4/8 ESSAY ON THE MORAL EFFECTS OF FICTION. 



received from the same object, in frequent successive contemplation. 

 Every mind which possesses any sensibility to rural beauty, receives the 

 strongest impression at first from every part of a beautiful scene which 

 it can then perceive ; but many succeeding views may reveal new beau- 

 ties, and cultivation may quicken and expand his power of observing. 

 The impression from what I did see in the " Elegy*" was strongest at 

 first ; but my whole impression is far stronger after the ten thousandth 

 perusal, because I now see a great deal more. Pity receives a similar 

 improvement from education ; it acquires a more exquisite tact, and dis- 

 covers pains of which, in its first gross state, it would not have suspected 

 the existence. On this depend all the delicacy of compassion, and the 

 grace of beneficence. In this manner, after a long exercise of sympathy, 

 even the whole impression made by the sufferings of others may be 

 stronger, because (if I may so speak) the rays issue from a greater num- 

 ber of points. 



But this is not all ; every emotion of pity is necessarily followed by a 

 desire to relieve, (however faint,) which partakes of the nature of an 

 active habit ; it is not unfelt even towards fictitious distress. If this 

 desire this internal effort this mental act, did not follow the law of 

 active habits, what would be the case of those good men who see misery 

 often, and seldom, or perhaps never, may have the means of relieving it ? 

 Mr. Stewart will not suppose that their hearts will be hardened, or that 

 their pity will not be in many respects more lively and eager than that 

 of those who have relieved themselves by beneficence. On the contrary, 

 he will acknowledge that the facility of relieving the coarser distresses is 

 one of the circumstances which corrupt and harden the rich, and fills 

 them with the insolent conceit, that all the wounds of the human heart 

 can be healed by their wealth. 



In differing from Mr. Stewart, I am delighted in concurring with one 

 for whom he and I feel the most profound reverence, and who (I agree 

 with him) had more comprehensive views of the progress of society than 

 any man since Bacon. " II regardoit les romans comme des livres de 

 morale, et mehne, disoit-il, comme les seuls ou il eut vu de la morale.'* 

 (Vie de Turgot par Condorcet, p. 62.) 



Novels inspire romantic indiscretions. Whatever violates the rules 

 of duty, in which are included those of prudence, is, no doubt, below per- 

 feet morality ; but how much is the romantic lover above the sensual and 

 the mercenary ! The period of the prevalence of novels has been charac- 

 terised by another very remarkable phenomenon ; it is the only period 

 in history in which female genius could be mentioned as materially con- 

 tributing to the literary glory of a nation. 



As they are now the most numerous class of literary productions, 

 there must be more bad novels than bad books of any other kind. The 

 number of wretched publications under the name, the modern origin of 

 this species of composition, and the familiar appearance of its subjects, 

 give, in the eye of many, an air of frivolity to the name of novel ; and 

 many a foolish pedant who wastes his life in illustrating an obscure and 

 obscene comedy of Aristophanes, would be ashamed to read an English 



* In a Country Church-yard." 



