well in colour as in many other properties, exactly resembling an ancient piece of parchment, upon which any one might have drummed a considerable while, without doing her any great damage.

Molly, besides her present unhappy situation, was differently formed in those parts, and might, perhaps, have tempted the envy of Brown to give her a fatal blow, had not the lucky arrival of Tom Jones at this instant put an immediate end to the bloody scene.

This accident was luckily owing to Mr Square; for he, Master Blifil, and Jones, had mounted their horses, after church, to take the air, and had ridden about a quarter of a mile, when Square, changing his mind, (not idly, but for a reason which we shall unfold as soon as we have leisure,) desired the young gentlemen to ride with him another way than they had at first purposed. This motion being complied with, brought them of necessity back again to the church-yard.

Master Blifil, who rode first, seeing such a mob assembled, and two women in the posture in which we left the combatants, stopt his horse to inquire what was the matter. A country fellow, scratching his head, answered him; "I don't know, measter, un't I; and please your honour, here hath been a vight, I think, between Goody Brown and Moll Seagrim." "Who? who?" cries Tom; but without waiting for an answer, having discovered the features of his Molly through all the discomposure in which they now were, he hastily alighted, turned his horse loose, and, leaping over the wall, ran to her. She now, first bursting into tears, told him how barbarously she had been treated. Upon which, forgetting the sex of Goody Brown, or, perhaps, not knowing it in his rage, for, in reality, she had no feminine appearance but a petticoat, which he might not observe, he gave her a lash or two with his horse-whip; and then, flying at the mob, who were all accused by Moll, he dealt his blows so profusely on all sides, that unless I would again invoke the muse, (which the good-natured reader may think a little too hard upon her, as she hath so lately been violently sweated,) it would be impossible for me to recount the horse-whipping of that day.

Having scoured the whole coast of the enemy, as well as any of Homer's heroes ever did, or as Don Quixotte, or any knight-errant in the world could have done, he returned to Molly, whom he found in a condition which must give both me and my reader pain, was it to be described here. Tom raved like a madman, beat his breast, tore his hair, stamped on the ground, and vowed the utmost vengeance on all who had been concerned. He then pulled off his coat, and buttoned it round her, put his hat upon her head, wiped the blood from her face as well as he could, with his handkerchief, and called out to the servant to ride as fast as possible for a side-sad

dle, or a pillion, that he might carry her safe home.

Master Blifil objected to the sending away the servant, as they had only one with them; but as Square seconded the order of Jones, he was obliged to comply.

The servant returned in a very short time with the pillion; and Molly, having collected her rags as well as she could, was placed behind him. În which manner she was carried home, Square, Blifil, and Jones attending.

Here Jones, having received his coat, given her a sly kiss, and whispered her, that he would return in the evening, quitted his Molly, and rode on after his companions.

CHAP. IX.

Containing matter of no very peaceable colour.

MOLLY had no sooner apparelled herself in her accustomed rags, than her sisters began to fall violently upon her; particularly her eldest sister, who told her she was well enough served. How had she the assurance to wear a gown which young Madam Western had given to mother! "If one of us was to wear it, I think," says she, "I myself have the best right; but I warrant you think it belongs to your beauty. I suppose you think yourself more handsomer than any of us." "Hand her down the bit of glass from over the cupboard," cries another; " I'd wash the blood from my face before I talked of my beauty.""You'd better have minded what the parson says," cries the eldest," and not a harkened after men voke."-" Indeed, child, and so she had," says the mother sobbing," she hath brought a disgrace upon us all. She's the vurst of the vamily that ever was a whore."-" You need not upbraid me with that, mother," cries Molly; you yourself was brought to-bed of sister there, within a week after you was married."-" Yes, hussy," answered the enraged mother, SO I was, and what was the mighty matter of that? I was made an honest woman then; and if you was to be made an honest woman, I should not be angry; but you must have to doing with a gentleman, you nasty slut; you will have a bastard, hussy, you will; and that I defy any one to say of me.'

be

In this situation Black George found his family, when he came home for the purpose fore mentioned. As his wife and three daughters were all of them talking together, and most of them crying, it was some time before he could get an opportunity of being heard; but as soon as such an interval occurred, he acquainted the company with what Sophia had said to him.

Goody Seagrim then began to revile her daughter afresh. "Here," says she, "you have brought us into a fine quandary indeed. What will ma

dam say to that big belly? Oh, that ever I should live to see this day!"

