Mankind have always taken great Delight in knowing and descanting on the Actions of others. Hence there have been, in all Ages, and Nations, certain Places set apart for publick Rendezvous, where the Curious might meet, and satisfy their mutual Curiosity. Among these, the Barbers Shops have justly borne the Preeminence. Among the Greeks, Barbers News was a proverbial Expression; and Horace, in one of his Epistles, makes honourable Mention of the Roman Barbers in the same Light.2
Those of England are known to be no wise inferior to their Greek or Roman Predecessors. You there see foreign Affairs discussed in a Manner little inferior to that with which they are handled in the Coffee-houses; and domestic Occurrences are much more largely and freely treated in the former, than in the latter. But this serves only for the Men. Now, whereas the Females of this Country, especially those of the lower Order, do associate themselves much more than those of other Nations, our Polity would be highly deficient, if they had not some Place set apart likewise for the Indulgence of their Curiosity, seeing they are in this no way inferior to the other half of the Species.
In enjoying, therefore, such Place of Rendezvous, the British Fair ought to esteem themselves more happy than any of their foreign Sisters; as I do not remember either to have read in History, or to have seen in my Travels, any thing of the like Kind.
This Place then is no other than the Chandler’s Shop; the known Seat of all the News; or, as it is vulgarly called, Gossipping, in every Parish in England.
Mrs. Partridge being one Day at this Assembly of Females, was asked by one of her Neighbours, if she had heard no News lately of Jenny Jones? To which she answered in the negative. Upon this, the other replied, with a Smile, That the Parish was very much obliged to her for having turned Jenny away as she did.
Mrs. Partridge, whose Jealousy, as the Reader well knows, was long since cured, and who had no other Quarrel to her Maid, answered boldly, She did not know any Obligation the Parish had to her on that Account; for she believed Jenny had scarce left her Equal behind her.
‘No, truly,’ said the Gossip, ‘I hope not, tho’ I fancy we have Sluts enow too. Then you have not heard, it seems, that she hath been brought to bed of two Bastards; but as they are not born here, my Husband, and the other Overseer, says, we shall not be obliged to keep them.’3
‘Two Bastards!’ answered Mrs. Partridge hastily, ‘you surprize me. I don’t know whether we must keep them; but I am sure they must have been begotten here; for the Wench hath not been nine Months gone away.’
Nothing can be so quick and sudden as the Operations of the Mind, especially when Hope, or Fear, or Jealousy to which the two others are but Journeymen, set it to work. It occurred instantly to her, that Jenny had scarce ever been out of her own House, while she lived with her. The leaning over the Chair, the sudden starting up, the Latin, the Smile, and many other Things rushed upon her all at once. The Satisfaction her Husband expressed in the Departure of Jenny, appeared now to be only dissembled; again, in the same Instant, to be real; but yet (to confirm her Jealousy) proceeding from Satiety, and a hundred other bad Causes. In a Word, she was convinced of her Husband’s Guilt, and immediately left the Assembly in Confusion.
As fair Grimalkin, who, though the youngest of the Feline Family, degenerates not in Ferocity from the elder Branches of her House, and though inferior in Strength, is equal in Fierceness to the nobler Tiger himself, when a little Mouse, whom it hath long tormented in Sport, escapes from her Clutches, for a while, frets, scolds, growls, swears; but if the Trunk, or Box, behind which the Mouse lay hid, be again removed, she flies like Lightning on her Prey, and, with envenomed Wrath, bites, scratches, mumbles, and tears the little Animal.
Not with less Fury did Mrs. Partridge fly on the poor Pedagogue. Her Tongue, Teeth, and Hands, fell all upon him at once. His Wig was in an Instant torn from his Head, his Shirt from his Back, and from his Face descended five Streams of Blood, denoting the Number of Claws with which Nature had unhappily armed the Enemy.
