Romances are a dangerous recreation.

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Romances are a dangerous recreation. Written by Carolyn (4/6/2006 12:37 a.m.) in consequence of the missive, Defense of the Novel, penned by Pennie

... I would therefore caution my young reader against them or if he must ... let it be sparingly and seldom.

James Beattie (Dissertations moral and critical: On Fable and Romance 1783 page 573-574). (Sorry, I could not find a linkable online version of the essay.)

(Romance in this context equals novels). As you can see, reading romances/novels was not highly regarded in the upper literary circles.

These lines are from the last paragraph of Beattie's essay, On Fable and Romance, and I think JA must have been aware of it, because some his other criticisms in the paragraph pop up later in NA. (I will bring them up in context.)

I had been looking for some early criticism of the novel and came across Beattie's passage in Ann Radcliffe, The Great Enchantress by Robert Miles (1995). I would love to know other sources of early criticism of novels.

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Defense of the Novel Pennie (4/5/2006 11:07 p.m.)

Out of place? Deborah Y (4/7/2006 2:59 p.m.)
- Not a bad thing at all. Reeba (4/7/2006 3:23 p.m.)
  - I agree, Kelly B said it perfectly! :D nfm Robbin (4/7/2006 4:49 p.m.)
I never read novels; Reeba (4/6/2006 10:32 a.m.)
- Thank you, that helps nfm Pennie (4/6/2006 10:22 p.m.)
A case of exactly what JA means Barbara (4/6/2006 1:26 a.m.)
Romances are a dangerous recreation. Carolyn (4/6/2006 12:37 a.m.)

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