Molly answered with great spirit, "And what is this mighty place which you have got for me, father?" (for he had not well understood the phrase used by Sophia, of being about her person,) "I suppose it is to be under the cook; but I shan't wash dishes for any body. My gentleman will provide better for me. See what he hath given me this afternoon: he hath promised I shall never want, mother; and you shan't want money neither, if you will hold your tongue, and know when you are well." And so saying, she pulled out several guineas, and gave her mother one of them.

The good woman no sooner felt the gold within her palm, than her temper began (such is the efficacy of that panacea) to be mollified. "Why, husband," says she, "would any but such a blockhead as you not have inquired what place this was, before he had accepted it? Perhaps, as Molly says, it may be in the kitchen; and truly I don't care my daughter should be a scullion wench: for, poor as I am, I am a gentlewoman. And thof I was obliged, as my father, who was a clergyman, died worse than nothing, and so could not give me a shilling of portion, to undervalue myself, by marrying a poor man, yet I would have you to know I have a spirit above all them things. Marry come up! it would better become Madam Western to look at home, and remember who her own grandfather was. Some of my family, for aught I know, might ride in their coaches, when the grandfathers of some volk walked a-voot. I warrant she fancies she did a mighty matter, when she sent us that old gownd; some of my family would not have picked up such rags in the street; but poor people are always trampled upon. The parish need not have been in such a fluster with Molly.You might have told them, child, your grandmother wore better things new out of the shop." "Well, but consider," cried George, "what answer shall I make to madam ?"-" I don't know what answer," says she. "You are always bringing your family into one quandary or other. Do you remember when you shot the partridge, the occasion of all our misfortunes? Did not I advise you never to go into Squire Western's manor? Did not I tell you, many a good year ago, what would come of it? But you would have your own headstrong ways; yes, you would, you villain.”

Black George was, in the main, a peaceable kind of fellow, and nothing choleric nor rash; yet did he bear about him something of what the ancients called the irascible, and which his wife, if she had been endowed with much wisdom, would have feared. He had long experienced, that when the storm grew very high, arguments were but wind, which served rather to increase than to abate it. He was, therefore, seldom unprovided with a small switch, a reme

VOL. I.

dy of wonderful force, as he had often essayed, and which the word villain served as a hint for his applying,

No sooner, therefore, had this symptom appeared, than he had immediate recourse to the said remedy, which, though, as it is usual in all very efficacious medicines, it at first seemed to heighten and inflame the disease, soon produced a total calm, and restored the patient to perfect ease and tranquillity.

This is, however, a kind of horse medicine, which requires a very robust constitution to digest, and is therefore proper only for the vulgar, unless in one single instance, viz. where superiority of birth breaks out; in which case we should not think it very improperly applied by any husband whatever, if the application was not in itself so base, that, like certain applications of the physical kind, which need not be mentioned, it so much degrades and contaminates the hand employed in it, that no gentleman should endure the thought of anything so low and detestable.

The whole family were soon reduced to a state of perfect quiet; for the virtue of this medicine, like that of electricity, is often communicated through one person to many others, who are not touched by the instrument. To say the truth, as they both operate by friction, it may be doubted whether there is not something analogous between them, of which Mr Freke would do well to enquire, before he publishes the next edition of his book.

A council was now called, in which, after many debates, Molly still persisting that she would not go to service, it was at length resolved, that Goody Seagrim herself should wait on Miss Western, and endeavour to procure the place for her eldest daughter, who declared great readiness to accept it: but Fortune, who seems to have been an enemy to this little family, afterwards put a stop to her promotion.

CHAP. X.

A story told by Mr Supple the curate. The penetration of Squire Western. His great love for his daughter, and the return to it made by her.

THE next morning Tom Jones hunted with Mr Western, and was at his return invited by that gentleman to dinner.

The lovely Sophia shone forth that day with more gaiety and sprightliness than usual. Her battery was certainly levelled at our hero; though, I believe, she herself scarce yet knew her own intention; but if she had any design of charming him, she now succeeded.

