Chapter iii.
Containing two defiances to the critics.
The squire having settled matters with his sister, as we have seen inthe last chapter, was so greatly impatient to communicate the proposalto Allworthy, that Mrs Western had the utmost difficulty to preventhim from visiting that gentleman in his sickness, for this purpose.
Mr Allworthy had been engaged to dine with Mr Western at the time whenhe was taken ill. He was therefore no sooner discharged out of thecustody of physic, but he thought (as was usual with him on alloccasions, both the highest and the lowest) of fulfilling hisengagement.
In the interval between the time of the dialogue in the last chapter,and this day of public entertainment, Sophia had, from certain obscurehints thrown out by her aunt, collected some apprehension that thesagacious lady suspected her passion for Jones. She now resolved totake this opportunity of wiping out all such suspicion, and for thatpurpose to put an entire constraint on her behaviour.
First, she endeavoured to conceal a throbbing melancholy heart withthe utmost sprightliness in her countenance, and the highest gaiety inher manner. Secondly, she addressed her whole discourse to Mr Blifil,and took not the least notice of poor Jones the whole day.
The squire was so delighted with this conduct of his daughter, that hescarce eat any dinner, and spent almost his whole time in watchingopportunities of conveying signs of his approbation by winks and nodsto his sister; who was not at first altogether so pleased with whatshe saw as was her brother.
In short, Sophia so greatly overacted her part, that her aunt was atfirst staggered, and began to suspect some affectation in her niece;but as she was herself a woman of great art, so she soon attributedthis to extreme art in Sophia. She remembered the many hints she hadgiven her niece concerning her being in love, and imagined the younglady had taken this way to rally her out of her opinion, by anoveracted civility: a notion that was greatly corroborated by theexcessive gaiety with which the whole was accompanied. We cannot hereavoid remarking, that this conjecture would have been better foundedhad Sophia lived ten years in the air of Grosvenor Square, where youngladies do learn a wonderful knack of rallying and playing with thatpassion, which is a mighty serious thing in woods and groves anhundred miles distant from London.
To say the truth, in discovering the deceit of others, it matters muchthat our own art be wound up, if I may use the expression, in the samekey with theirs: for very artful men sometimes miscarry by fancyingothers wiser, or, in other words, greater knaves, than they reallyare. As this observation is pretty deep, I will illustrate it by thefollowing short story. Three countrymen were pursuing a Wiltshirethief through Brentford. The simplest of them seeing "The WiltshireHouse," written under a sign, advised his companions to enter it, forthere most probably they would find their countryman. The second, whowas wiser, laughed at this simplicity; but the third, who was wiserstill, answered, "Let us go in, however, for he may think we shouldnot suspect him of going amongst his own countrymen." They accordinglywent in and searched the house, and by that means missed overtakingthe thief, who was at that time but a little way before them; and who,as they all knew, but had never once reflected, could not read.
The reader will pardon a digression in which so invaluable a secret iscommunicated, since every gamester will agree how necessary it is toknow exactly the play of another, in order to countermine him. Thiswill, moreover, afford a reason why the wiser man, as is often seen,is the bubble of the weaker, and why many simple and innocentcharacters are so generally misunderstood and misrepresented; but whatis most material, this will account for the deceit which Sophia put onher politic aunt.
Dinner being ended, and the company retired into the garden, MrWestern, who was thoroughly convinced of the certainty of what hissister had told him, took Mr Allworthy aside, and very bluntlyproposed a match between Sophia and young Mr Blifil.
Mr Allworthy was not one of those men whose hearts flutter at anyunexpected and sudden tidings of worldly profit. His mind was, indeed,tempered with that philosophy which becomes a man and a Christian. Heaffected no absolute superiority to all pleasure and pain, to all joyand grief; but was not at the same time to be discomposed and ruffledby every accidental blast, by every smile or frown of fortune. Hereceived, therefore, Mr Western's proposal without any visibleemotion, or without any alteration of countenance. He said thealliance was such as he sincerely wished; then launched forth into avery just encomium on the young lady's merit; acknowledged the offerto be advantageous in point of fortune; and after thanking Mr Westernfor the good opinion he had professed of his nephew, concluded, thatif the young people liked each other, he should be very desirous tocomplete the affair.
Western was a little disappointed at Mr Allworthy's answer, which wasnot so warm as he expected. He treated the doubt whether the youngpeople might like one another with great contempt, saying, "Thatparents were the best judges of proper matches for their children:that for his part he should insist on the most resigned obedience fromhis daughter: and if any young fellow could refuse such a bed-fellow,he was his humble servant, and hoped there was no harm done."
Allworthy endeavoured to soften this resentment by many eulogiums onSophia, declaring he had no doubt but that Mr Blifil would very gladlyreceive the offer; but all was ineffectual; he could obtain no otheranswer from the squire but--"I say no more--I humbly hope there's noharm done--that's all." Which words he repeated at least a hundredtimes before they parted.
Allworthy was too well acquainted with his neighbour to be offended atthis behaviour; and though he was so averse to the rigour which someparents exercise on their children in the article of marriage, that hehad resolved never to force his nephew's inclinations, he wasnevertheless much pleased with the prospect of this union; for thewhole country resounded the praises of Sophia, and he had himselfgreatly admired the uncommon endowments of both her mind and person.
To which I believe we may add, the consideration of her vast fortune,which, though he was too sober to be intoxicated with it, he was toosensible to despise.
And here, in defiance of all the barking critics in the world, I mustand will introduce a digression concerning true wisdom, of which MrAllworthy was in reality as great a pattern as he was of goodness.
True wisdom then, notwithstanding all which Mr Hogarth's poor poet mayhave writ against riches, and in spite of all which any rich well-feddivine may have preached against pleasure, consists not in thecontempt of either of these. A man may have as much wisdom in thepossession of an affluent fortune, as any beggar in the streets; ormay enjoy a handsome wife or a hearty friend, and still remain as wiseas any sour popish recluse, who buries all his social faculties, andstarves his belly while he well lashes his back.
To say truth, the wisest man is the likeliest to possess all worldlyblessings in an eminent degree; for as that moderation which wisdomprescribes is the surest way to useful wealth, so can it alone qualifyus to taste many pleasures. The wise man gratifies every appetite andevery passion, while the fool sacrifices all the rest to pall andsatiate one.
It may be objected, that very wise men have been notoriouslyavaricious. I answer, Not wise in that instance. It may likewise besaid, That the wisest men have been in their youth immoderately fondof pleasure. I answer, They were not wise then.
Wisdom, in short, whose lessons have been represented as so hard tolearn by those who never were at her school, only teaches us to extenda simple maxim universally known and followed even in the lowest life,a little farther than that life carries it. And this is, not to buy attoo dear a price.
Now, whoever takes this maxim abroad with him into the grand market ofthe world, and constantly applies it to honours, to riches, topleasures, and to every other commodity which that market affords, is,I will venture to affirm, a wise man, and must be so acknowledged inthe worldly sense of the word; for he makes the best of bargains,since in reality he purchases everything at the price only of a littletrouble, and carries home all the good things I have mentioned,
whilehe keeps his health, his innocence, and his reputation, the commonprices which are paid for them by others, entire and to himself.
From this moderation, likewise, he learns two other lessons, whichcomplete his character. First, never to be intoxicated when he hathmade the best bargain, nor dejected when the market is empty, or whenits commodities are too dear for his purchase.
But I must remember on what subject I am writing, and not trespass toofar on the patience of a good-natured critic. Here, therefore, I putan end to the chapter.
History of Tom Jones, a Foundling Page 63