Smollett's second venture, _Peregrine Pickle_ (1751), was more ambitious, perhaps rose higher in parts, but undoubtedly contained even more doubtful and inferior matter. No one can justly blame him, though any one may most justly refrain from praising, from the general point of view, as regards the "insets" of Miss Williams's story in _Roderick_ and of that of Lady Vane here. From that point of view they range with the "Man of the Hill" in _Tom Jones_, and in the first case at least, though most certainly not in the second, have more justification of connection with the central story. He may so far underlie the charge of error of judgment, but nothing worse. Unluckily the "Lady Vane" insertion was, to a practical certainty, a commercial not an artistic transaction: and both here and elsewhere Smollett carried his already large licence to the extent of something like positive pornography. He is in fact one of the few writers of real eminence who have been forced to Bowdlerise themselves. Further, there would be more excuse for the most offensive part of _Peregrine_ if it were not half plagiarism of the main situations of _Pamela_ and _Clarissa_: if Smollett had not deprived his hero of all the excuses which, even in the view of some of the most respectable characters of _Pamela_, attached to the conduct of Mr. B.; and if he had not vulgarised Lovelace out of any possible attribution of "regality," except of being what the time would have called King of the Black Guard. As for Tom Jones, he does not come into comparison with "Perry" at all, and he would doubtless have been most willing and able--competent physically as well as morally--to administer the proper punishment to that young ruffian by drubbing him within an inch of his life. These, no doubt, are grave drawbacks: but the racy fun of the book almost atones for them: and the exaltation of the naval element of _Roderick_ which one finds here in Trunnion and Hatchway and Pipes carries the balance quite to the other side. This is the case even without, but much more with, the taking into account of Smollett's usual irregular and almost irrelevant _bonuses_, such as the dinner after the fashion of the ancients and the rest. No: _Peregrine Pickle_ can never be thrown to the wolves, even to the most respectable and moral of these animals in the most imposing as well as ravening of attitudes. English Literature cannot do without it.