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].

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 theKeep. Ideas suggested by Association. Apartmentsof the Castle. Paintings. The Terrace.Royal Family. The King on his own privateGrounds. Combination of Objects that renderthis Scene interesting and impressive. Approachto Oxford in the Dusk of the Evening. FullView of this City and its Colleges. Blenheim.Bybury. Fair Maid of the Inn. StrollingPlayers. Our Hero learns that Hamlet hadbeen performed by the Preacher O’Rourke.His Conversation with Ophelia. More Insightinto Methodistical Itinerancy. They proceedto Tetbury. O’Rourke preaches from aninverted Tub. Affinity between the Doctrinesof Methodism and Mahomedism. The Preacherannounces a Collection. He solves Cases of Conscience.Motives and Modes of Solution. Feesto the Ghostly Monitor. For want of them apoor inoffensive Creature driven to despair. AStranger arrives in pursuit of the Preacher,who had converted and seduced his Wife.An Account of the Love Lectures of ItinerantMethodism. The Devotions of the Preacherinterrupted by the Constable. Ophelia enragedat his Inconstancy, unfolds the Proceedings ofthe Preacher. His Box is searched. TheWatch is found close by a Book of spiritualHymns. 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. Descriptionof Bath. Charming Situation. Charitableand beneficent Institutions. But too much aScene of Gambling and Methodistical Adventurers.Principle of these two Classes thesame. Of the two, Methodism the more conduciveto Gallantry. Conjecture that Ovidwould have approved of Methodists in one Respect.A Digression concerning the ScottishMissionaries. Hamilton meets with an Acquaintance.Mr. Manchester accompaniesthem to the Rooms. Account of the Company.A fashionable Clergyman. Ingenious Schemefor dramatizing the Pulpit, and renderingAction and Spouting a Substitute for Genius,Learning, and Eloquence. Pulpit Exhibitionsof Parson Gilliflower. Rendezvous of thePreacher and Gambler for comparing theirProceeds. Hamilton and his Companions leaveBath. Incident at Cherril Downs. They relievea Lady in great Distress, and convey herto Marlborough.Page [60]
CHAP. III.
History of the distressed Lady. Her former Happinessas the Wife of a worthy and estimableMan. Acquaintance with the Countess ofCheatwell; who introduces Mrs. Raymond toher own particular Friends. Mrs. Raymond beginsto have a Relish for those Parties: triesher Luck at Gaming. She begins with greatSuccess. The Tide of Fortune changes. She becomesacquainted with a very elegant Youth.She is dunned for Debts: encounters the saidYouth at Play, in hopes of liquidating the same.Grievously disappointed. He extricates herfrom her Embarrassments, and takes her Noteby way of Form. Where Cash fails, Means ofpaying Gaming Debts. Discoveries. Mrs.Raymond flies from Society. Immediate Causesof the Situation from which she was relievedby the Travellers. Hamilton discovers her tobe the Sister of Sir Edward Hamden. Sheis prevailed on to accompany the Party to London.They leave Marlborough. Description ofthe 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 ofMrs. Raymond. Matters are accommodated.Hamilton returns to his great Work. Planand Progress of the Execution. Publication:establishes the Author’s fame. Praised byMen of Genius, Friends to the Constitutionand the Public. Dispraised by literary Dunces.Eager Rage of the Dunce, Doctor DickyScribble. He wastes much Time in abusingthe Production of Hamilton from Coffee-Houseto Coffee-House. The Efforts of the Dunce areimpotent against proved Genius. The Reviewspraise the Work, except one, the Property of aBookseller, who was bringing out another Workon the same Subject. Dejection of CharlotteHamilton. Aspiring Views of Mortimer,tainted by the Dissipation of the French Capital.He captivates Miss Louisa Primrose,whose Fortune he wishes to espouse: franklyavows his Situation and Sentiments in a Letterto Charlotte. She instantly releases himfrom his Engagements. He marries MissPrimrose and her Five Thousand a Year. IncreasingIntimacy between Hamden and Hamilton.Literature and Politics of that Time.Burke and Paine. Under Classes of literaryMen Votaries of Revolution. Rise and Progressof certain Literary Occupations. DecayedShopkeepers and Mechanics often take to writing.Various Stages of such, from Collectors ofRout Intelligence up to Newspaper Reporters.Thence to Political Pamphleteers and Philosophers.Stages of a Magazine Writer. VastNumbers that become literary Journeymen,without having served an Apprenticeship.Trade of an Editor. Unoccupied Counsellorsand Physicians seek for Briefs and Fees in theliterary Line. Action and Re-action of superficialLiterature and mischievous Politics. Instances.Causes favourable to the Diffusion ofan innovating Spirit among the Vulgar andIgnorant. Principles, Sentiments, and Viewsof such Revolutionists. Perverting and inflammatoryWritings. St. Leon. Doctrines,Character, and Works of a Metaphysical Treatise,for assimilating Man to Beasts. Meansproposed for turning Man to such Likeness.Novel of, against Laws and Punishments, andfor Thieves and Robbers. Specimen of Biographyby the same. Jemima, short History of. Shesets up a new Code of Laws for Female Conduct.Reasons which rendered her Doctrinesand Exhortations palatable to many Women.Meeting of her Votaries. Visitors who are notVotaries admitted. Among others Hamilton.Progress of her Disciples in the new Morality.Proposed Abolition of Religion. Institution ofan Order of Females for spreading the newPhilosophy, comprehending a burlesque Imitationof Bishops. Two arch Infidel Females andTwenty-four Infidels. Jemima unanimouslyappointed Primate of the Order, and Marysecond Primate. Claims and Pretensions ofother Female Infidels to be Members of theTwenty-four. Respective Merits examined andexplained. Individuals and Classes to whomJemima proposes the Thanks of the Meetingfor their co-operating Services. Praises bestowedon Teachers of Boarding-Schools,Novel Writers, and Circulating LibraryKeepers. On Parents in a low Estate, whogive their Daughters Boarding-School Education.Conduciveness of Nonsense to Infidelityand the new Philosophy. Exclamations ofJemima against her most formidable Adversary,in the old Language denominated CommonSense. Meeting breaks up. Hamilton’s Viewof Jemima’s Theory and Inculcations. DomesticOccurrences. Birth of a Son to ourHero. Passion of Sir Edward Hamden forCharlotte Hamilton. Her Objections: areovercome. Marriage. Page [124]
CHAP. V.
Adventures of O’Rourke. He revisits his Country,but not the Scenes of his former Exploits: becomesa Popish Priest as well as MethodistPreacher, and also follows some of his old Occupations.He arrives at Dublin. Natural, butfatal Catastrophe of this Preacher and Practitioner.Grief of his Wife on hearing of hismelancholy End. Death of her Child and theWidow O’Rourke. Christian Resignation ofthe old Laird. He rests his sole Hopes in ourHero. Settlement of his Estates. Intelligenceof these Changes is sent by him to Hamilton,whom he strongly urges to come immediately toEtterick. Hamilton re-visits Scotland: is chosenMember for the County. His Uncle accompanieshim to London. His first Speech in Parliament.Admiration of all Parties. Attentionpaid him by the first Men in the House. Behaviourof his Uncle during the Speech. His exultingJoy on the Reception his Nephew experienced.His Expression of that Joy. TheStory brought to a Conclusion. Parting Viewof the principal Characters.Page [227]