than the indulgence of a natural appetite? or what
more laudable than the propagation of our species?”—“To
be serious with you,” answered Square, “I
profess they always appeared so to me.”—“And
yet,” said Jones, “you was of a different
opinion when my affair with this girl was first discovered.”—“Why,
I must confess,” says Square, “as the
matter was misrepresented to me, by that parson Thwackum,
I might condemn the corruption of innocence:
it was that, sir, it was that—and that—:
for you must know, Mr Jones, in the consideration of
fitness, very minute circumstances, sir, very minute
circumstances cause great alteration.”—“Well,”
cries Jones, “be that as it will, it shall be
your own fault, as I have promised you, if you ever
hear any more of this adventure. Behave kindly
to the girl, and I will never open my lips concerning
the matter to any one. And, Molly, do you be
faithful to your friend, and I will not only forgive
your infidelity to me, but will do you all the service
I can.” So saying, he took a hasty leave,
and, slipping down the ladder, retired with much expedition.
Square was rejoiced to find this adventure was likely
to have no worse conclusion; and as for Molly, being
recovered from her confusion, she began at first to
upbraid Square with having been the occasion of her
loss of Jones; but that gentleman soon found the means
of mitigating her anger, partly by caresses, and partly
by a small nostrum from his purse, of wonderful and
approved efficacy in purging off the ill humours of
the mind, and in restoring it to a good temper.
She then poured forth a vast profusion of tenderness
towards her new lover; turned all she had said to
Jones, and Jones himself, into ridicule; and vowed,
though he once had the possession of her person, that
none but Square had ever been master of her heart.
By comparing which with the former, the reader may
possibly correct some abuse which he hath formerly
been guilty of in the application of the word love.
The infidelity of Molly, which Jones had now discovered,
would, perhaps, have vindicated a much greater degree
of resentment than he expressed on the occasion; and
if he had abandoned her directly from that moment,
very few, I believe, would have blamed him.
Certain, however, it is, that he saw her in the light
of compassion; and though his love to her was not
of that kind which could give him any great uneasiness
at her inconstancy, yet was he not a little shocked
on reflecting that he had himself originally corrupted
her innocence; for to this corruption he imputed all
the vice into which she appeared now so likely to
plunge herself.
This consideration gave him no little uneasiness,
till Betty, the elder sister, was so kind, some time
afterwards, entirely to cure him by a hint, that one
Will Barnes, and not himself, had been the first seducer
of Molly; and that the little child, which he had hitherto
so certainly concluded to be his own, might very probably
have an equal title, at least, to claim Barnes for
its father.
