Chapter vii.
In which the author himself makes his appearance on the stage.
Though Mr Allworthy was not of himself hasty to see things in adisadvantageous light, and was a stranger to the public voice, whichseldom reaches to a brother or a husband, though it rings in the earsof all the neighbourhood; yet was this affection of Mrs Blifil to Tom,and the preference which she too visibly gave him to her own son, ofthe utmost disadvantage to that youth.
For such was the compassion which inhabited Mr Allworthy's mind, thatnothing but the steel of justice could ever subdue it. To beunfortunate in any respect was sufficient, if there was no demerit tocounterpoise it, to turn the scale of that good man's pity, and toengage his friendship and his benefaction.
When therefore he plainly saw Master Blifil was absolutely detested(for that he was) by his own mother, he began, on that account only,to look with an eye of compassion upon him; and what the effects ofcompassion are, in good and benevolent minds, I need not here explainto most of my readers.
Henceforward he saw every appearance of virtue in the youth throughthe magnifying end, and viewed all his faults with the glass inverted,so that they became scarce perceptible. And this perhaps the amiabletemper of pity may make commendable; but the next step the weakness ofhuman nature alone must excuse; for he no sooner perceived thatpreference which Mrs Blifil gave to Tom, than that poor youth (howeverinnocent) began to sink in his affections as he rose in hers. This, itis true, would of itself alone never have been able to eradicate Jonesfrom his bosom; but it was greatly injurious to him, and prepared MrAllworthy's mind for those impressions which afterwards produced themighty events that will be contained hereafter in this history; and towhich, it must be confest, the unfortunate lad, by his own wantonness,wildness, and want of caution, too much contributed.
In recording some instances of these, we shall, if rightly understood,afford a very useful lesson to those well-disposed youths who shallhereafter be our readers; for they may here find, that goodness ofheart, and openness of temper, though these may give them greatcomfort within, and administer to an honest pride in their own minds,will by no means, alas! do their business in the world. Prudence andcircumspection are necessary even to the best of men. They are indeed,as it were, a guard to Virtue, without which she can never be safe. Itis not enough that your designs, nay, that your actions, areintrinsically good; you must take care they shall appear so. If yourinside be never so beautiful, you must preserve a fair outside also.This must be constantly looked to, or malice and envy will take careto blacken it so, that the sagacity and goodness of an Allworthy willnot be able to see through it, and to discern the beauties within. Letthis, my young readers, be your constant maxim, that no man can begood enough to enable him to neglect the rules of prudence; nor willVirtue herself look beautiful, unless she be bedecked with the outwardornaments of decency and decorum. And this precept, my worthydisciples, if you read with due attention, you will, I hope, findsufficiently enforced by examples in the following pages.
I ask pardon for this short appearance, by way of chorus, on thestage. It is in reality for my own sake, that, while I am discoveringthe rocks on which innocence and goodness often split, I may not bemisunderstood to recommend the very means to my worthy readers, bywhich I intend to show them they will be undone. And this, as I couldnot prevail on any of my actors to speak, I myself was obliged todeclare.