Mr Supple, the curate of Mr Allworthy's parish, made one of the company. He was a goodnatured worthy man; but chiefly remarkable for his great taciturnity at table, though his

N

mouth was never shut at it. In short he had one of the best appetites in the world. However, the cloth was no sooner taken away, than he always made sufficient amends for his silence: for he was a very hearty fellow; and his conversation was often entertaining, never offensive. At his first arrival, which was immediately before the entrance of the roast-beef, he had given an intimation that he had brought some news with him, and was beginning to tell, that he came that moment from Mr Allworthy's, when the sight of the roast-beef struck him dumb, permitting him only to say grace, and to declare, that he must pay his respect to the baronet; for so he called the sirloin.

When dinner was over, being reminded by Sophia of his news, he began as follows: "I believe, lady, your ladyship observed a young woman at church yesterday at even-song, who was drest in one of your outlandish garments; I think I have seen your ladyship in such a one. How ever, in the country, such dresses are

‹ Rara avis in terris, nigroque simillima cygno, that is, madam, as much as to say,

"A rare bird upon the earth, and very like a black swan.

"The verse is in Juvenal: but to return to what I was relating. I was saying such garments are rare sights in the country; and perchance too, it was thought the more rare, respect being had to the person who wore it, who, they tell me, is the daughter of Black George, your worship's gamekeeper, whose sufferings, I should have opined, might have taught him more wit, than to dress forth his wenches in such gaudy apparel. She created so much confusion in the congregation, that if Squire Allworthy had not silenced it, it would have interrupted the service: for I was once about to stop in the middle of the first lesson. Howbeit, nevertheless, after prayer was over, and I was departed home, this occasioned a battle in the churchyard, where, among other mischief, the head of a travelling fiddler was very much broken. This morning the fiddler came to Squire Allworthy for a warrant, and the wench was brought before him. The squire was inclined to have compounded matters; when, lo! on a sudden, the wench appeared (I ask your ladyship's pardon) to be, as it were, at the eve of bringing forth a bastard. The squire demanded of her who was the father? but she pertinaciously refused to make any response; so that he was about to make her mit timus to Bridewell when I departed."

"And is a wench having a bastard all your news, doctor?" cries Western; "I thought it might have been some public matter, something about the nation."

"I am afraid it is too common, indeed," answered the parson, "but I thought the whole story all together deserved commemorating. As to national matters, your worship knows them

best. My concerns extend no farther than my own parish."

"Why, ay," says the squire, "I believe I do know a little of that matter, as you say; but, come, Tommy, drink about, the bottle stands with you."

Tom begged to be excused, for that he had particular business; and getting up from table, escaped the clutches of the squire, who was rising to stop him, and went off with very little ceremony.

The squire gave him a good curse at his departure; and then turning to the parson, he cried out, "I smoke it, I smoke it. Tom is certainly the father of this bastard. Zooks, parson, you remember how he recommended the veather o' her to me.-D-n un, what a sly b-ch 'tis. Ay, ay, as sure as two-pence, Tom is the veather of the bastard."

"I should be very sorry

parson.

for that," says the

"Why sorry?" cries the squire; "where is the mighty matter o't? What, I suppose, dost pretend that thee hast never got a bastard? Pox! more good luck's thine: for I warrant hast a done therefor many's the good time and often." -"Your worship is pleased to be jocular," an swered the parson: "but I do not only animadvert on the sinfulness of the action, though that surely is to be greatly deprecated, but I fear his unrighteousness may injure him with Mr Allworthy. And truly I must say, though he hath the character of being a little wild, I never saw any harm in the young man ; nor can I say I have heard any, save what your worship now mentions. I wish, indeed, he was a little more regular in his responses at church; but altogether he seems

‹ Ingenui vultus puer, ingenuique pudoris.' That is a classical line, young lady, and being rendered into English is, A lad of an ingenuous countenance, and of an ingenuous modesty:' for this was a virtue in great repute both among the Latins and Greeks. I must say the young gentleman (for so, I think, I may call him, notwithstanding his birth) appears to me a very modest civil lad, and I should be sorry that he should do himself any injury in Squire Allwor thy's opinion."

in

"Pooh!" says the squire, " injury with Allworthy! Why, Allworthy loves a wench himself. Doth not all the country know whose son Tom is? You must talk to another person that manner. I remember Allworthy at college." I thought," said the parson," he had never been at the university."

66

"Yes, yes, he was," says the squire," and many a wench have we two had together. As arrant a whoremaster as any within five miles o' un. No, no; it will do'n no harm with he, assure yourself; nor with any body else. Ask Sophy thereYou have not the worse

opinion

of a young fellow for getting a bastard, have you, girl? No, no, the women will like un the better for't."

