Chapter v.

Containing matter accommodated to every taste.

“Parva leves capiunt animos--Small things affect light minds,” was the

sentiment of a great master of the passion of love. And certain it is,

that from this day Sophia began to have some little kindness for Tom

Jones, and no little aversion for his companion.

Many accidents from time to time improved both these passions in her

breast; which, without our recounting, the reader may well conclude,

from what we have before hinted of the different tempers of these

lads, and how much the one suited with her own inclinations more than

the other. To say the truth, Sophia, when very young, discerned that

Tom, though an idle, thoughtless, rattling rascal, was nobody's enemy

but his own; and that Master Blifil, though a prudent, discreet, sober

young gentleman, was at the same time strongly attached to the

interest only of one single person; and who that single person was the

reader will be able to divine without any assistance of ours.

These two characters are not always received in the world with the

different regard which seems severally due to either; and which one

would imagine mankind, from self-interest, should show towards them.

But perhaps there may be a political reason for it: in finding one of

a truly benevolent disposition, men may very reasonably suppose they

have found a treasure, and be desirous of keeping it, like all other

good things, to themselves. Hence they may imagine, that to trumpet

forth the praises of such a person, would, in the vulgar phrase, be

crying Roast-meat, and calling in partakers of what they intend to

apply solely to their own use. If this reason does not satisfy the

reader, I know no other means of accounting for the little respect

which I have commonly seen paid to a character which really does great

honour to human nature, and is productive of the highest good to

society. But it was otherwise with Sophia. She honoured Tom Jones, and

scorned Master Blifil, almost as soon as she knew the meaning of those

two words.

Sophia had been absent upwards of three years with her aunt; during

all which time she had seldom seen either of these young gentlemen.

She dined, however, once, together with her aunt, at Mr Allworthy's.

This was a few days after the adventure of the partridge, before

commemorated. Sophia heard the whole story at table, where she said

nothing: nor indeed could her aunt get many words from her as she

returned home; but her maid, when undressing her, happening to say,

“Well, miss, I suppose you have seen young Master Blifil to-day?” she

answered with much passion, “I hate the name of Master Blifil, as I do

whatever is base and treacherous: and I wonder Mr Allworthy would

suffer that old barbarous schoolmaster to punish a poor boy so cruelly

for what was only the effect of his good-nature.” She then recounted

the story to her maid, and concluded with saying, “Don't you think he

is a boy of noble spirit?”

This young lady was now returned to her father; who gave her the

command of his house, and placed her at the upper end of his table,

where Tom (who for his great love of hunting was become a great

favourite of the squire) often dined. Young men of open, generous

dispositions are naturally inclined to gallantry, which, if they have

good understandings, as was in reality Tom's case, exerts itself in an

obliging complacent behaviour to all women in general. This greatly

distinguished Tom from the boisterous brutality of mere country

squires on the one hand, and from the solemn and somewhat sullen

deportment of Master Blifil on the other; and he began now, at twenty,

to have the name of a pretty fellow among all the women in the

neighbourhood.

Tom behaved to Sophia with no particularity, unless perhaps by showing

her a higher respect than he paid to any other. This distinction her

beauty, fortune, sense, and amiable carriage, seemed to demand; but as

to design upon her person he had none; for which we shall at present

suffer the reader to condemn him of stupidity; but perhaps we shall be

able indifferently well to account for it hereafter.

Sophia, with the highest degree of innocence and modesty, had a

remarkable sprightliness in her temper. This was so greatly increased

whenever she was in company with Tom, that had he not been very young

and thoughtless, he must have observed it: or had not Mr Western's

thoughts been generally either in the field, the stable, or the

dog-kennel, it might have perhaps created some jealousy in him: but so

far was the good gentleman from entertaining any such suspicions, that

he gave Tom every opportunity with his daughter which any lover could

have wished; and this Tom innocently improved to better advantage, by

following only the dictates of his natural gallantry and good-nature,

than he might perhaps have done had he had the deepest designs on the

young lady.

But indeed it can occasion little wonder that this matter escaped the

observation of others, since poor Sophia herself never remarked it;

and her heart was irretrievably lost before she suspected it was in

danger.

Matters were in this situation, when Tom, one afternoon, finding

Sophia alone, began, after a short apology, with a very serious face,

to acquaint her that he had a favour to ask of her which he hoped her

goodness would comply with.

Though neither the young man's behaviour, nor indeed his manner of

opening this business, were such as could give her any just cause of

suspecting he intended to make love to her; yet whether Nature

whispered something into her ear, or from what cause it arose I will

not determine; certain it is, some idea of that kind must have

intruded itself; for her colour forsook her cheeks, her limbs

trembled, and her tongue would have faltered, had Tom stopped for an

answer; but he soon relieved her from her perplexity, by proceeding to

inform her of his request; which was to solicit her interest on behalf

of the gamekeeper, whose own ruin, and that of a large family, must

be, he said, the consequence of Mr Western's pursuing his action

against him.

