7 MARCH 1868, Page 24

telly's title-page, is "told in detail for the first time,

chiefly by the aid of original letters, official and other documents, and contemporary memoirs recently made public," has been related more than once in a shorter form, and has engaged the attention of more than one eminent writer.

Nevertheless, Mr. Vizetelly has done good service by the publication of his fuller history. He has gone into the subject thoroughly, read what the actors themselves wrote as well as what was written for them, and what has boon written about them. His quotations from such works occupy rather more space than is strictly necessary, and he too often allows his heroine to give her own story at full length, when his real object is to contradict and discredit her statements. The cause of clear- ness and certainty might be advanced if some other plan was adopted.

Mr. Vizetelly's plan has certainly the advantage of introducing many details, and thus exciting the interest of the general reader, to whom such details are always acceptable.