FRASER'S DARK FALCON.

Tins Persian fiction of Mr. FRASER is perhaps the completest ful- filment that can be conceived of an historical romance ; where the history and historical persons of a given period are so inter- mixed with the events and characters of the fiction that it is difficult to tell which predominates. This is accomplished in The Dark Falcon by selecting a period of history full of remarkable persons and strikingly strange events ; so that the truth itself is stranger than fiction, at least to European experience. The romance is closely conjoined with the history by connecting its hero with the fortunes of the brave and generous Prince Jaaffer Koolee Khan, and the heroine, as it turns out, with the Royal family ; whilst some of the lesser public events of the period are made to influence the conduct of the tale. At the same time, this close intermixture of history and romance may be somewhat injurious to the interest of the work as a novel—to that rapid movement and enchained at- traction which carry the reader breathlessly along and nail him to the book. There is, indeed, no lack of sustained interest in The Dark Falcon ; though it extends to four volumes, the reader has no desire to quit it unfinished : but the magnet is rather in the history, or the manners and scenery, than in the romance proper. The character of the eunuch Monarch, Aga Mahomed Khan, is perceived with nice discernment, developed with remarkable power, and maintained with consummate skill. Notwithstanding the lofty courage, daring resolution, and kindly feeling of his brother Jaaffer Koolee, that stern and politic tyrant maintains over the mind of the reader the spell which he exercised in real life; nor, such is the art and knowledge of the author, do the atrocities exercised create that horror which in more unskilful hands they would surely have ex- cited—they seem in the pages of Mr. FRASER to be appropriate to the age and people.

There is a like strength and interest in the historical incidents, from the scenes at the audience of the Shah to the battle near Shiraz between the competitors for the crown: they have the

truthfulness of a description by an observer, though very often by an observer endowed with ubiquity ; and bear testimony to the statement of Mr. FRASER in his preface, that he derived much of his knowledge from persons who were actors in the scenes, and in the case of the arrest and blinding of the Shah's brother Mustapha from the sufferer himself. The manners, characters, and scenery of the lesser occurrences, or of the incidents connected with the romance, are equally truthful, and carry the stamp of actual know- ledge ; the delineation wearing the appearance of a transcript from nature, whatever objection may be urged to the probability of the incident. Still, the interest is not properly that of a novel, nor perhaps will its attraction be very great for the mere herd of novel-readers. The larger events are history vivified ; the camp and adventure scenes, together with the natural descriptions, are those of an animated and dramatic traveller : in short, though the form of the work is fictitious, its matter is essentially that of a history and a book of travels, animated by a dramatic spirit, and generally presented in a dramatic form.

The scene of The Dark Falcon is laid in the central and North- eastern parts of' Persia and the adjacent regions of Toorkestan, or more intelligibly Tartary : the period is during the latter part of the last century, when the country was convulsed by the rival claims of the Zend and Kajar families to the throne ; the fortunes of the Kajar Aga Mahomed being finally triumphant, after destroy- ing by open war or politic murder all competitors and most op- ponents, including his own brothers. The point of time in Mr. FRASER'S work is when the star of Mahomed was gaining the ascendant, and the anarchy in his own more immediate territory somewhat subdued ; though his Zend opponent was still able to make head against him, whilst many restless or disaffected chiefs were ready to revolt at any fair opportunity. In one sense, no doubt, Mahomed is the chief figure of the whole ; but the direct historical interest is in the character, career, and murder of Jaaffer Koolee Khan ; the gallant chief being a principal actor in all the scenes in which his brother's fortunes are concerned.

The romance, reduced to its elements, is of a slight character. Osman, surnamed the Dark Falcon from his quickness of sight, is a Toorkornan slave, supposed to have been carried off' in a foray made into Persia. Treated with kindness by his master, the chief of the tribe, he becomes attached to that chieftain's daughter ; but is forced, on the discovery of his passion, to leave the cams and trust to fortune. Chance introduces him to Jaaffer Koolee as a guide : in a snow-storm on the mountains he is a means of saving his life ; and henceforth becomes his confidential attendant, and distinguishes himself in the battles and skirmishes that ensue, rising even to the notice of royalty. In the interim, his mistress, Zuleika, has been subjected to various distresses, from the hatred of a stepmother, and claimants for her hand : but a strange woman, a kind of Asiatic Meg Merrilies, with an attendant imp, and a half-supernatural Dervish, are ever present to protect Zuleika, as well as Osman when he attempts her rescue, sometimes by him- self, and sometimes as an officer of the Shah. The final result may be readily divined, but we will not directly anticipate the conclusion.

