Joseph Andrews

Joseph Andrews

by

Henry Fielding

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Book 1, Chapter 1 Quotes

It is a trite but true observation, that examples work more forcibly on the mind than precepts: and if this be just in what is odious and blameable, it is more strongly so in what is amiable and praiseworthy. Here emulation most effectually operates upon us, and inspires our imitation in an irresistible manner. A good man therefore is a standing lesson to all his acquaintance, and of far greater use in that narrow circle than a good book.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Joseph Andrews, Pamela Andrews
Page Number: 61
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 1, Chapter 2 Quotes

Mr Joseph Andrews, the hero of our ensuing history, was esteemed to be the only son of Gaffar and Gammar Andrews, and brother to the illustrious Pamela, whose virtue is at present so famous. As to his ancestors, we have searched with great diligence, but little success . . . To waive, therefore, a circumstance which, though mentioned in conformity to the exact rules of biography, is not greatly material, I proceed to things of more consequence. Indeed, it is sufficiently certain that he had as many ancestors as the best man living, and, perhaps, if we look five or six hundred years backwards, might be related to some persons of very great figure at present, whose ancestors within half the last century are buried in as great obscurity.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Joseph Andrews, Pamela Andrews, Gaffar and Gammar Andrews
Page Number: 63
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 1, Chapter 3 Quotes

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 [...]

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.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Joseph Andrews, Abraham Adams, Lady Booby
Page Number: 65
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 1, Chapter 5 Quotes

“Don’t pretend to too much modesty,” said she, “for that sometimes may be impertinent: but pray answer me this question. Suppose a lady should happen to like you; suppose she should prefer you to all your sex, and admit you to the same familiarities as you might have hoped for if you had been born her equal, are you certain that no vanity could tempt you to discover her? Answer me honestly, Joseph; have you so much more sense and so much more virtue than you handsome young fellows generally have, who make no scruple of sacrificing our dear reputation to your pride, without considering the great obligation we lay on you by our condescension and confidence? Can you keep a secret, my Joey?”

Related Characters: Joseph Andrews (speaker), Lady Booby (speaker), Fanny (Frances Goodwill), Thomas Booby
Page Number: 69
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 1, Chapter 6 Quotes

As soon as Joseph had sealed and directed this letter he walked downstairs, where he met Mrs. Slipslop, with whom we shall take this opportunity to bring the reader a little better acquainted. She was a maiden gentlewoman of about forty-five years of age, who, having made a small slip in her youth, had continued a good maid ever since. She was not at this time remarkably handsome; being very short, and rather too corpulent in body, and somewhat red, with the addition of pimples in the face.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Joseph Andrews, Lady Booby, Mrs. Slipslop
Page Number: 72
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 1, Chapter 12 Quotes

Joseph complained he was dry, and desired a little tea; which Barnabas reported to Mrs Tow-wouse, who answered, “She had just done drinking it, and could not be slopping all day;” but ordered Betty to carry him up some small beer.

Betty obeyed her mistress’s commands; but Joseph, as soon as he had tasted it, said, he feared it would increase his fever, and that he longed very much for tea; to which the good-natured Betty answered, he should have tea, if there was any in the land; she accordingly went and bought him some herself, and attended him with it.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Joseph Andrews, Betty, Mr. Barnabas, Mr. Tow-wouse, Mrs. Tow-wouse, The Surgeon
Page Number: 96
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 1, Chapter 17 Quotes

As soon as he had seated himself, the stranger began in these words: “Sir, I do not care absolutely to deny engaging in what my friend Mr Barnabas recommends; but sermons are mere drugs. The trade is so vastly stocked with them, that really, unless they come out with the name of Whitefield or Wesley, or some other such great man, as a bishop, or those sort of people, I don’t care to touch.”

Related Characters: Abraham Adams, Mr. Barnabas, Mrs. Adams
Related Symbols: Aeschylus
Page Number: 111
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 2, Chapter 1 Quotes

There are certain mysteries or secrets in all trades, from the highest to the lowest, from that of prime-ministering to this of authoring, which are seldom discovered unless to members of the same calling. Among those used by us gentlemen of the latter occupation, I take this of dividing our works into books and chapters to be none of the least considerable. Now, for want of being truly acquainted with this secret, common readers imagine, that by this art of dividing we mean only to swell our works to a much larger bulk than they would otherwise be extended to. These several places therefore in our paper, which are filled with our books and chapters, are understood as so much buckram, stays, and stay-tape in a taylor’s bill, serving only to make up the sum total, commonly found at the bottom of our first page and of his last.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Joseph Andrews
Page Number: 119
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 2, Chapter 2 Quotes

Adams was now gone some minutes, having insisted on Joseph’s beginning the journey on horseback, and Joseph had his foot in the stirrup, when the hostler presented him a bill for the horse’s board during his residence at the inn. Joseph said Mr Adams had paid all; but this matter, being referred to Mr Tow-wouse, was by him decided in favour of the hostler, and indeed with truth and justice; for this was a fresh instance of that shortness of memory which did not arise from want of parts, but that continual hurry in which parson Adams was always involved.

Related Characters: Joseph Andrews, Abraham Adams, Mr. Tow-wouse
Page Number: 122
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 2, Chapter 4 Quotes

Leonora was the daughter of a gentleman of fortune; she was tall and well-shaped, with a sprightliness in her countenance which often attracts beyond more regular features joined with an insipid air.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Abraham Adams, Leonora, Bellarmine, Horatio
Page Number: 130
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 2, Chapter 10 Quotes

“I hope, Fanny, you are not inconstant; I assure you he deserves much better of you.”—“La! Mr Adams,” said she, “what is Mr Joseph to me? I am sure I never had anything to say to him, but as one fellow-servant might to another.”

