 section 21 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 recording by Rachel Linton Bristol UK Tom Jones by Henry Fielding book 6 containing about three weeks chapter 7 a picture of formal courtship in miniature as it always ought to be drawn and a scene of a tender a kind painted at full length it was well remarked by one and perhaps by more that misfortunes do not come single this wise maxim was now verified by Sophia who was not only disappointed of seeing the man she loved but had the vexation of being obliged to dress herself out in order to receive a visit from the man she hated that afternoon mr. Weston for the first time acquainted his daughter with his intention telling her he knew very well that she had heard it before from her aunt Sophia looked very grave upon this nor could she prevent a few pearls from stealing from her eyes come come says Weston none of your maidenish heirs I know all I assure you sister has told me all is it possible says Sophia that my aunt can have betrayed me already I I says Western betrayed you I why you betrayed yourself yesterday at dinner you showed your fancy very painy I think but you young girls never know what you would be at so you cry because I'm going to marry you to the man you're in love with your mother I remember whimpered and whined just in the same manner but it was all over within 24 hours after we were married mr. Bliffle is a brisk young man and will soon put an end to your squeamishness come cheer up cheer up I expect every minute Sophia was now convinced that her aunt had behaved honorably to her and she determined to go through the disagreeable afternoon with as much resolution as possible and without giving the least suspicion in the world to her father mr. Bliffle soon arrived and mr. Western soon after withdrawing left the young couple together here a long silence of near a quarter of an hour ensued for the gentleman who was to begin the conversation had all the unbecoming modesty which consists in bashfulness he often attempted to speak and has often suppressed his words just at the very point of utterance at last out they broken a torrent of far-fetched and high strained compliments which were answered on her side by downcast looks half thousand civil monosyllables bliffle from his inexperience in the ways of women and from his conceit of himself took this behavior from modest ascent to his courtship and when to shorten a scene which she could no longer support Sophia rose up and left the room he imputed that to merely to bashfulness and comforted himself that he should soon have enough of her company he was indeed perfectly well satisfied with his prospect of success for as to that entire and absolute possession of the heart of his mistress which romantic lovers require the very idea of it never entered his head her fortune and her person were the sole objects of his wishes of which he made no doubt soon to obtain the absolute property as mr. western's mind was so earnestly bent on the match and as he well knew the strict obedience which the fear was always ready to pay to her father's will and the greatest still which her father would exact if there was occasion this authority therefore together with the charms which he fancied in his own person and conversation could not fail he thought of succeeding with a young lady whose inclinations were he doubted not entirely disengaged of Jones he certainly had not even the least jealousy and I've often thought it wonderful that he had not perhaps he imagined the character which Jones bore all over the country how justly let the reader determine of being one of the wildest fellows in England might render him odious to a lady of the most exemplary modesty perhaps his suspicions might be laid asleep by the behavior of Sophia and of Jones himself when they were all in company together lastly and indeed principally he was well assured there was not another self in the case he fancied that he knew Jones to the bottom and had in reality a great contempt for his understanding for not being more attached to his own interest he had no apprehension that Jones was in love with Sophia and as for any lucrative motives he imagined they would sway very little with so silly a fellow Blyphal Morova thought the affair of Molly Seagram still went on and indeed believed it would end in marriage for Jones really loved him from his child and then it kept no secret from him till his behavior on the sickness of Mr. Allworthy had entirely alienated his heart and it was by means of the quarrel which had ensued on this occasion and which was not yet reconciled that Mr. Blyphal knew nothing of the alteration which had happened in the affection which Jones had formally borne towards Molly from these reasons therefore Mr. Blyphal saw no bar to his success with Sophia he concluded her behavior was like that of all other young ladies on a first visit from a lover and it had indeed entirely answered his expectations Mr. Western took care to waylay the lover at his exit from his mistress he found him so elevated with his success so enamored with his daughter and so satisfied with her reception of him that the old gentleman began to caper and dance about his hall and by many other antique actions to express the extravagance of his joy for he had not the least command over any of his passions and that which had at any time the ascendant in his mind hurried him to the wildest excesses as soon as Blyphal was departed which was not till after many hearty kisses and embraces bestowed on him by Western the Good Squire went instantly in quest of his daughter whom he no sooner found than he poured forth the most extravagant raptures bidding her choose what clothes and jewels she pleased and declaring that he had no other use for fortune but to make her happy he then caressed her again and again with the utmost profusion of fondness called her the most endearing names and protested she was his only joy on earth Sophia perceiving her father in this fit of affection which she did not absolutely know the reason of for fits of fondness were not unusual to him though this was rather more violent than ordinary thought she should never have a better opportunity of disclosing herself than at present as far at least as regarded Mr. Blyphal and she too well foresaw the necessity which she should soon be under of coming to a full explanation after having thanked the Squire therefore for all his professions of kindness she added with a look full of inexpressible softness and is it possible my papa can be so good to place all his joy in his Sophie's happiness which Western having confirmed by a great oath and a kiss she then lay hold of his hand and falling on her knees after many warm and passionate declarations of affection and duty she begged him not to make her the most miserable creature on earth by forcing her to marry a man who she detested this iron treat of you dear sir said she for your sake as well as my own since you're so very kind to tell me your happiness depends on mine how what says Western staring wildly oh sir continued she not only your poor Sophie's happiness her very life her being depends upon your granting her request I cannot live with Mr. Blyphal to force me into this marriage would be killing me you can't live with Mr. Blyphal says Western no upon my soul I can't answered Sophia then die and be damned cries he spurning her from him oh sir cries fear catching hold of the skirt of his coat take pity on me I beseech you don't look and say such cruel can you be unmoved while you see your Sophie in this dreadful condition can the best of fathers break my heart will he kill me by the most painful cruel lingering death oh Christ the squire all stuff and nonsense all maidenish tricks kill you indeed will marriage kill you oh sir answered Sophia such a marriage is worse than death he is not even indifferent I hate and detest him if you detest and never so much cries Western you shall have him this he bound by an oath too shocking to repeat and after many violent assurations concluded in these words I am resolved upon the match and unless you consent to it I will not give you a groat not a single farthing no though I saw you expiring with famine in the street I would not relieve you with a morsel of bread this is my fix resolution and so I leave you to consider on it he then broke from her with such violence that her face dashed against the floor and he burst directly out of the room leaving poor Sophia prostrate on the ground when Western came into the hall he there found Jones who seeing his friend looking wild pale and almost breathless could not forebear inquiring the reason of all these melancholy appearances upon which the squire immediately acquainted him with the whole matter concluding with bitter denunciations against Sophia and very pathetic lamentations of the misery of all fathers who are so unfortunate to have daughters Jones to whom all the resolutions which had been taken in favor of bliffle were yet a secret was at first almost struck dead with this relation but recovering his spirits a little mere despair as he afterwards said inspired him to mention a matter to Mr. Western which seemed to require more impudence than a human forehead was ever gifted with he desired leave to go to Sophia that he might endeavor to obtain her concurrence with her father's inclinations if the squire had been as quick-sighted as he was remarkable for the contrary passion might at present very well of blinded him he thanked Jones for offering to undertake the office and said go go pretty try what can't do and then swore many excreable oaths that he would turn her out of doors unless she consented to the match chapter 8 the meeting between Jones and Sophia Jones departed instantly in quest of Sophia whom he found just risen from the ground where her father had left her with the tears trickling from her eyes and the blood running from her lips he presently ran to her and with a voice full at once of tenderness and terror cried oh my so fear what means this dreadful sight she looked softly at him for a moment before she spoke and then said Mr. Jones for heaven's sake how came you here leave me I beseech you this moment do not says he imposed so harsher command upon