1^9 "" ^^S^iP^ nt>vels. March 28. 



tions the delight and instruction of dwelling bn this 

 bright side of things ; yet his Clarifsa fhews that he 

 «ould dwell with equal prolixity on the dark side. 

 Lovelace partakes as much of the nature of an infer- 

 nal spirit, as Sir Charles Grandison resembles the 

 idea we form of superior beings ; Lovelace however 

 may be accounted the most original character in Ri- 

 chardson' s works. As for his Pamela, as it is a 

 performance only fitted for the nursery, it is below 

 criticism. 



I have read your correspondent Bombardinion's 

 remarks on Smollet's novels, and think he has han- 

 dled Dr Smollet with his usual acutenefs. Indeed 

 after reading the works of Feilding, Richardson, and 

 Smollet, instead of being either amusing or instruc- 

 tive, it becomes a grievous talk to proceed with pa- 

 tience to the end of almost all our other modern novels. 

 Some aiming at wit and humour, degenerate into 

 pertnefs and foolery ; and others, walking upon the 

 crutches of imitation, retail the defects of their mas- 

 ters, without any of their beauty or ingenuity. 

 Most of them are filled with low tea-table talk, with-* 

 ont one spark of genius. What an ingenious critic 

 in your Bee remarks on modern dramatists, may be 

 also applied to this clafs of writers, that quaintnefs and 

 affectation are characteristic of modern authors, and 

 that they mutually borrow fantastical pieces from 

 each other. 



Peterhead h'ib.z'i. 179*. GRUMIO *. 



* Let not the surly critic look upon this juveniie morsel with too se- 

 vere an eye. Though ihese observations are not in all cases strictly just, 

 iie v/lll here pejceive the rudiments of tliat independence of mind, which 



