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The History of Tom Jones, a foundling

H >> Henry Fielding >> The History of Tom Jones, a foundling




Mrs Fitzpatrick no sooner received this information, than she
immediately agreed with the opinion of her maid; and, what is very
unaccountable, saw charms in the gallant, happy lover, which she had
overlooked in the slighted squire. "Betty," says she, "you are
certainly in the right: he is a very pretty fellow, and I don't wonder
that my cousin's maid should tell you so many women are fond of him. I
am sorry now I did not inform him where my cousin was; and yet, if he
be so terrible a rake as you tell me, it is a pity she should ever see
him any more; for what but her ruin can happen from marrying a rake
and a beggar against her father's consent? I protest, if he be such a
man as the wench described him to you, it is but an office of charity
to keep her from him; and I am sure it would be unpardonable in me to
do otherwise, who have tasted so bitterly of the misfortunes attending
such marriages."

Here she was interrupted by the arrival of a visitor, which was no
other than his lordship; and as nothing passed at this visit either
new or extraordinary, or any ways material to this history, we shall
here put an end to this chapter.



Chapter iii.

A project of Mrs Fitzpatrick, and her visit to Lady Bellaston.


When Mrs Fitzpatrick retired to rest, her thoughts were entirely taken
up by her cousin Sophia and Mr Jones. She was, indeed, a little
offended with the former, for the disingenuity which she now
discovered. In which meditation she had not long exercised her
imagination before the following conceit suggested itself; that could
she possibly become the means of preserving Sophia from this man, and
of restoring her to her father, she should, in all human probability,
by so great a service to the family, reconcile to herself both her
uncle and her aunt Western.

As this was one of her most favourite wishes, so the hope of success
seemed so reasonable, that nothing remained but to consider of proper
methods to accomplish her scheme. To attempt to reason the case with
Sophia did not appear to her one of those methods: for as Betty had
reported from Mrs Honour, that Sophia had a violent inclination to
Jones, she conceived that to dissuade her from the match was an
endeavour of the same kind, as it would be very heartily and earnestly
to entreat a moth not to fly into a candle.

If the reader will please to remember that the acquaintance which
Sophia had with Lady Bellaston was contracted at the house of Mrs
Western, and must have grown at the very time when Mrs Fitzpatrick
lived with this latter lady, he will want no information, that Mrs
Fitzpatrick must have been acquainted with her likewise. They were,
besides, both equally her distant relations.

After much consideration, therefore, she resolved to go early in the
morning to that lady, and endeavour to see her, unknown to Sophia, and
to acquaint her with the whole affair. For she did not in the least
doubt, but that the prudent lady, who had often ridiculed romantic
love, and indiscreet marriages, in her conversation, would very
readily concur in her sentiments concerning this match, and would lend
her utmost assistance to prevent it.

This resolution she accordingly executed; and the next morning before
the sun, she huddled on her cloaths, and at a very unfashionable,
unseasonable, unvisitable hour, went to Lady Bellaston, to whom she
got access, without the least knowledge or suspicion of Sophia, who,
though not asleep, lay at that time awake in her bed, with Honour
snoring by her side.

Mrs Fitzpatrick made many apologies for an early, abrupt visit, at an
hour when, she said, "she should not have thought of disturbing her
ladyship, but upon business of the utmost consequence." She then
opened the whole affair, told all she had heard from Betty; and did
not forget the visit which Jones had paid to herself the preceding
evening.

Lady Bellaston answered with a smile, "Then you have seen this
terrible man, madam; pray, is he so very fine a figure as he is
represented? for Etoff entertained me last night almost two hours with
him. The wench I believe is in love with him by reputation." Here the
reader will be apt to wonder; but the truth is, that Mrs Etoff, who
had the honour to pin and unpin the Lady Bellaston, had received
compleat information concerning the said Mr Jones, and had faithfully
conveyed the same to her lady last night (or rather that morning)
while she was undressing; on which accounts she had been detained in
her office above the space of an hour and a half.

The lady indeed, though generally well enough pleased with the
narratives of Mrs Etoff at those seasons, gave an extraordinary
attention to her account of Jones; for Honour had described him as a
very handsome fellow, and Mrs Etoff, in her hurry, added so much to
the beauty of his person to her report, that Lady Bellaston began to
conceive him to be a kind of miracle in nature.

