 Favour on Behalf of his Friend Black
George, whom he hoped to introduce into Mr. Western's Family in the same
Capacity in which he had before served Mr. Allworthy.
    The Reader, if he considers that this Fellow was already obnoxious to Mr.
Western, and if he considers farther the weighty Business by which that
Gentleman's Displeasure had been incurred, will perhaps condemn this as a
foolish and desperate Undertaking; but if he should not totally condemn young
Jones on that Account, he will greatly applaud him for strengthening himself
with all imaginable Interest on so arduous an Occasion.
    For this Purpose then Tom applied to Mr. Western's Daughter, a young Lady of
about seventeen Years of Age, whom her Father, next after those necessary
Implements of Sport just before-mentioned, loved and esteemed above all the
World. Now as she had some Influence on the Squire, so Tom had some little
Influence on her. But this being the intended Heroine of this Work, a Lady with
whom we ourselves are greatly in Love, and with whom many of our Readers will
probably be in Love too before we part, it is by no Means proper she should make
her Appearance in the End of a Book.
 

                                    Book IV

                         Containing the Time of a Year.
 

                                   Chapter I

                        Containing five Pages of Paper.
 
As Truth distinguishes our Writings, from those idle Romances which are filled
with Monsters, the Productions, not of Nature, but of distempered Brains; and
which have been therefore recommended by an eminent Critic to the sole Use of
the Pastry-cook: So, on the other hand, we would avoid any Resemblance to that
Kind of History which a celebrated Poet seems to think is no less calculated for
the Emolument of the Brewer, as the reading it should be always attended with a
Tankard of good Ale.
 
While - History with her Comrade Ale,
Sooths the sad Series of her serious Tale.
 
For as this is the Liquor of modern Historians, nay, perhaps their Muse, if we
may believe the Opinion of Butler, who attributes Inspiration to Ale, it ought
likewise to be the Potation of their Readers; since every Book ought to be read
with the same Spirit, and in the same Manner, as it is writ. Thus the famous
Author of Hurlothrumbo told a learned Bishop, that the Reason his Lordship could
not taste the Excellence of his Piece, was, that he did not read it with a
Fiddle in his Hand; which Instrument he himself had always had in his own, when
he composed it.
    That our Work, therefore, might be in no Danger
