of
th e w r i t e r , d e c id e s t h a t th e r e sh o u ld b e a la p s e o f
a t l e a s t s ix t y y e a r s . He ta k e s S c o tt a s h i s exam ple,
g iv in g th e s u b - t i t l e o f W averly. *T la S ix ty Y ears
H ence. Of c o u rs e th e r e i s a f a l l a c y h e r e when one
c o n s id e r s t h a t S c o tt f i r s t w ro te th e second t i t l e a s
* T ls F i f t y Y ears H ence, m aking th e s l i g h t change to
s u i t th e d a te o f l a t e r p u b lic a tio n .
J o n a th a n N le ld d e f in e s th e g e n re In t h i s m anner:
"A n o v e l i s re n d e re d h i s t o r i c a l b y th e in tr o d u c tio n of
d a t e s , p e rs o n a g e s , o r e v e n ts , to w h ich i d e n t i f i c a t i o n
can r e a d i l y b e g i v e n . B e n n e t t d is a p p ro v e s of N i e l d 's
d e f i n i t i o n b e c a u se Of i t s in c lu s io n o f such n o v e ls a s
R o d e ric k Random; f o r he b e l i e v e s i t e s s e n t i a l t h a t an
a u th o r w r ite a b o u t an age in w hich he d id n o t l i v e .
P r ie d e f ic h S p ie lh a g e n , th e German n o v e l i s t i n h i s
T echnlk d e s Romans sa y s t h a t th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v el
p i c t u r e s a tim e w h ich th e l i v i n g g e n e r a tio n d o e s n o t
lo n g e r remember w ith f u l l f o r c e . T h is seem s to be th e
b e s t s ta te m e n t o f th e q u e s tio n we have y e t fo u n d . I f
we m ig h t add t o i t t h a t th e r e m ust be th e I n tr o d u c tio n
o f nam es, p e rs o n s o r d a t e s , to w hich i d e n t i f i c a t i o n may
r e a d i l y be g iv e n , we w ould a d o p t t h i s a s a w orking
b a s i s . I t th e n becom es p o s s ib le t o in c lu d e such n o v e ls
a s Feuehtw anger* s S u cce ss w hich d e a ls w ith th e Germany
^ N le ld , A G uide t o th e B e st H i s t o r i c a l N o v els and
T a le s . P r e f a c e , p . x v i i i .
16
Im m ed iately f o llo w in g th e w ar, b u t w hich w as w r i t t e n
a t some d is ta n c e fro m th e a c tu a l tim e o f th e e v e n ts ,
so t h a t th e b i t t e r n e s s o f th e w ar p e rio d w as no
lo n g e r f e l t so k e e n ly .
T here h a s b ee n no a tte m p t to draw a w e ll-
d e fin e d l i n e b etw een th e n o v e l whose e v e n ts have
a lre a d y become h i s t o r y , a s h av e th o s e o f th e many
w ar n o v e ls r e c e n t l y p la c e d upon th e m a rk e t, and th e
n o v e l o f co n tem p o rary m anners. As a m a tte r o f f a c t
Fanny Burney* s d e l i g h t f u l n o v e l o f manners now m ig h t
be c a lle d s e m i - h i s t o r i c a l . The n o v e l i s t s o f contem por
a ry f i c t i o n have been in c lu d e d , p a r t i c u l a r l y i f th e y
a r e co n cern ed w ith th e p ro b lem s o f th e h i s t o r i c a l
n o v e l. T h is i s n o t o f te n t r u e , how ever, for t h e
w r i t e r who ch o o a es th e p ro b lem s of co n tem p o rary l i f e
a s h i s s u b je c t d o e s n o t c o n s id e r h im s e lf an h i s t o r i c a l
n o v e l i s t . '
The a v e ra g e f i c t i o n o f m anners i s n o t h i s t o r i c a l ;
f o r i t m ust b e rem em bered t h a t th e r e m ust b e e v e n ts
o r p e r s o n s of h i s t o r i c a l a c c u ra c y . T here m ust a l s o
be th e p ro p e r s p i r i t and atm o sp h e re . Above a l l th e
r e a d e r m ust h a v e , n o t o n ly a m en tal p i c t u r e of a
N ap o leo n , a f t e r f i n i s h i n g th e s to r y , b u t he m ust
h av e a f e e l i n g f o r th e age w h ich w i l l enhance h i s
sym pathy and u n d e rs ta n d in g f o r i t .
17
I I
THE HISTORICAL NOVELISTS DEPEND THEIR GENRE
I t h a s become th e f a s h io n among c e r t a i n w e ll-
m eaning b u t m isin fo rm ed i n d iv i d u a ls t o lo o k down upon
S c o tt a s a w r i t e r o f c h i l d r e n 's s t o r i e s , whom no one
o f i n t e l l i g e n c e now r e a d s . I t h a s b ee n su g g e ste d
t h a t he b e r e le g a te d t o th e d u s t o f a t t i c s . Nor i s
S c o tt s u f f e r in g e n t i r e l y a lo n e , f o r th e h i s t o r i c a l
n o v e l a s a w hole h a s f a l l e n i n t o d is r e p u t e among
some c r i t i c s .
L e s l i e S tep h en s u rv e y s th e d i f f i c u l t i e s o f
th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l and s a d ly an n o u n ces t h a t i t
m ust b e g iv e n up e n t i r e l y :
I t i s h a rd to say i t , end y e t we f e a r i t m ust be
a d m itte d , t h a t many o f th o s e h i s t 0 2 ?l e a l n o v e ls ,
w h ich once charm ed a l l men, and f o r w hich we have
s t i l l a l i n g e r i n g a f f e c t i o n , a r e r a p i d l y c o n v e rtin g
th e m se lv e s in to mere d e b r i s of p l a s t e r o f P a r i s .
S ir P . P a lg ra v e sa y s somewhere t h a t 'h i s t o r i c a l
n o v e ls a r e m o rta l enem ies to h is t o r y * ; and we a r e
o f te n tem p ted to add t h a t th e y a r e m o rta l en em ies
t o f i c t i o n . T here may be an e x c e p tio n o r tw o, b u t
a s a r u l e th e ta s k i s sim ply im p r a c tic a b le . The
n o v e l i s t i s bound to come so n e a r t o th e f a c t s
t h a t we f e e l th e u n r e a l i t y o f h i s p o r t r a i t s . E ith e r
th e n o v e l becom es p u re cram , a d i c t i o n a r y o f a n t i
q u i t i e s d is s o lv e d in a t h i n s o lu t io n o f rom ance, o r ,
w h ich i s g e n e r a lly more r e f r e s h i n g , i t ta k e s le a v e
of a c c u ra c y a l to g e t h e r and siiftply ta k e s th e p l o t
and th e costum e from h i s t o r y , b u t a llo w s u s t o f e e l
t h a t g en u in e m oderns a r e m a sq u e rld in g in th e d r e s s
o f a bygone c e n tu r y . Even in th e l a s t c a s e , i t
g e n e r a lly r e s u l t s in a k in d o f d an ce i n f e t t e r s and
a co m p a ra tiv e breakdow n u n d e r s e lf-im p o s e d o b lig a -
18
t i o n s . Ivanhoe and K e n ilw o rth and Q u en tin Durward
and th e r e s t a r e o f c o u rs e a u d a c io u s an a ch ro n ism s
f o r th e g en u in e h i s t o r i a n .1 !
(
B ran d es i n s i n u a te s t h a t th e o n ly in c e n tiv e
f o r w r i t i n g h i s t o r i c a l n o v e ls i s a n o s t a l g i a f o r
th e p a s t . I n h i s f o u r t h volum e of M ain C u r r e n ts ,
w h ich ap p eared in 1875# h e d e c la r e d h i s t o r i c a l
f i c t i o n to be an i l l e g i t i m a t e ty p e o f n o v el and one
q u ite worn o u t. He th e n w ro te o f S c o tt a s an
a u th o r "whom no grow n-up p e rs o n e v e r r e a d s " , w ords
w h ich w ere q u o te d by S a in ts b u ry a s th e r a s h e s t gen
e r a l i z a t i o n he had e v e r r e a d , e x c e p t T o l s t o i ’ s
" a l l p r o s t i t u t e s and madmen s m o k e . "2
W ith th e p u b li c a t i o n o f K a ro lln e rn a by th e
h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s t , V ern er von H eid en stam ; and
th e r i s e to fam e of A n a to le P ra n c e , th e h i s t o r i c a l
n o v e l r e c e iv e d more a t t e n t i o n from B ran d es.
Em il Ludwig w r i t e s t h a t th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l
i s alw ay s th e u n h i s t o r i c a l . E rs k ln e sa y s t h a t
a n y th in g d a te d i s d e a d , t h a t a g r e a t poem o r a
g r e a t n o v e l sh o u ld be e n t i r e l y a r e f l e c t i o n of
o u r s e lv e s . W alker in h i s a r t i c l e on "The H is t
o r i c a l N ovel" to u c h e s upon th e f a c t t h a t p o e try
^ L d s lie S tep h e n , H ours in a L ib r a r y , p . 2 1 1 .
2E rn e s t Bem baum , "v ie w s o f G re a t C r i t i c s on th e
H i s t o r i c a l N o v el", P u b lic a tio n s o f th e Modern L anguage
A s s o c ia tio n o f A m erica. V ol. 4 1 . p . 428.
19
h a s lo n g u sed h i s t o r i c a l m a te r ia l w ith o u t c r i t i c i s m
f o r in a c c u r a c ie s ; b u t p o e tr y i s e s s e n t i a l l y i d e a l
i s t i c w h ile n o v e ls a re re g a rd e d a s n a r r a t i v e s of
f a c t
Bembaum i n h i s a r t i c l e , *Views o f G re a t C r i t i c s
on th e H i s t o r i c a l H o v e l* 2 , g iv e s an e x p la n a tio n o f
why th e g e n re h a s f a l l e n i n t o d i s r e p u t e among th e
c r i t i c s . H eg el, th e man whom h e b e l i e v e s couLd
have b e s t t r e a t e d th e s u b je c t w ro te n o th in g on th e
h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l; C o le rid g e , who lo v e d S c o tt and
e n jo y e d h i s n o v e ls s a id l i t t l e . H a z l l t t ascen d ed
t o th e clo u d s and w ro te a p p r e c i a t i v e l y rath©!? t h a n - .c r i t
i c a l l y . S ain te -B eu v e a c c e p te d i t a s a g e n re , r a t h e r
th a n ’ w ishing i t o f f a s an u n f o r tu n a te c o m b in a tio n ;
y e t h e av o id ed s t a t i n g i t s e x p l i c i t p r i n c i p l e s .
R eg ard in g L e s l i e S te p h e n , G eorg B ran d es and
B r u n e tle r e who h a v e ig n o re d i t o r re g a rd e d i t a s
an I n t e r e s t i n g e x p e rim e n t to d e l i g h t th e c h i ld r e n .
Bernbaum b e l ie v e s t h a t t h e i r p h ilo s o p h y shows th e
i l l o g i c a l n a tu r e o f t h e i r c r i t i c i s m .
W ith no c r i t i e s to d efen d i t a d e q u a te ly , and
many t o c a l l a t t e n t i o n t o th e I m p o s s ib i lity o f i t s
c r e a t i o n , o r t o deny i t s r i g h t t o b e c a l l e d a
^ •M acm illan ’ s M ag azin e, V ol. 57, p . 4 1 .
^P u b lic a tio n s o f th e M odem Language A s s o c ia tio n
o f M m erlca, V ol. 4 l .
20
work o f a r t , th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l h a s y e t f l o u r i s h e d .
Bernbaum f u r t h e r d e fe n d s th e h i s t o r i c a l b y c a l l i n g
th e r o l l o f i t s g r e a t e s t m a s te rs . He sp e a k s of
S c o tt and M anzoni, Hugo and Dumas; T h a e k eray , K in g sle y
and R eade; T o l s t o i , G o ste r and S ie n k ie w ie s . These
a r e th e w r i t e r s o f th e g r e a t e s t h i s t o r i c a l n o v e ls ,
b u t one may add o th e r nam es - nam es o f w r i t e r s whose
work ra n k s s c a r c e ly lo w er th a n t h a t o f th e g r e a t e s t :
Gogol and J o k a i , C onrad, F e rd in a n d M eyer and J e n s
P e d e r J a c o b s e n , H aw thorne and P a t e r , B lackm ore and
S tev e n so n , M erim ee, F la u b e r t, and A n a to le F ra n c e .
One may a ls o add th e nam es o f w r i t e r s l i k e D ick en s
and G eorge E l i o t , who w ere a t t h e i r b e s t i n o th e r
fo rm s of f i c t i o n . How c a n one lo o k a t t h i s group
o f i l l u s t r i o u s nam es and y e t i n s i s t t h a t th e r e i s no
h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l, o r t h a t a t b e s t i t c l i n g s to i t s
f e e b l e l i f e w ith no re a s o n f o r i t s i n a r t i s t i c e x i s
te n c e ? T h is g e n re b o a s ts many m a s te r p ie c e s , -
" c e r t a i n l y th e o n ly g r e a t g e n re in w hich th e n in e
te e n th eB n tu ry so e x c e lle d i t s p r e d e c e s s o r s a s to
e a s t t h e i r e x p e rim e n ts of a s im ila r k in d i n t o o b liv io n .
The p u b lic lo v e s i t ; g r e a t a u th o r s d e v o te th e m s e lv e s
t o i t . " !
Any th e o ry w h ich s u g g e s ts t h a t such n o v e ls a s
War and P e a c e , H enry Esmond, and M a riu s th e E p ic u re a n
3-I b i d . p . 424.
21
have no r i g h t to e x is te n c e seems s c a r c e ly w o rth con
s i d e r a t io n .
T re v e ly a n J u s t i f i e s th e u n io n o f h i s t o r y and
f i c t i o n , f o r th e r e a l m o tiv e w hich d raw s men and women
to stu d y h i s t o r y i s p o e t ic . I t i s th e d e s i r e to he
f a m i l i a r w ith th e p a s t , to know i t s h e ro e s a s l i v i n g
p e rs o n a g e s , once a s r e a l and a l i v e a s o u r s e lv e s . W e
m u s t.ta k e c a re l e s t we c o n s id e r them a s phantom s m eant
o n ly f o r shadowy p i c t u r e s . The h i s t o r i c a l n o v el h a s
th e o p p o r tu n ity o f m aking them more a l i v e and r e a l th a n
h i s t o r y can do.
" S c o tt* s h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l s ,* * s a id C a r ly le 1 ,
" ta u g h t a l l men t h i s t r u t h , w hich lo o k s l i k e a tr u is m ,
and y e t w as a s good a s unknown to w r i t e r s o f h i s t o r y
and o th e r s , t i l l so ta u g h t: t h a t th e bygone a g e s of
th e w o rld , w ere a c t u a l l y f i l l e d b y l i v i n g men, n o t by
p r o to c o ls , s t a t e - p a p e r s , c o n tr o v e r s ie s and a b s t r a c t i o n s
o f men. Not a b s t r a c t i o n s w ere th e y , n o t d ia g ra m s and
th e o re m s; b u t men, in b u f f o r o th e r c o a ts and b re e c h e s ,
w ith c o lo r in t h e i r c h e e k s , w ith p a s s io n s in t h e i r
stom ach, and th e Id io m s, f e a t u r e s and v i t a l i t i e s o f
v e ry m en."
C a rly le c o n tin u e s t h a t i t i s a g r e a t t r u t h w hich
S c o tt h a s made known, t h a t h i s t o r y may be made o f v i t a l
i n t e r e s t . Even L e s l i e S tep h en a d m its t h a t S co tt* s
^ C a r ly le , E ssa y , S ir W a lte r S c o tt .
22
v l v l f i c a t i o n of h i s t o r y w as a g r e a t c o n t r ib u t io n .
M aynadler w r i t e s i n h i s e s s a y on "iv a n h o e and I t s L i t
e r a r y C on seq u en ces": " w ith th e e x c e p tio n of G ibbon,
who h a s c a s t h i s m ighty s p e l l on a l l who s in c e h i s day
h ave w r i t t e n h i s t o r y in th e E n g lis h to n g u e , i t i s
d o u b tf u l i f any one.man h a s so in f lu e n c e d E n g lis h h i s
t o r i c a l w r i tin g a s S ir W a lte r S co tt."'* '
S ir G eorge M ackenzie w ro te a p r e f a c e to h i s
A re tln a (1661) w hich he c a l l e d an A p o lo g le f o r Rom ances.
Romance, he sa y s i s more v a lu a b le th a n h i s t o r y "b e
ca u se one te a c h e th u s o n e ly w hat i s d o n e, th e o th e r
w hat sh o u ld be d o n e . " 2
S c o tt b e l i e v e s t h a t a c o m b in a tio n o f b o th h i s t o r y
and rom ance i s n e c e s s a ry f o r an u n d e rs ta n d in g o f th e
p a s t: "Prom th e rom ances, we l e a r n w hat th e y w ere;
from th e h i s t o r y , w hat th e y d id ; and w ere we to be
d e p riv e d o f one of th o s e two k in d s o f in fo rra a tip n , i t
m ig h t w e ll be made a q u e s tio n , w h ich i s m ost u s e f u l o r
i n t e r e s t i n g . "3 B u lw e r-L y tto n e c h o e s S c o t t ’ s b e l i e f
t h a t th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l h a s a p la c e , f o r l i s t s o f
■ ^M aynadier,"ivanhoe and I t s C o n seq u en c es," E ssa y s
in Memory of B a r r e t t W en d ell.
2"Review o f M e tr ic a l Rom ances", E d in b u rg h R eview ,
J a n u a ry , 1806.
3 B ro th e ro , "G row th o f th e H i s t o r i c a l N o v e l,"
Q u a r te r ly Review , v o l. 206, p . 52.
23
f a c t s a re n o t s u f f i c i e n t to r e c r e a t e h i s t o r y . W e
have n o t a t a l l an u n d e rs ta n d in g of an ag e i f we neg
l e c t i t s rom ance.
At a n o th e r tim e he w r i t e s : ^ U n q u e stio n a b ly ,
F i c t i o n , when a s p i r i n g to som ething h ig h e r th a n mere
rom ance, d o es n o t p e r v e r t, b u t e l u c id a te F a c ts . . .
To F ic ti o n i s p e r m itte d t h a t l i b e r a l u se o f A n a lo g ic a l
H y p o th e sis w hich i s d e n ie d to H is to r y , and w h ich , i f
so b ered by r e s e a r c h , and e n lig h te n e d by t h a t know ledge
of m ankind (w ith o u t w hich F ic t i o n can n e i t h e r harm
n o r p r o f i t , f o r i t becom es u n r e a d a b le ) , te n d s to c l e a r
up much t h a t w ere o th e rw is e o b s c u re , and t o s o lv e th e
d i s p u t e s and d i f f i c u l t i e s o f c o n tr a d ic to r y e v id e n c e by
th e p h ilo so p h y o f th e human h e a r t . ”1
Canby w r i t e s o f th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l: ” S l r W a lte r
S c o tt i s d ead . Long l i v e S ir W a lte r S c o tt. H is g r e a t
d is c o v e ry t h a t f i c t i o n and h i s t o r y a re in te rc h a n g e a b le
i s a b a s ic p a t e n t , bound to re a p p e a r and re a p p e a r in
th e h i s t o r y of l i t e r a t u r e . The g a s e n g in e su c c e e d s
th e steam e n g in e b u t th e p r i n c i p l e o f th e e x p a n sio n o f
g a s e s re m a in s of p erm an en t u t i l i t y . Not p sy c h o lo g y ,
n o r r e a lis m , n o t th e m ost in te n s e m odernism can k i l l
th e h i s t o r i c a l rom ance.
^ B u lw e r-L y tto n , The L a s t o f th e B a ro n s. D edica
to r y E p i s t l e .
^Canby, ”What i s T ru th ? ” S a tu rd a y Review o f L i t
e r a t u r e , December 3 1 , 1 927, p . 481.
24
B oth von S c h e f f e l and E b e rs f e e l t h a t th e r e i s
to o much w r i t in g o f s c h o la r ly m a te r ia l f o r s c h o la r s
o n ly ;
A b e a u t i f u l l i t e r a t u r e co m p lete in i t s e l f , num erous
monuments o f th e p l a s t i c a r t s , a w e ll-o r g a n iz e d p o l
i t i c a l and s o c ia l l i f e p r e s e n t th e m se lv e s to o u r g a z e .
And y e t a l l t h i s m e r ito r io u s e f f o r t h a s h a r d ly suc
ceeded in e n la r g in g th e c i r c l e o f th o s e who f in d
p le a s u r e i n h i s t o r i c a l s tu d ie s . The n u m b e rle ss v o l
umes sta n d u n to u ch ed on o u r l i b r a r y s h e lv e s . H ere and
th e r e a t h r i v i n g gro w th o f cobweb o v e rs p re a d s them ;
th e p i t i l e s s a l l - i n t e r r i n g d u s t d e s c e n d s upon them ,
m aking one fa n c y t h a t a l l t h i s o ld German s p le n d o r, b u t
j u s t c o n ju re d b ack i n t o l i f e may, one m orning a t cock
crow , s in k a g a in b e n e a th th e m o u ld e rin g r u b b is h o f th e
p a s t , l i k e th e phantom c l o i s t e r on th e la k e whose ex
i s t e n c e i s o n ly b e tra y e d by th e f a i n t t i n k l e of a b e l l
d eep u n d er th e w aves.
The a c c u m u la tio n o f a n t iq u a r ia n l o r e , a s w e ll a s
th e a c c u m u la tio n o f g o ld , may become a p a s s io n , ra k in g
and s c ra p in g to g e th e r f o r th e sake o f r a k in g and sc ra p
in g , u n t i l one f o r g e t s t h a t th e m e ta l th u s h o ard ed
m ust be m e lte d , r e f i n e d , and p u t to u s e . l
I f i t i s n o t u sed i t re m a in s i d l e , re a d o n ly by a few ,
a l i t e r a t u r e e n t i r e l y f o r s c h o la r s , w h ile th e m asses
of p e o p le see an o c c a s io n a l volum e and c o n s id e r them
s e lv e s f o r t u n a t e t h a t th e y need n o t p e ru s e th e d ry and
d u s ty p a g e s.
E b e rs w r i t e s d e fe n d in g h i s s ta n d c o n c e rn in g th e
h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l, a g a in s t th o s e men of l e t t e r s who
c o n s id e r h i s a tte m p t to p r e s e n t h i s s c h o la r s h ip to th e
r e a d in g p u b lic a s s c a r c e ly b e f i t t i n g th e d i g n i t y of
^von S c h e f f e l, E k k eh ard , P r e f a c e , pp. 1 ,1 1 .
25
th e r e s u l t s from h i s s e v e r e r s tu d i e s . I t i s o f te n
w e ll, how ever, f o r a w ch o la r to c lo th e th e r e s u l t s
o f h i s la b o r in th e form w hich w i l l re n d e r i t s e l f
a c c e s s ib le to th e l a r g e s t r e a d in g p u b lic . He knows
o f no b e t t e r m ethod th a n th e one o f h i s c h o ic e : to
weave th e s c h o la r ly d e t a i l s i n to a rom ance e a s i l y
re a d by many I n d iv id u a ls . * Those who re a d le a r n e d
bo o k s e v in c e in so d o in g a t a s t e f o r s u c h o s tu d ie s ; b u t
i t may e a s i l y chance t h a t th e f o llo w in g p a g e s , th o u g h
ta k e n up o n ly f o r am usem ent, may e x c i t e a d e s i r e f o r
more in fo rm a tio n , and even g a in a d i s c i p l e f o r th e
stu d y of a n c ie n t h i s t o r y .* 1
Von S c h e f f e l h a s w r i t t e n E kkehard b e l ie v i n g t h a t
th e co m b in a tio n o f h i s t o r y and rom ance w ould be d e t r i
m e n ta l t o n e i t h e r . I f th e rom ance i s b ased upon sound
h i s t o r i c a l s tu d y , and i f i t r e p r e s e n t a c c u r a te ly th e
age i t p o r t r a y s , i t may " r i g h t f u l l y c la im tw in - b r o th e r
hood w ith h i s t o r y , and th o s e who sh ru g t h e i r s h o u ld e rs
and a r e in c lin e d t o r e j e c t I t a s th e p ro d u c t of a w il
f u l and d e lu s iv e c a p r i c e , w i l l do w e ll to remember
t h a t h i s t o r y i t s e l f , ays i t i s g e n e r a lly w r i t t e n , i s
b u t a t r a d i t i o n a l c o n g lo m e ra tio n of th e t r u e and th e
f a l s e and i s m erely p re v e n te d by i t s g r e a t e r c lu m s i
n e s s from b r id g in g th e g a p s w ith f a n ta s y a s p o e tr y can
1 E b e rs , An E g y p tia n P r i n c e s s . P r e f a c e , p . i i i .
26
d o .* l
W e w i l l n o t go so f a r a s to a g re e w ith B ulw er-
L y tto n t h a t th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v el i s more a c c u r a te th a n
th e h i s t o r i c a l a c c o u n t. H is th e o ry a r i s e s from th e
f a c t t h a t th e h i s t o r i a n m ust c o v e r so g r e a t an ex p an se
o f tim e t h a t i t i s Im p o ssib le t o go in to one p e rio d
w ith th e m in u te c a re c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f th e r e s e a r c h f o r
an h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l. Yet i t i s tr u e t h a t a n o v e l, con
c e rn e d w ith a b ro a d e r a s p e c t o f l i f e th a n i s th e t e x t
book, w i l l som etim es convey a more a d e q u a te im p re s s io n .
