6 OCTOBER 1849, Page 17

BIBS. WEBB'S JIILAMERK.*

THE Nestorian Christians inhabit the mountainous parts of the valley of the Tigris, which border on the districts of the Koords and the frontiers of Persia; the city of Mosul, and the great salt lake of Ooroomiah, being the nearest well-known geographical objects to their country. They are Without doubt a sect of primitive Christians, and are said to have kept their doctrines and practices pure : by Dr. Grant and others they are held to be the descendants of the lost Ten Tribes ; and indeed, one great object of the Doctor's interesting bock on the Nestorians was to advocate that opinion. Since his publication, however, they have been exposed to severe persecution ; extending, as is the wont in those regions, to plunder and massacre, almost amounting to extermination. The immediate agents in these transactions were the Mahometan Turkish authorities ; but re- ligious scandal traces their origin to Popish machinations ; the Romanist agents having been very active in those quarters to persuade, bribe, or force the Oriental Christian sects to acknowledge the Papal authority ; and, failing in the case of the Nestorians, they are said to have suggested Persecution to the Turkish powers. In the same region are the Devil- worshipers, and many Jews' as there are everywhere ; and if these last are not descendants of the lost tribes of Israel, they hate the Christians with a zeal which might be taken as one evidence of their kinship. These subjects form the materials of Mrs. Webb's "Tale of the Nestor- lane : they are treated from the Protestant and pious point of view. The story opens midi a caravan leaving Mosul for Ooroomiah ; the prin- cipal persons of which are Isaac, a brother of the patriarch of the Nestor- laps, and a Jewish family, consisting of the father, Ephraim, the mother Ilagar, and Zoraide the daughter. In the course of a perilous journey, the Nestorian twice eaves the life of the young Jewess, and thus rather softens the prejudices of Ephraim, BO that a little intimacy springs up be- tween himself and Zoraide. He uses it, however, not for the purpose of love but religion, and tries to convert her. In this he does not directly indarnerk; a Tale of the Nestortans. By Mrs. J. B. Webb, Author of "Naomi.* la three volumes. Publishes by Yorke, Clarke, and Co.

succeed, but he lays the foundation of success. After many troubles and many distresses, including an abduction by Koords, an objection to the Jewish husband to whom she is affianced, and the grief of finding the hero, Isaac, in love with his cousin Zuleika, Zoraide, weary of the world, and sinking under a consumption, is converted to Christianity, just about the time of Isaac's and. Zuleika's marriage. The families of the two lovers have also experienced troubles from the intrigues of a Roraish priest, and the disturbed state of the country.

Mrs. Webb appears to have studied her subject, and to have got a clear enough conception of its general characteristics. The features of the country, the customs of the people, the lawless condition of society, and the state of religious opinions and prejudices, are present to her mind ; but only in an abstract way : she c.anuot, from deficiency of imagi- nation, embody them truly in her persons, or combine these persons in a story of action naturally representing the life in which they live. The ideas, the discourses of the actors, the very turns of phrase of her characters, are English ; so are their sentiments and conduct—at least they are not Asiatic. This defect is carried to such an extent as to render several of the occurrences, and indeed the story itself, impossible as it is told. Formerly this would have passed. The Turks, Tartars, Moors, and Saracens, of Lee, Rowe, and various other writers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, about as much resembled human beings in character as the signs of the Saracen's head resembled the human face divine; and they had no manners at all. The last twenty or thirty years has produced a number of Oriental romances and several books of travels, in which the characters and manners of the peoples from Athens to Calcutta are graphically depicted, and an Oriental colouring thrown over the narrative itself; so that the critical public, and especially the critic, have become more requiring than formerly. Perhaps actual observation is necessary " to catch the manners living as they rise" ; but imagination with a sense of the necessity might have done more than Mrs. Webb has accomplished. She is also too didactic. The story is stopped for religious discussions and remarks of too pulpit-like a charac- ter for a romance ; while scenes representing manners and customs have often the air of illustrations of geography. These things frequently give Alan:ark the character of a juvenile tale, rather than a three-volumed romance for " grown " people. They are great drawbacks, but the narrative is clear, the scenes are well enough] contrived, and the incidents especially of action painted with effect. The scene where Isaac rescues Zoraide in an attack of Koordish robbers, as the caravan is passing along a precipitous path in the mountains, may be tak ea as a specimen.