me my heart bleeds faster than those lips oh so fear how easily could I drain my veins to preserve one drop of that dear blood I have too many obligations to you already answered she for sure you meant them such here she looked at him tenderly almost a minute and then bursting into an agony cried oh mr. Jones why did you save my life my death would have been the happier for us both happier for us both cried he could racks or wheels kill me so painfully as Sophia's I cannot bear the dreadful sound do I live but for her both his voice and looks were full of inexpressible tenderness when he spoke these words and at the same time he laid gently hold on her hand which she did not withdraw from him to say the truth she hardly knew what she did or suffered a few moments now passed in silence between these lovers while his eyes were eagerly fixed on Sophia and hers declining towards the ground at last she recovered strength enough to desire him again to leave her for that her certain ruin would be the consequence of their being found together adding oh mr. Jones you know not you know not what has passed this cruel afternoon I know all my Sophia answered he your cruel father has told me all and he himself has sent me hither to you my father sent you to me replied she sure you dream would to heaven cries he it was but a dream oh Sophia your father has sent me to you to be an advocate for my odious rival to solicit you in his favor I took any means to get access to you oh speak to me Sophia comfort my bleeding heart sure no one ever loved ever doted like me do not unkindly withhold this dear this soft this gentle hand one moment perhaps tears you forever from me nothing less than this cruel occasion could I believe have ever conquered the respect nor with which you have inspired me she stood a moment silent and covered with confusion then lifting up her eyes gently towards him she cried what would mr. Jones have me say oh do but promise cries he that you never will give yourself to bliffle name not answered she the detested sound be assured I never will give him what is in my power to withhold from him now then cries he while you are so perfectly kind go a little farther and add that I may hope alas says she mr. Jones wither will you drive me what hope have I to bestow you know my father's intentions but I know answered he your compliance with them cannot be compelled what says she must be the dreadful consequence of my disobedience my own ruin is my least concern I cannot bear the thoughts of being the cause of my father's misery he is himself the cause cries Jones by exacting a power over you which nature has not given him think on the misery which I am to suffer if I am to lose you and see on which side pity will turn the balance think of it replied she can you imagine I do not feel the ruin which I must bring on you should I comply with your desire it is that thought which gives me resolution to bid you fly from me forever and avoid your own destruction I fear no destruction cries he but the loss of Sophia if you would save me from the most bitter agonies recall that cruel sentence indeed I can never part with you indeed I cannot the lovers now stood both silent and trembling Sophia being unable to withdraw her hand from Jones and he almost as unable to hold it when the scene which I believe some of my readers will think had lasted long enough was interrupted by one of so different a nature that we shall reserve the relation of it for a different chapter chapter 9 being of a much more tempestuous kind than the former before we proceed with what now happened to our lovers it may be proper to recount what had passed in the hall during their tender interview soon after Jones had left Mr. Western in the manner above mentioned his sister came to him and was presently informed of all that had passed between her brother and Sophia relating to Blyphyl this behavior in her niece the good lady construed to be an absolute breach of the condition on which she'd engaged to keep her love for Mr. Jones a secret she considered herself there for a full liberty to reveal all she knew to the squire which she immediately did in the most explicit terms and without any ceremony or preface the idea of a marriage between Jones and his daughter had never once entered into the squire's head either in the warmest minutes of his affection towards that young man or from suspicion or on any other occasion he did indeed consider a parity of fortune and circumstances to be physically as necessary an ingredient in marriage as difference of sexes or any other essential and had no more apprehension of his daughter's falling in love with a poor man than with any animal of a different species he became therefore like one thunder struck at his sister's relation he was at first incapable of making any answer having been almost deprived of his breath by the violence of the surprise this however soon returned and as is usual in other cases after an intermission with redoubled force and fury the first use he made of the power of speech after his recovery from the sudden effects of his astonishment was to discharge a round volley of oaths and implications after which he proceeded hastily to the apartment where he expected to find the lovers and murmured or rather indeed roared forth intentions of revenge every step he went as when two doves or two wood pigeons or as when Streffen and Phyllis for that comes nearest to the mark are retired into some pleasant solitary grove to enjoy the delightful conversation of love that bashful boy who cannot speak in public and is never a good companion to more than two at a time here while every object is serene should horse thunder burst suddenly through the shattered clouds and rumbling roll along the sky the frightened maid starts from the mossy bank or verdant turf the pale livery of death succeeds the red regimentals in which love had before dressed her cheeks fear shakes her whole frame and her lover scarce supports her trembling tottering limbs or as when two gentlemen strangers to the wondrous wit of the place are cracking a bottle together at some in or tavern at Salisbury if the great dowdy who acts the part of a madman as well as some of his setters undo that of a fool should rattle his chains and dreadfully hum forth the grumbling catch along the gallery the frightened strangers stand aghast scared at the horrid sound they seek some place of shelter from the approaching danger and if the well-barred windows did admit their exit would venture their necks to escape the threatening fury now coming upon them so trampled poor Sophia so turned she pale at the noise of her father who in a voice most dreadful to hear came on swearing cursing and vowing the destruction of Jones to say the truth I believe the youth himself would from some prudent considerations have preferred another place of abode at this time had his terror on Sophia's account given him liberty to reflect a moment on what any other ways concerned himself then as his love made him partake whatever affected her and now the square having burst open the door beheld an object which instantly suspended all his fury against Jones this was the ghastly appearance of Sophia who had fainted away in her lovers arms this tragical sight mr. Western no sooner be held than all his rage for Sukim he roared for help with his utmost violence ran first to his daughter then back to the door calling for water and then back again to Sophia never considering in whose arms she then was nor perhaps once recollecting that there was such a person in the world as Jones for indeed I believe the present circumstances of his daughter were now the sole consideration which employed his thoughts mrs. Western and a great number of servants soon came to the assistance of Sophia with water caldials and everything necessary on those occasions these were applied with such success that Sophia in a very few minutes began to recover and all the symptoms of life to return upon which she was presently led off by her own maid in mrs. Western nor did that good lady depart without leaving some wholesome admonitions with her brother on the dreadful effects of his passion or is she pleased to call it madness the squire perhaps did not understand this good advice as it was delivered in obscure hints shrugs and notes of admiration at least if he did understand it he profited very little by it for no sooner was he cured of his immediate fears for his daughter then he relapsed into his former frenzy which must have produced an immediate battle with Jones had not Parsons supple who was a very strong man being present and by mere force restrained the squire from acts of hostility the moment Sophia was departed Jones advanced in a very suppliant manner to mr. Western whom the parson held in his arms and begged him to be pacified for that while he continued in such a passion it would be impossible to give him any satisfaction I will have satisfaction are thee answered the squire so doff thy clothes at half a man and I'll lick thee as well as was ever licked in my life he then bespattered the youth with abundance of that language which passes between country gentlemen who embrace opposite sides of the question with frequent applications to him to salute that part which is generally introduced into all controversies that arise among the lower orders of the English gentry at horse races cock matches and other public places illusions to this part are likewise often made for the sake of the jest and here I believe the wit is generally misunderstood in reality it lies in desiring another to kiss your ass for having just before threatened to kick his for I have observed very accurately that no one ever desires you to kick that which belongs to him nor offers to kiss this part in another it may likewise seem surprising that in the many thousand kind invitations of this sort which everyone who have conversed with country gentlemen must have heard no one I believe had ever seen a single instance where the desire have been complied with a great instance of their want of politeness for in town nothing can be more common than for the finest gentlemen to perform this ceremony every day to their superiors without having that favor once requested of