The wild and anarchical state of life in the countries which are the scene of Mr. FRASER'S tale, like a similar social condition in Europe formerly, gives probability to stirring events and rapid changes of fortune ; to which the peculiarity of Oriental manners imparts both freshness and character. Singular, therefore, as many of the scenes may be, they do not wear an unnatural appearance. The machinery, however, has this peculiarity—it is not " explained." The extraordinary knowledge attributed to Fakeereh, the weird woman, may be ascribed to her connexion with the religious body of the Dervishes ; but there are some points that have a more supernatural character, and leave the reader almost as puzzled as the persons before whom the miracles are worked. There is also, perhaps, too melodramatic a character given to certain parts of the romance : the interest is that of the stage "situation" which SHERIDAN ridiculed in the dagger-incident of The Critic.

We have indirectly spoken of the matter, force of style, and sus- tained interests of The Dark Falcon, as well as the verisimilitude of its Asiatic manners ; but there is probably something of heavi- ness about the descriptive and narrative parts, arising from over fulness and the wish of the author to convey information; whilst, although the Asiatic character is well sustained throughout, the effect is produced by engrafting—the original stock is English. This perhaps is no defect ; in places where history is told by means of dialogue or discourse it is a merit for the general reader : but, if our memory may be trusted, the style of The Dark Falcon is not so racily Asiatic as that of the Ayesha of Maraca; and the handling, in painter phrase, is not so light. The most conspicuous person of The Dark Falcon, if not the true hero, is unquestionably Mahomed; and as the work is to be considered as much a history as a romance, we will introduce that personage to the reader.

THE MONARCH AND HIS

In an apartment of small dimensions, and plainly though comfortably fur- nished according to the fashion of the country, and beside a blazing tire of wood, sat a personage who at first sight might have been taken for a youth, so slight was his figure and such parts of his limbs as were visible, and so small his beardless countenance. But a more attentive glance would have satisfied the beholder, that the high expanding forehead, corrugated by lines of deep thought, and the brows strongly knit over eyes contracted by habitual. sus- picion, yet bright and restless, glancing at every object, but se'dom remaining fixed on any, belonged to a riper age. The general cut of the countenance was grave and anxious, though at times lit up with a gleam of fiercer exprer- sion. The mould of the features was noble, and the nose in particular, though somewhat too long, was straight and well shaped; but doubts might h:ive been entertained as to the sex of the being to whom these attributes pertained, for !the thin upper lip was destitute of mustachios, nor was a symptom of beard to be discovered on the hollow cheeks or long oval chin, from under which the mkin hung in wrinkles over the shrivelled neck. Yet would the beholder have ;paused in pronouncing the person to be a female; for there was a tone of recto- slate decision upon the pale brow, an air of mental strength and firmness in the outItne of the lower jaw, and a capacity in the skull, seldom to be found save in the male sex. Nor were these delusive tokens; for he whom we have thus -attempted to present to our eeaders was no other than the celebrated Aga elfahomed Khan, then not quite forty-four years of age, and unquestionably the ablest as he was the most remarkable man of his age and country, at this .time ruler only of the Northern provinces, but afterwards undisputed Sovereign of the Persian empire. He was habited in a loose chogha, or cloak of brown cloth, lined with fur, -rather the worse for wear, which enveloped him from shoulder to foot, conceal- ing all his other habiliments, save when the thrusting forth of an arm di.- played an equally shabby sleeve and vest of dark•coloured cotton stuff. His isead was covered with a cap of black velvet embroidered with gold, a good deal tarnished. Before him, on the thick felt carpet on which he sat, was placed his cullumdaun, or writing-case, with a roll of paper and several written notes ; betide it, on a square piece of padded silk, lay an old-fashioned watch in a sbagreen case ; and beyond these, ready for use, was placed his gold-mounted acimitar, its curved blade encircling and guarding as it were the other and yet more powerful implements ; an arrangement which, though probably fortuitous, afforded an apt type of the chief's own mind, relying as it did rather on policy and foresight than force—on the head and the pen rather than the hand and 'sword, and regarding the latter but as subsidiary to the former—a means of newt only when these had failed, but then, indeed, to be used with unsparing saeverity. The only other person in the apartment was a man of middle size, and rather slender frame' whose features were expressive at once of grave sagacity and deep respect. This was Meerza Sheffeah, at that time the principal and confidential minister of state. He wore a fur-lined robe, greatly superior in appearance and value to that which enveloped his master, and, even at this -early hour, the shawl-wound cap and red stockings used by the nobles of .Persia when in attendance on their sovereign : for, so jealous in matters of respect was the Khan, and so tenacious of ceremony, that, though careless often to slovenliness of his own appearance, he suffered no one to approach his -presence without due attention to all observances.

