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The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom

Edição BooksWhale em inglês por Tobias Smollett

A picaresque novel of deception, social ambition, schemes, and moral danger.

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Introdução do livro

The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom

The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom follows a cunning adventurer through fraud, seduction, manipulation, and shifting fortune. Smollett’s novel mixes satire, energy, and moral comedy.

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Esta edição se baseia em um texto em domínio público e foi preparada pela BooksWhale para leitura digital.

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Por que pode ser compartilhada

Tobias Smollett died in 1771, and The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom was first published in 1753; these dates support the public-domain basis for this English edition.

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Capítulo de préviaFull textLer prévia

The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom

By Tobias Smollett

Capítulo de préviaPART IPrévia

PART I

Capítulo de préviaTO DOCTOR ———Prévia

You and I, my good friend, have often deliberated on the difficulty of writing such a dedication as might gratify the self-complacency of a patron, without exposing the author to the ridicule or censure of the public; and I think we generally agreed that the task was altogether impracticable.—Indeed, this was one of the few subjects on which we have always thought in the same manner. For, notwithstanding that deference and regard which we mutually pay to each other, certain it is, we have often differed, according to the predominancy of those different passions, which frequently warp the opinion, and perplex the understanding of the most judicious.

In dedication, as in poetry, there is no medium; for, if any one of the human virtues be omitted in the enumeration of the patron’s good qualities, the whole address is construed into an affront, and the writer has the mortification to find his praise prostituted to very little purpose.

On the other hand, should he yield to the transports of gratitude or affection, which is always apt to exaggerate, and produce no more than the genuine effusions of his heart, the world will make no allowance for the warmth of his passion, but ascribe the praise he bestows to interested views and sordid adulation.

Sometimes too, dazzled by the tinsel of a character which he has no opportunity to investigate, he pours forth the homage of his admiration upon some false Maecenas, whose future conduct gives the lie to his eulogium, and involves him in shame and confusion of face. Such was the fate of a late ingenious author [the Author of the “Seasons”], who was so often put to the blush for the undeserved incense he had offered in the heat of an enthusiastic disposition, misled by popular applause, that he had resolved to retract, in his last will, all the encomiums which he had thus prematurely bestowed, and stigmatise the unworthy by name—a laudable scheme of poetical justice, the execution of which was fatally prevented by untimely death.

Whatever may have been the fate of other dedicators, I, for my own part, sit down to write this address, without any apprehension of disgrace or disappointment; because I know you are too well convinced of my affection and sincerity to repine at what I shall say touching your character and conduct. And you will do me the justice to believe, that this public distinction is a testimony of my particular friendship and esteem.

Not that I am either insensible of your infirmities, or disposed to conceal them from the notice of mankind. There are certain foibles which can only be cured by shame and mortification; and whether or not yours be of that species, I shall have the comfort to think my best endeavours were used for your reformation.

Know then, I can despise your pride, while I honour your integrity, and applaud your taste, while I am shocked at your ostentation.—I have known you trifling, superficial, and obstinate in dispute; meanly jealous and awkwardly reserved; rash and haughty in your resentments; and coarse and lowly in your connexions. I have blushed at the weakness of your conversation, and trembled at the errors of your conduct—yet, as I own you possess certain good qualities, which overbalance these defects, and distinguish you on this occasion as a person for whom I have the most perfect attachment and esteem, you have no cause to complain of the indelicacy with which your faults are reprehended. And as they are chiefly the excesses of a sanguine disposition and looseness of thought, impatient of caution or control, you may, thus stimulated, watch over your own intemperance and infirmity with redoubled vigilance and consideration, and for the future profit by the severity of my reproof.

These, however, are not the only motives that induce me to trouble you with this public application. I must not only perform my duty to my friends, but also discharge the debt I owe to my own interest. We live in a censorious age; and an author cannot take too much precaution to anticipate the prejudice, misapprehension, and temerity of malice, ignorance, and presumption.

