The Serpent and the Dove: Fielding's Irony and the Prudence Theme of "Tom Jones"

Author(s): Glenn W. Hatfield

Reviewed work(s):
Source: Modern Philology, Vol. 65, No. 1 (Aug., 1967), pp. 17-32
Published by: The University of Chicago Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/435906 .
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 THE SERPENT AND THE DOVE: FIELDING'S IRONY AND THE
PRUDENCE THEME OF TOM JONES

GLENN W. HATFIELD

attentionto the The mostinteresting

of the earlypoems
IELDING'S "alert
meaningsof words" (in Sheridan printedin the Miscellaniesof 1743 ("Of
Baker'sphrase)1has interested critics True Greatness," "Of Good Nature,"
fromLeslie Stephento AndrewWright.2 "Liberty")are verseessaysin definition of
But though several have noted, with some of the words and concepts which
WinfieldH. Rogers,that for Fielding"it wereto be importantto Fieldingthrough-
was ethically,and frequentlysatirically, out his career and which were also
effective to show what termshad, might, destined-no doubt forthisveryreason-
or should stand for,"3the importanceof to become amongthe mostfamiliarterms
Fielding'spreoccupationwithlanguageto of his ironicvocabulary.The prose essays
his purpose and methodas a writerhas in the same collectionare also muchcon-
neverbeenfullydeveloped.4Not onlydoes cernedwiththemeaningsof wordscentral
his styleeverywhereabound in turnsof to his systemof thought.The "Essay on
phrase like "that is to say," "what is Conversation"examinesthe meaningsof
called," "to wit," "viz.," "or rather,""as "conversation"and "good breeding";the
itis generally expressed,""in otherwords," "Essay on the Knowledgeof the Charac-
"in common phrase," "in short," "in tersofMen" containsthefamousdefinition
plainer words," "in a word," and (most of "hypocrisy"; "Of the Remedies of
ubiquitouslyof all, perhaps) "to say the Afflictions for the Loss of Our Friends"
truth" and "in plain English"; and not focuses on such key words as "virtue,"
only does his ironycharacteristically take "religion," and "philosophy"; and even
the form of "translations"into specific the burlesque exercise "Of Nothing" is
termsof heroic metaphors,polite euphe- framedas an essayin definition.
misms,and honorificabstractions("artful In his periodicalessaystoo, Fieldingis
mensometimesmiscarry byfancying others frequently occupiedwiththe meaningsof
wiser,or in otherwords,greaterknaves, words. A satiric paper in the Covent-
than they really are"5); but it is also Garden Journal,for example, which is
remarkablehow manyof his works-from ostensiblyconcernedwith "that Privilege
theyouthful poemsthrough thegreatnovels which Divines and moral Writershave
-can be read in wholeor in partas essays assumed to themselvesof doing Violence
in definition. to certainWords ... and of usingthemin
a Sense often directlycontraryto that
1 "HenryFieldingand theClich6,"Criticism, I (1959), 357.
2 Leslie Stephen, History of English Thought in the which Custom... hath allotted them,"
Eighteenth Century(London, 1876),II, 380; AndrewWright,
Henry Fielding: Mask and Feast (Berkeley and Los Angeles, but whichis actuallyan ironicattack on
1965),pp. 172-91.
3 "Fielding's Early Aestheticand Technique," SP, XL the "abuse" of such words by "Custom"
(1943), 541-42.
4 My dissertation,"Fielding'sIronyand theCorruptionof (or popular usage), contains a "Modern
Language" (Ohio StateUniversity, 1964) deals at lengthwith
thissubject. Glossary" of corruptedterms("Author,"
5 William Ernest Henley (ed.), Tom Jones, The Works of
HenryFielding(London and New York, 1903), III, 282. All "Critic," "Gallantry," "Great," "Hon-
subsequentreferencesin my text will be to this edition,
hereafter citedas Works. our," "Love," "Marriage," "Patriot,"
[Modern Philology,August,1967] 17

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 18 GLENN W. HATFIELD

"Promise,""Religion,""Riches," "Vice," assume a similar difficulty and serve a

"Virtue," "Wisdom," "Wit," etc.) that is similarpurpose. Always he is concerned
a virtual compendium, complete with with sets of contraryideas or values
"plain English" definitions, of Fielding's expressedby a singleword,and alwayshe
ironic vocabulary.6There are more full- is involvedin an attemptto distinguish the
length essays in definition in the Covent- "true" (or "original") sense of the word
Garden Journal than in the political fromthe "false" (or "corrupt")meaning.
journals, but many of the earlierpapers Definitionthusbecomesa negativeas well
also take offfromanalysesof words.' The as a positiveprocess,and is thusmerelya
whole of the TruePatriot,in fact,can be special case of "judgment,"a termwhich
looked upon as an extendeddefinition of Fielding, in a later True Patriot essay,
its title, a purpose Fielding makes ex- definesas "no otherthan the Distinction
plicitin the second number.His aim, he of RightfromWrong;or as Mr. Lock hath
announces, "however the Word Patriot more accuratelydescrib'dit, 'The separa-
hath been abused, or whateverOdium it tingcarefullyIdeas whereincan be found
may have thence contractedamong the the least Difference,therebyto avoid
honestPart of Mankind,"is to restorethe being misled by Similitude, and by
wordto its propermeaningand dignity.It Affinity to take one Thingforanother.'"9
is not to our presentpurpose to examine The definitionsof "conversation" ("as
the backgroundof Fielding's distrustof may be deduced fromthe originationof
thispotentpoliticaltermin the contextof the word itself")and of "good breeding"
his ambivalentrelationshipwiththe anti- ("notwithstanding the corruptuse of the
Walpolian "Patriot" opposition.8 What is word in a very differentsense") (Works,
to our purposeis that,hereas always,he XIV, 246, 249) are constructed on a similar
sees theproblemof definition as a process true versusfalse pattern,as are-to cite
of decontaminationand revitalizationof onlysome of themorenotableexamples-
a "corrupt" word. "The Difficulty,"he the essay on good naturein the Champion
explains, "... is the same in this as in for March 27, 1740; the analyses of the
other Virtues,to distinguishTruth from false sublime in the Preface to The
Falshood and Pretence,"and the purpose Tragedyof Tragediesand the Champion
of thejournal is "to arm myCountrymen forApril29, 1740; theobservationson the
... by lendinghim [sic] some Assistance true ridiculousin the Preface to Joseph
to discover the true Patriot from the Andrews;and theessayson witand humor
false." in the Covent-Garden Journal(Nos. 18 and
Nearly all of Fielding's definitions 19).
6 The Covent-Garden Journal, ed. Gerald Edward Jensen Therewas nothinguniqueor original,of
(New Haven, 1915), I, 153-55. See also I, 125-27, 149, 163,
215-16, 241, 245, 249, 293-94, 311, 344-46; and II, 35. On course,in Fielding'suse of the true-false
questions of attribution, I have followed Jensen.
7 In addition to papers cited hereafterin this article, also see
formula of definition.What is interesting
especially the Champion (London) for November 15 and 27
and December 11, 1739, and for January 12, 17, and 29, is his extension of the method to his
February 14, April 22, May 6, 10, and 17, June 12 and 28,
and August 5 and 19, 1740; the True Patriot for January 21, dramaticand narrativeworks,whereinthe
February 4, and April 8, 1746, ed. Miriam Austin Locke
(University of Alabama, 1964); and the Jacobite's Journal for same kind of negative purificationof
January 23, February 13, March 12, and September 24, 1748
(never reprinted). On questions of attribution, I have followed words is achievedthroughtheuse of irony
Miss Locke; John Edwin Wells, "Fielding's Signatures in the
Champion and the Date of his Of Good Nature," MLR, VII even whiletheirpositive"true meanings"
(1912), 97-98; "Fielding's Choice of Signatures for the
Champion," ibid., 374-75; and Arthur LeRoy Greason, "the 9 The True Patriot for December 24, 1745. The Locke
Political Journals of Henry Fielding" (unpublished Ph.D. definitionwhich Fielding misquotes slightly,is from An Essay
dissertation, Harvard University, 1953). concerning Human Understanding, Book II, chap. xi, sec. 2.
8 See Martin C. Battestin, "Fielding's Changing Politics and Locke wrote, ". . . in separating carefully one from another
Joseph Andrews," PQ, XXXIX (1960), 39-55. Ideas.. .," etc.

