Chapter I: Front Matter

Transcriber’s note

Variable spelling and hyphenation have been retained. Minor punctuation inconsistencies have been silently repaired. A list of the changes made can be found at the end of the book. Formatting and special characters are indicated as follows:

_italic_

MODERN LITERATURE:

_A NOVEL._

VOL. III.

Printed by A. Strahan, Printers-Street.

MODERN LITERATURE:

_A NOVEL_,

IN THREE VOLUMES.

VOL. III.

By ROBERT BISSET, L.L.D.

Non ignota loquor.

LONDON:
PRINTED FOR T. N. LONGMAN AND O. REES,
PATERNOSTER-ROW.

1804.

CONTENTS

OF

THE THIRD VOLUME.

CHAP. I.

_Excursion of Hamilton with his Wife and Sister. Approaches to Windsor.
Prospect from the Keep. Ideas suggested by Association. Apartments
of the Castle. Paintings. The Terrace. Royal Family. The King on his
own private Grounds. Combination of Objects that render this Scene
interesting and impressive. Approach to Oxford in the Dusk of the
Evening. Full View of this City and its Colleges. Blenheim. Bybury.
Fair Maid of the Inn. Strolling Players. Our Hero learns that Hamlet
had been performed by the Preacher O’Rourke. His Conversation with
Ophelia. More Insight into Methodistical Itinerancy. They proceed to
Tetbury. O’Rourke preaches from an inverted Tub. Affinity between
the Doctrines of Methodism and Mahomedism. The Preacher announces
a Collection. He solves Cases of Conscience. Motives and Modes of
Solution. Fees to the Ghostly Monitor. For want of them a poor
inoffensive Creature driven to despair. A Stranger arrives in pursuit
of the Preacher, who had converted and seduced his Wife. An Account of
the Love Lectures of Itinerant Methodism. The Devotions of the Preacher
interrupted by the Constable. Ophelia enraged at his Inconstancy,
unfolds the Proceedings of the Preacher. His Box is searched. The Watch
is found close by a Book of spiritual Hymns. The Preacher escapes from
Custody, and with him a silver Tankard._ Page 1

CHAP. II.

_The Travellers proceed to Bristol. Clifton. Hotwells. Road from
Bristol to Bath. Description of Bath. Charming Situation. Charitable
and beneficent Institutions. But too much a Scene of Gambling and
Methodistical Adventurers. Principle of these two Classes the same.
Of the two, Methodism the more conducive to Gallantry. Conjecture
that Ovid would have approved of Methodists in one Respect. A
Digression concerning the Scottish Missionaries. Hamilton meets with an
Acquaintance. Mr. Manchester accompanies them to the Rooms. Account of
the Company. A fashionable Clergyman. Ingenious Scheme for dramatizing
the Pulpit, and rendering Action and Spouting a Substitute for Genius,
Learning, and Eloquence. Pulpit Exhibitions of Parson Gilliflower.
Rendezvous of the Preacher and Gambler for comparing their Proceeds.
Hamilton and his Companions leave Bath. Incident at Cherril Downs. They
relieve a Lady in great Distress, and convey her to Marlborough._
Page 60

CHAP. III.

_History of the distressed Lady. Her former Happiness as the Wife of a
worthy and estimable Man. Acquaintance with the Countess of Cheatwell;
who introduces Mrs. Raymond to her own particular Friends. Mrs. Raymond
begins to have a Relish for those Parties: tries her Luck at Gaming.
She begins with great Success. The Tide of Fortune changes. She
becomes acquainted with a very elegant Youth. She is dunned for Debts:
encounters the said Youth at Play, in hopes of liquidating the same.
Grievously disappointed. He extricates her from her Embarrassments,
and takes her Note by way of Form. Where Cash fails, Means of paying
Gaming Debts. Discoveries. Mrs. Raymond flies from Society. Immediate
Causes of the Situation from which she was relieved by the Travellers.
Hamilton discovers her to be the Sister of Sir Edward Hamden. She is
prevailed on to accompany the Party to London. They leave Marlborough.
Description of the Forest, and of Tottenham-Park._ Page 93

CHAP. IV.

