This young lady was now returned to her father; who gave her the command of his houfe, and placed her at the upper end of his table, where Tom (who for his great love of hunting was become a great favourite of the 'fquire). often dined. Young men of open, generous difpofitions are naturally inclined to gallantry, which if they have good understandings, as was in reality Tom's cafe, exerts itfelf in an obliging, complaifant behaviour to all women in general. This greatly diftinguished Tom from the boifterous brutality of mere country 'fquires on the one hand ; and from the folemn, and fomewhat fullen deportment of Master Blifil on the other; and he began now, at twenty, to have the name of a pretty fellow, among all the women in the neighbourhood.

Tom behaved to Sophia with no particularity, unlefs, perhaps, by fhewing her a higher refpect than he paid to any other. This diftinction her beauty, fortune, fenfe, and amiable carriage feemed to demand; but as to defign upon her perfon he had none; for which we fhall at prefent fuffer the reader to condemn him of ftupidity; but perhaps we fhall be able indifferently well to account for it hereafter.

Sophia, with the highest degree of innocence and modefty, had a remarkable fprightlinefs in her temper. This was fo greatly increased whenever he was in company with Tom, that, had he not been very young and thoughtlefs, he must have obferved it or had not Mr. Western's thoughts been generally either in the field, the ftable, or the dog-kennel, it might have, perhaps, created fome jealoufy in him: but fo far was the good gentleman from entertaining any such fufpicions, that he gave Tom every opportunity with his daughter which any lover could have wifhed. And this Tom innocently improved to better advantage, by following only the dictates of his natural gallantry and good-nature, than he might, perhaps, have done, had he had the deepest defigns on the young lady.

But, indeed, it can occafion little wonder, that this matter efcaped the obfervation of others fince poor Sophia herself never remarked it, and her heart was irretrievably loft before the fufpected it was in danger.

Matters

Matters were in this fituation, when Tom one after noon, finding Sophia alone, began, after a fhort apo logy, with a very ferious face, to acquaint her, that he had a favour to ask of her, which he hoped her goodnefs would comply with.

Though neither the young man's behaviour, nor indeed his manner of opening this buninefs, were fuch as could give her any juft caufe of fufpecting he intended to make love to her; yet, whether nature whispered fomething into her ear, or from what caufe it arofe I will not determine, certain it is, fome idea of that kind must have intruded itfelf; for her colour forfook her cheeks, her limbs trembled, and her tongue would have faultered, had Tom ftopped for an anfwer: but he foon relieved her from her perplexity, by proceeding to inform her of his requeft, which was to folicit her intereft on behalf of the game-keeper, whofe own ruin, and that of a large family, muft be, he faid, the confequence of Mr. Weftern's purfuing his action. against him.

Sophia prefently recovered her confufion, and with a fmile full of fweetnefs faid, Is this the mighty favour you asked with fo much gravity? I will do it with all my heart. I really pity the poor fellow, and no longer ago than yefterday fent a finall matter • to his wife.' This fmall matter was one of her gowns, fome linen, and ten fhillings in money, of which Tom had heard, and it had, in reality, put this folicitation into his head.

Our youth, now emboldened with his fuccefs, refolved to push the matter farther; and ventured even to beg her recommendation of him to her father's fervice; protefting that he thought him one of the honefteft fellows in the country, and extremely well qualified for the place of a game-keeper, which luckily then happened to be vacant.

Sophia anfwered, Well, I will undertake this too; but I cannot promife you as much fuccefs as in the former part, which I affure you I will not quit my father without obtaining. However, I will

do what I can for the poor fellow, for I fincerely look upon him and his family as objects of great

compaffion':

compaffion-And now, Mr. Jones, I must afk you a favour.'

A favour! Madam, (cries Tom) if you knew the pleasure you have given me in the hopes of receiving a command from you, you would think by ⚫ mentioning it you did confer the greatest favour on me; for by this dear hand I would facrifice my life to oblige you.'

He then fnatched her hand, and eagerly kiffed it, which was the first time his lips had ever touched her. The blood, which before had forfaken her cheeks, now made her fufficient amends, by rufhing all over her face and neck with fuch violence, that they became all of a fcarlet colour. She now first felt a fenfation to which she had been before a ftranger, and which, when he had leifure to reflect on it, began to acquaint her with fome fecrets, which the reader, if he does not already guefs them, will know in due time.

