Aj^i. on\Englij/h novels. 125 



The character of Sir Charles Grandlson is over-*, 

 strained, his honour is so refined and fantastical in ma- 

 ny places, that it descends to meaimefs, particularly 

 in his offers to the Italian family. Dr Bartlet is, 

 however, an original character ; and Mrs Shirly will, I 

 iiope, be often found in real life. His want of humour 

 has produced a wretched picture of puerility in the 

 ■person of Charlotte. Richardson has not followed 

 the proper rule of novel writing. What I understand 

 to be the characteristic feature of a novel, is an exact 

 delineation of real life. In defence of these perfect 

 patterns, says Richardson in the concluding note to 

 iiis Grandison : " The corruption of human nature 

 may indeed be exhibited in the faulty character ; but 

 jieed pictures of this kind be held out in books ? Is 

 not vice crowned with succefs, triumphant and re- 

 warded, and perhaps set off with wit and spirit, a 

 dangerous represntation." If my idea of novel wri- 

 ting be jast, the answer to this is obvious. It is of 

 no consequence, whether the representation be vi- 

 cious or virtuous, in writing a fictitious history, 

 which consists in a relation of the manners and ac- 

 tions of man, it is human nature that is undertaken 

 to be represented, and in as far as this is not done, 

 the author has not perfoi-med his talk. The painter 

 could have no merit, who fhould be employed to draw 

 a likenefs, though he drew it perfectly beautiful, 

 both in symmetry and complexion, if it bore no resem- 

 blance to the original. In like manner, if one under- 

 takes to write the life of a man, is it consistent to 

 ascribe to him actions which are not only void of 

 probability, but even of pofsibility. Though, in sup- 

 fort of this perfection of character, Richardson nven- 



