Amelia | Page 2

Henry Fielding
VI.
A scene in which some ladies will possibly think Amelia's conduct exceptionable

CHAPTER VII.
A chapter in which there is much learning

CHAPTER VIII.
Containing some unaccountable behaviour in Mrs.. Ellison

CHAPTER IX.
Containing a very strange incident

BOOK VII.

CHAPTER I.
A very short chapter, and consequently requiring no preface

CHAPTER II.
The beginning of Mrs. Bennet's history

CHAPTER III.
Continuation of Mrs. Bennet's story

CHAPTER IV.
Farther continuation

CHAPTER V.
The story of Mrs. Bennet continued

CHAPTER VI.
Farther continued

CHAPTER VII.
The story farther continued

CHAPTER VIII.
Farther continuation

CHAPTER IX.
The conclusion of Mrs. Bennet's history

CHAPTER X.
Being the last chapter of the seventh book

BOOK VIII.

CHAPTER I.
Being the first chapter of the eighth book

CHAPTER II.
Containing an account of Mr. Booth's fellow-sufferers

CHAPTER III.
Containing some extraordinary behaviour in Mrs. Ellison

CHAPTER IV.
Containing, among many matters, the exemplary behaviour of Colonel James

CHAPTER V.
Comments upon authors

CHAPTER VI.
Which inclines rather to satire than panegyric

CHAPTER VII.
Worthy a very serious perusal

CHAPTER VIII.
Consisting of grave matters

CHAPTER IX.
A curious chapter, from which a curious reader may draw sundry observations

CHAPTER X.
In which are many profound secrets of philosophy

BOOK IX.

CHAPTER I
In which the history looks backwards

CHAPTER II.
In which the history goes forward

CHAPTER III.
A conversation between Dr Harrison and others

CHAPTER IV.
A dialogue between Booth and Amelia

CHAPTER V.
A conversation between Amelia and Dr Harrison, with the result

CHAPTER VI.
Containing as surprising an accident as is perhaps recorded in history

CHAPTER VII.
In which the author appears to be master of that profound learning called the knowledge of the town

CHAPTER VIII.
In which two strangers make their appearance

CHAPTER IX.
A scene of modern wit and humour

CHAPTER X.
A curious conversation between the doctor, the young clergyman, and the young clergyman's father

BOOK X.

CHAPTER I.
To which we will prefix no preface

CHAPTER II.
What happened at the masquerade

CHAPTER III.
Consequences of the masqtierade, not uncommon nor surprizing

CHAPTER IV.
Consequences of the masquerade

CHAPTER V.
In which Colonel Bath appears in great glory

CHAPTER VI.
Read, gamester, and observe

CHAPTER VII.
In which Booth receives a visit from Captain Trent

CHAPTER VIII.
Contains a letter and other matters

CHAPTER IX.
Containing some things worthy observation

BOOK XI

CHAPTER I.
Containing a very polite scene

CHAPTER II.
Matters political

CHAPTER III.
The history of Mr. Trent

CHAPTER IV.
Containing some distress

CHAPTER V.
Containing more wormwood and other ingredients

CHAPTER VI.
A scene of the tragic kind

CHAPTER VII.
In which Mr. Booth meets with more than one adventure

CHAPTER VIII.
In which Amelia appears in a light more amiable than gay

CHAPTER IX.
A very tragic scene

BOOK XII.

CHAPTER I.
The book begins with polite history

CHAPTER II.
In which Amelia visits her husband

CHAPTER III.
Containing matter pertinent to the history

CHAPTER IV.
In which Dr Harrison visits Colonel James

CHAPTER V.
What passed at the bailiff's house

CHAPTER VI.
What passed between the doctor and the sick man

CHAPTER VII.
In which the history draws towards a conclusion

CHAPTER VIII.
Thus this history draws nearer to a conclusion

CHAPTER IX.
In which the history is concluded

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
FIELDING'S BIRTHPLACE, SHARPHAM PARK
SHE THEN GAVE A LOOSE TO HER PASSION
THEY OPENED THE HAMPER
HE SEIZED HIM BY THE COLLAR
AMELIA AND HER CHILDREN
COLONEL BATH
LAWYER MURPHY
LEANING BOTH HIS ELBOWS ON THE TABLE, FIXED HIS EYES ON HER
BOOTH BETWEEN A BLUE DOMINO AND A SHEPHERDESS
DR HARRISON

INTRODUCTION.
Fielding's third great novel has been the subject of much more discordant judgments than either of its forerunners. If we take the period since its appearance as covering four generations, we find the greatest authority in the earliest, Johnson, speaking of it with something more nearly approaching to enthusiasm than he allowed himself in reference to any other work of an author, to whom he was on the whole so unjust. The greatest man of letters of the next generation, Scott (whose attitude to Fielding was rather undecided, and seems to speak a mixture of intellectual admiration and moral dislike, or at least failure in sympathy), pronounces it "on the whole unpleasing," and regards it chiefly as a sequel to Tom Jones, showing what is to be expected of a libertine and thoughtless husband. But he too is enthusiastic over the heroine. Thackeray (whom in this special connection at any rate it is scarcely too much to call the greatest man of the third generation) overflows with predilection for it, but chiefly, as it would seem, because of his affection for Amelia herself, in which he practically agrees with Scott and Johnson. It would be invidious, and is noways needful, to single out any critic of our own time to place beside these great men. But it cannot be denied that the book, now as always, has incurred a considerable amount of hinted fault and hesitated dislike. Even Mr. Dobson notes some things in it as "unsatisfactory;" Mr. Gosse, with evident consciousness of temerity, ventures to ask whether it is not "a little dull." The very absence of episodes (on the ground that Miss Matthews's story is too closely connected with the main action to be fairly called an episode) and of introductory dissertations has been brought against it, as the presence of these things was brought against its forerunners.
I have sometimes wondered whether Amelia pays the penalty of an audacity which, a priori, its most unfavourable critics would indignantly deny to be a fault. It
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