Mr. Partridge acted for some Time on the defensive only; indeed he attempted only to guard his Face with his Hands; but as he found that his Antagonist abated nothing of her Rage, he thought he might, at least, endeavour to disarm her, or rather to confine her Arms; in doing which, her Cap fell off in the Struggle, and her Hair being too short to reach her Shoulders, erected itself on her Head; her Stays likewise, which were laced through one single Hole at the Bottom, burst open; and her Breasts, which were much more redundant than her Hair, hung down below her Middle; her Face was likewise marked with the Blood of her Husband; her Teeth gnashed with Rage; and Fire, such as sparkles from a Smith’s Forge, darted from her Eyes. So that, altogether, this Amazonian Heroine might have been an Object of Terror to a much bolder Man than Mr. Partridge.
He had, at length, the good Fortune, by getting Possession of her Arms, to render those Weapons, which she wore at the Ends of her Fingers, useless; which she no sooner perceived, than the Softness of her Sex prevailed over her Rage, and she presently dissolved in Tears, which soon after concluded in a Fit.
That small Share of Sense which Mr. Partridge had hitherto preserved through this Scene of Fury, of the Cause of which he was hitherto ignorant, now utterly abandoned him. He ran instantly into the Street, hallowing out, that his Wife was in the Agonies of Death, and beseeching the Neighbours to fly with the utmost Haste to her Assistance. Several good Women obeyed his Summons, who entering his House, and applying the usual Remedies on such Occasions, Mrs. Partridge was, at length, to the great Joy of her Husband, brought to herself.
As soon as she had a little recollected her Spirits, and somewhat composed herself with a Cordial, she began to inform the Company of the manifold Injuries she had received from her Husband; who, she said, was not contented to injure her in her Bed; but, upon her upbraiding him with it, had treated her in the cruellest Manner imaginable; had torn her Cap and Hair from her Head, and her Stays from her Body, giving her, at the same Time, several Blows, the Marks of which she should carry to the Grave.
The poor Man, who bore on his Face many and more visible Marks of the Indignation of his Wife, stood in silent Astonishment at this Accusation; which the Reader will, I believe, bear Witness for him, had greatly exceeded the Truth; for indeed he had not struck her once; and this Silence being interpreted to be a Confession of the Charge, by the whole Court, they all began at once, una voce, to rebuke and revile him, repeating often, that none but a Coward ever struck a Woman.
Mr. Partridge bore all this patiently; but when his Wife appealed to the Blood on her Face, as an Evidence of his Barbarity, he could not help laying Claim to his own Blood, for so it really was; as he thought it very unnatural, that this should rise up (as we are taught that of a murdered Person often doth) in Vengeance against him.4
To this the Women made no other Answer, than that it was Pity it had not come from his Heart, instead of his Face; all declaring, that if their Husbands should lift their Hands against them, they would have their Heart’s Bloods out of their Bodies.
After much Admonition for what was past, and much good Advice to Mr. Partridge for his future Behaviour, the Company at length departed, and left the Husband and Wife to a personal Conference together, in which Mr. Partridge soon learned the Cause of all his Sufferings.
CHAPTER V.
Containing much Matter to exercise the Judgment and Reflection of the Reader.
I Believe it is a true Observation, that few Secrets are divulged to one Person only; but certainly, it would be next to a Miracle, that a Fact of this Kind should be known to a whole Parish, and not transpire any farther.
And, indeed, a very few Days had past, before the Country, to use a common Phrase, rung of the Schoolmaster of Little Baddington; who was said to have beaten his Wife in the most cruel Manner. Nay, in some Places, it was reported he had murdered her; in others, that he had broke her Arms; in others, her Legs; in short, there was scarce an Injury which can be done to a human Creature, but what Mrs. Partridge was some
where or other affirmed to have received from her Husband.
The Cause of this Quarrel was likewise variously reported; for, as some People said that Mrs. Partridge had caught her Husband in Bed with his Maid, so many other Reasons, of a very different Kind, went abroad. Nay, some transferred the Guilt to the Wife, and the Jealousy to the Husband.
Mrs. Wilkins had long ago heard of this Quarrel; but, as a different Cause from the true one had reached her Ears, she thought proper to conceal it; and the rather, perhaps, as the Blame was universally laid on Mr. Partridge; and his Wife, when she was Servant to Mr. Allworthy, had in something offended Mrs. Wilkins, who was not of a very forgiving Temper.
