History of Tom Jones, a Foundling Page 24

  Chapter ix.

  A proof of the infallibility of the foregoing receipt, in thelamentations of the widow; with other suitable decorations of death,such as physicians, &c., and an epitaph in the true stile.

  Mr Allworthy, his sister, and another lady, were assembled at theaccustomed hour in the supper-room, where, having waited aconsiderable time longer than usual, Mr Allworthy first declared hebegan to grow uneasy at the captain's stay (for he was always mostpunctual at his meals); and gave orders that the bell should be rungwithout the doors, and especially towards those walks which thecaptain was wont to use.

  All these summons proving ineffectual (for the captain had, byperverse accident, betaken himself to a new walk that evening), MrsBlifil declared she was seriously frightened. Upon which the otherlady, who was one of her most intimate acquaintance, and who well knewthe true state of her affections, endeavoured all she could to pacifyher, telling her--To be sure she could not help being uneasy; but thatshe should hope the best. That, perhaps the sweetness of the eveninghad inticed the captain to go farther than his usual walk: or he mightbe detained at some neighbour's. Mrs Blifil answered, No; she was suresome accident had befallen him; for that he would never stay outwithout sending her word, as he must know how uneasy it would makeher. The other lady, having no other arguments to use, betook herselfto the entreaties usual on such occasions, and begged her not tofrighten herself, for it might be of very ill consequence to her ownhealth; and, filling out a very large glass of wine, advised, and atlast prevailed with her to drink it.

  Mr Allworthy now returned into the parlour; for he had been himself insearch after the captain. His countenance sufficiently showed theconsternation he was under, which, indeed, had a good deal deprivedhim of speech; but as grief operates variously on different minds, sothe same apprehension which depressed his voice, elevated that of MrsBlifil. She now began to bewail herself in very bitter terms, andfloods of tears accompanied her lamentations; which the lady, hercompanion, declared she could not blame, but at the same timedissuaded her from indulging; attempting to moderate the grief of herfriend by philosophical observations on the many disappointments towhich human life is daily subject, which, she said, was a sufficientconsideration to fortify our minds against any accidents, how suddenor terrible soever. She said her brother's example ought to teach herpatience, who, though indeed he could not be supposed as muchconcerned as herself, yet was, doubtless, very uneasy, though hisresignation to the Divine will had restrained his grief within duebounds.

  "Mention not my brother," said Mrs Blifil; "I alone am the object ofyour pity. What are the terrors of friendship to what a wife feels onthese occasions? Oh, he is lost! Somebody hath murdered him--I shallnever see him more!"--Here a torrent of tears had the same consequencewith what the suppression had occasioned to Mr Allworthy, and sheremained silent.

  At this interval a servant came running in, out of breath, and criedout, The captain was found; and, before he could proceed farther, hewas followed by two more, bearing the dead body between them.

  Here the curious reader may observe another diversity in theoperations of grief: for as Mr Allworthy had been before silent, fromthe same cause which had made his sister vociferous; so did thepresent sight, which drew tears from the gentleman, put an entire stopto those of the lady; who first gave a violent scream, and presentlyafter fell into a fit.

  The room was soon full of servants, some of whom, with the ladyvisitant, were employed in care of the wife; and others, with MrAllworthy, assisted in carrying off the captain to a warm bed; whereevery method was tried, in order to restore him to life.

  And glad should we be, could we inform the reader that both thesebodies had been attended with equal success; for those who undertookthe care of the lady succeeded so well, that, after the fit hadcontinued a decent time, she again revived, to their greatsatisfaction: but as to the captain, all experiments of bleeding,chafing, dropping, &c., proved ineffectual. Death, that inexorablejudge, had passed sentence on him, and refused to grant him areprieve, though two doctors who arrived, and were fee'd at one andthe same instant, were his counsel.

  These two doctors, whom, to avoid any malicious applications, we shalldistinguish by the names of Dr Y. and Dr Z., having felt his pulse; towit, Dr Y. his right arm, and Dr Z. his left; both agreed that he wasabsolutely dead; but as to the distemper, or cause of his death, theydiffered; Dr Y. holding that he died of an apoplexy, and Dr Z. of anepilepsy.

  Hence arose a dispute between the learned men, in which each deliveredthe reasons of their several opinions. These were of such equal force,that they served both to confirm either doctor in his own sentiments,and made not the least impression on his adversary.

