What that something is, hardly two persons will agree.

The most obvious interpretation of the types is, that in Zanoni the author depicts to us humanity, perfected, sublimed, which lives not for self, but for others; in Mejnour, as we have before said, cold, passionless, self-sufficing intellect; in Glyndon, the young Englishman, the mingled strength and weakness of human nature; in the heartless, selfish artist, Nicot, icy, soulless atheism, believing nothing, hoping nothing, trusting and loving nothing; and in the beautiful, artless Viola, an exquisite creation, pure womanhood, loving, trusting and truthful.

As a work of art the romance is one of great power.

It is original in its conception, and pervaded by one central idea; but it would have been improved, we think, by a more sparing use of the supernatural.

The inevitable effect of so much hackneyed diablerie--of such an accumulation of wonder upon wonder--is to deaden the impression they would naturally make upon us.