Marsden, W., B.A. Marshall, G. A. Martyn, R. J. Masefield, R. B., B.A. Bachelors and Undergradutes (continued): Mathews, Rev. A. D., B.A. Metcalfe, Rev. W. H., B.A. Miller, E F. Mills, W., B.A. Moore, Rev. P. H., B.A. Morgan, R. H., B.A. + Moss, T. Moulton, J. F. Mullinger, J. B., B.A. Nicholson, H. Noel-Hill, T. N. Noon, J. Norris, L. Norton, H. T. Noble, Rev. R., B.A. Payton, J., B.A. Squires, R. A. Perkins, T. N., B.A. Stallard, W. T. Starkey, G. A. Pharazyn, W., B.A. Pitman, E. A. B., B.A. Stephenson, L., B A. Stokes, R. Praed, F. Stoney, W. C. B. Price, Rev. H. M. C., B.A. Storey, E. Prichard, R. K. Street, H. W., B.A. Turner, E. W. Twyne, W. Unett, W. W. Vatcher, J. S. A. Vaughan, W. P. H. Watson, A. W., B.A. Watson, Frank Watson, Frederic NOTICE TO CONTRIBUTORS. It is particularly requested that articles intended for insertion in the next Num be forwarded to the Secretary on or before February 21, 1868. Articles intended for insertion must be written legibly and on one side only of t half sheet. As a guarantee of good faith, it is essential that the name of every contributor s be made known either to the Secretary, or to one of the Committee. Each contributor will be made responsible for correcting the proofs of his own article Rejected communications will be returned by the Secretary on application. There will be an election of Editors at the beginning of next Term. St. John's College, December 1867. (*) Denotes the Members of the Committee. (+) Late Members of the Committee. THE REV. THE MASTER, D.D. THE REVEREND STEPHEN PARKINSON, B.D., President. Fellows of the College and Masters of Arts: +Abbott, Rev. E. A., M.A. Adam, Rev. S. C., M.A. Adams, W. G., M.A. Anstice, Rev. J. B., M.A. Atlay, Rev. J., D.D. Attenborough, RevW F,M.A. +Baily, W., M.A. + Barlow, Rev. W. H., M.A. +Beverley, H., M.A. Adams, G. H. Alderson, Rev. E. A., B.A. Gorst, Rev. P. F., M.A. *Palmer, E. H., B A. (Sec.) †Pearson, Rev. J. B., M.A. Peckover, Rev. E. G., M.A. Pennant, P. P., M.A. Pickles, Rev. J. S., M.A. Pierpoint, Rev. R. D., M.A. Pieters, Rev. J. W., B.D. Previtè, Rev. W., M.A. Potts, A. W., M.A. Reyner, Rev. G. F., B.D. +Richardson, Rev. G., M.A. Rippin, C. R., M.A. Roberts, Rev. W. P., M.A. Roby, H. J., M.A. Rounthwaite, Rev. J.F.,M.A. Rowe, Rev. T. B., M.A. Rudd, Rev. E. J. S., M.A. Russell, Rev. H., B.D. +Sandys, J. E., B.A. Scholefield, Rev. C. C., M. A. Secker, J. H., M.A. Selwyn, Rev. Prof., D.D. Sharpe, Rev. H. J., M.A. Shoults, Rev. W. A., M.A. Smith, Rev. C. J. E., M.A. Smith, J., M.A. Smith, W. F., B.A. Snowdon, Rev. J., M.A. +Stanwell, Rev. C., M.A. Steele, R. B., M.A. Tarleton, Rev. W. H., M.A. †Taylor, Rev. C., M.A. +Taylor, R. W., M.A. Taylor, Rev. W. T., M.A. Terry, F. C. B., M.A. Thomson, Rev. F. D., M.A. Tom, Rev. E. N., M.A. Torry, Rev. A. F., M.A. Underwood, Rev. C. W., M.A. Valentine, J. C., M.A. *Wace, F. C., M.A. Walton, Rev. T. I., M.A. Wetherell, Rev. J. C., M.A. Whitby, Rev. T., M.A. Whitehurst, Rev. J., M.A. Whitworth, Rev. W.A.,M.A. + Wilson, J. M., M.A. Wilson, W. S., M.A. Wood, A., B.A. Wood, Rev. J. S., B.D. Bachelors and Undergraduates: Barrett, W. F., B.A. Baynes, T. H., B.A. D° HENRY FIELDING. department of literature seems at the present day more popular among all classes than that of Prose Fiction. This no doubt may partly be explained by the fact that of all the family of light literature the novel was, in England at least, the latest born, and has therefore not yet lost for us the charm of freshness. Romances have indeed existed for many years among us, the Arcadia of Sir Philip Sydney being I think the first original prose composition of this description in English. But these romances were narratives of chivalric or supernatural events, recited in a lofty historical tone without any attempt at delicate delineation of character in the agents, or at portraying in ordinary language the social life of the day. This was the task reserved for the novel introduced by Henry Fielding about the middle of the last century. I say introduced by Fielding, for the only works of the same description that existed before he published his first novel were Robinson Crusoe by Defoe, and Pamela by Samuel Richardson. The first of these can hardly be said to come under the definition usually now received of a novel. There is no attempt in it at delineation of character, and there is no society to be described. It is simply a tale narrating in plain unaffected language the That is, if we disregard such books as Moll Flanders, Colonel Jack, &c., which Defoe produced in such quantities, and in which the majority of the characters are a set of wretches whose sayings and doings would be more fitted to grace the columns of the Newgate calendar, than to find a permanent place in the literature of a country. VOL. VI. G solitary adventures and sufferings of a common seaman. Twelve years afterwards Richardson published Pamela, a work certainly more nearly approaching the modern novel, but with this difference, the author never once appears throughout the whole course of the book. There is nowhere any attempt at any sort of description in it. The story is told entirely by letters supposed to be written by the different agents in it, and the consequence is, it is tediously unfolded, while with regard to the characters of the agents, we have, unaided by the author, to make them out for ourselves from their own letters. This is a slow and clumsy method of narration, to say nothing of the improbability of any people, however good correspondents they might be, writing letters voluminous enough to acquaint us with all the details of a long story, or honest enough to let us into all the intricacies of their own characters. In the following year Fielding came before the world with his novel of Joseph Andrews, which may fairly be said to have been the first English novel, using the word in the sense in which it is now ordinarily received, and from this time may be dated the rise of that class of literature that has remained so universally popular down to the present day. Before proceeding to discuss the merits of Fielding's works it may not be uninteresting to bestow a passing glance on the history of his life, and see in what schools he had qualified himself for the task he had undertaken. Henry Fielding was of good family, being the son of General Fielding, one of a younger branch of the house of Denbigh. He was born at Sharpham Park, in Somersetshire, in 1707. At Eton, where he was educated, he distinguished himself by remarkable quickness combined with a steady application. It was here that he contracted an intimacy with many boys who were destined in after years to play as men a prominent part in the history of their country. Such were Lord Lyttleton, Fox, Pitt, Sir Charles Hanbury, Williams, and Wilmingto From Eton he went to Leyden, for gn E., B.A. |