Chapter 29.00: Chapter vii. — In which the author himself makes his appearance on the stage.

**
Chapter vii. — In which the author himself makes his appearance on
the stage.
**

Though Mr Allworthy was not of himself hasty to see things in a
disadvantageous light, and was a stranger to the public voice, which
seldom reaches to a brother or a husband, though it rings in the ears of
all the neighbourhood; yet was this affection of Mrs Blifil to Tom, and
the preference which she too visibly gave him to her own son, of the
utmost disadvantage to that youth.

For such was the compassion which inhabited Mr Allworthy's mind, that
nothing but the steel of justice could ever subdue it. To be unfortunate
in any respect was sufficient, if there was no demerit to counterpoise it,
to turn the scale of that good man's pity, and to engage his friendship
and his benefaction.

When therefore he plainly saw Master Blifil was absolutely detested (for
that he was) by his own mother, he began, on that account only, to look
with an eye of compassion upon him; and what the effects of compassion
are, in good and benevolent minds, I need not here explain to most of my
readers.

Henceforward he saw every appearance of virtue in the youth through the
magnifying end, and viewed all his faults with the glass inverted, so that
they became scarce perceptible. And this perhaps the amiable temper of
pity may make commendable; but the next step the weakness of human nature
alone must excuse; for he no sooner perceived that preference which Mrs
Blifil gave to Tom, than that poor youth (however innocent) began to sink
in his affections as he rose in hers. This, it is true, would of itself
alone never have been able to eradicate Jones from his bosom; but it was
greatly injurious to him, and prepared Mr Allworthy's mind for those
impressions which afterwards produced the mighty events that will be
contained hereafter in this history; and to which, it must be confest, the
unfortunate lad, by his own wantonness, wildness, and want of caution, too
much contributed.

In recording some instances of these, we shall, if rightly understood,
afford a very useful lesson to those well-disposed youths who shall
hereafter be our readers; for they may here find, that goodness of heart,
and openness of temper, though these may give them great comfort within,
and administer to an honest pride in their own minds, will by no means,
alas! Do their business in the world. Prudence and circumspection are
necessary even to the best of men. They are indeed, as it were, a guard to
Virtue, without which she can never be safe. It is not enough that your
designs, nay, that your actions, are intrinsically good; you must take
care they shall appear so. If your inside be never so beautiful, you must
preserve a fair outside also. This must be constantly looked to, or malice
and envy will take care to blacken it so, that the sagacity and goodness
of an Allworthy will not be able to see through it, and to discern the
beauties within. Let this, my young readers, be your constant maxim, that
no man can be good enough to enable him to neglect the rules of prudence;
nor will Virtue herself look beautiful, unless she be bedecked with the
outward ornaments of decency and decorum. And this precept, my worthy
disciples, if you read with due attention, you will, I hope, find
sufficiently enforced by examples in the following pages.

I ask pardon for this short appearance, by way of chorus, on the stage. It
is in reality for my own sake, that, while I am discovering the rocks on
which innocence and goodness often split, I may not be misunderstood to
recommend the very means to my worthy readers, by which I intend to show
them they will be undone. And this, as I could not prevail on any of my
actors to speak, I myself was obliged to declare.