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 FIELDING'S IRONY AND THE PRUDENCE THEME OF "TOM JONES" 19
are being built up by means of dramatic rich in satiric attacks on such debasers
exemplification. For Fielding'sironyalso of language as Grub Street hacks, po-
assumestheconfusionwithina singleword lite society,politicians,and the learned
ofjarringcontrarysensesand also seeksa professions.
separationof the true meaningfromthe It would appear,then,thatit was in his
false. This is why he so oftenmakes the plays that Fieldingfirstbegan to exploit
negative meaning of the ironic term theironicpotentialof corruptlanguageas
explicit by translatingit into "plain a means of isolatingthematicconceptsto
English."The translation, likethenegative be definedthroughdramaticaction. The
definition,empties the word of its alien verywordswhichmustcarrythe heaviest
denotations and exposes it as a mere thematicfreightare systematically turned
honorifichusk, and the positivemeaning inside out, not in order to proclaim
is simplythe denotationwhichthe reader cynically,in the manner of Mandeville,
supplies(often,of course,withFielding's that emptinessis theirnaturalcondition,
guidance)to accountforthehonorific con- norto measure,in themannerof Swift,the
notationsand filltheemptiness.Moreover, impassable distance between the reality
just as in his essaysit is naturallythe key and the ideal, but to create a vacuum of
words of the subjectthat are singledout meaning which cries out to be filled.
fordefinition, so in the dramaticand nar- Irony,whichdepends on our recognition
rative works it is always the words of incongruity betweenthehonorific word
representative of centralthematicvalues and itsignobleapplication,or betweenthe
that are subjectedto the severestironic virtuousprofessionand the vicious act,
exploitation.Often,indeed, as we have thus becomes a kind of negativetest of
remarkedbefore,theyare thesame words, truth.For only when the word is united
and Fielding'sironicvocabularyis merely withits "properidea," only,thatis, when
his seriousvocabularyturnedinsideout. a meaning is provided that fulfilsthe
For example, his firstplay, Love in word's implicitpromiseand accountsfor
Several Masques, is an examinationof its dignityof connotation,will the ironic
"love" in high societywhich settlesthe alarm failto sound. The ironicdefinition,
titleof truelove on thevirtuousallianceof translating the sanctifying
abstractioninto
theheroand heroineonlyafterexposingas its plain English"real meaning"(i.e., the
ironiccorruptionsof the word such false corruptsensein whichit is used in popular
claimantsto thetitleas lust,dalliance,and speech),is in realityan act of purification,
fortune hunting. His last play, The a surgical separation of the diseased
Fathers,or the Good NaturedMan, is an growth of corruptionfrom the healthy
attempt to define in dramatic terms tissueof "originalmeaning."It is a wayat
Fielding'scentralconceptof good nature, once of exposingthe corruptionof words
and to distinguishit, as in his formal and of rescuingthem fromthe debased
essay on the same termin the Champion conditionintowhichtheyhave fallen.It is
for March 27, 1740,fromsuch "corrupt" a way of speaking truth in a corrupt
meaningsof the wordin popular usage as medium.
weakness,cowardice,or folly.Nearly all Ian Watt'sobservationthatthe"genera-
of Fielding's"regular" comedies,in fact, lizing tendency of eighteenthcentury
can be read as dramatic definitionsof vocabulary" was "ironigenic"-that is,
abstract social and moral virtues,and that "the use of abstractwords in itself
his theatricalburlesques and satires are oftencreatesan ironicaleffect.. . whether

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20 GLENN W. HATFIELD

intendedor not"10-is merelyanotherway are not muchdifferent fromthosecitedby

of describing the phenomenon which Pope in The Artof Sinkingto illustratehis
Fieldingand his contemporaries called the rhetoricalformulafor "convertingVices
"corruption of language." Shaftesbury, intotheirborderingVirtues":"A manwho
complaining of the "prostitute"mannerof is a Spendthrift and will not pay a just
the modernencomium,declared that "in Debt, may have his Injusticetransform'd
realitythe Nerve and Sinew of modern into Liberality;Cowardice may be meta-
Panegyricklies in a dull kind of Satir; morphos'd into Prudence; Intemperance
whichtheAuthor,it's true,intendsshou'd into good Nature and good Fellowship,
turnto the Advantageof his Subject; but CorruptionintoPatriotism;and Lewdness
which,ifI mistakenot,willappearto have intoTendernessand Facility."15Or again,
a veryContraryEffect.""1 And Pope, who in Fielding'sLove inSeveralMasques,Lady
argued that as a result of "this prostitution" Matchless tells Wisemore that in high
oflanguagetheseriousauthor"can findno society"Merit is demerit,constancydul-
Terms... but what have already been ness, and love an out-of-fashion Saxon
used, and rendered suspected" and that word, which no polite person under-
"even Truthitselfwill appear a Cheat by stands" (Works,VIII, 65). The ironigenic
beingso drestlike one,""2turnedthesame effectof corrupt language, in fact, is
principleto positiveadvantagein The Art sometimes evident even to Fielding's
of SinkinginPoetryby makingit thebasis charactersthemselves."To be called a
of a mock rhetoricwhich was really a coxcombbya woman,"saysa characterin
program of resistanceto the ironigenic The TempleBeau, "is as sure a sign of
corruptionof language. The principlehe sense,as to be called a rogueby a courtier
taught,as WilliamB. Coleyhas excellently is of honesty.. . I rejoice in the irony"
expressedit, was "to beat dullnessat its (Works,VIII, 108).
own game,to put on moreleads and out- The ironicmannerwhichis a hallmark
sink it, to formalizeits imperfections."13 of Fielding'sstyleis not, then,as Austin
Fieldingwas also concernedlestthefawning Dobson once said, "his naturalspeech"16
panegyristsof his day should, through so much as a deliberateresponseto the
corruptionof language,"preventthe very corruptstate of the mediumin whichhe
Use of Praise,""4 and the examples he had to work, an attempt,in the best
offers in JosephAndrewsofColleyCibber's Augustan tradition, "to formalize its
powersto "metamorphizeand distort... imperfections."This is most obvious,
theEnglishlanguage"bymaking"coward- perhaps, in Jonathan Wild, where the
ice brave,avaricegenerous,pridehumble, ironicdistinction between"greatness"(the
and crueltytender-hearted" (Works,I, 46) calculatedruthlessness ofWild)and "good-
10 "The Ironic Tradition in Augustan Prose from Swift to
ness" (the ineffectualinnocence of the
Johnson," Restoration and Augustan Prose: Papers Delivered
by James R. Sutherland and lan Watt at the Third Clark Heartfrees) is nota surrenderto thepower
Library Seminar, 14 July,1956 (Los Angeles, 1957), pp. 26-27.
Cf. Martin Price, Swift's Rhetorical Art (New Haven, 1953), of verbal corruption but a way of resisting
p. 14: "The clarity of the new style makes for a sharp aware-
ness of the oppositions of terms and of the latent implications
of a general term."
it by revealinghow emptya moral term
11 Characteristicks of Men,
Manners, Opinions, Times (2d can be when separated from one of its
ed.; London, 1714), I, 226. I am indebted to Aubrey L.
Williams for calling attention to this passage and its relevance
to Augustan satire, in Pope's Dunciad (Baton Rouge, 1955),
essential meanings. True greatness,as
p. 13.
12 Norman Ault (ed.), The Prose Works of Alexander Pope
Fieldingsays in the "Essay on Conversa-
(Oxford, 1936), I, 76-77.
13 "The Background of
Fielding's Laughter," ELH, XXVI 15 Edna Leake Steeves (ed.), The Art of Sinking in Poetry
(1959), 244. (New York, 1952), p. 79.
14 In the Lucianic dialogue, An Interlude (Works, XVI, 16 Editor's Introduction, The Journal of A Voyage to
92-93). Lisbon (Works, XVI, 176).

