Henry Fielding

When people speak and write about Northanger Abbey, they often characterize it as a response to romanticism and to Ann Radcliffe in particular.

It is interesting to note then that the very first mocking reference to another novel in the book seems to be aimed at Henry Fielding's Tom Jones. While explaing why it is that Catherine has had no great love affairs yet, Austen mockingly notes:

There was not one family among their acquaintance who had reared and supported a boy accidentally found at the door — not one young man whose origin was unknown.

And her next target, which I will get to tomorrow, is Richardson.

Whence comes the assumption that Austen is concerned with Romanticism here?