This was a cruel question to poor Sophia. She had observed Tom's colour change at the parson's story; and that, with his hasty and abrupt departure, gave her sufficient reason to think her father's suspicion not groundless. Her heart now, at once, discovered the great secret to her, which it had so long been disclosing by little and little; and she found herself highly interested in this matter. In such a situation, her father's malapert question rushing suddenly upon her, produced some symptoms which might have alarmed a suspicious heart; but to do the squire justice, that was not his fault. When she rose, therefore, from her chair, and told him, a hint from him was always sufficient to make her withdraw, he suffered her to leave the room; and then with great gravity of countenance, remarked, that it was better to see a daughter over modest, than over forward; a sentiment which was highly applauded by the par

son.

There now ensued between the squire and the parson a most excellent political discourse, framed out of newspapers and political pamphlets; in which they made a libation of four bottles of wine to the good of their country; and then the squire being fast asleep, the parson lighted his pipe, mounted his horse, and rode home.

When the squire had finished his half-hour's nap, he summoned his daughter to her harpsichord; but she begged to be excused that even ing, on account of a violent head-ache. This remission was presently granted: for indeed she seldom had occasion to ask him twice, as he loved her with such ardent affection, that by gratifying her, he commonly conveyed the highest gratification to himself. She was really what he frequently called her, his little darling, and she well deserved to be so; for she returned all his affection in the most ample manner. She had preserved the most inviolable duty to him in all things; and this her love made not only easy, but so delightful, that when one of her companions laughed at her for placing so much merit in such scrupulous obedience, as that young lady called it, Sophia answered, "You mistake me, madam, if you think I value myself upon this account: for, besides that I am barely discharging my duty, I am likewise pleasing my self. I can truly say, I have no delight equal to that of contributing to my father's happiness; and if I value myself, my dear, it is on having this power, and not on executing it."

This was a satisfaction, however, which poor Sophia was incapable of tasting this evening. She therefore not only desired to be excused from her attendance at the harpsichord, but likewise begged that he would suffer her to absent herself from supper. To this request like

wise the squire agreed, though not without some reluctance; for he scarce ever permitted her to be out of his sight, unless when he was engaged with his horses, dogs, or bottle. Nevertheless he yielded to the desire of his daughter, though the poor man was, at the same time, obliged to avoid his own company, (if I may so express myself,) by sending for a neighbouring farmer to sit with him.

CHAP. XI.

The narrow escape of Molly Seagrim, with some observations for which we have been forced to dive pretty deep into nature.

TOM JONES had ridden one of Mr Western's horses that morning in the chace; so that having no horse of his own in the squire's stable, he was obliged to go home on foot: this he did so expeditiously, that he ran upwards of three miles within the half-hour.

Just as he arrived at Mr Allworthy's outward gate, he met the constable and company, with Molly in their possession, whom they were conducting to that house where the inferior sort of people may learn one good lesson, viz. respect and deference to their superiors; since it must shew them the wide distinction fortune intends between those persons who are to be corrected for their faults, and those who are not; which lesson if they do not learn, I am afraid they very rarely learn any other good lesson, or improve their morals, at the house of correction.

A lawyer may, perhaps, think Mr Allworthy exceeded his authority a little in this instance. And, to say the truth, I question, as here was no regular information before him, whether his conduct was strictly regular. However, as his intention was truly upright, he ought to be excused in foro conscientia; since so many arbitrary acts are daily committed by magistrates, who have not this excuse to plead for themselves.

Tom was no sooner informed by the constable whither they were proceeding, (indeed he pretty well guessed it of himself,) than he caught Molly in his arms, and embracing her tenderly before them all, swore he would murder the first man who offered to lay hold of her. He bid her dry her eyes, and be comforted; for wherever she went, he would accompany her. Then turning to the constable, who stood trembling with his hat off, he desired him, in a very mild voice, to return with him for a moment only to his father, (so he now called Allworthy;) for he durst, he said, be assured, that when he had alleged what he had to say in her favour, the girl would be discharged.

The constable, who, I make no doubt, would have surrendered his prisoner, had Tom demanded her, very readily consented to this request.