The curiosity which her woman had inspired was now greatly increased
by Mrs Fitzpatrick, who spoke as much in favour of the person of Jones
as she had before spoken in dispraise of his birth, character, and
fortune.

When Lady Bellaston had heard the whole, she answered gravely,
"Indeed, madam, this is a matter of great consequence. Nothing can
certainly be more commendable than the part you act; and I shall be
very glad to have my share in the preservation of a young lady of so
much merit, and for whom I have so much esteem."

"Doth not your ladyship think," says Mrs Fitzpatrick eagerly, "that it
would be the best way to write immediately to my uncle, and acquaint
him where my cousin is?"

The lady pondered a little upon this, and thus answered--"Why, no,
madam, I think not. Di Western hath described her brother to me to be
such a brute, that I cannot consent to put any woman under his power
who hath escaped from it. I have heard he behaved like a monster to
his own wife, for he is one of those wretches who think they have a
right to tyrannise over us, and from such I shall ever esteem it the
cause of my sex to rescue any woman who is so unfortunate to be under
their power.--The business, dear cousin, will be only to keep Miss
Western from seeing this young fellow, till the good company, which
she will have an opportunity of meeting here, give her a properer
turn."

"If he should find her out, madam," answered the other, "your ladyship
may be assured he will leave nothing unattempted to come at her."

"But, madam," replied the lady, "it is impossible he should come
here--though indeed it is possible he may get some intelligence where
she is, and then may lurk about the house--I wish therefore I knew his
person.

"Is there no way, madam, by which I could have a sight of him? for,
otherwise, you know, cousin, she may contrive to see him here without
my knowledge." Mrs Fitzpatrick answered, "That he had threatened her
with another visit that afternoon, and that, if her ladyship pleased
to do her the honour of calling upon her then, she would hardly fail
of seeing him between six and seven; and if he came earlier she would,
by some means or other, detain him till her ladyship's arrival."--Lady
Bellaston replied, "She would come the moment she could get from
dinner, which she supposed would be by seven at farthest; for that it
was absolutely necessary she should be acquainted with his person.
Upon my word, madam," says she, "it was very good to take this care of
Miss Western; but common humanity, as well as regard to our family,
requires it of us both; for it would be a dreadful match indeed."

Mrs Fitzpatrick failed not to make a proper return to the compliment
which Lady Bellaston had bestowed on her cousin, and, after some
little immaterial conversation, withdrew; and, getting as fast as she
could into her chair, unseen by Sophia or Honour, returned home.



Chapter iv.

Which consists of visiting.


Mr Jones had walked within sight of a certain door during the whole
day, which, though one of the shortest, appeared to him to be one of
the longest in the whole year. At length, the clock having struck
five, he returned to Mrs Fitzpatrick, who, though it was a full hour
earlier than the decent time of visiting, received him very civilly;
but still persisted in her ignorance concerning Sophia.

Jones, in asking for his angel, had dropped the word cousin, upon
which Mrs Fitzpatrick said, "Then, sir, you know we are related: and,
as we are, you will permit me the right of enquiring into the
particulars of your business with my cousin." Here Jones hesitated a
good while, and at last answered, "He had a considerable sum of money
of hers in his hands, which he desired to deliver to her." He then
produced the pocket-book, and acquainted Mrs Fitzpatrick with the
contents, and with the method in which they came into his hands. He
had scarce finished his story, when a most violent noise shook the
whole house. To attempt to describe this noise to those who have heard
it would be in vain; and to aim at giving any idea of it to those who
have never heard the like, would be still more vain: for it may be
truly said--

_--Non acuta
Sic geminant Corybantes aera._

The priests of Cybele do not so rattle their sounding brass.

In short, a footman knocked, or rather thundered, at the door. Jones
was a little surprized at the sound, having never heard it before; but
Mrs Fitzpatrick very calmly said, that, as some company were coming,
she could not make him any answer now; but if he pleased to stay till
they were gone, she intimated she had something to say to him.

The door of the room now flew open, and, after pushing in her hoop
sideways before her, entered Lady Bellaston, who having first made a
very low courtesy to Mrs Fitzpatrick, and as low a one to Mr Jones,
was ushered to the upper end of the room.

