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yet beyond In any dweller in far…reaching space Nobler or dearer than the
spirit of man： That spirit which lives in each and will not die； That wooeth
beauty； and for all good things Urgeth a voice； or still in passion sigheth；
And where he loveth； draweth the heart with him。〃
Mr。 Bridges's latest book is his 〃Eros and Psyche〃 （Bell & Sons； who
publish the 〃Prometheus〃）。 It is the old story very closely followed； and
beautifully retold； with a hundred memories of ancient poets： Homer；
Dante； Theocritus； as well as of Apuleius。
I have named Mr。 Bridges here because his poems are probably all but
unknown to readers well acquainted with many other English writers of
late days。 On them； especially on actual contemporaries or juniors in age；
it would be almost impertinent for me to speak to you； but； even at that
risk； I take the chance of directing you to the poetry of Mr。 Bridges。 I
owe so much pleasure to its delicate air； that； if speech be impertinence；
silence were ingratitude。 ｛2｝
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FIELDING
To Mrs。 Goodhart； in the Upper Mississippi Valley。
Dear Madam；Many thanks for the New York newspaper you have
kindly sent me； with the statistics of book…buying in the Upper Mississippi
Valley。 Those are interesting particulars which tell one so much about
the taste of a community。
So the Rev。 E。 P。 Roe is your favourite novelist there； a thousand of his
books are sold for every two copies of the works of Henry Fielding？
This appears to me to speak but oddly for taste in the Upper Mississippi
Valley。 On Mr。 Roe's works I have no criticism to pass； for I have not
read them carefully。
But I do think your neighbours lose a great deal by neglecting Henry
Fielding。 You will tell me he is coarse （which I cannot deny）； you will
remind me of what Dr。 Johnson said； rebuking Mrs。 Hannah More。 〃I
never saw Johnson really angry with me but once；〃 writes that sainted
maiden lady。 〃I alluded to some witty passage in 'Tom Jones。'〃 He
replied： 〃I am shocked to hear you quote from so vicious a book。 I am
sorry to hear you have read it； a confession which no modest lady should
ever make。〃
You remind me of this； and that Johnson was no prude； and that his
age was tolerant。 You add that the literary taste of the Upper Mississippi
Valley is much more pure than the waters of her majestic river； and that
you only wish you knew who the two culprits were that bought books of
Fielding's。
Ah； madam； how shall I answer you？ Remember that if you have
Johnson on your side； on mine I have Mrs。 More herself； a character purer
than 〃the consecrated snow that lies on Dian's lap。〃 Again； we cannot
believe Johnson was fair to Fielding； who had made his friend； the author
of 〃Pamela；〃 very uncomfortable by his jests。 Johnson owned that he read
all 〃Amelia〃 at one sitting。 Could so worthy a man have been so
absorbed by an unworthy book？
Once more； I am not recommending Fielding to boys and girls。 〃Tom
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Letters on Literature
Jones〃 was one of the works that Lydia Languish hid under the sofa； even
Miss Languish did not care to be caught with that humorous foundling。
〃Fielding was the last of our writers who drew a man；〃 Mr。 Thackeray said；
〃and he certainly did not study from a draped model。〃
For these reasons； and because his language is often unpolished； and
because his morality （that he is always preaching） is not for 〃those that
eddy round and round；〃 I do not desire to see Fielding popular among
Miss Alcott's readers。 But no man who cares for books can neglect him；
and many women are quite manly enough； have good sense and good taste
enough； to benefit by 〃Amelia；〃 by much of 〃Tom Jones。〃 I don't say by
〃Joseph Andrews。〃 No man ever respected your sex more than Henry
Fielding。 What says his reformed rake； Mr。 Wilson； in 〃Joseph
Andrews〃？
〃To say the Truth； I do not perceive that Inferiority of Understanding
which the Levity of Rakes； the Dulness of Men of Business； and the
Austerity of the Learned would persuade us of in Women。 As for my
Wife； I declare I have found none of my own Sex capable of making juster
Observations on Life； or of delivering them more agreeably； nor do I
believe any one possessed of a faithfuller or braver Friend。〃
He has no other voice wherein to speak of a happy marriage。 Can
you find among our genteel writers of this age； a figure more beautiful；
tender； devoted； and in all good ways womanly than Sophia Western's？
〃Yes；〃 you will say； 〃but the man must have been a brute who could give
her to Tom Jones； to 'that fellow who sold himself；' as Colonel Newcome
said。〃 〃There you have me at an avail；〃 in the language of the old
romancers。 There we touch the centre of Fielding's morality； a subject ill
to discuss； a morality not for everyday preaching。
Fielding distinctly takes himself for a moralist。 He preaches as
continually as Thackeray。 And his moral is this： 〃Let a man be kind；
generous； charitable； tolerant； brave； honestand we may pardon him
vices of young blood； and the stains of adventurous living。〃 Fielding has
no mercy on a seducer。 Lovelace would have fared worse with him than
with Richardson； who； I verily believe； admired that infernal （excuse me）
coward and villain。 The case of young Nightingale； in 〃Tom Jones；〃 will
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Letters on Literature
show you what Fielding thought of such gallants。 Why； Tom himself
preaches to Nightingale。 〃Miss Nancy's Interest alone； and not yours；
ought to be your sole Consideration；〃 cried Thomas； 。 。 。 〃and the very best
and truest Honour； which is Goodness； requires it of you；〃 that is； requires
that Nightingale shall marry Miss Nancy。
How Tom Jones combined these sentiments； which were perfectly
honest； with his own astonishing lack of retenue； and with Lady Bellaston；
is just the puzzle。 We cannot very well argue about it。 I only ask you to
let Jones in his right mind partly excuse Jones in a number of very delicate
situations。 If you ask me whether Sophia had not； after her marriage； to
be as forgiving as Amelia； I fear I must admit that probably it was so。
But Dr。 Johnson himself thought little of that。
I am afraid our only way of dealing with Fielding's morality is to take
the best of it and leave the remainder alone。 Here I find that I have
unconsciously agreed with that well…known philosopher； Mr。 James
Boswell； the younger； of Auchinleck：
〃The moral tendency of Fielding's writings 。 。 。 is ever favourable to
honour and honesty； and cherishes the benevolent and generous affections。