Page:The history of Tom Jones (1749 Volume 2).pdf/55

 o; but the little Abatement which Fruition had occaioned to this, was highly over-ballanced by the Coniderations of the Affection which he viibly bore him, and of the Situation into which he had brought her. The former of thee created Gratitude, the latter Compaion; and both together with his Deire for her Peron, raied in him a Paion, which might, without any great Violence to the Word, be called Love; though, perhaps, it was at firt not very judiciouly placed.

This then was the true Reaon of that Inenibility which he had hewn of the Charms of Sophia, and of that Behaviour in her, which might have been reaonably enough interpreted as an Encouragement to his Addrees: For as he could not think of abandoning his Molly, poor and detitute as he was, o no more could he entertain a Notion of betraying uch a Creature as Sophia. And urely, had he given the leat Encouragement to any Paion for that young Lady, he mut have been abolutely guilty of one or other of thoe Crimes; either of which would, in my Opinion, have very jutly ubjected him to that Fate, which at his firt Introduction into this History, I mentioned to have been generally predicted as his certain Detiny.