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The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

Name: The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling
Author: Henry Fielding

Henry Fielding · Public domain text

348,459 words · about 24 h 24 min to read

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The text of The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling comes from Project Gutenberg e-text #6593. It is in English and public domain in the United States. Project Gutenberg’s header and license text are removed, and RedLectern sets the text out for reading on screen; no words of the book are rewritten or summarized. More formats (EPUB, Kindle) · How RedLectern is built

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From Wikipedia

The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, often known simply as Tom Jones, is a comic novel by English playwright and novelist Henry Fielding. It is a Bildungsroman and a picaresque novel. It was first published on 28 February 1749 in London and is among the earliest English works to be classified as a novel. It is the earliest novel mentioned by W. Somerset Maugham in his 1948 book Great Novelists and Their Novels, in which Maugham ranks the ten best novels of the world.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article “The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling” (revision 1380834134), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Not written by RedLectern.

Author: Henry Fielding (1707–1754)
Language: English
Subjects: Humorous stories, England › Fiction, Bildungsromans, Young men › Fiction, Foundlings › Fiction, Identity (Psychology) › Fiction
Length: 348,459 words · about 24 h 24 min
Sections: 257 reader sections · Table of contents
Audiobook: Listen free (LibriVox)
Source: Project Gutenberg #6593

Contents (257)