Sophia presently recovered her confusion, and, with a smile full of

sweetness, said, “Is this the mighty favour you asked with so much

gravity? I will do it with all my heart. I really pity the poor

fellow, and no longer ago than yesterday sent a small matter to his

wife.” This small matter was one of her gowns, some linen, and ten

shillings in money, of which Tom had heard, and it had, in reality,

put this solicitation into his head.

Our youth, now, emboldened with his success, resolved to push the

matter farther, and ventured even to beg her recommendation of him to

her father's service; protesting that he thought him one of the

honestest fellows in the country, and extremely well qualified for the

place of a gamekeeper, which luckily then happened to be vacant.

Sophia answered, “Well, I will undertake this too; but I cannot

promise you as much success as in the former part, which I assure you

I will not quit my father without obtaining. However, I will do what I

can for the poor fellow; for I sincerely look upon him and his family

as objects of great compassion. And now, Mr Jones, I must ask you a

favour.”

“A favour, madam!” cries Tom: “if you knew the pleasure you have given

me in the hopes of receiving a command from you, you would think by

mentioning it you did confer the greatest favour on me; for by this

dear hand I would sacrifice my life to oblige you.”

He then snatched her hand, and eagerly kissed it, which was the first

time his lips had ever touched her. The blood, which before had

forsaken her cheeks, now made her sufficient amends, by rushing all

over her face and neck with such violence, that they became all of a

scarlet colour. She now first felt a sensation to which she had been

before a stranger, and which, when she had leisure to reflect on it,

began to acquaint her with some secrets, which the reader, if he doth

not already guess them, will know in due time.

Sophia, as soon as she could speak (which was not instantly), informed

him that the favour she had to desire of him was, not to lead her

father through so many dangers in hunting; for that, from what she had

heard, she was terribly frightened every time they went out together,

and expected some day or other to see her father brought home with

broken limbs. She therefore begged him, for her sake, to be more

cautious; and as he well knew Mr Western would follow him, not to ride

so madly, nor to take those dangerous leaps for the future.

Tom promised faithfully to obey her commands; and after thanking her

for her kind compliance with his request, took his leave, and departed

highly charmed with his success.

Poor Sophia was charmed too, but in a very different way. Her

sensations, however, the reader's heart (if he or she have any) will

better represent than I can, if I had as many mouths as ever poet

wished for, to eat, I suppose, those many dainties with which he was

so plentifully provided.

It was Mr Western's custom every afternoon, as soon as he was drunk,

to hear his daughter play on the harpsichord; for he was a great lover

of music, and perhaps, had he lived in town, might have passed for a

connoisseur; for he always excepted against the finest compositions of

Mr Handel. He never relished any music but what was light and airy;

and indeed his most favourite tunes were Old Sir Simon the King, St

George he was for England, Bobbing Joan, and some others.

His daughter, though she was a perfect mistress of music, and would

never willingly have played any but Handel's, was so devoted to her

father's pleasure, that she learnt all those tunes to oblige him.

However, she would now and then endeavour to lead him into her own

taste; and when he required the repetition of his ballads, would

answer with a “Nay, dear sir;” and would often beg him to suffer her

to play something else.

This evening, however, when the gentleman was retired from his bottle,

she played all his favourites three times over without any

solicitation. This so pleased the good squire, that he started from

his couch, gave his daughter a kiss, and swore her hand was greatly

improved. She took this opportunity to execute her promise to Tom; in

which she succeeded so well, that the squire declared, if she would

give him t'other bout of Old Sir Simon, he would give the gamekeeper

his deputation the next morning. Sir Simon was played again and again,

till the charms of the music soothed Mr Western to sleep. In the

morning Sophia did not fail to remind him of his engagement; and his

attorney was immediately sent for, ordered to stop any further

proceedings in the action, and to make out the deputation.

Tom's success in this affair soon began to ring over the country, and

various were the censures passed upon it; some greatly applauding it

as an act of good nature; others sneering, and saying, “No wonder that

one idle fellow should love another.” Young Blifil was greatly enraged

at it. He had long hated Black George in the same proportion as Jones

delighted in him; not from any offence which he had ever received, but

from his great love to religion and virtue;--for Black George had the

reputation of a loose kind of a fellow. Blifil therefore represented

this as flying in Mr Allworthy's face; and declared, with great

concern, that it was impossible to find any other motive for doing

good to such a wretch.

Thwackum and Square likewise sung to the same tune. They were now

(especially the latter) become greatly jealous of young Jones with the

widow; for he now approached the age of twenty, was really a fine

young fellow, and that lady, by her encouragements to him, seemed

daily more and more to think him so.

Allworthy was not, however, moved with their malice. He declared

himself very well satisfied with what Jones had done. He said the

perseverance and integrity of his friendship was highly commendable,

and he wished he could see more frequent instances of that virtue.

But Fortune, who seldom greatly relishes such sparks as my friend Tom,

perhaps because they do not pay more ardent addresses to her, gave now

a very different turn to all his actions, and showed them to Mr

Allworthy in a light far less agreeable than that gentleman's goodness

had hitherto seen them in.