The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling - Henry Fielding (top ten ebook reader .txt) 📗

The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

By Henry Fielding.

Table of Contents Titlepage Imprint Dedication The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling Book I I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII Book II I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX Book III I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X Book IV I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV Book V I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII Book VI I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV Book VII I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV XV Book VIII I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV XV Book IX I II III IV V VI VII Book X I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX Book XI I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X Book XII I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV Book XIII I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII Book XIV I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X Book XV I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII Book XVI I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X Book XVII I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX Book XVIII I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII Chapter the Last Endnotes Colophon Uncopyright Imprint

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Dedication

To the Honourable

George Lyttleton, Esq.

One of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury.

Sir,

Notwithstanding your constant refusal, when I have asked leave to prefix your name to this dedication, I must still insist on my right to desire your protection of this work.

To you, Sir, it is owing that this history was ever begun. It was by your desire that I first thought of such a composition. So many years have since past, that you may have, perhaps, forgotten this circumstance: but your desires are to me in the nature of commands; and the impression of them is never to be erased from my memory.

Again, Sir, without your assistance this history had never been completed. Be not startled at the assertion. I do not intend to draw on you the suspicion of being a romance writer. I mean no more than that I partly owe to you my existence during great part of the time which I have employed in composing it: another matter which it may be necessary to remind you of; since there are certain actions of which you are apt to be extremely forgetful; but of these I hope I shall always have a better memory than yourself.

Lastly, it is owing to you that the history appears what it now is. If there be in this work, as some have been pleased to say, a stronger picture of a truly benevolent mind than is to be found in any other, who that knows you, and a particular acquaintance of yours, will doubt whence that benevolence hath been copied? The world will not, I believe, make me the compliment of thinking I took it from myself. I care not: this they shall own, that the two persons from whom I have taken it, that is to say, two of the best and worthiest men in the world, are strongly and zealously my friends. I might be contented with this, and yet my vanity will add a third to the number; and him one of the