an unequivocal proof of the best merit which a work of the kind could possess, that of securing the hearts of its readers.

The reception of Clarissa upon the Continent was not inferior to that which it had experienced on its native soil. It was honoured with two versions into French; one by the Abbé Prevost, and another by Le Tourneur; and what was of still greater importance, Rousseau, than whom, on such a subject, there could not be a better judge, declared that nothing ever equal, or approaching to it, had been produced in any country. Diderot, likewise, in his "Essay on Dramatic Poetry," speaking of the talents of Richardson, exclaims, "How strong, how sensible, how pathetic are his descriptions! his personages, though silent, are alive before me; and of those who speak, the actions are still more affecting than the words." A translation of Clarissa into Dutch was also executed by Mr. Stinstra, and another, under the superintendence of Dr. Haller, was published in the German language.

With the reputation which he had now acquired, it might have been imagined that the ambition of Richardson would have been satisfied; he was, however, not only fond of writing, but he, was stimulated to undertake another work of fic

tion by the representation of his female friends, who complained that he had not given them a single male character whom on principle they could love or approve. To obviate this defect, and to present the world with a delineation which should combine the brilliant qualifications of the fine gentleman with the faith and the practice of a christian, he produced, in the year 1753, the History of Sir Charles Grandison.

This novel, which occupies seven volumes, is not inferior, either in fable or character, to Clarissa; it is not, indeed, so pathetic as his former work, but it discovers, perhaps, more knowledge of life and manners, and is perfectly free from that indelicacy and high colouring which occasionally render the scenery of Clarissa dangerous to young minds.

The noblest effort of genius which our author has any where displayed is to be found in this production; I need not say that I allude to the picture of the effects of love on the mind of Clementina, a picture whose minute finishing and fidelity to nature are, I believe, unparalleled. "Of all representations of madness," remarks an elegant critic," that of Clementina, in the History of Sir Charles Grandison, is the most deeply interesting. I know not whether even the mad

ness of Lear is wrought up and expressed by so many little strokes of nature and genuine passion. Shall I say it is pedantry to prefer and compare the madness of Orestes in Euripides to this of Clementina?"*

On the style which Richardson has displayed, in his three capital works, no encomium can be passed; it betrays his want of a classical education, and is ungrammatical, incompact, and slovenly. It conveys his meaning, it is true, with sufficient vividity; but his clearness is acquired by the most tiresome circumlocution, and the epithet most appropriate to the phraseology of many of his pages will be best expressed by the term gossiping.

The literary exertions of our author were not altogether confined to novel-writing; besides a regular share in the composition of “The Christian Magazine," he published in 1740, “The Negotiation of Sir Thomas Roe, in his Embassy to the Ottoman Porte, from the year 1621 to 1628 inclusive," folio. He also printed an edition of "Esop's Fables, with Reflections," and the volume of "Familiar Letters," which he had laid by for a season, in order to prosecute his Pamela.

❤Warton on the Genius and Writings of Pope, vol. 1, p.. 286, 4th edition.

To these we may add, "A Collection of the moral Sentences in Pamela, Clarissa, and Grandison," printed in 1755; a large single sheet on "The Duties of Wives and Husbands;" a pamphlet, entituled "The Case of Samuel Richardson, of London, Printer, on the Invasion of his Property in the History of Sir Charles Grandison, before publication, by certain Booksellers in Dublin;" and "Six Original Letters upon Duelling," printed after his decease in the Literary Repository for 1765."

In the year 1804 was published "the Correspondence of Samuel Richardson, Author of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison. Sclected from the Original Manuscripts, bequeathed by him to his Family; to which are prefixed, a Biographical Account of that Author, and Observations on his Writings. By Anna Lætitia Barbauld." In six volumes 8vo. The collection, from which these Letters have been selected, was for many years in the possession of Mrs. Anne Richardson, of Higham in Suffolk, his last surviving daughter; and after her death, which took place in January, 1804, it was purchased of our author's grandchildren by Sir Richard Phillips.

The Life of Richardson, written by Mrs. Barbauld for this work, is a very interesting piece of biography, and gives an elegant and copious ana

lysis of the author's novels. It abounds also in original information, drawn from the correspondence, relative to the family and connections, the manners, character, and writings, of Richardson; and the introductory pages present us with an ingenious and amusing disquisition on romance and novel writing, and on the various forms which have been adopted for this species of composition.

The correspondence, though occupying so much space, comprises but a small portion of the numerous manuscripts that were entrusted to Mrs. Barbauld, who informs us that the letters alone of Lady Bradshaigh," together with Richardson's answers, would alone make several volumes; I believe," she says," as many as the whole of this publication; a proof, by the way, that the bookseller and the editor have had some mercy on the public."*

Of the judgment which directed this selection, there can, I think, be little doubt; I regret, however, that Mrs. Barbauld had not richer materials to cull from. The letters of Richardson are, in fact, tedious and unvaried; they exhibit no literary wealth, no literary anecdote or disquisition, and are too generally occupied by the consideration of his own novels; while those of his friends are as often filled with a flattery which is not selLife, p. 208.