Prefaces to Fiction by Boyce, Argens, Derrick, Manley, Scudéry, and Warburton

Read now or download (free!)

Choose how to read this book Url Size
Read online (web) https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14525.html.images 123 kB
EPUB3 (E-readers incl. Send-to-Kindle) https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14525.epub3.images 202 kB
EPUB (older E-readers) https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14525.epub.images 201 kB
EPUB (no images, older E-readers) https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14525.epub.noimages 103 kB
Kindle https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14525.kf8.images 297 kB
older Kindles https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14525.kindle.images 274 kB
Plain Text UTF-8 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14525.txt.utf-8 102 kB
Download HTML (zip) https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/14525/pg14525-h.zip 193 kB
There may be more files related to this item.

About this eBook

Author of introduction, etc. Boyce, Benjamin, 1903-1997
Contributor Argens, Jean-Baptiste de Boyer, marquis d', 1704-1771
Contributor Derrick, Samuel, 1724-1769
Contributor Manley, Mrs. (Mary de la Rivière), 1663-1724
Contributor Scudéry, M. de (Georges), 1601-1667
Contributor Warburton, William, 1698-1779
Title Prefaces to Fiction
Note Augustan Reprint Society, publication number 32
Note Reading ease score: 53.2 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read.
Contents de Scudéry, Preface to Ibrahim (1674)
Manley, Preface to The Secret History of Queen Zarah (1705)
de Boyer, Marquis d'Argens, Preface to The Jewish Spy (1744)
Warburton, Preface to Richardson's Clarissa Vol. III and IV (1748)
Derrick, Preface to d'Argens's Memoirs of The Count Du Beauval (1754).
Credits Produced by David Starner, Richard J. Shiffer and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team
Summary "Prefaces to Fiction" by Boyce, Argens, Derrick, Manley, Scudéry, and Warburton is a collection of literary prefaces and introductions that provide insight into early theories of prose fiction. Written during the early to mid-18th century, the book encompasses works from notable figures such as Georges de Scudéry, who initiated discussions on narrative structure, and Mary De la Riviere Manley, who critiqued the conventions of her time. The overarching topic of the book revolves around the evolving principles of fiction and narrative form, emphasizing the balance between truth and artistic representation. The book presents a series of prefaces that outline the authors’ thoughts on the art of fiction, character development, and moral considerations in storytelling. Scudéry's preface to "Ibrahim" offers a foundation for narrative structure, asserting that every story should revolve around a central action while maintaining true resemblance to life. Manley's reflections critique the excesses of romantic storytelling, advocating for a closer connection to real human experiences. Derrick's preface continues this conversation by exploring characterization and emotional depth, aligning with contemporary notions of realism. Overall, these prefaces serve as a critical exploration of the artistic and moral underpinnings of fiction, marking an important phase in the development of the English novel. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Language English
LoC Class PR: Language and Literatures: English literature
Subject Fiction -- Technique
Category Text
EBook-No. 14525
Release Date
Most Recently Updated Dec 19, 2020
Copyright Status Public domain in the USA.
Downloads 93 downloads in the last 30 days.
Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!