We mention these minute matters for the sake of some country ladies of
our acquaintance, who think it contrary to the rules of modesty to
bend their knees to a man.

The company were hardly well settled, before the arrival of the peer
lately mentioned, caused a fresh disturbance, and a repetition of
ceremonials.

These being over, the conversation began to be (as the phrase is)
extremely brilliant. However, as nothing past in it which can be
thought material to this history, or, indeed, very material in itself,
I shall omit the relation; the rather, as I have known some very fine
polite conversation grow extremely dull, when transcribed into books,
or repeated on the stage. Indeed, this mental repast is a dainty, of
which those who are excluded from polite assemblies must be contented
to remain as ignorant as they must of the several dainties of French
cookery, which are served only at the tables of the great. To say the
truth, as neither of these are adapted to every taste, they might both
be often thrown away on the vulgar.

Poor Jones was rather a spectator of this elegant scene, than an actor
in it; for though, in the short interval before the peer's arrival,
Lady Bellaston first, and afterwards Mrs Fitzpatrick, had addressed
some of their discourse to him; yet no sooner was the noble lord
entered, than he engrossed the whole attention of the two ladies to
himself; and as he took no more notice of Jones than if no such person
had been present, unless by now and then staring at him, the ladies
followed his example.

The company had now staid so long, that Mrs Fitzpatrick plainly
perceived they all designed to stay out each other. She therefore
resolved to rid herself of Jones, he being the visitant to whom she
thought the least ceremony was due. Taking therefore an opportunity of
a cessation of chat, she addressed herself gravely to him, and said,
"Sir, I shall not possibly be able to give you an answer to-night as
to that business; but if you please to leave word where I may send to
you to-morrow---"

Jones had natural, but not artificial good-breeding. Instead therefore
of communicating the secret of his lodgings to a servant, he
acquainted the lady herself with it particularly, and soon after very
ceremoniously withdrew.

He was no sooner gone than the great personages, who had taken no
notice of him present, began to take much notice of him in his
absence; but if the reader hath already excused us from relating the
more brilliant part of this conversation, he will surely be very ready
to excuse the repetition of what may be called vulgar abuse; though,
perhaps, it may be material to our history to mention an observation
of Lady Bellaston, who took her leave in a few minutes after him, and
then said to Mrs Fitzpatrick, at her departure, "I am satisfied on the
account of my cousin; she can be in no danger from this fellow."

Our history shall follow the example of Lady Bellaston, and take leave
of the present company, which was now reduced to two persons; between
whom, as nothing passed, which in the least concerns us or our reader,
we shall not suffer ourselves to be diverted by it from matters which
must seem of more consequence to all those who are at all interested
in the affairs of our heroe.



Chapter v.

An adventure which happened to Mr Jones at his lodgings, with some
account of a young gentleman who lodged there, and of the mistress of
the house, and her two daughters.


The next morning, as early as it was decent, Jones attended at Mrs
Fitzpatrick's door, where he was answered that the lady was not at
home; an answer which surprized him the more, as he had walked
backwards and forwards in the street from break of day; and if she had
gone out, he must have seen her. This answer, however, he was obliged
to receive, and not only now, but to five several visits which he made
her that day.

To be plain with the reader, the noble peer had from some reason or
other, perhaps from a regard for the lady's honour, insisted that she
should not see Mr Jones, whom he looked on as a scrub, any more; and
the lady had complied in making that promise to which we now see her
so strictly adhere.

But as our gentle reader may possibly have a better opinion of the
young gentleman than her ladyship, and may even have some concern,
should it be apprehended that, during this unhappy separation from
Sophia, he took up his residence either at an inn, or in the street;
we shall now give an account of his lodging, which was indeed in a
very reputable house, and in a very good part of the town.

Mr Jones, then, had often heard Mr Allworthy mention the gentlewoman
at whose house he used to lodge when he was in town. This person, who,
as Jones likewise knew, lived in Bond-street, was the widow of a
clergyman, and was left by him, at his decease, in possession of two
daughters, and of a compleat set of manuscript sermons.

Of these two daughters, Nancy, the elder, was now arrived at the age
of seventeen, and Betty, the younger, at that of ten.

Hither Jones had despatched Partridge, and in this house he was
provided with a room for himself in the second floor, and with one for
Partridge in the fourth.

