
Institutions: For I do not, like a jure divino Tyrant, imagine that they are my
Slaves or my Commodity. I am, indeed, set over them for their own Good only, and
was created for their Use, and not they for mine. Nor do I doubt, while I make
their Interest the great Rule of my Writings, they will unanimously concur in
supporting my Dignity, and in rendering me all the Honour I shall deserve or
desire.
 

                                   Chapter II

  Religious Cautions against shewing too much Favour to Bastards; and a great
                    Discovery made by Mrs. Deborah Wilkins.
 
Eight Months after the Celebration of the Nuptials between Captain Blifil and
Miss Bridget Allworthy, a young Lady of great Beauty, Merit, and Fortune, was
Miss Bridget, by reason of a Fright, delivered of a fine Boy. The Child, was
indeed, to all Appearance, perfect; but the Midwife discovered, it was born a
Month before its full Time.
    Tho' the Birth of an Heir by his beloved Sister was a Circumstance of great
Joy to Mr. Allworthy, yet it did not alienate his Affections from the little
Foundling, to whom he had been Godfather, had given his own Name of Thomas, and
whom he had hitherto seldom failed of visiting at least once a Day, in his
Nursery.
    He told his Sister, if she pleased, the new-born Infant should be bred up
together with little Tommy, to which she consented, tho' with some little
Reluctance: For she had truly a great Complacence for her Brother; and hence she
had always behaved towards the Foundling with rather more Kindness than Ladies
of rigid Virtue can sometimes bring themselves to shew to these Children, who,
however innocent, may be truly called the living Monuments of Incontinence.
    The Captain could not so easily bring himself to bear what he condemned as a
Fault in Mr. Allworthy. He gave him frequent Hints, that to adopt the Fruits of
Sin was to give countenance to it. He quoted several Texts (for he was well read
in Scripture) such as, He visits the Sins of the Fathers upon the Children; and,
the Fathers have eaten sour Grapes, and the Children's Teeth are set on edge,
etc. Whence he argued the Legality of punishing the Crime of the Parent on the
Bastard. He said, »Tho' the Law did not positively allow the destroying such
base-born Children, yet it held them to be the Children of no body; that the
Church considered them as the Children of no body; and that at the best, they
ought to be
