85 



pear, that from the same source, the lieart may be corruptet^r 

 the principles undermined, or the imagination defiled, then 

 they apply equally to both sexes. Women, however, seem 

 40 be especially interested in the present enquiry, because 

 they are more generally devoted to novel reading, than men ; 

 and because their habits of life, and education, instead of 

 being calculated to correct the defects of a more flexible tem- 

 perament, seem as if they were intended to encourage them. 

 Hence, imagination, which, if properly regulated, would 

 be a very great source of pleasure, becomes rather produc- 

 tive of misery and misfortune; and, of all the means that 

 were ever invented, in order to strengthen the imagination^ 

 in opposition to the reasoning faculty, to weaken or destroy 

 the moral as well as the intellectual sense, and to engender 

 all the innumerable evils that rau&t follow of course, novels 

 have been most successful. 



This leads me to endeavour to seek out some of the reasons 

 which may be assigned in proof of tho foregoing assertion* 

 To unfold all their consequences, would require, indeed^ 



" A master's hand, and prophet's fire !" 



For greater clearness, modern novels may be divided into 

 the two classes of humourous, and sentimental. The former ge- 

 nerally exiiibit human nature in its degraded state ; they at- 

 tempt to paint the worst feelings of the human heart ; to in- 

 troduce the, reader to the dregs of society,' and into every 

 haunt of vice. By means of these, the young man — " cereus- 