A rnold B e n n e tt sa y s t h a t th e r e s e a r c h f o r h i s Old
Wives* T a le ta u g h t him th e In a c c u ra c y o f h i s p o in t o f
v ie w , w hich had p r e v io u s ly b ee n shaped e n t i r e l y b y
h i s t o r i c a l m a te r ia l . w B ut th e m ost u s e f u l th in g I g a in e d
from them w as th e p e r c e p tio n , s t a r t l i n g a t f i r s t , t h a t
o r d in a r y p e o p le w ent on l i v i n g v e ry o r d in a r y l i v e s in
P a r i s d u rin g th e s ie g e , and t h a t to th e v a s t m ass o f
p o p u la tio n th e s ie g e w as n o t th e d ra m a tic s p e c ta c u la r ,
t h r i l l i n g , e c s t a t i c a f f a i r t h a t i s d e s c r ib e d in h i s -
t o r y . " s
The same p r i n c i p l e c a r r i e s o v e r in to a stu d y of
th e F re n c h R e v o lu tio n . From h i s t o r y one assum es t h a t
th e c o n f l i c t i s upperm ost in th e m inds o f th e p e o p le ;
and t h a t e v e ry in d iv id u a l in P a r i s i s o v e rflo w in g w ith
• h sk k eh ard . P r e f a c e , p . i v .
2 B e n n e tt, Old W ives' T a le . P r e f a c e , p . ix .
27
e n th u sia s m f o r L i b e r t y , E q u a lity and F r a t e r n i t y . When
one r e a d s F ra n c e ’ s D eath o f th e G-ods. one i s s u r p r is e d
to f in d t h a t th e g r e a t m asses a r e i n t e r e s t e d in t h e i r
d a i l y e x i s te n c e , and a r e f a r more co n c ern ed w ith th e
e v e n in g m eal th a n w ith th e p ro b lem s o f governm ent. The
g i r l s go o f f g a i l y i n t o th e c o u n try f o r a p i c n i c , d i s
c u s s in g th e ch a n g in g f a s h io n s ev en w h ile th e g u i l l o t i n e
w a its yaw ning f o r i t s n e x t v ic tim .
I t i s n o t u n u su a l t o l e a r n t h a t th e a u th o r h a s a
d e f i n i t e p u rp o se i n mind w h ile w r i t i n g h i s h i s t o r i c a l
n o v e l. S c o tt, who Im p re sse s one I n c r e a s in g ly more
w ith h i s v e r s a t i l e g e n iu s and h i s sound c r i t i c i s m , had
th e h ig h e s t re g a rd f o r h i s t o r i c a l s tu d y . He ag ree d
w ith Dr. Jo h n so n t h a t a n y th in g w hich m akes th e p a s t o r
th e f u t u r e p re d o m in a te o v e r th e p r e s e n t , p la c e s one
s l i g h t l y h ig h e r in th e s c a le o f c i v i l i z e d in d iv i d u a ls .
M oreover, he had a firm f a i t h t h a t h i s t o r y and i t s
stu d y w as u s e f u l f o r g u id in g men in t h e i r own p ro b
le m s .1 W ith t h i s f e e l i n g t h a t th e stu d y o f h i s t o r y i s
a lm o st in d is p e n s a b le , he b e lie v e d t h a t th e w r i t i n g had
n o t been a d a p te d to * th e dem ands o f th e in c r e a s in g
c i r c l e s among w hich l i t e r a t u r e d o e s a lr e a d y f i n d i t s
w a y . He d e te rm in e d in h i s own w r i ti n g to u se t h a t
L o c k h a r t , L i f e o f S c o tt , V ol. IV, p . 103.
2 l b i d . , V ol. LV, p . 260.
28
"knack . . . f o r s e l e c t in g th e s t r i k i n g and i n t e r e s t
in g p o in ts o u t o f d u l l d e t a i l s , " w hich lie f e l t he
c o u ld d o .l
T h is d e s i r e of S c o t t ’ s to te a c h th e m anners
and © ustom s of th e p a s t t o th e r e a d in g p u b lic , i s
Shown in h i s l e t t e r s : *1 am f a r more v a in of h av
in g b ee n a b le to f i x some s h a re o f p u b lic a t t e n t i o n
upon th e a n c ie n t p o e tr y and m anners of my c o u n try ,
th a n o f any o r i g i n a l e f f o r t s w h ich I have been a b le
to make in l i t e r a t u r e . "2
I n a d e l i g h t f u l c o n v e r s a tio n in w hich D r. Dry
a s d u s t a c c u s e s th e a u th o r o f W averlv o f e a u s in g
h i s t o r y to b e n e g le c te d , b e c a u se o f th e r e a d e r s
becom ing so ab so rb ed in h i s n o v e ls , S c o tt d e n ie s
th e t r u t h of such a c h a rg e . He b e l i e v e s , in a hum ble
way, t h a t he i s d o in g a r e a l s e rv ic e to th e more
s tu d io u s and in g e n io u s of r e a d e r s ; " f o r th e law
o f know ledge w an ts b u t a b e g in n in g - th e l e a s t
sp a rk w i l l g iv e f i r e when t h e t r a i n i s p r o p e r ly
p re p a re d ; and h a v in g b een i n t e r e s t e d in f i c t i t i o u s
a d v e n tu re s , a b s o rb e d in in an h i s t o r i c a l p e r io d
and c h a r a c t e r s , th e r e a d e r b e g in s n e x t to be
a n x io u s t o l e a r n w hat th e f a c t s r e a l l y w ere, and
1 S c o tt, J o u r n a l . V ol. I I , p . 9 6 .
^ M a rg a re t B a ll, S c o tt a s a C r i t i c of L i t e r a t u r e ,
p . 132.
29
how f a r t h e n o v e l i s t h a s j u s t l y r e p r e s e n te d th e m .* 1
P h i l i p S idney s u b s t a n tia te d th e th e o ry t h a t
a rom ance o f te n m arks th e b e g in n in g o f a s c h o la r ly
c a r e e r : * Q ften th e f a s c i n a t i o n o f a g r e a t rom ance
fo rm s a g o ld e n b r id g e to some young r e a d e r , who
th e re b y i s e n a b le d to e n t e r upon a b ra n c h o f l e a r n
in g , w h ich , b u t f o r h i s h a v in g d ev o u red a t sch o o l
some s ta n d a rd n o v e l, he w ould o th e rw is e have a v o i d e d . *2
He th in k s i t m ig h t be w e ll f o r many a le a r n e d h i s t
o r ia n , b e f o r e c r i t i c i s i n g th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l, to
p au se and r e f l e c t w h e th e r he d id n o t owe h i s own
I n t e r e s t i n th e h a p p e n in g s o f th e p a s t to an Iv a n -
h o e , o r Q u en tin D urw ard.
Samuel L o v er b e l i e v e s t h a t i f I r e l a n d 1 s h i s t
o ry w ere b e t t e r known by o th e r c o u n t r i e s of th e
B r i t i s h I s l e s she w ould h av e r e c e iv e d g r e a t e r
J u s t i c e , and c e r t a i n l y g r e a t e r sym pathy. He h a s
a tte m p te d i n h i s T re a s u re T rove t o s p r in k le a few
h i s t o r i c a l t r u t h s f o r th e r e a d e r ’ s e n lig h te n m e n t.3
I r v in g B a c h e lle r in th e p r e f a c e to D’r l and I
e x p r e s s e s h i s p u rp o se in w r i tin g th e book to e x te n d
^ P e v e r l l o f th e P e a k , I n tr o d u c tio n .
2 S id n e y , ^ H is to ry in F i c t i o n .* The Gentleman* s
M agazine, V ol. 295, P . 577.
3 L o v e r, T re a s u re T ro v e, P r e f a c e .
30
and b ro a d e n th e a c q u a in ta n c e of r e a d e r s w ith th e
p e o p le w who sw eat and h ie d and lim p ed and d ie d f o r
t h i s R e p u b lic o f o urs.®
M. C o n scien ce g iv e s in h i s in tr o d u c t io n to
Veva a r e a l aim f o r t h e hook: to p r e s e r v e th e
memory o f th e s tr u g g le o f th e F lem in g s to u p h o ld
t h e i r r e l i g i o n and l i b e r t i e s a g a in s t th e a rm ie s
of th e F re n c h r e p u b lic . He d o e s more th a n t e l l a
s to r y , he w is h e s t o be th e v o ic e of th e F le m ish
p e o p le , to t e l l o f th e w rongs done them , and of
t h e i r o p p re s s io n u n d er th e r e v o lu ti o n a r y a g e n ts .
The h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s t i s c o n s tr a in e d to
w r i t e h i s s to r y b e c a u se o f p a t r i o t i s m , and a g a in
b e c a u s e .o f h i s e n th u sia s m f o r some o u ts ta n d in g
movement. Dumas, f o r ex am p le, la b o re d f o r e ig h te e n
m onths on h i s Love and L ib e r ty t o r a i s e a monument
to t h e g lo r y of N e a p o lita n P a t r i o t i s m . B alza c
c o n s id e re d i t a s o r t o f d u ty t o w r i te h i s C a th e rin e
de* M e d ic i, b e c a u se o f th e u n ju s t c r i t i c i s m show
e re d upon a c a p a b le and a d m ira b le c h a r a c te r .
T here a r e , o f c o u rs e , many n o v e ls , f r e q u e n tly
h i s t o r i c a l , w h ich come u n d er th e d e f i n i t e c l a s s
i f i c a t i o n of th e n o v e l of p u rp o s e . I t i s n o t o u r
p u rp o se t o c o n s id e r t h e s e , e x c e p t a s th e y c o n t r i
b u te t o th e s u b je c t o f t h i s s tu d y . D i s r a e l i en
d e a v o re d in C oningsby t o e l e v a t e th e to n e o f p u b lic
31
l i f e , and t o e n a b le h i s r e a d e r s to d i s t i n g u i s h
betw een r e a l i t i e s and phantom s in p o l i t i c a l l i f e .
A p u rp o se o f t h i s s o r t i s p e rh a p s more s o c i a l and
p o l i t i c a l th a n a r t i s t i c o r h i s t o r i c a l .
When one c o n s id e r s H enry Esmond, i t becom es
e v id e n t t h a t h i s t o r i c a l n o v e ls may do more th a n
make h i s t o r y p a l a t a b l e . T h ackeray p r e s e n ts th e
f a c t s , he i n t e r p r e t s them , and more th a n t h a t , he
o f f e r s an e x p la n a tio n o f why th e S t u a r t s f a i l e d t o
r e t u r n t o pow er a f t e r Queen Anne. The n o v e l i s t ,
more th a n th e h i s t o r i a n i s a t l i b e r t y to ju d g e
h i s t o r i c a l m a t e r i a l .
I t i s n o t o n ly th e w r i t e r ’ s p r i v i l e g e t o
i n t e r p r e t h i s t o r i c a l e v e n ts , b u t to i n t e r p r e t
from th e d ry r e c o r d s , th e l i v e s o f r e a l men and
women. G h a rle s Reade h a s e x p re s s e d t h i s u s e of
th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l in C l o i s t e r and th e H e a rth .
Each d ay in v a r io u s p a r t s of th e w o rld men and
women of no n o te s u f f e r n o b le so rro w s, do n o b le
d e e d s , and speak w ords w h ich o u g h t n o t to b e f o r
g o tte n . * 0 f th e s e o b sc u re h e r o e s , p h ilo s o p h e r s ,
and m a rty rs , th e g r e a t e r p a r t w i l l n e v e r b e known
t i l l t h a t h o u r, when many t h a t a r e g r e a t s h a l l be
s m a ll, and th e sm all g r e a t ; b u t o f o th e r s th e
w o rld 1s know ledge may b e s a id t o s le e p : t h e i r
l i v e s and c h a r a c t e r s l i e h id d e n from n a t i o n s in
32
th e a n n a ls t h a t r e c o r d them* The g e n e ra l r e a d e r
c a n n o t f e e l them , th e y a r e p r e s e n te d so c u r t l y and
c o ld ly : th e y a r e n o t l i k e b r e a th in g s t o r i e s a p p e a l
in g to h i s h e a r t , b u t l i t t l e h i s t o r i c h a i l s t o n e s
s t r i k i n g him b u t to g la n c e o f f h i s bosom; n o r can
he u n d e rs ta n d them ; f o r epitom e® a r e n o t n a r r a t i v e s ,
a s S k e le to n s a r e n o t human f i g u r e s . * 1
I t i s d i f f i c u l t f o r th e a v e ra g e r e a d e r to f e e l
th e l i f e o f a p e o p le fro m th e m ere dead r e c o r d s . I t
i s a lm o s t im p o s s ib le to r e c o n s t r u c t a l i v i n g b e in g
from th e s c a tte r e d docum ents a v a i l a b l e , even w ere
ons i n t e r e s t e d . Thus i t i s t h a t ^ r e c o r d s of p rim e
t r u t h s rem ain a d ead l e t t e r to p l a i n f o lk ; th e w r i t e r s
have l e f t so much t o th e Im a g in a tio n , and im a g in a tio n
i s so r a r e a g i f t . H ere, th e n , th e w r i t e r of f i c t i o n
may b e o f u se t o th e p u b lic - a s an i n t e r p r e t e r . *2
The h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s t s v ig o r o u s ly d e fe n d
t h e i r g e n r e . H is to r y and f i c t i o n may be com bined
w ith o u t in j u r y to e i t h e r o n e. The n o v e l i s t who
p la c e s h i s s to r y in a bygone age i s no l e s s i n t e r
e s te d in human p ro b lem s and e m o tio n a l c o n f l i c t s
th a n th e w r i t e r o f co n tem p o rary t a l e s . To L e s l i e
S tep h e n , we w ould say t h a t th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s
n o t p r im a r il y h i s t o r y , and s c a t t e r e d an a ch ro n ism s
^R eade, C l o i s t e r and th e H e a r th , p . 3»
2 Ib id *
33
need n o t be th e c a u se o f g r e a t c o n c e rn . I t i s t r u e ,
how ever, t h a t th e s e w r i t e r s a tte m p t an a c c u r a te
r e p r e s e n t a t i o n of t h e i r ag e . Many of them a re
s c h o la r s , w ith no sm all t r a i n i n g in a n t iq u a r ia n
l o r e . F o r them th e w r i t i n g o f th e book h a s a m oral
p u rp o se - t o te a c h a s w e ll a s am use. They b e lie v e
t h a t a r e a d e r m ig h t r e c e iv e h i s f i r s t im p u lse f o r
stu d y th ro u g h a rom ance of th e p a s t . I f h e r e c e iv e
no such im p u lse , th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s t h a s a t
l e a s t r e f r a i n e d from b e in g a s c h o la r w r i t i n g f o r
s c h o la r s : he h a s p u t th e r e s u l t s o f h i s stu d y and
r e s e a r c h i n t o a form e a s i l y u n d e rs to o d by th e m ajo r
i t y o f i n t e l l i g e n t p e o p le . The h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l
c o r r e c t s e rro n e o u s o p in io n s , and m akes f o r g r e a t e r
sym pathy and u n d e rs ta n d in g b etw een n a t i o n s and a g e s.
C a rly le w r i t e s o f th e a v e ra g e p e r s o n ’ s s in c e r e
lo v e of g r e a t men. W hether a man be b o rn g r e a t ,
o r h a s g r e a tn e s s t h r u s t in to h i s h a n d s, o r a c h ie v e s
i t h im s e lf , h e I s an o b je c t of w onder. W hatever
o n e’ s th e o ry : b e i t t h a t c irc u m s ta n c e s make
th e man, o r t h a t th e in d iv id u a l a t t a i n s g r e a tn e s s
th ro u g h th e e x te n t of h i s own c a p a b i l i t i e s , we a l l
lo o k a t him w ith a c e r t a i n awe. Why do p e o p le
s ta n d f o r h o u rs in in te n s e h e a t o r b i t t e r e o l d t t o
c a tc h a g lim p se o f r o y a lty ? Why do we r i s e a t th r e e
in th e m orning t o h e a r th e v o ic e o f a k in g ? I t i s
34
b e c a u se we r e c o g n iz e t h e a tta in m e n ts of th e g r e a t ,
we d e s i r e to see th e f a c e , o r t o h e a r th e v o ic e
o f th o s e who h av e t h a t w h ich o rd in a ry m o r ta ls l a c k .
We d e s i r e t o come i n t o c lo s e c o n ta c t w ith th o s e in
pow er. Much a s th e r a d io and o u r s w if t m eans o f
t r a n s p o r t a t i o n do t o make t h i s p o s s i b le , we a r e so
p r i v i l e g e d b u t on r a r e o c c a s io n s . W e t u r n , th e n ,
to b o o k s, p a r t i c u l a r l y b io g ra p h y and th e h i s t o r i c a l
n o v e l, and f i n d o u r s e lv e s in tro d u c e d to k in g s and
q u ee n s o f a l l tim e s .
I t i s th e same w ith th e n o v e l a s w ith r e a l l i f e .
W e lo v e to th in k t h a t we may have th e o p p o r tu n ity
o f m e etin g a g r e a t man. I t g iv e s one a f e e l i n g o f
d e l i g h t o n ly t o know t h a t th e r e i s a k in g n e a r , and
to r e a l i z e th e p o s s i b i l i t y o f a ch an ce m e e tin g , be
i t e v e r so b r i e f . Such a s i t u a t i o n a d d s a glam our
to th e atm o sp h ere.
T h ere i s a ls o t h i s a r t i s t i c ad v a n tag e t o th e
n o v e l w ith th e h i s t o r i c a l b ack g ro u n d . R e a d e rs,
above a l l , l i k e to have t h e i r n o v e ls c o n v in c in g ,
and c a n n o t be d e n ie d t h a t a Queen E liz a b e th o r
a C a th e rin e d e f M e d ic i, how ever shadowy o r re m o te ,
ad d s a c e r t a i n r e a l i t y . I f one s e e s In th e s to r y
a man known to h i s t o r y , o r i f he r e a d s a f a m i l i a r
nam e, he i s e a s i l y le d in to th e i l l u s i o n o f r e a l i t y .
The f i g u r e of an Abraham L in c o ln makes one f e e l t h a t
35
t h a t th e e v e n ts n a r r a te d m ust have ta k e n p la c e ,
ev en th o u g h th e work he f i l l e d w ith h i s t o r i c a l
in a c c u r a c ie s .
36
CHAPTER I I I
LITERARY CRITICISM OP THE HISTORICAL NOVEL
W e tu r n now to th e a c t u a l p ro b lem s of th e h i s
t o r i c a l n o v e l, and lo o k to th e n o v e l i s t s f o r t h e i r
v ie w s. I t i s a l l v e ry w e ll f o r th e c r i t i c s t o lo o k
on, to su g g e st t h a t S c o tt i s in a c c u r a t e , t h a t Romola i s
a w m a g n ific e n t p ie c e o f eram*^- s m e llin g o f m id -n ig h t
o i l , t h a t Salammbo i s b u r ie d u n d er a m ass o f a rc h e o
l o g i c a l d e t a i l s , b e in g p e r m itte d to em erge o n ly on
o c c a s io n f o r b r i e f i n t e r v a l s . B ut i t i s th e S c o tts
and th e F la u b e r ts who have s tr u g g le d w ith th e s e p ro b
le m s. G eorge E lio t* e x p e rie n c e d i n th e a r t o f n o v e l-
w r i t i n g , c o n fe s s e d t h a t Romola tu rn e d h e r from a young
woman i n to an o ld one; Jo h n Buchan c a l le d th e h i s t o r
i c a l n o v e l th e m ost d i f f i c u l t form of f i c t i o n . F la u
b e r t , a f t e r h i s h u n d re d s of h o u rs of r e s e a r c h , r e a l
iz e d t h a t h i s Salammbo w as to o h i s t o r i c a l . H ,The
p e d e s ta l i s to o l a r g e f o r th e s t a t u e . ’ T here sh o u ld
have b e e n , a s he s a y s , one h u n d red p a g e s more a b o u t
S a l a m m b o . E b e r s sa y s one o f th e h a r d e s t th in g s he
had to do w as make c o n v in c in g c h a r a c te r s when th e f a c
t u a l m a te r ia l w as so c o n t r a d ic to r y in i t s s ta te m e n ts .
■^•Leslie S tep h en .
^ I n tr o d u c tio n to Salammbo by A rth u s Symonds.
37
S e o tt w r i t e s a t some le n g th , i n h i s d e d ic a to r y e p i s t l e
to Iv a n h o e . o f th e d i f f i c u l t i e s o f r e c a p tu r in g th e
s p i r i t o f a p a s t a g e . An h i s t o r i c a l t a l e may p o s s e s s
v e r i s i m i l i t u d e , a c c u ra c y in bygone sp eech and m anners,
and y e t b e u n s u c c e s s fu l. The h i s t o r y may b e e n t i r e l y
sound, and th e s to r y e x c e e d in g ly g o o d , y e t th e r e m ust
be th e p ro p e r c o m b in a tio n of th e s e e le m e n ts , so d i f
f i c u l t to a t t a i n .
M acaulay e x p la in s :
The p e r f e c t h i s t o r i a n m ust p o s s e s s an im ag in a
t i o n s u f f i c i e n t l y p o w erfu l to make h i s n a r r a t i v e a f f e c t
in g and p ic tu r e s q u e ; y e t he m ust c o n t r o l i t so a b s o lu te ly
a s to c o n te n t h im s e lf w ith th e m a t e r i a l s w hich he f i n d s ,
and to r e f r a i n from su p p ly in g d e f i c i e n c i e s by a d d i tio n s
of h i s own. He m ust b e a p ro fo u n d and In g e n io u s r e a -
so n e r; y e t h e m ust p o s s e s s s u f f i c i e n t self-com m and
to a b s ta in from c a s tin g th e f a c t s i n th e mould of h i s
h y p o th e s is .l
How much g r e a t e r i s th e ta s k o f th e n o v e l i s t who
i s co n c e rn ed n o t o n ly w ith th e p ic tu r e s q u e in h i s t o r y ,
so e a s i l y made more ro m a n tic , b u t w ith th e f i c t i o n a l
elem e n t o f th e s to r y a s w e ll.
The n o v e l i s t s in t h e i r p r e f a c e s and s e l f - v i n d l -
e a t i o n s a r e n o t alw ay s a s g e n e ro u s in e x p r e s s in g t h e i r
o p in io n s a s one w ould w ish . O c c a s io n a lly t h e i r s e r v ic e
t o c r i t i c i s m i s l i k e t h a t of th e s c u lp to r who w as to
1 Q uoted by S h ep p ard , The A rt and P r a c ti c e o f H is
t o r i c a l F i c t i o n , p ag e 1 4 .
38
speak a t th e u n v e tlih g o f a s t a t u e . P o in tin g to h i s
w ork o f a r t he sim ply s a id : w T here i s my s p e e c h .* * ■
A few o f them , how ever, h av e v e ry d e f i n i t e t h e o r i e s
r e g a r d in g th e ty p e o f n o v e l w h ich c la im s o u r p r e s e n t
i n t e r e s t .
