Return to W. Somerset Maugham's Ten Novels and Their Authors
The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling
Henry Fielding
5 mins to start
22 hrs to read
Type: Fiction
Year published: 1749
Total length: 22 hrs (334924 words)
Average chapter length: 6 mins (1603 words)

Contents

Dedication
5 mins
Book I - Containing as much of the birth of the foundling as is necessary or proper to acquaint the reader with in the beginning of this history.
I - The introduction to the work, or bill of fare to the feast.
3 mins
II - A short description of Squire Allworthy, and a fuller account of Miss Bridget Allworthy, his sister.
2 mins
III - An odd accident which befell Mr. Allworthy at his return home. The decent behaviour of Mrs. Deborah Wilkins, with some proper animadversions on bastards.
5 mins
IV - The reader’s neck brought into danger by a description; his escape; and the great condescension of Miss Bridget Allworthy.
4 mins
V - Containing a few common matters, with a very uncommon observation upon them.
2 mins
VI - Mrs. Deborah is introduced into the parish with a simile. A short account of Jenny Jones, with the difficulties and discouragements which may attend young women in the pursuit of learning.
5 mins
VII - Containing such grave matter, that the reader cannot laugh once through the whole chapter, unless peradventure he should laugh at the author.
6 mins
VIII - A dialogue between Mesdames Bridget and Deborah; containing more amusement, but less instruction, than the former.
3 mins
IX - Containing matters which will surprise the reader.
3 mins
X - The hospitality of Allworthy; with a short sketch of the characters of two brothers, a doctor and a captain, who were entertained by that gentleman.
5 mins
XI - Containing many rules, and some examples, concerning falling in love: descriptions of beauty, and other more prudential inducements to matrimony.
6 mins
XII - Containing what the reader may, perhaps, expect to find in it.
4 mins
XIII - Which concludes the first book; with an instance of ingratitude, which, we hope, will appear unnatural.
4 mins
Book II - Containing scenes of matrimonial felicity in different degrees of life; and various other transactions during the first two years after the marriage between Captain Blifil and Miss Bridget Allworthy.
I - Showing what kind of a history this is: what it is like, and what it is not like.
2 mins
II - Religious cautions against showing too much favour to bastards; and a great discovery made by Mrs. Deborah Wilkins.
3 mins
III - The description of a domestic government founded upon rules directly contrary to those of Aristotle.
5 mins
IV - Containing one of the most bloody battles, or rather duels, that were ever recorded in domestic history.
7 mins
V - Containing much matter to exercise the judgment and reflection of the reader.
7 mins
VI - The trial of Partridge, the schoolmaster, for incontinency; the evidence of his wife; a short reflection on the wisdom of our law; with other grave matters, which those will like best who understand them most.
9 mins
VII - A short sketch of that felicity which prudent couples may extract from hatred: with a short apology for those people who overlook imperfections in their friends.
6 mins
VIII - A receipt to regain the lost affections of a wife, which hath never been known to fail in the most desperate cases.
2 mins
IX - A proof of the infallibility of the foregoing receipt, in the lamentations of the widow; with other suitable decorations of death, such as physicians, etc., and an epitaph in the true style.
6 mins
Book III - Containing the most memorable transactions which passed in the family of Mr. Allworthy, from the time when Tommy Jones arrived at the age of fourteen, till he attained the age of nineteen. In this book the reader may pick up some hints concerning the educ
I - Containing little or nothing.
2 mins
II - The hero of this great history appears with very bad omens. A little tale of so
8 mins
III - The character of Mr. Square the philosopher, and of Mr. Thwackum the divine; with a dispute concerning—
3 mins
IV - Containing a necessary apology for the author; and a childish incident, which perhaps requires an apology likewise.
4 mins
V - The opinions of the divine and the philosopher concerning the two boys; with some reasons for their opinions, and other matters.
7 mins
VI - Containing a better reason still for the before-mentioned opinions.
5 mins
VII - In which the author himself makes his appearance on the stage.
2 mins
VIII - A childish incident, in which, however, is seen a good-natured disposition in Tom Jones.
3 mins
IX - Containing an incident of a more heinous kind, with the comments of Thwackum and Square.
4 mins
X - In which Master Blifil and Jones appear in different lights.
4 mins
Book IV - Containing the time of a year.
I - Containing five pages of paper.
4 mins
II - A short hint of what we can do in the sublime, and a description of Miss Sophia Western.
4 mins
III - Wherein the history goes back to commemorate a trifling incident that happened some years since; but which, trifling as it was, had some future consequences.
4 mins
IV - Containing such very deep and grave matters, that some readers, perhaps, may not relish it.
4 mins
V - Containing matter accommodated to every taste.
8 mins
VI - An apology for the insensibility of Mr. Jones to all the charms of the lovely Sophia
6 mins
VII - Being the shortest chapter in this book.
1 min
VIII - A battle sung by the Muse in the Homerican style, and which none but the classical reader can taste.
8 mins
IX - Containing matter of no very peaceable colour.
4 mins
X - A story told by Mr. Supple, the curate. The penetration of Squire Western. His great love for his daughter, and the return to it made by her.
6 mins
XI - The narrow escape of Molly Seagrim, with some observations for which we have been forced to dive pretty deep into nature.
7 mins
XII - Containing much clearer matters; but which flowed from the same fountain with those in the preceding chapter.
4 mins
XIII - A dreadful accident which befell Sophia. The gallant behaviour of Jones, and the more dreadful consequence of that behaviour to the young lady; with a short digression in favour of the female sex.
4 mins
XIV - The arrival of a surgeon.—His operations, and a long dialogue between Sophia and her maid.
8 mins


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