tory the author still clings to the
long-established precedent of giving moral and religious instruction.
Afterwards, when Fielding attempted to parody "Pamela," he developed the
novel of adventure in high and low life, and produced "Joseph Andrews."
He then followed this with the character-study represented by "Tom
Jones, Foundling." Richardson in "Pamela" had aimed to emphasize virtue
as in the end prospering; Fielding's characters rather embody the
principle of virtue being its own reward and of vice bringing its own
punishment. Smollett in "Humphrey Clinker's Adventures" brought forth
fun from English surroundings instead of seeking for the hero thrilling
and daring deeds in foreign countries. He also added to the list of
character-studies "Roderick Random," a tale of the sea, the mystery of
which has never palled since "Robinson Crusoe" saw light.

There was also the novel of letters. In the age of the first great
novelists letter-writing was among the polite arts. It was therefore
counted a great but natural achievement when the epistolary method of
revealing the plot was introduced. "Clarissa Harlowe" and "Sir Charles
Grandison" were the results of this style of writing; they comprehended
the "most Important Concerns of private life"--"concerns" which moved
with lingering and emotional persistency towards the inevitable
catastrophe in "Clarissa," and the happy issue out of the
misunderstandings and misadventures which resulted in Miss Byron's
alliance with Sir Charles.

Until after the next (nineteenth) century had passed its first decade
these tales were read in full or abridged forms by many children among
the fashionable and literary sets in England and America. Indeed, the
art of writing for children was so unknown that often attempts to
produce child-like "histories" for them resulted in little other than
novels upon an abridged scale.

But before even abridged novels found their way into juvenile favor, it
was "customary in Richardson's time to read his novels aloud in the
family circle. When some pathetic passage was reached the members of the
family would retire to separate apartments to weep; and after composing
themselves, they would return to the fireside to have the reading
proceed. It was reported to Richardson, that, on one of these occasions,
'an amiable little boy sobbed as if his sides would burst and resolved
to mind his books that he might be able to read Pamela through without
stopping.' Th