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 FIELDING'S IRONY AND THE PRUDENCE THEME OF "TOM JONES"
tion,"is "the unionof a good heartwitha
good head" (Works,XIV, 259). Similarly,
Richardson's use of the word "virtue"
in Pamela in the reductionistand funda-
mentallypassivesenseof chastityprovides
Fieldingin JosephAndrewswitha ready-
made ironic"corruption"as wellas a point
of departure for a thoroughgoingre-
definitionof the term.Fieldingdoes not
deny that chastityis a virtue,and his
substitution of male forfemalechastityis
not the cynicaljoke it has so oftenbeen
takenfor.Rather,it raisesthe questionof
whetherpassive virtue of the kind that
Josephexhibitsin theearlychaptersof the
novel,beforehe is turned"withoutdoors"
and forcedto take an active and manly
role in the world, is really the essential
stuff,the virtusin the originalsensewhich
we may be sure was never far from
Fielding'smind,out of whichheroes are
made; and ifJosephis a clownratherthan
a hero in these earlychapters,this is the
reason. The Richardsoniandenotationof
chastityis absurdlyout of proportionto
the grandiose connotations the word
"virtue"is giveninJoseph'sheroicspeeches
of resistanceto Lady Booby, and the
stage is set for the positivedefinitionby
action whichwill restorethe balance. For
as Joseph'sand ParsonAdams' adventures
on the road demonstrate, it is not chastity
which is the quintessentialvirtue, but
"charity,"17a word which, as Squire
AllworthyremindsCaptain Blifilin Tom
Jones,shouldbe "interpreted to consistin
action" (Works,III, 83).
The centralmoral termwhichFielding
sets out to purifyand definein TomJones,
however,is not "charity"or "virtue,"nor
is it "good nature"-though all of these
wordsareimportant inboththeseriousand
theironicvocabulariesof thenovel.In the
Dedication,he declaresthathis purposeis
17 See Martin C. Battestin, Introduction, Joseph Andrews &
Shamela(Boston,1961),pp. xxvii-xxviii.
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21
not merely"to recommendgoodnessand
innocence" but also to "inculcafe that
virtueand innocencecan scarce ever be
injuredbut by indiscretion, and that it is
this alone which oftenbetraystheminto
the snaresthat deceitand villainyspread
for them" (Works, III, 12). But the
operativetermof thismoral themein the
novelproper-and thewordwhich,accor-
dingly,is subjectedto the most rigorous
test of ironic decontaminationas a cor-
ruptionof language-is "prudence." But
also, as always in Fielding,the negative
purification by ironyis accompaniedby a
positivedefinition, bypreceptand example,
of the "proper and original" moral
meaningof the word.
In JosephAndrews, Fieldingis concerned
with the definitionof virtue as the
expression,in theactiveformofcharity,of
instinctive good nature; and the assump-
tionis thatthisactivevirtue,thoughit may
not be rewarded in the Richardsonian
materialsense,is sufficient unto itselfand
its own reward.Even thegood natureof a
Parson Adams,constantly teeteringon the
brinkof folly,is somehowproof against
the manifoldevils of the world. But the
moral system of Tom Jones is more
complex: "It is not enough that your
designs, nay, that your actions, are
intrinsicallygood; you musttakecare they
shall appear so. If yourinsidebe neverso
beautiful,you mustpreservea fairoutside
also. This mustbe constantly looked to, or
malice and envywill take care to blacken
it so, thatthe sagacityand goodnessof an
Allworthywill not be able to see through
it, and to discoverthe beautieswithin....
No man can be good enoughto enablehim
to neglectthe rules of prudence"(Works,
III, 131-32). It is Jones'sneglectof these
rules,in his failureto make his outward
actionsmirrorhis innergoodness,1'8 which
18 Cf. the Champion for November 22, 1739: "I would...
by no Means recommendto Mankindto cultivateDeceit, or
endeavourto appear what theyare not.... I would only
22 GLENN W. HATFIELD
accounts for his progressiveloss of the But imprudence is dangerous because
sympathyand respectof his true friends others,not privyto the mindand motives
fromthe time he tells the lie to protect of the actor,mustjudge him only by his
Black George (and gives Blifil his first actions,19which,in Jones'scase, seem to
opportunityto discredithim with All- argue preciselythe kind of wickednature
worthy)to thelowestpointof his fortunes he does not have. When the wickedLord
when he is jailed as a murderer,believes Fellamar,upon seeingSophia forthe first
himselfguiltyof incest, and receives a time afterhavingmade a violentattempt
letterfromSophia renouncinghim forhis on her virtue,delivershimselfof "many
letterof proposal to Lady Bellaston-all declarationsof the most pure and ardent
of whichcalamities,as Fieldingremarks, passion," Sophia says,"My lord,you must
are "owingto his imprudence"(Works,V, be yourself consciouswhetheryourformer
247-48). behaviorto me hath been consistentwith
Allworthyhimself, after his reconcilia- the professionsyou now make" (Works,
tionwithJones,wondersat thedangersto V, 279). Butevenaftertheletterofproposal
which "imprudence alone may subject and other mattershave been explained,
virtue,"and distinguishes between"those Sophia, judging Jones by the same
faults which candor may construeinto standard, has difficultybelieving his
imprudence,and those which can be reneweddeclarationsof "the purestpas-
deduced fromvillainyonly" (Works, V, sion" as well: "Indeed, you have acted
346-47), whichseemsto implythatall of strangely.Can I believe the passion you
Jones'sfaults,includingeventheshameful have professedto me to be sincere?" And
alliancewithLady Bellaston,are basically when he arguesthat he has repentedand
the result of his imprudence.For true reformed, she replies,"Sincererepentance,
prudence will always counsel virtue, not Mr. Jones,... will obtain the pardon of
out ofcrassself-interest and mereattention the sinner,but it is fromOne who is a
to appearances but because prudenceis perfectjudge of that sincerity.A human
the guardianof innocence.This does not mindmaybe imposedon; noris thereany
mean, however, that Fielding excuses infalliblemethodto preventit" (Works,V,
Jones'sfaultsas inconsequential or implies 361-62).
thattheyare not vices.Like Joneshimself, This is thehumanconditionofjudgment
who tellsAllworthy that"I have not been that makes prudence necessaryfor the
punished more than I have deserved,"he good man.It isnotenoughto havebasically
sees that his hero has committed"follies good motives;prudencemustsee to it that
and vicesmorethanenoughto repentand one's actions appear good as well (or at
to be ashamedof" (Works,V, 346-47). All least that they do not appear positively
he is askingus to recognizeis that these evil) or else suffer thesituationof Jonesin
vices proceed,in Jones'scase, not froma relationto Sophia: "guiltyas I am, my
wickednaturebutfroma defective wisdom. guiltunfortunately appears to her in ten
convince my Readers that it is not enough to have Virtue, times blacker than the real colors"
without we also take Care to preserve, by a certain Decency
and Dignity of Behaviour, the outward Appearance of it
also." Elsewhere, however, Fielding seems to disallow to true 19 Cf. "An Essay on the Knowledge of the Characters of
virtue even thus much of "ostentation." "There is nothing so Men": "Surely, the actions of men seem to be the justest
oppugnant to True Virtue, and true Understanding," he interpreters of their thoughts, and the truest standard by
wrote in the True Patriot for June 10, 1746, " as Ostentation. which we may judge them.... There are, however, two
The innate Dignity which always attends these, will not stoop causes of our mistakes on this head; and which lead us into
to mean and laborious Acts to inform others of what they forming very erroneous judgments of men, even while their
conceive must be sufficientlyapparent to them. Cunning, on actions stare us in the face.... The firstof these is, when we
the contrary, is eternally teaching the Counterfeits of all three take their own words against their actions . . .The second
a thousand little painful Tricks, to represent Falsehood as error... is when we believe what others say of [a man], in
Truth, and to gain a Belief and Admiration by Imposition." opposition to what we see him do" (Works, XIV, 289-90).

