Page:The English humourists of the eighteenth century. A series of lectures, delivered in England, Scotland, and the United States of America (IA englishhumourist00thacrich).pdf/270

 pleased with the spectacle of innocence rescued by fidelity, purity, and courage; I suppose that of the heroes of Wielding's three novels, we should like honest Joseph Andrews the best, and Captain Booth the second, and Tom Jones the third.

Joseph Andrews, though he wears Lady Booby's cast-off livery, is, I think, to the full as polite as Tom Jones in his fustian-suit, or Captain Booth in regimentals. He has, like those heroes, large calves, broad shoulders, a high courage, and a handsome face. The accounts of Joseph's bravery and good qualities; his voice, too musical to halloo to the dogs; his bravery in riding races for the gentlemen of the county, and his constancy in refusing bribes and temptation, have something affecting in their naiveté and freshness, and prepossess one in favour of that handsome young hero. The rustic bloom of Fanny, and the delightful simplicity of Payson Adams are described with a friendliness which wins the reader of their story: we part with them with more regret than from Booth and Jones.