Chapter 18.00: Chapter v. — Containing much matter to exercise the judgment and reflection of the reader.

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Chapter v. — Containing much matter to exercise the judgment and
reflection of the reader.
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I believe it is a true observation, that few secrets are divulged to one
person only; but certainly, it would be next to a miracle that a fact of
this kind should be known to a whole parish, and not transpire any
farther.

And, indeed, a very few days had past, before the country, to use a common
phrase, rung of the schoolmaster of Little Baddington; who was said to
have beaten his wife in the most cruel manner. Nay, in some places it was
reported he had murdered her; in others, that he had broke her arms; in
others, her legs: in short, there was scarce an injury which can be done
to a human creature, but what Mrs Partridge was somewhere or other
affirmed to have received from her husband.

The cause of this quarrel was likewise variously reported; for as some
people said that Mrs Partridge had caught her husband in bed with his
maid, so many other reasons, of a very different kind, went abroad. Nay,
some transferred the guilt to the wife, and the jealousy to the husband.

Mrs Wilkins had long ago heard of this quarrel; but, as a different cause
from the true one had reached her ears, she thought proper to conceal it;
and the rather, perhaps, as the blame was universally laid on Mr
Partridge; and his wife, when she was servant to Mr Allworthy, had in
something offended Mrs Wilkins, who was not of a very forgiving temper.

But Mrs Wilkins, whose eyes could see objects at a distance, and who could
very well look forward a few years into futurity, had perceived a strong
likelihood of Captain Blifil's being hereafter her master; and as she
plainly discerned that the captain bore no great goodwill to the little
foundling, she fancied it would be rendering him an agreeable service, if
she could make any discoveries that might lessen the affection which Mr
Allworthy seemed to have contracted for this child, and which gave visible
uneasiness to the captain, who could not entirely conceal it even before
Allworthy himself; though his wife, who acted her part much better in
public, frequently recommended to him her own example, of conniving at the
folly of her brother, which, she said, she at least as well perceived, and
as much resented, as any other possibly could.

Mrs Wilkins having therefore, by accident, gotten a true scent of the
above story,—though long after it had happened, failed not to
satisfy herself thoroughly of all the particulars; and then acquainted the
captain, that she had at last discovered the true father of the little
bastard, which she was sorry, she said, to see her master lose his
reputation in the country, by taking so much notice of.

The captain chid her for the conclusion of her speech, as an improper
assurance in judging of her master's actions: for if his honour, or his
understanding, would have suffered the captain to make an alliance with
Mrs Wilkins, his pride would by no means have admitted it. And to say the
truth, there is no conduct less politic, than to enter into any
confederacy with your friend's servants against their master: for by these
means you afterwards become the slave of these very servants; by whom you
are constantly liable to be betrayed. And this consideration, perhaps it
was, which prevented Captain Blifil from being more explicit with Mrs
Wilkins, or from encouraging the abuse which she had bestowed on
Allworthy.

But though he declared no satisfaction to Mrs Wilkins at this discovery,
he enjoyed not a little from it in his own mind, and resolved to make the
best use of it he was able.

He kept this matter a long time concealed within his own breast, in hopes
that Mr Allworthy might hear it from some other person; but Mrs Wilkins,
whether she resented the captain's behaviour, or whether his cunning was
beyond her, and she feared the discovery might displease him, never
afterwards opened her lips about the matter.

I have thought it somewhat strange, upon reflection, that the housekeeper
never acquainted Mrs Blifil with this news, as women are more inclined to
communicate all pieces of intelligence to their own sex, than to ours. The
only way, as it appears to me, of solving this difficulty, is, by imputing
it to that distance which was now grown between the lady and the
housekeeper: whether this arose from a jealousy in Mrs Blifil, that
Wilkins showed too great a respect to the foundling; for while she was
endeavouring to ruin the little infant, in order to ingratiate herself
with the captain, she was every day more and more commending it before
Allworthy, as his fondness for it every day increased. This,
notwithstanding all the care she took at other times to express the direct
contrary to Mrs Blifil, perhaps offended that delicate lady, who certainly
now hated Mrs Wilkins; and though she did not, or possibly could not,
absolutely remove her from her place, she found, however, the means of
making her life very uneasy. This Mrs Wilkins, at length, so resented,
that she very openly showed all manner of respect and fondness to little
Tommy, in opposition to Mrs Blifil.

The captain, therefore, finding the story in danger of perishing, at last
took an opportunity to reveal it himself.

He was one day engaged with Mr Allworthy in a discourse on charity: in
which the captain, with great learning, proved to Mr Allworthy, that the
word charity in Scripture nowhere means beneficence or generosity.

