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from one so abandoned in his youth, and whose mind, I am afraid, istotally corrupted. It is my duty, however, to exhort you to thisrepentance, though I too well know all exhortations will be vain andfruitless. But _liberavi animam meam._ I can accuse my own conscienceof no neglect; though it is at the same time with the utmost concern Isee you travelling on to certain misery in this world, and to ascertain damnation in the next."Square talked in a very different strain; he said, "Such accidents asa broken bone were below the consideration of a wise man. That it wasabundantly sufficient to reconcile the mind to any of thesemischances, to reflect that they are liable to befal the wisest ofmankind, and are undoubtedly for the good of the whole." He said, "Itwas a mere abuse of words to call those things evils, in which therewas no moral unfitness: that pain, which was the worst consequence ofsuch accidents, was the most contemptible thing in the world;" withmore of the like sentences, extracted out of the second book ofTully's Tusculan questions, and from the great Lord Shaftesbury. Inpronouncing these he was one day so eager, that he unfortunately bithis tongue; and in such a manner, that it not only put an end to hisdiscourse, but created much emotion in him, and caused him to mutteran oath or two: but what was worst of all, this accident gaveThwackum, who was present, and who held all such doctrine to beheathenish and atheistical, an opportunity to clap a judgment on hisback. Now this was done with so malicious a sneer, that it totallyunhinged (if I may so say) the temper of the philosopher, which thebite of his tongue had somewhat ruffled; and as he was disabled fromventing his wrath at his lips, he had possibly found a more violentmethod of revenging himself, had not the surgeon, who was then luckilyin the room, contrary to his own interest, interposed and preservedthe peace.Mr Blifil visited his friend Jones but seldom, and never alone. Thisworthy young man, however, professed much regard for him, and as greatconcern at his misfortune; but cautiously avoided any intimacy, lest,as he frequently hinted, it might contaminate the sobriety of his owncharacter: for which purpose he had constantly in his mouth thatproverb in which Solomon speaks against evil communication. Not thathe was so bitter as Thwackum; for he always expressed some hopes ofTom's reformation; "which," he said, "the unparalleled goodness shownby his uncle on this occasion, must certainly effect in one notabsolutely abandoned:" but concluded, "if Mr Jones ever offendshereafter, I shall not be able to say a syllable in his favour."As to Squire Western, he was seldom out of the sick-room, unless whenhe was engaged either in the field or over his bottle. Nay, he wouldsometimes retire hither to take his beer, and it was not withoutdifficulty that he was prevented from forcing Jones to take his beertoo: for no quack ever held his nostrum to be a more general panaceathan he did this; which, he said, had more virtue in it than was inall the physic in an apothecary's shop. He was, however, by muchentreaty, prevailed on to forbear the application of this medicine;but from serenading his patient every hunting morning with the hornunder his window, it was impossible to withhold him; nor did he everlay aside that hallow, with which he entered into all companies, whenhe visited Jones, without any regard to the sick person's being atthat time either awake or asleep.This boisterous behaviour, as it meant no harm, so happily it effectednone, and was abundantly compensated to Jones, as soon as he was able