One o f th e f i r s t p ro b lem s to be c o n s id e re d i s
t h a t o f a c c u ra c y . V ery sim p le i t a l l a p p e a rs t o th e
r e a d e r : Read a few b o o k s, even many b o o k s, in tro d u c e
h i s t o r i c a l c h a r a c t e r s , l e t th e clim a x of th e s to r y
be i d e n t i f i e d w ith some d ra m a tic I n c id e n t in h i s t o r y ,
and v o i l a t an h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s th e r e s u l t . To
th e w r i t e r i t i s a m a tte r o f lo n g y e a rs of s tu d y , of
bo o k s r e a d , docum ents s e a rc h e d , o f r e s e a r c h in m usty
l i b r a r i e s and o ld g ra v e - y a r d s , o f t r a v e l s th ro u g h
th e c o u n try w hich fo rm s th e s e t t i n g .
I n th e s p rin g o f 1873 J a c o b s e n w ro te to Edward
B ra n d ss: * J u s t th in k , I g e t up e v e ry m orning a t e le v e n
and go to th e R oyal L ib r a r y , w here I re a d o ld docum ents
and l e t t e r s and l i e s a n d d a s c r i p t i o n s o f m urder, a d u l
t e r y , c o rn r a t e s , w horem ongery, m ark et p r i c e s , g a rd e n
in g , th e s ie g e o f C openhagen, d iv o r c e p ro c e e d in g s ,
c h r i s t e n i n g s , e s t a t e r e g i s t e r s , g e n e o lo g ie s , and f u n e r a l
serm ons. A ll t h i s i s t o become a w o n d e rfu l n o v e l to
be c a l le d M is tr e s s M arie G rubbe. I n t e r i o r s from th e
^Q uoted from E rn e s t Bernbaum , M 0n th e H i s t o r i c a l
H o v el, P u b lic a tio n s ofl th e M odern L anguage A s s o c ia tio n
of A m erica. V ol. 4 I ..P .4 2 6 .
39
S e v e n te e n th C e n tu ry ”^ He w orked f o u r y e a r s a lm o st
e x e lu s s i v e ly on t h i s , th e o n ly o th e r w r i t i n g s from
t h a t p e r io d b e in g s c a t t e r e d a r t i c l e s t o c u r r e n t mag
a z in e s .
F o r th e w r i tin g o f Salammbo. w h ich L a fe a d io
H earn c a l l e d H t h e g r e a t e s t a r c h e o lo g ic a l n o v e l e v e r
w r i t t e n , F l a u b e r t s p e n t y e a r s i n s tu d y in g and d i g e s t
in g a l l t h a t had b e e n w r i t t e n , and in d e e d a l l t h a t w as
known re g a r d in g th e h i s t o r y of C a rth a g e , P h o e n ic ia ,
and L ib y a to g e th e r w ith th e r e l i g i o n , m an n ers, cu sto m s,
and p e o p le o f th o s e c o u n t r ie s . He w en t to A fric S and
u n d e r th e b u rn in g sun of T u n is B tu d ied th e s c e n e ry
and la n d s c a p e f o r e v e ry in c id e n t in h i s b ook. A fte r
th e p u b lic a t io n o f h i s n o v e l, F la u b e r t w as s e v e r ly
c r i t i c i s e d by F ro e b n e r who i n s i s t e d t h a t th e a rc h e o
lo g y w as n o t a c c u r a te . H is th o ro u g h p r e p a r a t io n f o r
th e w r i t i n g o f Salammbo w as d e m o n s tra te d when F la u b e r t
r e p l i e d t o th e u n ju s t c r i t i c i s m , and e a s i l y p ro v ed
h i s own s u p e r i o r i t y o f know ledge. L a fe a d io H earn
a f t e r com m enting upon th e in c id e n t ad d s: * In p o in t
o f d e s c r i p t i o n s , - o f te n a r c h a e o lo g ic a lly v a lu a b le ,
and alw ay s f u l l o f a r t i s t i c p u is s a n c e , - th e c e n tu ry
h a s probgfely ^produced no volum e e q u a l t o Salammbo. *3
1 J a c o b s e n , M arie G-rubbe. I n tr o d u c tio n .
SH earn, *An A rc h a e o lo g ic a l Novel*1 , i n h i s E ssa y s
in E uropean and O r ie n ta l L i t e r a t u r e , p . 75*
3 I b id . p . 77.
40
F la u b e r t p o i n t s p ro u d ly to h i s d o cu m en ts, sa y in g
t h a t h e h a s made no f a n t a s t i c C a rth a g e . Ammianus
M a rc e llia n u s f u r n is h e d him w ith th e c o r r e c t form
o f a d o o r; th e B ib le and T h e o p h ra stu s p ro v id e d him
w ith in fo rm a tio n o f t h e p erfu m es and p r e c io u s s to n e s ;
even th e nam es a r e a c c u r a te , f o r th e y w ere ta k e n from
G e se n iu s. M,As f o r th e T a n l t 'V he w r i t e s , ®*I am
su re o f h a v in g r e c o n s tr u c te d i t a s i t was w ith th e
t r e a t i s e o f th e S y ria n G oddess, w ith th e m ed als o f
th e Due de L u g n es, w ith w hat i s known o f th e te m p le
a t J e ru s a le m , w ith a p a s s a g e o f S t. Jero m e, q u o te d
by S e ld e n ( De D iis S v r i l s ) . w ith th e p la n o f th e tem p le
o f G ozzo, w hich i s q u ite C a r th a g in ia n , and b e s t of a l l ,
w ith th e r u i n s o f th e tem p le o f T hugza, w h ich I h av e
seen m y s e lf, w ith my own e y e s , and o f w hich no t r a v
e l l e r o r a n t iq u a r ia n , so f a r a s I know, h a s e v e r
s p o k e n .**1
A f te r The C l o i s t e r and th e H e a rth a p p e a re d in
Once a Week, J u l y - S eptem ber 1 859, u n d er th e t i t l e
o f A Good F i g h t . Beade s p e n t a y e a r 's la b o u r r e w r i tin g
much o f t h e book. He s a y s in th e P r e f a c e :
I to o k w id e r v iew s of th e s u b je c t, and a l s o f e l t
u n ea sy a t h a v in g d e v ia te d u n n e c e s s a r ily from th e h i s t o r
i c a l o u t l i n e o f a t r u e s to r y .
1 Q uoted by A rth u r Symonds in th e I n tr o d u c tio n to
F la u b e rt* s Salammbo.
41
Hard Gash i s l i k e The C l o i s t e r and th e H e a rth ,
”a m a t t e r - o f - f a c t Romance” , w r i t e s C h a rle s R eade,
” t h a t i s , a f i c t i o n b u i l t on t r u t h s : and th e s e t r u t h s
have b een g a th e re d by lo n g , s e v e re , s y s te m a tic la b o r ,
from a m u ltitu d e of v o lu m es, p a m p h le ts , jo u r n a l s ,
- r e p o r t s , b lu e -b o o k s , m a n u s c rip t n a r r a t i v e s , l e t t e r s
and l i v i n g p e o p le , whom I have so u g h t o u t,— exam ined
and c ro s s -e x a m in e d , t o g e t t o th e t r u t h on e a c h m ain
to p ic I h av e s t r i v e n to h a n d le . . w ^ He h a s gone
th ro u g h th e b e s t e v id e n c e a v a i l a b l e , u s in g a u t h o r it y
f o r e v e ry p o in t of d i f f e r e n c e b etw een h i s age and th e
one o f w hich h e w as w r i tin g . M oreover, he in v it e d
any o f th e c u rio u s-m in d e d to v i s i t him and be shown
h i s e v id e n c e f o r th e w ork.
C h a rle s K in g sle y sa y s he can n o t hope f o r h i s
work t o b e e n t i r e l y f r e e from a n a c h ro n ism s, f o r no
am ount o f d il i g e n c e and c a re i s g u a ra n te e of e n t i r e
a c c u ra c y . B ut h e h a s la b o re d h o n e s tly and in d u s t r io u s ly
to d is c o v e r th e t r u t h , and to n e g l e c t n o t ev en th e
s m a lle s t d e t a i l i n th e age and i t s m an n ers.
B u lw e r-L y tto n a rg u e s t h a t th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s t
i s f r e q u e n tly more a c c u r a te th a n th e h i s t o r i a n , f o r
th e r e s e a r c h f o r one book i s u s u a lly d i r e c t e d to w ard
one p e r io d , w h erea s th e h i s t o r i a n m ust e x te n d h i s
^R eade, H ard C ash. P re fa c e .
42
la b o r o v er a lo n g la p s e o f tim e . The d e t a i l s o f d r e s s ,
s o c ia l c u sto m s, m anners and m o ra ls of th e p e o p le b e
come q u ite a s im p o rta n t a s th e b a t t l e s and p o l i t i c a l
I n t r i g u e . M oreover, th e added i n t e r e s t w h ich th e s to r y
e le m e n t c o n t r i b u t e s , m akes th e h i s t o r i c a l m a te r ia l
m em orable. A n o v e l i s t i s p e r m itte d th e i l l u s t r a t i o n s
o f some o f th e t r u t h s w h ich h i s t o r y m ust to o f r e q u e n tly
le a v e to l i t e r a t u r e , n o t a d e tr im e n t to th e a c c u ra c y
o f th e w ork, b u t m e re ly an added u se f o r o th e rw is e d ry
f a c t s .
^ U n q u e stio n a b ly , F i c t i o n , when a s p i r i n g t o som eth in g
h ig h e r th a n m ere rom ance, d o e s n o t p e r v e r t , b u t e lu c
i d a t e F a c ts . He who em ploys i t w o r th ily m u st, l i k e a
b io g r a p h e r, stu d y th e tim e and th e c h a r a c t e r s he se
l e c t s , w ith a m in u te and e a r n e s t d ili g e n c e w h ich th e
g e n e ra l h i s t o r i a n , whose ra n g e e x te n d s o v e r c e n t u r i e s ,
ca n s c a r c e ly b e e x p e c te d t o b estow upon th e th i n g s and
th e men o f a s in g le e p o c h .”1
I n th e p r e f a c e to D evereux. t h a t d e l i g h t f u l n o v e l
o f th e l i t e r a r y and p o l i t i c a l E ngland o f th e e ig h te e n th
c e n tu r y , B uL w er-L ytton w r i t e s a g a in o f th e m in u te
a t t e n t i o n g iv e n ev en to th e m ost m inor o f d e t a i l s . One
who had n o t gone d e e p ly i n t o th e p e r io d n eed have no
f e a r o f b e in g le d a s t r a y in th e f o rm a tio n o f h i s o p in
io n r e g a r d in g th o s e h i s t o r i c c h a r a c t e r s b u t s l i g h t l y
known t o him . Those r e a d e r s i n ti m a t e ly a c q u a in te d
^ L y tto n , The L a s t o f th e B a ro n s. D e d ic a to ry
E pi s t l e .
43
w ith th e m em oirs o f th e age may see a t o n c e , t h a t in
c a se of c o n f l i c t , th e n o v e l i s t h a s alw a y s ste p p e d a s id e
t h a t th e n a r r a t o r m ig h t have f u l l c o n t r o l .
I n R ie n z i he e n d e a v o rs to he e n t i r e l y a c c u r a te ;
in d e e d , he s a y s , t h a t th e hook’ s c h ie f i n t e r e s t i s
draw n from a f a i t h f u l r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f f a c t s . He
h eg an w o rk in g on i t w ith th e i n t e n t i o n t h a t i t sh o u ld
h e e n t i r e l y " b io g ra p h ic a l, c h a n g in g h i s a p p ro a c h in
tim e , t h a t i t m ig h t he w r i t t e n a s a n o v e l. So i n t e r
e s te d w as he t o p u t th e a c tu a l f a c t s in to th e h an d s
of h i s r e a d e r s , t h a t he was p re v e n te d from d ro p p in g
th e s u b je c t e n t i r e l y , o n ly b e c a u se h i s r e s e a r c h had en
a b le d him to g a in a c c e s s to c o n s id e r a b le m a te r ia l w hich
w ould o th e rw is e have n o t b een a c c e s s ib le to th e p u b lic .
He p re s e rv e d in th e p l o t th e a c t u a l c h ro n o lo g y of
R ie n z i* s l i f e , in tr o d u c in g such o th e r c h a r a c t e r s a s
w ere n e e d ed , alw ay s s a c r i f i c i n g th e d r a m a tic , when
n e c e s s a r y , to th e t r u e . *1 have a d h e re d w ith a g r e a t e r
f i d e l i t y ” , he s a id , ”th a n i s cu sto m ary i n Romance, to
a l l th e le a d in g e v e n ts o f th e p u b lic l i f e of th e Roman
T rib u n e ; and th e R ead er w i l l p e rh a p s f in d i n th e s e
p a g e s a more f u l l and d e t a i l e d a c c o u n t o f th e r i s e and
f a l l of R ie n z i, th a n i n any E n g lis h w ork o f w hich I
am aw are . . . In th e p i c t u r e of th e Roman N o b les o f
th e f o u r te e n t h c e n tu r e , I fo llo w l i t e r a l l y th e d e s c r ip
t i o n s l e f t to u s; - th e y a re n o t f l a t t e r i n g , b u t th e y
4 4
a r e f a i t h f u l , l i k e n e s s e s . 1,1
H is s u c c e s s in R ie n z i c o n firm e d h i s b e l i e f t h a t
th e b e s t m ethod o f a p p ro a c h in g th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l,
w as to t r e a t th e m a te r ia l a s h i s t o r y , p la y in g th e nov
e l i s t o n ly a s an i n t e r p r e t e r o f th e a c tio n s o f h i s
c h a r a c t e r s , b u t n o t p e r m ittin g th e a c tu a l to be c o lo re d
by th e p o e t i c a l . One sh o u ld r a t h e r fo llo w S h a k e sp e a re ,
who had im p e rfe c t a u t h o r i t i e s , b u t ad h e re d to them
p e r f e c t l y . When h i s h i s t o r i a n s c h r o n ic le d an im pos
s i b l e t a l e , he y e t fo llo w e d , a d d in g o n ly th e to u c h of
p r o b a b i l i t y to w hat w as a lr e a d y t r u e :
H ,fend - i f i t be p e r m itte d th e t a l e - t e l l e r t o come
r e v e r e n t l y f o r i n s t r u c t i o n i n h i s a r t to th e m ig h t ie s t
te a c h e r o f a l l , who, w h e th e r i n th e page o r on th e
scene w ould g iv e to a i r y f a n c i e s th e b r e a t h and th e
form o f l i f e , - su ch , we may o b s e rv e , i s th e le s s o n
th e h u m b lest c ra fts m a n i n h i s t o r i c a l rom ance may g le a n
from th e H i s t o r i c a l P la y s o f S h a k e sp e a re . N e c e s s a r ily ,
S h ak esp eare c o n s u lte d h i s t o r y a c c o rd in g to th e im per
f e c t l i g h t s , and from th e p o p u la r a u t h o r i t i e s , o f h i s
ag e; and I do n o t sa y , t h e r e f o r e , t h a t a s an h i s t o r i a n
we can r e l y upon S h ak esp eare a s c o r r e c t . B ut to t h a t
in w hich he b e lie v e d he r i g i d l y a d h e re d ; n o r d id he
se e k . . . . to tu r n p e r f o r c e th e H i s t o r i c a l in to th e
P o e t i c a l , b u t le a v in g h i s t o r y a s he found i t , to c a l l
f o r t h from i t s a r i d p ro s e th e flo w e r o f th e l a t e n t
poem .”2
Dumas, whom one u s u a lly c o n s id e r s so much i n t e r
e s te d in h i s s to r y t h a t h i s t o r y m ust f a r e r a t h e r b a d ly
•^B ulw er-L ytton, R ie n z i. D e d ic a tio n .
2R le n z l. P re fa c e t o th e e d i t i o n o f 1848.
45
a t h i s h an d , i s much c o n c e rn e d , a t tim e s , r e g a r d in g
a c c u ra c y . The t r a n s l a t o r 's i n t r o d u c t io n to Love and
L ib e r ty r e l a t e s a scene betw een Dumas and a f r i e n d .
One n i g h t , h a v in g J u s t f i n i s h e d th e d e s c r i p t i o n o f th e
e x e c u tio n o f C o ra c c io lo , I came t o him and he re a d i t -
a lo u d . At th e c o n c lu s io n he a s k e d , "How do you f i n d
th e r e c i t a l ? Have I done w e ll in n o t a d d in g a n y th in g
to th e s i m p l i c i ty o f h is t o r y ? " The t r a n s l a t o r a d d s:
"Dumas' s c ru p u lo u s ad h e re n c e to h i s t o r y in th e h i s
t o r i c a l p o r tio n s o f t h i s book w i l l be rem em bered by
a l l s tu d e n t s .
A gain th e t r a n s l a t o r o f some o f Dumas' t a l e s sa y s
t h a t i n s p i t e of th e a u t h o r 's d e l i g h t f u l abandon in
w r i ti n g h i s im p ro b ab le f i c t i o n , no h is t o r io g r a p h e r
e v e r fo llo w e d a u t h o r i t y more c a r e f u l l y . In th e Agenor
de Maultson Dumas fo llo w e d , ev en i n m inor d e t a i l s ,
a u th e n tic r e c o r d s , m a n u s c rip ts and a r c h iv e s .
B a lz a c , alw ay s d e v o te d to S c o tt, had lo n g d e s ir e d
to w r ite an h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l. He w as a s tu d e n t o f h i s
to r y w ith an I n te n s e i n t e r e s t in such m a tte r s a s alchem y
and th e e l i x i r of l i f e - b o th o f g r e a t im p o rta n ce in
th e s ix t e e n t h c e n tu r y , th e tim e o f About C a th e rin e de*
M e d ic i, w ith th e p a r t i c u l a r em p h asis upon th e p sy ch o
l o g i c e le m e n t.
Even th e n o v e l i s t s o f l e s s e r r e p u t a ti o n have b ee n
^-Dumas, Love and L i b e r t y . T r a n s l a t o r 's i n t r o
d u c tio n .
46
c a r e f u l to be a s c o r r e c t a s p o s s ib le : I r v in g B a c h e lle r
sa y s i n th e i n tr o d u c t io n to Dawn t h a t he h a s c o n s u lte d
many m a n u s c rip ts and v i s i t e d many p a r t s of th e H oly
L and. B enson in th e p r e f a c e to Gome Rack! Gome Ropet
w ro te : H Very n e a r ly th e w hole o f t h i s book i s so b e r
h i s t o r i c a l f a c t ; and b y f a r th e g r e a t e r num ber o f p e r
so n ag es named i n i t once l i v e d and a c te d in th e m anner
i n w h ich I have p r e s e n te d th e m .”1
Cham bers w r i t e s i n th e Acknowledgem ent to The Red
R e p u b lic t h a t i f th e s to r y w ere o m itte d th e h i s t o r i c a l
b a s i s w ould be fo u n d v e ry a c c u r a te . J a n a A u s tin in
h e r p r e f a t o r y n o te to S ta n d is h Of S ta n d is h p ro m is e s
t h a t s tu d e n ts s h a l l n o t be m is le d in th e m a tte r of
h i s t o r i c a l b ack g ro u n d . The w r i t e r of S c o t t i s h C h ie fs
h a s a sh a re in th e s tr u g g le f o r a c c u ra c y .
W I have sp a re d no p a in s in c o n s u ltin g a lm o st e v e ry
w r i t in g e x ta n t w h ich t r e a t s o f th e s i s t e r kingdom s
d u rin g th e p e r io d of my n a r r a t i v e . I t w ould be t i d i o u s
to s w e ll t h i s page w ith a l i s t o f th e s e a u t h o r i t i e s ;
b u t a l l who a re in tim a te w ith o u r o ld B r i t i s h h i s t o r
ia n s m ust p e r c e iv e on r e a d in g th e S c o t t i s h C h ie fs t h a t
in th e s k e tc h w h ich h i s t o r y w ould have" l a i d down f o r
th e b io g ra p h y o f my p r i n c i p a l h e ro I have made no
a d d i tio n , e x c e p tin g w h ere, tim e h a v in g made some e r a
s u r e , a s tr o k e w as n e c e s s a ry to f i l l th e sp ace and
u n ite th e o u t l i n e .
In th e p r e f a c e t o th e E n g lis h E d itio n o f V eva. o r
^B enson, Gome Rackt Gome Ropel P r e f a c e .
2P o r t e r , S c o tti s h C h ie f s , p r e f a c e .
47
The War o f th e P e a s a n ts , th e t r a n s l a t o r w r i t e s :
The War o f th e P e a s a n ts i s , in d e e d , more p u r e ly
a f i c t i o n th a n th e L io n o f F la n d e r s . I t s p l o t i s
more o b v io u s ly an end f o r i t s own sak e and in d e p e n d e n t
o f h i s t o r y . I t s c h a r a c te r s a r e a l l im a g in a ry , and ta k e
n o th in g from h i s t o r y h u t t h e i r t r u t h f u l n e s s o f s e n t i
m ent and costum e and th e scen e on w h ich th e y a r e d i s
p la y e d . B u t, l i k e a l l M. C o n sc ie n c e * s h i s t o r i c a l
ro m an ces, i t i s s c ru p u lo u s ly a c c u r a te i n s ta te m e n t.
He n e v e r, u n d e r w h a te v e r s t r e s s o f a r t i s t i c o r p a t r i o t i c
te m p ta tio n , v i o l a t e s h i s t o r i c a l t r u t h . . . 'W h a te v e r',
sa y s th e r e v ie w e r i n th e S o ire e s B r u s e l l o i s e s . 'w h a t
e v e r may h e th e v a lu e o f th e rom ances p u b lis h e d t h i s
y e a r , th e r e i s n o t one o f them w h ich com es n e a r The
War o f th e P e a s a n ts o f M. C o n sc ie n c e . The scen e i s
l a i d i n 1793» a t th e tim e of th e in v a s io n of Belgium
by th e F re n c h . . • W ith w hat f i d e l i t y to n a tu r e d o e s
he d e s c r ib e a l l th e a l t e r n a t i v e s o f Joy and o f g r i e f ,
of a n g u is h and o f h o p e, w hich in t u r n a f f e c t th e p o o r
v ic tim s o f a f o r e ig n f a n a t ic is m ! 1
P e rh a p s few n o v e l i s t s have la b o re d more u n t i r i n g l y
w ith th e d e f i n i t e aim o f aw akening a n a t i o n a l c o n s c ie n c e
th a n h a s M. C o n sc ie n c e . Yet p a t r i o t i s m d o e s n o t in d u c e
him to a l t e r th e f a c t s o f h i s t o r y . T here a r e a few
w r i t e r s who demand h i s t o r i c a l v e r i t y in th e f a c e o f
a l l d ra m a tic d i f f i c u l t i e s . I t may b e assum ed, how ever,
from th e r e a d in g o f th e p r e f a c e s and from th e com par
is o n o f h i s t o r y w ith a l i m i t e d num ber o f n o v e ls , t h a t
th e number i s somewhat l i m i t e d .
S a in ts b u ry seems to h av e to e x p re s s e d th e p r e v a i l
in g o p in io n when h e s a y s : * I t i s c o n s ta n tl y u s e f u l ,
and i t m'ay a i r t i m e s b e in d is p e n s a b le , f o r th e H is -
^The War o f th e P e a s a n ts . P r e f a c e .
48
t o r i c a l N o v e lis t to ta k e l i b e r t i e s w ith h i s t o r y .
L e la n d i n h i s p r e f a c e to Longsw ord w r i t e s of a tte m p t
in g to seek " to e n t e r t a i n by r e l a t i n g f a c t s o f h i s
to r y , w hich he may a l t e r s l i g h t l y f o r th e b e t t e r
e f f e c t o f h i s s to r y . ' I f to o g r e a t l i b e r t i e s h av e
b ee n t a k e n ,' he c o n t i n u e s ,' in a l t e r i n g h i s t o r i c a l
a c c o u n ts , th o s e who lo o k f o r amusement w i l l f o r g i v e ,
w h ile th e le a r n e d and c r i t i c a l • . w i l l deem i t . .
o f to o l i t t l e co n seq u en ce . . f o r • . c e n s u r e .' The
d o c t r in e a b s o l u t e l y o f a l l g r e a t h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s t s . " 2
S ir W a lte r S c o tt h im s e lf f a l l s i n t o t h i s g ro u p
o f n o v e l i s t s who m a in ta in t h a t v e r i s i m i l i t u d e i s more
Im p o rta n t th a n th e s l a v i s h d ependence upon h i s t o r y . In
th e D e d ic a to ry E p i s t l e to Iv an h o e he to u c h e s upon th e
d i f f i c u l t i e s a w r i t e r e n c o u n te rs i f he a tte m p ts a
c o r r e c t r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f th e p e r io d ;
I t i s t r u e , t h a t I n e i t h e r c a n , n o r do p r e te n d ,
t o th e O b s e rv a tio n o f co m p lete a c c u ra c y ev en i n m anners
o f t h e outw ard co stu m e, much l e s s in th e more im p o rta n t
p o i n t s o f la n g u a g e and m an n ers. B ut th e same m o tiv e
w hich p r e v e n ts my w r i ti n g th e d ia lo g u e of th e p ie c e
in A nglo-Saxon o r in N orm an-French, and w h ich p r o h i
b i t s my se n d in g f o r t h to th e p e o p le t h i s e s s a y p r in te d
w ith th e ty p e s o f C axton o r Wynken de Worde p r e v e n ts
^ •S a ln tsb u ry , "The H i s t o r i c a l N o v e lis t" , M acm illan ,
V ol. TO, p . 326.