The first floor was inhabited by one of those young gentlemen, who, in
the last age, were called men of wit and pleasure about town, and
properly enough; for as men are usually denominated from their
business or profession, so pleasure may be said to have been the only
business or profession of those gentlemen to whom fortune had made all
useful occupations unnecessary. Playhouses, coffeehouses, and taverns
were the scenes of their rendezvous. Wit and humour were the
entertainment of their looser hours, and love was the business of
their more serious moments. Wine and the muses conspired to kindle the
brightest flames in their breasts; nor did they only admire, but some
were able to celebrate the beauty they admired, and all to judge of
the merit of such compositions.

Such, therefore, were properly called the men of wit and pleasure; but
I question whether the same appellation may, with the same propriety,
be given to those young gentlemen of our times, who have the same
ambition to be distinguished for parts. Wit certainly they have
nothing to do with. To give them their due, they soar a step higher
than their predecessors, and may be called men of wisdom and vertù
(take heed you do not read virtue). Thus at an age when the gentlemen
above mentioned employ their time in toasting the charms of a woman,
or in making sonnets in her praise; in giving their opinion of a play
at the theatre, or of a poem at Will's or Button's; these gentlemen
are considering the methods to bribe a corporation, or meditating
speeches for the House of Commons, or rather for the magazines. But
the science of gaming is that which above all others employs their
thoughts. These are the studies of their graver hours, while for their
amusements they have the vast circle of connoisseurship, painting,
music, statuary, and natural philosophy, or rather _unnatural_, which
deals in the wonderful, and knows nothing of Nature, except her
monsters and imperfections.

When Jones had spent the whole day in vain enquiries after Mrs
Fitzpatrick, he returned at last disconsolate to his apartment. Here,
while he was venting his grief in private, he heard a violent uproar
below-stairs; and soon after a female voice begged him for heaven's
sake to come and prevent murder. Jones, who was never backward on any
occasion to help the distressed, immediately ran down-stairs; when
stepping into the dining-room, whence all the noise issued, he beheld
the young gentleman of wisdom and vertù just before mentioned, pinned
close to the wall by his footman, and a young woman standing by,
wringing her hands, and crying out, "He will be murdered! he will be
murdered!" and, indeed, the poor gentleman seemed in some danger of
being choaked, when Jones flew hastily to his assistance, and rescued
him, just as he was breathing his last, from the unmerciful clutches
of the enemy.

Though the fellow had received several kicks and cuffs from the little
gentleman, who had more spirit than strength, he had made it a kind of
scruple of conscience to strike his master, and would have contented
himself with only choaking him; but towards Jones he bore no such
respect; he no sooner therefore found himself a little roughly handled
by his new antagonist, than he gave him one of those punches in the
guts which, though the spectators at Broughton's amphitheatre have
such exquisite delight in seeing them, convey but very little pleasure
in the feeling.

The lusty youth had no sooner received this blow, than he meditated a
most grateful return; and now ensued a combat between Jones and the
footman, which was very fierce, but short; for this fellow was no more
able to contend with Jones than his master had before been to contend
with him.

And now, Fortune, according to her usual custom, reversed the face of
affairs. The former victor lay breathless on the ground, and the
vanquished gentleman had recovered breath enough to thank Mr Jones for
his seasonable assistance; he received likewise the hearty thanks of
the young woman present, who was indeed no other than Miss Nancy, the
eldest daughter of the house.

The footman, having now recovered his legs, shook his head at Jones,
and, with a sagacious look, cried--"O d--n me, I'll have nothing more
to do with you; you have been upon the stage, or I'm d--nably
mistaken." And indeed we may forgive this his suspicion; for such was
the agility and strength of our heroe, that he was, perhaps, a match
for one of the first-rate boxers, and could, with great ease, have
beaten all the muffled[*] graduates of Mr Broughton's school.

[*] Lest posterity should be puzzled by this epithet, I think proper
to explain it by an advertisement which was published Feb. 1, 1747.

