1S4 *« Englijh novels. March ifla 



the propriety is discoverable. Feilding has been; 

 well versant in critical knowledge, of which his in- 

 troductory chapters in the Foundling will exhibit a 

 lasting monument. Had Feilding wanted his prolo- 

 gomenous chapters, still the sensible application of 

 his cursory and detached observations, interspersed in 

 the history, would have founded his reputation in the 

 opinion of men sense. In the tender and pathetic 

 Amelia, we see that genius which flione so lively in 

 the Foundling, like the setting sun emerging from a 

 cloud, now and then emitting a feeble ray, emblema- 

 tical of its former greatnefs. 



Samuel Richardson wa.> pofsefsed of considerable 

 abilities. His works are replete with delicate senti- 

 ments and precepts of morality. As a fund of en- 

 tertainment, they have been justly commended ; they 

 are certainly calculated for this purpose in a high 

 degree. His moral reflections also, I doubt not, have 

 been of considerable utility; but a moralist, 1 appre-- 

 hend, is a character distinct from a novelist. As to 

 his language, it is sufficiently adapted for this clafs of 

 writing ; though not dignified, it flows with a volu- 

 bility pleasing to the reader. If it has a fault it lies 

 in its redundancy ; but the observation is applicable 

 with equal propriety to his language and matter. I 

 imagine his knowledge of human nature has been 

 chiefly derived from books ; for his works do not 

 lead us to conclude that he has ever accurately stu- 

 died the book of nature. His knowledge of mankind, 

 therefore, must have been very confined; for how- 

 ever exquisitely human nature may have been descri- 

 bed by writers, the true practical system can hs 

 learned only in the worldi 



