have expected no better indeed; this is like the return you make to
all the rest of my fondness."
"I beseech you then," cries Sophia, "upon my knees I beseech you, if
I have been the unhappy occasion of this difference, that you will
endeavour to make it up with my aunt, and not suffer her to leave your
house in this violent rage of anger: she is a very good-natured woman,
and a few civil words will satisfy her. Let me entreat you, sir."
"So I must go and ask pardon for your fault, must I?" answered
Western. "You have lost the hare, and I must draw every way to find
her again? Indeed, if I was certain"- Here he stopt, and Sophia
throwing in more entreaties, at length prevailed upon him; so that
after venting two or three bitter sarcastical expressions against
his daughter, he departed as fast as he could to recover his sister,
before her equipage could be gotten ready.
Sophia then returned to her chamber of mourning, where she
indulged herself (if the phrase may be allowed me) in all the luxury
of tender grief. She read over more than once the letter which she had
received from Jones; her muff too was used on this occasion; and she
bathed both these, as well as herself, with her tears. In this
situation the friendly Mrs. Honour exerted her utmost abilities to
comfort her afflicted mistress. She ran over the names of many young
gentlemen: and having greatly commended their parts and persons,
assured Sophia that she might take her choice of any. These methods
must have certainly been used with some success in disorders of the
like kind, or so skilful a practitioner as Mrs. Honour would never
have ventured to apply them; nay, I have heard that the college of
chambermaids hold them to be as sovereign remedies as any in the
female dispensary; but whether it was that Sophia's disease differed
inwardly from those cases with which it agreed in external symptoms, I
will not assert; but, in fact, the good waiting-woman did more harm
than good, and at last so incensed her mistress (which was no easy
matter) that with an angry voice she dismissed her from her presence.
Chapter 6
Containing great variety of matter
The squire overtook his sister just as she was stepping into the
coach, and partly by force, and partly by solicitations, prevailed
upon her to order her horses back into their quarters. He succeeded in
this attempt without much difficulty; for the lady was, as we have
already hinted, of a most placable disposition, and greatly loved
her brother, though she despised his parts, or rather his little
knowledge of the world.
Poor Sophia, who had first set on foot this reconciliation, was
now made the sacrifice to it. They both concurred in their censures on
her conduct; jointly declared war against her, and directly
proceeded to counsel, how to carry it on in the most vigorous
manner. For this purpose, Mrs. Western proposed not only an
immediate conclusion of the treaty with Allworthy, but as
immediately to carry it into execution; saying, "That there was no
other way to succeed with her niece, but by violent methods, which she
was convinced Sophia had not sufficient resolution to resist. By
violent," says she, "I mean rather, hasty measures; for as to
confinement or absolute force, no such things must or can be
attempted. Our plan must be concerted for a surprize, and not for a
storm."
These matters were resolved on, when Mr. Blifil came to pay a
visit to his mistress. The squire no sooner heard of his arrival, than
he stept aside, by his sister's advice, to give his daughter orders
for the proper reception of her lover: which he did with the most
bitter execrations and denunciations of judgment on her refusal.
The impetuosity of the squire bore down all before him; and
Sophia, as her aunt very wisely foresaw, was not able to resist him.
She agreed, therefore, to see Blifil, though she had scarce spirits or
strength sufficient to utter her assent. Indeed, to give a
peremptory denial to a father whom she so tenderly loved, was no
easy task. Had this circumstance been out of the case, much less
resolution than what she was really mistress of, would, perhaps,
have served her; but it is no unusual thing to ascribe those actions
entirely to fear, which are in a great measure produced by love.
In pursuance, therefore, of her father's peremptory command,
Sophia now admitted Mr. Blifil's visit. Scenes like this, when painted
at large, afford, as we have observed, very little entertainment to
the reader. Here, therefore, we shall strictly adhere to a rule of
Horace; by which writers are directed to pass over all those matters
which they despair of placing in a shining light;- a rule, we
conceive of excellent use as well to the historian as to the poet; and
which, if followed, must at least have this good effect, that many a
great evil (for so all great books are called) would thus be reduced
to a small one.
It is possible the great art used by Blifil at this interview
would have prevailed on Sophia to have made another man in his
circumstances her confident, and to have revealed the whole secret
of her heart to him; but she had contracted so ill an opinion of
this young gentleman, that she was resolved to place no confidence
in him; for simplicity, when set on its guard, is often a match for
cunning. Her behaviour to him, therefore, was entirely forced, and
indeed such as is generally prescribed to virgins upon the second
formal visit from one who is appointed for their husband.
But though Blifil declared himself to the squire perfectly satisfied
with his reception; yet that gentleman, who, in company with his
sister, had overheard all, was not so well pleased. He resolved, in
pursuance of the advice of the sage lady, to push matters as forward
as possible; and addressing himself to his intended son-in-law in
the hunting phrase, he cried, after a loud holla, "Follow her, boy,
follow her; run in, run in; that's it, honeys. Dead, dead, dead. Never
be bashful, nor stand shall I, shall I? Allworthy and I can finish all
matters between us this afternoon, and let us ha' the wedding
to-morrow."
Blifil having conveyed the utmost satisfaction into his countenance,
answered, "As there is nothing, sir, in this world which I so
eagerly desire as an alliance with your family, except my union with
the most amiable and deserving Sophia, you may easily imagine how
impatient I must be to see myself in possession of my two highest
wishes. If I have not therefore importuned you on this head, you
will impute it only to my fear of offending the lady, by
endeavouring to hurry on so blessed an event faster than a strict
compliance with all the rules of decency and decorum will permit.