them to all such wit Jones very calmly answered sir this usage may perhaps cancel every other obligation you have conferred on me but there is one you can never cancel nor will I be provoked by your abuse to lift my hand against the father of Sophia at these words the squire grew still more outrageous than before so that the pass and beg Jones to retire saying you'll behold sir how he waxeth Roth at your abode here therefore let me pray you not to tarry any longer his anger is too much kindled for you to commune with him at present you had better therefore conclude your visit and refer what matters you have to urge in your behalf to some other opportunity Jones accepted this advice with thanks and immediately departed the squire now regained the liberty of his hands and so much temper as to express some satisfaction in the restraint which had been laid upon him declaring that he should certainly have beat his brains out and adding it would have vex one confoundedly to have been hanged for such a rascal the parson now began to triumph in the success of his peacemaking endeavors and proceeded to read a lecture against anger which might perhaps rather attended to raise than to quiet that passion in some hasty minds this lecture he enriched with many valuable quotations from the ancients particularly from Seneca who hath indeed so well handled this passion that none but a very angry man can read him without great pleasure and profit the doctor concluded this harangue with the famous story of Alexander and Klytus but as I find that entered in my commonplace under title drunkenness I shall not insert it here the squire took no notice of this story nor perhaps of anything he said for he interrupted him before he had finished by calling for a tanker of beer observing which is perhaps as true as any observation on this fever of the mind that anger makes a man dry no sooner had the squire swallowed a large draft than he renewed the discourse on Jones and declared a resolution of going the next morning early to acquaint mr. Allworthy his friend would have dissuaded him from this from the mere motive of good nature but his dissuasion had no other effect than to produce a large volley of oaths and curses which greatly shocked the pious ears of supple but he did not dare to remonstrate against a privilege which the squire claimed as a freeborn Englishman to say truth the pass and submitted to please his palate at the squire's table at the expense of suffering now and then to this violence to his ears he contented himself with thinking he did not promote this evil practice and that the squire would not swear an oath the less if he never entered within his gates however though he was not guilty of ill manners by rebuking a gentleman in his own house he paid him off a bleakly in the pulpit which had not indeed the good effect of working a reformation in the squire himself yet it's so far operated on his conscience that he put the laws very severely in execution against others and the magistrate was the only person in the parish who could swear with impunity chapter 10 in which mr. Western visits mr. Allworthy mr. Allworthy was now retired from breakfast with his nephew well satisfied with the report of the young gentleman's successful visit to Sophia for he greatly desired the match more on account of the young lady's character than of her riches when mr. Western broke abruptly in upon them and without any ceremony began as follows there you have done a fine piece of work truly you've brought up your bastard to a fine purpose not that I believe you have had any hand in it neither that is as a man may say designedly but there is a fine kettle of fish made on up at our house what can be the matter mr. Western said all worthy oh matter enough all conscience my daughter has fallen in love with your bastard that's all but I won't gare a hate me not the 20th part of a brass Fardon I always thought what would come of breeding up a bastard like a gentleman and letting them come about evokes houses it's well for an I could not get it and I had a litten I had a spoiled his cat a wall in I had taught the son of a whore to meddle with meat for his master he shan't ever have a morsel of meat in mine or a vaiden to buy it if she will have one smock shall be her portion I'd sooner give my estate to the zinc in fund than it may be sent to Hanover to corrupt our nation with I am heartily sorry cries all worthy pox of your sorrow says Western it will do me abundance of good when I've lost my only child my poor Sophie that was the joy of my heart and all the hope and comfort of my age but I am resolved I will turn right the doors she shall beg and starve and rotten the streets not one hate me not a hate me shall she ever have mine the son of a bitch was always good at finding a hair sitting and be rotted tongue I little thought what puss he was looking after but it shall be the worst he ever found in his life she shall be no better than carrion the skin or is all he shall have and so you may tell him I'm in amazement cries all worthy at what you tell me after what past between my nephew and the young lady no longer ago than yesterday yes sir answered Western it was after what passed between your nephew and she that the whole matter came out Mr. Bliffle there was no sooner gone than the son of a whore came lurching about the house little did I think when I used to love him for a sportsman that he was all the while a poaching after my daughter why truly says all worthy I could wish you had not given him so many opportunities with her and you will do me the justice to acknowledge that I have always been averse to his staying so much at your house though I own I had no suspicion of this kind why sounds cries Western who would have thought it what the devil had she to do with him he did not come there a court into her he came there a hunting with me but was it possible says all worthy that you should never discern any symptoms of love between them when you've seen them so often together never in my life as I hope to be saved cries Western I never so much as Zedem kiss her in all my life and so far from caught in her he used rather to be more silent when she was in company than at any other time and as for the girl she was always less civil to me to any young man that came to the house as to that matter I'm not more easy to be deceived than another I would not have you think that I am neighbor all worthy could scarce refrain laughter at this but he resolved to do a violence to himself for he perfectly well new mankind and had too much good breeding and good nature to offend the squire in his present circumstances he then asked Western what he would have him do upon this occasion to which the other answered that he would have him keep the rascal away from his house and that he would go and lock up the wench for he was resolved to make her marry mr. Bliffle in spite of her teeth he then shook bliffle by the hand and swore he would have no other son-in-law presently after which he took his leave saying his house was in such disorder that it was necessary for him to make haste home to take care his daughter did not give him the slip and as for Jones he swore if he caught him at his house he would qualify him to run for the gelding's plate when all worthy and bliffle were again left together a long silence ensued between them all which interval the young gentleman filled up with sighs which proceeded partly from disappointment but more from hatred for the success of Jones was much more grievous to him than the loss of Sophia at length his uncle asked him what he was determined to do and he answered in the following words alas there can it be a question what stepper lover will take when reason and passion point different ways I am afraid it is too certain he will in that dilemma always follow the latter reason dictates to me to quit all thoughts of a woman who places her affections on another my passion bids me hope she may in time change her inclinations in my favor here however I conceive an objection may be raised which if it could not fully be answered would totally deter me from any further pursuit I mean the injustice of endeavoring to supplant another in a heart of which he seems already in possession but the determined resolution mr. Western shows that in this case I shall buy so doing promote the happiness of every party not only that of the parent who will thus be preserved from the highest degree of misery but of both the others who must be undone by this match the lady I am sure will be undone in every sense for besides the loss of most part of her own fortune she will be not only married to a beggar but the little fortune which her father cannot withhold from her will be squandered on that wench with whom I know he yet converses nay that is a trifle for I know him to be one of the worst men in the world for had my dear uncle known what I have hitherto endeavored to conceal he must have long since abandoned so profligate a wretch how said or worthy have you done anything worse than I already know tell me I beseech you no replied bliffle it is now passed and perhaps he may have repented of it I command you on your duty said or worthy to tell me what you mean you know sir says bliffle I never disobeyed you but I am sorry I mentioned it since it may now look like revenge whereas I thank heaven no such motive ever entered my heart and if you oblige me to discover it I must be his petitioner to you for your forgiveness I will have no conditions out at all worthy I think I have shown tenderness enough towards him and more perhaps than you ought to thank me for more indeed I fear than he deserved cries bliffle for in the very day of your utmost danger when myself and all the family were in tears he filled the house with riot and debauchery he drank and sung and roared and when I gave him a gentle hint of the indecency of his actions he fell into a violent passion swore many oaths called me rascal and struck me how cries or worthy did he dare to strike you I am sure cries bliffle I have forgiven him that long ago I wish I could so easily forget his ingratitude to the best of benefactors and yet even that I hope you will forgive him since he must have certainly been possessed with