So back they all went into Mr Allworthy's hall; where Tom desired them to stay till his return, and then went himself in pursuit of the good man. As soon as he was found, Tom threw himself at his feet, and having begged a patient hearing, confessed himself to be the father of the child, of which Molly was then big. He entreated him to have compassion on the poor girl, and to consider, if there was any guilt in the case, it lay principally at his door.

"If there is any guilt in the case!" answered Allworthy warmly," are you then so profligate and abandoned a libertine, to doubt whether the breaking the laws of God and man, the corrupting and ruining a poor girl, be guilt? I own, indeed, it doth lie principally upon you, and so heavy it is, that you ought to expect it should crush you."

"Whatever may be my fate," says Tom, "let me succeed in my intercessions for the poor girl. I confess I have corrupted her: but whether she shall be ruined, depends on you. For Heaven's sake, sir, revoke your warrant, and do not send her to a place which must unavoidably prove her destruction."

Allworthy bid him immediately call a servant. Tom answered, there was no occasion; for he had luckily met them at the gate, and relying upon his goodness, had brought them all back into his hall, where they now waited his final resolution, which, upon his knees, he besought him might be in favour of the girl; that she might be permitted to go home to her parents, and not be exposed to a greater degree of shame and scorn than must necessarily fall upon her. "I know," said he, " that is too much. I know I am the wicked occasion of it. I will endeavour to make amends, if possible; and if you shall have hereafter the goodness to forgive me, I hope I shall deserve it."

Állworthy hesitated some time, and at last said, "Well, I will discharge my mittimus.-You may send the constable to me."-He was instantly called, discharged, and so was the girl.

It will be believed that Mr Allworthy failed not to read Tom a very severe lecture on this occasion; but it is unnecessary to insert it here, as we have faithfully transcribed what he said to Jenny Jones in the First Book, most of which may be applied to the men, equally with the women. So sensible an effect had these reproofs on the young man, who was no hardened sinner, that he retired to his own room, where he passed the evening alone, in much me lancholy contemplation.

Allworthy was sufficiently offended by this transgression of Jones; for, notwithstanding the assertions of Mr Western, it is certain this worthy man had never indulged himself in any loose pleasures with women, and greatly condemned the vice of incontinence in others. Indeed there is much reason to imagine, that there was not the least truth in what Mr Western

affirmed, especially as he laid the scene of those impurities at the university, where Mr Allworthy had never been. In fact, the good squire was a little too apt to indulge that kind of pleasantry which is generally called rhodomontade; but which may, with as much propriety, be expressed by a much shorter word; and, perhaps, we too often supply the use of this little monosyllable by others; since very much of what frequently passes in the world for wit and humour, should, in the strictest purity of language, receive that short appellation, which, in conformity to the well-bred laws of custom, I here suppress.

But whatever detestation Mr Allworthy had to this or to any other vice, he was not so blinded by it, but that he could discern any virtue in the guilty person, as clearly, indeed, as if there had been no mixture of vice in the same character. While he was angry, therefore, with the incontinence of Jones, he was no less pleased with the honour and honesty of his self-accusation. He began now to form in his mind the same opinion of this young fellow, which we hope our reader may have conceived. And in balancing his faults with his perfections, the latter seemed rather to preponderate.

It was to no purpose, therefore, that Thwackum, who was immediately charged by Master Blifil with the story, unbended all his rancour against poor Tom. Allworthy gave a patient hearing to their invectives, and then answered coldly; "That young men of Tom's complection were too generally addicted to this vice; but he believed that youth was sincerely affected with what he had said to him on the occasion, and he hoped he would not transgress again." So that, as the days of whipping were at an end, the tutor had no other vent but his own mouth for his gall, the usual poor resource of impotent revenge.

But Square, who was a less violent, was a much more artful man; and as he hated Jones more, perhaps, than Thwackum himself did, so he contrived to do him more mischief in the mind of Mr Allworthy.

The reader must remember the several little incidents of the partridge, the horse, and the Bible, which were recounted in the Second Book. By all which Jones had rather improved than injured the affection which Mr Allworthy was inclined to entertain for him. The same, I believe, must have happened to him with every other person who hath any idea of friendship, generosity, and greatness of spirit; that is to say, who hath any traces of goodness in his mind."

Square himself was not unacquainted with the true impression which those several instances of goodness had made on the excellent heart of Allworthy; for the philosopher very well knew what virtue was, though he was not always, perhaps, steady in its pursuit: but as for Thwackum, from what reason I will not deter