How we cite our quotes: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"Sir," answered the surgeon, "to say whether a wound will prove mortal or not at first dressing, would be very weak and foolish presumption: we are all mortal, and symptoms often occur in a cure which the greatest of our profession could never foresee."—"But do you think him in danger?" says the other.—"In danger! ay, surely," cries the doctor: "who is there among us, who, in the most perfect health, can be said not to be in danger? Can a man, therefore, with so bad a wound as this be said to be out of danger? All I can say at present is, that it is well I was called as I was, and perhaps it would have been better if I had been called sooner. I will see him again early in the morning; and in the meantime let him be kept extremely quiet, and drink liberally of water-gruel." (7.13.8)
A lot of doctors appear in this novel, and they are all basically the same. Their one basic trait is that they talk a lot, but they won't actually say anything. None of them want to be blamed for a patient's injury or death, but all of them want to make some money off other people's illnesses. Clearly, Fielding doesn't think much of the effectiveness and truthfulness of the medical profession. (And considering that he was writing at a time when doctors still thought that hand-washing wasn't necessary before surgery, we can understand his perspective!)
Quote #5
These are no other than invention and judgment; and they are both called by the collective name of genius, as they are of those gifts of nature which we bring with us into the world. Concerning each of which many seem to have fallen into very great errors; for by invention, I believe, is generally understood a creative faculty, which would indeed prove most romance writers to have the highest pretensions to it; whereas by invention is really meant no more (and so the word signifies) than discovery, or finding out; or to explain it at large, a quick and sagacious penetration into the true essence of all the objects of our contemplation. This, I think, can rarely exist without the concomitancy of judgment; for how we can be said to have discovered the true essence of two things, without discerning their difference, seems to me hard to conceive. (9.1.7)
This passage is not so much about the theme of "Lies and Deceit,"but more about its opposite, Truth—but we figured, hey, close enough. The way that Fielding talks about "finding out" the "true essence" of things makes it sound as though there is one eternal, unchanging truth waiting to be uncovered by smart observers. But another way of seeing truth is that it depends on the point of view of the observer. There might be different truths out there for different people, depending on the circumstances. Do you believe that some things in the world have a "true essence"? Or is truth something that we all have to make for ourselves?
Quote #6
"Why there," says Susan, "I hope, madam, your ladyship won't be offended; but pray, madam, is not your ladyship's name Madam Sophia Western?" "How is it possible you should know me?" answered Sophia. "Why that man, that the gentlewoman spoke of, who is in the kitchen, told about you last night. But I hope your ladyship is not angry with me." "Indeed, child," said she, "I am not; pray tell me all, and I promise you I'll reward you." "Why, madam," continued Susan, "that man told us all in the kitchen that Madam Sophia Western—indeed I don't know how to bring it out."—Here she stopt, till, having received encouragement from Sophia, and being vehemently pressed by Mrs Honour, she proceeded thus:—"He told us, madam, though to be sure it is all a lie, that your ladyship was dying for love of the young squire, and that he was going to the wars to get rid of you." (10.5.7)
At every single place where Tom stays, the people nearby start talking over some distorted version of his adventures. Rumor is practically a whole separate character in this book… it has so much influence on the story. Here, Partridge's gossip about Tom supposedly running away from home to escape Sophia gets back to the worst person possible: Sophia herself. What other moments can you think of where rumor directly affects the plot? Who are the main spreaders of rumor in this book, and what do they have in common? What are some of the stranger versions of Tom's story that we hear from these gossips?