  To say the truth, every physician almost hath his favourite disease,to which he ascribes all the victories obtained over human nature. Thegout, the rheumatism, the stone, the gravel, and the consumption, haveall their several patrons in the faculty; and none more than thenervous fever, or the fever on the spirits. And here we may accountfor those disagreements in opinion, concerning the cause of apatient's death, which sometimes occur, between the most learned ofthe college; and which have greatly surprized that part of the worldwho have been ignorant of the fact we have above asserted.

  The reader may perhaps be surprized, that, instead of endeavouring torevive the patient, the learned gentlemen should fall immediately intoa dispute on the occasion of his death; but in reality all suchexperiments had been made before their arrival: for the captain wasput into a warm bed, had his veins scarified, his forehead chafed, andall sorts of strong drops applied to his lips and nostrils.

  The physicians, therefore, finding themselves anticipated ineverything they ordered, were at a loss how to apply that portion oftime which it is usual and decent to remain for their fee, and weretherefore necessitated to find some subject or other for discourse;and what could more naturally present itself than that beforementioned?

  Our doctors were about to take their leave, when Mr Allworthy, havinggiven over the captain, and acquiesced in the Divine will, began toenquire after his sister, whom he desired them to visit before theirdeparture.

  This lady was now recovered of her fit, and, to use the common phrase,as well as could be expected for one in her condition. The doctors,therefore, all previous ceremonies being complied with, as this was anew patient, attended, according to desire, and laid hold on each ofher hands, as they had before done on those of the corpse.

  The case of the lady was in the other extreme from that of herhusband: for as he was past all the assistance of physic, so inreality she required none.

  There is nothing more unjust than the vulgar opinion, by whichphysicians are misrepresented, as friends to death. On the contrary, Ibelieve, if the number of those who recover by physic could be opposedto that of the martyrs to it, the former would rather exceed thelatter. Nay, some are so cautious on this head, that, to avoid apossibility of killing the patient, they abstain from all methods ofcuring, and prescribe nothing but what can neither do good nor harm. Ihave heard some of these, with great gravity, deliver it as a maxim,"That Nature should be left to do her own work, while the physicianstands by as it were to clap her on the back, and encourage her whenshe doth well."

  So little then did our doctors delight in death, that they dischargedthe corpse after a single fee; but they were not so disgusted withtheir living patient; concerning whose case they immediately agreed,and fell to prescribing with great diligence.

  Whether, as the lady had at first persuaded her physicians to believeher ill, they had now, in return, persuaded her to believe herself so,I will not determine; but she continued a whole month with all thedecorations of sickness. During this time she was visited byphysicians, attended by nurses, and received constant messages fromher acquaintance to enquire after her health.

  At length the decent time for sickness and immoderate grief beingexpired, the doctors were discharged, and the lady began to seecompany; being altered only from what she was before,
by that colourof sadness in which she had dressed her person and countenance.

  The captain was now interred, and might, perhaps, have already made alarge progress towards oblivion, had not the friendship of MrAllworthy taken care to preserve his memory, by the following epitaph,which was written by a man of as great genius as integrity, and onewho perfectly well knew the captain.

  HERE LIES, IN EXPECTATION OF A JOYFUL RISING, THE BODY OF

  CAPTAIN JOHN BLIFIL.

  LONDON HAD THE HONOUR OF HIS BIRTH, OXFORD OF HIS EDUCATION.

  HIS PARTS WERE AN HONOUR TO HIS PROFESSION AND TO HIS COUNTRY: HIS LIFE, TO HIS RELIGION AND HUMAN NATURE. HE WAS A DUTIFUL SON, A TENDER HUSBAND, AN AFFECTIONATE FATHER, A MOST KIND BROTHER, A SINCERE FRIEND, A DEVOUT CHRISTIAN, AND A GOOD MAN.

  HIS INCONSOLABLE WIDOW HATH ERECTED THIS STONE, THE MONUMENT OF HIS VIRTUES AND OF HER AFFECTION.

  BOOK III.

  CONTAINING THE MOST MEMORABLE TRANSACTIONS WHICH PASSED IN THE FAMILYOF MR ALLWORTHY, FROM THE TIME WHEN TOMMY JONES ARRIVED AT THE AGE OFFOURTEEN, TILL HE ATTAINED THE AGE OF NINETEEN. IN THIS BOOK THEREADER MAY PICK UP SOME HINTS CONCERNING THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN.