letters on literature(关于文学)-第6章
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honour and honesty； and cherishes the benevolent and generous affections。
He who is as good as Fielding would make him is an amiable member of
society； and may be led on by more regulated instructions to a higher state
of ethical perfection。〃
Let us be as good and simple as Adams； without his vanity and his
oddity； as brave and generous as Jones； without Jones's faults； and what a
world of men and women it will become！ Fielding did not paint that
unborn world； he sketched the world he knew very well。 He found that
respectable people were often perfectly blind to the duties of charity in
every sense of the word。 He found that the only man in a whole
company who pitied Joseph Andrews； when stripped and beaten by
robbers was a postilion with defects in his moral character。 In short； he
knew that respectability often practised none but the strictly self…regarding
virtues； and that poverty and recklessness did not always extinguish a
native goodness of heart。 Perhaps this discovery made him leniently
disposed to 〃characters and situations so wretchedly low and dirty； that I；〃
say the author of 〃Pamela；〃 〃could not be interested for any one of them。〃
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How amusing Richardson always was about Fielding！ How jealousy；
spite； and the confusion of mind that befogs a prig when he is not taken
seriously； do darken the eyes of the author of 〃those deplorably tedious
lamentations； 'Clarissa' and 'Sir Charles Grandison；'〃 as Horace Walpole
calls them！
Fielding asks his Muse to give him 〃humour and good humour。〃
What novelist was ever so rich in both？ Who ever laughed at mankind
with so much affection for mankind in his heart？ This love shines in
every book of his。 The poor have all his good…will； and in him an untired
advocate and friend。 What a life the poor led in the England of 1742！
There never before was such tyranny without a servile insurrection。 I
remember a dreadful passage in 〃Joseph Andrews；〃 where Lady Booby is
trying to have Fanny； Joseph's sweetheart； locked up in prison：…
〃It would do a Man good；〃 says her accomplice； Scout； 〃to see his
Worship； our Justice； commit a Fellow to Bridewell； he takes so much
pleasure in it。 And when once we ha' 'um there； we seldom hear any
more o' 'um。 He's either starved or eat up by Vermin in a Month's Time。〃
This England； with its dominant Squires； who behaved much like
robber barons on the Rhine； was the merry England Fielding tried to turn
from some of its ways。 I seriously do believe that； with all its faults； it
was a better place； with a better breed of men； than our England of to…day。
But Fielding satirized intolerable injustice。
He would be a Reformer； a didactic writer。 If we are to have nothing
but 〃Art for Art's sake；〃 that burly body of Harry Fielding's must even go
to the wall。 The first Beau Didapper of a critic that passes can shove him
aside。 He preaches like Thackeray； he writes 〃with a purpose〃 like
Dickensobsolete old authors。 His cause is judged； and into Bridewell
he goes； if l'Art pour l'Art is all the literary law and the prophets。
But Fielding cannot be kept in prison long。 His noble English； his
sonorous voice must be heard。 There is somewhat inexpressibly
heartening； to me； in the style of Fielding。 One seems to be carried along；
like a swimmer in a strong； clear stream； trusting one's self to every whirl
and eddy； with a feeling of safety； of comfort； of delightful ease in the
motion of the elastic water。 He is a scholar； nay more； as Adams had his
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innocent vanity； Fielding has his innocent pedantry。 He likes to quote
Greek （fancy quoting Greek in a novel of to…day！） and to make the rogues
of printers set it up correctly。 He likes to air his ideas on Homer； to bring
in a piece of Aristotlenot hackneyedto show you that if he is writing
about 〃characters and situations so wretchedly low and dirty；〃 he is yet a
student and a critic。
Mr。 Samuel Richardson； a man of little reading； according to Johnson；
was； I doubt； sadly put to it to understand Booth's conversations with the
author who remarked that 〃Perhaps Mr。 Pope followed the French
Translations。 I observe； indeed； he talks much in the Notes of Madame
Dacier and Monsieur Eustathius。〃 What knew Samuel of Eustathius？ I
not only can forgive Fielding his pedantry； I like it！ I like a man of
letters to be a scholar； and his little pardonable display and ostentation of
his Greek only brings him nearer to us； who have none of his genius； and
do not approach him but in his faults。 They make him more human； one
loves him for them as he loves Squire Western； with all his failings。
Delightful； immortal Squire！
It was not he； it was another Tory Squire that called out 〃Hurray for
old England！ Twenty thousand honest Frenchmen are landed in Sussex。〃
But it was Western that talked of 〃One Acton； that the Story Book says
was turned into a Hare； and his own Dogs kill'd 'un； and eat 'un。〃 And
have you forgotten the popular discussion （during the Forty…five） of the
affairs of the Nation； which； as Squire Western said； 〃all of us understand〃？
Said the Puppet…Man； 〃I don't care what Religion comes； provided the
Presbyterians are not uppermost； for they are enemies to Puppet…Shows。〃
But the Puppet… Man had no vote in 1745。 Now； to our comfort； he can
and does exercise the glorious privilege of the franchise。
There is no room in this epistle for Fielding's glorious gallery of
charactersfor Lady Bellaston； who remains a lady in her debaucheries；
and is therefore so unlike our modern representative of her class； Lady
Betty； in Miss Broughton's 〃Doctor Cupid；〃 for Square； and Thwackum；
and Trulliber； and the jealous spite of Lady Booby； and Honour； that
undying lady's maid； and Partridge； and Captain Blifil and Amelia； the fair
and kind and good！
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It is like the whole world of that old Englandthe maids of the Inn； the
parish clerk； the two sportsmen； the hosts of the taverns； the beaux； the
starveling authorsall alive； all （save the authors） full of beef and beer； a
cudgel in every fist； every man ready for a brotherly bout at fisticuffs。
What has become of it； the lusty old militant world？ What will become
of us； and why do we prefer to Fieldinga number of meritorious moderns？
Who knows？ But do not let us prefer anything to our English follower of
Ce
