95 



It may appear strange to some, that amongst all the ills 

 which are supposed to result from novels, I have omitted the 

 mention of romantic love, the subject with which they all be- 

 gin, proceed, and en J. The truth is, I have not forgotten it, 

 but I have been obliged to remember that it is the effect of 

 fictitious history upon modern manners, I am desirous to eli- 

 cit : upon which love, if he were to appear in his own shape, 

 or under the more attractive form of his mother, would find 

 that he had lost his power : and would be obliged to assume 

 the semblance of old Plutus, or of the blind goddess, before, 

 his arrows (though sharpened upon the most bloody whet- 

 stone) could be able to produce a single scar. 



Although much more might be offered upon this subject, 

 yet from what has been said, 1 believe it is pretty clear that 

 novels hold no trifling rank among the various sources to- 

 which the acknowledged corruption of modern manners might 

 be ascribed. With respect to the consideration whether they 

 affect the taste and literature of the times, it is obvious, that 

 for the most part, an intoxicating spirit of levity, and an 

 excessive love of ornament, have in modern compositions, oc- 

 cupied the place of sound judgment and classical purity ; 

 and that the desire after novelty usually prevails over every 

 other consideration. Hence, the modern poet disclaims those 

 rules of art, that have for so many ages given strength and 

 stability to the production of genius ; and hence, even the 

 historic page assumes a form assimilated to fiction, or actually 

 partaking of it. To ascribe all this to the multiplication of 



