text:  In both the subject is national and generally interesting--in both the historical characters brought forward are popular and connected with early associations--in both the period chosen is one in which great national questions were at stake and the conversations and characters afforded the means of bringing them prominently before the mind of the reader--in both the incidents of the piece are few and simple; and the lesser plots or characters which they contain serve only to amuse the mind and give variety to the composition without interfering with the unity of its general effect