Page:Undine (Lumley).djvu/30



and virtuous conduct were to be for ever disappointed by the in- tervention, as it were, of some malevolent being, and who was at last to come off victorious from the fearful struggle. In short, something was meditated upon a plan resembling the imaginative tale of ' Siutram and his Companions,' by Mons Le Baron de la Motte Fouque, although, if it then existed, the author had not seen it.

" The scheme projected maybe traced in the first three or four chapters of the work ; but farther consideration induced the author to lay his purpose aside. It appeared, on mature consideration, that astrology, though its influence was once received and admitted by Bacon himself, does not now retain influence over the general mind sufficient even to constitute the mainspring of a romance. Besides, it occurred, that to do justice to such a subject would have required not only more talent than the author could be con- scious of possessing, but also involved doctrines and discussions of a nature too serious for his purpose, and for the character of llie narrative. In changing his plan, however, which was done ia the course of printing the early sheets retained the vestiges of the original tenour of the story, although they now hang upon it as an unnecessary and unnatural encumbrance."

It will probably be admitted, even by the greatest admirers of Scott's genius, that it was well he did 7iot attempt the prosecu- tion of his tale as at first projected. The truth is, the mind of this great writer was scarcely fitted for the successful handling of a subject which should bring before his readers in serious reality the mysteries of the invisible world. However much he may ap- pear at times to write under such a feeling, one is constantly dis- appointed in finding that it has been only assumed, as it would seem, for the sake of temporary effect : wherever a character or event is made for a time to wear a supernatural aspect, due care is taken to let the reader see, that the author neither believes any such thing himself, nor wishes him to do so, more than is needful to keep up his curiosity to the proper pitch until the evolution of the plot. He often lets us know, — and at times, one would think, gratuitously, — that the mystery which he is describing so beautifully, is, after all, but an apparent one, — some form of natural magic, some inge- nious trick, or some fantasy of a diseased imagination. The above instance furnishes no bad specimen of the way in which his taste would naturally lead him to construct a romance on the basis of an old legend. (See the astrological allusions in the first few chap, ters of " Guy Mannering.") Enough would be taken to keep up