2M ay n ad ier, "iv a n h o e and I t s C o n seq u en c es", E s s a y s
in Memory of B a r r e t t W en d ell, p . 225.
49
my a tte m p tin g t o c o n fin e m y se lf w ith in th e l i m i t s o f
th e p e r io d in w hich ray s to r y i s l a i d . I t i s n e c e s s a r y ,
f o r e x c i t i n g i n t e r e s t o f any k in d , t h a t th e s u b je c t
assum ed sh o u ld b e , a s i t w ere, t r a n s l a t e d i n t o th e
m an n ers, a s w e ll a s th e la n g u a g e , o f th e age we l i v e
i n . l
T h is i s one o f th e t h e o r i e s t h a t S c o tt e x p la in s
from tim e t o tim e in h i s I n t r o d u c ti o n s . No am ount
o f h i s t o r i c a l a c c u ra c y and no s t o r e o f in fo rm a tio n
sh o u ld p re v e n t a t a l e from b e in g e n t i r e l y w ith in th e
r e a c h of th e m ind o f th e a v e ra g e r e a d e r . B e tte r t o
l o s e som ething from th e h i s t o r i a n ’ s p o in t o f view
th a n to d e t r a c t from th e e n te r ta in m e n t w hich i s th e
p rim a ry p u rp o se of a n o v e l. M oreover, he w ould d i f f e r
from th e th e o ry of B u lw e r-L y tto n and p e rm it an o c c a s io n a l
an ach ro n ism f o r th e b e n e f i t o f th e s i t u a t i o n i n th e
s to r y . I t i s w e ll t o rem em ber, h o w ev er, t h a t w ith
a l l o f S c o t t 's b e l ie v in g t h a t v e r i s i m i l i t u d e i s more
to be so u g h t a f t e r th a n h i s t o r i c a l a c c u ra c y , he w as
an a n tiq u a r ia n o f c o n s id e r a b le m e r i t , t h a t he had th e
t r u e h i s t o r i c a l f e e l i n g and w ould n o t d i s t o r t f a c t
perm i s c u o u s ly .
P a u l i , i n h i s L i t e r a r y E th i c s d e fe n d s S c o t t 's
o c c a s io n a l in a c c u r a c ie s . He sp e a k s o f R. H. H u tto n
who in h i s book, S c o t t , m e n tio n s h i s f r e e m a n ip u la
t i o n f o r th e p u rp o s e s o f rom ance. In K e n ilw o rth
1 Iv a n h o e . D e d ic a to ry E p i s t l e , p . 19.
50
c h a r a c te r s q u o te S h ak esp e are who w as th e n h u t a y o u th ,
In W oodstock th e p o e t i s made to d ie tw e n ty y e a r s to o
soon. K e n ilw o rth i s in d e e d m is le a d in g in many p o i n t s .
The h i s t o r i c a l b a s i s of W oodstock and R e d g a u n tle t a l s o ,
i s th o ro u g h ly u n tr u s tw o r th y . W ritin g o f Iv a n h o e .
Andrew L ang, i n Homer and th e E p ic , p o i n t s o u t t h a t
R obin Hood a c t u a l l y l i v e d i n th e r e i g n o f Edward I I ,
n o t In t h a t o f R ic h a rd I . Mr. F a rn ie in H ighw ays and
Byways of L i t e r a t u r e 1 shows t h a t S c o tt* s c h ro n o lo g y
i s h o p e le s s ly w rong, R ic h a rd I b e in g a h u n d red y e a r s
o u t o f p la c e w ith th e r e s t o f th e n o v e l: W A11 t h i s
may b e p e r f e c t l y t r u e , b u t i t i s th e r e s u l t o f m e tic
u lo u s co m p a riso n s w h ich c o u ld o n ly be made b y a s tu
d e n t, and w hich do n o t in any a p p r e c ia b le d e g re e a f f e c t
e i t h e r th e en jo y m en t o f th e t a l e , o r th e t r u t h o f th e
g e n e r a l im p re s s io n l e f t on th e r e a d e r . I t w ould b e a
v e ry d i f f e r e n t th in g i f th e e r r o r s w ere su ch a s w ould
m is le a d th e r e a d e r o r w ere su ch a s he w ould d e t e c t ;
in th e l a t t e r c a se h e w ould lo s e t h a t i l l u s i o n o f r e a l
i t y w hich I s n e c e s s a r y i f h i s I n t e r e s t i s t o be m ain
ta in e d .
The e r r o r s I n S c o tt a r e s o l i t a r y and o u ts ta n d in g ,
l i k e ch an g es o f d a te f o r d ra m a tic p u rp o s e s . Such
^ F a r n ie , Highw ays and Byways o f L i t e r a t u r e , p .
202.
2 p a u ll, L i t e r a r y E t h i c s , p . 258.
51
e r r o r s a r e o f l i t t l e co n seq u en ce to th e r e a d e r . B ut
c o n c e rn in g th e m in u te d e s c r i p t i o n s o f m an n ers, c u s
to m s, and d r e s s , th e r e i s s c a r c e ly one to com pete w ith
him . T hese d e t a i l s a re an a c c u r a te r e p r e s e n t a t i o n of
t h e i r a g e , e x c e p t i n c e r t a i n e a s e s when th e c l a r i t y
m ig h t he o b sc u re d .
W I have b e e n more s o l i c i t o u s to d e s c r ib e m anners
m in u te ly th a n t o a rra n g e i n any c a s e an a r t i f i c i a l and
com bined n a r r a t i v e , and have b u t to r e g r e t t h a t I f e l t
m y se lf u n a b le t o u n ite th e s e two r e q u i s i t e s o f a good
n o v e l* ' Oddly enough, a c c u ra c y h e re seems of g r e a t e r
im p o rta n c e th a n in th o s e m a tte r s w h ich a r e more o u t
s ta n d in g , f o r i t i s th e l i t t l e t r i c k s i n sp eech and
p e c u l i a r i t i e s i n m anner w hich g iv e one th e f e e l i n g f o r
th e a g e .
Von S c h e f f e l in th e p r e f a c e to h i s e x c e l l e n t n o v e l,
E k k eh ard , d e fe n d s th e w rite r * s p r i v i l e g e of an o cca
s io n a l l i b e r t y i f he may th e re b y make th e t a l e l i v e in
th e m inds o f h i s r e a d e r s . *1 c a n a s s e r t b o ld ly t h a t
n o t much h a s b e e n r e l a t e d t h e r e i n w h ich i s n o t b ased
on c o n s c ie n tio u s h i s t o r i c a l s t u d i e s , th o u g h I have now
and th e n changed p e rs o n s and d a t e s a l i t t l e . In o rd e r
to enhance th e harm ony o f h i s w ork th e p o e t may o cca
s io n a lly ta k e l i b e r t i e s w hich w ould b e m ost blam ew orthy
i f In d u lg e d i n by th e h i s t o r i a n . And y e t th e em in en t
1 S c o tt, I n tr o d u c tio n t o The A n tiq u a ry .
52
M acaulay h im s e lf sa y s: ' I s h a l l c h e e r f u l ly h e a r th e
r e p r o a c h o f h a v in g d escen d e d helow th e d i g n i t y of h i s
to r y i f I can su c cee d in p la c in g b e fo re th e E n g lis h
of th e n in e te e n th c e n tu ry a t r u e p i c t u r e of th e l i f e
o f t h e i r a n c e s to r s .
G eorg E b e rs , an e x c e l l e n t s c h o la r , b e l i e v e s in
h i s t o r i c a l a c c u ra c y . He s tu d ie d e x c a v a tio n s , man
u s c r i p t s and a l l m anner of t h i n g s p e r t a i n i n g to th e
age and c o u n try of h i s n o v e l. He t r a v e l l e d e x te n s iv e ly
and s p e n t c o n s id e r a b le tim e among o ld tom bs and mon
u m en ts, c o n s u ltin g th e o r i g i n a l s w henever a v a i l a b l e .
I t i s th e u s u a l comment o f h i s p r e f a c e t h a t th e r e h a s
b een n o th in g w r i t t e n w ith o u t some a u t h o r i t y . In d e e d ,
h i s e a r l i e r b o o k s a re som etim es b u rd en ed w ith s c h o l
a r s h ip . When h i s t o r y r e f u s e s t o su p p ly a w r i t e r w ith
s u f f i c i e n t m a te r ia l f o r a n o v e l, th e n i s th e w r i t e r
f r e e t o draw upon h i s im a g in a tio n , l e t t i n g h i s fa n c y
be g u id e d alw ay s by such know ledge a s he may p o s s e s s .
I f th e a r t i s t u s e s c a re and i n t e l l i g e n c e he may, even
w ith s c a n t know ledge, c r e a t e an atm o sp h ere w ith o u t
n o tic e a b le e r r o r s . In An E g y p tia n P r i n c e s s , he p e r
m its h im s e lf th e p r i v i l e g e o f a s l i g h t change i n e v e n t
f o r d ra m a tic p u rp o s e s . I n th e p o e tic q u a l i t y o f th e
lo v e o f Sappho and B a r t j a - may he n o t, he w o n d ers,
be p e r m itte d th e poet* s freed o m . I t i s b u t i n f r e -
^von S c h e f fe l, P r e fa c e to Ekkehard. p . i x .
53
q u e n tly , he c o n tin u e s , t h a t h e m ust r e q u e s t such
le n ie n c y .
I t i s good to have done much r e s e a r c h in th e
h i s t o r i e s and docum ents o f a p e r io d , h u t i t i s b e t t e r
t h a t t h i s stu d y sh o u ld e x te n d o v e r a lo n g p e r io d o f
tim e. The m ost s u c c e s s fu l n o v e l i s t s w ere s tu d e n ts
o f th e p a s t f o r many y e a r s . I t i s n o t a t a l l p o s s i b le
to p la n and w r i te an h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i n a s in g le
y e a r; r a th e ^ , m ust th e r e a d in g b e e x te n d e d o v e r a lo n g
p e r io d o f tim e , u n t i l th e w r i t e r h a s so im m ersed him
s e l f in th e s p i r i t o f h i s ad o p ted a g e , t h a t he h a s
th e e a sy a i r of f a m i l i a r i t y i n d e a lin g w ith i t . B u l-
w e r-L y tto n h a s e x p re s s e d a s f o r c i b l y a s any t h i s
p o in t:
To im p a rt a n y th in g l i k e f i d e l i t y to th e d ia lo g u e s
of c l a s s i c a c t o r s , we m ust bew are ( t o u se a u n iv e r
s i t y p h ra s e ) how we cram f o r th e o c c a sio n ! N o th in g
can g iv e to a w r i t e r a more s t i f f and u n easy g a i t th a n
th e sudden and h a s ty a d o p tio n o f th e to g a . W e m ust
b r in g t o o u r ta s k th e f a m i l i a r i z e d know ledge of many
y e a rs ; th e a l l u s i o n s , th e p h ra s e o lo g y , th e la n g u a g e
g e n e r a lly , m ust flo w from a stre a m t h a t h a s lo n g b een
f u l l ; th e f lo w e r s m ust b e t r a n s p l a n t e d from a l i v i n g
s o i l , and n o t b o u g h t seco n d -h an d a t th e n e a r e s t m a rk e t
p l a c e .1
T h ack eray w ro te c o n c e rn in g h i s f a m i l i a r i t y w ith
th e age of H enry Esmond: *1 fa n c y m y se lf alm o st a s
f a m i l i a r w ith one ( th e l a s t c e n tu ry ) a s w ith th e
^L a s t Days of P om p eii. P r e fa c e , p . x i i i .
54
o th e r ( p r e s e n t) ' and O xford and B o lln g b ro k e i n t e r e s t
me a s much a s R u s se l and P a lm e rs to n « • m ore, v e r y
l i k e l y . *1
E b e rs w as a s tu d e n t o f e a r l y c i v i l i z a t i o n s f o r
y e a rs b e fo re he b eg an h i s Homo Sum, t h a t v e ry e x c e ll e n t
o f h i s o u ts ta n d in g ,a c c u r a te n o v e ls . He sa y s i n p r e
p a r in g t o w r i te t h i s n o v e l, t h a t th e s tu d y of th e
f i r s t c e n t u r ie s of C h r i s t i a n i t y c la im e d h i s a t t e n t i o n
f o r a lo n g tim e . He w ent th ro u g h a m ass o f m a rty ro lo g y ,
of th e h i s t o r i e s o f s a i n t s and m onks, o f b io g ra p h y ,
h i s t o r y and a s c e t i c w r i t i n g s . H is e x te n s iv e t r a v e l s
to o k him th ro u g h a l l th e c o u n tr ie s co n n e c te d w ith
th e n o v e l.
I t w as S c o tt who su cceed ed b e s t in b r in g in g
t h a t e a sy a i r o f f a m i l i a r i t y to h i s n o v e ls . He had
trem en d o u s a d v a n ta g e o v e r th e a v e ra g e w r i t e r . He
d id n o t h av e to ru s h d e s p e r a te ly to f in d b o o k s on
th e l i f e of th e p e o p le o f th e M iddle A ges, o f th e
m anners o f th e men in th e d a y s o f Queen E liz a b e th .
He was a f i n i s h e d a n t iq u a r ia n when h e began w r i t i n g ,
and h i s w ide r e a d in g in h i s y o u th h ad g iv e n him th e
f l a v o r o f th e p a s t a lr e a d y .
H i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s t s seem o c c a s io n a lly tem p ted
t o d is p la y an overw helm ing c o l l e c t i o n o f f a c t s . They
h av e la b o re d lo n g and e a r n e s t l y ; th e y h a v e gone on
e x te n s iv e t r a v e l s ; th e y know th e p r i v a t e l i v e s o f
th e members of th e c o u r t and th e s e c r e t d e s p a i r s of
1 H enry Esmond. I n tr o d u c tio n , p . x iv .
55
th e common p e o p le ; th e y u n d e rs ta n d th e r e l i g i o u s f e e l
in g s of th e m asses; th e y h av e gone i n to th e stu d y
o f d r e s s , p e r s o n a l o rn a m e n ts, co o k in g u t e n s i l s and
t a b l e m an n ers. They a r e am azin g ly le a r n e d and have
become a u t h o r i t i e s i n some p e r io d of h i s t o r y , so -th a t
th e y a r e a b le to d is c u s s th e r e l a t i v e m e r it s of o u t
s ta n d in g h i s t o r i a n s . I t i s e a sy to u n d e rs ta n d t h a t
a c u rb in g o f such e r u d i t i o n m ig h t be d i f f i c u l t . Nor
i s i t a q u e s tio n of d i s p l a y . R a th e r t h e r h i s t o r i c a l
n o v e l i s t c o n s id e r s h im s e lf a t tim e s th e v o ic e o f h i s
ad o p ted age and c o u n try , and h e i s e a g e r t o t e l l a s
much of i t a s p o s s i b le .
E b e rs in h i s e a r l i e r books added f o o t - n o t e s
and b ib lio g r a p h y f o r r e a d e r s who d e s ir e d them , fo r.
he a tte m p te d n e v e r to o m it a n y th in g w hich w ould in s u r e
th e a c c u ra c y of h i s w o rk s. I n th e p r e f a c e t o U ard a,
h e h a s e x p la in e d h i s r e a s o n s f o r th e in c lu s io n of
n o te s :
In th e f i r s t p la c e th e y se rv e d t o e x p la in th e t e x t ;
in th e second th e y w ere a g u a ra n te e of th e c a re w ith
w hich I had s t r i v e d to d e p ic t th e a r c h a e o lo g ic a l d e t a i l s
in a l l t h e i r i n d i v i d u a l i t y from th e r e c o r d s of th e monu
m en ts and of c l a s s i c a u th o r s ; and t h i r d l y , I hoped to
su p p ly th e r e a d e r who d e s ir e d f a r t h e r know ledge of th e
p e r io d w ith some g u id e t o h i s s t u d i e s . 1
In s p i t e o f t h i s d e s i r e f o r a c c u ra c y , he h a s
1 E b ers, Uarda. P r e fa c e , p . 1 .
56
su g g e ste d t h a t n o te s sh o u ld n o t i n t e r f e r e w ith th e
p le a s u r e o f t h e s t o r y , b u t sh o u ld be a rra n g e d t h a t
th e r e a d e r m ig h t r e a d a l l th e added m a te r ia l f o r e a c h
c h a p te r a t th e b e g in n in g and n o t d e s tr o y th e c o n tin u
i t y o f th e s to ry * I n h i s l a t e r w orks h e o m itte d n o te s
e n t i r e l y , p a r t l y b e c a u se he f e l t h i s r e p u t a t i o n a s a
s c h o la r a g u a ra n te e f o r th e r e c o g n i tio n o f a c c u ra c y ,
and p a r t l y b e c a u se h i s mind h ad s h i f t e d more and more
to th e p o e tic e le m e n t.
B u lw e r-L y tto n i n s i s t s t h a t a work o f t h i s s o r t i s
n o t a s c h o la r ly a r t i c l e , b u t a n o v e l i n w hich th e
e v id e n c e s of le a r n i n g sh o u ld be a s u n o b tr u s iv e a s
p o s s i b l e , w ith q u o ta tio n s and m a rg in a l n o te s e lim in a te d .
*The i n t u i t i v e s p i r i t * , he w r i t e s , *w hich in f u s e s a n t i
q u ity i n t o a n c ie n t Im ages i s p e rh a p s th e t r u e le a r n
in g w hich a w ork of t h i s n a tu r e r e q u i r e s : w ith o u t i t ,
p e d a n try i s o f f e n s iv e ; w ith , u s e l e s s . No man who i s
th o ro u g h ly aw are of w hat P ro s e F i c t i o n h a s now become -
of i t s d i g n i t y , o f i t s in f lu e n c e , o f th e m anner i n
w hich i t h a s g r a d u a lly ab so rb e d a l l s i m i l a r d e p a r t
m ents of l i t e r a t u r e , of i t s pow er in te a c h in g a s w e ll
a s am using - can so f a r f o r g e t i t s c o n n e c tio n w ith
H is to r y , w ith P h ilo s o p h y , w ith P o l i t i c s , i t s u t t e r
harm ony w ith P o e tr y and o b ed ien ce to T ru th , a s t o
elebase i t s n a t u r e to th e l e v e l o f s c h o l a s t i c f r i v o l i
t i e s : h e r a i s e s s c h o la r s h ip t o th e c r e a t i v e , and
57
d o e s n o t "bow th e c r e a t i v e to th e s c h o l a s t i c . * 1
He com m ents, a g a in , on th e d i f f i c u l t y of know ing
w hat i s to h e In c lu d e d , and on th e alm o st g r e a t e r
p ro b lem o f e x c lu d in g o th e r m a t e r ia l : * I t d id in d e ed
r e q u i r e a g r e a t e r s e l f - c o n t r o l th a n th e r e a d e r may
a t f i r s t im a g in e , t o r e j e c t much t h a t was m ost i n v i t
in g in i t s e l f , h u t w h ich , w h ile i t m ight have added
a t t r a c t i o n to p a r t s of th e w ork, w ould have h ee n i n
j u r i o u s to §he symmetry o f th e w h o le /* 2
C e rv a n te s w r i t e s i n h i s p r e f a c e t o Don Q u ix o te
t h a t h i s n o v e l la c k s m a rg in a l n o te s and c r i t i c a l r e
m ark s, and he d o e s n o t know w hat a u th o r he f o llo w s .
Nor a r e th e s e o f such im p o rta n c e a s many w ould su p p o se,
f o r can a lo n g in d e x of nam es s ig n i f y s c h o la r s h ip , o r
e n d le s s m a rg in a l n o te s in L a t i n in s u r e a c c u rac y ?
* T hese f a b u lo u s e x tra v a g a n c e s * , he s a id , *have n o th
in g t o do w ith th e im p a r t ia l p u n c t u a lity o f t r u e h i s
to r y ; n o r do I f in d any b u s in e s s you can h av e w ith
a s tr o l o g y , g eo m etry , o r l o g i c , and I hope you a r e to o
good a man t o mix s a c re d th in g s w ith p ro fa n e .
S c o tt w as c l e v e r enough n o t o n ly t o w r ite h i s
t o r i c a l n o v e ls , b u t a l s o t o t e l l o th e r s how to do i t .
• * - The L a s t Days of P o m p e ii. P r e f a c e , x i .
g f b l d . p . v i i i .
3 Don Q u ixote. P r e fa c e , p . 10.
58
He o b je c te d to h i s t o r i c a l e v e n ts b e in g d ra g g ed i n t o a
s to r y ; to th e o b v io u s c h r o n ic lin g o f h i s t o r y ; m o reo v er,
he c r i t i c i z e d th e custom o f h u r r i e d l y r e a d in g enough
b o o k s and cram ming o n e 's mind w ith f a c t s f o r th e w r i t
in g o f th e w ork. The f a c t s , th e n m ig h t be p r e s e n t, b u t
c e r t a i n l y th e s p i r i t w ould be la c k in g . When h e w as
c o m p le tin g S t r u t t * s n o v e l, Q u een h o o -H all. he w ro te t h a t
he th o u g h t i t w ould n e g e r be p o p u la r b e c a u se o f th e
o v e r - d is p la y o f a n t iq u a r ia n know ledge.
B ran d e r M atthew s in h i s b ook, The H i s t o r i c a l H o v el,
w r i t e s o f th e e v i l s o f cramming to o much le a r n in g i n to
a book, f o r ''H um anity i s choked b y a rc h e o lo g y * . A side
from any a r t i s t i c th e o ry th e p o p u la r it y o f a book d e
mands t h a t th e r e b e a ju d ic io u s u se o f s c h o la r ly d e t a i l ,
now i s th e q u e s tio n of p o p u la r demand one t o b e re g a rd e d
l i g h t l y . No l e s s w r i t e r s th a n D ryden and M o li^ re have
s t a t e d an aim o f p le a s in g . S h ak esp ea re h a s m arred th e
b e a u ty o f h i s p la y s f o r many m odern r e a d e r s b y h i s in
c lu s io n o f s c e n e s to p le a s e th e g ro u n d lin g s . S c o t t 's
l i t e r a r y e n d e a v o rs w ere alw ay s g u id e d by h i s a u d ie n c e .
As th e anonym ous " a u th o r* i n th e I n tr o d u c to r y E p i s t l e
to N ig e l, he w r i t e s : "No one s h a ll f i n d me row ing
a g a in s t th e stre a m . I c a re n o t who knows i t — I w r i te
f o r g e n e ra l am usem ent; and th o u g h I w i l l n e v e r aim a t
p o p u la r it y by w hat I t h in k unw orthy m eans; I w i l l n o t,
■ ^■ Page 20.
59
on th e o th e r h an d , be p e r t i n a c i o u s in th e d e fe n c e o f my
own e r r o r s a g a in s t th e v o ic e o f th e p u b lic .
W e f i n d t h a t th e m a jo r ity of h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s t s
from T h ackeray and B u lw e r-L y tto n to W ilk ie C o l lin s have
e a r n e s t l y en d eav o red t o m a in ta in a h ig h s ta n d a rd o f a c
c u ra c y in t h e i r w o rk s. L e s s e r n o v e l i s t s may w ander
i n to th e p a s t a s a ro m a n tic g e s tu r e , w hereby th e y may
g a in th e elem e n t o f s tr a n g e n e s s . Such a m eans o f e s
cape fro m th e p r e s e n t l i f e i s n o t th e h ig h e s t d e s i r e
o f th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s t . Hot in f r e q u e n tl y d o e s he
c o n s id e r h im s e lf a s a s o r t o f p r o p h e t of t r u t h f o r th e
p e r io d he i s d e s c r i b i n g , w ith alm o st a m o ral d u ty of
p i c t u r i n g i t a c c u r a te ly t o h i s r e a d e r s .
