Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-03
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES +. TRACEWELL.

Fielding declares that neither phys
| ic nor law are to be practically known
from books. Nay, the farmer. the
planter. the gardener, must perfect ny
experience what he hath acquired the
rudiments Of by reading"
Thus the school of experience IL
given it's credit.
Now this conversation association,
In our hist orian must be universal
continues Fielding, that In. with all
ranks and degrees Of men.
He concludes this chapter with tn"
following, as pertinent today a. OF
old; Nor will all the qualities |
have hitherto given my historian avail
him unless he have what IL generally
meant by a good heart. and be cBrab BILE
OF feeling.
The author who Will make me
weep, says Horace, must first weep
himself
I'm reality no man can paint dis
tress well which he doth not feel
while he IL painting It: nor do ! doubt
hut that the most pathetic and affect,
Ing scenes have been writ with tears"
Mote; Dickens wept while writing the
death of little Nell In The Old
Curiosity Shop
I'm the same manner II l. with the
ridiculous. | am convinced that !
never make my reader laugh heartily
but where have laughed before him .
| Fielding plainly calls d critic q
reptile, In his opening chapter to the
tenth book Of this most dverting
history OF his.
This work" he says. may, Indeed.
be considered a great creation of our
own and for little reptile of a critic
TO presume to find fault with any OF
It's parts. without knowing the man
ner In which the whole Is connected,
ana before he comes to the final
catastrophe, is a most presumptuous
absurdity."
Then comes n sentence which might
well be used in rhetoric books tnow
happily going out Of stylrl as to the
playful use of a coined term.
Another caution we would give
thee, my good reptile, Is. that thou
dost not find out too near a resem-
biance between certain characters here
introduced"
Certainly, Henry Fielding had no
love for the critics. Through these
Introductory chapters, as the reader
here knows, he takes constant filings at
them. Perhaps they deserved It,
Then, Fielding had various plays
which did not fare as well. Maybe
that had something to do with It,
The first chapter of the next book
the eleventh, Is devoted entirely to the
critics. The word. he says, is Greek.
and signifies judgment a quality which
modern O700) critics lacked.
Mostly critics are sla nderers, he
goes on; vice hath not, | believe. a
more abject slave; society produces
not a more odious vefmin: nor can
the devil receive guest more worthy
of him, nor possibly more welcome to
him, than q sla nderer."
Fielding admits he treats the sub
ject banteringly, but says. Surely
man may speak truth with smiling
countenance."
This Is a wise obserVati 1t Is
commonly thought that truth must be
solemn. when. as matter of fact.
1t need not be. Nor, on the other
hand. need one be angry when tell.
ing the truth. The truth even when
II hurts. may be spoken with that
good heart" Of which our author
earlier spoke.
The Introductory chapter to Book
~ Is entirely a joking reference to the
use of classical quotations from the
anrients. A modern author has a
right, Fielding contends, TO use his
wisdom as he pleases.