380 JWONTHLY REVIEAV OF LITERATUKK 



missioned by the proprietors to offer you their grateful acknowledgments for 

 the very ample patronage which you have continued to extend to this establish* 

 ment. I am also requested by my brothers and sisters of the company to 

 offer their sincere and heartfelt thanks for the very flattering kindness with 

 which you have invariably received their humble exertions to please. Ladies 

 and Gentlemen, I have now to inform you that, when we shall next have the 

 pleasure of meeting you under this roof, the theatre will be under the sole 

 management of one who has long and indefatigably laboured for your amuse- 

 ment — that of Mr. Yates, assisted by the oldest and greatest favourites (though 

 absent this season), that have so frequently had the honour of appearing be- 

 fore you. Ladies and Gentlemen, till next season, we respectfully bid you 

 farewell." 



MONTHLY REVIEW OF LITERATURE. 



The Youthful Impostor; a Novel in three volumes. By George 

 W. M. Reynolds. London : Published by Coghlan, Publisher for 

 the French, English, and American Library, Paris, 5, King street, 

 Strand, and at Paris and Brussels. 



This extraordinary publication, evidently the work of a young author, 

 though by no means an inexperienced one, caused a considerable sensation at 

 Paris, where it was first published, and has not a little attracted the mingled 

 applause and vituperation of the English at Brussels. Its appearance in 

 England islikelyto be hailed witha favourablereception : aiid,however we may 

 blame the verity of some of the scenes, and the high colours of others, we 

 frankly avow that we see much to praise — more, indeed, than to blame. 

 The tale is principally founded upon the adventures of the Fortunate Youth, 

 an individual whose roguery may be well remembered some twenty years ago, 

 and which was discovered, we believe, by Sir Robert Wilson. Mr. Reynolds 

 has exemplified an extensive acquaintance with the intricacies of society — vi.ch 

 the world — with the passions of men — and the villany of which many are 

 capable. But he was wrong in attempting to expose the secrets of Free- 

 masonry, as well as in developing the proceedings of the convention of 

 tradesmen in Cockspur street. With regard to the truth of those develop- 

 ments, diflSculties might probably be started by a severe critic ; but we prefer 

 omitting any comment upon such scenes. 



There is a good moral to be extracted from the work, although the unpar- 

 donable brevity of a few paragraphs do no credit to the taste and delicacy of 

 the author. His language is fluent, easy, and often beautiful ; his powers 

 6f description cannot be for a moment questioned ; and, as a French Review 

 very justly remarked, h3 has few equals in the truth of dialogue. Arnold is 

 an original character, as original as Falkland in " Caleb Williams ; " and in 

 saying this, although we say much, we do not say too much. 



We have no doubt but that Mr. Reynolds will one day shine conspicuously 

 as a literary character : his work affords ample proofs of a deep scientific ac- 

 quaintance with the most abstruse authors, with the various sectarian opi- 

 nions of philosophers in all ages, with ancient and modern classics. Perhaps 

 in his attempt to give his prose an air of poetry, he has often been led into 

 declamation, but we cannot say bombast. He has many peculiarities of 

 style, is somewhat pedantic in the precision of his grammatical exactitude, 

 and is occasionally guilty of irreligious allusions. Still he has written a 

 good novel — a novel that will lay the foundation of his future fame — a novel 

 that must ever he perused with the sincerest delight. M. Defauroupret paid 



