174 Romances and Novels. 



incalculable mischief. The question before us a 

 therefore, must be solved by examining the influ- 

 ence of novels, not as they might and ought to be 

 composed, but as they are found in fact to be 

 written. We are not to assume for our standard 

 the utility which zvould be derived from this spe- 

 cies of writing, were it confined to the enlightened 

 and virtuous; but the character and tendency of 

 that heterogeneous mass which is daily accumu- 

 lating from every quarter of the literary world. 



What then is the general character of modern 

 novels? The most favourable estimate that can be 

 made stands thus : — Were the whole number which 

 the age produced divided into a thousand parts, it 

 is probable that five hundred of these parts would 

 be found so contemptibly frivolous, as to render 

 the perusal of them a most criminal waste of time. 

 And though entirely destitute of character, yet so 

 far as they are the objects of attention at all, they 

 can do nothing but mischief. To devote the time 

 and attention to works of this kind, has a tendency 

 to dissipate the mind; to beget a dislike to more 

 solid and instructive reading, and especially to real 

 history; and, in general, to excite a greater fond- 

 ness for the productions of imagination and fancy, 

 than for the sober reasoning, and the practical in- 

 vestigations of wisdom. 



Of the remaining five hundred parts, four hun- 

 dred, and ninety-nine may be considered as posi- 

 tively seductive and corrupting in their tendency. 

 They make virtue to appear contemptible, and vice 

 attractive, honourable and triumphant. Folly and 

 crime have palliative and even commendatory 

 names bestowed upon them ; the omnipotence of 

 love over all obligations and all duties is continually 

 maintained; and the extravagance of sinful passion 

 represented as the effect of amiable sensibility. 

 Surely these representations can have no other ten- 



