The Works of M. R. Mitford. Prose and Verse, etc

Front matter

THE WORKS OF MARY RUSSELL MITFORD, PROSE AND VERSE, VIZ: OUR VILLAGE, BELFORD REGIS, COUNTRY STORIES, FINDEN'S TABLEAUX. FOSCARI, JULIAN, RIENZI, CHARLES THE FIRST. PHILADELPHIA: JAMES CRISSY, 4, MINOR STREET. 1841. C. SHERMAN AND CO., PRINTERS, 19, ST. JAMES STREET, PHILADELPHIA. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF MARY RUSSELL MITFORD. Thf.re are tew names which fall with a plea- Banter sound upon the ears of those who adopt authors as friends, in recognition of the moral purity and geniality of feeling as much as of the original talent displayed in their works, lhan the name of Mary Rcssell Mitford. Happy thoughts and fresh images ri-e up when it is spoken ; and yet we are a trifle loo apt to think of it only as connected with all that is lovely in the rural scenery, and characteristic in the rural society of Southern England, nnd to forget that it also appertains to a dramatist of no common power, who has wrought in a period, when — if the theatres be deserted, and the popular acted drama have degenerated into melo-drama, bur letta, and farce — the plays published exhibit far more signs of strength and promise, than were shown by those produced in lhe palmy days of Garrick, or the yc-t more glorious after-summer of the Ketnbles. by imitation that genius has almost always in the first instance manifested itself!

She with drew herself from composition — read much, though without any decided aim or object, and would never (she thinks) have attempted authorship again, had not those vicissitudes of fortune, which try the metal of the sufferer no lessscarch ingly than the sincerity of his friends, compelled her to come forth from her retreat, and honour ably to exercise the talents with which she had been so largely gilled. It would be raising the veil too high to dwell upon the sequel ; upon the rich reward of love, and respect, and conside ration, which have repaid so zealous and unselfish a devotion of lime and talent as Miss Mitford's life has shown. We have but to speak of the good which has come out of evil, in the shape of her writings ; and we do this briefly and rapidly, because of the limited space within which we are restricted.

Miss Mitford's principal efforts have been a series of tragedies. "The Two Foscari," — " Ju lian," — " Rienzi," — "Charles the First," — have been all represented, and all well received — the third with signal success. Besides these may be mentioned two other tragedies, still in manuscript, " Inez de Castro" and " Otto of Wittels bach," Miss Mitford's last, finest work. In all these plays there is strong vigorous writing, — masculine in the free unshackled use of language, but wholly womanly in its purity from coarse ness or license, and in the intermixture of those incidental touches of softest feeling and finest ob servation, which are peculiar to the gentler sex. A rich air of the south breathes over " Rienzi ;" and in the " Charles," though the character of Cromwell will be felt to vibrate, it is, on the whole, conceived with a just and acute discernment of its real and false greatness — of the thousand con tradictions which, in reality, make the son of the Huntingdon brewer a character too difficult, and mighty, for any one beneath a Shakspeare to ex hibit.