Fielding, Henry (1707-1754)

The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

London

Printed for A. Millar

1749

"These were Esteem and Pity; for sure the most outragiously rigid among her Sex will excuse her pitying a Man, whom she saw miserable on her own Account; nor can they blame her for esteeming one who visibly from the most honourable Motives, endeavoured to smother a Flame in his own Bosom, which, like the famous Spartan Theft, was preying upon, and consuming his very Vitals."

When Sophia was well satisfied of the violent Passion which tormented poor Jones, and no less certain that she herself was its Object, she had not the least Difficulty in discovering the true Cause of his present Behaviour. This highly endeared him to her, and raised in her Mind two of the best Affections which any Lover can wish to raise in a Mistress. These were Esteem and Pity; for sure the most outragiously rigid among her Sex will excuse her pitying a Man, whom she saw miserable on her own Account; nor can they blame her for esteeming one who visibly from the most honourable Motives, endeavoured to smother a Flame in his own Bosom, which, like the famous Spartan Theft, was preying upon, and consuming his very Vitals. Thus his Backwardness, his Shunning her, his Coldness and his Silence, were the forwardest, the most diligent, the warmest, and most eloquent Advocates; and wrought so violently on her sensible and tender Heart, that she soon felt for him all those gentle Sensations which are consistent with a virtuous and elevated female Mind--In short, all which Esteem, Gratitude and Pity, can inspire in such, towards an agreeable Man--Indeed, all which the nicest Delicacy can allow--In a Word,--she was in Love with him to Distraction.
(IV.vi, pp. 161-2)

Fire::Flame Animals::Fox Animals::Preying

Reading

Over 75 entries in the ESTC (1749, 1750, 1751, 1759, 1763, 1764, 1765, 1766, 1767, 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1773, 1774, 1775, 1776, 1777, 1780, 1782, 1783, 1784, 1786, 1787, 1789, 1791, 1792, 1794, 1795, 1797, 1800).

See The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling. In Six Volumes. By Henry Fielding. (London: Printed for A. Millar, 1749). <Link to ECCO><Link to LION>

See also three-volume Dublin edition in ECCO-TCP <Link to Vol. I in ECCO-TCP><Vol. II><Vol. III>

Reading The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling. Norton Critical Edition, ed. Sheridan W. Baker. (New York: W. W. Norton and Company, Inc., 1973).

Also reading Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, eds. John Bender and Simon Stern (Oxford: OUP, 1996).

11/04/2013