I ask pardon for this short appearance, by way of
chorus, on the stage. It is in reality for my
own sake, that, while I am discovering the rocks on
which innocence and goodness often split, I may not
be misunderstood to recommend the very means to my
worthy readers, by which I intend to show them they
will be undone. And this, as I could not prevail
on any of my actors to speak, I myself was obliged
to declare.
A childish incident, in which, however, is seen a
good-natured disposition in Tom Jones.
The reader may remember that Mr Allworthy gave Tom
Jones a little horse, as a kind of smart-money for
the punishment which he imagined he had suffered innocently.
This horse Tom kept above half a year, and then rode
him to a neighbouring fair, and sold him.
At his return, being questioned by Thwackum what he
had done with the money for which the horse was sold,
he frankly declared he would not tell him.
“Oho!” says Thwackum, “you will
not! then I will have it out of your br—h;”
that being the place to which he always applied for
information on every doubtful occasion.
Tom was now mounted on the back of a footman, and
everything prepared for execution, when Mr Allworthy,
entering the room, gave the criminal a reprieve, and
took him with him into another apartment; where, being
alone with Tom, he put the same question to him which
Thwackum had before asked him.
Tom answered, he could in duty refuse him nothing;
but as for that tyrannical rascal, he would never
make him any other answer than with a cudgel, with
which he hoped soon to be able to pay him for all his
barbarities.
Mr Allworthy very severely reprimanded the lad for
his indecent and disrespectful expressions concerning
his master; but much more for his avowing an intention
of revenge. He threatened him with the entire
loss of his favour, if he ever heard such another word
from his mouth; for, he said, he would never support
or befriend a reprobate. By these and the like
declarations, he extorted some compunction from Tom,
in which that youth was not over-sincere; for he really
meditated some return for all the smarting favours
he had received at the hands of the pedagogue.
He was, however, brought by Mr Allworthy to express
a concern for his resentment against Thwackum; and
then the good man, after some wholesome admonition,
permitted him to proceed, which he did as follows:—
“Indeed, my dear sir, I love and honour you
more than all the world: I know the great obligations
I have to you, and should detest myself if I thought
my heart was capable of ingratitude. Could the
little horse you gave me speak, I am sure he could
tell you how fond I was of your present; for I had
more pleasure in feeding him than in riding him.
Indeed, sir, it went to my heart to part with him;
nor would I have sold him upon any other account in
the world than what I did. You yourself, sir,
I am convinced, in my case, would have done the same:
for none ever so sensibly felt the misfortunes of others.
What would you feel, dear sir, if you thought yourself
the occasion of them? Indeed, sir, there never
was any misery like theirs.”