We will next exhibit him in action. Whilst besieging Shiraz, the Zend chief, his competitor for the empire, has suddenly marched to its relief with the whole of his forces, reinforced by some new allies ; 'and though the Monarch had received information of the plan, and Osman, the Dark Falcon, had discovered their approach, the King was not aware of their strength.

"imperfect as his information was, it had put him so far in his enemy's asseret as to save himself the ruin of a ant-price: yet for the magnitude of the attacking force he was not prepared; and it required all his powers of mind and indomitable resolution to compensate for the consequences of this unfortunate ignorance. He speedily saw, that not only had he to sustain the attack of a large and regular army instead of a mere detachment—to fight a general action instead of merely detaching a party to skirmish or repel a common attack ; and that he had to do with well-trained troops, such as would try the metal of even his own hardy veterans. But his courage was equal to the emergency ; and it would have delighted a cool observer of human character to watch the kindling eye of the Kajar chief, and the workings of his powerful mind, as, like a veteran and experienced champion, he nerved himself for the struggle. His -mean, almost insignificant figure seemed to swell into importance as he cast his eye over the conflicting tides of men, with the proud consciousness that his was the master spirit which was able to direct the storm himself had put in 'notion.

"The rapidly increasing light had not only made it clear to the Shah that it was with the whole force of the Zend be had now to cope, but showed him the formidable materials of which it was composed ; and as be saw body after body of well-mounted cavalry dashing boldly forward to outflank his own forces, he could not but own that they were as gallantly led as they were ably manceuvered; and his charges to each officer of his own troops, as he led his men to oppose the attack, or support a party of hard-pressed combatants, became more and more earnest and impressive. To some his orders were given aloud in the rapid and eager tones of command, while to others they were conveyed in whispered tones and with studied secrecy. The extension of the conflict in front, which waxed hotter and more violent as the morning advanced, so fully occupied the faculties of every one in that quarter, even of the Shah himself, that attention was almost wholly withdrawn from the rear and the rest of the camp, until shoots and up- roar on the extreme left gave signal that something had occurred there ; and snore than one breathless messenger came running to announce that a party having made their way round under cover of the twilight, were now attacking the almost defenceless rear.

"A flush of rage darkened the Shah's countenance as he learned this disaster. What has become of Allaverdee Khan?' said he ; 'is he not at his post ? ' " He is there, and he fights,' replied the messenger ; ' but he requires as-

sistance, for they appear to be mustering for a sally in the city, and his men are

few.'

" Abbas 'Cooke Beg,' said the Shah, 'take two hundred of these gholaums and support Allaverdee Khan. Tell him not to appear in our presence till he has repulsed the enemy, and can bring us a hundred heads—on his own be it. Let three horsemen take different ways to the camp of Alice Koolee Khan; desire him to bring what force he can spare from the defence of his own position to cut off those who may come from the city. Well, Batchah, what news 2' demanded he of Osman, who at that moment had come up all bloody, to tell that there was fighting also on the right.

