Moral reflections by Joseph Andrews; with the hunting
adventure, and parson Adams’s miraculous escape.
“I have often wondered, sir,” said Joseph,
“to observe so few instances of charity among
mankind; for though the goodness of a man’s heart
did not incline him to relieve the distresses of his
fellow-creatures, methinks the desire of honour should
move him to it. What inspires a man to build
fine houses, to purchase fine furniture, pictures,
clothes, and other things, at a great expense, but
an ambition to be respected more than other people?
Now, would not one great act of charity, one instance
of redeeming a poor family from all the miseries of
poverty, restoring an unfortunate tradesman by a sum
of money to the means of procuring a livelihood by
his industry, discharging an undone debtor from his
debts or a gaol, or any suchlike example of goodness,
create a man more honour and respect than he could
acquire by the finest house, furniture, pictures,
or clothes, that were ever beheld? For not only
the object himself who was thus relieved, but all
who heard the name of such a person, must, I imagine,
reverence him infinitely more than the possessor of
all those other things; which when we so admire, we
rather praise the builder, the workman, the painter,
the lace-maker, the taylor, and the rest, by whose
ingenuity they are produced, than the person who by
his money makes them his own. For my own part,
when I have waited behind my lady in a room hung with
fine pictures, while I have been looking at them I
have never once thought of their owner, nor hath any
one else, as I ever observed; for when it hath been
asked whose picture that was, it was never once answered
the master’s of the house; but Ammyconni, Paul
Varnish, Hannibal Scratchi, or Hogarthi, which I suppose
were the names of the painters; but if it was asked—Who
redeemed such a one out of prison? Who lent such
a ruined tradesman money to set up? Who clothed
that family of poor small children? it is very plain
what must be the answer. And besides, these great
folks are mistaken if they imagine they get any honour
at all by these means; for I do not remember I ever
was with my lady at any house where she commended
the house or furniture but I have heard her at her
return home make sport and jeer at whatever she had
before commended; and I have been told by other gentlemen
in livery that it is the same in their families:
but I defy the wisest man in the world to turn a true
good action into ridicule. I defy him to do it.
He who should endeavour it would be laughed at himself,
instead of making others laugh. Nobody scarce
doth any good, yet they all agree in praising those
who do. Indeed, it is strange that all men should
consent in commending goodness, and no man endeavour
to deserve that commendation; whilst, on the contrary,
all rail at wickedness, and all are as eager to be
what they abuse. This I know not the reason of;
