Page:The history of Tom Jones (1749 Volume 1).pdf/15

iv To you, Sir, it is owing that this Hitory was ever begun. It was by your Deire that I firt thought of uch a Compoition. So many Years have ince pat, that you may have, perhaps, forgotten this Circumtance: But your Deires are to me in the Nature of Commands; and the Impreion of them is never to be eraed from my Memory.

Again, Sir, without your Aitance this Hitory had never been completed. Be not artled at the Aertion. I do not intend to draw on you the Supicion of being a Romance Writer. I mean no more than that I partly owe to you my Exitence during great part