158 Romances and Novels. 



gance, the heroic exploits, the complicated and 

 endless intrigues, and the mock elevation before 

 thought necessary, were abandoned: heroes, in- 

 stead of being taken from the throne, were sought 

 for in common life: in place of the enchanted cas- 

 tles, the conflicts of giants, and the absurdities of 

 chivalry, the incidents which daily happen in the 

 world, the ordinary scenes of social and domestic 

 intercourse, were introduced : instead of the pom- 

 pous, inflated style formerly admired, and which 

 alone was congenial with the romantic spirit, a 

 more simple and familiar manner was adopted; 

 and, from ten or twelve tedious volumes, the nar- 

 rative was reduced to two or three, and seldom 

 much exceeded the latter number. 



Of modern Novels a few appeared in the seven- 

 teenth century; but the number was so small, and 

 the character of these, for the most part, so low, 

 that even the names of but a small portion of them 

 have reached the present time. The eighteenth 

 century may be peculiarly and emphatically called 

 the Age of Novels. The first great work of this 

 kind, in the English language, was Joseph Andrews, 

 by Mr. Henry Fielding, a comic performance, 

 which, though sometimes indelicate, and often ex- 

 ceptionable in its moral tendency, yet displays 

 great wit, humour, learning, taste, and knowledge 

 of mankind." The next was Pamela, by Mr. 

 Samuel Richardson. This work introduced, and 

 rendered popular, the mode of writing novels in 

 the form of Letters, which has been since adopted 

 by many, both in Great-Britain and on the conti- 

 nent of Europe. Pamela was succeeded by Tom 



o Dr. Beattie tells us, that Lord Lyttleton, once in conversation 

 with him, after mentioning several particulars of Pope, Swift, and other 

 wits of that time, when he was asked some question relating to the au- 

 thor of Tom Jones, began his answer with these words, " Henry Field- 

 ing, I assure you, had more wit, and more humour, than all the persons 

 we have been s-peaking of put together." 