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 FIELDING'S IRONY AND THE PRUDENCE THEME OF "TOM JONES" 23
(Works,V, 349). The "real colors" here selfhonorablyfroma dishonorablesitua-.
representthe extentof Jones's vice; the tion) Jones'sactions demonstratethat he
appearance to Sophia represents the has at last acquired the prudenceof out-
extentof his imprudence. ward behavior that is the necessary
So far as worldlyrewardsand punish- complementof his intrinsicgood nature.
ments are concerned,then, it is not so But it is not Jones,of course,who is the
muchvirtueor vicewhichdetermines them exemplar of prudence in the novel. He
as prudence or imprudence. Sophia's acquiresprudencein the end, but through
originalestrangement fromJonesis not so the greaterpart of the storyhe is, rather,
much the consequence of his sexual the representative of imprudence.Nor can
adventurewithMrs. Watersat the inn in Squire Allworthybe consideredthe ideal
Upton (whichagain she is willingto for- prudent man. He is never so wildly
give) as of his loose tongue and his imprudentas Jones, but he too has a
imprudenttrustin Partridge,whichresult "blamable want of caution and diffidence
in Sophia's name being draggedpublicly in theveracityof others"(Works,IV, 89),
throughthe whole affairand whichcause and his good natureis too easilyimposed
Jonesto appear in the characterof a rake on by the pious professionsof such as
vulgarlyboastingof his success withthe Thwackumand Square and Blifil."Thus
ladies. Some readers,Fielding says, may is the prudenceof the best of heads often
consider the calamity of Sophia's flight defeatedby the tendernessof the best of
fromUpton and herrenunciation of Jones hearts"(Works,V, 229), Fieldingremarks
"a just punishment forhiswickednesswith when Allworthyallows Blifilto persuade
regardto women,"and others"may com- him,againsthisbetterjudgment,to lethim
fortthemselvesin theirvices by flattering continuehis suitto Sophia. Thereare only
their own hearts that the charactersof two ways, he explains, by which men
men are rather owing to accident than become possessed of the "caution and
to virtue." But the moral that Fielding diffidence"of prudence: "The one is
himselfdiscovers"would alike contradict from long experience,and the other is
both these conclusions,and would show by nature; which last... is infinitely the
that these incidentscontributeonly to better of the two, not only as we are
confirmthe great,useful,and uncommon mastersof it muchearlierin life,but as it
doctrinewhichitisthepurposeofthiswhole is muchmoreinfallibleand conclusive....
work to inculcate"(Works,IV, 336-37), As Joneshad not thisgiftfromnature,he
namely,thenecessityof prudence. was too young to have gained it from
Jones'sreconciliation
withSophia is not experience;for at the diffidentwisdom
effectedby his renewed professionsof which is to be acquired this way, we
love and virtue,then,but by the new evi- seldomarrivetillverylate in life"(Works,
dence supplied by his London friends-- IV, 89). Allworthyis presumably an
Nightingale,Nancy, and Mrs. Miller-of exampleof one who, like Jones,lacks the
the benevolentactions which reveal his natural giftof prudenceand, having to
true goodness of heart.He is still"guilty learnit fromexperience,remainsfallible.
of a greatindiscretion"(Works,V, 361), But thereis one characterin the novel
as he tellsSophia himself,in thematterof who, whilenot absolutelyinfalliblein the
the letterto Lady Bellaston,but withthis matterof prudence,comes as close to the
exception (which is complicatedby the mark as Fielding probablybelieves pos-
dilemmaof his attemptto extricatehim- siblein an imperfect world.It is Sophia (as

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24 GLENN W. HATFIELD
her name is surelyintendedto suggest) prospect of inheritingSquire Western's
ratherthanAllworthy who is themodel of fortune."For simplicity, when set on its
the kind of prudencehe is recommending guard," Fielding explains, "is often a
in Tom Jones, and thus she is a more matchforcunning"(Works,III, 352).
important characterin thethematicscheme Earlier he had defined"simplicity,"as
of the novel than has generally been appliedto Sophia, as meaningnotthatshe
recognized.She is thoroughlygood and was "silly" (which is how the word is
innocent,but unlikeAllworthyand Jones "generally understood") but that she
she sees through Blifil from the very lacked "that usefulartwhichfemalescon-
vertto so manygood purposesin life,and
beginning.When,jealous of herpreference
for Jones,he maliciouslyreleasesher pet which,as it ratherarises fromthe heart
bird and thendefendsthe act by pleading than fromthe head, is oftenthe property
the crueltyof the bird's confinement and of thesilliestof women"(Works,III, 344).
its natural rightto liberty(an argument Sophia is not without"art," but it is the
art of genuineprudenceand arises
Fieldingneatlyrefutesby havingthe bird good
carried offby a hawk the momentit is not from her heart, which is pure and
but fromherhead,whichmust,in
freed),no one exceptSophia, who imputes innocent,
the "action of Mr. Blifilto his anger" the interests of virtue,sometimesborrow
the cunning of the vicious. Thus when
(Works, III, 150), sees the true inner determinedto flee to London
motive behind the outward act. Though Sophia,
ratherthan be forcedinto marriagewith
Jones and Squire Westernagree in con-
the man whom she alone recognizesas a
demningBlifil,neitheris concernedwith her escape by first
themotiveso muchas withtheact itself:it villain, prepares
tricking her Aunt Westerninto turning
caused pain to Sophia; thereforeit must
Mrs. Honour out of the house, Fielding
be wrong. Thwackum and Square, of observes
that Sophia "indeed succeeded
course, defendthe motiveas well as the
admirablywellin herdeceit,considering it
act-Thwackum by arguing that Blifil's was the firstshe had ever
practised.And,
behavior proceeded from "a Christian to
say the truth,I have oftenconcluded
motive"and Square thatit was according thatthehonest
partof mankindwould be
to "the law of nature." Even Allworthy, much too hard for the
knavish,if they
thoughhe is "sorryforwhat his nephew could bringthemselvesto incurthe guilt,
had done," believesthat "he acted rather or
thoughtit worththeirwhileto take the
from a generous than an unworthy trouble"(Works,IV, 17).
motive. . (For as to that malicious Fielding'suse ofthewords"deceit"and
purpose whichSophia suspected,it never "guilt"is not ironicin theusual sense,but
once entered into the head of Mr. it would seem to reflecthis sense of the
Allworthy)"(Works,III, 153-54). Sophia inadequacy of absolute moral categories
alone, apparently, has thegiftof prudence in the worldof "commonmen and not of
fromnature: "She honored Tom Jones, philosophers"20 and his appreciationof
and scornedMaster Blifil,almostas soon the complexityof a morality"Beyond the
as she knew the meaning of those two fix'dand settledrules/Of vice and virtue
words" (Works, III, 157); and when in the schools,/Beyond the letterof the
Blifilbeginsto call on heras a suitor,with law."21 Only the stay-at-home,passive
the blessingof both Squire Allworthyand 20 "The truthis, we live in a world of common men, and not
of philosophers" ("An Essay on Conversation," Works, XIV,
her father,Sophia again is the only one 252).
21 Tom Jones V, 187). Fielding is quoting from
who recognizes his true motive-the Matthew Prior's (Works, "Paulo Purganti and His Wife."

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 FIELDING'S IRONY AND THE PRUDENCE THEME OF "TOM JONES"
virtue that never busies itself "without
doors" can affordto disdainthe necessity
forbeatingtheknavishat theirown game.
Once Sophia resolvesto leave home and
makeherownwayin theworld,hervirtue,
like JosephAndrews',becomes the "cer-
tain relative quality" (Works, V, 141)
which Fielding plainly regards as true
virtue,and this active virtuerequiresan
active prudencefor its protection.When
he tells us later that Sophia is guiltyof
what"may be called a kindofdishonesty"
(Works, IV, 283) in suppressing all
referenceto Jones fromthe account she
givesto her cousin HarrietFitzpatrickof
herflight, he is reallycommendingherfor
the very kind of prudencewhich Jones,
with his naive trustin the good faithof
others,so conspicuouslylacks. In thenext
book, in fact, when Lawyer Dowling
(Blifil'ssecretconfederate)asks Jonesto
tell his story,Fieldingexplicitlypointsup
the contrastbetweenhis hero and heroine
by observingthat"Jones,who in thecom-
plianceofhisdisposition(thoughnotin his
prudence) a little resembled his lovely
Sophia, was easilyprevailedon to satisfy
Mr. Dowling's curiosity" (Works, IV,
344).
But the crucial distinctionbetween
"deceit" in defense of virtue,which is
prudence,and deceit in defenseof vice,
which is hypocrisy-the separation, in
short, of the virtue from its bordering
vice-is effectedin Fielding's account of
the arrivalin London of Sophia and Mrs.
Fitzpatrick.Sophia's cousin had also told
Sophia her story,so similarin outward
circumstanceto Sophia's, of her flight
froma tyrannicalhusband,and in factit
is because of "the apparentopennessand
explicitsincerity oftheotherlady" (Works,
IV, 283) thathe pretendsto be embarrassed
by Sophia's "dishonest" omissionofJones
fromher own narrative.But when Mrs.
Fitzpatrickis metat theinnby a "friend,"
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25
a noblemanwho was not mentionedin her
storybut is obviouslyher lover ("as the
lady did not thinkit materialenough to
relate. . . ," says Fielding coyly, "we
would not at that time impartit to the
reader [or] . . . interrupther narrativeby
givinga hintof whatseemedto herof too
littleimportanceto be mentioned"(Works,
IV, 288-89), he clearlyintendsthe surface
parallelsbetweenthe situationsof Sophia
and Mrs. Fitzpatrickto accentuate the
vital differencebetween prudence and
hypocrisy in relationto theirinnermotives.
Mrs. Fitzpatrick,continuingto play the
role of virtuein Sophia's presence,"would
by no meansconsentto accepta bed in the
mansionof thepeer,"and Fielding,in one
of therichestironicpassages of thenovel,
comments:"The most formalappearance
of virtue,when it is only an appearance,
may, perhaps, in very abstracted con-
siderations,seem to be ratherless com-
mendable than virtueitselfwithoutthis
formality;but it will,however,be always
morecommended;and this,I believe,will
be grantedby all, that it is necessary,
unless in some veryparticularcases, for
everywomanto supporteitherthe one or
the other"(Works,IV, 295-96).
Fielding is clearly rejectinghere the
notionthatprudenceis mereattentionto
appearance.Mrs. Fitzpatrickis one of the
prime examples of this kind of false
prudence-which is really the bordering
vice of hypocrisy-andis contrastedwith
Sophia in thisrespectthroughout, just as
Jones's imprudence is played against
Sophia's prudencein thealternating books
whichdetail theirroughlyparalleladven-
tureson the road and in London. But the
most difficultdistinctionFielding must
make in definingthe nature of true
prudenceis to show that Sophia's giftof
penetratingfalse appearances is not the
kind of cynicaldistrustof human nature
which makes Mrs. Western and Lady
26 GLENN W. HATFIELD
Bellaston,for example, so eternallysus- Jones,is usuallynot withthe prudenceof
picious of everyoneelse's motives. the beholder but with the imprudence
Fielding'sother exemplarycharacters-- of the actor. This kind of suspicion is
Parson Adams, Joseph Andrews (in the "altogetheras bitteran enemyto guiltas
beginningat least), Squire Allworthy, the formeris to innocence," and "to
even Amelia and Dr. Harrison-are confessthe truth,of this degree of sus-
victimizedby hypocrites becausetheirown picionI believeSophia was guilty"(Works,
goodness makes them in one degree or IV, 296-97).
anotherblindto the wickednessof others. Fielding'sconfidencein Sophia's purity
Theirinnocence,in fact,is in partat least of soul, then,allows him to excuse her a
definedby theirlack of suspicion.So in measureof deceitin the prudentinterests
making Sophia the model of prudence, of arming her virtue against the more
Fieldingtakesgreatpainsto assureus that practiced and cynical cunning of Mrs.
her shrewdnessis a matterof a natural Westernand Lady Bellaston. When she
sagacityof mind which in no way com- encountersJonesin the latter'shouse, she
promisesherbasic innocenceand goodness prudentlypretendsnot to know him,and
of heart. When she begins to entertain whenLady Bellaston(who,thanksto Mrs.
doubts that Mrs. Fitzpatrickis all she Honour's indiscretion,knows all about
professesto be, he asks us not to "fixthe their relationship), enjoying her dis-
odious characterof suspicionon Sophia comfiture, suggeststhat it is he, Sophia,
... till we have first
suggested a word or "affecting laugh," sticks to her story,
a
two... touching suspicion in general." even when Lady Bellaston says, "I...
There are, he says, "two degrees"of sus- almost question whetheryou have dealt
picion. The firstis "fromthe heart" and ingenuouslywithme." There is no doubt
"seems to denote some previousinward that Fielding sees Sophia's deceptionas
impulse" which "often forms its own entirelyjustified,but she herself,he tells
objects; sees whatis not,and alwaysmore us, "was not perfectlyeasy under this
than reallyexists." It "observesnot only firstpracticeof deceit [actuallyit is her
upon the actions,but upon thewordsand second at least]: upon which.. . she
looks of men; and, as it proceedsfromthe reflectedwiththe highestuneasinessand
heartof the observer,so it dives into the conscious shame," and in fact it is by
heart of the observed." But because this means of her uneasinessand shame that
kindofsuspicionoftenprojectsitsownguilt he convincesus that her basic innocence
on others,it causes "many sad mischiefs remainsintact,"fortheframeof hermind
and mostgrievousheartachesto innocence was too delicate to bear the thoughtof
and virtue"and is therefore "a verypernic- havingbeen guiltyof a falsehood,however
ious evil in itself."But thereis "a second qualified by circumstances"(Works, V,
degree of this quality" which "seems to 89-90).
arise fromthe head. This is, indeed, no Alwaysthe realist,Fieldingis willingto
other than the facultyof seeing what is grantthat not even Sophia is perfect,for
before your eyes, and of drawingcon- "we do not pretend to introduce any
clusions from what you see." It judges infallible characters into this history"
men,in short,by theiractions; and ifit is (Works,III, 125). But in the real worldhe
therefore not infallible,since even actions is tryingto describe,the good in any case
are sometimesmisleading,the fault,as in mustacquire some of the craftiness of the
the case of Sophia's mistakenjudgmentof bad if theyare to survivein that world.