Halt I then Jaaffer Koolee has his share too. Ride, boy, ride; tell him he nmstbeat them at once. It is but a false attack to keep him from the main work here. Tell him to leave a thousand men to guard the camp, to scatter these fellows with the rest of his force, and come hither with all speed : he will judge for himself what to do, when he arrives and sees how things are—away ! ' " Osman had not been gone many minutes, when a matchlock ball, many of which were now whistling by, and occasionally wounding or prostrating one of the royal attendants, struck some part of the King's riding-gear, and marked the bright side of his charger with a bloody line. His Majesty, scarce noticing the circumstance, kept his eyes intently fixed upon the contending throng which was swaying hither and thither at various points, under the impulse of any chance advantage, as a field of growing corn may be seen to wave when agitated by a brisk breeze. But the vizier and officers nearest the royal person getting alarmed, began to represent the danger of such exposure, and to entreat that the 'Centre of the Universe' would retire to a safer position. Unheeding their importunities, his Majesty continued directing his eagle gaze with fixed interest towards one point of the conflict, where the agitation of the combatants WU evidently increasing; and even through the gathering dust their opening ranks might be seen to give way before a small band of horsemen, headed by one apon a dark charger, as the small birds flee before the hawk.

" At length, his Majesty exclaimed impatiently, Art though foal or traitor, Meerza ? Is it a time to speak of the Shah quitting his post, when you plume is exalting itself ao high upon the field, and the hoofs of that devil are treading

out the souls of my soldiers ? Are we to hide our face while that black clouti still overshadows the plain ? Ah, Mustaphe I oh for one good charge of thine Ai Jaaffer Koolee, Jaaffer Koolee ! would to God thou wert there I soon would that falcon flee before the stoop of the eagle.' And as he said this, be turned his head towards the right, and gazed wistfully on the dense cloud of dust and smoke that had enveloped all the plain in that direction, as if his eye could have pierced it ; but all was hopelessly obscure, and he again looked with increasing anxiety upon the scene before him. It was now too clear that his troops, pressed home by the animated charge of the gallant Lootf Allee, were giving ground : to support them was absolutely necessary ; and his Majesty, with his habitual coolness, was issuing the order that would have almost utterly denuded his per- son of its guard., when a loud shout arose from the dense cloud on the right ; and in a few moments the Zendees in that quarter might be seen giving way and scattering before a dark body of horsemen who seemed bursting from the wreath of smoke and dust.

" The King cut abort his words—for one moment his head was turned with breathless eagerness towards the right ; in the next his eye flashed, and waving his sword on high with uncontrollable emotion, he exclaimed, By the soul of my father, Jaaffer Koolee I yah-ullah ! have at them, men, have at them Carried on by the enthusiasm of the moment, he struck his heels into his horse's sides, and bounded forward a pace or two : but the undue impulse was momentary ; recollection returned, and the Shah was again the same calm, im- perturbable, self-possessed being as before."

The true hero of the book is, we think, the Monarch's brother, Jaaffer Koolee; for his gallant bearing and humane spirit fix the attention of the reader ; and his death overtakes him as if it were a work of destiny, or, to do justice to the author, it naturally ex- hibits the Mahometan's belief in predestination. The scenes at- tending it, too, are all drawn with great force and knowledge of human nature,—especially the midnight interview between the Mo- narch and his Minister, when the former first avows his purpose ; and the arts by which Mahomed cajoles his brother into his power, in despite of the warnings and entreaties of his friends. We can only find room for the closing scene, when Jaaffer has been entrap- ped and seized under the pretence of inspecting a new palace.

"The hours of Jaaffer Koolee were indeed numbered. His last sands were in the glass. The sun had set—the voices of the muezzins calling the faithful to prayer had ceased—the shrill clangour of the Nokam khaneh announced that the time for relieving the palace guards had arrived. The heart of the ptisonee throbbed from time to time as these familiar sounds smote his ear for the last time ; and again he thought of the days when, light and free as others, he too had mingled in these busy scenes—scenes which for him were now to cease for ever. They would continue as before, and the sun would rise and set, and rise again to others, while to him—his heart heaved at the thought, but he quelled the rising emotion, and smiled as in scorn of his own weakness.

