 on long Works have right to creep.
 
For we are not here to understand, as, perhaps, some have, that an Author
actually falls asleep while he is writing. It is true that Readers are too apt
to be so overtaken; but if the Work was as long as any of Oldmixon, the Author
himself is too well entertained to be subject to the least Drowsiness. He is, as
Mr. Pope observes,
 
                  Sleepless himself to give his Readers Sleep.
 
To say the Truth, these soporific Parts are so many Scenes of Serious artfully
interwoven, in order to contrast and set off the rest; and this is the true
Meaning of a late facetious Writer, who told the Public, that whenever he was
dull, they might be assured there was a Design in it.
    In this Light then, or rather in this Darkness, I would have the Reader to
consider these initial Essays. And after this Warning, if he shall be of
Opinion, that he can find enough of Serious in other Parts of this History, he
may pass over these, in which we profess to be laboriously dull, and begin the
following Books, at the second Chapter.
 

                                   Chapter II

 In which Mr. Jones receives many friendly Visits during his Confinement; with
   some fine Touches of the Passion of Love, scarce visible to the naked Eye.
 
Tom Jones had many Visitors during his Confinement, tho' some, perhaps, were not
very agreeable to him. Mr. Allworthy saw him almost every Day; but tho' he
pitied Tom's Sufferings, and greatly approved the gallant Behaviour which had
occasioned them, yet he thought this was a favourable Opportunity to bring him
to a sober Sense of his indiscreet Conduct; and that wholsome Advice for that
Purpose, could never be applied at a more proper Season than at the present;
when the Mind was softened by Pain and Sickness, and alarmed by Danger; and when
its Attention was unembarrassed with those turbulent Passions, which engage us
in the Pursuit of Pleasure.
    At all Seasons, therefore, when the good Man was alone with the Youth,
especially when the latter was totally at Ease, he took Occasion to remind him
of his former Miscarriages, but in the mildest and tenderest Manner, and only in
order to introduce the Caution, which he prescribed for his future Behaviour;
»on which alone« he assured him, »would depend his own Felicity, and the
Kindness which he might yet promise himself to receive at the Hands of his
Father by Adoption unless he should hereafter forfeit his Good Opinion: For as
to what had past,«