Sophia, as foon as she could fpeak, (which was not inftantly) informed him, that the favour fhe had to defire of him, was not to lead her father through fo many dangers in hunting; for that, from what fhe had heard, fhe was terribly frightened every time they went out together, and expected fome day or other to fee her father brought home with broken limbs. She therefore begged him, for her fake, to be more cautious; and, as he well knew Mr. Weftern would follow him, not to ride fo madly, nor to take those dangerous leaps for the future..

7

Tom promifed faithfully to obey her commands; and, after thanking her for her kind compliance with his requeft, took his leave, and departed highly charmed with his fuccefs.

Poor Sophia was charmed too; but in a very different way. Her fenfations, however, the reader's heart (if he or she have any) will better reprefent than I can, if I had as many mouths as ever poet wished for, to eat, I fuppofe, thofe many dainties with which he was fo plentifully provided.

It was Mr. Weftern's cuftom every afternoon, as foon as he was drunk, to hear his daughter play on the harpsichord; for he was a great lover of mufic,

and

and perhaps, had he lived in town, might have paffed for a connoiffeur; for he always excepted against the fineft compofitions of Mr. Handel. He never relifhed any mufic but what was light and airy; and indeed his most favourite tunes, were old Sir Simon the King, St. George he was for England, Bobbing Joan, and fome other.

His daughter, though fhe was a perfect mistress of mufic, and would never willingly have played any but Handel's, was fo devoted to her father's pleasure, that he learnt all thefe tunes to oblige him. Howe-` ver, fhe would now and then endeavour to lead him into her own tafte, and when he required the repetition of his ballads, would answer with a 'nay, dear Sir,' and would often beg him to fuffer her to play fomething else.

This evening, however, when the gentleman was retired from his bottle, fhe played all his favourites three times over, without any folicitation. This fo pleafed the good 'fquire, that he ftarted from his couch, gave his daughter a kifs, and fwore her hand was greatly improved. She took this opportunity to execute her promife to Tom, in which the fucceeded fo well, that the 'fquire declared, if he would give him t'other bout of old Sir Simon, he would give the game-keeper his deputation the next morning. Sir Simon was played again and again, till the charms of the mufic foothed Mr. Weftern to fleep. In the morning Sophia did not fail to remind him of his engagement; and his attorney was immediately fent for, and ordered to stop any further proceedings in the action, and to make out the deputation.

Tom's fuccefs in this affair foon began to ring over the country, and various were the cenfures palt upon it. Some greatly applauding it as an act of good nature; others fneering and faying, ' No wonder that

one idle fellow fhould love another.' Young Blifil was greatly enraged at it. He had long hated Black George in the fame proportion as Jones delighted in him; not from any offence which he had ever received, but from his great love to religion and vir tue for Black George had the reputation of a loofe kind of a fellow. Blifil therefore reprefented this as

flying in Mr. Allworthy's face; and declared with great concern, that it was impoffible to find any other motive for doing good to fuch a wretch.

Thwack and Square likewise fung to the fame tune they were now (especially the latter) become greatly jealous of young Jones with the widow: for he now approached the age of twenty, was really a fine young fellow, and that lady, by her encouragements to him, feemed daily more and more to thiuk him fo.

Allworthy was not, however, moved with their malice. He declared himself very well fatisfied with what Jones had done. He faid, the perfeverance and integrity of his friendship was highly commendable, and he wished he could fee more frequent inftances of that virtue.

But fortune, who feldom greatly relishes fuch sparks as my friend Tom, perhaps, because they do not pay more ardent addreffes to her, gave now a very dif ferent turn to all his actions, and shewed them to Mr. Allworthy in a light far lefs agreeable than that gen tleman's goodness had hitherto feen them in.

CHAP. VI.

An apology for the infenfibility of Mr. Jones, to all the charms of the lovely Sophia; in which poffibly we may in a confiderable degree, lower his character in the efli mation of thofe men of wit and gallantry, who approve the heroes in most of our modern comedies.

THERE are two forts of people, who, I am afraid, have already conceived fome contempt for my hero, on account of his behaviour to Sophia. The former of thefe will blame his prudence in neglecting an opportunity to poffefs himfelf of Mr. Weftern's fortune; and the latter will no lefs defpife him for his backwardness to fo fine a girl, who feemed ready to fly to his arms, if he would open them to receive her.

Now, though I fhall not, perhaps, be able abfolutely to acquit him of either of thefe charges; (for

want