Sumário

Nesta edição

  1. 01Full text
  2. 02PART I
  3. 03TO DOCTOR ———
  4. 04CHAPTER ONE — SOME SAGE OBSERVATIONS THAT NATURALLY INTRODUCE OUR IMPORTANT HISTORY.
  5. 05CHAPTER TWO — A SUPERFICIAL VIEW OF OUR HERO’S INFANCY.
  6. 06CHAPTER THREE — HE IS INITIATED IN A MILITARY LIFE, AND HAS THE GOOD FORTUNE TO ACQUIRE A GENEROUS PATRON.
  7. 07CHAPTER FOUR — HIS MOTHER’S PROWESS AND DEATH; TOGETHER WITH SOME INSTANCES OF HIS OWN SAGACITY.
  8. 08CHAPTER FIVE — A BRIEF DETAIL OF HIS EDUCATION.
  9. 09CHAPTER SIX — HE MEDITATES SCHEMES OF IMPORTANCE.
  10. 10CHAPTER SEVEN — ENGAGES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A FEMALE ASSOCIATE, IN ORDER TO PUT HIS TALENTS IN ACTION.
  11. 11CHAPTER EIGHT — THEIR FIRST ATTEMPT; WITH A DIGRESSION WHICH SOME READERS MAY THINK IMPERTINENT.
  12. 12CHAPTER NINE — THE CONFEDERATES CHANGE THEIR BATTERY, AND ACHIEVE A REMARKABLE ADVENTURE.
  13. 13CHAPTER TEN — THEY PROCEED TO LEVY CONTRIBUTIONS WITH GREAT SUCCESS, UNTIL OUR HERO SETS OUT WITH THE YOUNG COUNT FOR VIENNA, WHERE HE ENTERS INTO LEAGUE WITH ANOTHER ADVENTURER.
  14. 14CHAPTER ELEVEN — FATHOM MAKES VARIOUS EFFORTS IN THE WORLD OF GALLANTRY.
  15. 15CHAPTER TWELVE — HE EFFECTS A LODGMENT IN THE HOUSE OF A RICH JEWELLER.
  16. 16CHAPTER THIRTEEN — HE IS EXPOSED TO A MOST PERILOUS INCIDENT IN THE COURSE OF HIS INTRIGUE WITH THE DAUGHTER.
  17. 17CHAPTER FOURTEEN — HE IS REDUCED TO A DREADFUL DILEMMA, IN CONSEQUENCE OF AN ASSIGNATION WITH THE WIFE.
  18. 18CHAPTER FIFTEEN — BUT AT LENGTH SUCCEEDS IN HIS ATTEMPT UPON BOTH.
  19. 19CHAPTER SIXTEEN — HIS SUCCESS BEGETS A BLIND SECURITY, BY WHICH HE IS ONCE AGAIN WELL-NIGH ENTRAPPED IN HIS DULCINEA’S APARTMENT.
  20. 20CHAPTER SEVENTEEN — THE STEP-DAME’S SUSPICIONS BEING AWAKENED, SHE LAYS A SNARE FOR OUR ADVENTURER, FROM WHICH HE IS DELIVERED BY THE INTERPOSITION OF HIS GOOD GENIUS.
  21. 21CHAPTER EIGHTEEN — OUR HERO DEPARTS FROM VIENNA, AND QUITS THE DOMAIN OF VENUS FOR THE ROUGH FIELD OF MARS.
  22. 22CHAPTER NINETEEN — HE PUTS HIMSELF UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF HIS ASSOCIATE, AND STUMBLES UPON THE FRENCH CAMP, WHERE HE FINISHES HIS MILITARY CAREER.
  23. 23CHAPTER TWENTY — HE PREPARES A STRATAGEM BUT FINDS HIMSELF COUNTERMINED—PROCEEDS ON HIS JOURNEY, AND IS OVERTAKEN BY A TERRIBLE TEMPEST.
  24. 24CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE — HE FALLS UPON SCYLLA, SEEKING TO AVOID CHARYBDIS.
  25. 25CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO — HE ARRIVES AT PARIS, AND IS PLEASED WITH HIS RECEPTION.
  26. 26CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE — ACQUITS HIMSELF WITH ADDRESS IN A NOCTURNAL RIOT.
  27. 27CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR — HE OVERLOOKS THE ADVANCES OF HIS FRIENDS, AND SMARTS SEVERELY FOR HIS NEGLECT.
  28. 28CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE — HE BEARS HIS FATE LIKE A PHILOSOPHER; AND CONTRACTS ACQUAINTANCE WITH A VERY REMARKABLE PERSONAGE.
  29. 29CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX — THE HISTORY OF THE NOBLE CASTILIAN.
  30. 30CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN — A FLAGRANT INSTANCE OF FATHOM’S VIRTUE, IN THE MANNER OF HIS RETREAT TO ENGLAND.
  31. 31CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT — SOME ACCOUNT OF HIS FELLOW-TRAVELLERS.
  32. 32CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE — ANOTHER PROVIDENTIAL DELIVERANCE FROM THE EFFECTS OF THE SMUGGLER’S INGENIOUS CONJECTURE.
  33. 33CHAPTER THIRTY — THE SINGULAR MANNER OF FATHOM’S ATTACK AND TRIUMPH OVER THE VIRTUE OF THE FAIR ELENOR.
  34. 34CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE — HE BY ACCIDENT ENCOUNTERS HIS OLD FRIEND, WITH WHOM HE HOLDS A CONFERENCE, AND RENEWS A TREATY.
  35. 35CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO — HE APPEARS IN THE GREAT WORLD WITH UNIVERSAL APPLAUSE AND ADMIRATION.
  36. 36CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE — HE ATTRACTS THE ENVY AND ILL OFFICES OF THE MINOR KNIGHTS OF HIS OWN ORDER, OVER WHOM HE OBTAINS A COMPLETE VICTORY.
  37. 37CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR — HE PERFORMS ANOTHER EXPLOIT, THAT CONVEYS A TRUE IDEA OF HIS GRATITUDE AND HONOUR.
  38. 38CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE — HE REPAIRS TO BRISTOL SPRING, WHERE HE REIGNS PARAMOUNT DURING THE WHOLE SEASON.
