Jenks's Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland [Me.]) 1799-1802, 1801-03-02
[vOLUME M

Aoni' ~ lnc tiHle OF NyOiuimltn out 10 make
few deiultoFy remarks,upon the character and
tendency eimodern novels The propen6ty Of
The human mind, 10 quit the tame realities of
lTie, and ramble through the gay regions Of
hope and fancy, 70 fAfhion new fcenes Of hap.
pineis, and devife new modes of enjoyment, has
been remarked by Lord Bacon, as a proof Of
It's high origin, and noble capacities.i This pro-
penfty, OF courie, has been gratifed among all
nations, in manner futed TO the tate, man.
ners, habits and Improvements of the age. A
mong modern civilized nations, the dominion OF
fancy has been circumfcrbed within the limits Of
probability, and novels have been iuppoled to
preient picture, which bore fome resemblance
TO real life. Richardfon and Fielding de6ne
the mott delicate fhades Of human character
and Goldfmith amufes, interels and inllruas
us,with probable narrative, fmple incidents aud
natural ftustions. But the great MATS of mod
ern novels, executive Of their immortality, = lead
to bewiidsr, and dazzle 10 blind" Every or
jsa is dreifed by the light fingers Of fancy, and
invehed with viliunary charaderi weaith,the
refined pleaiures of tsae, friendihip and love
are the natural refult Of this ideal economy,
which agreeably deludes ns with vague hope
of a like unknown good which accident or
good fortune will one day throw 10 our war.
taet and experience are neglected, and expec-
tatior taudi on tiptoe. We nouillh defireswhich
can never be grati6ed and feed upon expee.
ted plealures, which NUT one day pive keen
er edge to difappointmeot. Young girls, who
love 70 inhabit the little fairy world, which nov
elilts love 10 creale, are apt to return 10 this
" dim fpoi, which men call earth" with reh-
lefuefs and difguR Their fandzrd Of plea
fores and virtue is not formed for a world,
where dilappoinsmenEs and forrows intrude
bur for thole fcenes,
Where all the pc. fures are
'at fancy can begtt On yeuthfut thoughr
When the lrrlh blood grows lively and returns
Erik as the April buds in Primroie fealon,
Where love is eonRant and unabatihg, where
friendfhip is di6ntereRed and eternal, where
dilsppointmebt never comes, boz for the pur.
pofe Of giving lpltre TO for,itude, and forrows
and sfa6tiuns are never admitted, unlefs they
ferve to difplay the virtues Of patience and re.
| Equation, with greater artraaions. Suns al
ways fhine, unlrfs yelled with the watery clouds
of May brooks run linking through lxwns,
or brawliag through woods, az bea fIits the
| dfpoiition Of circumstances. Panfes, violsts,
wild rofes and Haunting woodbine, fpread a
couch at noon, or fcent the zepbyr's wing as
evening; birds Dir the woods with harmony,
unleis thsfe happy beings choofe--------
t1f To walk unfeen
onthe dry fnooth. fhsvenA green,
And mark the bar wheeling on lis dulSy way.
IF iris properto be little melanchy, they
NUT liiten while
Raging wind. arepipng loud.
Or wander into the woods
where the rude Ak with heavy Rroke
| Was never heard, the nymphs TO daunt,
L OFF ~ thprn from flpirh af1 -
In fine, they are never TO f1ffer any ineohvs.
nieOce, trouble or woe, unlefs they chooIe il,
for the fake of variety, Or for the purpoie Of
afording few fhades, to perfect the charming
picture of human life.
Wllfuch exaggerated views, fuch " fenti-
mental fripPery and cream" fit young perfons
/ to lhare with conteHtment and fatisfseion, the
| mingled portion Of good, which Is allotted 70
this tate and TO fufer with dignity and com.
pofure, in iceres, where no eye penetrates, and
their only reward Is the confciouinefs Of doing
their duty: Weeping over the difrefes Of
heroine tends rather 10 blunt the fympathies Of
their nature, for the unadorned woes of real
beings. In their intercoufe with fociety, they
will find few ex9uiftely beautiful and lovely
objects, in circumstances Of e1qniite diftrels
but they have no tears, no charities for theie,
whole forrows are nor dreGed TO the relih of
the mott Gcky fenfbiity.
But leaving tliis land Of viGons, we come to
claf Of f6litious writer's, who under the pre-
tence ofinnocently amuling the imagination, oe
discriminating characters, or Of reading moral
lefons to the heart, directly or indirectly at
tack the infitutions and ma1irns Of wel-regola-
ted fociety. Writers, who corrupt the heart.
by exciting unhallowed deGres, and who are 10
be conGdered AID treated, as enemies Of the
mot dangerous and deadly character. The.
" Monk" Of Mr.. Lewis, one ofth- MOI popular
novels Of the Prefent day, abounds with blsf-
phemy againit the scripture, with hceutons
imagery and yoluPtuous defcrips;oas. He has.
endeavored 10 iyaematiCe "a. ats Of feduafor,
and 60 didipate every moral feeling, in lAs rev.
elrY Of patton. While he enjoys Ihereputa-