Section 13: Criticism page 395-427 Summary

In March, 1742, George Cheyne writes Samuel Richardson that Fielding's wretched performance will only entertain porters or watermen. In April, 1742, Thomas Gray tells Richard West that Fielding's incidents are unoriginal, but his characters are very natural. William Shenstone tells Lady Henrietta Luxborough in March 1749 that no character is as natural and striking as Mr. Abraham Adams. Elizabeth Carter finds "Joseph Andrews" to be a variety of nature, wit, morality and good sense. In 1749, Samuel Richardson claims Fielding will write as long as the world receives him. Pierre Francois Guyot Desfontaines ranks "Joseph Andrews" with "Don Quixote" and "Les Roman Comique", and he claims Fielding is one of the best comic poets in England. An article from "The Student" in 1750 finds Mr. Adams makes an agreeable character due to his innocence. Sarah Fielding states that the ridiculers of Parson...