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XXXVII.

eginning of the last century, contributed greatly LECT o explode it; and the abolition of tournaments, he prohibition of fingle combat, the disbelief of nagic and enchantments, and the change in general of manners throughout Europe, began to give a new turn to fictitious Compofition.

THEN appeared the Aftræa of D'urfé, the Grand Cyrus, the Clelia and Cleopatra of Mad. Scuderi, the Arcadia of Sir Philip Sidney, and other grave and ftately Compofitions in the fame ftyle. These may be confidered as forming the second stage of Romance writing. The heroifm and the gallantry, the moral and virtuous turn of the chivalry romance, were still preferved; but the dragons, the necromancers, and the enchanted caftles, were banished, and some small refemblance to human nature was introduced. Still, however, there was too much of the marvellous in them to please an age which now aspired to refinement. The characters were discerned to be ftrained; the style to be swoln; the adventures incredible; the books themselves were voluminous and tedious.

HENCE, this fort of Compofition foon affumed a third form, and from magnificent Heroic Romance, dwindled down to the Familiar Novel. Thefe novels, both in France and England, during the age of Lewis XIV. and King Charles II. were in general of a trifling nature, without the appearance of moral tendency, or useful inftruc

XXXVII.

LECT tion. Since that time, however, fomewhat better has been attempted, and a degree of reformation introduced into the fpirit of Novel Writing. Imitations of life and character have been made their principal object. Relations have been profeffed to be given of the behaviour of perfons in particular interefting fituations, fuch as may actu ally occur in life; by means of which, what is laudable or defective in character and conduct, may be pointed out, and placed in an useful light. Upon this plan, the French have produced fome compofitions of confiderable merit. Gil Blas, by Le Sage, is a book full of good fenfe, and inftructive knowledge of the world. The works of Marivaux, especially his Marianne, discover great refinement of thought, great penetration into human nature, and paint with a very delicate pencil, fome of the niceft fhades and features in the distinction of characters. The Nouvelle Heloife of Rouffeau is a production of a very fingular kind; in many of the events which are related, improbable and unnatural; in fome of the details tedious, and for fome of the fcenes which are described justly blameable; but withal, for the power of eloquence, for tendernefs of fentiment, for ardour of paffion, entitled to rank among the highest productions of Fictitious History.

In this kind of Writing we are, it must be confeffed, in Great Britain, inferior to the French. We neither relate fo agreeably, nor draw charac

ters

XXXVII.

ters with fo much delicacy; yet we are not without LECT fome performances which difcover the ftrength of the British genius. No fiction, in any language, was ever better fupported then the Adventures of Robinson Crufoe. While it is carried on with that appearance of truth and fimplicity, which takes a strong hold of the imagination of all Readers, it fuggefts, at the fame time, very useful inftruction; by fhowing how much the native powers of man may be exerted for furmounting the difficulties of any external fituation. Mr. Fielding's Novels are highly diftinguished for their humour ; a humour which, if not of the most refined and delicate kind, is original, and peculiar to himself. The characters which he draws are lively and natural, and marked with the ftrokes of a bold pencil. The general fcope of his ftories is favourable to humanity and goodness of heart; and in Tom Jones, his greatest work, the artful conduct of the fable, and the fubferviency of all the incidents to the winding up of the whole, deferve much praife. The moft moral of all our Novel Writers is Richardson, the Author of Clariffa, a writer of excellent intentions, and of very confiderable capacity and genius; did he not poffefs the unfortunate talent of fpinning out pieces. of amufement into an immeafurable length. The trivial performances which daily appear in public under the title of Lives, Adventures, and Hiftories, by anonymous Authors, if they be often innocent, yet are most commonly infipid; and

though

XXXVII.

LECT though in the general it ought to be admitted that Characteristical Novels, formed upon Nature and upon Life, without extravagance, and without licentiouinefs, might furnish an agreeable and ufeful entertainment to the mind; yet confidering the manner in which thefe Writings have been, for the most part, conducted, it must also be confeffed, that they oftener tend to diffipation and idlenefs, than to any good purpose. Let us now, therefore, make our retreat from these regions of fiction.

LECTURE XXXVIII.

NATURE OF POETRY ITS ORIGIN AND

PROGRESS

VERSIFICATION.

I

XXXVIII.

HAVE now finished my obfervations on the dif- LECT. ferent kinds of Writing in Prose. What remains is, to treat of Poetical Compofition. Before entering on the confideration of any of its particular kinds, I defign this Lecture as an Introduction to the fubject of Poetry in general; wherein I fhall treat of its nature, give an account of its origin, and make fome obfervations on Verfification, or Poetical Numbers.

OUR firft enquiry muft be, what is Poetry? and wherein does it differ from Profe? The anfwer to this question is not fo eafy as might at firft be imagined; and Critics have differed and difputed much concerning the proper definition of Poetry. Some have made its effence to confift in fiction, and support their opinion by the authority of Aristotle and Plato. But this is certainly too limited a definition; for though fiction may

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