Page:The history of Tom Jones (1749 Volume 1).pdf/253

 of my Meaning, mirepreent me, as endeavouring to cat any Ridicule on the greatet Perfections of Human Nature; and which do, indeed, alone purify and enoble the Heart of Man, and raie him above the Brute Creation. This, Reader, I will venture to ay, (and by how much the better Man you are yourelf, by o much the more will you be inclined to believe me) that I would rather have buried the Sentiments of thee two Perons in eternal Oblivion, than have done any Injury to either of thee glorious Caues.

On the contrary, it is with a View to their Service that I have taken upon me to record the Lives and Actions of two of their fale and pretended Champions. A treacherous Friend is the mot dangerous Enemy; and I will ay boldly, that both Religion and Virtue have received more real Dicredit from Hypocrites, than the wittiet Profligates or Infidels could ever cat upon them: Nay farther, as thee two, in their Purity, are rightly called the Bands of civil Society, and are indeed the greatet of Bleings; o when poioned and corrupted with Fraud, Pretence and Affectation, they have become the wort of civil Cures, and have enabled Men to perpe-