 Part 10 of Tom Jones being Book 3 chapters 7, 8, 9 and 10. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For further information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Tom Jones by Henry Fielding chapters 7, 8, 9 and 10. Chapter 7, in which the author himself makes his appearance on the stage. Though Mr. Allworthy was not of himself hasty to see things in a disadvantageous light, and was a stranger to the public voice which seldom reaches to a brother or a husband, though it rings in the ear of all the neighbourhood, yet was this affection of Mrs. Blifield to Tom, and the preference which she too visibly gave him to her own son of the utmost disadvantage to that youth. For such was the compassion which inhabited Mr. Allworthy's mind, that nothing but the steel of justice could ever subdue it. To be unfortunate in any respect was sufficient, if there was no demerit to counter-poise it, to turn the scale of that good man's pity and to engage his friendship and his benefaction. When therefore he plainly saw Master Blifield was absolutely detested, for that he was, by his own mother, he began, on that account only, to look with an eye of compassion upon him, and what the effects of compassion are in good and benevolent minds. I need not here explain to most of my readers. Henceforward he saw every appearance of virtue in the youth through the magnifying end, and viewed all his faults with the glass inverted, so that they became scarce perceptible. And this perhaps the amiable temper of pity may make commendable. But the next step, the weakness of human nature alone must excuse, for he no sooner perceived that preference which Mrs. Blifield gave to Tom, than that poor youth, however innocent, began to sink in his affections as he rose in hers. This, it is true, would of itself alone never have been able to eradicate Jones from his bosom, but it was greatly injurious to him, and prepared Mr. Alworthy's mind for those impressions which afterwards produced the mighty events that will be contained hereafter in this history, and to which it must be confessed, the unfortunate lad, by his own wantonness, wildness and want of caution, too much contributed. In recording some instances of these we shall, if rightly understood, afford a very useful lesson to those well-disposed youths who shall hereafter be our readers, for they may here find that goodness of heart and openness of temper, though these may give them great comfort within and administer to an honest pride in their own minds, will by no means alas do their business in the world. Prudence and circumspection are necessary even to the best of men. They are indeed, as it were, a guard to virtue, without which she can never be safe. It is not enough that your designs, nay that your actions, are intrinsically good. You must take care they shall appear so. If your inside be never so beautiful, you must preserve a fair outside also. This must be constantly looked to, or malice and envy will take care to blacken it so that the sagacity and goodness of an all-worthy will not be able to see through it and to discern the beauties within. Let this, my young readers, be your constant maxim, that no man can be good enough to enable him to neglect the rules of prudence, nor will virtue herself look beautiful, unless she be bedecked with the outward ornaments of decency and decorum. And this, precept, my worthy disciples, if you read with due attention, you will, I hope, find sufficiently enforced by examples in the following pages. I ask pardon for this short appearance by way of chorus on the stage. It is in reality for my own sake that while I am discovering the rocks on which innocence and goodness often split, I may not be misunderstood to recommend the very means to my worthy readers by which I intend to show them they will be undone. And this, as I could not prevail on any of my actors to speak, I was obliged to declare myself. End of Chapter 7 Chapter 8 A childish incident in which, however, is seen a good-natured disposition in Tom Jones The reader may remember that Mr. Allworthy gave Tom Jones a little horse as a kind of smart money for the punishment which he imagined he had suffered innocently. This horse Tom kept above half a year and then rode him to a neighbouring fair and sold him. At his return, being questioned by Thwackam what he had done with the money for which the horse was sold, he frankly declared he would not tell him. A hole, said Thwackam, you will not, then I will have it out of your brother. That being the place to which he always applied for information on every doubtful occasion. Tom was now mounted on the back of a footman and everything prepared for the execution when Mr. Allworthy entering the room gave the criminal a reprieve and took him with him into another apartment. Where Mr. Allworthy being only present with Tom he put the same question to him which Thwackam had before asked him. Tom answered he could in duty refuse him nothing but as for that tyrannical rascal he would never make him any other answer than with a cudgel with which he hoped soon to be able to pay him for all his barbarities. Mr. Allworthy very severely reprimanded the lad for his indecent and disrespectful expressions concerning his master but much more for his avowing and intention of revenge. He threatened him with the entire loss of his favour if he ever heard such another word from his mouth. For he said he would never support or befriend a reprobate. By these and the like declarations he extorted some compunction from Tom in which that youth was not over-sincere for he really meditated some return for all the smarting favours he had received at the hands of the pedagogue. He was however brought by Mr. Allworthy to express a concern for his resentment against Thwackam and then the good man, after some wholesome admonition permitted him to proceed which he did as follows. Indeed, my dear sir, I love and honour you more than all the world. I know the great obligations I have to you and should detest myself if I thought my heart was capable of ingratitude. Could the little horse you gave me speak? I am sure he could tell you how fond I was of your present, for I had more pleasure in feeding him than in riding him. Indeed, sir, it went to my heart to part with him, nor would I have sold him upon any other account in the world than what I did. You yourself, sir, I am convinced in my case would have done the same for none ever so sensibly felt the misfortunes of others. What would you feel, dear sir, if you thought yourself the occasion of them? Indeed, sir, there never was any misery like theirs. Like whose child, said all worthy, what do you mean? Oh, sir, answered Tom, your poor gamekeeper with all his large family, ever since your discarding him, have been perishing with all the miseries of cold and hunger. I could not bear to see those poor wretches naked and starving and at the same time know myself to have been the occasion of all their sufferings. I could not bear it, sir, upon my soul I could not. Here the tears run down his cheeks, and he thus proceeded. It was to save them from absolute destruction I parted with your dear present, notwithstanding all the value I had for it. I sold the horse for them, and they have every farthing of the money. Mr. Allworthy now stood silent for some moments, and before he spoke the tears started from his eyes. He at length dismissed Tom with a gentle rebuke, advising him for the future to apply to him in cases of distress, rather than to use extraordinary means of relieving them himself. This affair was afterwards the subject of much debate between Thwackam and Square. Thwackam held that this was flying in Mr. Allworthy's face, who had intended to punish the fellow for his disobedience. He said in some instances what the world called charity appeared to him to be opposing the will of the Almighty, which had marked some particular person for destruction, and that this was in like manner acting in opposition to Mr. Allworthy, concluding as usual with a hearty recommendation of Birch. Square argued strongly on the other side, in opposition perhaps to Mr. Thwackam, or in compliance with Mr. Allworthy, who seemed very much to approve what Jones had done. As to what he urged on this occasion, as I am convinced most of my readers will be much abler advocates for poor Jones, it would be impertinent to relate it. Indeed, it was not difficult to reconcile to the rule of right, an action which it would have been impossible to deduce from the rule of wrong. CHAPTER IX Containing an incident of a more heinous kind with the comments of Thwackam and Square. It hath been observed by some man of much greater reputation for wisdom than myself, that misfortune seldom come single. An instance of this may, I believe, be seen in those gentlemen who have the misfortune to have any of their rogueries detected. For here discovery seldom stops till the whole is come out. Thus it happened to poor Tom, who was no sooner pardoned for selling the horse than he was discovered to have some time before sold a fine Bible, which Mr. Allworthy gave him, the money arising from which sale he had disposed in the same manner. This Bible, Master Bliffill had purchased, though he had already such another of his own, partly out of respect for the book and partly out of friendship to Tom, being unwilling that the Bible should be sold out of the family at half price. He therefore deposited the said half price himself, for he was a very prudent lad and so careful of his money that he had laid up almost every penny which he had received from Mr. Allworthy. Some people have been noted to be able to read in no book but their own. On the contrary, from the time when Master Bliffill was first possessed of this Bible, he never used any other. Nay, he was seen reading in it much oftener than he had before been in his own. Now, as he frequently asked Thwackam to explain difficult passages to him, that gentleman unfortunately took notice of Tom's name, which was written in many parts of the book. This brought on an inquiry which obliged Master Bliffill to discover the whole matter. Thwackam was resolved a crime of this kind which he called sacrilege should not go unpunished. He therefore proceeded immediately to castigation and not contented with that, he acquainted Mr. Allworthy at their next meeting with this monstrous crime as it appeared to him, invading against Tom in the most bitter terms and likening him to the buyers and sellers who were driven out of the temple. Square saw this matter in a very different light. He said he could not perceive any higher crime in selling one book than in selling another, that to sell Bibles was strictly lawful by all laws both divine and human, and consequently there was no unfitness in it. He told Thwackam that his great concern on this occasion brought to mind the story of a very devout woman who, out of pure regard to religion, stole tillets and sermons from a lady of her acquaintance. This story caused a vast quantity of blood to rush into the parson's face, which of itself was none of the palest, and he was going to reply with great warmth and anger had not Mrs. Bliffill, who was present at this debate, interposed. That lady declared herself absolutely of Mr. Square's side. She argued indeed very learnedly in support of his opinion and concluded with saying, if Tom had been guilty of any fault, she must confess her own son appeared to be equally culpable. For that she could see no difference between the buyer and the seller, both of whom were alike to be driven out of the temple. Mrs. Bliffill, having declared her opinion, put an end to the debate. Square's triumph would almost have stopped his words had he needed them, and Thwackam, besides that, for reasons before mentioned, he durst not venture at disablaging the lady, was almost choked with indignation. Then to Mr. Allworthy, he said, since the boy had been already punished, he would not deliver his sentiments on the occasion, and whether he was or was not angry with the lad, I must leave to the reader's own conjecture. Soon after this an action was brought against the gamekeeper by Square Western, the gentleman in whose manner the partridge was killed, for depredations of the like kind. This was a most unfortunate circumstance for the fellow, and it not only of itself threatened his ruin, but actually prevented Mr. Allworthy from restoring him to his favour. For as that gentleman was walking out one evening with Master Bliffill and young Jones, the latter slyly drew him to the habitation of Black George, where the family of that poor wretch, namely his wife and children, were found in all the misery with which cold, hunger, and nakedness could affect human creatures. For as to the money they had received from Jones, former debts had consumed almost the whole. Such a scene as this could not fail of affecting the heart of Mr. Allworthy. He immediately gave the mother a couple of guineas with which he bid her clothe her children. The poor woman burst into tears at this goodness, and while she was thanking him, could not refrain from expressing her gratitude to Tom, who had, she said, long preserved both her and hers from starving. We have not, says she, had a morsel to eat, nor have these poor children had a rag to put on, but what his goodness hath bestowed on us. For indeed, besides the horse and the Bible, Tom had sacrificed a nightgown and other things to the use of this distressed family. On their return home, Tom made use of all his eloquence to display the wretchedness of these people and the penitence of Black George himself, and in this he succeeded so well that Mr. Allworthy said he thought the man had suffered enough for what was past, that he would forgive him and think of some means of providing for him and his family. Jones was so delighted with this news that though it was dark when they returned home, he could not help going back a mile in a shower of rain to acquaint the poor woman with the glad tidings. But, like other hasty divulges of news, he only brought on himself the trouble of contradicting it, for the ill fortune of Black George made use of the very opportunity of his friend's absence to overturn all again. But he has greatly exceeded him in one of a much higher kind, namely injustice, in which he followed both the precepts and example of Thwackam and Square. For though they would both make frequent use of the word mercy, yet it was plain that in reality Square held it to be inconsistent with the rule of right, and Thwackam was for doing justice and leaving Mercy to heaven. The two gentlemen did indeed somewhat differ in opinion concerning the objects of this sublime virtue, by which Thwackam would probably have destroyed one half of mankind than Square the other half. Master Blyphil then, though he had kept silence in the presence of Jones, yet when he had better considered the matter, could by no means endure the thought of suffering his uncle to confer favours on the undeserving. He therefore resolved immediately to acquaint him with the fact which we have above slightly hinted to readers, the truth of which was as follows. The gamekeeper, about a year after he was dismissed from Mr Allworthy's service, and before Tom selling the horse, being in want of bread, either to fill his own mouth or those of his family, as he passed through a field belonging to Mr Western, inspired a hare sitting in her form. This hare he had basically and barbarously knocked on the head against the laws of the land, and no less against the laws of sportsmen. The higgler to whom the hare was sold, being unfortunately taken many months after with a quantity of game upon him, was obliged to make his peace with the Squire by becoming evidence against some poacher. And now Black George was pitched upon by him as being a person already obnoxious to Mr Western, and one of no good fame in the country. He was, besides, the best sacrifice the higgler could make, as he had supplied him with no game since, and by this means the witness had an opportunity of screening his better customers. For the Squire, being charmed with the power of punishing Black George, whom a single transgression was sufficient to ruin, made no further inquiry. Had this fact been truly laid before Mr Allworthy, it might probably have done the gamekeeper very little mischief. But there is no zeal blinder than that which is inspired with the love of justice against offenders. Master Blifill had forgot the distance of the time. He varied likewise in the manner of the fact, and by the hasty addition of the single letter S, he considerably altered the story. For he said that George had wired hares. These alterations might probably have been set right. Had not Master Blifill unluckily insisted on a promise of secrecy from Mr Allworthy before he revealed the matter to him? But by that means the poor gamekeeper was condemned without having any opportunity to defend himself. For as the fact of killing the hare and of the action brought were certainly true, Mr Allworthy had no doubt concerning the rest. Short lived then was the joy of these poor people, for Mr Allworthy the next morning declared he had fresh reason without assigning it for his anger and strictly forbade Tom to mention George any more. Though as for his family, he said he would endeavour to keep them from starving. But as to the fellow himself, he would leave him to the laws which nothing could keep him from breaking. Tom could by no means divine what had incensed Mr Allworthy for of Master Blifill he had not the least suspicion. However, as his friendship was to be tired out by no disappointments, he now determined to try another method of preserving the poor gamekeeper from ruin. Jones was lately grown very intimate with Mr Weston. He had so greatly recommended himself to that gentleman by leaping over five barred gates and by other acts of sportsmanship that the squire had declared Tom would certainly make a great man if he had but sufficient encouragement. He often wished he had himself a son with such parts and one day very solemnly asserted at a drinking bout that Tom should hunt a pack of hounds for a thousand pound of his money with any huntsman in the whole county. By such kind of talents, he had so ingratiated himself with the squire that he was a most welcome guest at his table and a favourite companion in his sport. Everything which the squire held most dear to wit his guns, dogs and horses were now as much at the command of Jones as if they had been his own. He resolved therefore to make use of this favour on behalf of his friend Black George whom he hoped to introduce into Mr Weston's family in the same capacity in which he had before served Mr Allworthy. If he considers that this fellow was already obnoxious to Mr Weston and if he considers father the weighty business by which that gentleman's displeasure had been incurred, we'll perhaps condemn this as a foolish and desperate undertaking. But if he should not totally condemn young Jones on that account, he will greatly applaud him for strengthening himself with all imaginable interest on so arduous an occasion. For the purpose then Tom applied to Mr Weston's daughter a young lady of about 17 years of age whom her father, next after those necessary implements of sport just before mentioned loved and esteemed above all the world. Now as she had some influence on the squire so Tom had some little influence on her but this being the intended heroine of this work a lady with whom we are ourselves greatly in love and with whom many of our readers will probably be in love too before we part. It is by no means proper she should make her appearance at the end of a book. Tom Jones by Henry Fielding Book 4 Containing the Time of the Year Chapter 1 Containing five pages of paper as truth distinguishes our writing from those idle romances which are filled with monsters the productions not of nature but of distempered brains and which have been therefore recommended by an eminent critic to the sole use of the pastry cook. So on the other hand we would avoid any resemblance to that kind of history which a celebrated poet seems to think is no less calculated for the emolument of the brewer as the reading it should be always attended with a tankard of good ale while history with her comrade ale soothes the sad series of her serious tale for as this is the liquor of modern historians nay perhaps their muse if we may believe the opinion of Butler who attributes inspiration to ale had ought likewise to be the quotation of their readers since every book ought to be read with the same spirit and in the same manner as it is writ. Thus the famous author of El Trumbo told a learned bishop that the reason his lordship could not taste the excellence of his piece was that he did not read it with a fiddle in his hand which instrument himself had always had in his own when he composed it that our work therefore might be in no danger of being likened to the labors of these historians we have taken every occasion of interspersing through the whole slundery similes descriptions and other kinds of poetical embellishments these are indeed designed to supply the place of the said ale and to refresh the mind whenever those slumbers which in a long work are apt to invade the reader as well as the writer shall begin to creep upon him without interruptions of this kind the best narrative of plain matter of act must overpower every reader for nothing but the everlasting watchfulness which Homer has ascribed only to Jove himself can be proof against a newspaper of many volumes we shall leave to the reader to determine with what judgment we have chosen the several occasions for inserting those ornamental parts of our work surely it will be allowed that none could be more proper than the present where we are about to introduce a considerable character on the scene no less indeed than the heroine of this heroic historical prosaic poem here therefore we have thought proper to prepare the mind of the reader for our reception by filling it with every pleasing image which we can draw from the face of nature and for this method we plead many precedents first this is an art well known to and much practiced by our tragic poets who seldom fail to prepare their audience for the reception of their principal characters thus the hero is always introduced with a flourish of drums and trumpets in order to rouse a martial spirit in the audience and to accommodate their ears to bombast and question which Mr. Locke's blind man would not have grossly aired in likening to the sound of a trumpet again when lovers are coming forth soft music often conducts them on the stage either to soothe the audience with the softness of the tender fashion or to lull and prepare them for that gentle slumber in which they will most probably be composed by the ensuing scene and not only the poets but the masters of these poets the managers of playhouses seem to be in the secret for besides the aforesaid kettle drums etc which denote the hero's approach he is generally ushered on the stage by a large group of half a dozen scene-shifters and how necessary these are imagined to his appearance may be concluded from the following theatrical story King Beerus was at dinner at an ale house bordering on the theatre when he was summoned to go on the stage the hero being unwilling to quit his shoulder of mutton and is unwilling to drop on himself the indignation of Mr. Wilkes, his brother-manager for making the audience wait had bribed these his harbingers to be out of the way while Mr. Wilkes therefore was thundering out where are the carpenters to walk on before King Beerus? that monarch very quietly ate his mutton and the audience however impatient were obliged to entertain themselves with music in his absence to be plain I much question whether the politician who hath generally a good nose hath not sent it out somewhat of the utility of this practice I am convinced that awful magistrate, my Lord Mayor contracts a good deal of that reverence which attends him through the year by the several pageants which precede his prompt nay I must confess that even I myself who am not remarkably liable to be captivated with show hath yielded not a little to the impressions of much-perceiving state when I have seen a man strutting in a procession after others whose business was only to walk before him I have conceived a higher notion of his dignity than I have felt on seeing him in a common situation but there is one instance which comes exactly up to my purpose this is the custom of sending out a basket woman who is to proceed the pomp at a coronation and to strew the stage with flowers before the great personages begin their procession the audience would certainly have invoked the goddess Florida for this purpose and it would have been no difficulty for their priests or politicians to have persuaded the people of the real presence of the deity though a plain mortal had personated her and performed her office but we have no such design of imposing on our reader and therefore those who object to the heathen theology may, if they please, change our goddess into the above-mentioned basket woman our intention in short is to introduce our heroine with the utmost solemnity in our power with an elevation of style and all other circumstances proper to raise the veneration of our reader indeed we would for certain causes advise those of our male readers who have any hearts to read no further or we not well assured that our amiable so ever the picture of our heroine will appear as it is really a copy from nature many of our fair country women will be found worthy to satisfy any passion and to answer any idea of female perfection which our pencil will be able to raise and now without any further preface we proceed to our next chapter to a short end of what we can do in the sublime and a description of Miss Sophia Western hushed be every rudor breath may they even ruler of the winds continue in iron chains the boisterous limbs of noisy boreas and the sharp pointed nose of bitter biting urus do thou, sweet Zephyrus, rising from thy fragrant bed mount the western sky and lead on those delicious gales the charms of which call forth the lovely flora from her chamber perfumed with burly dews when on the first of June her birthday the blooming maid in lucid tire gently trips it over the verdant mead where every flower rises to do her homage till the old field becomes enameled and colors contend with sweets which shall ravish her most so charming may she now appear and you the feathered choristers of nature her sweetest notes not even handle can excel tune your melodious throats to celebrate her appearance from love precede your music and to love it returns awaken therefore that gentle passion in every's wane for low adorned with all the charms in which nature can array her bedecked with beauty, youth, sprightliness, innocence modesty and tenderness breathing sweetness from her rosy lips and darting brightness from her sparkling eyes the lovelies of fear comes reader, perhaps thou hast seen the statue of the Venus de Medeces perhaps too thou hast seen the gallery of beauties at Amdencourt thou mayst remember each bright Churchill on the galaxy and all the toasts of the Kit Kat or if their reign was before thy times at least thou hast seen their daughters the no less dazzling beauties of the present day choose names shall we hear insert we apprehend they would fill the whole volume now if thou hast seen all these be not afraid of the rude answer which Lord Rochester once gave to a man who had seen many things no if thou hast seen all these without knowing what beauty is thou hast no eyes if without feeling its power thou hast no heart yet it is possible my friend that thou mayst have seen all these without being able to form an exact idea of Sophia for she did not exactly resemble any of these she was most like the picture of Lady Ranallay and I have heard more still to the famous Duchess of Mazarin but most of all she resembled one whose image never can depart from my breast and whom if thou dost remember thou hast then, my friend, an adequate idea of Sophia but lest this should not have been thy fortune we will endeavor with our utmost skill to describe this barragon though we are sensible that our highest abilities are very inadequate to the task Sophia then, the only daughter of Mr. Western was a middle-sized woman but rather inclining too tall her shape was not only exact but extremely delicate and the nice proportion of her arms promised the truest symmetry in her limbs her hair, which was black, was so luxuriant that it reached her middle before she cut it to comply with the modern fashion and it was now curled so gracefully in her neck that few could believe it to be her own if envy could find any part of the face which demanded less commendation than the rest it might possibly think her forehead might have been higher without prejudice to her her eyebrows were full, even and arched beyond the power of art to imitate her black eyes had a luster in them which all her softness could not extinguish her nose was exactly regular and her mouth in which were two rows of ivory exactly answered Sir John Suckling's description in those lines her lips were red and one was thin compared to that was next to her chin she had stung it newly her cheeks were of the oval kind and in her right she had a dimple which the least smile discovered her chin had certainly its share of forming the beauty of her face but it was difficult to say it was either large or small that perhaps it was rather of the former kind her complexion had rather more of the lily than the rose but when exercise or modesty increased her natural color no vermilion could equal it then one might indeed cry out with the celebrated Dr. Dunn her pure and eloquent blood spoke in her cheeks and so distinctly wrought that one might almost say her body thought her neck was long and finally turned and dear, if I was not afraid of offending her delicacy I might justly say the highest beauties of the famous venus dimeticis were outdone here was whiteness which no lilies ivory nor alabaster could match the finest cambrick might indeed be supposed from envy to cover that bosom which was much whiter than itself it was indeed nighter's splendence pario mamore porius a glass shining beyond the purest brightness of barian marble such was the outside of Sophia nor was this beautiful frame disgraced by its inhabitants unworthy of it her mind was every way equal to her person nay the latter borrowed some charms from the former for when she smiled the sweetness of her temper diffused that glory over her countenance which no regularity of features can give but as there are no perfections of the mind which do not discover themselves in that perfect intimacy to which we intend to introduce our reader with this charming young creature so it is needless to mention Lamire nay it is a kind of tacit affront to our reader's understanding and may also rob him of that pleasure which he will receive informing his own judgment of her character it may, however, be proper to say that whatever mental accomplishment she had derived from nature they were somewhat improved and cultivated by art for she had been educated under the care of an aunt who was a lady of great discretion and was thoroughly acquainted with the world having lived in her youth about the court when she had retired some years since into the country by her conversation and instructions Sophia was perfectly well bred though perhaps she wanted a little of that ease in her behaviour which is to be acquired only by habit and living within what is called the polite circle but this, to say the truth, is often duly purchased and though it hath charms so inexpressible that the French, perhaps, among other qualities mean to express this when they declare they know not what it is yet its absence is well compensated by innocence nor can good sense and a natural gentility ever stand in need of it Chapter 3 where in the history goes back to commemorate a trifling incident that happened some years since but which, trifling as it was, had some future consequences the amiable Sophia was now in her 18th year when she is introduced into this history her father, as hath been said was funner of her than of any other human creature to her, therefore, Tom Jones applied in order to engage her interest on the behalf of his friend the Gamekeeper but before we proceed to this business a short recapitulation of some previous matters may be necessary though the different tempos of Mr. Alworthy and of Mr. Weston did not admit of a very intimate correspondence yet they lived upon what is called a decent footing together by which means the young people of both families had been acquainted from their infancy and as they were all near the same age had been frequent playmates together the gayity of Tom's temper suited better with Sophia than the grave and sober disposition of Master Bluffill and the preference which he gave the former of these which often appears so plainly that a lad of a more passionate term than Master Bluffill was might have shown some displeasure at it as he did not, however outwardly express any such disgust it would be an ill-office in us to pay a visit in the inmost recesses of his mind as some scandalous people search into the most secret affairs of their friends and often pry into their closets and cupboards only to discover their poverty and meanness to the world however, as persons who suspect they have given others cause of offense are apt to conclude they are offended so Sophia imputed an action of Master Bluffill to his anger which the superior sagacity of Blackham and Square discerned to have arisen from a much better principle Tom Jones, when very young had presented Sophia with a little bird which he had taken from the nest had no step and taught to sing of this bird Sophia then about thirteen years old was so extremely fond that her chief business was to feed and tend it and a chief pleasure to play with it by these means little Tommy for so the bird was called was become so tame that it would feed out of the hand of its mistress would burt upon the finger and lie contented in her bosom where it seemed almost sensible of its own happiness though she always kept a small string about its leg nor would ever trust it with the liberty of flying away one day when Mr. Allworthy and his whole family dined at Mr. Weston's master Bluffill being in the garden with little Sophia and observing the extreme fondness that she showed for her little bird desired her to trust it for a moment in his hands Sophia presently complied with the young gentleman's request and after some previous caution delivered him her bird of which he was no sooner in possession then he slipped the string from its leg and tossed it into the air the foolish animal no sooner perceived itself at liberty than forgetting all the favors it had received from Sophia it flew directly from her and burged on a bow at some distance Sophia seeing her bird gone screamed out so loud that Tom Jones who was at a little distance immediately ran to her assistance he was no sooner informed of what had happened then he cursed Bluffill for a pitiful malicious rascal and then immediately stripping off his coat he applied himself to climbing the tree to which the bird escaped Tom had almost recovered his little namesake when the brown John Witcher was purged and that hung over a canal broke and the poor lad plumped over head and ears into the water Sophia's concern now changed its object and as she apprehended the boy's life was in danger he screamed ten times louder than before and indeed master Bluffill himself now seconded with all the vociferation in his power the company who was sitting in a room next to the garden were instantly alarmed and came all forth but just as they reached the canal Tom for the water was luckily pretty shallow in that part arrived safely on shore Blackem fell violently on board Tom who stood dropping and shivering before him when Mr. Allworthy desired him turning to master Bluffill said for a child what is the reason of all this disturbance master Bluffill answered indeed uncle I am very sorry for what I have done I have been unhappily the occasion of it all I had Mr. Sophia's bird in my hand and thinking the poor creature languished for liberty I own I could not forbear giving it what it desired for I always thought there was something very cruel in confining anything to be against the law of nature by which everything had the right to liberty nay it is even un-Christian for it is not doing what we would be done by but if I had imagined Mr. Sophia would have been so much concerned at it I am sure I never would have done it nay if I had known what would have happened to the bird itself for when master Jones who climbed up that tree after it fell into the water the bird took a second flight and presently a nasty hawk carried it away poor Sophia who now first heard of her little Tommy's fate for her concern for Jones had prevented her perceiving it when it happened shed a shower of tears these Mr. Allworthy endeavored to his wage promising her a much finer bird but she declared she would never have another her father jitter for crying so for a foolish bird but could not help telling young Bluffin if he was his son of his his backside would be well-fleared Sophia now returned to her chamber the two young gentlemen were sent home and the rest of the company returned to their bottle were a conversation ensued on the subject of the bird so curious that we think it deserves a chapter by itself end of section 11 section 12 of Tom Jones this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this recording is by Mark Smith of some civil South Carolina Tom Jones by Henry Fielding Book 4, Chapter 4 containing such very deep engraved matters that some readers perhaps may not relish it Square ahead no sooner lighted his pipe than addressing himself to Allworthy he thus began Sir, I cannot help congratulating you on your nephew who, at an age when few lads have any ideas but of sensible objects is arrived at a capacity of distinguishing right from wrong to confine anything seems to me against the law of nature by which everything hath a right to liberty these were his words and the impression they have made on me is never to be eradicated can any man have a higher notion of the rule of right and the eternal fitness of things I cannot help promising myself from such a dawn that the meridian of this youth will be equal to that of either the elder or the younger Brutus here Thwackam hastily interrupted and spilling some of his wine and swallowing the rest eagerness answered from another expression he made use of I hope he will resemble much better man the law of nature is a jargon of words which means nothing I know not of any such law nor of any right which can be derived from it to do as we would be done by is indeed a Christian motive as the boy well expressed himself and I am glad to find my instructions have borne such good fruit if vanity was a thing fit I might indulge some on the same occasion for whence only he can have learned his notions of right or wrong I think is pretty apparent if there be no law of nature there is no right nor wrong how says the parson do you then banish revelation and drink about says western pox on your laws of nature I don't know what you mean either of you by right and wrong to take away my girl's bird was wrong in my opinion and my neighbor all worthy may do as he pleases but to encourage boys in such practice is to breed them up to the gallows all worthy answered that he was sorry for what his nephew had done but could not consent to punish him as he acted rather from a generous than unworthy motive he said if the boy had stolen the bird none would have been more ready to vote for a severe chastisement than himself but it was plain that was not his design and indeed it was as apparent to him that he could have no other view but what he had himself avowed to that malicious purpose which Sophia suspected it never once entered into the head of Mr. Allworthy he at length concluded with again blaming the action as inconsiderate and which he said was pardonable only in a child Square had delivered his opinion so openly that if he was now silent he must submit to have his judgment censured he said therefore with some warmth that Mr. Allworthy had too much respect to the dirty consideration of property that in passing our judgments on great and mighty actions all private regard should be laid aside for by adhering to those narrow rules the younger brutus had been condemned of ingratitude and the elder of parasite and if they had been hanged too for those crimes cried thwack'em had no more than their desserts a couple of heathenish villains heaven be praised we have no brutuses nowadays I wish Mr. Square that you would desist from filling the minds of my pupils with such anti-christian stuff for the consequence must be while they are under my care it's being well scourged out of them again there is your disciple Tom almost spoiled already I overheard him the other day disputing with Mr. Bliffill that there was no merit in faith without works I know that is one of your tenets and I suppose he had it from you don't accuse me of spoiling him says Square who taught him to laugh at whatever is virtuous and decent and fit in right in the nature of things he is your own scholar and I disclaim him to know Mr. Bliffill is my boy young as he is that lads notion of moral rectitude I defy you ever to eradicate thwack'em put on a contemptuous sneer at this and replied I, I, I will venture him with you he is too well grounded for all your philosophical can't to hurt no, no, I have taken care to instill such principles into him and instilled principles into him too cries Square what but the sublime idea of virtue could inspire a human mind with a generous thought of giving liberty and I repeat to you again if it was a fit thing to be proud I might claim the honor of having infuse that idea and if pride was not forbidden said thwack'em I might boast of having taught him that duty which he himself assigned he's motive so between you both says the Squire the young gentleman hath been taught to rob my daughter of her bird I find I must take care of my partridge mew I shall have some virtuous religious man or other set all my partridges at liberty then slapping a gentleman of the law who was present on the back he cried out what say you to this Mr. Counselor against law the lawyer with great gravity delivered himself as follows if the case be put of a partridge there can be no doubt but an action would lie for though this be ferre nature yet being reclaimed property vests but being the case of a singing bird though reclaimed as it is a thing of base nature it must be considered as nulious in bonus in this case therefore I conceive the plaintiff must be non-suited and I should dis-advise the bringing of any such action well says the Squire if it be null as bonus let us drink about and talk a little of the state of the nation or some such discourse that we all understand for I am sure I don't understand a word of this it may be learning in sense for ought I know but you shall never persuade me into it pox you have neither of you mentioned a word of that poor lad who deserves to be commended to venture breaking his neck to oblige my girl was a generous spirited action I have learning enough to see that damn me here's Tom's health I shall love the boy for it the longest day I have to live thus was the debate interrupted but it would probably had been soon resumed had not Mr. Allworthy presently called for his coach and carried off the two combatants such was the conclusion of this adventure of the bird and of the dialogue occasioned by it which we could not help recounting to our reader though it happens some years before that stage or period of time at which our history is now arrived End of Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Life containing matter accommodated to every taste Parva leves capion animus small things affect light minds was the sentiment of a great master of the passion of love and certain it is that from this day Sophia began to have some little kindness for Tom Jones and no little aversion for his companion many accidents from time to time improve both these passions in her breast which without our recounting the reader may well conclude from what we have before hinted of the different tempers of these lads and how much the one suited with her own inclinations more than the other to say the truth Sophia when very young discern that Tom though an idle thoughtless rattling rascal was nobody's enemy but his own and that master Blythill though a prudent discreet sober young gentleman was at the same time strongly attached to the interest of only one single person and who that single person was the reader will be able to divine without any assistance of ours these two characters are not always received in the world with a different regard which seems severally due to either and which one would imagine from self-interest should show towards them but perhaps there may be a political reason for it in finding one of a truly benevolent disposition men may very reasonably suppose they have found a treasure and be desirous of keeping it like all other good things to themselves hence they may imagine that to trumpet forth the praises of such a person would be crying roast meat and calling in partakers of what they intend to apply solely to their own use if this reason does not satisfy the reader I know no other means of accounting for the little respect which I have commonly seen paid to a character which really does great honor to human nature and is productive of the highest good to society but it was otherwise with Sophia she honored Tom Jones and scorn master Bliffville almost as soon as she knew the meaning of those two words Sophia had been absent upwards of three years with her aunt during all which time she had seldom seen either of these young gentlemen she dined however once together with her aunt at Mr. Alworthy's this was a few days after the adventure of the partridge Sophia heard the whole story at table where she said nothing nor indeed could her aunt get many words from her as she returned home but her maid when undressing her happened to say well miss I suppose you have seen young master Bliffville today she answered with much passion I hate the name of master Bliffville as I do whatever is base and treacherous and I wonder Mr. Alworthy for that old barbarous school master to punish a poor boy so cruelly for what was only the effect of his good nature she then recounted the story to her maid and concluded with saying don't you think he is a boy of noble spirit this young lady was now returned to her father who gave her the command of his house and placed her at the upper end of his table where Tom who for his great love of planting was become a great favor to the squire often dined young men of open generous dispositions are naturally inclined to gallantry which if they have good understandings as was in reality Tom's case exerts itself in an obliging complacent behavior to all women in general this greatly distinguished Tom from the boisterous brutality of mere country squires on the one hand and from the solemn and somewhat sullen deportment of master Bliffville on the other and he began now at twenty to have the name of a pretty fellow among all the women in the neighborhood Tom behaved to Sophia with no particularity unless perhaps by showing her a higher respect than he paid to any other this distinction her beauty fortune sense and amiable carriage seemed to demand but as to design upon her person he had none for which we shall at present suffer the reader to condemn him of stupidity but perhaps we shall be able indifferently well to account for it hereafter Sophia with the highest degree of innocence and modesty had a remarkable sprightliness in her temper this was so greatly increased whenever she was in company with Tom that had he not been very young and thoughtless he must have observed it or had not Mr. Western's thoughts been generally either in the field the stable or the dog kennel it might have perhaps created some jealousy in him but so far was the good gentleman from entertaining any such suspicions that he gave Tom every opportunity with his daughter which any lover could have wished and this Tom innocently improved to better advantage by following only the dictates of his natural gallantry and good nature then he might perhaps have done had he had the deepest designs on the young lady but indeed it can occasion little wonder that this matter escaped the observation of others since poor Sophia herself never remarked it and her heart was irretrievably lost before she suspected it was a matter matters were in this situation when Tom one afternoon finding Sophia alone began after a short apology with a very serious face to acquaint her that he had a favor to ask of her which he hoped her goodness would comply with though neither the young man's behavior nor indeed his manner of opening this business was such as could give her any just cause of suspecting to make love to her yet whether nature whispered something into her ear or from what cause it arose I will not determine certain it is some idea of that guy must have intruded itself for her color for sook her cheeks her limbs trembled and her tongue would have faltered had Tom stopped for an answer but he soon relieved her from her perplexity by proceeding to inform her of his request which was to solicit her interest on behalf of the gamekeeper whose own ruin and that of a large family must be he said the consequence of Mr. Western's pursuing his action against him Sophia presently recovered her confusion and with a smile full of sweetness said is this the mighty favor you asked with so much gravity I will do it with all my heart I really pity the poor fellow and no longer ago than yesterday sent a small matter to his wife this small matter was one of her gowns some linen and ten shillings in money which Tom had heard and it had in reality put this solicitation into his head our youth now emboldened with his success resolved to push the matter farther and ventured even to beg her recommendation of him to her father's service protesting that he thought him one of the honestest fellows in the country and extremely well qualified for the place of a gamekeeper which luckily then happened to be vacant Sophia answered well, I will undertake this too but I cannot promise you as much success as in the former part which I assure you I will not quit my father without obtaining however I will do what I can for the poor fellow for I sincerely look upon him and his family as objects of great compassion and now Mr. Jones I must ask you a favour a favour madam cries Tom if you knew the pleasure you have given me and the hopes of receiving a command from you you would think by mentioning it you did confer the greatest favour on me with this dear hand I would sacrifice my life to oblige you he then snatched her hand and eagerly kissed it which was the first time his lips had ever touched her the blood which before had forsaken her cheeks now made her sufficient amends by rushing all over her face and neck with such violence that they became all of a scarlet colour she now first felt a sensation to which it had been before a stranger and which, when she had leisure to reflect on it began to acquaint her with some secrets which the reader if he doth not already guest them will know in due time Sophia as soon as she could speak which was not instantly informed him that the favour she had to desire of him was not to lead her father through so many dangers in hunting that from what she had heard she was terribly frightened every time they went out together and expected some day or other to see her father brought home with broken limbs she therefore begged him for her sake to be more cautious and as he well knew Mr. Western would follow him not to ride so madly nor to take those dangerous leaps for the future Tom promised faithfully and after thanking her for her kind compliance with his request took his leave and departed highly charmed with his success poor Sophia was charmed too but in a very different way her sensations however the reader's heart if he or she have any will better represent than I can if I had as many mouths as ever poet wished for to eat I suppose those many dainties with which he was so plentifully provided it was Mr. Western's custom every afternoon as soon as he was drunk to hear his daughter play on the harpsichord for he was a great lover of music and perhaps had he lived in town might have passed for a connoisseur for he always accepted against the finest compositions of Mr. Handel he never relished any music but what was light and airy and indeed his most favorite tunes were Old Sir Simon the King St. George he was for England Bobbing Joan and some others his daughter though she was a perfect mistress of music and would never willingly have played any but Handel's was so devoted to her father's pleasure that she learned all those tunes to oblige him however she would now and then endeavor to lead him into her own taste and when he required the repetition of his ballads would answer with a nay dear sir and would often beg him to suffer her to play something else this evening however when the gentleman was retired from his bottle she played all his favorites three times over without any solicitation this so pleased the good squire that he started from this couch and gave his daughter a kiss and swore her hand was greatly improved she took this opportunity to execute her promise to Tom in which she succeeded so well that the squire declared if she would give him the other bout of Old Sir Simon he would give the gamekeeper his deputation the next morning Sir Simon was played again and again till the charms of the music soothed Mr. to sleep in the morning Sophia did not fail to remind him of his engagement and his attorney was immediately sent for ordered to stop any further proceedings in the action and to make out the deputation Tom's success in this affair soon began to ring over the country and various were the censures passed upon it some greatly applauding it as an act of good nature saying no wonder that one idle fellow should love another young Blithfield was greatly enraged at it he had long hated Black George in the same proportion as Jones delighted in him not from any offence which he had ever received but from his great love to religion and virtue for Black George had the reputation of a loose kind and Mr. Alworthy's face and declared with great concern that it was impossible to find any other motive for doing good to such a wretch Thwackum and Square likewise sung to the same tune they were now, especially the latter, become greatly jealous of young Jones with the widow for he now approached the age of twenty was really a fine young fellow and that lady by her encouragement to him seemed daily more and more to think him so Alworthy was not, however moved with their malice he declared himself very well satisfied with what Jones had done he said the perseverance and integrity of his friendship was highly commendable and he wished he could see more frequent instances of that virtue but fortune whose seldom such sparks as my friend Tom perhaps because they do not pay more ardent addresses to her gave now a very different turn to all his actions and showed them to Mr. Alworthy in a light far less agreeable than that gentleman's goodness had hitherto seen them in End of Chapter 5 Chapter 6 an apology for the insensibility of Mr. Jones to all the charms of Sophia in which possibly we may in a considerable degree lower his character in the estimation of those men of wit and gallantry who approve the heroes in most of our modern comedies there are two sorts of people who I am afraid have already conceived some contempt for my hero on account of his behavior to Sophia the former of these will blame his prudence in neglecting possessing self of Mr. Western's fortune and the latter will no less despise him for his backwardness to so find a girl who seemed ready to fly into his arms if he would open them to receive her now though I shall not perhaps be able absolutely to acquit him of either of these charges for want of prudence admits of no excuse and what I shall produce against the charge will I apprehend be scarce satisfactory yet as evidence may sometimes be offered in mitigation I shall set forth the plain matter of fact and lead the whole to the reader's determination Mr. Jones had somewhat about him which though I think writers are not thoroughly agreed in its name does certainly inhabit some human breasts whose use is not so properly to distinguish right from wrong as to prompt and incite them to the former and to restrain and withhold them from the latter this somewhat may be indeed resembled to the famous trunk maker in the playhouse for whenever the person who is possessed of it doth what is right no ravished or friendly spectator is so eager or so loud in his applause on the contrary when he doth wrong no critic is so apt to hiss and explode him to give a higher idea of the principle I mean as well as one more familiar to the present age it may be considered as sitting on its throne in the mind like the Lord High Chancellor of this kingdom in his court where it presides governs directs judges acquits and condemns according to merit injustice with a knowledge which nothing escapes a penetration which nothing can deceive and an integrity which nothing can corrupt this active principle may perhaps be said to constitute the most essential barrier between us and our neighbors the brutes for if there be some in the human shape who are not under any such dominion I choose rather to consider them as deserters from us to our neighbors among whom they will have the fate of deserters and not be placed in the first rank our hero whether he derived it from Thwackam or Square I will not determine was very strongly under the guidance of this principle for though he did not always act rightly yet he never did otherwise without feeling and suffering for it it was this which taught him that to repay the