Richardson

Samuel, an English novelist. He belongs to the same period as Addison, Pope, Steele, and Swift. He had a gentle, feminine spirit, and early showed a skill and an ease in expression which led to his being employed as a letter writer by some young ladies of the neighborhood. This began when he was only thirteen years of age. So well did he please these young women with his letters, and so carefully did he guard their little secrets, that they kept him writing frequently for a couple of years. At the age of fifteen he went up to London and learned the printer's trade, which he followed during the rest of his life. When about fifty years old, some publishers asked him to prepare a letter writer which would be useful to persons not used to expressing themselves through the medium of pen and paper. While engaged in this work, it occurred to him that he might make these letters tell a connected story. Pamela, the first modern English novel, was the result. It is in four volumes, and is intended to show that virtue brings its own reward. Richardson's other novels are also in the form of letters. They are of great interest to the student of literature, but are too tedious for the general reader. Clarissa Harlowe drags through eight volumes. It is large enough to merit Kipling's humorous description of "a three decker." The heroine is admitted to be a fine, dignified woman, well drawn and revealing a high ideal of womanly character. Sir Charles Grandison, equally extended, gives Richardson's idea of a model gentleman, such as we now say is of the old school.

Richardson has the power of so thoroughly identifying himself with his various characters that, after we are thoroughly introduced to them, we can name them when we hear selections read from their letters.--Halleck.