The Historical Romance has its great task and its great
justification--a truth disputed by only those who either have not
understood or will not understand its nature.

The Historical Romance has, if I may be allowed so to speak, four
several objects for which to strive:

Its first object is, to throw light upon the dark places of history,
necessarily left unclear by the historian. Poetry has the right and
duty of setting facts in a clear light, and of illuminating the
darkness by its sunny beams. The poetry of the romance writer seeks
to deduce historical characteristics from historical facts, and to
draw from the spirit of history an elucidation of historical
characters, so that the writer may be able to detect their inmost
thoughts and feelings, and in just and sharp traits to communicate
them to others.

The second task of Historical Romance is, to group historical
characters according to their internal natures, and thus to
elucidate and illustrate history. This illustration then leads to
the third task, which is the discovery and exposition of the motives
which impel individual historical personages to the performance of
great historical acts, and from outwardly, apparently insignificant
events in their lives to deduce their inmost thoughts and natures,
and represent them clearly to others.

Thence follows the fourth task: the illustration of historical facts
by a romance constructed in the spirit of the history. This fourth
and principal task is the presentation of history in a dramatic form