Journal for Jan. 21, 1752. Dodd, too, was at this very time publishing Fielding's 'Crisis' (see item. 5 of Gentleman's Magazine for April, 1741, supra], a political pamphlet of which hitherto only the title has been known. Quite recently, however, a copy of 'The Crisis' has come to light, and the owner has been good enough to write to me saying that it appears to be Fielding's work.
That Fielding was well versed in Middleton's 'Life of Cicero,' and had, apart from its dedicatory passages, a high opinion of it, is manifest from his remarks in the Preface to his 'Enquiry into the Causes of the Increase of Robbers,' 1751.
Nor is it devoid of significance that when Bonnell Thornton made, in 1752, in 'Have at You All, a Drury Lane Journal by Lady Roxana Termagant,' an ill-natured, not to say malicious, attack on Fielding's novel 'Amelia,' he referred to it as 'Shamelia.'
Despite these indications, Fielding's biographers have been very shy of attributing 'Shamela' to him. The best bibliography of his works, that supervised by W. E. Henley (Heinemann), makes no mention of it. The British Museum Catalogue is silent, although it is said the Reading-Room possesses a copy. Miss Godden in her 'Memoir of Fielding,' 1910, has naught to say on the matter.
The purpose of this note is to offer intrinsic evidence in support of the extrinsic. 'Shamela' is largely composed of Richardson's own language, ironically adapted, but the author occasionally breaks into characteristic expressions and turns of thought, some of which are here set out accompanied by parallel passages from writings unquestionably Fielding's.
'Shamela.'
Title-page.—"By Mr. Conny Keyber."
P. 5, l. 23.—"Wretches ready to maintain schemes repugnant to the liberty of mankind."
P. 9, l. 22.—"How I long to be in the balcony at the Old House."
P. 11, l. 5.—"Your last letter put me into a great hurry of spirits."
P. 12, l. 27.—"I have enclosed you one of Mr. Whitfield's sermons."
P. 14, l. 9.—"Ah, child! if you had known the jolly blades of my age."
P. 16, l. 22.—"Can you forgive me, my injured maid? By heaven, I know not whether you are a man or woman."
P. 23, l. 5.—"At the age of 11 only, he met my father without either pulling off his hat, or riding out of the way."
P. 24, l. 18.—"Be not righteous overmuch."
P. 31, l. 3.—"How sweet is revenge: sure the sermon book is in the right in calling it the sweetest morsel the Devil ever dropped into the mouth of a sinner."
P. 33, l. 2.—"Mrs. Jewkes: 'O, sir, I see you know very little of our sect.'"
P. 47, l. 7.—"I am justly angry with that parson whose family hath been raised from the dung-hill by ours."
P. 52, l. 9.—"I am sure I know nothing about pollitricks."
P. 52, l. 24.—"Spindle-shanked young squire."
P. 55, l. 14.—"They sacrifice all the solid comforts of their lives."
P. 55, l. 33. "Vice exposed in nauseous and odious colours."
Writings admittedly by Fielding.
'The Author's Farce,' Act I. sc. iv.—"I have been with Mr. Keyber, too."
'Joseph Andrews,' I. 17.—"Designing men, who have it at heart to establish schemes at the price of the liberty of mankind."
'The Temple Beau,' Act II. sc. vi.—"I will meet you in the balcony at the Old Playhouse."
'Amelia,' IV. 2.—"Booth in his present hurry of spirits could not recollect."
'Joseph Andrew's,' I: 17.—"I would as soon print one of Whitfield's sermons as any farce whatever."
'Miscellanies': 'A Sailor's Song.'—"Come, let's abroad, my jolly blades."
'Joseph Andrews,' IV. 14.—"As I am a Christian, I know not whether she is a man or a woman."
'Tom Jones,' III. 5.—"He was not only deficient in outward tokens of respect, often forgetting to pull off his hat, or to bow at his master's approach."
The Champion, April 5, 1740.—"I would not be righteous overmuch."
The Champion, Feb. 2, 1740.—"Revenge, which Dr. South calls ' The most delicious morsel that the devil ever dropped into the mouth of a sinner.'"
'Joseph Andrew's,' II. 4.—"'More fool he,' cried Slipslop; 'it is a sign he knew very little of our sect.'"
'Joseph Andrews,' I. 2.—"He had no ancestors at all, but had sprung out of a dunghill."
'Jonathan Wild,' II. 5.—"Lying, falsehood, &c., which are summed up in the collective name of policy or politics, or rather pollitricks."
'Joseph Andrews,' III. 2.—"Spindle-shanked beaux and petit-maîtres of the age."
'Miscellanies,' Preface.—"From whom I draw all the solid comfort of my life."
'Amelia,' III. 12.—"The cheerful, solid comfort which a fond couple enjoy in each other's conversation."
The Champion, March 6, 1740.—"Represents vice in its natural odious colours."