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 FIELDING'S IRONY AND THE PRUDENCE THEME OF "TOM JONES" 27
The point is, however,that Sophia, in so the cooler "distinguishingfaculty"22of
doing, never really compromises her prudence, or, to adapt Fielding's own
purityof soul, and she is deceitful,unlike definition oftruegreatness, "theunionof a
Blifil, Mrs. Fitzpatrick, Mrs. Western, good heart with a good head." The
et
Lady Bellaston, al., only in self-defense. is
marriage intended,presumably, to show
This is thetrueprudencethatFieldingthe not only that these two qualitiesare not
realistadvocates,and the conditionof the incompatiblebut that they are in fact
good personwho lacks Sophia's abilityto complementary. Jones,we are assured,for
adapt the weapons of deceitto the defense all his acquisitionof prudence,remainsa
ofvirtueis suggestedin Mrs. Miller: "This livelyyoungman,and thoughwe mayhave
poor creature might,indeed, be called some difficulty imagininghim in thisnew
simplicity itself.
She was one of thatorder character, we do not, even here,have to
of mortalswho are apt to believeanything take it on faith that such a "very un-
which is said to them; to whom nature common"phenomenonis possible.For in
hath neitherindulged the offensivenor Sophia we are givena dramaticexample
defensiveweapons of deceit,and who are of a prudencein actionthatis as livelyas
consequently liable to be imposedupon by the imprudenceof Jones and providesa
anyone who will onlybe at the expenseof positive alternativeto his reckless and
a littlefalsehoodforthatpurpose"(Works, indiscriminate good natureat nearlyevery
this
V, 283). And,dramatically, proposition turn.
is proven by the ease with which Aunt Yet, in spite of Fielding's careful
Western gets from the well-intentioneddramatic definitionof this key moral
Mrs. Millerall of Sophia's secrets. term,many readers of Tom Jones have
The benefits whichcome to Jonesat the foundits moralthemeoffensively shallow.
end of the novel in the shape of the Dr. Johnsonwas almostcertainly thinking
discoveryof histrueparentageand thusof of Tom Jones-and particularly, perhaps,
his eligibility to marrySophia are not the of Fielding'sstatementin the Dedication
consequencesof his virtuebut, rather,as that he has taken the inculcation of
in Joseph Andrews,of chance. But his prudence for his moral because "it is
worthiness to bear thetitleof a gentleman, much easier to make good men wise,
to be the heirof Allworthy, and to be the than to make bad men good" (Works,
husband of Sophia, has been proven by III, 12)-when he wrotein the Rambler
his actions. "Whateverin the nature of (No. 4, March 31, 1750) that"that obser-
Jones had a tendencyto vice," Fielding vation which is called knowledgeof the
assures us in the second to the last world," whichtoo many modernwriters
paragraph,"has been correctedby con- of fictionseem to have taken for their
tinual conversationwith this good man, province, "will be found much more
and by his union with the lovely and frequentlyto make men cunning than
virtuousSophia. He hathalso, byreflection good." As a result, he explained,these
on his past follies,acquired a discretion writershave not yet learned "to give the
and prudenceveryuncommonin one of powerof counteracting fraud,withoutthe
his lively parts" (Works, V, 373). The temptationto practiceit; to initiateyouth
ideal goodnessFieldingis tryingto define bymock encounters in theartof necessary
in TomJones,symbolized,perhaps,by the defence,and to increaseprudencewithout
marriageofJonesand Sophia,is theunion
22 "It is impossible for a Fool, who hath no distinguishing
of thewarmlivelinessof good naturewith Faculty, to be good-natured" (Champion, March 27, 1740).

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28 GLENN W. HATFIELD

impairing virtue."23The ReverendEdmund EvenEleanorN. Hutchens,whoserecent

Cartwright introduced his sonnet on article " 'Prudence' in Tom Jones" is by
"Prudence" earlyin the nextcenturywith farthemostintelligent and thoroughgoing
the remarkthatFielding"and otherloose studyof thisneglectedaspectof the novel
moralists" consider prudence "but as a that has yet appeared,27does not seem
sneaking virtue at the best"; and the fully to understandFielding's purpose.
philosopherT. H. Green was apparently She recognizes, refreshingly, that "the
reflecting a similar view when he wrote in for
necessity prudence as a concomitant of
1862thatFielding'smoral,"if moralit can goodness is one of the major themesof
be called, is simply the importanceof Tom Jones," and she places her finger
prudence."'24 squarely on the source of traditional
More recentcriticswho have tried to criticalconfusionwhenshe observes,"Yet
come to termswiththeprudencethemeof ... the words 'prudence,''prudent,'and
Tom Jones have usually been more 'prudential' are used unfavorablythree
sympathetic, but thereis reasonto believe timesas oftenas theyare used favorably.
thattheircomprehension of Fielding'suse Nearlyeveryunadmirablecharacterin the
ofthewordis stillincomplete.A. E. Dyson novel is describedas prudentor is shown
maintainsthat "the ridiculein TomJones advocatingprudence."If the "prudence"
is used in supportof a particularmoral of Miss Bridget Allworthyand Mrs.
theory... whichprefers'good nature'to Deborah Wilkinsis old-maidprudishness,
prudentialcalculation"25--areadingwhich Partridge's"prudence" is cowardiceand
ignoresFielding'sinsistenceon the union timidity. Mrs. Westernis "prudent"in the
of thegood heartand the good head, and sense of ruthlesslyambitious, and is
which,lookingonlyat theportraitofTom particularlyinterestedin arrangingfor
Jones, whose goodness Fielding clearly Sophia a "prudent" (i.e., materiallyand
regardsas only half-formed, ignoresthe socially advantageous) marriage.But as
contrastivestudyof Sophia as the model Miss Hutchenspointsout, it is "the arch-
of prudentialgood nature. Ethel Thorn- villainof TomJones,youngBlifil,[who]is
bury,guiltyofthesame oversimplification,themost'prudent'characterin thenovel."
declares that "prudential morality, a RepeatedlyFieldingdescribesBlifil'scun-
narrow,unhealthyperforming of what is ning,hypocritical concernforappearances
conventionaljust because it is prudent,is as "prudent," and just as Mrs. Fitz-
made to seem thoroughlyabsurd and patrick's hypocrisy is played against
thoroughly bad"26-which can be accepted Sophia's genuine prudence,so is Blifil's
only if one rejects Fielding's positive calculatingattentionto the appearanceof
definitionof prudence and treats his virtue at the expense of the substance
negativedefinition, the examplesof false played against Jones's careless disregard
as
prudence, representing thetruemeaning for the appearance of his actions even
of the word; and this, surely, is the whentheyare intrinsically good. "It is one
opposite of his intention as a reformer of of the larger ironies of the novel," as
corruptlanguage. Miss Hutchens says,"that partof thetask
of the hero is to acquire one of the chief
23 The Rambler (6th ed.; London, 1763), I, 20.
24 Both cited by Frederick T. Blanchard, Fielding the traitsof thevillain."But Miss Hutchensis
Novelist (New Haven, 1926), pp. 293, 446.
25 "Satiric and Comic Theory in Relation to Fielding," 27 " 'Prudence' in Tom Jones: A Study in Connotative
MLQ, XVIII (1957), 237. Irony," PQ, XXXIX (1960), 496-507. This essay has since
26 Ethel
Margaret Thornbury, Henry Fielding's Theory of been reprinted, in slightlydifferentform, as chapter v of Miss
the Comic Prose Epic ("University of Wisconsin Studies in Hutchens' Irony in "Tom Jones" (University of Alabama,
Language and Literature," No. 30 [Madison, 1931], p. 162). 1965), pp. 101-18.

