New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-21
FATHER OF THE NOVEL.
Bicentenary of Birth of Henry Field
ing. AuthOr of Tom Jones"

Few Of the many 10 whom the phrase the
eternal fitness Of things is most familiar know
its author. In full the quotation reads. Can
any man have a higher notion of the rule Of
right and the eternal fitness Of things?" It ap-
peared i'm The History Of Tom Jones' whose
author. termed by Thackeray 1.-THE manly. the
English Harry Fielding born Just two
hundred years ago tomorrow. SO great a mas
ter Of fiction as Sir Walter Scott called Field
ing the father Of the modern English novel
and in this opinion the world of critics has con-
Cured and holds that of the multitude Of his
literary descendants few equal and none greatly
surpass him OF the works of his pen his plays
and essays with little exception have passed
into oblivion. That his four novels have been
read generation after generation, despite the
advance Of the world in all directions since the
middle of the eighteenth century. is proof posi-
tive that something OF the immortal quality in
literature imbued them with the spirit Of I'M
dying youth and perennial freshness
Henry Fielding was novelist stage manager.
editor playwright poet. lawyer. judge and all
around good fellow. His career lasted only
forty-seven years, but in that time he sounded
all the heights and depths of human nature
lived TO The full in all the experiences of life
and left 10 succeeding generations the privilege
Of an everlasting debt of gratitude for the work
of his brain and hand. He gave 1.-The very age
and body OF the time his form and pressure"
One Of the aptest comparisons made Of the
work OF Fielding with that of his friend and
contemporary. Hogarth. is that If Fielding had
made pictures he would have made them like
Hogarth's. and that had Hogarth written books
he would have written like Fielding.
A SCION OF THE NOBILITY.
Fielding was descended from younger branch
Of the family Of the earls OF Denbigh. and his
father Edmund Fielding was a soldier who
fought under Marlborough and rose to the rank
OK lieutenant general. A second cousin of the
novelist was that woman of letters Lady Mary
WOrtley Montagu, who was somewhat his
senior His sister, Sarah Fielding, also had
literary talent and wrote the third novel Of
Ehgush manners, David Simple which ap-
peared TWO years after her brothers initial
work OF fiction, The Adventures of Joseph An
drews and His Friend, Abraham Adams"
Ihis work was the direct outcome of the pre-
Elous venture In the field OF letters of Samuel
Richardson the literary printer and bookseller
VINO was induced by his experience in letter
writing for those unable TO indite their own
which he entitled Pamela; or Virtue Reward
ed This appeared in 174O and "a son1etIroes
called the first English novel. Fielding was
among those who recognized the quality in this
work or sentimental absurdity in any retenfion
OF anectiOn on the part OF the heroine for her
81 ~ ana SET MS pen practised by the writ
ing OF a score or more of plays, TO work on n
parody. taking as his hero the brother OF Rich
aarasons heroine. But the theme grew rapidly
oeyoha tne bounds OF parody and developed
! IS own story. so that after the first few chan
teIs " became complete In itself It soon gIIr-
passea Pamela" In popularity and laid the
foundations OF its authors literary fame
IN preparation for his career as a -no,,alist
hle.dlng had passed through variety of ex.
pelences IN the English and Continental life
OF bis day. His father designed MIN FOR fhe 1ar1
anu after his early education at the hands ~
IL tanaiiy chaplain, who become the par,or
/ And
.-ton ana went thence at the age OF eighteen
sso ne University OF Leyden. After two years
tSa.eie MS father felt unable TO longer dafraI,
rs expenses and recalled him 10 ENGLAND ~
ae H. himself dependent on his own resource
- eWehtg hna went up 20 London where he
/ T q comedy successfully produced sn HOS
~ tAe next ten years he wrote tyyenfv-Tbree
tsasSs tNostly comedies and farces none ~
WHEN met with decided success save a bur