again. There is your disciple Tom almost spoiled already. I
overheard him the other day disputing with Master Blifil that there
was no merit in faith without works. I know that is one of your
tenets, and I suppose he had it from you."
"Don't accuse me of spoiling him," says Square. "Who taught him to
laugh at whatever is virtuous and decent, and fit and right in the
nature of things? He is your own scholar, and I disclaim him. No,
no, Master Blifil is my boy. Young as he is, that lad's notions of
moral rectitude I defy you ever to eradicate."
Thwackum put on a contemptuous sneer at this, and replied, "Ay,
ay, I will venture him with you. He is too well grounded for all
your philosophical cant to hurt. No, no, I have taken care to instil
such principles into him--"
"And I have instilled principles into him too," cries Square.
"What but the sublime idea of virtue could inspire a human mind with
the generous thought of giving liberty? And I repeat to you again,
if it was a fit thing to be proud, I might claim the honour of
having infused that idea."-
"And if pride was not forbidden," said Thwackum, "I might boast of
having taught him that duty which he himself assigned as his motive."
"So between you both," says the squire, "the young gentleman hath
been taught to rob my daughter of her bird. I find I must take care of
my partridge-mew. I shall have some virtuous religious man or other
set all my partridges at liberty." Then slapping a gentleman of the
law, who was present, on the back, he cried out, "What say you to
this, Mr. Counsellor? Is not this against law?"
The lawyer with great gravity delivered himself as follows:-
"If the case be put of a partridge, there can be no doubt but an
action would lie; for though this be ferae naturae, yet being
reclaimed, property vests: but being the case of a singing bird,
though reclaimed, as it is a thing of base nature, it must be
considered as nullius in bonis. In this case, therefore, I conceive
the plaintiff must be non-suited; and I should disadvise the
bringing any such action."
"Well," says the squire, "if it be nullus bonus, let us drink about,
and talk a little of the state of the nation, or some such discourse
that we all understand; for I am sure I don't understand a word of
this. It may be learning and sense for aught I know: but you shall
never persuade me into it. Pox! you have neither of you mentioned a
word of that poor lad who deserves to be commended: to venture
breaking his neck to oblige my girl was a generous-spirited action:
I have learning enough to see that. D--n me, here's Tom's health! I
shall love the boy for it the longest day I have to live."
Thus was the debate interrupted; but it would probably have been
soon resumed, had not Mr. Allworthy presently called for his coach,
and carried off the two combatants.
Such was the conclusion of this adventure of the bird, and of the
dialogue occasioned by it; which we could not help recounting to our
reader, though it happened some years before that stage or period of
time at which our history is now arrived.
Chapter 5
Containing matter accommodated to every taste
"Parva leves capiunt animos- Small things affect light minds," was
the sentiment of a great master of the passion of love. And certain it
is, that from this day Sophia began to have some little kindness for
Tom Jones, and no little aversion for his companion.
Many accidents from time to time improved both these passions in her
breast; which, without our recounting, the reader may well conclude,
from what we have before hinted of the different tempers of these
lads, and how much the one suited with her own inclinations more
than the other. To say the truth, Sophia, when very young, discerned
that Tom, though an idle, thoughtless, rattling rascal, was nobody's
enemy but his own; and that Master Blifil, though a prudent, discreet,
sober young gentleman, was at the same time strongly attached to the
interest only of one single person; and who that single person was the
reader will be able to divine without any assistance of ours.
These two characters are not always received in the world with the
different regard which seems severally due to either; and which one
would imagine mankind, from self-interest, should show towards them.
But perhaps there may be a political reason for it: in finding one
of a truly benevolent disposition, men may very reasonably suppose
they have found a treasure, and be desirous of keeping it, like all
other good things, to themselves. Hence they may imagine, that to
trumpet forth the praises of such a person, would, in the vulgar
phrase, be crying Roast-meat, and calling in partakers of what they
intend to apply solely to their own use. If this reason does not
satisfy the reader, I know no other means of accounting for the little
respect which I have commonly seen paid to a character which really
does great honour to human nature, and is productive of the highest
good to society. But it was otherwise with Sophia. She honoured Tom
Jones, and scorned Master Blifil, almost as soon as she knew the
meaning of those two words.
Sophia had been absent upwards of three years with her aunt;
during all which time she had seldom seen either of these young
gentlemen. She dined, however, once, together with her aunt, at Mr.
Allworthy's. This was a few days after the adventure of the partridge,
before commemorated. Sophia heard the whole story at table, where
she said nothing: nor indeed could her aunt get many words from her as
she returned home; but her maid, when undressing her, happening to
say, "Well, miss, I suppose you have seen young Master Blifil
to-day?" she answered with much passion, "I hate the name of Master
Blifil, as I do whatever is base and treacherous: and I wonder Mr.
Allworthy would suffer that old barbarous schoolmaster to punish a
poor boy so cruelly for what was only the effect of his
good-nature." She then recounted the story to her maid, and
concluded with saying, "Don't you think he is a boy of noble spirit?"
This young lady was now returned to her father; who gave her the
command of his house, and placed her at the upper end of his table,
where Tom (who for his great love of hunting was become a great
favourite of the squire) often dined. Young men of open, generous
dispositions are naturally inclined to gallantry, which, if they
have good understandings, as was in reality Tom's case, exerts
itself in an obliging complacent behaviour to all women in general.
This greatly distinguished Tom from the boisterous brutality of mere
country squires on the one hand, and from the solemn and somewhat
sullen deportment of Master Blifil on the other; and he began now,
at twenty, to have the name of a pretty fellow among all the women
in the neighbourhood.
