Fielding, Sarah

, third sister of the preceding, was born in 1714, lived unmarried, and died at Bath, where she had long resided, in April 1768. She made some figure among the literary ladies of her age, and possessed a well cultivated mind. Soon after the appearance of her brother’s “Joseph Andrews,” she published a novel in 2 vols. 12mo, entitled “The Adventures of David Simple, in search of a faithful friend,” which had a considerable share of popularity, and is not yet forgotten. In 1752 she produced a third volume, which did not excite so much attention. Her next production, which appeared in 1753, was “The Cry, a new Dramatic Fable,” 3 vols. but this, although far from being destitute of merit, was not well adapted to the taste of romance-readers. Her last performance was “Xenophon’s Memoirs of Socrates, with the Defence of Socrates before his Judges,” translated from the original Greek, 1762, 8vo. In this translation, which is executed with fidelity and elegance, she was favoured with some valuable notes by the learned Mr. Harris, of Salisbury, who also probably contributed to the correctness of the translation. The other works of this lady, less known, were, “Familiar letters between the characters in David Simple,” 2 vols.; “The Governess, or Little Female Academy” “The Lives of Cleopatra and Octavia;” “The History of the Countess of Delwyn,” 2 vols. and “The Hjstory of Ophelia,” 2 vols. Dr. John Hoadly, who was her particular friend, erected a monument to her memory, with a handsome compliment to her virtues and talents. ²