civilities and little friendships of hospitality robbing the house where you have received them is to be the basest and meanest of thieves he did not think the baseness of this offense lessened by the height of the injury committed on the contrary if to steal another's plate deserved death and infamy it seemed to him difficult to assign a punishment adequate to the robbing a man of his whole fortune and of his child into the bargain this principle therefore prevented him from any thought of making his fortune by such means for this as I have said is an active principle and doth not content itself with knowledge or belief only had he been greatly enamored of Sophia he possibly might have thought otherwise but give me leave to say there is great difference between running away with a man's daughter from the motive of love and doing the same thing of theft now though this young gentleman was not insensible of the charms of Sophia though he greatly liked her beauty and esteemed all her other qualifications she had made however no deep impression on his heart for which as it renders him liable to the charge of stupidity or at least want of taste we shall now proceed to account the truth then is his heart was in the possession of another woman here I question not but the reader will be surprised at our long taciturnity as to this matter and quite at a loss to define who this woman was since we have hitherto not dropped a hint of anyone likely to be a rival to Sophia for as to Mrs. Blyphil though we have been obliged to mention some suspicions of her affection for Tom to give in the least latitude for imagining that he had any for her and indeed I am sorry to say it but the youth of both sexes are too apt to be deficient in their gratitude for that regard with which persons more advanced in years are sometimes so kind to honor them that the reader may be no longer in suspense he will be pleased to remember that we have often mentioned in the Seagram commonly called Black George the gamekeeper which consisted at present of a wife and five children the second of these children was a daughter whose name was Molly and who was esteemed one of the handsomest girls in the whole country Congrave well says that there is in true beauty something which vulgar souls cannot admire so can no dirt or rags which are not of the vulgar stamp the beauty of this girl made however no impression on Tom till she grew towards the age of sixteen when Tom who was near three years older began first to cast the eyes of affection upon her and this affection he had fixed on the girl long before he could bring himself to attempt the possession of her person for though his constitution urged deeply to this his principles no less forcibly restrained him to debauch a young woman however low her condition was appeared to him a very heinous crime and the good will he bore the father with the compassion he had for his family very strongly corroborated all such sober reflections so that he once resolved to get the better of his inclinations whole months without ever going to Seagram's house or seeing his daughter now though Molly was as we have said generally thought a very fine girl and in reality she was so yet her beauty was not of the most amiable kind it had indeed very little of feminine in it and would have become a man at least as well as a woman for to say the truth that her health had a very considerable share in the composition nor was her mind more effeminate than her person as this was tall and robust so was that bold and forward so little had she of modesty that Jones had more regard for her virtue than she herself and as most probably she liked Tom as well as he liked her so when she perceived his backwardness she herself grew proportionably forward and when she saw he had entirely deserted the house she found means of throwing herself in his way and behaved in such a manner that the youth must have had very much or very little of the hero if her endeavors had proved unsuccessful in a word she soon triumphed over all the virtuous resolutions of Jones for though she behaved at last with all decent reluctance she would rather choose to attribute the triumph to her since in fact it was her design which succeeded in the conduct of this matter I say Molly so well played her part that Jones attributed the conquest entirely to himself and considered the young woman as one who had yielded to the violent attacks of his passion he likewise imputed her yielding to the ungovernable force of her love and this the reader will allow to have been a very natural and probable supposition as we have more than once mentioned the uncommon comeliness of his person and indeed he was one of the handsomest young fellows in the world as there are some minds whose affections, like master Blyfils, are solely placed on one single person whose interest and indulgence alone they consider on every occasion regarding the good and ill of all others is merely indifferent any farther than they contribute to the pleasure or advantage of that person so there is a different temper of mind which borrows a degree of virtue even from self-love such can never receive any kind of satisfaction from another without loving the creature to whom that satisfaction is owing and without making its well-being in some sort necessary to their own ease of this latter species was our hero he considered this poor girl as one whose happiness or misery he had caused to be dependent on himself her beauty was still the object of desire though greater beauty or a fresher object might have been more so but the little abatement which fruition had occasioned to this was highly overbalanced by the considerations of the affection visibly bore him and of the situation into which he had brought her the former of these created gratitude the latter, compassion and both together with his desire for her person raised in him a passion which might without any great violence to the word be called love though perhaps it was at first not very judiciously placed this then was the true reason of that insensibility which he had shown to the charms of Sophia and that behaviour in her which might have been reasonably enough interpreted as an encouragement to his addresses for as he could not think of abandoning his molly poor and destitute as she was so no more could he entertain a notion of betraying such a creature as Sophia and surely had he given the least encouragement to any passion for that young lady he must have been absolutely guilty of one or other of these crimes either of which would in my opinion have very justly subjected him to that fate which at his first introduction into this history I mentioned to have been generally predicted as his certain destiny End of Chapter 6 End of Section 12 Section 13 of Tom Jones this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this recording is by Mark Smith of Simpsonville, South Carolina Tom Jones by Henry Fielding this is Section 13 taken from Book 4 starting Chapter 7 being the shortest chapter in this book her mother first perceived the alteration in the shape of Molly and in order to hide it from her neighbors she foolishly clothed her in that sack which Sophia had sent her though indeed that young lady had little apprehension that the poor woman would have been weak enough to let any of her daughters wear it in that form Molly was charmed with the first dress she ever had of showing her beauty to advantage for though she could very well bear to contemplate herself in the glass even when dressed in rags and though she had in that dress conquered the heart of Jones and perhaps of some others yet she thought the addition of finery would much improve her charms and extend her conquests Molly therefore having dressed herself out in the sack with a new laced cap and some other ornaments which Tom had given her repairs to church with her fan in her hand the very next Sunday the great are deceived if they imagine they have appropriated ambition and vanity to themselves these noble qualities flourish as notably in a country church and churchyard as in the drawing room or in the closet schemes have indeed been laid in the vestry which would hardly disgrace the conclave here is a ministry and here is an opposition here are plots and circumventions parties and factions equal to those which are to be found in courts nor are the women here less practiced in the highest feminine arts than their fair superiors in quality and fortune here are prudes and coquettes here are dressing and ogling, falsehood, envy malice, scandal in short everything which is common to the most splendid assembly or politest circle let those of high life therefore no longer despise the ignorance of their inferiors nor the vulgar any longer rail at the vices of their betters Molly had seated herself some time before she was known by her neighbors and then a whisperer ran through the whole congregation who is she was discovered such sneering, giggling, tittering and laughing and sued among the women that Mr. Allworthy was obliged to exert his authority to preserve any decency among them end of chapter 7 chapter 8 a battle sung by the muse in the American style in which none but the classical reader can taste Mr. Western had an estate in this parish and as his house stood at little greater distance from this church than from his own he very often came to divine service here and both he and the charming Sophia happened to be present at this time Sophia was much pleased with the beauty of the girl whom she pitied for her simplicity and having dressed herself in that manner as she saw the envy which had had occasioned among her equals she knows sooner came home to keep her and ordered him to bring his daughter to her saying she would provide for her in the family and might possibly place the girl about her own person when her own maid who was now going away had left her poor Seagram was thunderstruck at this for he was no stranger to the fault in the shape of his daughter he answered in a stammering voice that he was afraid to be too awkward to wait on her lady's ship as she had never been at service no matter for that says Sophia she will soon improve I am pleased with the girl and am resolved to try her black George now repaired to his wife on whose prudent council he depended to extricate him out of this dilemma but when he came thither he found his house in some confusion so great Envy had this sack occasioned that when Mr. Allworthy and the other gentry were gone from church the rage which had hitherto been confined burst into an uproar and having vented itself at first in opprobrious words laughs, hisses, and gestures betook itself at last to certain missile weapons which though from their plastic nature they threatened neither the loss of life or of limb were however sufficiently dreadful to a well-dressed lady Molly had too much spirit to bear this treatment tamely having therefore behold, as we are diffident of our own abilities let us here invite a superior power to our assistance ye muses then whoever ye are who love to sing battles who who long didst recount the slaughter in those fields where Houdebras and Trula fought if thou werest not starved with thy friend Butler assist me on this great occasion all things are not in the power of all has a vast herd of cows in a rich farmer's yard if while they are milked they hear their calves at a distance lamenting the robbery which is then committing roar and bellow so roared forth the Somerset Shirmab on Hallelu made up of almost as many squalls, screams and other different sounds as there were persons or indeed passions among them some were inspired by rage others alarmed by fear and others had