But Mrs. Wilkins, whose Eyes could see Objects at a Distance, and who could very well look forward a few Years into Futurity, had perceived a strong Likelihood of Captain Blifil’s being hereafter her Master; and, as she plainly discerned, that the Captain bore no great Good-will to the little Foundling, she fancied it would be rendering him an agreeable Service, if she could make any Discoveries that might lessen the Affection which Mr. Allworthy seemed to have contracted for this Child, and which gave visible Uneasiness to the Captain; who could not entirely conceal it even before Allworthy himself; though his Wife, who acted her Part much better in public, frequently recommended to him her own Example, of conniving at the Folly of her Brother, which, she said, she at least as well perceived, and as much resented as any other possibly could.
Mrs. Wilkins having therefore, by Accident, gotten a true Scent of the above Story, though long after it had happened, failed not to satisfy herself thoroughly of all the Particulars; and then acquainted the Captain, that she had at last discovered the true Father of the little Bastard, which she was sorry, she said, to see her Master lose his Reputation in the Country, by taking so much Notice of.
The Captain chid her for the Conclusion of her Speech, as an improper Assurance in judging of her Master’s Actions: For if his Honour, or his Understanding, would have suffered the Captain to make an Alliance with Mrs. Wilkins, his Pride would by no means have admitted it. And, to say the Truth, there is no Conduct less politic, than to enter into any Confederacy with your Friend’s Servants, against their Master. For, by these Means, you afterwards become the Slave of these very Servants; by whom you are constantly liable to be betrayed. And this Consideration, perhaps, it was which prevented Captain Blifil from being more explicit with Mrs. Wilkins; or from encouraging the Abuse which she had bestowed on Allworthy.
But though he declared no Satisfaction to Mrs. Wilkins at this Discovery, he enjoyed not a little from it in his own Mind, and resolved to make the best Use of it he was able.
He kept this Matter a long Time concealed within his own Breast, in Hopes that Mr. Allworthy might hear it from some other Person; but Mrs. Wilkins whether she resented the Captain’s Behaviour, or whether his Cunning was beyond her, and she feared the Discovery might displease him, never afterwards opened her Lips about the Matter.
I have thought it somewhat strange, upon Reflection, that the House-keeper never acquainted Mrs. Blifil with this News, as Women are more inclined to communicate all Pieces of Intelligence to their own Sex, than to ours. The only Way, as it appears to me, of solving this Difficulty, is, by imputing it to that Distance which was now grown between the Lady and the House-keeper: Whether this arose from a Jealousy in Mrs. Blifil that Wilkins shewed too great a Respect to the Foundling; for while she was endeavouring to ruin the little Infant, in order to ingratiate herself with the Captain, she was every Day more and more commending it before Allworthy, as his Fondness for it every Day increased. This, notwithstanding all the Care she took at other Times to express the direct contrary to Mrs. Blifil, perhaps offended that delicate Lady, who certainly now hated Mrs. Wilkins; and though she did not, or possibly could not, absolutely remove her, from her Place, she found, however, the Means of making her Life very uneasy. This Mrs. Wilkins, at length, so resented, that she very openly shewed all Manner of Respect and Fondness to little Tommy, in Opposition to Mrs. Blifil.
The Captain, therefore, finding the Story in Danger of perishing, at last took an Opportunity to reveal it himself.
He was one Day engaged with Mr. Allworthy in a Discourse on Charity: In which the Captain, with great Learning, proved to Mr. Allworthy, that the Word Charity, in Scripture, no where means Beneficence or Generosity.
‘The Christian Religion, he said, was instituted for much nobler Purposes, than to enforce a Lesson which many Heathen Philosophers had taught us long before, and which, though it might perhaps be called a moral Virtue, savoured but little of that sublime Christian-like Disposition, that vast Elevation of Thought, in Purity approaching to angelic Perfection, to be attained, expressed, and felt only by Grace. Those (he said) came nearer to the Scripture Meaning, who understood by it Candour, or the forming of a benevolent Opinion of our Brethren, and passing a favourable Judgment on their Actions; a Virtue much higher, and more extensive in its Nature, than a pitiful Distribution of Alms, which, though we would never so much prejudice, or even ruin our Families, could never reach many; whereas Charity, in the other and truer Sense, might be extended to all Mankind.’
