Fielding the Novelist: A Study in Historical CriticismYale University Press, 1926 - 655 pages |
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according admirable Amelia appeared asserted called celebrated century chapter character Clarissa Coleridge continued Correspondence course criticism early Edinburgh edition England English Essay example excellent fact fiction Fielding Fielding's genius George give given hand Hazlitt heart Henry Fielding History human humour imagination interest January John Johnson Jones Joseph Andrews Journal Lady later less letter literary Literature lived London Magazine manners March matter mind Miss moral nature never novel novelist observed opinion Parson Adams passage perhaps period persons picture popular praise present Professor published quoted readers reference regarded Review Richardson romance says Scott seems Smollett story sure Thackeray things thought tion Tom Jones true turn virtue vogue vols volumes whole writer written wrote York young
Popular passages
Page 118 - Fielding has really a fund of true humour, and was to be pitied at his first entrance into the world, having no choice, as he said himself, but to be a hackney writer or a hackney coachman.
Page 193 - Will you not allow, Sir, that he draws very natural pictures of human life ?" JOHNSON : " Why, Sir, it is of very low life. Richardson used to say, that had he not known who Fielding was, he should have believed he was an ostler.
Page 428 - Amelia pleads for her husband, Will Booth : Amelia pleads for her reckless kindly old father, Harry Fielding. To have invented that character, is not only a triumph of art, but it is a good action. They say it was in his own home that Fielding knew her and loved her : and from his own wife that he drew the most charming character in English fiction — Fiction ! why fiction ? why not history ? I know Amelia just as well as Lady Mary Wortley Montagu.
Page 407 - Since the author of Tom Jones was buried, no writer of fiction among us has been permitted to depict to his utmost power a MAN.
Page 192 - Sir, (continued he,) there is all the difference in the world between characters of nature and characters of manners; and there is the difference between the characters of Fielding and those of Richardson.
Page 193 - Why, Sir, if you were to read Richardson for the story, your impatience would be so much fretted that you would hang yourself.
Page 120 - He had the advantage both in learning and, in my opinion, genius : they both agreed in wanting money in spite of all their friends, and would have wanted it, if their hereditary lands had been as extensive as their imagination ; yet each of them [was] so formed for happiness, it is pity he was not immortal.
Page 75 - They did not understand that freedom, and ran up, where they found him banqueting with a blind man,* a whore, and three Irishmen, on some cold mutton and a bone of ham, both in one dish, and the dirtiest cloth. He never stirred nor asked them to sit. Rigby, who had seen him so often come to beg a guinea of Sir C. Williams, and Bathurst, at whose father's he had lived for victuals, understood that dignity as little, and pulled themselves chairs; on which he civilized...
Page 453 - Fielding lived when the days were longer (for time, like money, is measured by our needs), when summer afternoons were spacious, and the clock ticked slowly in the winter evenings. We belated historians must not linger after his example ; and if we did so, it is probable that our chat would be thin and eager, as if delivered from a camp-stool in a parrot-house.
Page 487 - HE looked on naked Nature unashamed, And saw the Sphinx, now bestial, now divine, In change and rechange ; he nor praised nor blamed, But drew her as he saw with fearless line. Did he good service ? God must judge, not we ; Manly he was, and generous and sincere ; English in all, of genius blithely free : Who loves a Man may see his image here.