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 FIELDING'S IRONY AND THE PRUDENCE THEME OF "TOM JONES" 29

mistakenwhen she impliesthat this trait TomJones"influenced"thisperversionof

is prudence.For the point is that though the word. For of course,as with "great-
Jones,to be sure, lacks prudence,Blifil ness" and "good nature"and "virtue"and
lacks it as well. For surelythe lesson of "patriot,"it is the perversionof the word
Mrs. Fitzpatrickis that cunningwithout whichbringsit into his ironicvocabulary.
virtueis false prudence.What Jonesmust He does not, as Miss Hutchens thinks,
acquire is Blifil'sattentionto appearances take a word with "favorable" con-
whileretaining, like Sophia, his own basic notationsand make it ironic by putting
commitmentto virtue,this combination it in an "unfavorable"context.Rather,he
being,in Fielding'sview,trueprudence. takes a word which, by virtue of the
For all herexcellentanalysisofFielding's abusage of "custom," has alreadya kind
ironicvariationson theprudencethemein of built-inironic potential,and playing
Tom Jones, in fact, Miss Hutchens' this ironigeniccorruptsense against the
and original"meaningoftheword
explanation of why he uses the word "proper
ironically is ultimately unsatisfactory:
that is developed in the definitionby
"While teachingthe desirabilityof pru- action, seeks to restorethe word to its
dence, Fieldingwishesto say at the same rightful dignityof meaning.
timethatit is not all-sufficient and should For "prudence" (prudentia)was in its
one of the
not be allowed to get in the way of more originalsense, like "charity,"
cardinal with
virtues, an honorable gene-
important qualities. Its desirabilityhe that can be traced back as far as
teaches directly,by straightforward ex- alogy
Plato and thatcomesthroughAristotleand
position and illustration; dangers he
its
the Stoics into Cicero's De officiisand
illuminatesobliquelythroughconnotative
thence into St. Ambrose's De officiis
irony."But in factit is not the dangersof ministrorum and the mainstreamof Chris-
prudencethat Fielding'sironyilluminates. tian whereit meant,traditionally,
It is the dangersof a hypocritical ethics,
cunning the
that in popular usage is called prudence. practical wisdom (as opposed to
speculative or theological wisdom) of
His irony,hereas elsewhere,is an attempt moral conduct. To the "Divines and
to reclaiman importantmoral termfrom moral Writers"whom
Fielding regularly
the corruptionsof language. takes as his standard of proper usage,
In a footnoteat the end of her article,
"prudence,"as a historianof philosophy
Miss Hutchensobservesthat"a fewyears sums
up the traditionalmeaning, was
after Fielding's death, Charles Churchill "involved in moral
excellence; for it is
noted a completechangein the use of the requiredto determinein any
particular
word: case that due limitationof feelingand
Prudence, of old a sacredterm,implied actionin whichperfectvirtueconsists,and
Virtuewithgodlikewisdomforherguide, it cannot be conceived as existingapart
But nowin generaluse is knownto mean frommoralexcellence-we do not counta
The stalking-horse ofvice,and folly'sscreen. man practically wise for such mere
The senseperverted we retainthename; intellectualclevernessas a vicious man
Hypocrisy and Prudencearethesame.28 may exhibit.The man we countwisemust
But Miss Hutchens misses the point of be not merelyskilfulin the selectionof
Fielding'sironyand does him an injustice means to any ends; his ends mustalso be
whichis itselfironicwhen she wondersif rightly 29And untiltheend of the
chosen.""
29 Henry Sidgwick, Outlines of the History of Ethics
28 The Churchill poem is "Night: An Epistle to Robert (London, 1886), p. 65. I am indebted to this work for much of
Lloyd" (1762). my discussion of the history of "prudence" above.

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30 GLENN W. HATFIELD
seventeenth century,this appears to have
been the sense in whichthe Englishword
was dominantlyused. Charles Herle, in
1665,treats"worldlyWisdom"and "Moral
Prudence" as entirelydistinctcategories;
Bunyan, in Pilgrim's Progress (1678),
makes Prudenceone of the damselsat the
Palace Beautiful(along with her sisters,
Piety and Charity)and does not suggest
thatshe has anything in commonwithMr.
Worldly Wiseman; for Milton,according
to Arnold Stein, "wisdom and prudence
are not separable"; and Sir JohnDenham
declared near the close of the century,
"He's trulyPrudent,who can separate/
Honest from Vile, and still adhere to
that."30
But Fieldingwas not alone in sensing
thatthewordwas fallingintodisrepute.In
Humane Prudence (1680), William de
Bretaincomesso close to statingwhatwas
to be the theme of Tom Jones-and in
languagethatis echoed by Fielding-that
one is temptedto considerit as a possible
source of the novel: "Prudence is an
Armory,whereinare as well Defensive
and OffensiveWeapons. ... Policy and
Religion,as theydo well together, so they
do as ill asunder;theone beingtoo cunning
to be Good, the othertoo simple to be
Safe; thereforesome few Scruplesof the
Wisdom of the Serpent,mixt with the
InnocencyoftheDove, willbe an excellent
Ingredientin all your Actions." But he
warned too that "Knavery and Cunning
pass sometimesfor Prudence, and true
Wisdom for Silliness and Simplicity."3'
And Thomas Manningham,in a sermon
preached in 1693, declared that "tho'
Prudencein the common acceptationof
the World passes now for any Cunning
Contrivance,for any dextrousManage-
ment of an Affair,whatevermeans are
30Charles Herle, Wisdomes Tripos (London,
ArnoldStein,HeroicKnowledge(Minneapolis,1957),p. 204;
Sir John Denham, "Of Prudence," Poems and Translations
(5thed.; London, 1709),p. 140.
31 Pp. 68, 98-99.
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us'd; yet the ancient Moralists never
allow'd a wicked Man to be call'd
Prudent.'"32
These,ofcourse,aretheverydistinctions
whichFielding,in his contrastivestudies
of Blifiland Jones,Mrs. Fitzpatrickand
Sophia, insistson in Tom Jones.But the
extent to which the separation of the
virtueof prudencefroma contaminating
confusionwithits borderingvices was a
preoccupationof the age has not been
appreciated."Since we are falleninto an
Age fullofArtifice;whereinWords,which
were inventedto express our Thoughts,
seem now to be applyed only to the
concealing them with a good Grace,"
wrote Thomas Fuller in Introductioad
prudentiam (1726), "it mustbe confessed,
that Innocence had need of a Mask....
Honestyoughtto have Wisdom (tho' not
ill Craft) for its Guard."33 Nathaniel
Lardner,in Counselsof Prudencefor the
Use of YoungPeople (1735)-taking for
his text,like de Bretainbeforehim, the
biblical injunction(Matthew 10:16) "Be-
hold, I send you forthas sheep in the
midstof wolves: be ye thereforewise as
serpents,and harmlessas doves"-argues
that "Good men therefore are obliged to
be upon theirguard,and makeuse ofsome
methods of defense and security,"but
reminds his readers that "Prudence...
supposesthemaintaining ofinnocenceand
integrity"and that "we are not out of a
pretenseofdiscretion to desertthecause of
truth."34
Swift,elaboratingon the same idea in
A Letteron Mr. McCulla's Project about
Halfpence(1729), both echoes de Bretain
and providesa modelhimself forFielding's
assertionin the Dedication of Tom Jones
that"it is mucheasierto make good men
wise,thanto make bad men good," when
1655);
32 Of Religious Prudence: A Sermon Preach'd before the
Queen,... on Sunday, Sept. 17, 1693 (London, 1694), p. 11.
33 P. 224.
34 Pp. 7-9.
 FIELDING'S IRONY AND THE PRUDENCE THEME OF "TOM JONES" 31