A few of th e n o v e l i s t s , n o ta b ly B u lw e r-L y tto n ,
F la u b e r t, E b e rs , and C o n scie n ce m a in ta in a h ig h s ta n
d a rd o f a c c u ra c y i s n e c e s s a r y . They d e s i r e t h a t th e
h i s t o r i c a l f a c t s b e n o t d i s t o r t e d ev en f o r th e s to r y ,
p
e x c e p t p e rh a p s on r a r e o c c a s io n s .
A n o th er g ro u p , le d by S c o tt, p e r m its a s l i g h t d e
v i a t i o n from h i s t o r i c a l v e r i t y f o r th e sake o f th e
d ra m a tic e le m e n t in th e p l o t . I t h a s b een shown b e f o r e ,
how ev er, t h a t in th e g e n e r a l p o r t r a y a l of m anners and
c u sto m s, S c o t t 1s work i s t h a t o f th e a n t iq u a r ia n .
1 S c o tt, N ig e l, I n tr o d u c to r y E p i s t l e .
^ I t m ust be rem em bered t h a t i t i s o n ly th e t h e o r i e s
w h ich c o n c e rn u s in t h i s stu d y . W hether th e n o v e l i s t s
d e v i a te from t h e i r t h e o r e t i c s ta n d a r d s a t tim e s i s
b e s id e th e p o in t.
60
A q u e s tio n w h ich c a u s e s some d is tu r b a n c e i n c r i t i
c a l m inds i s w h e th e r th e h i s t o r i c a l e le m e n t o r th e n o v e l
i t s e l f s h a l l have th e im p o rta n t p la c e . S h a ll th e s to r y
be p la c e d in an age now p a s t m e re ly f o r th e sake o f
n o v e lty , o r f o r th e added glam our w hich th e p a s s in g of
y e a r s can g iv e ? Some n o v e l i s t s , n a t u r a l l y , p la c e t h e i r
t a l e s i n th e p a s t f o r th e same re a s o n t h a t th e y w ould
ch o o se an O r ie n ta l s e t t i n g f o r an E n g lis h r e a d e r -
t h a t th e d is t a n c e i n m ile s o r in tim e w ould en h an ce th e
ro m a n tic n a tu r e of th e atm o sp h ere.
W r ite r s , a g a in , may in tr o d u c e an a e c a s io n a l i n c i
d e n t o f an h i s t o r i c a l n a tu r e when c o n v e n ie n t, f o r th e
same re a s o n : to add a n o th e r b i t o f rom ance and adven
t u r e ; f o r h i s t o r i c a l i n c i d e n t s , i f u sed J u d ic io u s ly ,
l i k e h i s t o r i c a l c h a r a c t e r s , when k e p t shadowy and a l o o f ,
c r e a t e an atm o sp h ere o f e x c ite m e n t. M o reo v er, su ch add
i t i o n s make th e t a l e more c re d u lo u s . I f th e r e i s th e
e x c ite m e n t of an a c t u a l b a t t l e i n th e a i r , o r a r e a l
Queen .E liz a b e th s i t t i n g on th e th r o n e , even th o u g h one
n e v e r g e t s n e a r t o th e th r o n e , and n e v e r h e a r s more th a n
th e d i s t a n t r o a r o f th e can o n , he f e e l s t h a t th e s to r y
m ust be t r u e .
A rnold B e n n e tt, i n h i s Old Wives* T ale su d d e n ly
r e a l i z e d t h a t th e S ie g e o f P a ± is m ig h t e n t e r i n t o th e
s to r y . He d id some r e s e a r c h on th e q u e s tio n , fo u n d an
o ld r a ilw a y em ployee who w ith h i s w ife had e x p e rie n c e d
61
th e a c tu a l s ie g e , an d from them w a s a b le to le a r n
enough o f th e m inor d e t a i l s t h a t i t became in c o rp o r
a te d i n to h i s n o v e l. The Old Wives* T a le i s n o t p r i
m a rily an h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l, y e t th e i n c i d e n t s in c lu d e d
g iv e an added to u c h of c o l o r t o th e t a l e . 1
A g ain , we have th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l w hich i s
alm o st s t o r i f i e d b io g ra p h y . The b o o k s of L . Adams
B eck, J e n s e n * s C h ris to p h e r Colum bus. and Dumas* C ath
e r in e de* M ed ici a r e of t h i s ty p e . The c h a r a c t e r s
a r e a l l more o r l e s s h i s t o r i c a l , and th e e v e n ts have
th e a i r o f e n t i r e a c c u ra c y . In d e e d , i n some n o v e ls
th e e v e n ts a r e ta k e n d i r e c t l y from h i s t o r y , a lth o u g h
t h i s i s r a r e . R le n z l i s p e rh a p s th e o u ts ta n d in g
exam ple o f such s tu d ie d a c c u ra c y , f o r B u lw e r-L y tto n
fo llo w e d a u t h o r i t i e s so c l o s e ly t h a t h i s n o v e l became
alm o st s t o r i f i e d b io g ra p h y .
We have y e t a n o th e r ty p e o f th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l,
p e rh a p s th e m ost d e s i r a b l e o f a l l fro m an a r t i s t i c
p o in t o f v ie w . I n t h i s g ro u p th e h i s t o r y and th e
s to r y a r e so in te rw o v e n t h a t one i s d e p e n d e n t upon th e
o th e r . The nam e, h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l, im p lie s such a
u n io n o f h i s t o r y and f i c t i o n . The m ost s u c c e s s f u l
n o v e ls seem t o b e th o s e i n w h ich th e r e i s a c e r t a i n
^M au rice H e w le tt, a g a in , i s n o t p r im a r il y i n t e r e s t e d
in th e C ru sa d e s, b u t in th e m o ral s tr u g g le in th e mind
o f a woman. He p la c e s h i s s to r y in a M ed iev al s e t t i n g
to g iv e c o lo r .
62
b a la n c e b etw een th e t wo, w ith th e e v e n ts so m a n ip u la te d
t h a t th e h i s t o r i c a l e le m e n t m ig h t n o t be e x c lu d e d w ith
o u t i n j u r i n g th e o th e r .
I t I s B u lw e r-L y tto n * s th e o ry t h a t i t i s th e
s e t t i n g w h ich sh o u ld become th e m o tiv a tin g f o r c e , th e
c h a r a c t e r s and i n c i d e n t s grow ing o u t o f i t . The s u c c e s s
o f h i s e x p e rim e n t w ith R lem ai confim rned him in h i s
b e l i e f t h a t th e b e s t m ethod o f u s in g h i s t o r y in a
rom ance, w as t o fo llo w th e h i s t o r i c a l n a r r a t i v e , a s
th o u g h he w ere r e l a t i n g o n ly f a c t s , a d d in g th e human
i n t e r e s t b y t r a c i n g th e u n d e rly in g c a u s e s of ch a n g es In
c h a r a c te r and in a tte m p tin g an tin d e rs ta n d in g i n th e
e m o tio n a l d ev elo p m en t o f th e p e rs o n a g e s o f th e tim e .
I f such a m ethod b e fo llo w e d , th e a u th o r w i l l f in d t h a t
wth e e v e n ts of h i s work a r e ^ t h u s a lre a d y shaped to h i s
harid - th e c h a r a c t e r s a lre a d y c r e a te d - w hat re m a in s
f o r him , I s th e in n e r , n o t o u te r , h i s t o r y of man - th e
c h r o n ic le o f th e human h e a r t ; and i t I s b y t h i s t h a t he
I n tr o d u c e s a new harm ony b etw een c h a r a c te r and e v e n t,
and ad d s th e c o m p le te r s o lu tio n o f w hat i s a c tu a l and
t r u e , b y th o s e s p e c u la tio n s o f w hat i s n a t u r a l and
p r o b a b le , w hich ra re o u t o f th e p ro v in c e of h i s t o r y ,
b u t b e lo n g e s p e c i a l l y t o th e p h ilo s o p h y o f rom ance.
T h is i s an i n d i c a t i o n t h a t L ord L y tto n w ould
^ R ie n z i. P refa ce to th e e d it io n o f 1848.
63
advis© n o t o n ly f o llo w in g th e © vents o f h i s t o r y in t h e i r
n a t u r a l o r d e r , h u t c h o o sin g h i s t o r i c a l c h a r a c t e r s a s
th o s e f o r h i s n o v e l. Such a v ie w -p o in t i s saved
from th e f a t e of a te x t-b o o k by th e f u r t h e r adm oni
t i o n s to l e t th e a c tio n s o f th e c h a r a c t e r s be s tu d ie d
th o u g h tf u ll y t h a t one w i l l g a in an e n tr a n c e i n t o th e
human h e a r t and w i l l th e re b y be a b le to add th e p e r s o n a l
i n t e r e s t . In o th e r w o rd s, i t becom es a stu d y o f h i s
t o r i c a l c h a r a c t e r s w ith th e a d d i tio n o f th e p s y c h o lo
g i c a l and m o ral i n t e r e s t .
Yet one m ig h t i n t e r p r e t s t h e q u o ta tio n i n a d i f f e r
e n t m anner: t h a t th e ty p e s o f th e c h a r a c t e r s a r e t o
be found in h i s t o r y ; l e t th e w r i t e r e v o lv e h i s men aftd
women from th e s e ty p e s fo u n d in o ld e r n a r r a t i v e s , l e t t i n g
t h e i r a c tio n s be in k e e p in g w ith i n c i d e n t s o f th e n a r r a
t i v e . W hatever th e th o u g h t in L y tto n * s mind a t th e
w r i t i n g o f t h i s p r e f a c e , a much s a n e r view i s e x p re s s e d
i n th e e a r l i e r e d i t i o n o f The L a s t Days o f P o m p e ii:
The c h a r a c t e r s , t h e r e f o r e , a re th e n a t u r a l o f f s p r in g
o f th e sc en e and tim e . The i n c id e n t s o f th e t a l e a re
e q u a lly c o n s o n a n t, p e rh a p s , to th e th e n e x i s t i n g
s o c ie ty ; f o r i t i s n o t o n ly th e o r d in a r y h a b i t s o f
l i f e , th e f e a s t s and th e forum , th e b a th s and th e amphi
t h e a t r e , th e commonplace r o u tin e of th e d a s s i c lu x u r y ,
w h ich we r e c a l l th e p a s t t o b e h o ld , - e q u a lly im p o rta n t*
and more d e e p ly i n t e r e s t i n g , a r e th e p a s s io n s , th e
c rim e s , th e m is f o r tu n e s , and r e v e r s e s t h a t m ig h t have
ch an ced to th e sh a d es we th u s summon to l i f e . - * ■
i L a st Days of P om p eii. P r e fa c e , x .
64
In t h i s l a t t e r q u o ta tio n , th o u g h w r i t t e n some
f o u r te e n y e a r s "before th e o th e r o n e, we have a more
c o n s e r v a tiv e th e o r y , and th e one t o w h ich he a d h e re s
th ro u g h o u t h i s l i t e r a r y c a r e e r . The human e le m e n t i s
f o r him alw ay s th e one o f u tm o st Im p o rtan c e : "The
f i r s t a r t o f th e P o e t ( th e C r e a to r) i s to b r e a th e th e
b r e a t h o f l i f e i n t o h i s c r e a t u r e s - th e n e x t i s t o make
t h e i r w o rd s and a c tio n s a p p r o p r ia te t o th e e r a in w hich
th e y a re t o speak and a c t . * 1 T h is l a s t a r t i s , p e r
h a p s , th e b e t t e r e f f e c t e d by n o t b r in g in g th e a r t i t s e l f
c o n s ta n tly b e f o r e th e r e a d e r — by n o t crow ding th e
page w ith q u o ta tio n s , and th e m arg in w ith n o te s .
No man who i s th o ro u g h ly aw are o f w hat P ro se F i c t i o n
h a s now become - o f I t s d i g n i t y o f i t s in f lu e n c e , o f
th e m anner in w hich i t h a s g r a d u a l ly ab so rb e d a l l sim
i l a r d e p a rtm e n ts o f l i t e r a t u r e , o f i t s pow er In te a c h
in g a s w e ll a s am using - can so f a r f o r g e t i t s connec
t i o n w ith H is to r y , w ith P h ilo s o p h y , w ith P o l i t i c s - i t s
u t t e r harm ony w ith P o e try and o b e d ie n c e to T ru th - a s
to d e b a se i t s n a tu r e to th e l e v e l o f s c h o la s t ic f r i v o l
i t i e s : he r a i s e s s c h o la r s h ip t o th e c r e a t i v e , and d o es
n o t bow th e c r e a t i v e to th e s c h o l a s t i c . . .
As th e g r e a t e s t d i f f i c u l t y In t r e a t i n g o f an un
f a m i l i a r and d i s t a n t p e r io d I s t o make th e c h a r a c te r s
in tro d u c e d 'l i v e and move* b e f o r e th e e y e s o f th e
r e a d e r , so such sh o u ld d o u b tle s s b e th e f i r s t o b je c t of
a w ork o f th e p r e s e n t d e s c r i p t i o n ; and a l l a tte m p ts a t
th e d is p l a y o f l e a r n in g sh o u ld be c o n s id e re d b u t a s
m eans s u b s e r v ie n t to t h i s , th e m ain r e q u i s i t e o f f i c
t i o n . "2
W ith a l l h i s d e s i r e f o r a c c u ra c y , B u lw e r-L y tto n 's
1 I b id .
2 Ib id *
65
f i r s t r e q u i s i t e f o r a n o v e l i s t h a t i t he a r t i s t i c . In
w orks o f Im a g in a tio n th e p o r t r a y a l o f m an n ers, how ever
im p o rta n t a s an a c c e s s o r y , m ust s t i l l he s u b o rd in a te d
t o th e r e a l and im p o rta n t e le m e n ts o f th e n o v e l: p l o t ,
c h a r a c te r and human e m o tio n . He w ould c o n s tr u c t th e
n o v e l t h a t th e c h a r a c t e r s , t h e i r p ro b lem s and jo y s ,
r a t h e r th a n th e s t y l e o f a r c h i t e c t u r e have im p o rta n t
p la c e . The c h a r a c t e r s m ust alw ay s come f i r s t , grow ing
o u t o f th e h i s t o r i c a l s i t u a t i o n , so t h a t t h e r e s h a l l he
p e r f e c t harm ony b etw een s e t t i n g and a e tio n . The L a s t
Days o f P o m p e ii, f o r exam ple, w as in te n d e d t o p o r tr a y ,
f i r s t , human c h a r a c t e r , th e n to r e c o n s t r u c t th e h i s
t o r y , and to p r e s e n t t h a t h i s t o r y i n r e l a t i o n t o an
in d iv id u a l l i f e .
Von S c h e f f e l, a l s o , g iv e s f i r s t p la c e t o th e
c r e a t i v e fa n c y . I t I s r i g h t and n e c e s s a r y t h a t th e
n o v e l i s t copy d a t e s from th e to m b -s to n e s , and ta k e th e
s k e le to n s fro m t h e i r h id in g - p la c e s , b u t u n le s s th e
im a g in a tio n h a s s u f f i c i e n t o p p o r tu n ity of c o v e rin g th e
b o n e s w ith f l e s h and b lo o d , th e co stu m es w h ich he p u ts
on them , b e th e y e v e r so c o r r e c t , w i l l rem a in e n t i r e l y
u s e l e s s . T here I s a r t i n c o n s tr u c tin g th e h i s t o r i c
p a s t , and i t may b e done s u c c e s s f u lly o n ly when th e
c r e a t i v e o r r e s t o r a t i v e fa n c y i s n o t l i m i t e d , when th e
a u th o r becom es th e m aker o f new l i f e , so t h a t th e d ead
a r e no lo n g e r d ea d , b u t new b e in g s a s th e y a r i s e and
66
w alk .
Von S c h e f f e l a l s o w ould make th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l
w hat th e e p ic w as d u r in g th e y o u th of l i t e r a t u r e -
* a p ie c e o f n a t i o n a l h i s t o r y com posed by an a r t i s t ,
who i n a g iv e n space p r e s e n t s a s e r i e s o f s h a r p ly -
draw n, d e l i c a t e l y - c o l o r e d f i g u r e s , whose I n d iv id u a l
l i v e s w ith t h e i r s t r i v i n g s and s u f f e r i n g s r e f l e c t a s
i n a m ir r o r th e c h a r a c te r o f th e tim e in w h ich th e y
l i v e d . *1
E b e rs i n h i s e a r l i e r w orks som etim es m akes h i s
s e t t i n g more im p o rta n t th a n th e s to r y . O c c a s io n a lly
i t becom es so o b v io u s t h a t th e book seem s a p i c t u r e
o f E g y p tia n m anners and cu sto m s w ith th e s to r y a s an
added to u c h o f I n t e r e s t . I h e n he beg an w r i t i n g n o v e ls
h i s h i s t o r i c a l m a te r ia l seemed of e s p e c i a l im p o rta n c e ,
and h i s t o r i c a l a c c u ra c y more t o be so u g h t a f t e r th a n
f i c t i o n a l v e r i t y . I n h i s l a t e r w o rk s, how ever, th e
p o e t i c a l elem e n t came t o b e in c r e a s i n g l y more I m p o r
t a n t . I n h i s p r e f a c e t o U ard a. h e sp e a k s of th e w ork
a s wo n ly a rom ance, a p o e tic f i c t i o n * , i n w hich h e
w ish ed * a i l th e f a c t s d e r iv e d from h i s t o r y and a l l
th e co stu m es draw n from th e monuments to b e re g a rd e d
a s i n c i d e n t a l , and th e e m o tio n s o f th e a c t o r s i n th e
s t o r y ”2 a s th e im p o rta n t th in g .
^E kk eh ard . P r e f a c e , p. i i i .
SU arda. P r e f a c e .
67
F la u b e r t a d m its when *he h a s p ro v ed p o in t by p o i n t
h i s m in u te a c c u ra c y t o a l l t h a t i s known of a n c ie n t
C a rth a g e , h i s f a i t h f u l n e s s to e v e ry i n d i c a t i o n w hich
can se rv e f o r h i s g u id a n c e , h i s p a tie n c e i n g ro u p in g
r a t h e r th a n h i s d a r in g i n th e in v e n tio n o f a c tio n and
d e t a i l , t h a t i s n o t th e q u e s tio n . I c a re l i t t l e enough
f o r a rc h e o lo g y ! I f th e c o lo r i s n o t u n ifo rm and th e
d e t a i l s a r e o u t o f k e e p in g , i f th e m anners do n o t
s p r in g fro m th e r e l i g i o n s and a e tlo n s from th e p a s s io n s ,
i f th e co stu m s a re n o t a p p r o p r ia te t o t h e h a b i t s and
th e a r c h i t e c t u r e t o th e c lim a te , i f , in a work th e r e
i s n o t harm ony, I am in e r r o r . I f n o t, n o .* 1 T h ere
m ust be harm ony i n h i s u se o f d e t a i l , th e r e m ust be
hammony b etw een th e h i s t o r i c a l f a c t s and th e f i c t i o n
i t s e l f . T here m ust be a c u rb in g o f a r c h a e o lo g ic a l d e
t a i l , th e c h a r a c te r m ust r i s e above a n c ie n t cu sto m s and
m an n ers. F la u b e r t to o k t h i s s ta n d a f t e r w r i t i n g h i s
ov/n h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l, in w h ich he f e l t he had made th e
m is ta k e o f d o in g t h a t v e ry t h i n g .^
S ir W a lte r S c o tt c o n ten d ed w ith a s o r t o f p r i d e ,
t h a t a lth o u g h h i s n o v e ls w ere a c c u r a te r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s
o f th e m anners o f a b y -g o n e d a y , th e s to r y w as alw ay s
p aram o u n t, re a d y to a f f o r d one a p le a s a n t evening* s
e n te r ta in m e n t. He d o e s n o t go i n t o th e d is c u s s io n w ith
^ Salammbo. I n tr o d u c tio n .
2Salammbo, A rth u r Symonds* I n tr o d u c tio n .
68
th e s p e c i f i c q u e s tio n i n mind o f w hich sh o u ld predom
i n a t e , h i s t o r y o r n o v e l. To him i t w as alw a y s e v id e n t
t h a t n o th in g sh o u ld i n t e r f e r e w ith s to r y . F o r it,T ,h e
w as w i l l i n g to change an o c c a s io n a l d a t e ; f o r n o th in g
m ust i n t e r f e r e w ith th e p le a s u r e he m ig h t g iv e a r e a d e r .
*n H y p a tia K in g sle y h a s k e p t th e h i s t o r i c a l back
ground a s b ack g ro u n d , n e v e r p e r m ittin g i t to in tr u d e
upon th e s to r y . The s t r u g g l e , th e p ro b lem o f s p i r i t u a l
l i f e , i s th e im p o rta n t e le m e n t.
Alm ost w ith o u t e x c e p tio n th e n o v e l i s t s a g re e w ith
Mr. Jam es when he sa y s: *Our p r e s e n t in q u ir y i s n o t
w h e th e r th e s e rom ances a r e good s c ie n c e , b u t w h e th e r
th e y a r e good a r t ; and h i s t o r i c a l in a c c u ra c y w i l l o n ly
coneeun u s i f i t s p o il th e n o v e l a s a n o v e l, i f i t
w eaken, t h a t i s , th e i n t e r e s t o f th e s to r y o r th e
f o r c e o f th e d ra m a tic p a s s io n . I t i s no p a r t o f th e
p r o p e r f u n c tio n o f a r t t o im p a rt in f o rm a tio n . . .
However a c c u r a te th e n o v e l i s t s a tte m p t t o b e ,
how ever g r e a t may b e th e i n t e r e s t in g iv in g an a d e q u a te
p i c t u r e o f th e ag e, th e y a r e , a lm o st w ith o u t e x c e p tio n ,
p r im a r il y n o v e l i s t s , w ith th e n o v e l i s t ’ s i n t e r e s t In
human s tr u g g le and em o tio n .
Among th e p ro b lem s c o n f r o n tin g one i n t e n t upon
th e w r i t i n g o f an h i s t o r i c a l n o v el i s th e h a n d lin g of
^■James, *The H i s t o r i c a l N o v el* , M a c m illan 1 s
M ag azin e. V ol. 5 7 , p . 4 2 .
69
th e c o n v e r s a tio n . Should th e c h a r a c t e r s speak in th e
la n g u a g e of th e a u th o r , o r sh o u ld th e y c o n v e rse in th e
m anner p r e v a l e n t a t th e tim e th e y w ere supposed to
have liv e d ? T re v e ly a n o b j e c t s t o m odern la n g u a g e , f o r
i t d e s tr o y s th e h i s t o r i c a l a c c u ra c y . B oth C h a rle s
K in g s le y and K ip lin g , h e f e e l s , a lth o u g h s tim u la tin g
th e i n t e r e s t o f t h e i r r e a d e r s i n th e p a s t , have n e v e r
t h e l e s s f a i l e d i n t h i s m a tte r . S in ce i t i s a lm o st im
p o s s ib le n o t to m o d ern ize c e r t a i n c o n v e r s a tio n s , he
s u g g e s ts s e l e c t i n g an age n o t to o rem o te from th e
a u t h o r 's own, t h a t th e la n g u a g e w i l l a t l e a s t be sim
i l a r , th o u g h cu sto m s and f a s h io n s may h av e changed.
One im m e d ia tely r e c a l l s th e s t r i k i n g exam ple of
H enry Esmond, p e rh a p s th e m ost s u c c e s s f u l n o v e l in t h i s
r e s p e c t . I f i t w ere p o s s ib le f o r e v e ry h i s t o r i c a l
n o v e l i s t t o ch o o se a p e r io d s u f f i c i e n t l y r e l a t e d to h i s
own t h a t i t s d i c t i o n w ere q u ite i n t e l l i g i b l e t o him ,
and w ere i t a l s o p o s s i b le f o r him t o be so c o m p le te ly
imm ersed in th e l i t e r a t u r e o f th e p a s t age t h a t h e
c o u ld w r i t e i n i t s s t y l e , th e p ro b lem w ould th e n b e
s o lv e d . F o r tu n a te ly f o r th o s e r e a d e r s who a n t i c i p a t e
th e p le a s u r e o f r e a d in g o f rem o te tim e s in an h i s t o r
i c a l n o v e l, a l l w r i t e r s have n o t fo llo w e d t h i s a d v ic e .
