The Fool of Quality

[1] The somewhat shapeless plot is an account of the doings of young Harry Clinton, who, rejected by his decadent and aristocratic father, is educated on enlightened principles by his philanthropic uncle.

Thus equipped to fight the evils of the world the innocent yet wise hero does his best to better the lot of the unfortunate Hammel Clement and his family, and other deserving cases, in the intervals between the author’s frequent philosophical digressions and commentaries on the action.

[4] In 1781 a two-volume version was published under the title The History of Henry, Earl of Moreland, abridged and modified by John Wesley, and with a preface by him in which he wrote that the book perpetually aims at inspiring and increasing every right affection; at the instilling gratitude to God and benevolence to man.

[7] In modern times The Fool of Quality's rambling and digressive structure, and the sentimental extravagances which it shares with other novels of sensibility, have prevented it from reaching a wide readership.

Many would agree with the critic who, in 1806, noted that an unnatural elevation is given to the most trifling circumstances and sentiments; every emotion is a rapture or an agony, every person seems to be the deity of the moment who attracts all eyes and all hearts; in short, we are in another world.