Page:The history of Tom Jones (1749 Volume 1).pdf/217

 Day a Chance of this happening, o had he more than an even Chance of its happening within a few Years.

But while the Captain was one Day buied in deep Contemplations of this Kind, one of the mot unlucky, as well as uneaonable Accidents, happened to him. The utmot Malice of Fortune could indeed have contrived nothing o cruel, o mal-a-propos, o abolutely detructive to all his Schemes. In hort, not to keep the Reader in long Supence, jut at the very Intant when his Heart was exulting in Meditations on the Happines which would accrue to him by Mr. Allworthy’s Death, he himelfdied of an Apoplexy.

This unfortunately befel the Captain as he was taking his evening Walk by himelf, o that no Body was preent to lend him any Aitance, if indeed any Aitance could have preerved him. He took, therefore, Meaure of that Proportion of Soil, which was now become adequate to all his future Purpoes, and he lay dead on the Ground, a great (though not a living) Example of the Truth of that Obervation of Horace: