Critical Review, 2nd ser. 31 (Jan 1801): 114–15.

In these times of scarcity and dearth, the author of the romance before us will be a serviceable man indeed! The philosopher’s stone is nothing to the secret he is in possession of. From the day lady Riverford commits her son to her servant James, with orders to convey him to a nurse, she sees no more of this faithful confidant who supplied her with food; and yet, strange to tell! when the boy is of an age to head a company to the Holy Land, she comes out of her hiding place fat enough to pass upon the world for a monk!—As a novel writer we cannot, in justice to our readers, compliment him so highly: he is not likely to become a monk, or the author of a Monk.—Of ghosts, whether real or fictitious, we are heartily tired; and the flight of Jessy from her parents in Messina, to follow her beloved William as his page, is much better introduced in the History of Captain Robert Boyle, from which it is copied. We are doubly sorry that confinement from illness should have compelled our author to write his book [114/115] to compensate for loss of usual labour, and we sincerely hope that before this time he is well enough to resume his proper occupation, in which we trust he will meet with much better success.

Notes: Listed under ‘Monthly Catalogue: Novels’. Format: 2 vols 12mo; price 7s. Sewed. Publisher: Dutton.

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