 so called; and it was not till arts and sciences began to
revive, after the irruption of the Barbarians into Europe, that any thing of
this kind appeared. But when the minds of men were debauched by the imposition
of priest-craft to the most absurd pitch of credulity; the authors of romance
arose, and losing sight of probability, filled their performances with the most
monstrous hyperboles. If they could not equal the ancient poets in point of
genius, they were resolved to excel them in fiction, and apply to the wonder
rather than the judgment of their readers. Accordingly they brought negromancy
to their aid, and instead of supporting the character of their heroes, by
dignity of sentiment and practice, distinguished them by their bodily strength,
activity and extravagance of behaviour. Although nothing could be more ludicrous
and unnatural than the figures they drew, they did not want patrons and
admirers, and the world actually began to be infected with the spirit of
knight-errantry, when Cervantes, by an inimitable piece of ridicule, reformed
the taste of mankind, representing chivalry in the right point of view, and
converting romance to purposes far more useful and entertaining, by making it
assume the sock, and point out the follies of ordinary life.
    The same method has been practised by other Spanish and French authors, and
by none more successfully than by Monsieur Le Sage, who in his adventures of Gil
Blas, has described the knavery and foibles of life, with infinite humour and
sagacity. - The following sheets I have modelled on his plan, taking the
liberty, however, to differ from him in the execution, where I thought his
particular situations were uncommon, extravagant, or peculiar to the country in
which the scene is laid. - The disgraces of Gil Blas, are for the most part,
such as rather excite mirth than compassion; he himself laughs at them; and his
transitions from distress to happiness, or at least ease, are so sudden, that
neither the reader has time to pity him, nor himself to be acquainted with
affliction. - This conduct, in my opinion, not only deviates from probability,
but prevents that generous indignation, which ought to animate the reader,
against the sordid and vicious disposition of the world.
    I have attempted to represent modest merit struggling with every difficulty
to which a friendless orphan is exposed, from his own want of experience, as
well as from the selfishness, envy, malice, and base indifference of mankind. -
To secure a favourable prepossession, I have allowed him the advantages of birth
and education, which in the series of his