the devil for that very evening as mr. Thwackam and myself were taking the air in the fields and exorting in the good symptoms which then first began to discover themselves we unluckily saw him engaged with a wench in a manner not fit to be mentioned mr. Thwackam with more boldness than prudence advanced to rebuke him when I am sorry to say it he fell upon the worthy man and beat him so out outrageously that I wish he may have yet recovered the bruises nor was I without my share of the effects of his malice while I endeavoured to protect my tutor but that I have long forgiven nay I prevailed with mr. Thwackam to forgive him too and not to inform you of a secret which I feared might be fatal to him and now sir since I have unadvisedly dropped a hint of this matter and your commands have obliged me to discover the whole let me intercede with you for him oh child said all worthy I know not whether I should blame or applaud your goodness in concealing such a villainy a moment but where is mr. Thwackam not that I want any confirmation of what you say but I will examine all the evidence of this matter to justify to the world the example I am resolved to make of such a monster Thwackam was now sent for and presently appeared he corroborated every circumstance which the other had deposed nay he produced the record upon his breast where the handwriting of mr. Jones remained very legible in black and blue he concluded with declaring to mr. Allworthy that he should have long since informed him of this matter had not mr. Bliffle by the most earnest intercessions prevented him he is says he an excellent youth though such forgiveness of enemies is carrying the matter too far in reality Bliffle had taken some pains to prevail with the person and to prevent the discovery at that time for which he had many reasons he knew that the minds of men are apt to be softened and relaxed from their usual severity by sickness besides he imagined that if the story was told when the fact was so recent and the physician about the house who might have unraveled the real truth he should never be able to give it the malicious turn which he intended again he resolved to hoard up this business till the indiscretion of Jones should afford some additional complaints for he thought the joint weight of many facts falling upon him together would be the most likely to crush him and he watched therefore some such opportunity as that with which fortune had now kindly presented him lastly by prevailing with Whackum to conceal the matter for a time he knew he should confirm an opinion of his friendship to Jones which he had greatly laboured to establish in mr. Allworthy end of section 21 section 22 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 recording by Rachel Linton Bristol UK Tom Jones by Henry Fielding book six containing about three weeks chapter 11 a short chapter but which contains sufficient matter to affect the good-natured reader it was mr. Allworthy's custom never to punish anyone not even to turn away a servant in a passion he resolved therefore to delay passing sentence on Jones till the afternoon the poor young man attended at dinner as usual but his heart was too much loaded to suffer him to eat his grief too was a good deal aggravated by the unkind looks of mr. Allworthy whence he concluded that Western had discovered the whole affair between him and Sophia but as to mr. Bliffle's story he had not the least apprehension for of much the greater part he was entirely innocent and for the residue as he had forgiven and forgotten it himself so he suspected no remembrance on the other side when dinner was over in the servants departed mr. Allworthy began to harangue he set forth in a long speech the many iniquities of which Jones had been guilty particularly those which this day had brought to light and concluded by telling him that unless he could clear himself of the charge he was resolved to banish him his sight forever many disadvantages attended poor Jones in making his defense nay indeed he hardly knew his accusation for as mr. Allworthy in recounting the drunkenness etc while he lay ill out of modesty sunk everything that related particularly to himself which indeed principally constituted the crime Jones could not deny the charge his heart was besides almost broken already and his spirits were so sunk that he could say nothing for himself but acknowledged the whole and like a criminal in despair through himself upon mercy concluding that though he must own himself guilty of many follies and inadvertencies he hoped he had done nothing to deserve what would be to him the greatest punishment in the world all worthy answered that he had forgiven him too often already in compassion to his youth and in hopes of his amendment that he now found he was an abandoned reprobate and such as it would be criminal in anyone to support and encourage nay said mr. Allworthy to him your audacious attempt to steal away the young lady calls upon me to justify my own character in punishing you the world who have already censured the regard I've shown for you may think with some color at least of justice that I can knife at so base and barbarous an action an action of which you must have known my opponents and which had you had any concern for my ease and honor as well as for my friendship you would never have thought of undertaking fire upon it young man indeed there is scarce any punishment equal to your crimes and I can scarce think myself justifiable in what I'm now going to bestow on you however as I've educated you like a child of my own I will not turn you naked into the world when you open this paper therefore you will find something which may enable you with industry to get an honest livelihood but if you employ it to worse purposes I shall not think myself obliged to supply you father being resolved from this day forward to converse no more with you on any account I cannot avoid saying there is no part of your conduct which I resent more than your ill treatment of that good young man meaning bliffle who hath behaved with so much tenderness and honor towards you these last words were a dose almost too bitter to be swallowed a flood of tears now gushed from the eyes of Jones and every faculty of speech and motion seemed to have deserted him it was some time before he was able to obey all were these peremptory commands of departing which he at length did having first kissed his hands with a passion difficult to be affected and as difficult to be described the reader must be very weak if when he considers the light in which Jones then appeared to Mr. Orworthy he should blame the rigor of his sentence and yet all the neighborhood either from this weakness or from some worse motive condemned his justice and severity is the highest cruelty nay the very persons would before censured the good man for the kindness and tenderness shown to a bastard his own according to the general opinion now cried out as loudly against turning his own child out of doors the women especially were unanimous in taking the part of Jones and raised more stories on the occasion and I have room in this chapter to set down one thing must not be omitted that in their censures on this occasion none ever mentioned the some contained in the paper which all worthy gave Jones which was no less than five hundred pounds but all agreed that he was sent away penniless and some said naked from the house of his inhuman father chapter twelve containing love letters etc. Jones was commanded to leave the house immediately and told that his clothes and everything else should be sent to him with a so-ever he should order them he accordingly set out and walked above a mile not regarding an indeed scarce knowing whether he went at length the little brook obstructing his passage he threw himself down by the side of it nor could he help muttering with some little indignation sure my father will not deny me this place to rest in here he presently fell into the most violent agonies tearing his hair from his head and using most other actions which generally accompany fits of madness rage and despair when he had in this manner vented the first emotions of passion he began to come a little to himself his grief now took another turn and discharged itself in a gentle way till he became at last cool enough to reason with his passion and to consider what steps were proper to be taken in his deplorable condition and now the great doubt was how to act with regard to Sophia the thoughts of leaving her almost rent his heart asunder but the consideration of reducing her to ruin in beggary still racked him if possible more and if the violent desire of possessing her person could have induced him to listen one moment to this alternative still he was by no means certain of her resolution to indulge his wishes at so high an expense the resentment of mr all worthy and the injury he must do to his quiet argued strongly against this latter and lastly the apparent impossibility of his success even if he would sacrifice all these considerations to it came to his assistance and thus honor at last backed with despair with gratitude to his benefactor and with real love to his mistress got the better of burning desire and he resolved rather to quit Sophia than pursue her to her ruin it is difficult for any who have not felt it to conceive the glowing warmth which filled his breast on the first contemplation of this victory over his passion pride flattered him so agreeably that his mind perhaps enjoyed perfect happiness but this was only momentary Sophia soon returned to his imagination and allayed the joys of his triumph with no less bitter pangs than a good natured general must feel when he surveys the bleeding heaps at the price of whose blood he has purchased his laurels for thousands of tender ideas lay murdered before our conqueror being resolved however to pursue the paths of this giant honor as the gigantic poet lee calls it he determined to write a fair well letter to Sophia and accordingly proceeded to a house not far off where being furnished with proper materials he wrote as follows madame when you reflect on the situation in which i write i am sure your good nature will pardon any inconsistency or absurdity which my letter contains for everything here flows from a heart so full that no language can express its dictates i have resolved madam to obey your commands in flying forever from your dear your lovely sight cruel indeed those commands are but it is a cruelty which proceeds from fortune not from my Sophia fortune have made it necessary necessary to your preservation to forget there ever was such a wretch as i am believe me i would not hint all my sufferings to you if i imagined they could possibly escape your ears i know the goodness and tenderness of your heart and would avoid giving you any of those pains which you've always feel for the miserable oh let nothing which you shall hear of my hard fortune cause a moment's concern for after the loss of you everything else is to me a trifle oh so fear it is hard to leave you it is harder still to desire you to forget me yet the sincerest love obliges me to both pardon my conceiving that any remembrance of me can give you disquiet but if i am so gloriously wretched sacrifice me every way to your relief think i never loved you or think truly how little i deserve you and learn to scorn me for a presumption which can never be too severely punished i am unable to say more may guardian angels protect you forever he was now searching his pockets for his wax but found none nor indeed anything else therein for in truth he had in his frantic disposition tossed everything from him and amongst the rest his pocket book which he'd received from mr allworthy which he had never opened in which now first occurred to his memory the house supplied him with a wafer for his present purpose with which having sealed his letter he returned hastily towards the brookside in order to search for the things which he had there lost in his way he met his old friend black george who heartily condoled with him on his misfortune for this had already reached his ears and indeed those of all the neighborhood jones equated the gamekeeper with his loss and he has readily went back with him to the brook where they searched every tuft of grass in the meadow as well where jones had not been as where he had been but all to no purpose for they found nothing for indeed though the things were then in the meadow they omitted to search the only place where they were deposited to wit in the pockets of the said george for he had just before found them and being luckily apprised of their value had very carefully put them up for his own use the gamekeeper having exerted as much diligence in quest of the lost goods as if he had hoped to find them desired mr jones to recollect if he had been in no other place for sure he said if you'd lost them here so lately the things must have been here still for this is a very unlikely place for anyone to pass by and indeed it was by great accident that he himself had passed through that field in order to lay wires for hairs with which he was to supply a polter at bath the next morning jones now gave over all hopes of recovering his loss and almost all thoughts concerning it and turning to black george asked him earnestly if he would do him the greatest favour in the world george answered with some hesitation sir you know you may command me whatever is in my power and i hardly wish it was in my power to do you any service in fact the question staggered him for he had by selling game amassed a pretty good sum of money in mr weston service and was afraid that jones wanted to borrow some small matter of him but he was presently relieved from his anxiety by being desired to convey a letter to which with great pleasure he promised to do and indeed i believe there are few favors which he would not have gladly conferred on mr jones for he bore as much gratitude towards him as he could and was as honest as men who love money better than any other thing in the universe generally are mrs honor was agreed by both to be the proper means by which this letter should pass to sefia they then separated the gamekeeper returned home to mr weston's and jones walked to an ale house at half a miles distance to wait for his messenger's return george no sooner came home to his master's house than he met with mrs honor to whom having first sounded her with a few previous questions he delivered the letter for her mistress and received at the same time another from her to mr jones which honor told him she'd carried all that day in her bosom and began to despair of finding any means of delivering it the gamekeeper returned hastily and joyfully to jones who having received sefia's letter from him instantly withdrew and eagerly breaking it open red as follows sir it is impossible to express what i have felt since i saw you you're submitting on my account to such cruel insults from my father lays me under an obligation i shall ever own as you know his temper i beg you will for my sake avoid him i wish i had any comfort to send you but believe this that nothing but the last violent shall ever give my hand or heart where you would be sorry to see them bestowed jones read this letter a hundred times over and kissed it a hundred times as often his passion now brought all tender desires back into his mind he repented that he had ripped to sefia in the manner we have seen above but he repented more that he had made use of the interval of his messenger's absence to write and dispatch a letter to mr orworthy in which he'd faithfully promised and bound himself to quit all thoughts of his love however when his cool reflections returned he plainly perceived that his case was neither mended nor altered by sefia's billet unless to give him some little glimpse of hope from her constancy of some favorable accident here after he therefore resumed his resolution and taking leave of black george set forward to a town about five miles distant with her he had desired mr orworthy unless he pleased to revoke his sentence to send his things after him chapter 13 the behavior of sefia on the present occasion which none of her sex will blame who are capable of behaving in the same manner and the discussion of a knotty point in the court of conscience sefia had passed the last 24 hours in no very desirable manner during a large part of them she'd been entertained by her aunt with lectures of prudence recommending to her the example of the polite world where love so the good lady said is at present entirely laughed at and where women consider matrimony as men do offices of public trust only as the means of making their fortunes and of advancing themselves in the world in commenting on which text mrs western had displayed her eloquence during several hours these sagacious lectures though little suited either to the taste or inclination of sefia were however less irksome to her than her own thoughts that formed the entertainment of the night during which she never once closed her eyes but though she could neither sleep nor rest in her bed yet having no avocation from which she was found there by her father at his return from olworthy's which was knocked all past 10 o'clock in the morning he went directly up to her apartment opened the door and seeing she was not upright oh you're safe then and i am resolved to keep you so he then locked the door and delivered the key to honor having first given her the strictest charge with great promises of rewards for her fidelity and most dreadful menaces of punishment in case she should betray her trust honors orders were not to suffer her mistress to come out of her room without the authority of the squire himself and to admit none to her but him and her aunt but she was herself to attend her with whatever sefia pleased except only pen ink and paper of which she was forbidden the use the squire ordered his daughter to dress herself and attend him at dinner which she obeyed and having sat the usual time was a game conducted to her prison in the evening the jailer honor brought her the letter which she received from the gamekeeper sefia read it very attentively twice or thrice over and then threw herself upon the bed and burst into a flood of tears mrs honor expressed great astonishment at this behavior in her mistress nor could she forbear very eagerly begging to know the cause of this passion sefia made her no answer for some time and then starting suddenly up quarter made by the hand and cried oh honor i am undone marry forbid cries honor i wish the letter had been burnt before i brought it to your late ship i'm sure i thought it would have comforted your late ship or i would have seen it at the devil before i would have touched it honor says sefia you are a good girl and it is vain to attempt concealing longer my weakness from you i have thrown away my heart on a man who had forsaken me and is mr jones answered the maid such a perfidy man he had taken his leave of me says sefia forever in that letter nay he has desired me to forget him could he have desired that if he had loved me could he have borne such a thought could he have written such a word no certainly ma'am cries honor and to be sure if the best man in england was to desire me to forget him i'd take him at his word marry come up i am sure your ladyship had done him too much honor ever to think on him a young lady who may take her choice of all the young men in the country and to be sure if i may be so presumptuous as to offer my poor opinion there is young mr bliffle who besides that he has come of honest parents and will be one of the greatest squires all hear about he is to be sure in my poor opinion a more handsomer and a more polite man by half and besides he is a young gentleman of a sober character and who may defy any of the neighbors to say black is his eye he follows no dirty trolopes nor can any bastards be laid at his door forget him indeed i thank kevin i myself and not so much at my last prayers as to suffer any man to bid me forget him twice if the best he that wears ahead was for to go for to offer to say such an affronting word to me i would never give him my company afterwards if there was another young man in the kingdom and as i was a saying to be sure there is young mr bliffle name not his detested name christ Sophia name ma'am says honor if your layship does not like him there'd be more jolly handsome young men that would court your ladyship if they had but the least