" The robbers from their elevated situation had ascertained the position of the party; and hoped by rushing suddenly down a dry and broken watercourse that descended from the top of the mountain-range and crossed the path, to be able to seize and carry off either prisoners or baggage, before their guard could render them any assistance. Accordingly, as Zoraide slowly proceeded, and before Isaac could even warn her that any fresh danger was to be apprehended, she was startled by the appearance of two savage-looking men, armed with spears and pis- tols, and dressed in shaggy goat-skin jackets. They had been concealed, with some others of their band, in a cleft of the rock while the horsemen passed by; and waited the signal of their companions, who kept watch on ehe heights above, to rush into the midst of the party of travellers, whom they expected easily to overcome and take captive. "Theory of terror and surprise that broke from Zoraide caused her parents to look back; and great was their alarm when they beheld the ferocious Koords standing on the narrow pathway and separating them from their child. Hagar leant almost senseless against the steep bank, while Ephraim, who was behind her, turned and advanced resolutely towards the robbers. Meantime, their party was increased by three more of the band, who had issued from the cave, and stood at the entrance of the watercourse to aid their companions in forcing the mules or prisoners to ascend. "A hand of one of the savages was on the arm of Zoraide; who shrank back- wards with an effort to avoid his grasp; which might have precipitated her down the abyss had she not been instantly and powerfully sustained by lease. Her situation was perilous to a degree that drove the blood curdling to her heart and held her breath suspended. She stood between her assailant and her defender ; and her form, slight as it was, rendered it impossible for either of them to pass. The Koord drew forth a dagger, and threatened to plunge it into her breast if the Christian did not relinquish his bold; and Ephraim heard the threat and saw the uplifted arm, and would have rushed to the spot; but he was prevented by the rest of the robber band, who ceased to endeavour to secure any booty themselves, in the breathless interest with which they watched the deadly strife of their com- panion. "One moment, one fearful moment, Isaac paused, and the alternative of death or capture by these savages for the high-minded Jewees passed rapidly through his soul. The next moment the agonized father beheld his child caught up by the left arm of the vigorous Nestorian, and held firmly, but actually suspended over the precipice, while hand to hand the combat for life or death commenced between him and the Koord. A deep shuddering groan burst from Ephraim's breast, and the old man covered his eyes to shut out the awful spectacle of his daughter's impending fate. The sound of a mortal struggle was heard in the stillness of that moment, and then the loosening of a portion of the rocky path— a rushing noise—a curse of agony—a shriek of despair—were succeeded by a heavy fall into the torrent below ; and Ephraim looked up, dreading to see the path unoccupied, and to know that his child was numbered with the dead. "Bet no! there stood Isaac, motionless, from the intensity of his feelings, and in his arms he still held the fainting Zoraide. During the conflict, she had re- tained a fall sense of the awful peril of her situation, and her soul had poured forth one cry of fervent supplication to the God of her fathers. But when she saw the path loosening beneath the feet of the combatants, and felt Isaac draw back with a sudden stride, she glanced down the precipice, and that look sufficed to drown her agony in unconsciousness. The Koord was falling backwards over the cliff, and his clenched hands were held up, as if still for vengeance ; and his glaring eye-balls were starting from their sockets, and his lips were uttering fear- ful imprecations, while he was sinking headlong to destruction. The sullen plash that told when all was over, was lost on the ears of Zoraide; but it NUS heard by all the other bystanders, and it sunk heavily on the hearts of all. "The Koords sought not to renew the strife with one who seemed to be endued with superhuman powers. They glanced down the abyss, and saw the body of their comrade carried rapidly down the stream ; and they knew that all aid was vain for him. Then they turned away, and with looks of fierce defiance at Isaac, that threatened future vengeance if ever an opportunity should occur, they hastily ascended the hill, and were soon out of sight. "Ephraim approached the spot where the brave Nestorian stood. He was a man of strong feelings, but a proud reserve had taught him to control them; and though his lip quivered and his cheek was blanched, his voice was yet firm as he addressed the preserver of his child."