nothing in their heads but the love of fun but chiefly Envy the sister of Satan and his constant companion among the crowd and blew up the fury of the women who no sooner came up to Molly than they pelted her with dirt and rubbish Molly, having endeavored in vain to make a handsome retreat faced about and laying hold of ragged Bess who advanced in the front of the enemy she at one blow felled her to the ground the whole army of the enemy though near a hundred in number seeing the fate of their general gave back many paces and retired behind a new dug grave for the churchyard was the field of battle where there was to be a funeral that very evening Molly pursued her victory and catching up a skull which lay on the side of the grave discharged it with such fury that having hit a tailor in the head the two skulls sent forth a hollow sound at their meeting and the tailor took presently measure of his length on the ground where the skulls lay side by side and it was doubtful which was the more valuable of the two Molly then taking a thigh bone in her hand fell in among the flying ranks and dealing her blows with great liberality on either side overthrew the carcass of many a mighty hero and heroine Recounto Muse the names of those who fell on this fatal day first, Jemmy Tweedle felt on his hindre head the direful bone him the pleasant banks of sweetly winding stour had nourished where he first learnt the vocal art with which, wandering up and down at wakes and fares he cheered the rural nymphs and swains when upon the green they interweaved the sprightly dance while he himself stood fiddling and jumping to his own music how little now avails his fiddle he thumps the verdant floor with his carcass next old Ecopole the so Gelder received a blow to his forehead from our Amazonian heroine and immediately fell to the ground he was a swinging fat fellow and fell with almost as much noise as a house his tobacco box dropped at the same time from his pocket which Molly took up as lawful spoils then Kate of the Mill tumbled unfortunately over a tombstone which catching hold of her ungartered stocking inverted the order of nature and gave her heels the superiority to her head Betty Pippen with young Roger her lover fell both to the ground where oh perverse fate she salutes the earth and he the sky Tom Freckle the smith son was the next victim to her rage he was an ingenious workman and made excellent patterns nay the very pattern with which he was knocked down was his own workmanship had he been at that time singing Psalms in the church he would have avoided a broken head Miss Crow the daughter of a farmer John Giddish himself a farmer Nan Slouch Esther Cuddling Will Spray Tom Bennett the three Mrs. Potter who's father keeps the sign of the red lion Betty Chambermaid Jack Osler and many others of inferior note lay rolling among the graves not that the strenuous arm of Molly reached all these for many of them in their flight overthrew each other but now fortune fearing she had acted out of character and had inclined too long to the same side especially as it was the right side hastily turned about for now Goody Brown whom Zequiel Brown caressed in his arms nor he alone but half the parish besides so famous was she in the fields of Venus nor indeed less than those of Mars the trophies of both these her husband always bore about on his head in face for if ever human head did by its horns display the amorous glories of a wife Zequiel's did well scratch face less denote her talents or rather talons of a different kind no longer bore this Amazon the shameful flight of her party she stopped short and calling aloud to all who fled spoke as follows ye somerset your men or rather ye somerset your women are ye not ashamed thus to fly from a single woman but if no other will oppose her here we'll have the honor of the victory having thus said she flew at Molly Seagram and easily wrenched the thigh bone from her hand at the same time clawing off her cap from her head then laying hold of the hair of Molly with her left hand she attacked her so furiously in the face with her right that the blood soon began to trickle from her nose Molly was not idle this while brown and then fastening on her hair with one hand with the other she caused another bloody stream to issue forth from the nostrils of the enemy when each of the combatants had borne off sufficient spoils of hair from the head of her antagonist the next rage was against the garments in this attack they exerted so much violence that in a very few minutes they were both naked to the middle it is lucky for the women the seat of fisticuff war is not the same with them as among men but though they may seem a little to deviate from their sex when they go forth to battle yet I have observed they never so far forget as to assail the bosoms of each other where a few blows would be fatal to most of them this I know some derive from their being of a more bloody inclination than the males that they applied to the nose as to the part whence blood may most easily be drawn but this seems a far fetched as well as ill-natured supposition Goody Brown had great advantage of Molly in this particular for the former had indeed no breasts her bosom, if it may be so called as well in color as in many other properties exactly resembling an ancient piece of parchment on which any one might have drummed a considerable while without doing her any great damage Molly, beside her present unhappy condition was differently formed in those parts and might perhaps have tempted the envy of Brown to give her a fatal blow had not the lucky arrival of Tom Jones at this instant put an immediate end to the bloody scene phew this accident was luckily owing for he, Master Blifville and Jones had mounted their horses after church to take the air and had ridden about a quarter of a mile when Square, changing his mind not idly but for a reason which we shall unfold as soon as we have leisure desired the young gentlemen to ride with him another way than they had at first purposed this motion being complied with brought them of necessity back again to the churchyard Master Blifville, who rode first seeing such a mob assembled and two women in the posture in which we left the combatants stopped his horse to inquire what was the matter a country fellow scratching his head answered him I don't know, mister under the eye and it pleased your honor here had been a fight, I think between Goody Brown and Moll Seagram who, who, cries Tom but without waiting for an answer having discovered the features of his molly through all the discomposure in which they now were he hastily alighted turned his horse loose and leaping over the wall ran to her she now first bursting into tears told him how barbarously she had been treated upon which forgetting the sex of Goody Brown or perhaps not knowing it in his rage for in reality she had no feminine appearance but a petticoat which he might not observe he gave her a lash or two with his horse whip and then flying at the mob who were all accused by Moll he dealt his blows so profusely on all sides that unless I would again invoke the muse which the good-natured reader may think a little too hard upon her as she hath so lately been violently sweated it was impossible for me to recount the horse whipping of that day having scoured the whole coast of the enemy as well as any of Homer's heroes ever did or as Don Quixote or any knight errant in the world could have done he returned to molly whom he found in a condition which must give both me and my reader pain was it to be described here Tom raved like a madman beat his breast after his hair stamped on the ground and vowed the utmost vengeance on all who had been concerned he then pulled off his coat and buttoned it rounder put his hat upon her head wiped the blood from her face as well as he could with his handkerchief and called out to the servant to ride as fast as possible for a side-saddle or a pillion that he might carry her safe home to the servant as they had only one with them but as Square seconded the order of Jones he was obliged to comply the servant returned in a very short time with the pillion and molly, having collected her rags as well as she could was placed behind him in which manner she was carried home Square, Blifville and Jones attending here Jones having received his coat given her a sly kiss and whispered her that he would return in the evening quitted his molly and rode on after his companions end of chapter 8 chapter 9 containing matter of no very peaceable color molly had no sooner apparelled herself in her accustomed rags then her sisters began to fall violently upon her particularly her eldest sister who told her she was well enough served how had she the assurance to wear a gown which young madame western had given to mother if one of us was to wear it I think, says she I myself have the best right but I warn't you think it belongs to your beauty I suppose you think yourself more handsomer than any of us Hand her down the bit of glass from over the cupboard cries another I'd washed the blood from my face before I talked of my beauty you'd better have minded what the parson says cries the eldest and not a harkened after menvoke indeed, child, and so she had says the mother sobbing she has brought a disgrace upon us all she's the verse that the family of whatever was a whore you need not upbraid me with that mother cries molly you yourself was brought to bed of sister there within a week after you was married yes, hussy answered their enraged mother so I was and what was the mighty matter of that I was made an honest woman then and if you was to be made an honest woman I should not be angry but you must have to doing with a gentleman you nasty slut you will have a bastard hussy you will and that I defy anyone to say of me in this situation George found his family when he came home for the purpose before mentioned as his wife and three daughters were all of them talking together and most of them crying it was some time before he could get an opportunity of being heard and as soon as such an interval occurred he acquainted the company with what Sophia had said to him Goody Seagram then began to revile her daughter afresh here says she you brought us into a fine quandary indeed what will madam say to that big belly oh that ever I should live to see this day Molly answered with great spirit and what is this mighty place which you have got for me father for he had not well understood the phrase used by Sophia of being about her person I suppose it is to be under the cook but I shan't wash dishes for anybody my gentleman will provide better for me see what he hath given me this afternoon he hath promised I shall never want money and you shan't want money neither mother if you will hold your tongue and know when you are well and so saying she pulled out several guineas and gave her mother one of them the good woman no sooner felt the gold within her palm than her temper began such as the efficacy of that panacea to be mollified why husband says she would any but such a blockhead as you not have inquired what place this was before he had accepted it perhaps as Molly says it may be in the kitchen and truly I don't care my daughter should be a scullion wench for poor as I am I am a gentle woman and though I was obliged as my father who was a clergyman died worse than nothing and so could not give me a shilling of potion to undervalue myself by marrying a poor man yet I would have you to know I have a spirit above all them things Mary come up it would be better become madam western to look at home and remember who her own grandfather was some of my family for ought I know might ride in