"" RELIGIOUS COURTSHIP." 521 upon the subject, it still maintains its ground, and will secure for the author a lasting fame independently of his other performances. In discussing a subject of so much importance to young persons of both sexes, and one that required to be handled with great nicety, De Foe was well aware, that precept would be of less weight than example; that whilst the world refused to be instructed by a didactic treatise, it might be disposed to listen to a familiar story. He therefore chose to convey his ideas in this more inviting form, that by raising the curiosity of the reader he might the more effectually fix him with the moral. Historical dialogues, when written with spirit, are particularly acceptable to the inferior classes, and to young people in general, who make themselves parties to the conversation, and can fix the subject, with a slight effort, upon their memories. The familiar style of the present work, its deep acquaintance with human nature, and the exquisite moral feeling that pervades every page, render it peculiarly adapted to steal instruction upon the young and the uninformed, and to leave an abiding impression upon the heart. If this and the other moralities of De Foe were substituted for the modern novels that have so pernicious an influence in raising up false pictures to the mind, and unfitting it for sober contemplation, the experience of the present writer can vouch for their being equally attractive, whilst no one can doubt the incalculable superiority of their permanent effect. The voice of public opinion has long since concurred with that of the author, that "The story represented here is capable of such, and so many applications to the cases of young people, whose settlement is always in view, that there will never be a time when the instruction will be useless." For, "to those who do not cast off all concern for themselves, who do not make marrying a mere leap in the dark, these things will be of some moment. As to those who are void of care in these matters, they must go on, and pay for OTHER WORKS ATTRIBUTED TO DE FOE. 522 their experience; let them take heed and buy it as cheap as they can." In the story framed by De Foe for the purpose of enforcing his admonition, he points out the evil consequences that infallibly result from ill-assorted matches; and he strongly urges the duty of making religion the basis, as affording the best materials for the happiness of conjugal life. Upon a story so well known as that which furnishes the materials for the present work, it would be needless to dwell. Those who are not acquainted with it may repair their neglect, as it is easily accessible; and they will find their reward. The author's deep knowledge of human nature, enabled him to decipher the motives that influence mankind, and to delineate the passions as they operate upon the mind, or influence the conduct. He had studied religion with all the attention due to its importance; and feeling its moral influence himself, he was qualified to trace its workings upon others. The reader that can peruse this narrative without instruction, has yet an important lesson to learn; and if he is disposed to give the subject his attention, he can scarcely hope for a more faithful or intelligent instructor. A work that has been often attributed to De Foe, made its appearance at this time, under the title of "The Comical Pilgrim; or Travels of a Cynick Philosopher through the most wicked parts of the World; namely, England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and Holland. With his Merry Observations on the English Stage, Gaming-Houses, Poets, Beaux, Women, Courtiers, Politicians, and Plotters, Welsh Clergy, Gentry and Customs; Scotch Manners, Religion, and Lawyers; Irish Ceremonies in their Marriages, Christenings, and Burials; and Dutch Government, Polity and Trade. Being a general Satire on the Vices and Follies of the Age. The Third Edition. London: printed for S. Briscoe, at the Belle Sauvage, Ludgate Hill, &c. 1723. Price 1s. 6d." 8vo. pp. 108. A cursory glance at this work will be sufficient to show OTHER WORKS ATTRIBUTED TO DE FOE. 523 that De Foe could not have been the author; but his name being a marketable commodity, has been attached to many books without the slightest authority. (c) (c) A friend of the author's has suggested to him whether De Foe was not the author of "The History of Mademoiselle De St. Phale," and of "The French Convert;" but he sees no reason for the supposition. The following work has been also ascribed to him, but perhaps with little foundation: "The Compleat Mendicant; or Unhappy Beggar. Being the Life of an Unfortunate Gentleman: In which is a comprehensive account of several of the most remarkable adventures that befel him in Three and Twenty Years' Pilgrimage. Also, a Narrative of his Entrance at Oxford, his Ordination, his Behaviour, and Departure from Court, his taking upon him the habit of a Shepherd, &c. With general Reflections and Observations upon the Men, Manners, Customs, and Religions of the several countries he wandered through. Likewise divers familiar Letters, both Latin and English, Sermons, Poems, Essays, upon particular occasions, with a singular account of a Monastick Life, and the Description of a Monastery, all faithfully collected from his originals Papers. London: printed for E. Harris, at the Harrow, in Little Britain. 1699." 8vo. pp. 156. CHAPTER XX. Remarks upon De Foe as a Novelist.-Moral Tendency of his Writings.— His "Fortunate Mistress: or Life of Roxana."-Variations in the Editions of the Work.-Its leading Features.-Character of the Story.— Design of the Publication.-De Foe's "Tours through Great Britain." -Character of his Work - Mutilated in later Editions-Confounded with "Macky's Journey.".”—“ Great Law of Subordination.”—Cause of the Decline of Virtue.-Abuse of Liberty.—Character of his Book."Everybody's Business Nobody's Business."-Habits of Servants.— Preface to the Fifth Edition.-Answers to it.-" New Voyage Round the World."-" Roberts's Voyages."-" Essay upon Literature."-" More Nature Delineated."-Account of Peter, the Wild Boy.-De Foe's Theory of Education. 1724-1726. THE merits of De Foe, as a writer of fictitious narrative, are fully established by the works recorded in the foregoing chapters. These efforts of genius gave a new and decided turn to his reputation, and raised him to a proud superiority over other writers in the same class. Yet the year 1724 gave birth to a romance, which for originality of invention, for accuracy of painting, and for utility of purpose, was not exceeded by any of the former. In the story of "Roxana," there are incidents, indeed, that cannot be welcome to a virtuous mind; but the fault is in the subject rather than in the author, whose aim is to describe human nature as it is, for the purpose of contrasting it with what it should be. REMARKS UPON DE FOE AS A NOVELIST. 525 This fidelity of design will not always admit of an agreeable outline; and it was the humour of De Foe to employ his pen upon those subjects that present the broad features of life in their full deformity. In ordinary cases, this would be considered a mark of bad taste; but De Foe had always some important end to legitimate his choice. He was the last man to administer fuel to a flame that he sought rather to extinguish. He never tells a story for mere amusement, nor does he go out of his way to obtrude reflections for the purpose of correcting it. His facts, however disreputable to virtue, are always subservient to it in the long run: he tells his story for the sake of the moral, which forms a constituent part, and yet so inartificially produced, as to be essential to the narrative. As a correct painter of life and manners, he was under the necessity of taking the world as he found it; as a moralist, he was desirous of leaving it better. He therefore selected those parts from the great drama that he thought most susceptible of improvement, and converted them into sources of instruction, in a form that would be most accessible to the generality of readers. His knowledge of the world had taught him, that those who would not listen to a grave discourse, might be allured by an eventful story; that whilst to the former they gave only the unwilling assent of the judgment, its exemplification would go far towards fixing it upon the heart. Such a result, however, is not to be produced by a forced delineation of the passions, nor by pictures of life that do violence to truth. These, indeed, have been the common resort of novelists, whose aim at effect has betrayed them into a departure from the ordinary operations of nature, and producing a degree of excitement that requires to be kept alive by fresh stimulants; but as the illusion vanishes, the mind falls a prey to grief and disappointment. De Foe never attempts the beau ideal of human life. His characters are those of ordinary occurrence, his portraits strictly natural, and his |