ABSTRACT
Hobbessawself-interestasthegoverningfactofhumanpsychology,andif everafictionalworldreflectedthisbeliefitwasthatofHenryFielding,and toasignificantextentthatofhissisterSarah,too.Fielding'sfearofacollapseintoanarchy(thesecondJacobiterebellionconstitutinghisversionof the'disordersofthepresenttimes')underpinshisfictionalmasterpiece TomJones,which,forallitshumour,mightbedescribedasacaseof Hobbesrestated.Whileitmaybetrue,asC.J.Rawsonpointsout,that Fielding'mainlydislikedHobbes',thatsamecriticalsoremindsusthat '[i]deasofthenaturaldepravityofmanwerecertainlyinwidecirculation' intheperiod,anditisthisgeneraldiscoursetowhichFieldingis responding:adiscourseinwhichHobbesiantheorieshavelongsincebeen assimilated.1Itisaworldteeteringonthebrinkofanarchyformuchofthe time,and,asFieldingperceivesit,cryingoutforthekindofmoral leadershipthatTom,afterhisapprenticeshipinthewaysofthatworld,is equippedtoprovide;theherohaving'acquiredadiscretionandprudence veryuncommoninoneofhislivelyparts'bythenarrative'sconclusion.2
Suchdiscretionandprudencestandoutinanationcurrentlyexperiencing thebizarreproblemofaProtestant-supportedrebellioninfavourofa Catholicpretender,aneventwhichsumsuptheirrationalityofhumankind atlargefortheauthor.3Tom'sinnategoodnature,forallhisvarious characterlapsesasayoungman,isseentobeinfinitelypreferabletothe graspingandcunningnaturethatprevailsamongsthisfellows.Johnson's objectiontoBoswell'sclaimthatFieldingprovidesuswithlife-like characters,'Why,Sir,itisofverylowlife',missesthepointthat,asfaras Fieldingisconcerned,lowmoralstandardsarethenorminhissocietyand itwouldbefoolishtopretendotherwise.4Herewemustpartcompanywith MartinC.Battestin'sviewthat'Fieldingtookapredominantlyoptimistic viewofhumannature'.5