“The Christian religion,” he said, “was instituted for
much nobler purposes, than to enforce a lesson which many heathen
philosophers had taught us long before, and which, though it might perhaps
be called a moral virtue, savoured but little of that sublime,
Christian-like disposition, that vast elevation of thought, in purity
approaching to angelic perfection, to be attained, expressed, and felt
only by grace. Those,” he said, “came nearer to the Scripture
meaning, who understood by it candour, or the forming of a benevolent
opinion of our brethren, and passing a favourable judgment on their
actions; a virtue much higher, and more extensive in its nature, than a
pitiful distribution of alms, which, though we would never so much
prejudice, or even ruin our families, could never reach many; whereas
charity, in the other and truer sense, might be extended to all mankind.”

He said, “Considering who the disciples were, it would be absurd to
conceive the doctrine of generosity, or giving alms, to have been preached
to them. And, as we could not well imagine this doctrine should be
preached by its Divine Author to men who could not practise it, much less
should we think it understood so by those who can practise it, and do not.

“But though,” continued he, “there is, I am afraid,
little merit in these benefactions, there would, I must confess, be much
pleasure in them to a good mind, if it was not abated by one
consideration. I mean, that we are liable to be imposed upon, and to
confer our choicest favours often on the undeserving, as you must own was
your case in your bounty to that worthless fellow Partridge: for two or
three such examples must greatly lessen the inward satisfaction which a
good man would otherwise find in generosity; nay, may even make him
timorous in bestowing, lest he should be guilty of supporting vice, and
encouraging the wicked; a crime of a very black dye, and for which it will
by no means be a sufficient excuse, that we have not actually intended
such an encouragement; unless we have used the utmost caution in chusing
the objects of our beneficence. A consideration which, I make no doubt,
hath greatly checked the liberality of many a worthy and pious man.”

Mr Allworthy answered, “He could not dispute with the captain in the
Greek language, and therefore could say nothing as to the true sense of
the word which is translated charity; but that he had always thought it
was interpreted to consist in action, and that giving alms constituted at
least one branch of that virtue.

“As to the meritorious part,” he said, “he readily
agreed with the captain; for where could be the merit of barely
discharging a duty? Which,” he said, “let the word charity
have what construction it would, it sufficiently appeared to be from the
whole tenor of the New Testament. And as he thought it an indispensable
duty, enjoined both by the Christian law, and by the law of nature itself;
so was it withal so pleasant, that if any duty could be said to be its own
reward, or to pay us while we are discharging it, it was this.

“To confess the truth,” said he, “there is one degree of
generosity (of charity I would have called it), which seems to have some
show of merit, and that is, where, from a principle of benevolence and
Christian love, we bestow on another what we really want ourselves; where,
in order to lessen the distresses of another, we condescend to share some
part of them, by giving what even our own necessities cannot well spare.
This is, I think, meritorious; but to relieve our brethren only with our
superfluities; to be charitable (I must use the word) rather at the
expense of our coffers than ourselves; to save several families from
misery rather than hang up an extraordinary picture in our houses or
gratify any other idle ridiculous vanity—this seems to be only being
human creatures. Nay, I will venture to go farther, it is being in some
degree epicures: for what could the greatest epicure wish rather than to
eat with many mouths instead of one? Which I think may be predicated of
any one who knows that the bread of many is owing to his own largesses.

“As to the apprehension of bestowing bounty on such as may hereafter
prove unworthy objects, because many have proved such; surely it can never
deter a good man from generosity. I do not think a few or many examples of
ingratitude can justify a man's hardening his heart against the distresses
of his fellow-creatures; nor do I believe it can ever have such effect on
a truly benevolent mind. Nothing less than a persuasion of universal
depravity can lock up the charity of a good man; and this persuasion must
lead him, I think, either into atheism, or enthusiasm; but surely it is
unfair to argue such universal depravity from a few vicious individuals;
nor was this, I believe, ever done by a man, who, upon searching his own
mind, found one certain exception to the general rule.” He then
concluded by asking, “who that Partridge was, whom he had called a
worthless fellow?”

“I mean,” said the captain, “Partridge the barber, the
schoolmaster, what do you call him? Partridge, the father of the little
child which you found in your bed.”

Mr Allworthy exprest great surprize at this account, and the captain as
great at his ignorance of it; for he said he had known it above a month:
and at length recollected with much difficulty that he was told it by Mrs
Wilkins.

Upon this, Wilkins was immediately summoned; who having confirmed what the
captain had said, was by Mr Allworthy, by and with the captain's advice,
dispatched to Little Baddington, to inform herself of the truth of the
fact: for the captain exprest great dislike at all hasty proceedings in
criminal matters, and said he would by no means have Mr Allworthy take any
resolution either to the prejudice of the child or its father, before he
was satisfied that the latter was guilty; for though he had privately
satisfied himself of this from one of Partridge's neighbours, yet he was
too generous to give any such evidence to Mr Allworthy.