which so richly seasons Pamela, Clarissa and
Grandison, and makes their flimzy nonsense pass so glibly
down. Love, eternal love, not only seasons all our other
numerous compositions of the same kind, but likewise
engrosses our theatres and all our dramatic performances,
which were originally calculated to give examples of nobler
passions. From this situation of affairs among our authors,
one would be apt to imagine, that the propagation of the
species was at a stand, and that, not to talk of marrying
and giving in marriage, there was hardly any such thing as
fornication going forward among us, and that therefore our
publick-spirited penmen, to prevent the world from coming to
an end, employ'd all their art and eloquence to keep people
in remembrance, that they were composed of different sexes.
But provident nature has rendered all their endeavours
unnecessary, nay, she has rather erred, if I may be allowed
the expression, in making that passion already too strong of
itself. She has rather implanted too many allurements, and
has affixed too great a variety of pleasures to the
intercourse between the sexes, and has likewise allow'd that
passion to display itself much sooner than is consistent
either with the good of society, or the happiness of
individuals. Therefore I must always maintain, that those
writings which heighten and inflame the passion, which paint
in lively colours the endearments between the sexes, are of
a bad and pernicious tendency, and do much more evil than
they can possibly do good, especially to the young and
amorous, whose appetites are by nature furious and
ungovernable. Your writings are all evidently of this kind,
and fall within this censure in the strongest manner; and
none of your brother romancers are, in my opinion, entirely
free from it, except the moral and ingenious authoress of
David Simple. Indeed, if they employed what power they may
have to raise the passions, and made use of the possession
they have got of the public ear, to inculcate patriotism,
the love of a country, and other public and private virtues,
which perhaps were never scarcer than at present, they would
in that case be as much to be commended, as they now ought
to be blamed.

Many, Sir, share equally in this guilt with you; however, it
is not the less for being divided; but if this were all, you
might pass undistinguished in the general censure. There is
one species of iniquity, for so I must call it, in which you