History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

by Henry Fielding

  Chapter iii.

  Containing several dialogues.

  The morning in which Mr Jones departed, Mrs Western summoned Sophiainto her apartment; and having first acquainted her that she hadobtained her liberty of her father, she proceeded to read her a longlecture on the subject of matrimony; which she treated not as aromantic scheme of happiness arising from love, as it hath beendescribed by the poets; nor did she mention any of those purposes forwhich we are taught by divines to regard it as instituted by sacredauthority; she considered it rather as a fund in which prudent womendeposit their fortunes to the best advantage, in order to receive alarger interest for them than they could have elsewhere.

  When Mrs Western had finished, Sophia answered, "That she was veryincapable of arguing with a lady of her aunt's superior knowledge andexperience, especially on a subject which she had so very littleconsidered, as this of matrimony."

  "Argue with me, child!" replied the other; "I do not indeed expect it.I should have seen the world to very little purpose truly, if I am toargue with one of your years. I have taken this trouble, in order toinstruct you. The antient philosophers, such as Socrates, Alcibiades,and others, did not use to argue with their scholars. You are toconsider me, child, as Socrates, not asking your opinion, but onlyinforming you of mine." From which last words the reader may possiblyimagine, that this lady had read no more of the philosophy ofSocrates, than she had of that of Alcibiades; and indeed we cannotresolve his curiosity as to this point.

  "Madam," cries Sophia, "I have never presumed to controvert anyopinion of yours; and this subject, as I said, I have never yetthought of, and perhaps never may."

  "Indeed, Sophy," replied the aunt, "this dissimulation with me is veryfoolish. The French shall as soon persuade me that they take foreigntowns in defence only of their own country, as you can impose on me tobelieve you have never yet thought seriously of matrimony. How canyou, child, affect to deny that you have considered of contracting analliance, when you so well know I am acquainted with the party withwhom you desire to contract it?--an alliance as unnatural, andcontrary to your interest, as a separate league with the French wouldbe to the interest of the Dutch! But however, if you have not hithertoconsidered of this matter, I promise you it is now high time, for mybrother is resolved immediately to conclude the treaty with Mr Blifil;and indeed I am a sort of guarantee in the affair, and have promisedyour concurrence."

  "Indeed, madam," cries Sophia, "this is the only instance in which Imust disobey both yourself and my father. For this is a match whichrequires very little consideration in me to refuse."

  "If I was not as great a philosopher as Socrates himself," returnedMrs Western, "you would overcome my patience. What objection can youhave to the young gentleman?"

  "A very solid objection, in my opinion," says Sophia--"I hate him."

  "Will you never learn a proper use of words?" answered the aunt."Indeed, child, you should consult Bailey's Dictionary. It isimpossible you should hate a man from whom you have received noinjury. By hatred, therefore, you mean no more than dislike, which isno sufficient objection against your marrying of him. I have knownmany couples, who have entirely disliked each other, lead verycomfortable genteel lives. Believe me, child, I know these thingsbetter than you. You will allow me, I think, to have seen the world,in which I have not an acquaintance who would not rather be thought todislike her husband than to like him. The contrary is suchout-of-fashion romantic nonsense, that the very imagination of it isshocking."

  "Indeed, madam," replied Sophia, "I shall never marry a man I dislike.If I promise my father never to consent to any marriage contrary tohis inclinations, I think I may hope he will never force me into thatstate contrary to my own."

  "Inclinations!" cries the aunt, with some warmth. "Inclinations! I amastonished at your assurance. A young woman of your age, andunmarried, to talk of inclinations! But whatever your inclinations maybe, my brother is resolved; nay, since you talk of inclinations, Ishall advise him to hasten the treaty. Inclinations!"

  Sophia then flung herself upon her knees, and tears began to tricklefrom her shining eyes. She entreated her aunt, "to have mercy uponher, and not to resent so cruelly her unwillingness to make herselfmiserable;" often urging, "that she alone was concerned, and that herhappiness only was at stake."

  As a bailiff, when well authorized by his writ, having possessedhimself of the person of some unhappy debtor, views all his tearswithout concern; in vain the wretched captive attempts to raisecompassion; in vain the tender wife bereft of her companion, thelittle prattling boy, or frighted girl, are mentioned as inducementsto reluctance. The noble bumtrap, blind and deaf to every circumstanceof distress, greatly rises above all the motives to humanity, and intothe hands of the gaoler resolves to deliver his miserable prey.

  Not less blind to the tears, or less deaf to every entreaty of Sophiawas the politic aunt, nor less determined was she to deliver over thetrembling maid into the arms of the gaoler Blifil. She answered withgreat impetuosity, "So far, madam, from your being concerned alone,your concern is the least, or surely the least important. It is thehonour of your family which is concerned in this alliance; you areonly the instrument. Do you conceive, mistress, that in anintermarriage between kingdoms, as when a daughter of France ismarried into Spain, the princess herself is alone considered in thematch? No! it is a match between two kingdoms, rather than between twopersons. The same happens in great families such as ours. The alliancebetween the families is the principal matter. You ought to have agreater regard for the honour of your family than for your own person;and if the example of a princess cannot inspire you with these noblethoughts, you cannot surely complain at being used no worse than allprincesses are used."

