New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-06-10

FIELDING. By AUSTIN DoBsoS. English Men Of
Letters series limo PIP. txo 1874 harper q
Brothers.
Mr.. pobson's biography of Henry Fielding is
model of CONSCIENTIOUS and intelligent WORK laeio
are many passages in the life of the novelist which
have always been somewhat obscure. The nara
tive of bis literary labors is inseparably interviewer
with his mearre personal story aud it is necessi-
rly minnie and TO tell the truth little tiresome
for Fielding produced an immense quantity OF
MAYS oamphlets periodica essays. ETC., IN wboh
mankind long ago ceased to take any RATIONAL IN
terest He Is therefore not an easy subject for tno
biorrapher. Mr. DObsOn has applied himself 10 the
task if not precisely the spirit OF sesacrihce al
least with a very honorable zeal. He has told the
tale allotted to him with all possible conciseness,
learness and shirt and he has succeeded not only
in clearing up some doubtful points and correcting
some current errors but he has brought TO light
some very curious things upon which the student OF
literary history will set considerable value. we
are indebted to him for the first publication from
manuscripts in the Forster collection al South
Kensington of an exceedingly droll correspondence
bstween Samuel Richardson and two of his young
lady admirers about F'cldng's Tom Jones' Just
then the rage of Lordon. Tue author of Pane
Ia" could not forgive the irreverent treatment OF
his heroine in Joseph Andrews" which. as most
of parody upon the adventures of that paragon OF
v,rtpe The SNUG and didactic Richardson besides
could have had no sympathy in any case with his
moro daring rival aud the success of Tom Jones
was bitter pill to him. He declared that he had
not read it, because he understood that IL was
coarse and had bad tendency. =" He knows not
how TO draw delicate Woman-He has not been
accustomed TO such Company.-And IS 100 pre-
scr. blng too i'm petuous, too immoral, VIII ven
ture to say to take any other Byass than that
pcryerss and crooked Nature has given MIN OF
Evil Habits. at least, have confirm In him' DO
Men expect Grapes of Thorns or tigS OF Ihlstles
But perhaps think the worse OF the fiece because
know the writer and dislike his Principles both
Public and Private tho ] wish well TO the Man.
and Love Four worthy sisters OF his with whom
am well acquainted And indeed should admire
him, did he make the Use of his Talents which
wish him to make For the Vein of Humonr. and
Ridicule. which he is Master of, might. II properly
turned do great service to the Cause Of Virtue"
Mr. Dobson has virtually confined himself To the
bograpbical task and has not attempted a critical
estimate of Fielding the recent brilliant studies OF
Mr. Lesiie Stephen as he mOdesty remarks. having
made this reticence the obvious dictate or dscre-
,ion We confess that we wish Mr.. Dobson had
been a little less diffident Fielding was tho orig
inator of new genus of composition, and his place
ia English literature Is important. both for what
he wrote and for what he the cause of others
writing that ths series of English Men vi Letters
seems strangely incomplete without careful study
Of his works and his influence. The few critical
paragraphs for which Mr. Dobson does make room
are so indicIous that we regret his disappointing
decision all tho more.