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Unit 4: Joseph Andrews-III: Detailed Study of the Text

a public school and became “the finest Gentleman in all the Neighborhood.” No amount or Notes
kind of training will alter a person’s basic nature, argues Joseph: “[I]f a Boy be of a mischievous
wicked Inclination, no School, though’ ever so private, will ever make him good; on the
contrary, if he be of a righteous Temper, you may trust him to London, or wherever else you
please, he will be in no danger of being corrupted.” Mr. Adams continues to argue rather
petulantly for the superiority of private education, and Fielding attributes his zeal in this
cause to something that might be called vanity: “He thought a Schoolmaster the greatest
Character in the World, and himself the greatest of all Schoolmasters.”
Around noon they rest in a beautiful spot and unpack the provisions Mrs. Wilson gave them.
Among the food and wine they discover a gold piece, which Wilson evidently intended should
prevent their getting trapped in any more inns along their way. Mr. Adams, however, plans
to repay Mr. Wilson when the latter passes through Adams’s parish within the week.

Chapter VI

Joseph discourses on the virtue of charity, which he says contributes infinitely more to a man’s
honor than does the acquisition of money or fine articles. In viewing an expensive painting,
for example, no one bears in mind the painting’s owner; when, by contrast, people discuss a
good deed such as redeeming a debtor from prison, they always emphasize the author of the
deed. Moreover, people often disparage others’ possessions out of envy, but “I defy the wisest
Man in the World to turn a true good Action into Ridicule.” Eventually Joseph looks up to see
Mr. Adams asleep and accordingly turns to canoodling with Fanny, albeit in a manner “consistent
with the purest Innocence and Decency.” Soon they hear a pack of hounds approaching, and
a hare, the dogs’ quarry, appears beside them. Fanny wants to catch the hare and protect it,
but the hare does not recognize her as an ally and goes on its way. Soon the hounds catch it
and tear it “to pieces before Fanny’s face, which was unable to assist it with any Aid more
powerful than Pity.” The capture happens to occur within two yards of Mr. Adams, with the
result that some of the dogs end up attacking the clergyman’s clothes and wig. Mr. Adams
awakes and flees before the dogs can taste his flesh, but the Master of the Pack sends the dogs
after him. Joseph, seeing his companion in distress, takes up his cudgel, an heirloom which
Fielding describes minutely in a mock-heroic passage, and hastens, “swift of foot,” to Adams’s
assistance. Fielding declines to characterize Joseph with an epic simile because no simile could
be adequate to “the Idea of Friendship, Courage, Youth, Beauty, Strength, and Swiftness; all
which blazed in the Person of Joseph Andrews.”

The hounds catch up with Mr. Adams, and Joseph beats them off one at a time until the
Squire, whom Fielding calls a “Hunter of Men,” finally calls them off. Fielding acknowledges
the humorously elevated diction in which he has related this incident when he concludes:
“Thus far the Muse hath with her usual Dignity related this prodigious Battle, a Battle we
apprehend never equalled by any Poet, Romance or Life-writer whatever, and having brought
it into a Conclusion she ceased; we shall therefore proceed in our ordinary Style with the
Continuation of this History.” The hunters, formerly amused by the spectacle of Joseph and
Mr. Adams contending with the hounds, now begin to worry about the injuries the hounds
have sustained in the combat. The Hunter of Men demands what Joseph meant by assaulting
the dogs. Joseph defends his actions, but all arguments cease when Fanny approaches and
staggers the hunters with her beauty. Soon it becomes apparent that only two dogs have
sustained mortal wounds, so the hunters’ anger subsides and the Hunter of Men invites the
travelers to dinner.

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