aspects the state of society is better now than then but the luxury of the rich is still in startling contrast with the misery of the poor, and although vice may have lost its grossness, it still lurks like a canker in the Commonwealth. We shall have little cause to boast of our superior morality, if we

Compound for sins we are inclined to,
By damning those we have no mind to.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

FICTION IN RELATION TO FACT.—INFORMATION TO BE GLEANED

FROM NOVELS.-GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LAST

CENTURY. ITS COARSENESS.-RELIGION.— LOVE.-INFLU-

ENCE OF THE AGE UPON WOMEN.
WOMEN. THE ESSAYISTS.

HOGARTH.—PROGRESS OF REFINEMENT. DANGER OF MIS-

TAKING SATIRE AND CARICATURE FOR TRUTH

PAGE

I

CHAPTER II.

DRESS. MASQUERADES. DRUMS. PRETTY FELLOWS' AND

MACCARONIES.' -CLUBS.- RANELAGH AND VAUXHALL.

LONDON. ← DANGERS OF THE STREETS STATE OF THE

ROADS.-HIGHWAYMEN

54

GAMBLING. DUEL-

LING. JUSTICE OF THE PEACE.-COUNTRY SQUIRE

CHAPTER IV.

THE PARSON OF THE LAST CENTURY.-FLEET MARRIAGES

CHAPTER V.

THE OLD ROMANCES-'THE FEMALE QUIXOTE.

-NOVELS OF

THE LAST CENTURY.-THEIR COARSENESS AND ITS APOLO-

GISTS.-' CHRYSAL, OR THE ADVENTURES OF A GUINEA.

'POMPEY.'-' THE FOOL OF
OF QUALITY. TWO CLASSES

OF NOVELS,

SIMPLE STORY. THE COMIC NOVELS

121

149

CHAPTER VI.

PAGE

MRS. BEHN AND HER NOVELS. -'OROONOKO." -'THE WAN-

DERING BEAUTY.'—'THE UNFORTUNATE HAPPY LADY.'

MRS. MANLEY AND 'THE NEW ATALANTIS.'-'THE POWER

OF LOVE IN SEVEN NOVELS.'- THE FAIR HYPOCRITE.'—

MRS. HEYWOOD.-HER NOVEL, MISS BETSY THOUGHTLESS'. 174

RICHARDSON.

CHAPTER VII.

'CLARISSA HARLOWE.'

PAMELA.'

SIR

CHARLES GRANDISON.'-RICHARDSON'S CORRESPONDENCE.

HIS PORTRAIT DRAWN BY HIMSELF

213

CHAPTER VIII.

FIELDING.—‘TOM

TOM JONES,' A FAVOURITE OF THE LADIES.

'JOSEPH ANDREWS.'-'AMELIA.'

CHAPTER IX.

SMOLLETT,

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIM AND FIELDING.

PEREGRINE PICKLE.' 'HUMPHRY CLINKER.'

SPIRITUAL QUIXOTE'

THE

CHAPTER X.

GOLDSMITH.-'THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD.'-CHARACTER OF

LATER NOVELS AND ROMANCES.-MACKENZIE.-' THE MAN

OF FEELING,' 'THE MAN OF THE WORLD,' AND 'JULIA

DE ROUBIGNÉ.'-MISS BURNEY.-‘EVELINA,' AND 'CECILIA.'

-MISS EDGEWORTH. 'BELINDA.'—JANE AUSTEN.-USES

OF NOVELS.-RESPONSIBILITY OF THE NOVELIST

• 305

NOVELS AND NOVELISTS

OF THE

EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.

CHAPTER I.

FICTION IN RELATION ΤΟ FACT.INFORMATION TO BE GLEANED FROM NOVELS.—GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LAST CENTURY.-ITS COARSENESS.—RELIGION. -LOVE.-INFLUENCE OF THE AGE UPON WOMEN. THE ESSAYISTS. -HOGARTH. PROGRESS OF REFINEMENT. DANGER OF MISTAKING SATIRE AND CARICATURE FOR TRUTH.

Y object in the following work is to make use of fiction as the exponent of fact, and to shew what information is to be gleaned as to the habits and manners and social life of our ancestors from the novels of the last century. If I may be pardoned a legal metaphor I shall summon the heroes and heroines as well as the authors into court, that they may give evidence as witnesses of a state of society that has passed away-and of which it is difficult now in the many wonderful changes

B