 was Dr. Blifil, a Gentleman who had the Misfortune
of losing the Advantage of great Talents by the Obstinacy of a Father, who would
breed him to a Profession he disliked. In Obedience to this Obstinacy the Doctor
had in his Youth been obliged to study Physick, or rather to say he studied it;
for in reality Books of this Kind were almost the only ones with which he was
unacquainted; and unfortunately for him, the Doctor was Master of almost every
other Science but that by which he was to get his Bread; the Consequence of
which was, that the Doctor at the Age of Forty had no Bread to eat.
    Such a Person as this was certain to find a Welcome at Mr. Allworthy's
Table, to whom Misfortunes were ever a Recommendation when they were derived
from the Folly or Villany of others, and not of the unfortunate Person himself.
Besides this negative Merit, the Doctor had one positive Recommendation. This
was a great Appearance of Religion. Whether his Religion was real, or consisted
only in Appearance, I shall not presume to say, as I am not possessed of any
Touch-stone, which can distinguish the true from the false.
    If this Part of his Character pleased Mr. Allworthy, it delighted Miss
Bridget. She engaged him in many religious Controversies; on which Occasions she
constantly expressed great Satisfaction in the Doctor's Knowledge, and not much
less in the Compliments which he frequently bestowed on her own. To say the
Truth, she had read much English Divinity, and had puzzled more than one of the
neighbouring Curates. Indeed her Conversation was so pure, her Looks so sage,
and her whole Deportment so grave and solemn, that she seemed to deserve the
Name of Saint equally with her Name-sake, or with any other Female in the Roman
Kalendar.
    As Sympathies of all Kinds are apt to beget Love, so Experience teaches us
that none have a more direct Tendency this Way than those of a religious Kind
between Persons of different Sexes. The Doctor found himself so agreeable to
Miss Bridget, that he now began to lament an unfortunate Accident which had
happened to him about ten Years before; namely, his Marriage with another Woman,
who was not only still alive, but what was worse, known to be so by Mr.
Allworthy. This was a fatal Bar to that Happiness which he otherwise saw
sufficient Probability of obtaining with this young Lady; for as to criminal
Indulgencies, he certainly never thought of them. This was owing either to his
Religion, as is most probable, or to the Purity of his Passion