He said, ‘Considering who the Disciples were, it would be absurd to conceive the Doctrine of Generosity, or giving Alms, to have been preached to them. And, as we could not well imagine this Doctrine should be preached by its divine Author to Men who could not practise it, much less shall we think it understood so by those who can practise it, and do not.
‘But though, continued he, there is, I am afraid, little Merit in these Benefactions; there would, I must confess, be much Pleasure in them to a good Mind, if it was not abated by one Consideration. I mean, that we are liable to be imposed upon, and to confer our choicest Favours often on the Undeserving, as you must own was your Case in your Bounty to that worthless Fellow Partridge: For two or three such Examples must greatly lessen the inward Satisfaction, which a good Man would otherwise find in Generosity; nay, may even make him timorous in bestowing, lest he should be guilty of supporting Vice, and encouraging the Wicked; a Crime of a very black Dye, and for which it will by no means be a sufficient Excuse, that we have not actually intended such an Encouragement; unless we have used the utmost Caution in chusing the Objects of our Beneficence. A Consideration which, I make no Doubt, hath greatly checked the Liberality of many a worthy and pious Man.’
Mr. Allworthy answered, ‘He could not dispute with the Captain in the Greek Language, and therefore could say nothing as to the true Sense of the Word, which is translated Charity; but that he had always thought it was interpreted to consist in Action, and that giving Alms constituted at least one Branch of that Virtue.
‘As to the meritorious Part, he said, he readily agreed with the Captain; for where could be the Merit of barely discharging a Duty; which he said, let the Word Charity have what Construction it would, it sufficiently appeared to be from the whole Tenor of the New Testament? And as he thought it an indispensable Duty, enjoined both by the Christian Law, and by the Law of Nature itself; so was it withal so pleasant, that if any Duty could be said to be its own Reward, or to pay us while we are discharging it, it was this.
‘To confess the Truth, said he, there is one Degree of Generosity, (of Charity I would have called it) which seems to have some Shew of Merit, and that is, where from a Principle of Benevolence, and Christian Love, we bestow on another what we really want ourselves; where, in order to lessen the Distresses of another, we condescend to share some Part of them by giving what even our own Necessities cannot well spare. This is, I think, meritorious; but to relieve our Brethren only with our Superfluities; to be charitable (I must use the Word) rather at the Expence of our Coffers than ourselves; to save several Families from Misery rather than hang up an extraordinary Picture in our Houses, or gratify any other idle, ridiculous Vanity, this seems to be only being Christians, nay indeed, only being human Creatures. Nay, I will venture to go farther, it is being in some degree Epicures:1 For
what could the greatest Epicure wish rather than to eat with many Mouths instead of one; which I think may be predicated of any one who knows that the Bread of many is owing to his own Largesses?
‘As to the Apprehension of bestowing Bounty on such as may hereafter prove unworthy Objects, because many have proved such; surely it can never deter a good Man from Generosity: I do not think a few or many Examples of Ingratitude can justify a Man’s hardening his Heart against the Distresses of his Fellow-Creatures; nor do I believe it can ever have such Effect on a truly benevolent Mind. Nothing less than a Persuasion of universal Depravity can lock up the Charity of a good Man; and this Persuasion must lead him, I think, either into Atheism, or Enthusiasm;2 but surely it is unfair to argue such universal Depravity from a few vicious Individuals; nor was this, I believe, ever done by a Man, who upon searching his own Mind found one certain Exception to the general Rule.’ He then concluded by asking ‘who that Partridge was, whom he had called a worthless Fellow?’
‘I mean, said the Captain, Partridge the Barber, the Schoolmaster, what do you call him? Partridge, the Father of the little Child which you found in your Bed.’
Mr. Allworthy exprest great Surprize at this Account, and the Captain as great at his Ignorance of it: For he said, he had known it above a Month, and at length recollected with much Difficulty that he was told it by Mrs. Wilkins.
The History of Tom Jones (Penguin Classics) Page 14