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more o' 'um。 He's either starved or eat up by Vermin in a Month's
Time。〃
This England； with its dominant Squires； who behaved much like
robber barons on the Rhine； was the merry England Fielding tried to
turn from some of its ways。 I seriously do believe that； with all
its faults； it was a better place； with a better breed of men； than
our England of to…day。 But Fielding satirized intolerable
injustice。
He would be a Reformer； a didactic writer。 If we are to have
nothing but 〃Art for Art's sake；〃 that burly body of Harry
Fielding's must even go to the wall。 The first Beau Didapper of a
critic that passes can shove him aside。 He preaches like Thackeray；
he writes 〃with a purpose〃 like Dickensobsolete old authors。 His
cause is judged； and into Bridewell he goes； if l'Art pour l'Art is
all the literary law and the prophets。
But Fielding cannot be kept in prison long。 His noble English； his
sonorous voice must be heard。 There is somewhat inexpressibly
heartening； to me； in the style of Fielding。 One seems to be
carried along； like a swimmer in a strong； clear stream； trusting
one's self to every whirl and eddy； with a feeling of safety； of
comfort； of delightful ease in the motion of the elastic water。 He
is a scholar； nay more； as Adams had his innocent vanity； Fielding
has his innocent pedantry。 He likes to quote Greek （fancy quoting
Greek in a novel of to…day！） and to make the rogues of printers set
it up correctly。 He likes to air his ideas on Homer； to bring in a
piece of Aristotlenot hackneyedto show you that if he is writing
about 〃characters and situations so wretchedly low and dirty；〃 he is
yet a student and a critic。
Mr。 Samuel Richardson； a man of little reading； according to
Johnson； was； I doubt； sadly put to it to understand Booth's
conversations with the author who remarked that 〃Perhaps Mr。 Pope
followed the French Translations。 I observe； indeed； he talks much
in the Notes of Madame Dacier and Monsieur Eustathius。〃 What knew
Samuel of Eustathius？ I not only can forgive Fielding his pedantry；
I like it！ I like a man of letters to be a scholar； and his little
pardonable display and ostentation of his Greek only brings him
nearer to us； who have none of his genius； and do not approach him
but in his faults。 They make him more human； one loves him for them
as he loves Squire Western； with all his failings。 Delightful；
immortal Squire！
It was not he； it was another Tory Squire that called out 〃Hurray
for old England！ Twenty thousand honest Frenchmen are landed in
Sussex。〃 But it was Western that talked of 〃One Acton； that the
Story Book says was turned into a Hare； and his own Dogs kill'd 'un；
and eat 'un。〃 And have you forgotten the popular discussion （during
the Forty…five） of the affairs of the Nation； which； as Squire
Western said； 〃all of us understand〃？ Said the Puppet…Man； 〃I don't
care what Religion comes； provided the Presbyterians are not
uppermost； for they are enemies to Puppet…Shows。〃 But the Puppet…
Man had no vote in 1745。 Now； to our comfort； he can and does
exercise the glorious privilege of the franchise。
There is no room in this epistle for Fielding's glorious gallery of
charactersfor Lady Bellaston； who remains a lady in her
debaucheries； and is therefore so unlike our modern representative
of her class； Lady Betty； in Miss Broughton's 〃Doctor Cupid；〃 for
Square； and Thwackum； and Trulliber； and the jealous spite of Lady
Booby； and Honour； that undying lady's maid； and Partridge； and
Captain Blifil and Amelia； the fair and kind and good！
It is like the whole world of that old Englandthe maids of the
Inn； the parish clerk； the two sportsmen； the hosts of the taverns；
the beaux； the starveling authorsall alive； all （save the authors）
full of beef and beer； a cudgel in every fist； every man ready for a
brotherly bout at fisticuffs。 What has become of it； the lusty old
militant world？ What will become of us； and why do we prefer to
Fieldinga number of meritorious moderns？ Who knows？ But do not
let us prefer anything to our English follower of Cervantes； our
wise； merry； learned Sancho； trudging on English roads； like Don
Quixote on the paths of Spain。
But I cannot convert you。 You will turn to some story about store…
clerks and summer visitors。 Such is his fate who argues with the
fair。
LONGFELLOW
To Walter Mainwaring； Esq。； Lothian College； Oxford。
My dear Mainwaring；You are very good to ask me to come up and
listen to a discussion； by the College Browning Society； of the
minor characters in 〃Sordello；〃 but I think it would suit me better；
if you didn't mind； to come up when the May races are on。 I am not
deeply concerned about the minor characters in 〃Sordello；〃 and have
long reconciled myself to the conviction that I must pass through
this pilgrimage without hearing Sordello's story told in an
intelligible manner。 Your letter； however； set me a…voyaging about
my bookshelves； taking up a volume of poetry here and there。
What an interesting tract might be written by any one who could
remember； and honestly describe； the impressions that the same books
have made on him at different ages！ There is Longfellow； for
example。 I have not read much in him for twenty years。 I take him
up to…day； and what a flood of memories his music brings with it！
To me it is like a sad autumn wind blowing over the woods； blowing
over the empty fields； bringing the scents of October； the song of a
belated bird； and here and there a red leaf from the tree。 There is
that autumnal sense of things fair and far behind； in his poetry；
or； if it is not there； his poetry stirs it in our forsaken lodges
of the past。 Yes； it comes to one out of one's boyhood； it breathes
of a world very vaguely realizeda world of imitative sentiments
and forebodings of hours to come。 Perhaps Longfellow first woke me
to that later sense of what poetry means； which comes with early
manhood。
Before； one had been content； I am still content； with Scott in his
battle pieces； with the ballads of the Border。 Longfellow had a
touch of reflection you do not find； of course； in battle poems； in
a boy's favourites； such as 〃Of Nelson and the North；〃 or 〃Ye
Mariners of England。〃
His moral reflections may seem obvious now； and trite； they were
neither when one was fifteen。 To read the 〃Voices of the Night；〃 in
particularthose early piecesis to be back at school again； on a
Sunday； reading all alone on a summer's day； high in some tree； with
a wide prospect of gardens and fields。
There is that mysterious note in the tone and measure which one
first found in Longfellow； which has since reached our ears more
richly and fully in Keats； in Coleridge； in Tennyson。 Take； for
example；
〃The welcome； the thrice prayed for； the most fair；
The best…beloved Night！〃
Is not that version of Euripides exquisitedoes it n