The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews and his Friend, Mr. Abraham Abrams/Book I, Chapter III

CHAPTER III.

_Of Mr Abraham Adams the curate, Mrs Slipslop the chambermaid, and

others._

Mr Abraham Adams was an excellent scholar. He was a perfect master of

the Greek and Latin languages; to which he added a great share of

knowledge in the Oriental tongues; and could read and translate French,

Italian, and Spanish. He had applied many years to the most severe

study, and had treasured up a fund of learning rarely to be met with in

a university. He was, besides, a man of good sense, good parts, and good

nature; but was at the same time as entirely ignorant of the ways of

this world as an infant just entered into it could possibly be. As he

had never any intention to deceive, so he never suspected such a design

in others. He was generous, friendly, and brave to an excess; but

simplicity was his characteristick: he did, no more than Mr Colley

Cibber, apprehend any such passions as malice and envy to exist in

mankind; which was indeed less remarkable in a country parson than in a

gentleman who hath passed his life behind the scenes,--a place which

hath been seldom thought the school of innocence, and where a very

little observation would have convinced the great apologist that those

passions have a real existence in the human mind.

His virtue, and his other qualifications, as they rendered him equal to

his office, so they made him an agreeable and valuable companion, and

had so much endeared and well recommended him to a bishop, that at the

age of fifty he was provided with a handsome income of twenty-three

pounds a year; which, however, he could not make any great figure with,

because he lived in a dear country, and was a little encumbered with a

wife and six children.

It was this gentleman, who having, as I have said, observed the singular

devotion of young Andrews, had found means to question him concerning

several particulars; as, how many books there were in the New Testament?

which were they? how many chapters they contained? and such like: to all

which, Mr Adams privately said, he answered much better than Sir Thomas,

or two other neighbouring justices of the peace could probably

have done.

Mr Adams was wonderfully solicitous to know at what time, and by what

opportunity, the youth became acquainted with these matters: Joey told

him that he had very early learnt to read and write by the goodness of

his father, who, though he had not interest enough to get him into a

charity school, because a cousin of his father's landlord did not vote

on the right side for a churchwarden in a borough town, yet had been

himself at the expense of sixpence a week for his learning. He told him

likewise, that ever since he was in Sir Thomas's family he had employed

all his hours of leisure in reading good books; that he had read the

Bible, the Whole Duty of Man, and Thomas a Kempis; and that as often as

he could, without being perceived, he had studied a great good book

which lay open in the hall window, where he had read, "as how the devil

carried away half a church in sermon-time, without hurting one of the

congregation; and as how a field of corn ran away down a hill with all

the trees upon it, and covered another man's meadow." This sufficiently

assured Mr Adams that the good book meant could be no other than Baker's

Chronicle.

The curate, surprized to find such instances of industry and application

in a young man who had never met with the least encouragement, asked

him, If he did not extremely regret the want of a liberal education, and

the not having been born of parents who might have indulged his talents

and desire of knowledge? To which he answered, "He hoped he had profited

somewhat better from the books he had read than to lament his condition

in this world. That, for his part, he was perfectly content with the

state to which he was called; that he should endeavour to improve his

talent, which was all required of him; but not repine at his own lot,

nor envy those of his betters." "Well said, my lad," replied the curate;

"and I wish some who have read many more good books, nay, and some who

have written good books themselves, had profited so much by them."

Adams had no nearer access to Sir Thomas or my lady than through the

waiting-gentlewoman; for Sir Thomas was too apt to estimate men merely

by their dress or fortune; and my lady was a woman of gaiety, who had

been blest with a town education, and never spoke of any of her country

neighbours by any other appellation than that of the brutes. They both

regarded the curate as a kind of domestic only, belonging to the parson

of the parish, who was at this time at variance with the knight; for the

parson had for many years lived in a constant state of civil war, or,

which is perhaps as bad, of civil law, with Sir Thomas himself and the

tenants of his manor. The foundation of this quarrel was a modus, by

setting which aside an advantage of several shillings _per annum_ would

have accrued to the rector; but he had not yet been able to accomplish

his purpose, and had reaped hitherto nothing better from the suits than

the pleasure (which he used indeed frequently to say was no small one)

of reflecting that he had utterly undone many of the poor tenants,

though he had at the same time greatly impoverished himself.

Mrs Slipslop, the waiting-gentlewoman, being herself the daughter of a

curate, preserved some respect for Adams: she professed great regard for

his learning, and would frequently dispute with him on points of

theology; but always insisted on a deference to be paid to her

understanding, as she had been frequently at London, and knew more of

the world than a country parson could pretend to.

She had in these disputes a particular advantage over Adams: for she was

a mighty affecter of hard words, which she used in such a manner that

the parson, who durst not offend her by calling her words in question,

was frequently at some loss to guess her meaning, and would have been

much less puzzled by an Arabian manuscript.

Adams therefore took an opportunity one day, after a pretty long

discourse with her on the essence (or, as she pleased to term it, the

incence) of matter, to mention the case of young Andrews; desiring her

to recommend him to her lady as a youth very susceptible of learning,

and one whose instruction in Latin he would himself undertake; by which

means he might be qualified for a higher station than that of a footman;

and added, she knew it was in his master's power easily to provide for

him in a better manner. He therefore desired that the boy might be left

behind under his care.

"La! Mr Adams," said Mrs Slipslop, "do you think my lady will suffer any

preambles about any such matter? She is going to London very concisely,

and I am confidous would not leave Joey behind her on any account; for

he is one of the genteelest young fellows you may see in a summer's day;

and I am confidous she would as soon think of parting with a pair of her

grey mares, for she values herself as much on one as the other." Adams

would have interrupted, but she proceeded: "And why is Latin more

necessitous for a footman than a gentleman? It is very proper that you

clergymen must learn it, because you can't preach without it: but I have

heard gentlemen say in London, that it is fit for nobody else. I am

confidous my lady would be angry with me for mentioning it; and I shall

draw myself into no such delemy." At which words her lady's bell rung,

and Mr Adams was forced to retire; nor could he gain a second

opportunity with her before their London journey, which happened a few

days afterwards. However, Andrews behaved very thankfully and gratefully

to him for his intended kindness, which he told him he never would

forget, and at the same time received from the good man many admonitions

concerning the regulation of his future conduct, and his perseverance in

innocence and industry.