180 - On Novel Writing. 
-meéted ftate, and give them their hare 
of influence and weight in every affair 
ef confequence relative to themfelves, 
er the interefts of their country. 
Jam, fir, : 
Your very humble fervant, 
Exeter, Sept. 7- James MANNING. 

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
WAS led into a train of reficétions, a 
few days fince, from perufing a paper 
in Dr. Johnfon’s Rambler, reipecting 
works of fiétion, in which he fanétions 
‘an opinion, which appears to have bee 
generally received: that im narratives 
where hiftorical veracity has no place, 
the moft perfeét modeis of virtue ought 
“only to be exhibired. The arguments 
adduced in fupport of this notion, are 
thofe which regard the prevalence of 
example, the refpeét due to the imno- 
cence of youth, and the moral advan- 
tages which may be expected to refult 
from engaging the affections on the fide 
ef virtue. 5 
Notwithftanding the authority of fo 
refpectable a moraiitt, I am, 1 contefs, 
meclined to fufpeét this reafoning to be 
fallacious. The greater proportion of 
modern noveltfis, from the incomparable 
Richardfon, down to the humble pur- 
veyors for the circulating libraries, ap- 
pear to have aimed at proceeding upon 
this principle: to calculate the effects 
produced by their labours upon the mo- 
rails ansl manners of the age, might, per- 
haps, be an unpleafant and an invidious 
tafk. In the exquifite novel of Cla- 
rifla, Impreffed by its various excellen- 
cies, and earried away by the magic 
powers of a fovereign genius, we almok 
ofe fight of the falfe and pernicious 
principles, the violations of truth and 
nature, the abfurd fuperititions and lu- 
cicrous prejudices with which, notwith- 
ftanding the author’s rectitude of inten- 
tion, it abounds. The character of Cla- 
riffa, a beautiful fuperftruéture upon a 
falfe and airy foundation, can never be 
regarded as a mode? for imitation. Ir is 
the portrait of an ideal being, placed im 
etrcumftances equally ideal, far removed 
from common life and. human feelings. 
There has been much declamation re- 
fpeting the beauty of truth, and yer 
we are continually fuppofing it neceflary 
to veil her imple and majeftic charms, 
to adorn her with the robe of falfeheod, 
er, in her ftead, folieitoufly to impofe 
spon the minds of youth a femblaace, 
-[ Sept. 
a deceptive appeatance, a magic lantern 
of fhadows, which can anfwer little 
other purpofe than to amufe the imagt+ 
nation, and to bewilder and miflead the 
judgment. In fitting beings for human 
focie:y, why fhould we feek to deceive 
them, by iilufive reprefentations of life? 
—Why fhould we not rather paint it as 
it really exifis, mingled with imperfec- 
tion, and difcoloured by paffion? “ Pa- 
miliar hiftories (juftly obterves Dr. John- 
fon) may be made of greater ufe than 
the folemnities of profetied morality .— 
When an adventurer is made te act in 
fuch feenes of the yniverial drama, as 
may be the lot of any other man, young 
fpectators fix their eyes upon him with 
attention, and hope, by obferving his be- 
haviour, to regulate their own praétice 
when they fhall be engaged in the like 
parr.’ ‘But vice (it is added} fhould 
always dilguft wherever it appears, it 
fhould raife hatred by the malignity of 
its practices, and contempt by. the mean- 
nefs of its fratagems; por fhould any 
grace or excellence bz fo united with it, 
as tc reconcile it with the mind.” Would 
fuch delincations be cenfiftent with truth 
and faét2 Human nature feems to be 
at an equal diftance from the humiliat- 
ing deferiptions of certain afcetic mo- 
ralifts, and the exaggerated eulogiums of 
enthufiaks. Gradations, almoft imper- 
ceptible, of light and fhade, muft mingle 
in every true portrait of the human 
mind. Few perfons are either wholiy 
or difinterefiedly virtuous or vicious ; he 
‘who judges of mankind in maffes, and 
praifes or cenfures without difcrimina- 
tion, will fofter innumerable prejudices, 
and be betrayed into perpetual miftakes - 
upon the mo& fuperficial appearances, he 
will yield himfelf up to excefive adni- 
ration and boundle{s confidence, or in- 
dulge in the bitternefs of inveétive, and 
the acrimony of contempt. The confe- 
quences of judgments fo erroneous, are 
too obvious to be infifted upon, or to re- 
quire pointing out. ‘* If the world be 
promifcuoufly deferibed (fays my au- 
thor) I cannot fee of what ufe it can be 
to read the account, or why it may not 
be as fate toturn the eye immediately 
upon mankind, as upon a mirror, which 
impartially thows all that prefents itfelf.” 
Were we about to travel, or to fettle in 
a new country, fhould we cenceive it 
ufelefs to acquire previous information 
of the difficulties te which we might he 
expefed, the accommodations which 
might be procured, the difpofitions of 
the mhabirants, their laws, their ufages, 
; “and 