Tom behaved to Sophia with no particularity, unless perhaps by
showing her a higher respect than he paid to any other. This
distinction her beauty, fortune, sense, and amiable carriage, seemed
to demand; but as to design upon her person he had none; for which
we shall at present suffer the reader to condemn him of stupidity; but
perhaps we shall be able indifferently well to account for it
hereafter.
Sophia, with the highest degree of innocence and modesty, had a
remarkable sprightliness in her temper. This was so greatly
increased whenever she was in company with Tom, that had he not been
very young and thoughtless, he must have observed it: or had not Mr.
Western's thoughts been generally either in the field, the stable,
or the dog-kennel, it might have perhaps created some jealousy in him:
but so far was the good gentleman from entertaining any such
suspicions, that he gave Tom every opportunity with his daughter which
any lover could have wished; and this Tom innocently improved to
better advantage, by following only the dictates of his natural
gallantry and good-nature, than he might perhaps have done had he
had the deepest designs on the young lady.
But indeed it can occasion little wonder that this matter escaped
the observation of others, since poor Sophia herself never remarked
it; and her heart was irretrievably lost before she suspected it was
in danger.
Matters were in this situation, when Tom, one afternoon, finding
Sophia alone, began, after a short apology, with a very serious
face, to acquaint her that he had a favour to ask of her which he
hoped her goodness would comply with.
Though neither the young man's behaviour, nor indeed his manner of
opening this business, were such as could give her any just cause of
suspecting he intended to make love to her; yet whether Nature
whispered something into her ear, or from what cause it arose I will
not determine; certain it is, some idea of that kind must have
intruded itself; for her colour forsook her cheeks, her limbs
trembled, and her tongue would have faltered, had Tom stopped for an
answer; but he soon relieved her from her perplexity, by proceeding to
inform her of his request; which was to solicit her interest on behalf
of the gamekeeper, whose own ruin, and that of a large family, must
be, he said, the consequence of Mr. Western's pursuing his action
against him.
Sophia presently recovered her confusion, and, with a smile full
of sweetness, said, "Is this the mighty favour you asked with so
much gravity? I will do it with all my heart. I really pity the poor
fellow, and no longer ago than yesterday sent a small matter to his
wife." This small matter was one of her gowns, some linen, and ten
shillings in money, of which Tom had heard, and it had, in reality,
put this solicitation into his head.
Our youth, now, emboldened with his success, resolved to push the
matter farther, and ventured even to beg her recommendation of him
to her father's service; protesting that he thought him one of the
honestest fellows in the country, and extremely well qualified for the
place of a gamekeeper, which luckily then happened to be vacant.
Sophia answered, "Well, I will undertake this too; but I cannot
promise you as much success as in the former part, which I assure
you I will not quit my father without obtaining. However, I will do
what I can for the poor fellow; for I sincerely look upon him and
his family as objects of great compassion. And now, Mr. Jones, I
must ask you a favour."
"A favour, madam!" cries Tom: "if you knew the pleasure you have
given me in the hopes of receiving a command from you, you would think
by mentioning it you did confer the greatest favour on me; for by this
dear hand I would sacrifice my life to oblige you."
He then snatched her hand, and eagerly kissed it, which was the
first time his lips had ever touched her. The blood, which before
had forsaken her cheeks, now made her sufficient amends, by rushing
all over her face and neck with such violence, that they became all of
a scarlet colour. She now first felt a sensation to which she had been
before a stranger, and which, when she had leisure to reflect on it,
began to acquaint her with some secrets, which the reader, if he
doth not already guess them, will know in due time.
Sophia, as soon as she could speak (which was not instantly),
informed him that the favour she had to desire of him was, not to lead
her father through so many dangers in hunting; for that, from what she
had heard, she was terribly frightened every time they went out
together, and expected some day or other to see her father brought
home with broken limbs. She therefore begged him, for her sake, to
be more cautious; and as he well knew Mr. Western would follow him,
not to ride so madly, nor to take dangerous leaps for the future.
Tom promised faithfully to obey her commands; and after thanking her
for her kind compliance with his request, took his leave, and departed
highly charmed with his success.
Poor Sophia was charmed too, but in a very different way. Her
sensations, however, the reader's heart (if he or she have any) will
better represent than I can, if I had as many mouths as ever poet
wished for, to eat, I suppose, those many dainties with which he was
so plentifully provided.
It was Mr. Western's custom every afternoon, as soon as he was
drunk, to hear his daughter play on the harpsichord; for he was a
great lover of music, and perhaps, had he lived in town, might have
passed for a connoisseur; for he always excepted against the finest
compositions of Mr. Handel. He never relished any music but what was
light and airy; and indeed his most favourite tunes were Old Sir Simon
the King, St. George he was for England, Bobbing Joan, and some
others.
His daughter, though she was a perfect mistress of music, and
would never willingly have played any but Handel's, was so devoted
to her father's pleasure, that she learnt all those tunes to oblige
him. However, she would now and then endeavour to lead him into her
own taste; and when he required the repetition of his ballads, would
answer with a "Nay, dear sir"; and would often beg him to suffer her
to play something else.
This evening, however, when the gentleman was retired from his
bottle, she played all his favourites three times over without any
solicitation. This so pleased the good squire, that he started from
his couch, gave his daughter a kiss, and swore her hand was greatly
improved. She took this opportunity to execute her promise to Tom;
in which she succeeded so well, that the squire declared, if she would
give him t'other bout of Old Sir Simon, he would give the gamekeeper
his deputation the next morning. Sir Simon was played again and again,
till the charms of the music soothed Mr. Western to sleep. In the
morning Sophia did not fail to remind him of his engagement; and his