M oreover, i t i s h ig h ly Im p ro b ab ly t h a t many w r i t e r s
have th e f e e l i n g f o r th e age s u f f i c i e n t l y t o ? r r ite in
i t s own s t y l e o f c o n v e rs a tio n . However d e s i r a b l e i t
70
m ig h t b e i t p r e s e n t s c o n s id e r a b le d i f f i c u l t y . A s tr a y
m odern e x p r e s s io n w ould f o r many r e a d e r s r u i n th e
e f f e c t so t h a t i t w ere b e t t e r n o t to have a tte m p te d th e
o ld e r form a t a l l . The w r i t e r s th e m s e lv e s a re alm o st
unamimous in d is a g r e e in g w ith T r e v e ly a n 's p o in t of view .
S ir W a lte r S c o tt, a s in a lm o st e v e r y th in g w hich
c o n c e rn s th e a r t i s t r y o f th e m odern h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l,
l e a d s i n t h i s th e o r y . I t i s h i s f ir m b e l i e f t h a t e v e ry
work in te n d e d f o r am usement m ust be e x p re s s e d i n l a n
guage e a s i l y u n d e rs to o d . He c r i t i c i s e s C la r a Reeve f o r
to o r i g i d o b se rv a n c e o f a n tiq u a te d d i c t i o n :
He t h a t w ould p le a s e th e m odern w o rld , y e t p r e s e n t th e
e x a c t im p re s s io n o f a t a l e of th e m id d le a g e s , w i l l
r e p e a te d ly f i n d t h a t he w i l l be o b lig e d , in d e s p ite of
h i s u tm o st e x e r t i o n s , t o s a c r i f i c e th e l a s t to th e
f i r s t o b je c t, and e x t e r n a l l y expose h im s e lf t o th e j u s t
c e n s u re of th e r i g i d a n tiq u a r y , b e c a u se he m u st, to
i n t e r e s t th e r e a d e r s of th e p r e s e n t tim e , in v e s t h i s
c h a r a c t e r s w ith la n g u a g e and s e n tim e n ts unknown to th e
p e r io d a s s ig n e d to h i s s to r y ; and th u s h i s u tm o st e f
f o r t s o n ly a t t a i n a s o r t of c o m p o sitio n b etw een th e tr u e
and th e f i c t i t i o u s , j u s t a s th e d r e s s o f L e a r, a s p e r
form ed on th e s ta g e , I s n e i t h e r t h a t a f a m odern sov
e r e ig n , no* th e c e r u le a n p a i n t i n g and b e a r - h id e w ith
w hich th e B r ito n s , a t th e tim e when t h a t m onarch i s
supposed to have l i v e d , t a tto o e d t h e i r p e r s o n s , and
s h e lte r e d th e m s e lv e s from c o ld . A ll t h i s in c o n s is
te n c y i s a v o id e d by a d o p tin g th e s t y l e o f o u r g ran d
f a t h e r s and g r e a t g r a n d f a th e r s , s u f f i c i e n t l y a n tiq u a te d
to a c c o rd w ith th e a n tiq u a te d c h a r a c t e r o f th e n a r
r a t i v e , y e t c o p io u s enough to e x p r e s s a l l t h a t i s n e c
e s s a r y t o i t s i n t e r e s t , and t o su p p ly t h a t d e f ic ie n c y
o f c o lo u rin g w hich th e more a n c ie n t tim e s do n o t a f
f o r d .
iL lv e s o f th e N o v e li s ts , p . 209.
71
As L e a r I n th e a c tu a l g a rb o f h i s tim e w ould be so
g r e a t a s u r p r i s e to an a u d ie n c e t h a t th e p la y w ould
assum e a c e r ta ln le le m e n t o f c r u d i t y , he m ust th e n be
v e s te d In costum e w h ich , th o u g h n o t h i s t o r i c a l l y a c c u r
a t e , i s y e t so o s te n s ib ly a n tiq u a te d t h a t th e a u d ie n c e
r e a l i z i n g i t s age w i l l a c c e p t i t a s th e one p ro p e r f o r
th e o c c a s io n . In such a m anner m ust th e w r i t e r g iv e
e v id e n c e s of th e p a s t in h i s d i c t i o n . S c o tt c r i t i c i s e s
M rs. R a d c l i f f e ’ s I t a l i a n (1797) f o r th e s c a tt e r e d b i t s
o f I t a l i a n p h r a s e s w h ich a r e so u n i n t e l l i g i b l e t o th e
a v e ra g e r e a d e r t h a t th e y seem u n n a tu r a l and a f f e c t e d .
H is s u g g e s tio n i s t h i s : w here th e d i a l e c t becom es to o
d i f f i c u l t f o r re a d y co m p reh en sio n i t i s b e t t e r t o om it
i t e n t i r e l y , u s in g u n u s u a l w ords w here th e y m ig h t add
em p h asis o r I n t e r e s t . Y et th e o ld e r w ords m ust be
ch o sen w ith c a r e .
I t i s f o r th e d ia lo g u e t h a t W alpole r e s e r v e s h i s
s tr e n g t h , and i t I s re m a rk a b le how, w h ile c o n d u c tin g
h i s m o rta l a g e n ts w ith a l l th e a r t of a m odern dram
a t i s t , he a d h e re s t o th e s u s ta in e d to n e o f c h i v a l r y ,
w h ich m arks th e p e r io d o f th e a c t i o n . T h is i s n o t
a t t a i n e d by p a tc h in g h i s n a r r a t i v e o r d ia lo g u e w ith
g l o s s a r i a l te rm s , o r a n tiq u e p h ra s e o lo g y , b u t by ta k in g
c a re t o e x c lu d e a l l t h a t can awaken m odern a s s o c i a t i o n s .
I n th e f i r s t c a se h i s rom ance w ould have re se m b led a
m odern d r e s s , p r e p o s te r o u s ly d e c o ra te d w ith a n tiq u e
o rn am en ts; i n i t s p r e s e n t sh a p e, he h a s r e t a i n e d th e
form of th e a n c ie n t arm o u r, b u t n o t i t s r u s t and cob-
w eb s.1
A gain in th e p r e f a c e t o Iv an h o e h e sa y s:
l ”H oraee W alp o le” , L iv e s o f th e N o v e l i s t s , p . 203.
72
He who f i r s t o p en s C h au cer, o r any o th e r a n c ie n t
p o e t, i s so much s tr u c k w ith th e o b s o le te s p e l l i n g ,
m u lt ip lie d c o n s o n a n ts , and a n tiq u a te d a p p e a ra n c e of th e
la n g u a g e , t h a t h e i s a p t to l a y down th e w ork i n d e s
p a i r , a s e n c ru s te d to o d eep w ith th e r u s t of a n t i q u i t y
to p e rm it h i s ju d g in g o f i t s m e r it s o r t a s t i n g i t s
■ beauties. But i f some i n t e l l i g e n t and ac co m p lish ed
f r i e n d p o i n t s o u t to h im , t h a t th e d i f f i c u l t i e s by
w hich he i s s t a r t l e d a r e more in a p p e a ra n c e t h a n . r e a l
i t y , i f , by r e a d in g a lo u d to him , o r by re d u c in g th e
o rd in a ry w orks t o th e m odern o rth o g ra p h y , he s a t i s f i e s
h i s p r o s e ly t e t h a t o n ly ab o u t o n e - te n th p a r t o f th e
w ords em ployed a r e i n f a c t o b s o le te , th e n o v ic e may be
e a s i l y p e rsu a d e d t o ap p ro ach th e 'w e ll o f E n g lis h un
d e f i l e d , * w ith th e c e r t a i n t y t h a t a s le n d e r d e g re e o f
p a tie n c e w i l l e n a b le him t o e n jo y b o th th e humour and
th e p a th o s w ith w hich o ld G eo ffrey d e lig h te d th e age o f
C re ssy and o f P o l c t i e r s . ^
To c o n tin u e a l i t t l e f a r t h e r , i f one exam ine th e
g lo s s a r y i t w i l l be fo u n d t h a t o n ly a sm a ll p r o p o r tio n
o f th e w ords a r e so o u t o f d a te a s to b e u n i n t e l l i g i b l e .
The g r e a t e r number o f w o rd s c o n tin u e , w ith v e ry l i t t l e
ch a n g e, o v er a lo n g p e r io d o f tim e . I f one a tte m p ts
th e a p p e a ra n c e o f an o ld s t y l e by em ploying o b s o le te
w o rd s, h e m ust n e c e s s a r i l y o v er-w o rk th e s e w hich a r e in
t h i s g ro u p . T h at w as th e e r r o r o f C h a tte r to n , s a id
S c o tt, who in a tte m p tin g an o ld s t y l e f o r g o t th e many
w ords w hich change b u t l i t t l e and r e j e c t e d e v e ry word
t h a t w as m odern. The r e s u l t w as t h a t h e had n o t an o ld
la n g u a g e , b u t one w hich h ad n e v e r been spoken in G re at
B r i t a i n .
B u lw e r-L y tto n a g r e e s w ith S c o tt t h a t c o n v e rs a tio n
•^Preface to Ivan hoe.
73
sh o u ld a p p e a r n a t u r a l a t a l l tim e s . wI t i s an e r r o r a s
a b su rd t o make Romans i n common l i f e t a l k in th e p e r
io d s o f C ic e ro , a s i t w ould b e in a n o v e l i s t to endow
h i s E n g lis h p e rs o n a g e s w ith t h e lo n g -d ra w n s e n te n c e s
o f Jo h n so n o r B urke. The f a u l t i s th e g r e a t e r , b e c a u s e ,
w h ile i t p r e te n d s to l e a r n i n g , i t b e t r a y s in r e a l i t y
th e Ig n o ra n c e o f j u s t c r i t i c i s m ; i t f a t i g u e s , i t
w e a rie s , i t r e v o l t s ; and we have n o t th e s a t i s f a c t i o n ,
i n yaw n in g , t o th in k t h a t we yawn e r u d i t e l y .
I n The L a s t Days o f P o m p e ii, and in d e e d , i n a l l h i s
n o v e ls he h a s a tte m p te d to make th e c o n v e r s a tio n a p p e a r
n a t u r a l . T h is ean b e done o n ly by u s in g th e la n g u ag e
of th e a u t h o r ' s own a g e .
E b e rs sa y s i f th e w r i t e r a tte m p te d a n o v el en
t i r e l y in t h e s p i r i t and s t y l e o f th e p o r tr a y e d , th e r e
w ould b e to o much of s tr a n g e n e s s f o r m ost r e a d e r s . He
p la c e s h i s c h a r a c t e r s in t h e i r p r o p e r s e t t i n g , m akes
them a c t l i k e P e r s ia n s and E g y p tia n s , b u t h a s them t a l k
a s do h is r e a d e r s . In th e I n tr o d u c tio n to M arg ery , he
sa y s: ^M oreover I h av e av o id ed th e r e p i t i t i o n of th e
mode o f t a l k in th e f i f t e e n t h c e n tu r y , when German w as
b a r e ly commencing to be u se d a s a w r i t t e n la n g u a g e ,
s in c e s c h o la r s , w r i t e r s , and men o f l e t t e r s alw ay s
chose th e L a t i n to n g u e f o r any g r e a t o r e le g a n t v/ork.
•^The L a s t Days of P o m p eii. I n tr o d u c tio n .
^ E b e rs, I n tr o d u c tio n t o M a rg ery , p . v i i .
74
The t r a n s l a t o r su c c e e d s i n m aking th e n o v el
i n t e l l i g i b l e , f o r in h i s t r a n s l a t i o n he h a s p u t w hat
i s supposed t o b e a t r a n s c r i p t o f th e la n g u a g e o f
Nurem burg i n th e f i f t e e n t h c e n tu ry i n t o E n g lis h e a s i l y
r e a d . He h a s made h o a tte m p t to i m i t a t e a c c u r a te ly
th e E n g lis h p h ra s e o lo g y o f th e same d a t e : w th e
d i f f i c u l t y w ould have b een In s u p e r a b le to th e w r i t e r
and th e annoyance to th e r e a d e r a lm o st e q u a lly g r e a t .
I have m erely e n d e av o red to a v o id modern w ords and
fo rm s of s p e e c h .”1
W e r e a d in th e t r a n s l a t o r ’ s p r e f a c e to F re n n se n * s
J o r n Uhl t h a t th e la n g u a g e m ust be e a s i l y com prehended,
b u t s u g g e s tiv e o f t h e a g e of th e n o v e l. A f e e l i n g o f
a n t i q u i t y i s d e s i r a b l e in th e g e n e r a l s t y l e , and may be
o b ta in e d by th e o c c a s io n a l u se o f o ld e r w o rd s, o r
u n u su a l e x p r e s s io n s . I n J o r n Uhl an o c c a s io n a l S co tc h
e x p r e s s io n w as u se d to s u g g e s t th e p r o v i n c i a l and r u s t i c
atm o sp h ere of th e s t o r y .
Hanna A stru p L a r s e n , th e t r a n s l a t o r o f J a c o b s e n ’ s
M arie Grubbe ap p ro ach ed h i s t a s k w ith h e s i t a t i o n :
The t r a n s l a t i o n o f M arie G-rubbe ( a book w h ich B ran d es
h a s c a l l e d one o f th e g r a n d e s t t o u r s de f o r c e i n D an ish
l i t e r a t u r e ) w as a t a s k to be ap p ro ach ed w ith d i f f i d e n c e .
The a u th o r d o e s n o t r e c o n s t r u c t e x a c t l y , in h i s d ia lo g u e ,
^ E b e rs , I n tr o d u c tio n to M arg ery , p . v i i . (T ra n s
l a t o r ’ s N o te ).
75
th e la n g u a g e of th e p e r io d ; n o r h av e I a tte m p te d it*
Even had I b een a b le to .d o b o , th e r a c y E n g lis h o f th e
R e s to r a tio n w ould have been an a l i e n medium f o r th e
f l o u r i s h e s and p o m p o s itie s o f J a c o b s e n ’ s D an ish . On
th e o th e r h an d , i t w ould c l e a r l y h av e b e e n u n f a i r t o
th e a u th o r to t u r n h i s w ork i n t o o r d in a r y modern
E n g lis h and so d e s tr o y t h a t s t i f f , r i c h f a b r i c o f
c u r io u s , a r e h a ic w ords and p h r a s e s w hich he had b een
a t su ch p a in s to w eave. T here seemed o n ly one c o u rs e
open: to f o llo w th e o r i g i n a l , i m i t a t i n g a s f a r a s
p o s s i b le i t s c o lo r and t e x t u r e , ev e n th o u g h th e r e s u l t
a n t la n g u a g e may n o t b e o f any p a r t i c u l a r tim e o r p l a c e . 1
The g e n e r a l o p in io n seem s to be t h a t i t i s n e v e r
w is e to b u rd e n a book in te n d e d f o r th e e n te r ta in m e n t
o f th e 'a v e r a g e r e a d e r , w ith a r c h a i c , o b s o le te , and
f o r e ig n e x p r e s s io n s . Nor i s a w ork a r t i s t i c a l l y
w r i t t e n when i t i s done in th e c u r r e n t s t y l e . The
b e s t s o lu tio n we have fo u n d i s in th e p r e f a c e s o f
S c o tt and E b e rs , a s w e ll a s th o s e o f o th e r n o v e l i s t s ,
w h erein i t i s su g g e ste d t h a t s t r i c t l y m odern p h r a s e s
be a v o id e d ; t h a t o ld e r w ords e a s i l y u n d e rs to o d be em
p lo y e d from tim e t o tim e , th o u g h n o t w ith s u f f i c i e n t
fre q u e n c y t h a t t h e i r u se becom es o v e rly n o tic e a b le ; and
t h a t th e w r i t e r u s e , w henever p o s s i b l e , u n u su a l ex
p r e s s i o n s and c o n v e rs a tio n w ith a f l a v o r of a p a s t
a g e . One o f S te v e n so n ’ s c h a r a c t e r s i n K idnapped s a y s :
" it * s S c o tc h , s i r ; no s tr o n g , f o r th e sake o ' th e s e
p a c k -p u d d e n s, b u t j u s t a k itc h e n o ' t . w T hat i s w hat
1 J a c o b s e n , M arie G-rubbe. T r a n s l a t o r ’ s I n tr o d u c tio n .
76
th e n o v e l i s t o f a n c ie n t d a y s m ust s t r i v e f o r ; n o t
an a c t u a l r e p r e s e n ta ti o n o f th e la n g u a g e o f th e p a s t ,
h u t th e s u g g e s tio n o f i t - ” j u s t a k itd h e n o * t . ”
A n o th er d i f f i c u l t y o f an age somewhat rem o te
from t h e a u th o r i s th e d i f f e r e n c e i n men and m anners,
w hich m akes i t so u n fla m llia r to th e m odern r e a d e r t h a t
h e h a s no f e e l i n g o f sym pathy f o r th e c h a r a c t e r s of
th e tim e . T h is i s t r u e , n o t b n ly o f v e ry rem o te a g e s ,
h u t o f some p e r io d s n e a r e r t o th e p r e s e n t tim e w h ich
h av e rem ain ed i n more o r l e s s o b s c u r it y , and o f coun
t r i e s f a r away and u n r e la te d to o u r own. T re v e ly a n ,
a g a in , o b je c ts to th e m o d e rn iz in g o f c h a r a c t e r s , f o r
th o u g h human b e in g s a r e somewhat th e same i n a l l a g e s ,
he i s n o t so su re t h a t th e y a r e so s i m il a r t o o u r s e lv e s
a s t o b e r e p r e s e n ta te d a s m odern men and women. At
tim e s , th e s e l e c t i o n of an unknown p e r io d seem s to
h av e i t s a d v a n ta g e s . T here a r e no h a l f - t r u t h s known
a b o u t i t , and no h a lf - f o r m u la te d id e a s c o n c e rn in g i t
in th e m inds o f th e r e a d e r s w h ich m ust b e rem em bered
1
by th e w r i t e r s , i f t h e book i s to seem r e a l , and c a r r y
th e w e ig h t o f t r u t h w h ich he d e s i r e s .
A rth u r Symonds i n th e in tr o d u c t io n t o Salammbo
w r i t e s : ^ F la u b e rt ch o se h i s a n t i q u i t y w is e ly : a p e r io d
o f w h ich we know to o l i t t l e t o c o n fu se u s , a c i t y o f
w hich no s to n e i s l e f t on a n o th e r ; th e m inds o f B ar
b a r i a n s who h av e l e f t u s no p s y c h o lo g ic a l d o c u m e n ts ,” 1
^ F la u b e r t, Salammbo. I n tr o d u c tio n b y A rth u r Symonds.
77
On th e o th e r h an d , when one knows n o th in g o r
v e ry l i t t l e o f an a g e o r c o u n try , h e i s a p t to be
l e s s i n t e r e s t e d , and h i s sym pathy w i l l c e r t a i n l y
be la c k in g . Of The Spae-W lfe by G a lt S c o tt s a id :
*He h a s made h i s s to r y d i f f i c u l t t o u n d e rs ta n d by
a d o p tin g a r e g io n of h i s t o r y l i t t l e know n.” 1
K in g sle y w r i t e s of th e same p ro b lem :
A p i c t u r e o f l i f e -in th e f i f t h c e n tu ry m ust n e e d s
c o n ta in much w h ich w i l l be p a i n f u l to any r e a d e r ,
and w h ich th e young and in n o c e n t r e a d e r w i l l do w e ll
to le a v e a l t o g e t h e r u n re a d . I t h a s t o r e p r e s e n t a
v e ry h id e o u s , th o u g h a v e ry g r e a t , ag e ; one o f th o s e
c r i t i c a l and c a r d i n a l e r a s i n th e h i s t o r y o f th e
human r a c e , i n w h ich v i r t u e s and v ic e s m a n if e s t them
s e lv e s s id e by s id e - e v e n , a t tim e s , in th e same
p e rs o n - w ith th e most s t a r t l i n g o p en n e ss and pow er.
Cue who w r i t e s o f such an e r a la b o u r s u n d er a t r o u b le
some a d v a n ta g e . He d a re n o t t e l l how e v i l p e o p le
w ere; he w i l l n o t be b e lie v e d i f he t e l l s how good
th e y w e re .2
E b e rs b e l i e v e s in a c o m b in a tio n o f th e a n c ie n t
and m odern. I n th e p r e f a c e to An E g y p tia n P r in c e s s
he e x p la in s t h a t h e h a s fo llo w e d H e ro d o tu s c l o s e ly
f o r h i s t o r i c a l b ack g ro u n d , b u t n o t b l i n d l y In th e
d ev elo p m en t o f th e c h a r a c t e r s , f o r t h e r e i n he h a s
fo llo w e d th e p r i n c i p l e s o f p sy c h o lo g y and h i s own
o b s e r v a tio n of human c h a r a c te r .
1 S c o tt, J o u r n a l , V ol. I I , p . 319.
^ K in g s le y , H y p a tia . P r e f a c e , p . v .
78
”R eal men” , he w ro te , ” su e h ^ s we see aro u n d u s
in a c t u a l l i f e , n o t s i l h o u e t t e s c o n s tr u c te d t o th e
o ld p r i e s t l y s c a le su ch a s th e m onum ents show u s -
r e a l l i v i n g men d w e lt by th e o ld K ile - s tr e a m ; and
th e p o e t who w ould r e p r e s e n t them m ust c o u ra g e o u sly
s e iz e on ty p e s o u t o f th e d a i l y l i f e o f m odern men
t h a t su rro u n d him , and w ith o u t f e a r o f d e v i a ti n g to o
f a r from r e a l i t y , p la c in g them in t h e i r own lo n g
p a s t tim e , c o lo r them o n ly and c l o t h e : • them to
c o rre sp o n d w ith i t . ”l
To him men a r e alw ay s more o r l e s s s im ila r w ith in ,
ch a n g in g o n ly o u tw a rd ly th ro u g h th e y e a r s . The man
n e r s and cu sto m s do ch an g e, how ever, and th e y p r e s e n t
a r e a l p roblem f o r one who w ish e s t o w r i t e o f v e ry
a n c ie n t and unknown c i v i l i z a t i o n s . In h i s &n E g y p tia n
P r in c e s s he u s e s th e w ell-k n o w n p s y c h o lo g ic a l p r i n c i p l e
o f b e g in n in g w ith w hat i s m ost f a m i l i a r and p ro c e e d in g
from th e r e to w hat i s more rem o te: ” To P r o f e s s o r
P e l s i u s , who s u g g e s te d to me t h a t a t a l e c o n fin e d e n
t i r e l y to E gyptyand th e E g y p tia n s m ig h t become w e a ri
some, I owe many th a n k s ; and f o llo w in g h i s h i n t , have
so a rra n g e d th e m a t e r i a l s s u p p lie d by H e ro d o tu s a s to
in tr o d u c e my r e a d e r f i r s t in to a G reek c i r c l e . H ere he
w i l l f e e l i n a m easure a t home, and in d e e d w i l l e n t i r e
l y sy m p ath ize w ith them on one im p o rta n t p o in t , v i z .
^Ebers, Uarda. P r e fa c e , p. v i i i .
79
i n t h e i r id e a s on th e B e a u tif u l and on A rt. Through
t h i s H e lle n ic p o r t i c o he r e a c h e s E g y p t, from th e n c e
p a s s e s on t o P e r s i a and r e t u r n s f i n a l l y to th e Nile.*-*-
B u lw e r-L y tto n f a c e s th e p ro b lem o f s tr a n g e n e s s in
The L a s t Days o f P o m p eii. He w r i t e s t h a t he en d eav o red
t o b r id g e th e la p s e o f y e a r s by th e d e v ic e of s e l e c t i n g
f o r h i s n o v e l su ch cu sto m s and m anners a s w ere a lre a d y
s l i g h t l y known t o th e a v e ra g e r e a d e r . "From th e am ple
m a t e r i a l s b e f o r e me, my en d eav o r h a s b een t o s e l e c t th o s e
w h ich wouLd be m ost a t t r a c t i v e t o a m odern r e a d e r , -
th e cu sto m s and s u p e r s t i t i o n s l e a s t u n f a m ilia r to him;
th e shadows t h a t , when re a n im a te d , w ould p r e s e n t to
him such im ages a s , w h ile th e y r e p r e s e n te d th e p a s t
m ig h t be l e a s t u n i n t e r e s t i n g t o th e s p e c u la tio n s o f th e
p r e s e n t.
As in a l l p o i n t s p e r t a i n i n g to th e h i s t o r i c a l
n o v e l, L y tto n s u b o r d in a te s e v e r y th in g t o human c h a r a c te r
and i t s d ev e lo p m e n t. S in ce th e g r e a t e s t d i f f i c u l t y in
t r e a t i n g o f an u n f a m ilia r and d i s t a n t p e r io d i s to
make th e c h a r a c t e r s l i v e and a c t a s l i v e I n d iv id u a ls ,
so sh o u ld t h i s be th e f i r s t o b je c t of th e n o v e l i s t .