Related Characters: Abraham Adams (speaker), Fanny (Frances Goodwill) (speaker), Joseph Andrews, Lady Booby
Page Number: 165
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 2, Chapter 12 Quotes

For as soon as the first tumults of Adams’s rapture were over he cast his eyes towards the fire, where Aeschylus lay expiring; and immediately rescued the poor remains, to wit, the sheepskin covering, of his dear friend, which was the work of his own hands, and had been his inseparable companion for upwards of thirty years.

Related Characters: Joseph Andrews, Abraham Adams, Fanny (Frances Goodwill)
Related Symbols: Aeschylus
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 175
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 2, Chapter 14 Quotes

Trulliber are heartily, but scarce put anything in his mouth without finding fault with his wife’s cookery. All which the poor woman bore patiently.

Related Characters: Abraham Adams, Trulliber
Page Number: 183
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 2, Chapter 17 Quotes

“Sir,” said the host, “I assure you you are not the first to whom our squire hath promised more than he hath performed. He is so famous for this practice, that his word will not be taken for much by those who know him.”

Related Characters: Abraham Adams
Page Number: 195
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 3, Chapter 1 Quotes

Notwithstanding the preference which may be vulgarly given to the authority of those romance writers who entitle their books “the History of England, the History of France, of Spain, &c.,” it is most certain that truth is to be found only in the works of those who celebrate the lives of great men, and are commonly called biographers.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Joseph Andrews
Page Number: 201
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 3, Chapter 3 Quotes

A little under seventeen I left my school, and went to London with no more than six pounds in my pocket; a great sum, as I then conceived; and which I was afterwards surprized to find so soon consumed.

Related Characters: Wilson (speaker), Abraham Adams, Leonora, Harriet
Page Number: 213
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 3, Chapter 4 Quotes

The gentleman answered, he should know him amongst ten thousand, for he had a mark on his left breast of a strawberry, which his mother had given him by longing for that fruit.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Joseph Andrews, Abraham Adams, Fanny (Frances Goodwill), Wilson, Harriet
Related Symbols: Strawberry Mark
Page Number: 232
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 3, Chapter 10 Quotes

Before we proceed any farther in this tragedy we shall leave Mr Joseph and Mr Adams to themselves, and imitate the wise conductors of the stage, who in the midst of a grave action entertain you with some excellent piece of satire or humour called a dance. Which piece, indeed, is therefore danced, and not spoke, as it is delivered to the audience by persons whose thinking faculty is by most people held to lie in their heels; and to whom, as well as heroes, who think with their hands, Nature hath only given heads for the sake of conformity, and as they are of use in dancing, to hang their hats on.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Joseph Andrews, Abraham Adams, Fanny (Frances Goodwill), The Squire
Page Number: 260
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 3, Chapter 12 Quotes

Peter, being informed by Fanny of the presence of Adams, stopt to see him, and receive his homage; for, as Peter was an hypocrite, a sort of people whom Mr Adams never saw through, the one paid that respect to his seeming goodness which the other believed to be paid to his riches.

Related Characters: Abraham Adams, Fanny (Frances Goodwill), Lady Booby, The Narrator, Peter Pounce
Page Number: 269
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 4, Chapter 1 Quotes

For, if the court would be severely missed in such a city as London, how much more must the absence of a person of great fortune be felt in a little country village, for whose inhabitants such a family finds a constant employment and supply.

Related Characters: Joseph Andrews, Abraham Adams, Fanny (Frances Goodwill), Lady Booby
Page Number: 275
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 4, Chapter 3 Quotes

“The laws of this land are not so vulgar to permit a mean fellow to contend with one of your ladyship’s fortune.”

Related Characters: Scout (speaker), Joseph Andrews, Abraham Adams, Fanny (Frances Goodwill), Lady Booby
Page Number: 282
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 4, Chapter 8 Quotes

“Now, believe me, no Christian ought so to set his heart on any person or thing in this world, but that, whenever it shall be required or taken from him in any manner by Divine Providence, he may be able, peaceably, quietly, and contentedly to resign it.” At which words one came hastily in, and acquainted Mr Adams that his youngest son was drowned.

Related Characters: Abraham Adams (speaker), Joseph Andrews, The Pedlar, Dick
Page Number: 303
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 4, Chapter 13 Quotes

“I despise, I detest my passion.—Yet why? Is he not generous, gentle, kind?—Kind! to whom? to the meanest wretch, a creature below my consideration. Doth he not—yes, he doth prefer her.”

Related Characters: Lady Booby (speaker), Joseph Andrews, Fanny (Frances Goodwill), Mrs. Slipslop
Page Number: 318
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 4, Chapter 15 Quotes

“Yes, he had as fine a strawberry as ever grew in a garden.” This Joseph acknowledged, and, unbuttoning his coat, at the intercession of the company, showed to them.

Related Characters: Gaffar and Gammar Andrews (speaker), Joseph Andrews, Abraham Adams, The Pedlar, Wilson, Dick
Related Symbols: Strawberry Mark
Page Number: 328
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 4, Chapter 16 Quotes

Joseph remains blest with his Fanny, whom he doats on with the utmost tenderness, which is all returned on her side. The happiness of this couple is a perpetual fountain of pleasure to their fond parents; and, what is particularly remarkable, he declares he will imitate them in their retirement, nor will be prevailed on by any booksellers, or their authors, to make his appearance in high life.

Related Characters: The Narrator (speaker), Joseph Andrews, Fanny (Frances Goodwill), Lady Booby, Pamela Andrews, Wilson, Harriet
Page Number: 334
Explanation and Analysis:
No matches.