N.B.--Mr Broughton proposes, with proper assistance, to open an
academy at his house in the Haymarket, for the instruction of those
who are willing to be initiated in the mystery of boxing: where the
whole theory and practice of that truly British art, with all the
various stops, blows, cross-buttocks, &c., incident to combatants,
will be fully taught and explained; and that persons of quality and
distinction may not be deterred from entering into _A course of
those lectures_, they will be given with the utmost tenderness and
regard to the delicacy of the frame and constitution of the pupil,
for which reason muffles are provided, that will effectually secure
them from the inconveniency of black eyes, broken jaws, and bloody
noses.

The master, foaming with wrath, ordered his man immediately to strip,
to which the latter very readily agreed, on condition of receiving his
wages. This condition was presently complied with, and the fellow was
discharged.

And now the young gentleman, whose name was Nightingale, very
strenuously insisted that his deliverer should take part of a bottle
of wine with him; to which Jones, after much entreaty, consented,
though more out of complacence than inclination; for the uneasiness of
his mind fitted him very little for conversation at this time. Miss
Nancy likewise, who was the only female then in the house, her mamma
and sister being both gone to the play, condescended to favour them
with her company.

When the bottle and glasses were on the table the gentleman began to
relate the occasion of the preceding disturbance.

"I hope, sir," said he to Jones, "you will not from this accident
conclude, that I make a custom of striking my servants, for I assure
you this is the first time I have been guilty of it in my remembrance,
and I have passed by many provoking faults in this very fellow, before
he could provoke me to it; but when you hear what hath happened this
evening, you will, I believe, think me excusable. I happened to come
home several hours before my usual time, when I found four gentlemen
of the cloth at whist by my fire;--and my Hoyle, sir--my best Hoyle,
which cost me a guinea, lying open on the table, with a quantity of
porter spilt on one of the most material leaves of the whole book.
This, you will allow, was provoking; but I said nothing till the rest
of the honest company were gone, and then gave the fellow a gentle
rebuke, who, instead of expressing any concern, made me a pert answer,
`That servants must have their diversions as well as other people;
that he was sorry for the accident which had happened to the book, but
that several of his acquaintance had bought the same for a shilling,
and that I might stop as much in his wages, if I pleased.' I now gave
him a severer reprimand than before, when the rascal had the insolence
to---In short, he imputed my early coming home to----In short, he cast
a reflection----He mentioned the name of a young lady, in a manner--in
such a manner that incensed me beyond all patience, and, in my
passion, I struck him."

Jones answered, "That he believed no person living would blame him;
for my part," said he, "I confess I should, on the last-mentioned
provocation, have done the same thing."

Our company had not sat long before they were joined by the mother and
daughter, at their return from the play. And now they all spent a very
chearful evening together; for all but Jones were heartily merry, and
even he put on as much constrained mirth as possible. Indeed, half his
natural flow of animal spirits, joined to the sweetness of his temper,
was sufficient to make a most amiable companion; and notwithstanding
the heaviness of his heart, so agreeable did he make himself on the
present occasion, that, at their breaking up, the young gentleman
earnestly desired his further acquaintance. Miss Nancy was well
pleased with him; and the widow, quite charmed with her new lodger,
invited him, with the other, next morning to breakfast.

Jones on his part was no less satisfied. As for Miss Nancy, though a
very little creature, she was extremely pretty, and the widow had all
the charms which can adorn a woman near fifty. As she was one of the
most innocent creatures in the world, so she was one of the most
chearful. She never thought, nor spoke, nor wished any ill, and had
constantly that desire of pleasing, which may be called the happiest
of all desires in this, that it scarce ever fails of attaining its
ends, when not disgraced by affectation. In short, though her power
was very small, she was in her heart one of the warmest friends. She
had been a most affectionate wife, and was a most fond and tender
mother. As our history doth not, like a newspaper, give great
characters to people who never were heard of before, nor will ever be
heard of again, the reader may hence conclude, that this excellent
woman will hereafter appear to be of some importance in our history.

Nor was Jones a little pleased with the young gentleman himself, whose
wine he had been drinking. He thought he discerned in him much good
sense, though a little too much tainted with town-foppery; but what
recommended him most to Jones were some sentiments of great generosity
and humanity, which occasionally dropt from him; and particularly many
expressions of the highest disinterestedness in the affair of love. On
which subject the young gentleman delivered himself in a language
which might have very well become an Arcadian shepherd of old, and
which appeared very extraordinary when proceeding from the lips of a
modern fine gentleman; but he was only one by imitation, and meant by
nature for a much better character.

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