"At that moment his attention was attracted by the sound of approaching footsteps. The darkness which had for some time reigned in his prison was invaded by a gleam of red light, which flashed through a crevice in the door. It opened, and the prisoner, though dazzled by the glare of a flaming torcb, could discern four men entering the apartment. Half-blinded as he was, OW glance sufficed; for well did he know the Furoshba-e-ghnzub, the ministers of wrath, clad in the sombre garb of their office; and well, too, did he know their errand.

Ye are come !' said the Khan, as, ranging themselves before him, they regarded him in ominous silence. 'The Shah has sent ye : say, what are hie Majesty's commands ? Speak, is it blindness or death ? Fear not to tell, for I fear not to suffer.'

"But the men, awed or confounded by the unwonted boldness of their victim, still kept silence. "'Speak!' said the Khan authoritatively : 'declare my fate. What is the Shah's order?'

". Behold the Shah's firman!' replied the Nassackchee in charge ; and, pointing to the fatal cord in the Furosh's hand, he added, His commands are death!'

Alhumdulillah!' exclaimed the Khan. 'Praise be to God ! My brother: my brother! even yet thou art kind! Better, far better, death than blindness. Better that Jaaffer Koolee should die as he has lived, and bless thee, than exist but to suffer, like the wretched Mustapha! Bismillalt! Men, we are ready. There is but one God, and Mahorned is his prophet ! '

"With these words he stretched forth his bare neck to his murderers. The deadly cord immediately encircled it ; and in another minute, almost before the mind could force itself to form the thought, there remained of the gallant and noble Jaaffer Koolee but a strangled lifeless corse.

• •

"When Baba Khan, after hearing, not witnessing his uncle's seizure, re- turned to the Shah, and, with much emotion apprized him of the event, a sudden gleam of joy lighted up his features with a nendish smile, and then all was cold and calm again ; nor did the uncle and nephew meet again until the hour of their evening repast. It was served in the very apartment where the last interview between the King and his hapless brother had so lately been held, and at the very hour when both knew that the murder was to take place. Yet never had Aga Mahomed been apparently more composed or free from uncom- fortable feelings. He was even less thoughtful and morose than was his wont.; and ate with an excellent appetite of a particular disb, which he declared to be remarkably well dressed. Not so the young Baba Khan. He regarded hie terrible uncle with more than usual awe ; and as he himself has since declared, every morsel be tried to swallow stuck in his throat, for the thought of what was at that very moment going on turned him deadly sick. "Scarcely could he utter a word in reply to the few remarks addressed to him by the Shah, who, when their meal was ended, bade him rise and follow him. The young man obeyed trembling, as his uncle led the way into the garden ; where, stretched at length in the moonlight, the eyes wide open and starting from their sockets, yet with the smile of resignation still lingering OA its lips, lay the body of his victim. "The King gazed long upon the ghastly countenance ; then planting his foot upon the cbest of his dead brother, he exclaimed, with a long-drawn breath, 'Al Jaaffer Bootee! thou art now at rest—and so am I!'

"He paused for a while ; then turning to his nephew, who, sick and trem- bling, stood behind, he burst into a passionate flood of tears, and upbraided hint as the cause of his destroying the brother whom he best loved. 'it is for thee, wretched boy I—for thy sake, that have 1 done this accursed deed !—for thee I have been guilty of the basest ingratitude, and deeply sinned against God and agaiost moan! Had that gallant spirit remained on earth, thou never couldst have reigned in Persia. But,' continued he in a lower tone, our oath must be kept,—if not with the living, at least with the dead. Let the body be forthwith conveyed beyond the city : let it be delivered to his own people ; but let it not remain even a night within the walls!' Having uttered these worde, telling his beads, and muttering the customary Alhunadulillahs and Subhanul. labs, he returned slowly to his own apartments."

The book is indifferently printed in regard to the Oriental names; or rather, it seems not to have been properly corrected.

-The same word is differently spelt in different places, sometimes in ;nearly the same page ; which to many readers will be a source of bewilderment.