You will own, dear Isaac, that there is a glaring Truth and Perspicuity in this Character, which strikes the Mind.  These naked Thoughts present themselves with Lustre to the Imagination, which cannot help being pleased, because they are so just.  If the Authors who write Romances in this new Taste, would always adhere to the Truth, and never suffer themselves to be perverted to any new Mode (for this is what Works of Wit are liable to) their Writings wou’d probably be as useful in forming the Manners as Comedy, because they wou’d render Romances the Picture of Human Life.  A covetous Man will therein find himself painted in such natural Colours; a Coquette will therein see her Picture so resembling her, that their Reflection upon reading the Character will be more useful to them than the long-winded Exhortations of a Fryar, who makes himself hoarse with Exclamation, and often tires out the Patience of his Hearers.

Authors who set about writing Romances, ought to study to paint Manners according to Nature, and to expose the most secret Sentiments of the Heart.  As their Works are but ingenious Fictions, they can never please otherwise than as they approach to the Probable.  Nor is every thing that favours of the Marvellous, esteem’d more among Men of Taste than pure Nonsense.  Both generally go together, and the Authors who fall into gigantic or unnatural Ideas, have commonly a declamatory Stile, bordering upon a pompous and unintelligible Diction.

The Stile of Romances ought to be simple; indeed it should be more florid than that of History, but not have all that Energy and Majesty.  Gallantry is the Soul of Romance, and Grandeur and Justness that of History.  A Person must be very well acquainted with the World to excel in the one, and he must have Learning and Politics to distinguish himself in the other.  Good Sense, Perspicuity, Justness of Characters, Truth of Descriptions, Purity of Stile are necessary in both.  The Ladies are born Judges of the Goodness of a Romance.  Posterity decides the Merit of a History.

Fare thee well, dear Isaac.  As soon as I have receiv’d the new Books from Holland, I will send them to thee.

NOTES: 

[13] Crebillon the Son.

[14] La Calprenede.

[15] The Polexandre of Gomberville, the Ariana of Des Maretz, &c.

[16] Le Prevot d’Exiles.  See the Bibliotheque des Romans.

[17] Histoire du Chevalier des Essars, & de la Comtesse de Merci, &c.

[18] Fanseredin, &c.

[19] M. d’Argens.

[Illustration]

CLARISSA.

OR, THE

HISTORY

OF A

YOUNG LADY: 

Comprehending