e continuation of 1745. The former is better narrative
than the latter; it moves quicker; it is more real. And yet there is a
manifest attempt in the continuation to imitate the manner and the
substance of the story proper. There is a dialogue, for example, between
Roxana and the Quakeress, modelled on the dialogues which Defoe was so
fond of. Again, there is a fairly successful attempt to copy Defoe's
circumstantiality; there is an amount of detail in the continuation
which makes it more graphic than much of the fiction which has been
given to the world. And finally, in understanding and reproducing the
characters of Roxana and Amy, the anonymous author has done remarkably
well. The character of Roxana's daughter is less true to Defoe's
conception; the girl, as he drew her, was actuated more by natural
affection in seeking her mother, and less by interest. The character of
the Dutch merchant, likewise, has not changed for the better in the
continuation. He has developed a vindictiveness which, in our former
meetings with him, seemed foreign to his nature.

I have said that in _The Fortunate Mistress_ Defoe has come nearer than
usual to writing what we to-day call a novel; the reason is that he has
had more success than usual in making his characters real. Though many
of them are still wooden--lifeless types, rather than individuals--yet
the Prince, the Quakeress, and the Dutch merchant occasionally wake to
life; so rather more does the unfortunate daughter; and more yet, Amy
and Roxana. With the exception of Moll Flanders, these last two are more
vitalised than any personages Defoe invented. In this pair, furthermore,
Defoe seems to have been interested in bringing out the contrast between
characters. The servant, Amy, thrown with another mistress, might have
been a totally different woman. The vulgarity of a servant she would
have retained under any circumstances, as she did even when promoted
from being the maid to being the companion of Roxana; but it was
unreasoning devotion to her mistress, combined with weakness of
character, which led Amy to be vicious.

Roxana, for her part, had to the full the independence, the initiative,
which her woman was without,--or rather was without when acting for
herself; for when acting in the interests of her mistress, Amy was a
different creature. Like all of Defoe's principal characters, Roxana is
eminently practical, cold-blooded and selfish. After the first pang at
parting wit