Opening under 1 min
Dedication under 1 min
I. The introduction to the work, or bill of fare to the feast under 1 min
V. Containing a few common matters, with a very uncommon observation upon them under 1 min
IX. Containing matters which will surprize the reader under 1 min
XII. Containing what the reader may, perhaps, expect to find in it under 1 min
I. Showing what kind of a history this is; what it is like, and what it is not like under 1 min
V. Containing much matter to exercise the judgment and reflection of the reader about 1 min
I. Containing little or nothing under 1 min
Chapter IV under 1 min
VII. In which the author himself makes his appearance on the stage under 1 min
I. Containing five pages of paper under 1 min
V. Containing matter accommodated to every taste under 1 min
VII. Being the shortest chapter in this book under 1 min
IX. Containing matter of no very peaceable colour about 1 min
I. Of the SERIOUS in writing, and for what purpose it is introduced under 1 min
V. A very long chapter, containing a very great incident under 1 min
VIII. Containing matter rather natural than pleasing about 1 min
I. Of love under 1 min
V. In which is related what passed between Sophia and her aunt under 1 min
X. In which Mr Western visits Mr Allworthy under 1 min
XII. Containing love-letters, &c under 1 min
VIII. Containing scenes of altercation, of no very uncommon kind under 1 min
XII. The adventure of a company of officers under 1 min
VIII. CONTAINING ABOUT TWO DAYS under 1 min
III. In which the surgeon makes his second appearance under 1 min
V. A dialogue between Mr Jones and the barber about 1 min
XIV. In which the Man of the Hill concludes his history under 1 min
I. Of those who lawfully may, and of those who may not, write such histories as this about 1 min
I. Containing instructions very necessary to be perused by modern critics under 1 min
V. Showing who the amiable lady, and her unamiable maid, were under 1 min
VII. In which Mrs Fitzpatrick concludes her history under 1 min
XII. CONTAINING THE SAME INDIVIDUAL TIME WITH THE FORMER under 1 min
V. Containing more adventures which Mr Jones and his companion met on the road under 1 min
X. In which Mr Jones and Mr Dowling drink a bottle together under 1 min
IV. Which consists of visiting under 1 min
VII. Containing the whole humours of a masquerade under 1 min
XIV. CONTAINING TWO DAYS under 1 min
VII. The interview between Mr Jones and Mr Nightingale under 1 min
III. A further explanation of the foregoing design under 1 min
IV. In which Sophia is delivered from her confinement under 1 min
II. Containing a very tragical incident under 1 min
XII. Approaching still nearer to the end about 6 min
Book I under 1 min
Chapter I about 4 min
Chapter II about 3 min
Chapter III about 6 min
Chapter IV about 5 min
Chapter V about 2 min
Chapter VI about 6 min
Chapter VII about 7 min
Chapter VIII about 4 min
Chapter IX about 4 min
Chapter X about 6 min
Chapter XI about 7 min
Chapter XII about 5 min
Chapter XIII about 4 min
Book II under 1 min
Chapter I about 3 min
Chapter II about 3 min
Chapter III about 6 min
Chapter IV about 7 min
Chapter V about 8 min
Chapter VI about 10 min
Chapter VII about 7 min
Chapter VIII about 3 min
Chapter IX about 7 min
Book III under 1 min
Chapter I about 3 min
Chapter II about 9 min
Chapter III about 4 min
Chapter IV about 5 min
Chapter V about 8 min
Chapter VI about 6 min
Chapter VII about 3 min
Chapter VIII about 3 min
Chapter IX about 4 min
Chapter X about 4 min
Chapter I about 5 min
Chapter II about 5 min
Chapter III about 4 min
Chapter IV about 5 min
Chapter V about 9 min
Chapter VI about 7 min
Chapter VII about 2 min
Chapter VIII about 9 min
Chapter IX about 5 min
Chapter X about 7 min
Chapter XI about 7 min
Chapter XII about 5 min
Chapter XIII about 5 min
Chapter XIV about 10 min
Book V under 1 min
Chapter I about 7 min
Chapter II about 8 min
Chapter III about 4 min
Chapter IV about 5 min
Chapter V about 13 min
Chapter VI about 10 min
Chapter VII about 9 min
Chapter VIII about 9 min
Chapter IX about 7 min
Chapter X about 5 min
Chapter XI about 6 min
Chapter XII about 7 min
Chapter I about 5 min
Chapter II about 10 min
Chapter III about 7 min
Chapter IV about 3 min
Chapter V about 8 min
Chapter VI about 5 min
Chapter VII about 7 min
Chapter VIII about 3 min
Chapter IX about 7 min
Chapter X about 8 min
Chapter XI about 4 min
Chapter XII about 7 min
Chapter XIII about 7 min
Chapter XIV about 3 min
Chapter I about 6 min
Chapter II about 3 min
Chapter III about 9 min
Chapter IV about 4 min
Chapter V about 5 min
Chapter VI about 9 min
Chapter VII about 8 min
Chapter VIII about 6 min
Chapter IX about 7 min
Chapter X about 9 min
Chapter XI about 6 min
Chapter XII about 12 min
Chapter XIII about 10 min
Chapter XIV about 11 min
Chapter XV about 7 min
Chapter I about 12 min
Chapter II about 6 min
Chapter III about 4 min
Chapter IV about 6 min
Chapter V about 7 min
Chapter VI about 6 min
Chapter VII about 6 min
Chapter VIII about 8 min
Chapter IX about 10 min
Chapter X about 13 min
Chapter XI about 16 min
Chapter XII about 10 min
Chapter XIII about 11 min
Chapter XIV about 13 min
Chapter XV about 9 min
Chapter I about 9 min
Chapter II about 7 min
Chapter III about 9 min
Chapter IV about 7 min
Chapter V about 7 min
Chapter VI about 9 min
Chapter VII about 7 min
Chapter I about 4 min
Chapter II about 9 min
Chapter III about 9 min
Chapter IV about 5 min
Chapter V about 8 min
Chapter VI about 7 min
Chapter VII about 7 min
Chapter VIII about 7 min
Chapter IX about 11 min
Chapter I about 7 min
Chapter II about 12 min
Chapter III about 3 min
Chapter IV about 9 min
Chapter V about 8 min
Chapter VI about 6 min
Chapter VII about 13 min
Chapter VIII about 10 min
Chapter IX about 7 min
Chapter X about 7 min
Chapter I about 4 min
Chapter II about 6 min
Chapter III about 8 min
Chapter IV about 7 min
Chapter V about 7 min
Chapter VI about 5 min
Chapter VII about 9 min
Chapter VIII about 7 min
Chapter IX about 5 min
Chapter X about 8 min
Chapter XI about 5 min
Chapter XII about 14 min
Chapter XIII about 8 min
Chapter XIV about 6 min
I. An Invocation about 5 min
II. What befel Mr Jones on his arrival in London about 9 min
Chapter III about 5 min
Chapter IV about 4 min
Chapter V about 9 min
Chapter VI about 10 min
Chapter VII about 9 min
Chapter VIII about 8 min
Chapter IX about 6 min
Chapter X about 4 min
Chapter XI about 11 min
Chapter XII about 4 min
Chapter I about 6 min
Chapter II about 8 min
Chapter III about 7 min
Chapter IV about 6 min
Chapter V about 6 min
Chapter VI about 9 min
Chapter VII about 8 min
Chapter VIII about 12 min
Chapter IX about 6 min
Chapter X about 2 min
Chapter I about 2 min
Chapter II about 8 min
Chapter III about 6 min
Chapter IV about 3 min
Chapter V about 11 min
Chapter VI about 7 min
Chapter VII about 12 min
Chapter VIII about 4 min
Chapter IX under 1 min
Letter I about 1 min
Letter II under 1 min
Letter III about 9 min
Chapter X about 7 min
Chapter XI about 4 min
Chapter XII about 5 min
Chapter I about 3 min
Chapter II about 12 min
Chapter III about 6 min
Chapter IV about 8 min
Chapter V about 11 min
Chapter VI about 5 min
Chapter VII about 4 min
VIII. Schemes of Lady Bellaston for the ruin of Jones about 6 min
Chapter IX about 8 min
Chapter X about 5 min
Chapter I about 3 min
Chapter II about 6 min
Chapter III about 12 min
Chapter IV about 8 min
V. Mrs Miller and Mr Nightingale visit Jones in the prison about 5 min
Chapter VI about 6 min
Chapter VII about 5 min
Chapter VIII about 10 min
Chapter IX about 10 min
Chapter I about 2 min
Chapter II about 8 min
Chapter III about 7 min
Chapter IV about 6 min
Chapter V about 9 min
VI. In which the history is farther continued about 6 min
Chapter VII about 8 min
Chapter VIII about 14 min
Chapter IX about 12 min
Chapter X about 10 min
Chapter XI about 11 min
Chapter XII about 20 min

The opening of Chapter I

The introduction to the work, or bill of fare to the feast.
An author ought to consider himself, not as a gentleman who gives a private or eleemosynary treat, but rather as one who keeps a public ordinary, at which all persons are welcome for their money. In the former case, it is well known that the entertainer provides what fare he pleases; and though this should be very indifferent, and utterly disagreeable to the taste of his company, they must not find any fault; nay, on the contrary, good breeding forces them outwardly to approve and to commend whatever is set before them. Now the contrary of this happens to the master of an ordinary. Men who pay for what they eat will insist on gratifying their palates, however nice and whimsical these may prove; and if everything is not agreeable to their taste, will challenge a right to censure, to abuse, and to d--n their dinner without controul.

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