Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-25
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES J.. TRACEKELL.

Precisely those IL chapters OF
Henry Fielding's Tom Jones" which
most readers skip. the Introductory
chapters to the Is books, constitute
the most interesting part, OF this
masterpiece to some
Ii those preliminary chapters were
collected into volume OF their own,
the result would constitute an nn.
paralleled exposition of the art OF
novel writing by one who has been
called, although not well the father
of the English novel"
Byron better called Fielding the
prose Homer of human nature" 1t
is astonishing TO discover the great
sale which The History of Tom Jones.
Founding still has throughout
the world, despite the fact that it's
raw human nature often proves
shocking to a modern reader.
The rea son for this is that Tom
ested In that. Edmund Gosse said
Of Fielding: He had warmed both
lands before the fire Of life, and he
gave back to the world in his books
what he received from it in his own
rough a d-tumble youth"
All of Fielding's humor. ga tire and
irony Is summed up In his IS intro.
ductory cha piers. which perhaps not
one out OF hundred readers takes
the trouble to read. What they are
after is the story, and the story car
be 81" complete by skipping every
Chapter T. in the hook.
Those who are interested in the
noVehst as ell az his novel land most
readers really are in the A nal nalysis)
VIII 90 well to read these preliminary
chapter even IL the only way they
can do 1t Ia to go back afterwa rds and
READ them consecutively.
Every novelist has a certain amount
or egotism II Ia more subtle in the
noveiists OF today. but none the less
persistent. different In form only
Fielding. i'm addition to writing one
or the greatest stories in the world
AZ the sa me time set forth his own
IDEAS as to construction
the chapters that contain these di
eresslons are az well worth reading
TO-DAY as they were when written.
Gibbon. the great historian, called
F1eldinR's story "that exquisite pic.
ture or human manners" Fielding, In
mis- opening chapter to Book l."
states that Human Nature" Ia his
theme.
The chapter is headed "The Intro
duction to the Work. or Bill of Fare
to the Feast" The very title carries
some Of the irony which ia 80 album
dant throughout the picturesque story
Right here let me say that this book
although rather rough in spots. es,
pecialiy in some OF the language
used, cannot possibly hurt young PEG.
pie. AS matter of fact, they will
proba bly, fnd it too dull to finish. 1t
takes maturity to appreciate Tom
Jones'"
An author ought to consider him.
self, not as gentleman who gives a
private treat. but rather as one whu
keeps a public ordinary, at which all
persons are welcome for their money"
begins Fielding.
Such is the first sentence In a great
novel. Imagine any storyteller try
ing 1t nowadays. Today we must get
the characters in during the first
chapter we must begin with a bang"
The lesurely methods OF olden times
are too slow for us. Yet there In q
lesson even here for some of our mod.
ern sophisticated authors who affect
to despise the common likes and dis
likes OF huma nifty at large.
I'm the former cases" continues
Fielding, ''it IL we'll known that the
entertainer provides what fare he