History of Tom Jones, a Foundling
CONTENTS
One of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury.
Sir,
Notwithstanding your constant refusal, when I have asked leave to prefix your name to this dedication, I must still insist on my right to desire your protection of this work.
To you, Sir, it is owing that this history was ever begun. It was by your desire that I first thought of such a composition. So many years have since past, that you may have, perhaps, forgotten this circumstance: but your desires are to me in the nature of commands; and the impression of them is never to be erased from my memory.
Again, Sir, without your assistance this history had never been completed. Be not startled at the assertion. I do not intend to draw on you the suspicion of being a romance writer. I mean no more than that I partly owe to you my existence during great part of the time which I have employed in composing it: another matter which it may be necessary to remind you of; since there are certain actions of which you are apt to be extremely forgetful; but of these I hope I shall always have a better memory than yourself.
Lastly, It is owing to you that the history appears what it now is. If there be in this work, as some have been pleased to say, a stronger picture of a truly benevolent mind than is to be found in any other, who that knows you, and a particular acquaintance of yours, will doubt whence that benevolence hath been copied? The world will not, I believe, make me the compliment of thinking I took it from myself. I care not: this they shall own, that the two persons from whom I have taken it, that is to say, two of the best and worthiest men in the world, are strongly and zealously my friends. I might be contented with this, and yet my vanity will add a third to the number; and him one of the greatest and noblest, not only in his rank, but in every public and private virtue. But here, whilst my gratitude for the princely benefactions of the Duke of Bedford bursts from my heart, you must forgive my reminding you that it was you who first recommended me to the notice of my benefactor.
Henry Fielding
THE HISTORY OF TOM JONES, A FOUNDLING
To the Honourable
THE HISTORY OF TOM JONES, A FOUNDLING.
Chapter ix. — Containing matters which will surprize the reader.
Chapter i. — Containing little or nothing.
BOOK IV. — CONTAINING THE TIME OF A YEAR.
Chapter i. — Containing five pages of paper.
Chapter v. — Containing matter accommodated to every taste.
Chapter vii. — Being the shortest chapter in this book.
Chapter ix. — Containing matter of no very peaceable colour.
Chapter v. — A very long chapter, containing a very great incident.
Chapter vii. — In which Mr Allworthy appears on a sick-bed.
Chapter viii. — Containing matter rather natural than pleasing.
BOOK VI. — CONTAINING ABOUT THREE WEEKS.
Chapter i. — Of love.
Chapter iii. — Containing two defiances to the critics.
Chapter iv. — Containing sundry curious matters.
Chapter viii. — The meeting between Jones and Sophia.
Chapter ix. — Being of a much more tempestuous kind than the former.
Chapter x. — In which Mr Western visits Mr Allworthy.
BOOK VII. — CONTAINING THREE DAYS.
Chapter i. — A comparison between the world and the stage.
Chapter iii. — Containing several dialogues.
Chapter v. — The generous behaviour of Sophia towards her aunt.
Chapter vi. — Containing great variety of matter.
Chapter xi. — The adventure of a company of soldiers.
Chapter xii. — The adventure of a company of officers.
Chapter xv. — The conclusion of the foregoing adventure.
BOOK VIII. — CONTAINING ABOUT TWO DAYS.
Chapter ii. — In which the landlady pays a visit to Mr Jones.
Chapter iii. — In which the surgeon makes his second appearance.
Chapter v. — A dialogue between Mr Jones and the barber.
Chapter xii. — In which the Man of the Hill continues his history.
Chapter xiii. — In which the foregoing story is farther continued.
Chapter xiv. — In which the Man of the Hill concludes his history.
BOOK IX. — CONTAINING TWELVE HOURS.
BOOK X. — IN WHICH THE HISTORY GOES FORWARD ABOUT TWELVE HOURS.
Chapter viii. — In which the history goes backward.
Chapter ix. — The escape of Sophia.
BOOK XI. — CONTAINING ABOUT THREE DAYS.
Chapter i. — A crust for the critics.
Chapter iv. — The history of Mrs Fitzpatrick.
Chapter v. — In which the history of Mrs Fitzpatrick is continued.
Chapter vii. — In which Mrs Fitzpatrick concludes her history.
BOOK XII. — CONTAINING THE SAME INDIVIDUAL TIME WITH THE FORMER.
Chapter iv. — The adventure of a beggar-man.
Chapter ix. — Containing little more than a few odd observations.
Chapter xiii. — A dialogue between Jones and Partridge.
BOOK XIII. — CONTAINING THE SPACE OF TWELVE DAYS.
Chapter i. — An Invocation.
Chapter ii. — What befel Mr Jones on his arrival in London.
Chapter iv. — Which consists of visiting.
Chapter vii. — Containing the whole humours of a masquerade.
Chapter xi. — In which the reader will be surprized.
Chapter xii. — In which the thirteenth book is concluded.
BOOK XIV. — CONTAINING TWO DAYS.
Chapter iii. — Containing various matters.
Chapter v. — A short account of the history of Mrs Miller.
Chapter vii. — The interview between Mr Jones and Mr Nightingale.
Chapter ix. — Containing strange matters.
Chapter x. — A short chapter, which concludes the book.
BOOK XV. — IN WHICH THE HISTORY ADVANCES ABOUT TWO DAYS.
Chapter i. — Too short to need a preface.
Chapter ii. — In which is opened a very black design against Sophia.
Chapter iii. — A further explanation of the foregoing design.
Chapter vii. — In which various misfortunes befel poor Jones.
Chapter viii. — Short and sweet.
Chapter ix. — Containing love-letters of several sorts.
Chapter xi. — Containing curious, but not unprecedented matter.
Chapter xii. — A discovery made by Partridge.
BOOK XVI.
Chapter i. — Of prologues.
Chapter iii. — What happened to Sophia during her confinement.
Chapter iv. — In which Sophia is delivered from her confinement.
Chapter vi. — In which the history is obliged to look back.
Chapter viii. — Schemes of Lady Bellaston for the ruin of Jones.
Chapter ix. — In which Jones pays a visit to Mrs Fitzpatrick.
Chapter x. — The consequence of the preceding visit.
BOOK XVII.
Chapter i. — Containing a portion of introductory writing.
Chapter ii. — The generous and grateful behaviour of Mrs Miller.
Chapter iv. — An extraordinary scene between Sophia and her aunt.
Chapter vi. — In which Mrs Miller pays a visit to Sophia.
Chapter vii. — A pathetic scene between Mr Allworthy and Mrs Miller.
Chapter viii. — Containing various matters.
Chapter ix. — What happened to Mr Jones in the prison.
BOOK XVIII.
Chapter i. — A farewel to the reader.
Chapter ii. — Containing a very tragical incident.
Chapter iv. — Containing two letters in very different stiles.
Chapter v. — In which the history is continued.
Chapter vi. — In which the history is farther continued
Chapter vii. — Continuation of the history.
Chapter viii. — Further continuation.
Chapter ix. — A further continuation.
Chapter xi. — The history draws nearer to a conclusion.
Chapter xii. — Approaching still nearer to the end.
Chapter the last.