_Interview of Hamilton with Sir Edward Hamden. Affection of the
Brother for the Sister, and the Husband for his Wife. Penitence of
Mrs. Raymond. Matters are accommodated. Hamilton returns to his great
Work. Plan and Progress of the Execution. Publication: establishes the
Author’s fame. Praised by Men of Genius, Friends to the Constitution
and the Public. Dispraised by literary Dunces. Eager Rage of the Dunce,
Doctor Dicky Scribble. He wastes much Time in abusing the Production
of Hamilton from Coffee-House to Coffee-House. The Efforts of the
Dunce are impotent against proved Genius. The Reviews praise the
Work, except one, the Property of a Bookseller, who was bringing out
another Work on the same Subject. Dejection of Charlotte Hamilton.
Aspiring Views of Mortimer, tainted by the Dissipation of the French
Capital. He captivates Miss Louisa Primrose, whose Fortune he wishes
to espouse: frankly avows his Situation and Sentiments in a Letter to
Charlotte. She instantly releases him from his Engagements. He marries
Miss Primrose and her Five Thousand a Year. Increasing Intimacy between
Hamden and Hamilton. Literature and Politics of that Time. Burke and
Paine. Under Classes of literary Men Votaries of Revolution. Rise
and Progress of certain Literary Occupations. Decayed Shopkeepers
and Mechanics often take to writing. Various Stages of such, from
Collectors of Rout Intelligence up to Newspaper Reporters. Thence
to Political Pamphleteers and Philosophers. Stages of a Magazine
Writer. Vast Numbers that become literary Journeymen, without having
served an Apprenticeship. Trade of an Editor. Unoccupied Counsellors
and Physicians seek for Briefs and Fees in the literary Line. Action
and Re-action of superficial Literature and mischievous Politics.
Instances. Causes favourable to the Diffusion of an innovating Spirit
among the Vulgar and Ignorant. Principles, Sentiments, and Views of
such Revolutionists. Perverting and inflammatory Writings. St. Leon.
Doctrines, Character, and Works of a Metaphysical Treatise, for
assimilating Man to Beasts. Means proposed for turning Man to such
Likeness. Novel of, against Laws and Punishments, and for Thieves and
Robbers. Specimen of Biography by the same. Jemima, short History
of. She sets up a new Code of Laws for Female Conduct. Reasons which
rendered her Doctrines and Exhortations palatable to many Women.
Meeting of her Votaries. Visitors who are not Votaries admitted.
Among others Hamilton. Progress of her Disciples in the new Morality.
Proposed Abolition of Religion. Institution of an Order of Females
for spreading the new Philosophy, comprehending a burlesque Imitation
of Bishops. Two arch Infidel Females and Twenty-four Infidels. Jemima
unanimously appointed Primate of the Order, and Mary second Primate.
Claims and Pretensions of other Female Infidels to be Members of the
Twenty-four. Respective Merits examined and explained. Individuals
and Classes to whom Jemima proposes the Thanks of the Meeting
for their co-operating Services. Praises bestowed on Teachers of
Boarding-Schools, Novel Writers, and Circulating Library Keepers. On
Parents in a low Estate, who give their Daughters Boarding-School
Education. Conduciveness of Nonsense to Infidelity and the new
Philosophy. Exclamations of Jemima against her most formidable
Adversary, in the old Language denominated Common Sense. Meeting breaks
up. Hamilton’s View of Jemima’s Theory and Inculcations. Domestic
Occurrences. Birth of a Son to our Hero. Passion of Sir Edward Hamden
for Charlotte Hamilton. Her Objections: are overcome. Marriage._
Page 124

CHAP. V.

_Adventures of O’Rourke. He revisits his Country, but not the Scenes
of his former Exploits: becomes a Popish Priest as well as Methodist
Preacher, and also follows some of his old Occupations. He arrives
at Dublin. Natural, but fatal Catastrophe of this Preacher and
Practitioner. Grief of his Wife on hearing of his melancholy End.
Death of her Child and the Widow O’Rourke. Christian Resignation of
the old Laird. He rests his sole Hopes in our Hero. Settlement of his
Estates. Intelligence of these Changes is sent by him to Hamilton, whom
he strongly urges to come immediately to Etterick. Hamilton re-visits
Scotland: is chosen Member for the County. His Uncle accompanies him
to London. His first Speech in Parliament. Admiration of all Parties.
Attention paid him by the first Men in the House. Behaviour of his
Uncle during the Speech. His exulting Joy on the Reception his Nephew
experienced. His Expression of that Joy. The Story brought to a
Conclusion. Parting View of the principal Characters._ Page 227

MODERN LITERATURE.