  39. 39CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX — HE IS SMITTEN WITH THE CHARMS OF A FEMALE ADVENTURER, WHOSE ALLUREMENTS SUBJECT HIM TO A NEW VICISSITUDE OF FORTUNE.
  40. 40CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN — FRESH CAUSE FOR EXERTING HIS EQUANIMITY AND FORTITUDE.
  41. 41CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT — THE BITER IS BIT.
  42. 42PART II
  43. 43CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE — OUR ADVENTURER IS MADE ACQUAINTED WITH A NEW SCENE OF LIFE.
  44. 44CHAPTER FORTY — HE CONTEMPLATES MAJESTY AND ITS SATELLITES IN ECLIPSE.
  45. 45CHAPTER FORTY-ONE — ONE QUARREL IS COMPROMISED, AND ANOTHER DECIDED BY UNUSUAL ARMS.
  46. 46CHAPTER FORTY-TWO — AN UNEXPECTED RENCONTRE, AND A HAPPY REVOLUTION IN THE AFFAIRS OF OUR ADVENTURER.
  47. 47CHAPTER FORTY-THREE — FATHOM JUSTIFIES THE PROVERB, “WHAT’S BRED IN THE BONE WILL NEVER COME OUT OF THE FLESH.”
  48. 48CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR — ANECDOTES OF POVERTY, AND EXPERIMENTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.
  49. 49CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE — RENALDO’S DISTRESS DEEPENS, AND FATHOM’S PLOT THICKENS.
  50. 50CHAPTER FORTY-SIX — OUR ADVENTURER BECOMES ABSOLUTE IN HIS POWER OVER THE PASSIONS OF HIS FRIEND, AND EFFECTS ONE HALF OF HIS AIM.
  51. 51CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN — THE ART OF BORROWING FURTHER EXPLAINED, AND AN ACCOUNT OF A STRANGE PHENOMENON.
  52. 52CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT — COUNT FATHOM UNMASKS HIS BATTERY; IS REPULSED; AND VARIES HIS OPERATIONS WITHOUT EFFECT.
  53. 53CHAPTER FORTY-NINE — MONIMIA’S HONOUR IS PROTECTED BY THE INTERPOSITION OF HEAVEN.
  54. 54CHAPTER FIFTY — FATHOM SHIFTS THE SCENE, AND APPEARS IN A NEW CHARACTER.
  55. 55CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE — TRIUMPHS OVER A MEDICAL RIVAL.
  56. 56CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO — REPAIRS TO THE METROPOLIS, AND ENROLS HIMSELF AMONG THE SONS OF PAEAN.
  57. 57CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE — ACQUIRES EMPLOYMENT IN CONSEQUENCE OF A LUCKY MISCARRIAGE.
  58. 58CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR — HIS ECLIPSE, AND GRADUAL DECLINATION.
  59. 59CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE — AFTER DIVERS UNSUCCESSFUL EFFORTS, HE HAS RECOURSE TO THE MATRIMONIAL NOOSE.
  60. 60CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX — IN WHICH HIS FORTUNE IS EFFECTUALLY STRANGLED.
  61. 61CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN — FATHOM BEING SAFELY HOUSED, THE READER IS ENTERTAINED WITH A RETROSPECT.
  62. 62CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT — RENALDO ABRIDGES THE PROCEEDINGS AT LAW, AND APPROVES HIMSELF THE SON OF HIS FATHER.
  63. 63CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE — HE IS THE MESSENGER OF HAPPINESS TO HIS SISTER, WHO REMOVES THE FILM WHICH HAD LONG OBSTRUCTED HIS PENETRATION, WITH REGARD TO COUNT FATHOM.
  64. 64CHAPTER SIXTY — HE RECOMPENSES THE ATTACHMENT OF HIS FRIEND; AND RECEIVES A LETTER THAT REDUCES HIM TO THE VERGE OF DEATH AND DISTRACTION.
  65. 65CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE — RENALDO MEETS WITH A LIVING MONUMENT OF JUSTICE, AND ENCOUNTERS A PERSONAGE OF SOME NOTE IN THESE MEMOIRS.
  66. 66CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO — HIS RETURN TO ENGLAND, AND MIDNIGHT PILGRIMAGE TO MONIMIA’S TOMB.
  67. 67CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE — HE RENEWS THE RITES OF SORROW, AND IS ENTRANCED.
  68. 68CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR — THE MYSTERY UNFOLDED—ANOTHER RECOGNITION, WHICH, IT IS TO BE HOPED, THE READER COULD NOT FORESEE.
  69. 69CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE — A RETROSPECTIVE LINK, NECESSARY FOR THE CONCATENATION OF THESE MEMOIRS.
  70. 70CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX — THE HISTORY DRAWS NEAR A PERIOD.
  71. 71CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN — THE LONGEST AND THE LAST.

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The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom

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