encouragement i don't believe there is a real young gentleman in this county or in the next to it that if your ladyship was but to look as if you had a mind to him would not come about to make his offers directly what a wretch does thou imagine me christ Sophia by affronting my ears with such stuff i detest all mankind need to be sure ma'am answered honor your ladyship have had enough to give you a surfeit of them to be used ill by such a poor beggarly bastardly fellow hold your blasphemous tongue christ Sophia how dare you mention his name with disrespect before me he used me ill no his poor bleeding heart suffered more when he ripped cruel words than mine from reading them oh he is all heroic virtue and angelic goodness i am ashamed of the weakness of my own passion for blaming what i ought to admire oh honor it is my good only that he consults to my interest he sacrifices both himself and me the apprehension of ruining me has driven him to despair i'm very glad says honor to hear your ladyship takes that into your consideration for to be sure it must be nothing less than ruin to give your mind to one that is turned out of doors and is not worth a farthing in the world turned out of doors christ Sophia hastily how what does that mean why to be sure ma'am my master no sooner told squire all worthy about mr jones having offered to make love to your ladyship than the squire stripped him stark naked and turned him out of doors ah says Sophia i have been the cursed wretched cause of his destruction turned naked out of doors here honor take all the money i have take the rings from my fingers here my watch carry him all go find him immediately the heavens say ma'am answered mrs honor do but consider if my master should miss any of these things i should be made to answer for them therefore let me beg your ladyship not to part with your watch and jewels besides the money i think is enough of all conscience and as for that my master can never know anything of the matter here then christ Sophia take every farthing i am worth find him out immediately and give it to him go go lose not a moment mrs honor departed according to orders and finding black george below stairs delivered him the purse which contained 16 guineas being indeed the whole stock of Sophia for though her father was very liberal to her she was much too generous to be rich black george having received the purse set forward towards the ale house but in the way a thought occurred to him whether he should not detain this money likewise his conscience however immediately started at this suggestion and began to upgrade him within gratitude to his benefactor to this his avarice answered that his conscience should have considered the matter before when he deprived poor jones of his 500 pounds that having quietly acquiesced in what was of so much greater importance it was absurd if not downright hypocrisy to affect any qualms at this trifle in return to which conscience like a good lawyer attempted to distinguish between an absolute breach of trust as here where the goods were delivered and a bare concealment of what was found as in the former case avarice presently treated this with ridicule called it a distinction without a difference and absolutely insisted that when once all pretensions of honor and virtue were given up in any one instance that there was no precedent for resorting to them upon a second occasion in short poor conscience had certainly been defeated in the argument had not fear stepped in to her assistance and very strenuously urged that the real distinction between the two actions did not lie in the different degrees of honor but of safety for that the secreting the 500 pound was a matter of very little hazard whereas the detaining the 16 guineas was liable to the utmost danger of discovery by this friendly aid of fear conscience obtained a complete victory in the mind of black george and after making him a few compliments on his honesty forced him to deliver the money to jones chapter 14 a short chapter containing a short dialogue between squire western and his sister mrs western had been engaged abroad all that day the squire met her at her return home and when she inquired after Sophia he acquainted her that he had secured her safe enough she's locked up in chamber cries he and honor keeps the key as his looks were full of prodigious wisdom and sagacity when he gave his sister this information it is probable he expected much applause from her for what he had done but how was he disappointed when with the most disdainful aspect she cried sure brother you are the weakest of all men why will you not confide in me for the management of my niece why will you interpose you have now undone all that i have been spending my breath in order to bring about while i've been endeavoring to fill her mind with maxims of prudence you have been provoking her to reject them english women brother i thank heaven are no slaves we are not to be locked up like the spanish and italian wives we have as good a right to liberty as yourselves we are to be convinced by reason and persuasion only and not governed by force i've seen the world brother and know what arguments to make use of and if your folly had not prevented me should have prevailed with her to form her conduct by those rules of prudence and discretion which i formally taught her to be sure said the squire i'm always in the wrong brother answered the lady you are not in the wrong unless when you meddle with matters beyond your knowledge you must agree that i have seen most of the world and happy had it been for my niece if she'd not been taken from under my care it is by living at home with you that she has learned romantic notions of love and nonsense you don't imagine i hope cries the squire that i have taught her any such things your ignorance brother returned she as the great milton says almost subdues my patience footnote the reader may perhaps subdue his own patience if he searches for this in milton damn milton answered the squire if he had the impudence to say so to my face i'd lend him a douse oh he was ever so great a man patience and come to that sister i have more occasion of patience to be used like an overgrown schoolboy as i am by you do you think no one have any understanding unless he has been about at court pox the world has come to a fine pass indeed if we're all fools except a parcel of roundheads and Hanover rats pox i hope the times are coming when we shall make fools of them and every man shall enjoy his own that's all sister and every man shall enjoy his own i hope to see it sister before the Hanover rats have eaten up all our corn and left us nothing but turnips to feed upon i protest brother cry she you are now got beyond my understanding your jargon of turnips and Hanover rats is to me perfectly unintelligible i believe cries he you don't care to hear of him that the country interest may succeed one day or other for all that i wish answered the lady you would think a little of your daughter's interest for believe me she is in greater danger than the nation just now said he you chid me for thinking on her and will have her left to you and if you will promise to interpose no more answered she i will out of my regard to my niece undertake the charge well do then said the squire for you know i always agreed that women are the properest to manage women mrs western then departed muttering something with an air of disdain concerning women and management of the nation she immediately repaired to sofia's apartment who was now after a day's confinement released again from her captivity end of section 22 section 23 of tom jones this is a libervox recording all libervox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libervox.org recording by sarah jennings tom jones by henry fielding book seven containing three days chapter one a comparison between the world and the stage the world has been often compared to the theater and many grave writers as well as the poets have considered human life as a great drama resembling in almost every particular those cynical representations which thespus is first reported to have invented and which have been since received with so much approbation and delight in all polite countries this thought has been carried so far and has become so general that some words proper to the theater and which were at first metaphorically applied to the world are now indiscriminately and literally spoken of both thus stage and scene are by common use grown as familiar to us when we speak of life in general as when we confine ourselves to dramatic performances and when transactions behind the curtain are mentioned st. james is more likely to occur to our thoughts than drury lane it may seem easy enough to account for all this by reflecting that the theatrical stage is nothing more than a representation or as Aristotle calls it an imitation of what really exists and hence perhaps we might fairly pay a very high compliment to those who by their writings or actions have been so capable of imitating life as to have their pictures in a manner confounded with or mistaken for the originals but in reality we are not so fond of paying compliments to these people whom we use as children frequently do the instruments of their amusement and have much more pleasure in hissing and buffeting them than in admiring their excellence there are many other reasons which have induced us to see this analogy between the world and the stage some have considered the larger part of mankind in the light of actors as personating characters no more their own and to which in fact they have no better title than the player hath to be an earnest thought the king or emperor whom he represents thus the hypocrite may be said to be a player and indeed the Greeks called them both by one in the same name the brevity of life hath likewise given occasion to this comparison so the immortal shakespeare life's a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more for which hack need quotation i will make the reader amends by a very noble one which few i believe have read it is taken from a poem called the deity published about nine years ago and long since buried in oblivion a proof that good books no more than good men do always survive