  "I hope, madam," cries Sophia, with a little elevation of voice, "Ishall never do anything to dishonour my family; but as for Mr Blifil,whatever may be the consequence, I am resolved against him, and noforce shall prevail in his favour."

  Western, who had been within hearing during the greater part of thepreceding dialogue, had now exhausted all his patience; he thereforeentered the room in a violent passion, crying, "D--n me then ifshatunt ha'un, d--n me if shatunt, that's all--that's all; d--n me ifshatunt."

  Mrs Western had collected a sufficient quantity of wrath for the useof Sophia; but she now transferred it all to the squire. "Brother,"said she, "it is astonishing that you will interfere in a matterwhich you had totally left to my negotiation. Regard to my familyhath made me take upon myself to be the mediating power, in order torectify those mistakes in policy which you have committed in yourdaughter's education. For, brother, it is you--it is yourpreposterous conduct which hath eradicated all the seeds that I hadformerly sown in her tender mind. It is you yourself who have taughther disobedience."--"Blood!" cries the squire, foaming at the mouth,"you are enough to conquer the patience of the devil! Have I evertaught my daughter disobedience?--Here she stands; speak honestly,girl, did ever I bid you be disobedient to me? Have not I doneeverything to humour and to gratify you, and to make you obedient tome? And very obedient to me she was when a little child, before youtook her in hand and spoiled her, by filling her head with a pack ofcourt notions. Why--why--why--did I not overhear you telling her shemust behave like a princess? You have made a Whig of the girl; and howshould her father, or anybody else, expect any obedience fromher?"--"Brother," answered Mrs Western, with an air of great disdain,"I cannot express the contempt I have for your politics of all kinds;but I will appeal likewise to the young lady herself, whether I haveever taught her any principles of disobedience. On the contrary,niece, have I not endeavoured to inspire you with a true idea of theseveral relations in which a human creature stands in society? Have Inot taken infinite pains to show you, that the law of nature hathenjoined a duty on children to their parents? Have I not told you whatPlato says on that subject?--a subject on which you was so notoriouslyignorant when you came first under my care, that I verily believe youdid not know the relation between a daughter and a father."--"'Tis
alie," answered Western. "The girl is no such fool, as to live toeleven years old without knowing that she was her father'srelation."--"O! more than Gothic ignorance," answered the lady. "Andas for your manners, brother, I must tell you, they deserve acane."--"Why then you may gi' it me, if you think you are able," criesthe squire; "nay, I suppose your niece there will be ready enough tohelp you."--"Brother," said Mrs Western, "though I despise you beyondexpression, yet I shall endure your insolence no longer; so I desiremy coach may be got ready immediately, for I am resolved to leave yourhouse this very morning."--"And a good riddance too," answered he; "Ican bear your insolence no longer, an you come to that. Blood! it isalmost enough of itself to make my daughter undervalue my sense, whenshe hears you telling me every minute you despise me."--"It isimpossible, it is impossible," cries the aunt; "no one can undervaluesuch a boor."--"Boar," answered the squire, "I am no boar; no, norass; no, nor rat neither, madam. Remember that--I am no rat. I am atrue Englishman, and not of your Hanover breed, that have eat up thenation."--"Thou art one of those wise men," cries she, "whosenonsensical principles have undone the nation; by weakening the handsof our government at home, and by discouraging our friends andencouraging our enemies abroad."--"Ho! are you come back to yourpolitics?" cries the squire: "as for those I despise them as much as Ido a f--t." Which last words he accompanied and graced with the veryaction, which, of all others, was the most proper to it. And whetherit was this word or the contempt exprest for her politics, which mostaffected Mrs Western, I will not determine; but she flew into the mostviolent rage, uttered phrases improper to be here related, andinstantly burst out of the house. Nor did her brother or her niecethink proper either to stop or to follow her; for the one was so muchpossessed by concern, and the other by anger, that they were renderedalmost motionless.

  The squire, however, sent after his sister the same holloa whichattends the departure of a hare, when she is first started before thehounds. He was indeed a great master of this kind of vociferation, andhad a holla proper for most occasions in life.

  Women who, like Mrs Western, know the world, and have appliedthemselves to philosophy and politics, would have immediately availedthemselves of the present disposition of Mr Western's mind, bythrowing in a few artful compliments to his understanding at theexpense of his absent adversary; but poor Sophia was all simplicity.By which word we do not intend to insinuate to the reader, that shewas silly, which is generally understood as a synonymous term withsimple; for she was indeed a most sensible girl, and her understandingwas of the first rate; but she wanted all that useful art whichfemales convert to so many good purposes in life, and which, as itrather arises from the heart than from the head, is often the propertyof the silliest of women.