their coaches when the grandfathers of some voc to food I warrant she fancies she did a mighty matter when she sent us that old gown some of my family would not have picked up such rags in the street but poor people are always trampled upon the parish need not have been in such a fluster with Molly you might have told them child your grandmother were better things new out of the shop well but consider cried George what answer shall I make to madam I don't know what answer says she you're always bringing your family into one quandary or another do you remember when you shot the partridge the occasion of all our misfortunes did I not advise you never to go and squire restaurants matter did not I tell you many a good year ago what would come of it but you would have had your own ways yes you would you villain black George was in the main a peaceable kind of fellow and nothing choleric nor rash yet did he bear about him something of what the ancients called the irascible and which his wife if she had been endowed with much wisdom would have feared he had long experienced that when the storm grew very high arguments were but wind which served rather to increase than to abate it he was therefore seldom unprovided with a small switch a remedy of wonderful force as he had often assayed and which the word villain served as a hint for his applying no sooner therefore had this symptom appeared than he had immediate recourse to the said remedy which though as it is usual in all very efficacious medicines it at first seemed to inflame the disease soon produced a total calm and restore the patient to perfect ease and tranquility this is however a kind of horse medicine which requires a very robust constitution to digest and is therefore proper only for the vulgar unless in one single instance for instance where superiority of birth breaks out in which case we should not think it very high by any husband whatever if the application was not in itself so base that like certain applications of the physical kind which need not be mentioned it so much degrades and contaminates the hand employed in it that no gentleman should endure the thought of anything so low and detestable the whole family was soon reduced to a state of perfect quiet for the virtue of this medicine like that of electricity is often communicated through one person to many others who are not touched by the instrument to say the truth as they both operate by friction it may be doubted whether there is not something analogous between them of which Mr. Freak would do well to inquire before he publishes the next edition of his book a council was now called in which after many debates Molly still persisting that she would not go to service it was at length resolved that Goody Seagram herself should wait on Miss Western and endeavour to procure the place for her eldest daughter who declared great readiness to accept it but fortune who seems to have been an enemy of this little family afterwards put a stop to her promotion End of Chapter 9 Chapter 10 She told by Mr. Supple the curate the penetration of Squire Western his great love for his daughter and the return to it made by her The next morning Tom Jones conjured with Mr. Western and was at his return invited by that gentleman to dinner the lovely Sophia shone forth that day with more gaiety and sprightliness than usual Her battery was certainly leveled at our hero though I believe herself scarce yet knew her own intention but if she had any design of charming him she now succeeded Mr. Supple the curate of Mr. Allworthy's parish made one of the company he was a good natured worthy man but chiefly remarkable for his great taciturnity at table though his mouth was never shut at it in short he had one of the best appetites in the world however the cloth was no sooner taken away than he always made sufficient amends for his silence for he was a very hearty fellow and his conversation was often entertaining never offensive at his first arrival which was immediately before the entrance of the roast beef he had given an intimation that he had brought some news with him and was beginning to tell that he came that moment from Mr. Allworthy's when the sight of the roast beef struck him dumb permitting him only to say grace and to declare he must pay his respect to the baronet for so he called the sirloin when dinner was over being reminded by Sophia of his news he began his follows I believe lady your ladyship observed a young woman at church yesterday at Even's song who was dressed in one of your I think I have seen your ladyship in such a one however in the country such dresses are rarer avis in terrace ni groque similema signo that is madam as much as to say a rare bird upon the earth and very like a black swan the verse is in juvenile but to return to what I was relating I was saying such garments are rare sights in the country and perchance too it was thought the more rare respect being had to the person who wore it who they tell me is the daughter of black George your worship's gamekeeper whose sufferings I should have opined would have taught him more wit than to dress forth his wenches in such gaudy apparel she created so much confusion in the congregation that if Squire Allworthy had not sentenced it it would have interrupted the service for I was once about to stop in the middle of the first lesson how be it nevertheless after prayer was over and I was departed home this occasioned a battle in the churchyard where amongst other mischief the head of a travelling fiddler was very much broken this morning the fiddler came to Squire Allworthy for a warrant which was brought before him the Squire was inclined to have compounded matters when lo on a sudden the wench appeared I ask your ladyships pardon to be as it were at the eve of bringing forth a bastard the Squire demanded of her who was the father but she pertinaciously refused to make any response so that he was about to take her mittimus to Bridewell and is a wench having a bastard all your news doctor I thought it might have been some public matter something about the nation I am afraid it is too common indeed answered the parson but I thought the whole story all together deserved commemorating as to national matters your worship knows them best my concerns extend no farther than in my own parish why I, says the Squire I believe I do know a little of that matter as you say but come Tommy, drink about the bottle stands with you Tom begged to be excused for that he had particular business and getting up from the table escaped the clutches of the Squire who was rising to stop him and went off with very little ceremony the Squire gave him a good curse at his departure and then turning to the parson he cried out, I smoke it I smoke it Tom is certainly the father of this bastard Zook's parson you remember how he recommended the Vethra her to me damn'em, what a sly bastard she is I assure his toughness Tom is the father of the bastard I should be very sorry for that says the parson why sorry cries the Squire where is the mighty matter of it what I suppose does pretend that thee has never got a bastard pox more good luck's thine for our warrant has to done a therefore many's the good time and often your worship is pleased to be jocular answered the parson but I do not only anima advert though that surely is to be greatly deprecated but I fear his unrighteousness may injure him with Mr. Allworthy and truly I must say that we have the character of being a little wild I never saw any harm in the young man nor can I say I have heard any save what your worship now mentions I wish indeed he was a little more regular in his responses at church but altogether he seems in genui vultus in genui that is a classical line young lady and being rendered into English is a lad of an ingenuous countenance and of an ingenuous modesty for this was a virtue and great repute both among the latins and greeks I must say the young gentleman for so I think I may call him who was standing his berth appears to me a very modest civil lad and I should be sorry that he should do himself any injury and squire Allworthy's opinion poo says the squire injury with Allworthy why, Allworthy loves a wench himself doth not all the country know whose son Tom is you must talk to another person in that manner I remember Allworthy at college I thought said the parson he had never been at the university yes, yes he was says the squire and many a wench have we too had together as aren't a whore master as any within five miles of him no, no it will doom no harm with he assure yourself nor with anybody else ask Sophie there you have not had the worst opinion getting a bastard have you girl no, no the women will like on the better for it that was a cruel question to poor Sophia she had observed Tom's color change at the parson's story and that with his hasty and abrupt departure gave her sufficient reason to think her father's suspicion not groundless her heart now at once discovered the great secret to her which it had been so long disclosing by little and little and she found herself highly interested in this matter in such a situation her father's malapert question rushing suddenly upon her produce some symptoms which might have alarmed a suspicious heart but to do the squire justice that was not his fault when she rose therefore from her chair and told him a hint from him was always sufficient to make her withdraw he suffered her to leave the room and then with great gravity of countenance remarked that it was better to see a daughter over modest than over forward a sentiment which was highly applauded by the parson the now ensued between the squire and the parson a most excellent political discourse framed out of newspapers and political pamphlets in which they made a libation of four bottles of wine to the good of their country and then the squire being fast asleep the parson headed his pipe, mounted his horse and rode home when the squire had finished his half hours nap he summoned his daughter to her harpsichord but she begged to be excused that evening on account of a violent headache this remission was presently granted for indeed she seldom had occasion to ask him twice as he loved her with such ardent affection that by gratifying her he commonly conveyed the highest gratification to himself she was really what he frequently called her his little darling and she well deserved to be so for she returned all his affection in the most ample manner she had preserved the most inviolable duty to him in all things and this her love made not only easy but so delightful that when one of her companions laughed at her for placing so much in such scrupulous obedience as that young lady called it Sophia answered you mistake me madam if you think I value myself upon this account for besides that I am barely discharging my duty I am likewise pleasing myself I can truly say I have no delight equal to that of contributing to my father's happiness and if I value myself my dear it is this power and not on executing it this was a satisfaction however which poor Sophia was incapable of tasting this evening she therefore not only desired to be excused from her attendance at the harpsichord but likewise begged that he would suffer her to absent herself from dinner to this request likewise the squire agreed though not without some reluctance for he scarce ever permitted her to sight unless when he was engaged with his horses, dogs or bottle nevertheless he yielded to the desire of his daughter though the poor man was at the same time obliged to avoid his own company if I may so express myself by sending for a neighboring farmer to sit with him End of chapter 10 End of section 13