But if, by your interest, sir, she might be induced to dispense with
any formalities--"
"Formalities! with a pox!" answered the squire. "Pooh, all stuff and
nonsense! I tell thee, she shall ha' thee to-morrow: you will know the
world better hereafter, when you come to my age. Women never gi' their
consent, man, if they can help it, 'tis not the fashion. If I had
stayed for her mother's consent, I might have been a batchelor to this
day.-- To her, to her, co to her, that's it, you jolly dog. I tell
thee shat ha' her to-morrow morning."
Blifil suffered himself to be overpowered by the forcible rhetoric
of the squire; and it being agreed that Western should close with
Allworthy that very afternoon, the lover departed home, having first
earnestly begged that no violence might be offered to the lady by this
haste, in the same manner as a popish inquisitor begs the lay power to
do no violence to the heretic delivered over to it, and against whom
the church hath passed sentence.
And, to say the truth, Blifil had passed sentence against Sophia;
for, however pleased he had declared himself to Western with his
reception, he was by no means satisfied, unless it was that he was
convinced of the hatred and scorn of his mistress: and this had
produced no less reciprocal hatred and scorn in him. It may,
perhaps, be asked, Why then did he not put an immediate end to all
further courtship? I answer, for that very reason, as well as for
several others equally good, which we shall now proceed to open to the
reader.
Though Mr. Blifil was not of the complexion of Jones, nor ready to
eat every woman he saw; yet he was far from being destitute of that
appetite which is said to be the common property of all animals.
With this, he had likewise that distinguishing taste, which serves
to direct men in their choice of the object or food of their several
appetites; and this taught him to consider Sophia as a most
delicious morsel, indeed to regard her with the same desires which
an ortolan inspires into the soul of an epicure. Now the agonies which
affected the mind of Sophia, rather augmented than impaired her
beauty; for her tears added brightness to her eyes, and her breasts
rose higher with her sighs. Indeed, no one hath seen beauty in its
highest lustre who hath never seen it in distress. Blifil therefore
looked on this human ortolan with greater desire than when he viewed
her last; nor was his desire at all lessened by the aversion which
he discovered in her to himself. On the contrary, this served rather
to heighten the pleasure he proposed in rifling her charms, as it
added triumph to lust; nay, he had some further views, from
obtaining the absolute possession of her person, which we detest too
much even to mention; and revenge itself was not without its share
in the gratifications which he promised himself. The rivalling poor
Jones, and supplanting him in her affections, added another spur to
his pursuit, and promised another additional rapture to his enjoyment.
Besides all these views, which to some scrupulous persons may seem
to savour too much of malevolence, he had one prospect, which few
readers will regard with any great abhorrence. And this was the estate
of Mr. Western; which was all to be settled on his daughter and her
issue; for so extravagant was the affection of that fond parent, that,
provided his child would but consent to be miserable with the
husband he chose, he cared not at what price he purchased him.
For these reasons Mr. Blifil was so desirous of the match that he
intended to deceive Sophia, by pretending love to her; and to
deceive her father and his own uncle, by pretending he was beloved
by her. In doing this he availed himself of the piety of Thwackum, who
held, that if the end proposed was religious (as surely matrimony is),
it mattered not how wicked were the means. As to other occasions, he
used to apply the philosophy of Square, which taught, that the end was
immaterial, so that the means were fair and consistent with moral
rectitude. To say truth, there were few occurrences in life on which
he could not draw advantage from the precepts of one or other of those
great masters.
Little deceit was indeed necessary to be practised on Mr. Western;
who thought the inclinations of his daughter of as little
consequence as Blifil himself conceived them to be; but as the
sentiments of Mr. Allworthy were of a very different kind, so it was
absolutely necessary to impose on him. In this, however, Blifil was so
well assisted by Western, that he succeeded without difficulty; for as
Mr. Allworthy had been assured by her father that Sophia had a
proper affection for Blifil, and that all which he had suspected
concerning Jones was entirely false, Blifil had nothing more to do
than to confirm these assertions; which he did with such
equivocations, that he preserved a salvo for his conscience; and had
the satisfaction of conveying a lie to his uncle, without the guilt of
telling one. When he was examined touching the inclinations of
Sophia by Allworthy, who said, "He would on no account be accessary to
forcing a young lady into a marriage contrary to her own will"; he
answered, "That the real sentiments of young ladies were very
difficult to be understood; that her behaviour to him was full as
forward as he wished it, and that if he could believe her father,
she had all the affection for him which any lover could desire. As for
Jones," said he, "whom I am loth to call villain, though his behaviour
to you, sir, sufficiently justifies the appellation, his own vanity,
or perhaps some wicked views, might make him boast of a falsehood; for
if there had been any reality in Miss Western's love to him, the
greatness of her fortune would never have suffered him to desert
her, as you are well informed he hath. Lastly, sir, I promise you I
would not myself, for any consideration, no, not for the whole
world, consent to marry this young lady, if I was not persuaded she
had all the passion for me which I desire she should have."
This excellent method of conveying a falsehood with the heart
only, without making the tongue guilty of an untruth, by the means
of equivocation and imposture, hath quieted the conscience of many a
notable deceiver; and yet, when we consider that it is Omniscience
on which these endeavour to impose, it may possibly seem capable of
affording only a very superficial comfort; and that this artful and
refined distinction between communicating a lie, and telling one, is
hardly worth the pains it costs them.
Allworthy was pretty well satisfied with what Mr. Western and Mr.
Blifil told him: and the treaty was now, at the end of two days,
concluded. Nothing then remained previous to the office of the priest,
but the office of the lawyers, which threatened to take up so much
time, that Western offered to bind himself by all manner of covenants,
rather than defer the happiness of the young couple. Indeed, he was so
very earnest and pressing, that an indifferent person might have
concluded he was more a principal in this match than he really was;
but this eagerness was natural to him on all occasions: and he