he observesthat"thosewho are honestand further,probably,than the work which

best-intentioned may be the instruments also provided,in a moreconspicuousway,
of as much mischief . . . for want of the corruptsense of "virtue"to whichhe
cunning,as thegreatestknaves;and more, addressedhimselfin JosephAndrews.For
because of the charitableopinions which next to "virtue" itself,the qualitywhich
theyare apt to have of others.Therefore, Richardson's Pamela most often claims
how to join the prudenceof the serpent for herselfis "prudence." Writingto her
withthe innocencyof the dove.., .is the motherand fatherin the openingletters
most difficultpoint. It is not so hard to of the book, she proudlyrecountsSquire
find an honest man, as to make this B's opinionthatshe "had a good shareof
honest man active, and vigilant, and prudence"and, a littlelater,Mrs. Jervis'
skilful."35Pope, in the same Peri Bathous declarationthat"she was verywellpleased
passagewhichadvocates"converting Vices to see myprudenceand modesty,and that
into theirborderingVirtues,"suggestsas I kept all the fellowsat a distance." To
one example of this rhetoricalart that which Pamela adds, by way of com-
"Cowardice may be metamorphos'dinto mentaryon herprudence,"I am sureI am
Prudence"-a corruptionof thewordthat notproud,and carryitcivillyto everybody;
Fielding registersin his portraitof the but yet, methinks,I cannot bear to be
"prudent"Partridge-andin TheDunciad, looked at by thesemen-servants, forthey
wherethe four Cardinal Virtuesin their seem as if theywould look one through."
pervertedsenses appear as guardians of And when Squire B asks Mrs. Jervisif
the throne of Dulness, Prudence has Pamela is never molestedby these same
become the cynical expediency"whose male servants, Mrs. Jervis replies (as
glass presentsth' approachingjayl."36Dr. Pamela reportsit), "No, indeed, sir,...
Johnson,who defined"prudence" in the she keeps herselfso muchto herself,and
Dictionaryas "Wisdomappliedtopractice" yet behaves so prudently,that they all
but seemsto have believedthatthe effect esteem her, and shew her as great a
of Tom Jones would be "to make men respect,as ifshe was a gentlewoman born"
cunning[rather] than good," nevertheless (myitalics).38
recognizes, in The Vanity of Human Richardson,we may be sure, was as
Wishes,published the same year as Tom sincerelymoral, according to his own
Jones(1749), the same distinctionwhich lights, in his conception of Pamela's
Fielding makes between prudence and "prudence" as he doubtlesslywas in his
cunningand the same possibilityof con- conception of her "virtue." But the
fusion with its bordering vices which recurrent appearanceof the word in such
informsFielding'sirony.When virtueis compromising contexts-so similarto the
missing, Johnson says, its "guardians ironic contexts in whichFieldinguses it in
yield,by forcesuperiorplied; /By Interest, Tom Jones-is not likelyto have escaped
Prudence; and by Flattery,Pride."'37 Fielding's contemptuousnotice when he
But ifwe wantto isolatethemostlikely
Samuel Richardson,Pamela (Everymaned.; London,
38
immediatesource of Fielding'sown con- 1914), I, 5, 6, 17. See also in Pamela, Part II, the effusive
response of Miss Goodwin to Pamela's homileticallegoryof
viction that the word in his time was Prudentia, a lady who, "like the industriousbee, ... en-
deavoursto appropriateto herselfthedomesticvirtues,which
becoming corrupt, we need look no shallone daymakeherthecrownofsomeworthygentleman's
earthly happiness: and which, of course, ... will secure and
35 Herbert Davis (ed.), The Prose Works of Jonathan Swift heightenher own." " 'O Madam! Madam!' said the dear
(Oxford,1955),XII, 102. creature..., 'PRUDENTIA is YOU!-Is YOU indeed!-It
3a JamesSutherland(ed.), (London, 1953),p. 274. can be nobodyelse!-O teachme, good God! to followyour
37David Nichol Smithand EdwardL. McAdam(eds.), The example,and I shall be a SECOND PRUDENTIA-Indeed
Poems of Samuel Johnson (Oxford, 1941), p. 47. I shall!' " (Pamela,II, 470-71).

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32 GLENN W. HATFIELD
read the novel. Richardson'suse of the
word betrayshis own,if not his heroine's,
association of "prudence" with social
rankand itsmaterialrewards."Prudence,"
like "virtue," is clearly for Richardson
primarilya social value, a means to a
social end, and if Joseph Andrews is
39Thereis no evidence,however,thatFielding'sefforts in
behalfof "prudence"succeededin practicaltermsin arresting
the degeneracyof the word into the sense of worldlypolicy
that has been its dominantmeaningever since. Only two
years,in fact,afterthepublicationof TomJones,themoralist
John Milner, in Instructionsfor Youth, Prudential, Moral,-and
Divine(1751), was opposingworldly"prudence"to "Moral
Wisdom.""The senseperverted,"as Churchillputit in 1762,
"we retain the name." And when Sheridan has Rowley
denounce the scandalmongers in The School for Scandal
(1777) as "a set of malicious,prating,prudentgossips,"it is
Fielding'sattemptto rescue"virtue"as a
moral term from its degradation in
Richardson'spopularand influential
novel,
Tom Jonesmay be regardedas a similar
attempt to reclaim the "proper and
original"moral senseof "prudence."39
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
withoutany of the ironic reservationthat qualifiessimilar
passagesin Fielding.JaneAusten,it is true-that last of the
greatAugustans--canstillinsiston the "original"meaning
of the word."You shall not endeavourto persuadeyourself
or me," declaresElizabethin PrideandPrejudice(1813), "that
selfishnessis prudence"; and later she asks rhetorically,
"What is the difference in matrimonialaffairsbetweenthe
mercenaryand the prudentmotive?" But, for practical
purposes,the battlefortherestorationof "prudence"to the
seriousvocabularyof ethicshad alreadybeen lost,probably,
beforeFieldingjoined it in TomJones.

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