History of Tom Jones, a Foundling by Fielding, Henry, 1707-1754

Carlo Traverso, Charles Franks, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.

The present edition, produced by Distributed Proofreaders, has been cross-checked with 2 other different editions available on-line.

Henry Fielding

The History of Tom Jones, a foundling.

CONTENTS

DEDICATION

BOOK I -- CONTAINING AS MUCH OF THE BIRTH OF THE FOUNDLING AS IS NECESSARY OR PROPER TO ACQUAINT THE READER WITH IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS HISTORY.

Chapter i -- The introduction to the work, or bill of fare to the feast.

Chapter ii -- A short description of squire Allworthy, and a fuller account of Miss Bridget Allworthy, his sister.

Chapter iii -- An odd accident which befel Mr Allworthy at his return home. The decent behaviour of Mrs Deborah Wilkins, with some proper animadversions on bastards.

Chapter iv -- The reader's neck brought into danger by a description; his escape; and the great condescension of Miss Bridget Allworthy.

Chapter v -- Containing a few common matters, with a very uncommon observation upon them.

Chapter vi -- Mrs Deborah is introduced into the parish with a simile. A short account of Jenny Jones, with the difficulties and discouragements which may attend young women in the pursuit of learning.

Chapter vii -- Containing such grave matter, that the reader cannot laugh once through the whole chapter, unless peradventure he should laugh at the author.

Chapter viii -- A dialogue between Mesdames Bridget and Deborah; containing more amusement, but less instruction, than the former.

Chapter ix -- Containing matters which will surprize the reader.

Chapter x -- The hospitality of Allworthy; with a short sketch of the characters of two brothers, a doctor and a captain, who were entertained by that gentleman.

Chapter xi -- Containing many rules, and some examples, concerning falling in love: descriptions of beauty, and other more prudential inducements to matrimony.

Chapter xii -- Containing what the reader may, perhaps, expect to find in it.

Chapter xiii -- Which concludes the first book; with an instance of ingratitude, which, we hope, will appear unnatural.

BOOK II -- CONTAINING SCENES OF MATRIMONIAL FELICITY IN DIFFERENT DEGREES OF LIFE; AND VARIOUS OTHER TRANSACTIONS DURING THE FIRST TWO YEARS AFTER THE MARRIAGE BETWEEN CAPTAIN BLIFIL AND MISS BRIDGET ALLWORTHY.

Chapter i -- Showing what kind of a history this is; what it is like, and what it is not like.

Chapter ii -- Religious cautions against showing too much favour to bastards; and a great discovery made by Mrs Deborah Wilkins.

Chapter iii -- The description of a domestic government founded upon rules directly contrary to those of Aristotle.

Chapter iv -- Containing one of the most bloody battles, or rather duels, that were ever recorded in domestic history.

Chapter v -- Containing much matter to exercise the judgment and reflection of the reader.

Chapter vi -- The trial of Partridge, the schoolmaster, for incontinency; the evidence of his wife; a short reflection on the wisdom of our law; with other grave matters, which those will like best who understand them most.

Chapter vii -- A short sketch of that felicity which prudent couples may extract from hatred: with a short apology for those people who overlook imperfections in their friends.

Chapter viii -- A receipt to regain the lost affections of a wife, which hath never been known to fail in the most desperate cases.