the bad from the all human actions take their springs the rise of empires and the fall of kings see the vast theater of time displayed well or the scene succeeding heroes tread with pomp the shining images succeed what leaders triumph and what monarchs bleed perform the parts thy providence assigned their pride their passions to the ends inclined a while they glitter in the face of day then at thy nod the phantoms pass away no traces left of all the busy scene but that remembrance says these things have been in all things however and in every other similitude of life to the theater the resemblance have been always taken from the stage only none as i remember have it all considered the audience at this great drama but as nature often exhibits some of her best performances to a very full house so will the behavior of her spectators no less admit the above mentioned comparison than that of her actors in the vast theater of time are seated the friend and the critic here are claps and shouts hisses and groans in short everything which was ever seen or heard at the theater royal let us examine in this one example for instance in the behavior of the great audience on that scene which nature was pleased to exhibit in the twelfth chapter of the preceding book where she introduced black george running away with the 500 pounds from his friend and benefactor those who sat in the world's upper gallery treated that incident i am well convinced with their usual vociferation and every term of scurrilous reproach was most probably vented on that occasion if we had descended to the next order of spectators we should have found an equal degree of abhorrence though less of noise and scurrility here the good women gave black george to the devil and many of them expected every minute that the cloven footed gentleman would fetch his own the pit as usual was no doubt divided those who delight in heroic virtue and perfect character objected to the producing such instance as a villainy without punishing them very severely for the sake of example some of the author's friends cried looky a gentleman the man is a villain but it is nature for all that and all the young critics of the age the clerks apprentices etc called it low and fellow groaning as for the boxes they behaved with their accustomed to politeness most of them were attending to something else some of those few who regarded the scene at all declared he was a bad kind of man while others refused to give their opinion till they had heard that of the best judges now we who are admitted behind the scenes of this great theater of nature and no author ought to write anything besides dictionaries and spelling books who have not this privilege can censure the action without conceiving any absolute detestation of the person who perhaps nature may not have designed to act an ill part in all her dramas for in this instance life most exactly resembles the stage since it is often the same person who represents the villain and the hero and he who engages your admiration today will probably attract your contempt tomorrow as garak whom i regard in tragedy to be the greatest genius the world hath ever produced sometimes condescends to play the fool so did sipio the great and lielius the wise according to horus many years ago nea cicero reports them to have been incredibly childish these it is true played the fool like my friend garak and just only but several eminent characters have in numberless instances of their lives played the fool egregoriously and earnest so far as to render it a matter of some doubt whether their wisdom or folly was predominant and whether they were better entitled to the applause or censure the admiration or contempt the love or hatred of mankind those persons indeed who have passed any time behind the scenes of this great theater and are thoroughly acquainted not only with several disguises which are there put on but also with the fantastic and capricious behavior of the passions who are the managers and directors of the theater for us to reason the patentee he is known to be a very idle fellow and seldom to exert himself may most probably have learned to understand the famous nil admiraria of horus or in the english phrase to stare at nothing a single bad act no more constitutes a villain in life than a single bad part on the stage the passions like the managers of a playhouse often force men upon parts without consulting their judgment and sometimes without any regard to their talents thus the man as well as the player may condemn what he himself acts nay it is common to see vice sit as awkwardly on some men as the character of yago would on the honest face of mr william mills upon the whole then the man of candor and of true understanding is never hasty to condemn he can censure an imperfection or even a vice without rage against the guilty party in a word they are the same folly the same childish niche the same ill breeding the same ill nature which raise all the clamors and uproars both in life and on the stage the worst of men generally have the words rogue and villain most in their mouths as the lowest of all wretches are the aptus to cry out low in the pit chapter two containing a conversation which mr jones had with himself jones received his effects for mr allworthy's early in the morning with the following answer to his letter sir i am commanded by my uncle to acquaint you that as he did not proceed to those measures he had taken with you without the greatest deliberation and after the fullest evidence of your unworthiness so will it be always out of your power to cause the least alteration in his resolution he expresses great surprise at your presumption in saying you've resigned all pretensions to a young lady to whom it is impossible you should ever have had any her birth and fortune having made her so infinitely your superior lastly i am commanded to tell you that the only instance of your compliance with my uncle's inclinations which he requires is you are immediately quitting this country i cannot conclude this without offering you my advice as a christian that you would seriously think of amending your life that you may be assisted with grace to do so will always be the prayer of your humble servant w blightful many contending passions were raised in our hero's mind by this letter but the tender prevailed at last over the indignant and irascible and a flood of tears came seasonably to his assistance and possibly prevented his misfortunes from either turning his head or bursting his heart he grew however soon ashamed of indulging this remedy and starting up he cried well then i will give mr allworthy the only instance he requires of my obedience i will go this moment but wither why let fortune direct since there is no other who thinks that of any consequence what becomes of this wretched person it shall be a matter of equal indifference to myself shall i alone regard what no other ha have i not reason to think there is another one whose value is above that of the whole world i may i must imagine my sophia is not indifferent to what becomes of me shall i then leave this only friend and such a friend shall i not stay with her where how can i stay with her have i any hopes of ever seeing her though she was as desirous as myself without exposing her to the wrath of her father and to what purpose can i think of soliciting such a creature to consent to her own ruin shall i indulge any passion of mine at such a price shall i lurk about this country like a thief with such intentions no i justain i detest the thought farewell sophia farewell most lovely most beloved here passion stopped his mouth and found event at his eyes and now having taken a resolution to leave the country he began to debate with himself whether he should go the world as milton phrases it lay all before him and jones no more than adam had any man to whom he might resort for comfort or assistance all his acquaintance were the acquaintance of mr allworthy and he had no reason to expect any countenance from them as that gentleman had withdrawn his favor from him men of great and good characters should indeed be very cautious how they discard their dependence for the consequence to the unhappy sufferer is being discarded by all others what course of life to pursue or to what business to apply himself was a second consideration and here the prospect was all a melancholy void every profession and every trade required lengths of time and what was worse money for matters are so constituted that nothing out of nothing is not a true maxim in physics than in politics and every man who has greatly destitute of money is on that account entirely excluded from all means of acquiring it at last the ocean that hospitable friend to the wretched opened her compracious arms to receive him and he instantly resolved to accept her kind invitation to express myself less figuratively he determined to go to sea this thought indeed no sooner suggested itself than he eagerly embraced it and having presently hired horses he set out for bristol to put it in execution but before we attend him on this expedition we shall resort a while to mr westerns and see what further happened to the charming sophia chapter three containing several dialogues the morning in which mr jones departed mrs western summoned sophia into her apartment and having first acquainted her that she had obtained her liberty of her father she proceeded to read her a long lecture on the subject of matrimony which she treated not as a romantic scheme of happiness arising from love as it hath been described by the poets nor did she mention any of those purposes for which we are taught by divines to regard it as instituted by sacred authority she considered it rather as a fund in which prudent women deposit their fortunes to the best advantage in order to receive a larger interest from them than they could have elsewhere when mrs western finished sophia answered that she was very incapable of arguing with the lady of her aunt's superior knowledge and experience especially on a subject which she had so very little considered as this of matrimony argue with me child replied the other i do not indeed expect it i should have seen the world to very little purpose truly if i am to