Author: McMullan, Mary Anne
Title: The Naiad's Wreath
Date: 1816
Contemporary Reviews of this Volume
MONTHLY REVIEW, OR LITERARY JOURNAL, from January to April, Inclusive, 1817. Vol. 82, FORGOTTEN BOOKS, 2016.
“Art. 15. The Naiad’s Wreath, By Mrs. M’Mullan 8vo. Pp.87
5s sewed. Longman and Co. 1816.
The fair author of ‘The Wanderings of a Goldfinch’ here appears again at the tribunal of criticism. The opinion, which we have lately delivered with regard to the former efforts of her muse, though not perhaps positively encomiastic, might be considered as negatively favourable; and a manifestation of industry exerted for a laudable end, with the prospect of future gradual improvement, required mercy at our hands. It will be necessary, however, in the present instance, to be somewhat more minute in particularizing the faults of the writer; lest a degree of negligence, which we may have occasion to remark on her part, should appear to have originated in a similar want of attention on ours.
The present Wreath is composed of flowers of various hues and different degrees of beauty; and, though certain weeds and thorns have in many parts found their way into the chaplet, its colours are, generally speaking, of a higher order than those of The Wandering Goldfinch. To drop the metaphor, we find, in the present instance, more numerous faults, but a greater assemblage of pleasing ideas and poetical images: - a greater attempt and a stronger flight; though the one is not wholly successful, not the other very vigorously supported.
In the first short poem, addressed to the Princess Charlotte, we find the word Pyrenean with the third syllable shortened. ‘Britannia’s banner waved and couch’d her lance.’ The word ‘wove’ is subsequently used for wove themselves, or were woven. ‘Favourite of Jove’ is an exceedingly good appellation for one of Homer’s heroes, but to a British General, in modern days, it is an inapplicable and improper. The lines ‘on a Letter’ are pleasing and fanciful enough; but we could wish that they had received, from the fair hand of the writer, that ‘touch and retouch’ which her preface mentions as being ‘so essential to the polish of verse’.
Mrs. M’Mullan’s great fault is inaccuracy. Her thoughts are poetical, and her numbers harmonious, but her language often betrays negligence and want of attention to grammatical niceties. We should earnestly recommend it to her to intrust her future MSS. To the inspection of some literary friend, who may be well versed in the true principles of correct composition both in poetry and prose”
Prepared by Marisa Rogers, University of Nebraska, Spring 2018
© Marisa Rogers, 2018