Table of Contents

       BOOK I

       Chapter I. The introduction to the work, or bill of fare to the feast.

       Chapter II. A short description of squire Allworthy, and a fuller account of Miss Bridget Allworthy, his sister.

       Chapter III. An odd accident which befel Mr Allworthy at his return home. The decent behaviour of Mrs Deborah Wilkins, with some proper animadversions on bastards.

       Chapter IV. The reader's neck brought into danger by a description; his escape; and the great condescension of Miss Bridget Allworthy.

       Chapter V. Containing a few common matters, with a very uncommon observation upon them.

       Chapter VI. Mrs Deborah is introduced into the parish with a simile. A short account of Jenny Jones, with the difficulties and discouragements which may attend young women in the pursuit of learning.

       Chapter VII. Containing such grave matter, that the reader cannot laugh once through the whole chapter, unless peradventure he should laugh at the author.

       Chapter VIII. A dialogue between Mesdames Bridget and Deborah; containing more amusement, but less instruction, than the former.

       Chapter IX. Containing matters which will surprize the reader.

       Chapter X. The hospitality of Allworthy; with a short sketch of the characters of two brothers, a doctor and a captain, who were entertained by that gentleman.

       Chapter XI. Containing many rules, and some examples, concerning falling in love: descriptions of beauty, and other more prudential inducements to matrimony.

       Chapter XII. Containing what the reader may, perhaps, expect to find in it.

       Chapter XIII. Which concludes the first book; with an instance of ingratitude, which, we hope, will appear unnatural.

       BOOK II

       Chapter I. Showing what kind of a history this is; what it is like, and what it is not like.

       Chapter II. Religious cautions against showing too much favour to bastards; and a great discovery made by Mrs Deborah Wilkins.

       Chapter III. The description of a domestic government founded upon rules directly contrary to those of Aristotle.

       Chapter IV. Containing one of the most bloody battles, or rather duels, that were ever recorded in domestic history.

       Chapter V. Containing much matter to exercise the judgment and reflection of the reader.

       Chapter VI. The trial of Partridge, the schoolmaster, for incontinency; the evidence of his wife; a short reflection on the wisdom of our law; with other grave matters, which those will like best who understand them most.

       Chapter VII. A short sketch of that felicity which prudent couples may extract from hatred: with a short apology for those people who overlook imperfections in their friends.

       Chapter VIII. A receipt to regain the lost affections of a wife, which hath never been known to fail in the most desperate cases.

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

       BOOK III

       Chapter I. Containing little or nothing.

       Chapter II. The heroe of this great history appears with very bad omens. A little tale of so LOW a kind that some may think it not worth their notice. A word or two concerning a squire, and more relating to a gamekeeper and a schoolmaster.

       Chapter III. The character of Mr Square the philosopher, and of Mr Thwackum the divine; with a dispute concerning——

       Chapter IV. Containing a necessary apology for the author; and a childish incident, which perhaps requires an apology likewise.

       Chapter V. The opinions of the divine and the philosopher concerning the two boys; with some reasons for their opinions, and other matters.

       Chapter VI. Containing a better reason still for the before-mentioned opinions.

       Chapter VII. In which the author himself makes his appearance on the stage.

       Chapter VIII. A childish incident, in which, however, is seen a good-natured disposition in Tom Jones.

       Chapter IX. Containing an incident of a more heinous kind, with the comments of Thwackum and Square.