Attempt > Volume 3

THE ATTEMPT. 63
There are two or three well-drawn and natural characters in the book, of whom
Kate herself is one ; but the men are quite the reverse, and only prove what we
have said before, that authoresses almost always fail in their attempts to portray
them. They should study nature, human nature more, and their own fancy less,
before they can hope to give an air of reality to the creations of their minds. We
might be just as hard on authors for their treatment of our sex, but we have already
allowed this paper to exceed its proper limits, and close our remarks on novels, in
the hope of continuing them in a future number.
Alma.
"Come feme to ^u."
Long he had tossed on the surging ocean,
Wearied and v/orn with its ceaseless motion,
Restlessly heaving by day and night
Its dark blue waves, and its foam-wreaths white,
Dashing its surf on the echoing shore,
As it carried him home to depart no more.
Long he had fought in the foeman's land,
At the head of his true-hearted, gallant band ;
His voice ever loudest to cheer on his men,
To charge those grey-coated squares again ;
His words ever hopeful, his face ever bright,
In victory's sunshine, defeat's gloomy night;
The foremost in battle, the last one to fly—
And iww he had come to his home but to die !
He was home at last. Oh many a day,
While wounded, and helpless, and lonely he lay,
How sadly he longed for the dear old place,
Each loving voice and familiar face ;
How he wanted his mother's soft hand then.