.78 



Though the form that fictitious writing has assumed within 

 the last century, is doubtless of a very different kind from 

 all that we have hitherto been considering, and though se* 

 veral causes now unite to prevent romances and novels from 

 being so influential on manners, as in the infancy of society ; — 

 yet, when we reflect that they are in the hands of every one, 

 without distinction of age, sex, or condition, we can scarcely 

 avoid attributing to them a considerable degree of import- 

 ance. We observe that people generally catch the manners 

 of those they associate with ; that the artisan is distinguish- 

 able from the man of fashion ; and the scholar, from both — 

 such are the effects of different associations : from the gene- 

 ral laws of which it is not to be expected that the readers 

 of fictitious history should be exempted : the manners of 

 these, no doubt, are influenced by those of the imaginary 

 society they keep, and with which they are delighted. It re- 

 mains for me to seek out, if possible, how far this influence 

 extends. 



Two causes combine to diminish the influence of fictitious 

 history : first, the present advanced state of civilisation ; and, 

 secondly, the sort of writing now denominated fictitious. 

 With regard to the first, it is pretty certain that fiction, pro- 

 perly so called, can only be conceived to operate powerfully 



lifi6s et les plus spirituelles du siecle de Louis qnatorze »e disputer a qui commenteroit 

 et rafiineroit le mieux sur la delicatesse du coeur, et des sentiinens, a qui feroit sur cc 

 chapitrr, les distinctions les plus subtiles. 



Menioires de TAcademie des Inscriptions, Tom. xx. 