argue with one of your years i have taken this trouble in order to instruct you the ancient philosophers such as socrates alcibiades and others did not use to argue with their scholars you are to consider me child as socrates not asking your opinion but only informing you of mine from which last words the reader may possibly imagine that this lady had read no more of the philosophy of socrates than she had of alcibiades and indeed we cannot resolve his curiosity as to this point madam christ Sophia i've never presumed to contravert any opinion of yours and this subject as i said i have never yet thought of and perhaps never may indeed sophie replied the end this dissimulation with me is very foolish the french shall assume persuade me that they take foreign towns in defense only of their own country as you can impose on me to believe you have never yet thought seriously of matrimony how can you child affect to deny that which you have considered of contracting an alliance when you so well know i am acquainted with the party with whom you desire to contract it an alliance as unnatural and contrary to your interest as a separate league with the french would be to the interest of the dutch but however if you have not hitherto considered of this matter i promise you it is now high time for my brother is resolved immediately to conclude the treaty with mr bleffle and indeed i am a sort of guarantee in the affair and have promised your concurrence indeed madam christ Sophia this is the only instance in which i must disobey both yourself and my father for this is a match for which requires very little consideration in me to refuse if i was not as great a philosopher as socrates himself returned mrs western you would overcome my patience what objection can you have to the young gentleman a very solid objection in my opinion so Sophia i hate him will you never learn a proper use of words answered the ant indeed child you should consult bailey's dictionary it is impossible you should hate a man from whom you have received no injury by hatred therefore you mean no more than dislike which is no sufficient objection against your marrying him i've known many couples who have entirely disliked each other made very comfortable gentile lives believe me child i know these things better than you you will allow me i think to have seen the world in which i have not an acquaintance who would not rather be thought to dislike her husband than to like him the contrary is such out of fashion romantic nonsense that the very imagination of it is shocking indeed madam replied Sophia i shall never marry a man i dislike if i promise my father never to consent to any marriage contrary to his inclinations i think i may hope he will never force me into that state contrary to my own inclinations cries the ant with some warmth inclinations i'm astonished at your assurance a young woman of your age and unmarried to talk of inclinations but whatever your inclinations may be my brother is resolved nay since you talk of inclinations i shall advise him to hasten the treaty inclinations Sophia then flung herself upon her knees and tears began to trickle from her shining eyes she entreated her aunt to have mercy upon her and not to resent so cruelly her unwillingness to make herself miserable often urging that she alone was concerned and that her happiness only was at stake as a bailiff when well authorized by his writ having possessed himself of the person of some unhappy debtor views all his tears without concern in vain the wretched captive attempts to raise compassion in vain the tender wife bereft of her companion the little praddling boy or frightened girl are mentioned as inducements to reluctance the noble bum trap blind and deaf to every circumstance of distress greatly rises above all motives to humanity and into the hands of the jailer resolves to deliver his miserable prey not less blind to the tears or less deaf to every entreaty of Sophia was the politic ant nor less determined was she to deliver over the trembling maid into the arms of the jailer blyphal she answered with great impetuosity so far madam from your being concerned alone your concern is the least or surely the least important it is the honor of your family which is concerned in this alliance you are only the instrument do you conceive mistress than an intermarriage between kingdoms as when a daughter of France is married into spain the princess herself is alone considered in the match no it is a match between two kingdoms rather than between two persons the same happens in great families such as ours the alliance between the families is the principal matter you ought to have a greater regard for the honor of your family than for your own person and if the example of a princess cannot inspire you with these noble thoughts you cannot surely complain at being used no worse than all princesses are used I hope madam Christ Sophia with a little elevation of voice I shall never do anything to dishonor my family but as for mr. blyphal whatever may be the consequence I'm resolved against him and no force shall prevail in his favor Western who had been within hearing during the greater part of the proceeding dialogue had now exhausted all his patience he therefore entered the room in a violent passion crying damn me then if she didn't happen damn me if she won't that's all that's all damn me if she won't mrs. Western had collected a sufficient quantity of wrath for the use of Sophia but she now transferred it all to the squire brother said she it is astonishing that you will interfere in a matter which you had totally left to my negotiation regard to my family has made me take upon myself to be the mediating power in order to rectify those mistakes in policy which you have committed in your daughter's education for brother it is you it is your preposterous conduct which has eradicated all the seeds that I had formerly sown in her tender mind it is you yourself who have taught her disobedience blood crossed the squire foaming at the mouth you are enough to conquer the patience of the devil have I ever taught my daughter disobedience here she stands speak honestly girl did I ever bid you to be disobedient to me I have not I done everything to humor and to gratify you to make you obedient to me and very obedient to me she was when a little child before you took her in hand and spoiled her by filling her head with a pack of court notions why why why did I not overhear you telling her she must behave like a princess you have made a wig of the girl and how should her father or anybody else expect any obedience from her brother answered mrs. Western with an air of great disdain I cannot express the contempt I have for your politics of all kinds but I will appeal likewise to the young lady herself whether I've ever taught her any principles of disobedience on the contrary niece have I not endeavored to inspire you with a true idea of the several relations in which a human creature stands in society have I not taken infinite pains to show you that the law of nature hath enjoined a duty on children to their parents have I not told you what Plato says on the subject a subject on which she was so notoriously ignorant when you first came under my care that I barely believe he did not know the relation between a daughter and a father tis a lie answered Western the girl is no such fool as to live 11 years old without knowing that she was her father's relation oh more than gothic ignorance answered the lady and as for your manners brother I must tell you they deserve a cane well I then you may get at me if you think you are able cries the squire nay I suppose your niece there will be ready enough to help you brother said mrs western though I despise you beyond expression yet I shall endure your insolence no longer so I desire my coach maybe got ready immediately for I am resolved to leave your house this very morning and a good riddance to answered he I can bear your insolence no longer and you come to that blood is just almost enough of itself to make my daughter undervalue my sense when she hears you telling me every minute you despise me it is impossible it is impossible cries the ant no one can undervalue such a bore bore answered the squire I'm no bore no nor ass no nor rat neither madam remember that I'm no rat I am a true Englishman and not of your handover breed that have eaten up the nation thou art one of those wise men cries she whose nonsensical principles have undone the nation by weakening the hands of our government at home and by discouraging our friends and encouraging our enemies abroad oh are you come back to your politics cries the squire as for those I despise them as much as I do a fart which last words he accompanied and graced with the very action which of all others was the most proper to it and whether it was this word or the contempt expressed for her politics which most affected mrs western I will not determine but she flew into the most violent rage uttered phrases improper to be here related and instantly burst out of the house nor did her brother or her niece think proper either to stop or to follow her for the one was so much possessed by concern and the other by anger that they were rendered almost motionless the squire however sent after his sister the same hello which attends the departure of a hare when she is first started by the hounds he was indeed a great master of this kind of vociferation and had a hello proper for most occasions in life women who like mrs western know the world and have applied themselves to philosophy and politics would have immediately availed themselves of the present disposition of mr western's mind by throwing in a few artful compliments to his understanding at the expense of his absent adversary but poor sofia was all simplicity by which word we do not intend to insinuate to the reader that she was silly which is generally understood as a synonymous term with simple for she was indeed a most sensible girl and her understanding was of the first rate but she wanted all that useful art which females convert to so many good purposes in life and which as it rather arises from the heart than from the head is often the property of the silliest of women end of section 23