History of Tom Jones, a Foundling
making the proposals to a woman of sense, and who knew the world, than
to a gentleman whom she honoured with the appellation of Hottentot;
though, indeed, from him she apprehended no danger of a refusal.
The two ladies being met, after very short previous ceremonials, fell
to business, which was indeed almost as soon concluded as begun; for
Mrs Western no sooner heard the name of Lord Fellamar than her cheeks
glowed with pleasure; but when she was acquainted with the eagerness
of his passion, the earnestness of his proposals, and the generosity
of his offer, she declared her full satisfaction in the most explicit
terms.
In the progress of their conversation their discourse turned to Jones,
and both cousins very pathetically lamented the unfortunate attachment
which both agreed Sophia had to that young fellow; and Mrs Western
entirely attributed it to the folly of her brother's management. She
concluded, however, at last, with declaring her confidence in the good
understanding of her niece, who, though she would not give up her
affection in favour of Blifil, will, I doubt not, says she, soon be
prevailed upon to sacrifice a simple inclination to the addresses of a
fine gentleman, who brings her both a title and a large estate: “For,
indeed,” added she, “I must do Sophy the justice to confess this
Blifil is but a hideous kind of fellow, as you know, Bellaston, all
country gentlemen are, and hath nothing but his fortune to recommend
him.”
“Nay,” said Lady Bellaston, “I don't then so much wonder at my cousin;
for I promise you this Jones is a very agreeable fellow, and hath one
virtue, which the men say is a great recommendation to us. What do you
think, Mrs Western--I shall certainly make you laugh; nay, I can
hardly tell you myself for laughing--will you believe that the fellow
hath had the assurance to make love to me? But if you should be
inclined to disbelieve it, here is evidence enough, his own
handwriting, I assure you.” She then delivered her cousin the letter
with the proposals of marriage, which, if the reader hath a desire to
see, he will find already on record in the XVth book of this history.
“Upon my word I am astonished,” said Mrs Western; “this is, indeed, a
masterpiece of assurance. With your leave I may possibly make some use
of this letter.” “You have my full liberty,” cries Lady Bellaston, “to
apply it to what purpose you please. However, I would not have it
shewn to any but Miss Western, nor to her unless you find occasion.”
“Well, and how did you use the fellow?” returned Mrs Western. “Not as
a husband,” said the lady; “I am not married, I promise you, my dear.
You know, Bell, I have tried the comforts once already; and once, I
think, is enough for any reasonable woman.”
This letter Lady Bellaston thought would certainly turn the balance
against Jones in the mind of Sophia, and she was emboldened to give it
up, partly by her hopes of having him instantly dispatched out of the
way, and partly by having secured the evidence of Honour, who, upon
sounding her, she saw sufficient reason to imagine was prepared to
testify whatever she pleased.
But perhaps the reader may wonder why Lady Bellaston, who in her heart
hated Sophia, should be so desirous of promoting a match which was so
much to the interest of the young lady. Now, I would desire such
readers to look carefully into human nature, page almost the last, and
there he will find, in scarce legible characters, that women,
notwithstanding the preposterous behaviour of mothers, aunts, &c., in
matrimonial matters, do in reality think it so great a misfortune to
have their inclinations in love thwarted, that they imagine they ought
never to carry enmity higher than upon these disappointments; again,
he will find it written much about the same place, that a woman who
hath once been pleased with the possession of a man, will go above
halfway to the devil, to prevent any other woman from enjoying the
same.
If he will not be contented with these reasons, I freely confess I see
no other motive to the actions of that lady, unless we will conceive
she was bribed by Lord Fellamar, which for my own part I see no cause
to suspect.
Now this was the affair which Mrs Western was preparing to introduce
to Sophia, by some prefatory discourse on the folly of love, and on
the wisdom of legal prostitution for hire, when her brother and Blifil
broke abruptly in upon her; and hence arose all that coldness in her
behaviour to Blifil, which, though the squire, as was usual with him,
imputed to a wrong cause, infused into Blifil himself (he being a much
more cunning man) a suspicion of the real truth.
Chapter ix.
In which Jones pays a visit to Mrs Fitzpatrick.
The reader may now, perhaps, be pleased to return with us to Mr Jones,
who, at the appointed hour, attended on Mrs Fitzpatrick; but before we
relate the conversation which now past it may be proper, according to
our method, to return a little back, and to account for so great an
alteration of behaviour in this lady, that from changing her lodging
principally to avoid Mr Jones, she had now industriously, as hath been
seen, sought this interview.
And here we shall need only to resort to what happened the preceding
day, when, hearing from Lady Bellaston that Mr Western was arrived in
town, she went to pay her duty to him, at his lodgings at Piccadilly,
where she was received with many scurvy compellations too coarse to be
repeated, and was even threatened to be kicked out of doors. From
hence, an old servant of her aunt Western, with whom she was well
acquainted, conducted her to the lodgings of that lady, who treated
her not more kindly, but more politely; or, to say the truth, with
rudeness in another way. In short, she returned from both, plainly
convinced, not only that her scheme of reconciliation had proved
abortive, but that she must for ever give over all thoughts of
bringing it about by any means whatever. From this moment desire of
revenge only filled her mind; and in this temper meeting Jones at the
play, an opportunity seemed to her to occur of effecting this purpose.
The reader must remember that he was acquainted by Mrs Fitzpatrick, in
the account she gave of her own story, with the fondness Mrs Western
had formerly shewn for Mr Fitzpatrick at Bath, from the disappointment
of which Mrs Fitzpatrick derived the great bitterness her aunt had
expressed toward her. She had, therefore, no doubt but that the good
lady would as easily listen to the addresses of Mr Jones as she had
before done to the other; for the superiority of charms was clearly on
the side of Mr Jones; and the advance which her aunt had since made in
age, she concluded (how justly I will not say), was an argument rather
in favour of her project than against it.
Therefore, when Jones attended, after a previous declaration of her
desire of serving him, arising, as she said, from a firm assurance how
much she should by so doing oblige Sophia; and after some excuses for
her former disappointment, and after acquainting Mr Jones in whose
custody his mistress was, of which she thought him ignorant; she very
explicitly mentioned her scheme to him, and advised him to make sham
addresses to the older lady, in order to procure an easy access to the
younger, informing him at the same time of the success which Mr
Fitzpatrick had formerly owed to the very same stratagem.
Mr Jones expressed great gratitude to the lady for the kind intentions
towards him which she had expressed, and indeed testified, by this
proposal; but, besides intimating some diffidence of success from the
lady's knowledge of his love to her niece, which had not been her case
in regard to Mr Fitzpatrick, he said, he was afraid Miss Western would
never agree to an imposition of this kind, as well from her utter
detestation of all fallacy as from her avowed duty to her aunt.
Mrs Fitzpatrick was a little nettled at this; and indeed, if it may
not be called a lapse of the tongue, it was a small deviation from
politeness in Jones, and into which he scarce would have fallen, had
not the delight he felt in praising Sophia hurried him out of all
reflection; for this commendation of one cousin was more than a tacit
rebuke on the other.
“Indeed, sir,” answered the lady, with some warmth, “I cannot think
there is anything easier than to cheat an old woman with a profession
of love, when her complexion is amorous; and, though she is my aunt, I
must say there never was a more liquorish one than her ladyship. Can't
you pretend that the despair of possessing her niece, from her being
promised to Blifil, has made you turn your thoughts towards her? As to
my cousin Sophia, I can't imagine her to be such a simpleton as to
have the least scruple on such an account, or to conceive any harm in
punishing one of these haggs for the many mischiefs they bring upon
families by their tragi-comic passions; for which I think it is a pity
they are not punishable by law. I had no such scruple myself; and yet
I hope my cousin Sophia will not think it an affront when I say she
cannot detest every real species of falsehood more than her cousin
Fitzpatrick. To my aunt, indeed, I pretend no duty, nor doth she
deserve any. However, sir, I have given you my advice; and if you
decline pursuing it, I shall have the less opinion of your
understanding--that's all.”
Jones now clearly saw the error he had committed, and exerted his
utmost power to rectify it; but he only faultered and stuttered into
nonsense and contradiction. To say the truth, it is often safer to
abide by the consequences of the first blunder than to endeavour to
rectify it; for by such endeavours we generally plunge deeper instead
of extricating ourselves; and few persons will on such occasions have
the good-nature which Mrs Fitzpatrick displayed to Jones, by saying,
with a smile, “You need attempt no more excuses; for I can easily
forgive a real lover, whatever is the effect of fondness for his
mistress.”
She then renewed her proposal, and very fervently recommended it,
omitting no argument which her invention could suggest on the subject;
for she was so violently incensed against her aunt, that scarce
anything was capable of affording her equal pleasure with exposing
her; and, like a true woman, she would see no difficulties in the
execution of a favourite scheme.
Jones, however, persisted in declining the undertaking, which had not,
indeed, the least probability of success. He easily perceived the
motives which induced Mrs Fitzpatrick to be so eager in pressing her
advice. He said he would not deny the tender and passionate regard he
had for Sophia; but was so conscious of the inequality of their
situations, that he could never flatter himself so far as to hope that
so divine a young lady would condescend to think on so unworthy a man;
nay, he protested, he could scarce bring himself to wish she should.
He concluded with a profession of generous sentiments, which we have
not at present leisure to insert.
There are some fine women (for I dare not here speak in too general
terms) with whom self is so predominant, that they never detach it
from any subject; and, as vanity is with them a ruling principle, they
are apt to lay hold of whatever praise they meet with; and, though the
property of others, convey it to their own use. In the company of
these ladies it is impossible to say anything handsome of another
woman which they will not apply to themselves; nay, they often improve
the praise they seize; as, for instance, if her beauty, her wit, her
gentility, her good humour deserve so much commendation, what do I
deserve, who possess those qualities in so much more eminent a degree?
To these ladies a man often recommends himself while he is commending