578 Romances aiidNotels, [Chap. XIX, 



ventures of an Atom, the charge of indelicate de- 

 scriptivon, and immoral tendency, is particularly 

 applicable. 



About the beginning of the eighteenth century 

 M. le Sage *, an ingenious French writer, publish- 

 ed his Gil Bias, which appears to have been among 

 the earliest works of the novel kind, published on 

 the continent of Europe, that rank with the first 

 class, or that are now held in much esteem. This 

 performance was intended to be a picture of Span- 

 ish manners, and abounds with a great variety of 

 incident and vivacity of description. It differs 

 from Tom Jones in that it partakes less of the Epic 

 character, and may, with more propriety, be de- 

 nominated a piece of '^ fictitious biography;" but 

 resembles that celebrated Arork in wit, humour, 

 and knowledge of the world. Soon after the pub- 

 lication of Gil Bias the Marianne of Marivaux f, 

 on the same general plan, appeared. This work 

 has a place assigned to it among the best novels in 

 the French language. It discovers much acquaint- 

 ance with human nature, and, under the veil of 

 MHt and incident, conveys much useful moral. 

 Several other novels were written by the same au- 

 thor, but none of them are equal to this. They 

 were succeeded by the fictitious writings of Vol- 

 taire and Diderot, which were of different kinds, 



♦ Alain Rene le Sage was born in Britanny, in 1667. Having 

 studied the Spanish language and manners with great care, he 

 wrote several works in imitation of Spanish authors. He died in 

 I7'17. 



t Peter Carlet de Carablain de Marivaux was born at Paris in 

 1(583. His novels and dramas are distinguished by their good 

 moral tcndfncy. He died in 1/63, 



