Page:The history of Tom Jones (1749 Volume 2).pdf/50

 robbing a Man of his whole Fortune, and of his Child into the Bargain.

This Principle therefore prevented him from any Thought of making his Fortune by uch Means (for this, as I have aid, is an active Principle, and doth not content itelf with Knowledge or Belief only.) Had he been greatly enamoured of Sophia, he poibly might have thought otherwie; but give me Leave to ay, there is great Difference between running away with a Man’s Daughter from the Motive of Love, and doing the ame Thing from the Motive of Theft.

Now though this young Gentleman was not inenible of the Charms of Sophia; tho’ he greatly liked her Beauty, and eteemed all her other Qualifications, he had made, however, no deep Impreion on his Heart: For which, as it renders him liable to the Charge of Stupidity, or at leat of Want of Tate, we hall now proceed to account.

The Truth then is, his Heart was in the Poeion of another Woman. Here I quetion not, but the Reader will be urprized at our long Taciturnity as to this Matter; and at no les Los to divine who