N o th in g sh o u ld be in tro d u c e d i n t o th e sp eech o r m anners
w h ich m ig h t d e t r a c t from th e r e a l i t y of c h a r a c te r .
As f o r S c o tt:
^ E b e rs, An E g y p tia n P r i n c e s s . P r e f a c e , p . iv .
^ B u lw e r-L y tto n , The L a s t Days o f P o m p e ii, P r e f a c e ,
p . v i i i .
80
What I have a p p lie d to la n g u a g e , i s s t i l l more
j u s t l y a p p lic a b le to s e n tim e n ts and m an n ers. The
p a s s io n s , th e s o u rc e s from w h ich th e s e m ust s p rin g
i n r a l l t h e i r m o d if ic a tio n s , a re g e n e r a lly th e same
in a l l ra n k s and c o n d i tio n s , a l l c o u n t r ie s and a g e s;
and i t f o llo w s a s a m a tte r of c o u rs e t h a t th e o p in io n s ,
h a b i t s of th in k in g , and a c t i o n s , how ever in f lu e n c e d by
th e p e c u l i a r s t a t e o f s o c ie ty , m ust s t i l l , upon th e
w h o le, b e a r a s tr o n g re se m b la n c e t o each o th e r . . .
I t f o llo w s , t h e r e f o r e , t h a t o f th e m a te r ia l s
w h ich an a u th o r h a s t o u se i n a rom ance, o r f i c t i t i o u s
c o m p o s itio n , such a s I have v e n tu re d t o a tte m p t, he
w i l l f i n d t h a t a g r e a t p r o p o r tio n , b o th of la n g u a g e
and m an n ers, i s a s p r o p e r t o th e p r e s e n t tim e a s to
th o s e i n w hich h e h a s l a i d h i s tim e o f a c t i o n . 1
S c o tt c o n tin u e s i n h i s d is c u s s io n t o say t h a t
m anners m ust alw ay s a p p e a r n a t u r a l ; th e r e m ust be
no s t r a i n i n th e e n d e av o r to r e - c r e a t e th e l i t t l e
e c c e n t r i c i t i e s o f th e p a s t . N a tu r a lly , th e r e m ust
be in tr o d u c e d n o th in g i n c o n s i s t e n t w ith th e m anners
of th e a g e . The k n ig h ts , s q u ir e s , groom s, and y o e-
men may be more f u l l y and more hum anly draw n th a n
in th e d e l i n e a t i o n s of an a n c ie n t m a n u s c rip t, b u t
th e r e m ust b e n o ; v i o l a t i o n to t h e i r h i s t o r i c a l
a c c u ra c y !th e y m ust b e th e same ^ f i g u r e s , e x e c u te d
i n an age when th e p r i n c i p l e s o f a r t w ere b e t t e r
W ilderstood • . I t i s one th in g to make, u se of th e
la n g u a g e and s e n tim e n ts w h ich a re common to o u r
s e lv e s and o u r f o r e f a t h e r s , and i t i s a n o th e r to in
v e s t them w ith th e s e n tim e n ts and d i a l e c t e x c lu s iv e ly
•^Iv a n h o e . I n t r o d u c ti o n , p . x x v i.
81
n l
p r o p e r t o t h e i r d e s c e n d a n ts .
S c o tt w ould alw a y s p r e s e r v e th e f e e l i n g of a n t i
q u ity ; he w ould in tr o d u c e n o th in g w h ich i s so m odem
t h a t i t d e s tr o y s th e atm o sp h ere o f th e sto ry * In so
f a r a s i t i s p o s s i b le he w ould in tr o d u c e o n ly th e
m anners and custom s p e r t a i n i n g to th e r ; p e r io d a b o u t
w hich h e w r i t e s ; y e t he w ould n o t h e s i t a t e to e lim
i n a t e a n y th in g w hich w ould s e rv e t o c o n fu se th e r e a d e r
o r w ould a p p e a r so s tr a n g e t h a t i t m ig h t d e t r a c t from
th e p le a s u r e of r e a d in g . nIn p o i n t o f j u s t i c e , th e r e
f o r e 1 1 , he w r i t e s , * t o th e m u ltitu d e s who w i l l , I t r u s t ,
d ev o u r t h i s booh w ith a v i d i t y , I h av e so f a r e x p la in e d
o u r a n c ie n t m anners in modern la n g u a g e , and so f a r
d e t a i l e d th e c h a r a c t e r s and s e n tim e n ts o f my p e rs o n s ,
t h a t th e m odern r e a d e r w i l l n o t f in d h im s e lf , I sh o u ld
h o p e, much tram m e lled b y th e r e p u l s i v e d ry n e s s of m ere
a n t i q u i t y .
W ith th e men and women o f r e c e n t a g e s we h av e a
n a t u r a l sym pathy. T h e ir cu sto m s, f a s h io n s , sp eech and
a r t s a r e n o t so d i f f e r e n t a s to le a v e no bond b etw een
u s and them . W ith c e r t a i n o th e r a g e s , n o ta b ly th e
G reek and Roman, we h av e a sym pathy, b e e a u se o f th e
I d e a l s o f c u l t u r e o r l i t e r a t u r e w ith w h ich we a r e
f a m i l i a r . In v e ry e a r ly c i v i l i z a t i o n s , o r i n c i v i l i -
3-Iv a n h o e . I n tr o d u c tio n , p . x x v i.
2 I b i d .
82
z a t i o n s v e ry d i f f e r e n t from o u r s , we la c k t h a t bond.
Some e le m e n t of s tr a n g e n e s s ad d s rom ance and i n t e r e s t .
Even th e v e ry f a n t a s t i c may "be h a n d le d so s k i l l f u l l y
t h a t d u r in g th e a c tu a l r e a d in g o n e 's b e l i e f i s w i l l
in g ly su sp en d ed . In an h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l th e a u th o r
d e s i r e s , a s a r u le , to c r e a t e th e atm o sp h ere o f r e a l i t y
in such a m anner t h a t ev en in so b e r c o n te m p la tio n when
one i s no lo n g e r u n d e r th e s p e l l of th e b o o k , i t p e r s is t® .
Such r e a l i t y becom es e s p e c i a l l y i l l u s i v e I f th e atm os
p h e re l a c k s th e f a m i l i a r i t y n e c e s s a r y . The s im p le s t
and b e s t m ethod we have found i s f o r th e n o v e l i s t to
u se o n ly th o s e d e t a i l s o f m anner and custom w h ich a re
c o n d u c iv e to th e f e e l i n g of a c t u a l i t y . I t i s p o s s i b le
to m a in ta in a h ig h s ta n d a rd of a c c u ra c y w ith o u t th e
in c lu s io n of e v e ry d e t a i l c h r o n ic le d in h i s t o r y ; f o r.
h i s t o r i c a l i n t e g r i t y and f i c t i o n a l v e r i t y may n o t
alw ay s b e synonym ous.
C a r l y le , in h i s e s s a y S ir W a lte r S c o t t , comments
on C o o p e r's s ta te m e n t t h a t th e r e I s an i n s t i n c t i v e
te n d e n c y in men t o lo o k a t any p e rs o n who h a s become
d i s t i n g u is h e d . Of c o u r s e , he c o n tin u e s , we a l l lo v e
to lo o k a t g r e a t men, we a r e p e r p e t u a l l y h e ro -w o rs h ip -
e r s , i t I s In b o rn in u s - t h a t s in c e r e lo v e of g r e a t
men! A lth o u g h one r e c o g n iz e s t h i s id e a of th e h e ro a s
th e d o m in a tin g th e o ry i n C a r l y l e 's p h ilo s o p h y of h i s
t o r y , y e t we ad m it i t s t r u t h . I f i t be t r u e , th e n
83
s u r e ly th e p re s e n c e o f a g r e a t man In a n o v e l sh o u ld
add t o I t s i n t e r e s t .
O c c a s io n a lly , f o r one re a s o n o r a n o th e r , an h i s
t o r i c a l n o v e l i s t w i l l n o t in c lu d e any r e a l c h a r a c te r
i n h i s s to r y . L io n F eu ch tw an g er sa y s i n h i s N ote to
h i s l a t e s t h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l, S u cce ss (1 9 3 0 ); ”No s in g le
f i g u r e in t h i s book a c t u a l l y e x i s t e d i n M unich d u rin g
th e y e a r s 1 9 2 1 -2 3 ; b u t th e y d id e x i s t i n t h e i r t o t a l
i t y . S u co ess d o e s n o t p r e s e n t p h o to g r a p h ic a lly r e a l ,
b u t r a t h e r h i s t o r i c a l l y t y p i c a l f i g u r e s . ” The o m issio n
o f h i s t o r i c a l c h a r a c t e r s h e re may u n d o u b te d ly be ex
p la in e d by th e p ro x im ity of th e s e t t i n g to th e tim e of
p u b lic a t io n . R a re ly , how ever, d o e s i t happen t h a t an
h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l o f any e x c e lle n c e , and many w hich have
no c la im ev en to m e d io c r ity , c o n ta in s no p e rso n a g e of
n o te ; f o r p a r t o f th e i n t e r e s t i n an h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l
l i e s i n th e g r e a t c h a r a c t e r .
T here a r e v a r io u s m ethods o f d e a lin g w ith such a
c h a r a c t e r , b u t i n a lm o st e v e ry c a s e th e Im p o rta n t is s u e
c o n c e rn s i t s e l f w ith th e q u e s tio n o f how l a r g e a p la c e
i n th e n o v e l he s h a l l h a v e . S h a ll he be made Im p o rta n t,
o r ought he to b e b ro u g h t to view o n ly on r a r e occa
sio n s ? As in e v e ry o th e r m a tte r of te c h n iq u e , th e nov
e l i s t s o f te n have t h e i r own a n sw e rs. B a lz a c , in h i s
About C a th e rin e de M e d ic i, m akes Queen C a th e rin e th e
p r i n c i p a l c h a r a c t e r , and in d e e d in tr o d u c e s b u t few
84
f i c t i t i o u s p e rs o n a g e s . I n A s c a n io . Dumas in tr o d u c e s
C e l l i n i a s a c h a r a c te r o f a lm o st param ount im p o rta n c e .
S c o tt s o lv e s th e p ro b lem by u s in g f i c t i t i o u s men and
women a s h ero es* and in tr o d u c in g h i s t o r i c a l p e r s o n s a s
l e s s e r c h a r a c te r s j a lth o u g h som etim es h i s k in g s come
n e a r t o s n a tc h in g th e s t o r y from th e r i g h t f u l h e r o , as
d o e s K ing R ic h a rd in Iv a n h o e .
L a th ro p i n h i s A rt o f th e N ovel i s t ^ - s u g g e s ts t h a t
th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s t o u g h t to p r e s e n t p e r s o n s a s
ty p e s , s e e k in g f o r th o s e q u a l i t i e s w hich p la c e human
b e in g s i n t o c l a s s e s and o m ittin g th o s e th in g s w hich
mark them a s o u ts ta n d in g o r u n iq u e . H is re a s o n he
c o n s id e r s o b v io u s: th e s e t t i n g i s s tr a n g e , any p e c u
l i a r i t y o f c h a r a c te r w ould add s tr a n g e n e s s to th e p o in t
o f m aking th e [s to ry l i e o u ts id e th e re a lm of human u n d e r
s ta n d in g . The h i s t o r i c a l c h a r a c t e r , lik e w is e , sh o u ld
s ta n d f o r h i s age and s o c i a l g ro u p s a s a s o r t o f r e p r e
s e n t a t i v e to m odern s o c ie ty . T h ack eray p r e s e n t s p e rs o n s
tin g e d , b u t n o t so d e e p ly c o lo re d a s to d e t r a c t from th e
i n t e r e s t of a modern r e a d e r , by t h e i r age and c l a s s . H is
c h a r a c te r s , a s a r e s u l t , a r e m o d els of t h e i r r e s p e c tiv e
p e r io d s o f h i s t o r y , y e t s t i l l a p p e a lin g .
How i s t h i s to be done - t h i s p r e s e n tin g o f a c h a r
a c t e r o f more o r l e s s f a m i l i a r i t y in j u s t th e p ro p e r
l i g h t ? The d i f f i c u l t y o f r e - c r e a t i n g a w ell-k n o w n
p e rs o n c a n n o t be d e n ie d . The W ash in g to n o f T h a c k e ra y 's
1pp. 2 3 6 -7 .
35
V ir g in ia n i s n o t a t a l l th e s tro n g -m in d e d , g ay , young
o f f i c e r many r e a d e r s know. T h ack eray h a s p la c e d th e
c o n v e n tio n a l p o r t r a i l o f W ashington i n h i s n o v e l, w ith
th e r e s u l t t h a t he i s s c a r c e ly t o l e r a t e d hy one who
knows th e g r e a t g e n e r a l 's l i k i n g f o r f a s h io n a b le
c l o t h e s , h i s c le v e r n e s s a t c a r d s , h i s a b i l i t y i n th e
d an c e and h i s y o u th f u l h a b i t of f a l l i n g in and o u t of
lo v e . I f ->Washlngton w ere p a in te d t h u s , th e r e a d e r
who knows n o t th e g e n e r a l 's c a p a c ity f o r consum ing
bo w ls of p u n ch w ould, in tu r n , b e shocked and g rie v e d
a t th e m a rrin g o f h i s v i r t u e . To some r e a d e r s "B loody
M ary" m ust re m a in t r u e to th e name by w h ich she i s known.
Any p o r t r a y a l , how ever$• a c c u r a te , w h ich d e t r a c t s from
h e r v i l l a i n y i s im m e d ia te ly s e iz e d a s a v i o l a t i o n of
th e s a c re d h i s t o r i c a l t r a d i t i o n .
I t becom es a r e a l p ro b lem t o know how t o t r e a t a
w ell-k n o w n fig u re * Some o f th e l e s s s u c c e s s f u l n o v e l
i s t s ad m it th e f a i l u r e o f th e p ro p e r r e p r e s e n t a t i o n .
Mary D illo n , in h e r fo rw o rd t o th e P a tie n c e o f Jo h n
M oriand s e rv e s a s an exam ple: " I c a n n o t hope t h a t
ev en th e m ost s u p e r f i c i a l s tu d e n t of A m erican h i s t o r y
w i l l n o t re c o g n iz e my h e ro in e a t a g la n c e , d e s p ite
h e r change o f name. I have made t h i s change t h a t ,
w h ile a d h e rin g c l o s e ly to t h e t r u t h i n th e le a d in g
i n c id e n t s o f h e r c a r e e r , I may y e t a llo w m y se lf a l i t t l e
l a t i t u d e f o r th e p la y o f th e im a g in a tio n .
86
”F o r th e same re a s o n I h av e changed th e h e r o 's
nam e. I know th e r e w i l l he many t o d is a g r e e w ith me
i n my c o n c e p tio n o f thesefbwo c h a r a c t e r s , h u t w here
t h e r e have h e e n r a d i c a l d i f f e r e n c e s o f o p in io n b etw een
a l l th e c h r o n i c le r s o f th e d ay and e v e ry b io g ra p h e r o f
th e tw o, I may, p e r h a p s , he p e r m itte d a s t i l l w id e r
*§T
d iv e rg e n c e o f i n t e r p r e t a t i o n .
L e s l i e S tep h e n once w ro te to Thomas H ardy: *1 can
o n ly t e l l you w hat i s my own t a s t e , h u t I r a t h e r t h in k
t h a t my t a s t e i s in t h i s c a s e th e common o n e. I th in k
t h a t an h i s t o r i c a l c h a r a c te r i n a n o v e l i s alm o st alw a y s
a n u is a n c e ; h u t I l i k e t o have a h i t o f h i s t o r y i n th e
b a c k g ro u n d , so t o sp eak ; t o f in d t h a t G eorge t h e T h ird
i s j u s t aro u n d th e c o m e r , th o u g h h e d o e s n o t p r e s e n t
h im s e lf in f u l l f r o n t . *2
T h is seem s to h e th e s a f e s t p o lic y - to b r in g i n to
th e n o v e l o n ly a t r a r e i n t e r v a l s th o s e men and women
of n o te , and th e n w ith th e p r o p e r r e s e r v e and in a c h a r
a c t e r i s t i c p o s e . The g r e a t m a s te r s , a s a r u l e , f o llo w
t h i s p la n . The Crom w ell of W oodstock h a s an e le m e n t of
m y ste ry a b o u t him , ev en W hile he re m a in s v i v i d l y in
th e memory. Had S c o tt b ro u g h t him more p ro m in e n tly i n t o
th e s to r y , t h a t a i r o f r e s e r v e w ould have h een l o s t .
S c o tt c h o s e s h i s p r i n c i p a l c h a r a c t e r s from th e
ra n k o f th e f i c t i t i o u s , le a v in g th e p e rs o n s fro m th e
^■D illon, P a tie n c e o f Jo h n M o rlan d . Forw ard.
2 S h ep p ard , The A rt and P r a c t i c e o f th e H i s t o r i c a l
N o v el, p . 133*
87
p a g e s o f h i s t o r y in th e "background. He ev en g o e s so
f a r a s t o advance th e W ordsw orthian th e o ry t h a t th e
b e s t c h a r a c te r s a r e from th e more hum ble r a n k s o f s o c i
e ty : W I h a v e , in th e two l a s t n a r r a t i v e s e s p e c i a l l y ,
f Oruy M annering and A n tiq u a ry ) so u g h t my p r i n c i p a l p e r
so n ag es i n th e c l a s s o f s o c ie ty who a r e th e l a s t to
f e e l th e in f lu e n c e o f t h a t g e n e r a l p o l i s h w h ich a ssim
i l a t e s to e a c h o th e r th e m anners o f d i f f e r e n t n a tio n s .
Among th e same c l a s s I have p la c e d some o f th e sc en e s
in w h ich I have en d e av o re d to i l l u s t r a t e th e o p e r a tio n
o f th e h ig h e r and more v i o l e n t p a s s io n s ; b o th b e c a u se
th e lo w e r o r d e r s a r e l e s s r e s t r a i n e d by th e h a b i t o f
s u p p re s s in g t h e i r f e e l i n g s , and b e c a u se I g g re e w ith
my f r i e n d W ordsw orth t h a t th e y seldom f a i l t o e x p re s s
th e m se lv e s in th e s tr o n g e s t and m ost p o w e rfu l la n g u a g e .
He b e l i e v e s t h i s t o be p a r t i c u l a r l y t r u e o f th e p e a s a n tr y
o f h i s own c o u n try . He f i n d s t h e s i m p l i c i t y o f t h e i r
la n g u a g e wo f te n t i n c t u r e d w ith th e O r ie n ta l e lo q u e n c e
o f S c r ip tu r e in th e m ouths o f th o s e o f an e le v a te d
k
u n d e r s ta n d in g , g iv e p a th o s t o t h e i r g r i e f and d i g n i t y
to t h e i r re s e n tm e n t.* 12
When S c o tt d o e s in tr o d u c e f a m i l i a r c h a r a c t e r s i t
i s a lw a y s w ith r e s p e c t . He n e v e r lo o k s th ro u g h k ey
h o l e s , so t o sp e ak , n o r d o e s he p r e s e n t th e s e c r e t 8
1 S c o tt, A n tiq u a ry . I n tr o d u c tio n .
2 I b i d .
88
o f p r i v a t e liv e s * He sw ath es h i s c h a r a c t e r s i n an a i r
of m y ste ry , so t h a t h i s k in g s a r e alw a y s k in g s , and h i s
h e ro e s have an in ta n g ib le q u a l i t y w h ich m akes ora r e g a r d
them w ith so m eth in g of awe. He i s alw ay s R e s p e c tf u l
o f th e memory o f h i s c h a r a c te r s :
I may h e r e s t a t e g e n e r a l ly t h a t , a lth o u g h I h av e deemed
h i s t o r i c a l p e rs n n a g e s f r e e s u b je c ts o f d e l i n e a t i o n , I
h av e n e v e r on any o c c a s io n v i o l a t e d th e r e s p e c t d u e to
p r i v a t e l i f e . . . B ut I have alw ay s s tu d ie d t o g e n e r
a l i s e th e p o r t r a i t s , so t h a t th e y sh o u ld s t i l l seem ,
on th e w h o le, t h e p r o d u c tio n s of fa n c y , p o s s e s s in g
some re se m b la n c e t o r e a l i n d i v i d u a l s . !
T h is r e a l i z a t i o n t h a t h i s t o r i c c h a r a c t e r s do n o t
make th e b e s t h e r o e s p la c e s S c o tt a p a r t fro m h i s p r e
d e c e s s o r s in th e h i s t o r i c n o v e l. H is w o rk s th o u g h
v a s t l y more c o r r e c t th a n th e a tte m p ts o f e a r l i e r
w r i t e r s , a r e n o t e n t i r e l y f r e e fro m e r r o r s . Y e t, new
d o s c o v e r le s in h i s t o r y do n o t make h i s w o rk s any l e s s
i n t e r e s t i n g , f o r th e y may alw ay s be r e a d f o r th e s to r y .
Dumas1 m ost p o p u la r t a l e s w ould d o u b tle s s be re a d i f
h a l f th e h i s t o r y w ere fo u n d to be u n tr u e . He w as a
g r e a t e r s tu d e n t o f th e p a s t th a n one u s u a lly r e a l i z e s ,
b u t h i s T h ree M u sk e te e rs i s f i r s t o f a l l a s t o r y , and
w ith Dumas th e a d v e n tu re i s p re -e m in e n t.
The n o v e l i s t s who w r i t e c o n c e rn in g t h i s p h a se o f
th e te c h n iq u e o f th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l a r e , f o r th e m ost
^-A n tiq u a ry . I n tr o d u c tio n .
89
p a r t , i n ag reem en t w ith S c o tt. In th e p r e f a e e to th e
E n g lis h E d itio n of V eva, o r The War o f th e P e a s a n ts ,
th e t r a n s l a t o r w r i t e s : w The War o f th e P e a s a n ts i s ,
in d e e d , more p u r e ly a f i c t i o n th a n th e L io n o f F la n d e rs *
I t s p l o t i s more o b v io u s ly an end f o r i t s own sake
and in d e p e n d e n t o f h i s t o r y . I t s c h a r a c t e r s a r e a l l
Im ag in a ry and ta k e n o th in g fro m h i s t o r y b u t t h e i r
t r u t h f u l n e s s o f s e n tim e n t and co stu m e and th e :scene
on w hich th e y a r e d is p la y e d .
S a in ts b u ry w r i t e s t h a t n e i t h e r th e le a d in g c h a ra c
t e r s n o r th e c e n t r a l i n t e r e s t in th e s to r y sh o u ld be
h i s t o r i c a l . The a d v a n ta g e s o f t h i s seem so c l e a r and
o
o b v io u s t o him t h a t any e x p la n a tio n seem s s u p e rf lu o u s .
I t i s d a n g e ro u s to d e l i n e a t e to o c a r e f u l l y th e l i f e
o f any g r e a t h i s t o r i c a l c h a r a c t e r . The m ain o u t l i n e s
of h i s l i f e a r e u s u a lly to o w e ll known to p e rm it any
a l t e r a t i o n . On th e o th e r h an d , i f a n a t i o n a l f i g u r e
i s c h a r a c te r i z e d w ith te x t-b o o k a c c u ra c y th e r e s u l t i s
to o s t i f f , to o s c h o la r ly f o r a n o v e l. The b e s t n o v e l i s t s
h av e so lv e d th e d i f f i c u l t y by g iv in g a m in o r p la c e to
such a f i g u r e .
S c o tt f r e q u e n tly m akes o b s e r v a tio n s in h i s p r e f a c e s
c o n c e rn in g th e s e l e c t i o n of a s u b j e c t o r an sg e f o r d e
l i n e a t i o n . I t b eh o o v es an a u th o r t o ch o o se a s u b je c t
■^Conscience, The War o f th e P e a s a n ts . P r e f a c e ..
2 S a in ts b u ry , w The H i s t o r i c a l N o v e l,” M a cm illan 1s
M ag azin e. V ol. 7 0 , -p. 264.
90
w hich he can h a n d le e a s i l y . I f i t assum e to o g r e a t
p r o p o r ti o n s , o r in c lu d e to o much, he may n o t b e a b le
t o p le a s e e i t h e r h im s e lf o r h i s r e a d e r s . I t i s an
a d v a n ta g e t o cho o se a c o l o r f u l a g e . S c o tt ch o se th e
p e r io d o f th e r e i g n o f R ic h a rd I . a s ab o u n d in g w ith
nam es o f p o p u la r c h a r a c t e r s , and f i l l e d w ith d ra m a tic
s i t u a t i o n s .
I f h i s t o r y h a s w r i t t e n o f one p e r io d w ith p a r t i c u l a r
s h i l l , i t w ould be w e ll f o r th e w r i t e r o f f i e t i o n to
lo o k e ls e w h e re f o r a s e t t i n g , f o r " a th in g may a lre a d y
be so w e ll t o l d in h i s t o r y , t h a t rom ance o u g h t n o t
in p ru d e n ce t o m eddle w ith it." ^ -
I t i s b e t t e r f o r th e w r i t e r o f a n o v el t o r i s k an
o c c a s io n a l gap i n th e s to r y th a n to b o re th e r e a d e r
w ith many s u p e rf lu o u s d e t a i l s : *1 adm it t h a t my
re tre n c h m e n ts h av e b een num erous, and le a v e g a p s i n th e
s t o r y ," w r i t e s S c o tt a g a in , "w h ich , i n y o u r o r i g i n a l
m a n u s c rip t, w ould have ru n w e ll n ig h tto a f o u r t h volum e,
a s my p r i n t e r a s s u r e s me. . . B ut a f t e r a l l , i t i s
b e t t e r t h a t th e t r a v e l l e r s sh o u ld h av e to s te p o v er a
d i t c h th a n t o wade th ro u g h a m o rass: t h a t th e r e a d e r
sh o u ld h av e t o suppose w hat may e a s i l y be in f e r r e d th a n
be o b lig e d to c re e p th r u p a g e s of d u l l e x p l a n a t i o n . "2
^ S c o t t , J o u r n a l , V ol. I l l , p . 216.
^ S e o tt, The A bbot. I n tr o d u c to r y E p i s t l e .
91
I n a l l th in g s S c o tt h a s rem em bered t h a t th e n o v e l i s
f o r e n te r ta in m e n t and t h a t th e w r i t e r 's d u ty i s to
p le a s e .
G lan c in g o v er th e l i s t o f g r e a t h i s t o r i c a l n o v e ls ,
i t i s s u r p r i s in g to f i n d t h a t many of th e m ost s u c c e s s
f u l o n es w ere w r i t t e n c o n c e rn in g a p e r io d y e t w ith in
th e memory o f th e o ld e r p e rs o n s l i v i n g . The a d v a n ta g e s
a r e , o f c o u r s e , num erous. The la n g u a g e of th e tim e
i s s t i l l i n t e l l i g i b l e t o r e a d e r s , th e m anners and
cu sto m s, th o u g h ch an g ed , have n o t become so u n fa m il
i a r a s to seem c h a n g e d e n t i r e l y . C e r ta in c h a r a c t e r i s
t i c s o f th e age may b e known to many r e a d e r s . The w r i t e r ,
m o reo v er, may l e a r n , from th o s e o ld e r i n h a b i t a n t s o f h i s
ch o se n p a r t of th e c o u n try , m in o r d e t a i l s , and l i t t l e
i n c i d e n t s of sm a ll Im p o rtan ce to th e h i s t o r i a n , b u t
e s s e n t i a l f o r th e atm o sp h ere o f th e n o v e l.
A n to n io F o g azzaro w as a c h i l d when th e e a r l y
e v e n ts o f P ic c o lo Hondo A n tic o ( The P a t r i o t ) to o k
p la c e . H is f a t h e r to o k an a c t i v e p a r t in th e d e fe n s e
o f V icen za in 1348 and from h im , th e F ran co M a iro n i
of th e n o v e l, h e d o u b tle s s h e a r t many s t o r i e s . H is
m o th e r, whom h e h a s p o r tr a y e d i n th e c h a r a c te r o f
S ig n o ra L u is a R ig e ry w as a c ti v e in v a r io u s k in d s o f
r e l i e f w ork f o r th e so ld ie B S . H is u n c le , to o , w as
f i r e d w ith an e n th u sia s m to h e lp i n th e c a u se of a
U n ite d I t a l y .
92
I t i s w e ll , S c o tt w r i t e s t o th e Rev. D r. D ryas
d u s t , t o s e l e c t , when p o s s i b l e , an age n o t to o f a r d i s
t a n t from th e a u t h o r 's own. S p eak in g s p e c i f i c a l l y o f
Iv a n h o e . he sa y s: ''Many now a l i v e . . . w e ll rem em ber
p e rs o n s who had n o t o n ly seen th e c e le b r a t e d Roy M *
G re g o r, b u t had f e a s t e d , and ev en f o u g h t, w ith him .
A ll th o s e m in u te c irc u m s ta n c e s b e lo n g in g to p r i v a t e l i f e
and d o m e stic c h a r a c t e r , a l l t h a t g iv e s v e r i s i m i l i t u d e
t o a n a r r a t i v e and i n d i v i d u a l i t y to th e p e rs o n s i n t o -
d u ced , i s s t i l l known and rem em bered i n S c o tla n d .
*1 o f t e n fa n c y t h a t th e second t i t l e of W averly -
* T ls S ix ty Y ea rs S in c e " - s a y s L e s l i e S te p h e n , " i n d i c a t e s
p r e c i s e l y th e d is t a n c e o f tim e a t w h ich a ro m a n tic nov
e l i s t sh o u ld p la c e h im s e lf from h i s c r e a t i o n s . They
a r e j u s t f a r enough from u s to h av e a c q u ire d a c e r t a i n
p ic tu r e s q u e c o lo u r in g , w h ich c o n c e a ls th e v u l g a r i t y ,
and y e t l e a v e s them l i v i n g and i n t e l l i g i b l e b e i n g s . "2
H is b e s t n o v e ls m ig h t be spoken o f a s T a le s o f a Grand
f a t h e r . They h a v e th e charm o f a n e c d o te s t o l d b y an
o ld e r p e rs o n t o a y o u th f u l a u d ie n c e . S c o t t 's b e s t
w r i ti n g w as draw n from th e s o u rc e s he knew a s a c h i l d ,
th e s c e n e ry and s o c ie ty w ith w h ich h e had b ee n f a m i l i a r
i n h i s e a r l y d a y s.
L e s l i e S tep h en h a s h e re e x p re s s e d th e view of
1 Iv a n h o e . P r e f a c e , p . x x i.
2L e S lie S tep h e n , H ours in a L i b r a r y , p . 218.
93
b o th a u th o r s and c r i t i c s , t h a t th e b e s t h i s t o r i c a l
n o v e ls a r e w r i t t e n a b o u t th e tim e of th e n o v e l i s t ’ s
g r a n d f a th e r . The p r e j u d ic e s o f c o n te m p o ra rie s a r e
th e n p a s t , and th e age i s s u f f i c i e n t l y f a r away t h a t
i t h a s become m ellow ed by th e y e a r s . M o reo v er, i t
I s n o t so rem o te t h a t t h e r e i s to o much o f s tr a n g e n e s s
f o r a s y m p a th e tic u n d e rs ta n d in g .
94
IV
CaUGLUSICU
A u th o rs f r e q u e n t ly welcome th e o p p o r tu n ity o f th e
p r e f a c e a s a m eans o f e x p la in in g t h e i r l i t e r a r y c re e d .
P a r t i c u l a r l y i s t h i s tr u e of an h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s t ,
whose work i s s u b je c t t o so much c o n tro v e rs y t h a t i t
n e e d s c o n s ta n t d e fe n d in g . The h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s
condemned a s b e in g i n a r t i s t i c and an u n s u c c e s s fu l .
h y b r id w ith no r i g h t t o i t s e x i s te n c e . I t h a s come
i n to th e tw e n t ie t h c e n tu r y w ith o u t i t s A r i s t o t l e .
Many c r i t i c s h av e s to r m ily d e n ie d i t a p la c e among
r e s p e c t a b l e ty p e s of f i c t i o n , o r have snubbed i t en
t i r e l y . An o c c a s io n a l H a z l i t t o r S a in te -B e u v e h a s
b ee n charm ed by t h e r e a d in g of an o ld rom ance, b u t
to say t h a t one fo u n d Iv an h o e d e l i g h t f u l , d o e s n o t g iv e
I t th e p r e s t i g e t h a t an e x p l i c i t s ta te m e n t o f i t s r e a l
n a t u r e , o r a d e fe n s e o f i t s b e in g w ould do.
Among th e w r i t e r s who a c c e p t th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l
a s a l e g i t i m a t e g e n re o f p ro s e f i c t i o n , th e r e i s y e t
a w ide d iv e rg e n c e o f o p in io n i n th e m a tte r of th e
te c h n iq u e of w r i t i n g . T here a r e many q u e s tio n s to
r e c e iv e c o n s id e r a tio n : sh o u ld t h e h i s t o r i c a l elem e n t
o r th e s to r y p re d o m in a te ; o u g h t th e le a d in g c h a r a c t e r s
- t o b e p e rs o n s o f h i s t o r i c a l s ig n i f i c a n c e ; may th e h i s
t o r i c a l a c c u ra c y e v e r g iv e way to th e d ra m a tic e le m e n t;
95
may th e n o v e l "be one o f co n tem p o rary m an n ers, o r sh o u ld
t h e scen e h e l a i d In th e p a s t ; o u g h t th e r e to h e an
o c c a s io n a l ju g g lin g o f s c h o la r ly d e t a i l f o r th e sake
o f th e s to ry ?
I n th e p r e f a c e s and in tr o d u c t io n s t o t h e i r w o rk s,
many n o v e l i s t s answ er th e s e q u e s tio n s . I t h a s h een
th e p u rp o se of t h i s s t u d y to s e g re g a te and com pare
th e v a ry in g o p in io n s , and from th e s e c r i t i c a l h i t s
from th e p e n s o f th e w r i t e r s th e m s e lv e s , to d e te rm in e
so m eth in g o f th e n a t u r e of th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l.
Some o f th e d i f f i c u l t i e s of th e w r i t i n g o f an
h i s t o r i c a l rom ance a r e a t once o h v io u s. I t m ust com
b in e h i s t o r i c a l a c c u ra c y w ith f i c t i o n a l v e r i t y . T h ere
m ust he th e p ro p e r b a la n c e b etw een th e a c tu a l h a p p e n in g s
and th e im a g in a ry e v e n ts w hich show human s tr u g g le gfhd
e m o tio n . The w ork m ust s a titfy n o v e l i s t and h i s t o r i a n .
S m all w onder t h a t t h i s g e n re h a s h ee n c a l l e d th e most
d i f f i c u l t of a l l p ro s e f i c t i o n .
T re v e ly a n , W.D. H o w ells and B ran d er M atthew s a r e
a g re e d t h a t th e n o v e l o f co n tem p o rary m anners i s a s
much an h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l a s th e one whose s e t t i n g i s
in a n c ie n t E g y p t. P a u l L e s t e r Ford g o e s so f a r a s to
say t h a t th e n o v e l o f m anners ev en w ith o u t h i s t o r i c a l
i n c i d e n t s o r r e a l p e o p le may y e t convey a b e t t e r p i c t u r e
of th e tim e th a n an y rom ance, how ever e l a b o r a t e . When
one c o n s id e r s th e d i f f i c u l t y of t r a n s l a t i n g th e r e a l i t y
96
a b o u t him i n t o any fo rm of a r t , th e p ro b lem s of re c o n
s t r u c t i n g th e p a s t seem a lm o st beyond acco m p lish m e n t.
B ra n d e r M atthew s i n s i s t s t h a t th e o n ly a c c u r a te n o v e ls
a r e th o s e w h ich d e p i c t th e a c t u a l l i f e - t i m e o f th e
a u th o r .
A rnold B e n n e tt and Jo h n Buchan w r i t e of th e h i s
t o r i c a l n o v e l a s one w hich aim s a t p r e s e n tin g th e l i f e
and r e c a p tu r in g th e atm o sp h ere of a n ra g e o th e r th a n t h a t
o f th e w r i t e r . L e s l i e S tep h en s e l e c t s a p e r io d a t l e a s t
s i x t y y e a r s p re c e e d in g th e tim e o f th e w r i tin g o f th e
t a l e a s th e one b e s t s u ite d f o r th e s e t t i n g . F r ie d -
e r i c h S p eilh ag e^ , th e German n o v e l i s t , s a y s t h a t a tim e
sh o u ld b e p ic tu r e d w hich th e l i v i n g g e n e r a tio n d o e s n o t
lo n g e r rem em ber w ith f u l l f o r c e ; and t h i s seem s t o b e
th e b e s t s ta te m e n t o f th e q u e s tio n w h ich we have fo u n d .
W e a e c e p t a s a w o rk in g b a s i s J o n a th a n F i e l d 's
d e f i n i t i o n t h a t an h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s one w hich con
t a i n s p e r s o n s , e v e n ts and d a t e s to w h ich i d e n t i f i c a
t i o n may r e a d i l y b e g iv e n . The age sh o u ld be One f a r
enough rem oved from th e w r i t e r t h a t co n tem p o rary p r e
ju d ic e s a r e no lo n g e r k e e n ly f e l t . Above a l l , th e w r i t e r
m ust so c a p tu r e th e s p i r i t of th e tim e a b o u t;w h ic h h e
i s w r i t i n g , t h a t th e r e a d e r 's sym pathy and u n d e rs ta n d
in g f o r i t w i l l be en h an ced .
T h ere i s much a d v e r s e c r i t i c i s m o f th e h i s t o r i c a l
n o v e l; b u t an y th e o ry w hich s u g g e s ts t h a t su ch n o v e ls
97
a s War and P e a c e , H enry Esmond and M a riu s th e E p ic u re a n
h av e no r i g h t t o e x is te n c e seem s s c a r c e ly w o rth con
s i d e r a t i o n . One m ig h t s tu p i d ly r e l e g a t e S c o tt to
th e d u s t o f th e a t t i c , h u t one may n o t o v e rlo o k th e
w ork o f W a lte r P a t e r , T h ackeray o r T o ls to i .
The h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s t s d e fe n d t h e i r g e n r e a s
e n t i r e l y w o rth y o f c o n s id e r a ti o n . Dry f a c t s a r e n o t
s u f f i c i e n t f o r a s tu d y o f th e p a s t , a n d rom ance i s a s
im p o rta n t a s b a t t l e s a n d t r e a t i e s . They b e lie v e t h a t
th e a c c u m u la tio n o f a n t iq u a r ia n l o r e may become a
p a s s io n l i k e th e a c c u m u la tio n of g o ld . The b e s t way
o f a v o id in g a m onopoly of s c h o la r ly m a te r ia l by th e
le a r n e d few , i s t o w eave th e r e s u l t s o f r e s e a r c h i n t o
a rom ance e a s i l y a c c e s s ib le to th e l a r g e s t r e a d in g p u b lic .
S c o tt, E b e rs , von S c h e f f e l, B u lw e r-L y tto n - a l l
w r i te w ith th e e a r n e s t d e s i r e t o te a c h th e cu sto m s
and m anners of th e p a s t t o th e r e a d in g p u b l i c . Many
of th e w r i t e r s a r e th e m se lv e s s c h o la r s w ith a n t iq u a r
i a n 's lo v e of th e p a s t a s w e ll a s th e n o v e l i s t 's
i n t e r e s t in human s tr u g g le . C o n sc ie n c e , Samuel L o v er
and B alzac h av e a l l e x p re s s e d t h e d e s i r e t h a t t h e i r
n o v e ls m ig h t in c r e a s e th e sym pathy b etw een n a t i o n s and
i n d i v i d u a l s . The h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s t i s a g a in o f u se
a s an i n t e r p r e t o r of th e d u s ty r e c o r d s o f th e p a s t .
T here i s an a r t i s t i c a d v a n ta g e in u s in g a c t u a l
h a p p e n in g s : th e i n t e r e s t and th e atm o sp h ere o f s u p p re s s e d
98
e x c ite m e n t w hich th e p re s e n c e o f a g r e a t man adds to
th e s to r y . T hen, to o , r e a d e r s l i k e t o h av e t h e i r
n o v e ls c o n v in c in g , and i t c a n n o t be d e n ie d t h a t
th e p re s e n c e of a N apoleon o r a W ash in g to n , no m a tte r
how shadowy o r re m o te , ad d s to th e f e e l i n g o f a c t u a l i t y .
The p r e p a r a t io n f o r an h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s a m a tte r
of lo n g y e a rs o f s tu d y , o r books r e a d , d o cu m en ts search ed *
of r e s e a r c h i n m usty l i b r a r i e s and o ld g r a v e - y a r d s , of
t r a v e l s th ro u g h th e c o u n try w hich fo rm s th e s e t t i n g .
N o v e lis ts spend y e a rs s tu d y in g and a s s i m i l a t i n g a l l
t h a t i s known o f th e h i s t o r y o f t h e i r a d o p te d ag e, f o r
a c c u ra c y i s n o t a th in g to b e re g a rd e d l i g h t l y . The
R e s e a rc h , to o , m ust e x te n d o v er a lo n g p e r io d of tim e ,
t h a t th e w r i t e r may have th e e a sy a i r o f f a m i l i a r i t y
w ith h i s w ork.
A lth o u g h a few w r i t e r s l i k e B u lw e r-L y tto n i n s i s t
t h a t h i s t o r i c a l a c c u ra c y i s e v e r to be so u g h t a f t e r ,
S c o tt, E k k eh ard , E b e rs , an d , in d e e d , th e m a jo r ity
o f n o v e l i s t s m a in ta in t h a t v e r i s i m i l i t u d e w i l l some
tim e s demand a s l i g h t an a ch ro n ism . I t i s som etim es
u s e f u l , and o c c a s io n a lly in d is p e n s a b le f o r th e w r i t e r
t o ta k e s l i g h t l i b e r t i e s w ith h i s t o r y .
The q u e s tio n of p r i o r i t y f r e q u e n tly a r i s e s : w hich
s h a l l h av e f i r s t p la c e , h i s t o r y o r s to r y . B u lw er-
L y tto n 1 s f i r s t r e q u i s i t e f o r a n o v e l i s t h a t i t be
a r t i s t i c . In w orks o f th e im a g in a tio n th e p o r t r a y a l
99
of m an n ers, how ever Im p o rta n t a s an a c c e s s o r y , m ust
s t i l l he s u b o rd in a te d to th e r e a l and im p o rta n t
e le m e n ts o f th e n o v e l: p l o t , c h a r a c t e r and human
em o tio n . The n o v e l sh o u ld be so c o n s tr u c te d t h a t th e
c h a r a c t e r s , t h e i r p ro b lem s and jo y s , r a t h e r th a n th e
s t y l e of a r c h i t e c t u r e h av e im p o rta n t p la c e .
O th er h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l i s t s s u b s t a n t i a t e t h i s
th e o r y . S c o tt, p a r t i c u l a r l y , sa y s w ith a s o r t of
p ro u d b o a s t t h a t h i s n o v e ls a r e f o r a p le a s a n t evening* s
e n te r ta in m e n t. He w ould w ish f o r n o th in g to mar th e
p le a s u r e th e y m ig h t a f f o r d . However a c c u r a te th e nov
e l i s t s a tte m p t t o b e , how ever g r e a t may be th e i n t e r e s t
i n g iv in g an a d e q u a te p i c t u r e o f th e a g e , th e y a r e ,
a lm o s t w ith o u t e x c e p tio n , p r im a r il y n o v e l i s t s , w ith
th e n o v e l i s t 's i n t e r e s t in human e n d e a v o r.
The m a tte r of d i c t i o n o f te n becom es a r e a l p ro b lem .
S h o u ld th e c h a r a c t e r s speak in th e la n g u a g e of th e a u th o r ,
o r sh o u ld th e y c o n v e rse i n th e m anner p r e v a l e n t a t th e
tim e th e y w ere supposed t o have liv e d ? T re v e ly a n
o b je c ts to m odern la n g u a g e , f o r i t d e s tr o y s th e h i s
t o r i c a l a c c u ra c y ; y e t I t i s n o t alw ay s p o s s i b le to
p la c e th e s e t t i n g in an age s u f f i c i e n t l y m odern f o r th e
la n g u a g e t o b e i n t e l l i g i b l e to th e a v e ra g e r e a d e r . S ir
W a lte r S c o tt f ir m ly b e l ie v e s t h a t ev e ry work in te n d e d
f o r am usem ent m ust be e x p ressed in la n g u a g e e a s i l y u n d er
s to o d .
The b e s t s o lu tio n seem s t o be fo u n d In th e o m issio n
,100
o f s t r i c t l y m odern p h r a s e s , and i n th e o c c a s io n a l
u se of o ld e r w ords e a s i l y u n d e rs to o d . U nusual ex
p r e s s io n s in th e c o n v e r s a tio n w i l l g iv e a f l a v o r of a
p a s t ag e.
What a p p l i e s to la n g u a g e i s lik e w is e a p p lic a b le
to s e n tim e n ts and m an n ers. W ith th e men and women
of r e c e n t a g e s we have q. n a t u r a l sym pathy, b u t w ith
th e in d iirid u & ls of more rem o te tim e s t h a t bond i s
la c k in g . S in ce to o much s tr a n g e n e s s d e t r a c t s from
th e r e a l i t y o f th e s i t u a t i o n , i t seem s b e s t to use
th e d e t a i l s of m anner and custom w h ich a re somewhat
f a m i l i a r . I t i s p o s s i b le t o m a in ta in a h ig h s ta n d a rd
of a c c u r a c y w ith o u t th e in c lu s io n of e v e ry d e t a i l
c h r o n ic le d in h i s t o r y .
I t i s u n w ise t o g iv e to o p ro m in e n t a p la c e t o a
c h a r a c t e r a lre a d y known to r e a d e r s . The g r e a t m a s te r s
fo llo w t h i s r u l e , g iv in g th e p ro m in en t p la c e s t o f i c t i
t i o u s c h a r a c t e r s , and in tr o d u c in g th e k in g s and h e r o e s
o n ly a t r a r e i n t e r v a l s , and th e n w ith th e p ro p e r
r e s e r v e .
I t i s w e ll t o choose an age n o t to o u n f a m ilia r
f o r th e s e t t i n g of a n o v e l. P e rh a p s th e b e s t ag e i s
th e tim e of th e w r i t e r 's g r a n d f a th e r . C e r t a in l y many
o f th e m ost s u c c e s s f u l n o v e l i s t s have ch o sen such a
p e r io d of h i s t o r y . T here i s th e n found t h a t e a sy a i r
of f a m i l i a r i t y com bined w ith th e charm o f r e t r o s p e c t .
C ontem porary p r e j u d i c e s have become m ellow ed, and th e r e
101
i s n o t y e t to o much of s tr a n g e n e s s f o r a sy m p a th e tic
■understand in g .
The h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l h a s e a rn e d f o r i t s e l f a
p la c e a s a ty p e o f p ro s e f i c t i o n . Some o f th e g r e a t e s t
n o v e l i s t s have ch o sen i t a s a g e n r e . The w ell-w orm
c o p ie s o f S c o tt, K in g s le y and R eade in th e p u b lic
l i b r a r i e s e x p r e s s th e a t t i t u d e o f r e a d e r s . As an
a tte m p t a t h i s t o r y we do n o t s u g g e s t t h a t th e h i s t o r i c a l
n o v e l can ta k e th e p la c e of more s c h o la r ly w r i t i n g s .
Even th e g r e a t e s t c a n n o t do th e s p e c i f i c work of h i s
t o r y . Y et when M acaulay s u g g e s ts t h a t f a c t s a r e m e re ly
th e d r o s s o f h i s t o r y , s u r e ly l e s s e r h i s t o r i a n s may be
f o r g iv e n f o r e l e v a t in g th e h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l.
W e m ust h av e h i s t o r y , b u t we m ust a l s o have rom ance;
and we w ould u n d e rs ta n d th e w o rld b u t i l l , had we ionly.
s t a t e p a p e rs and t r e a t i e s f o r o u r e n lig h tm e n t. W e view
th e in c r e a s in g a d d i tio n s to h i s t o r i c w r i t i n g , and a r e
a lm o st c o n s tr a in e d to say w ith Dumas t h a t th e s e h i s
t o r i c a l b i t s a r e good, b u t th e y w i l l l s o o n b e f o r g o t t e n ,
f o r a n o th e r rom ance w i l l have ta k e n t h e i r p la c e .
102
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Creator Wollam, E. M (author)

Core Title The function of the historical novel as explained in authors' prefaces

Contributor Digitized by ProQuest (provenance)

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Comparative Literature

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag language, literature and linguistics,OAI-PMH Harvest

Language English

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c26-321464

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Rights Wollam, E. M.

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Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the au...

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