Henry Fielding – Tom Jones

D Dowling, Blifil, and Allworthy

Dowling does not reappear until the end of Book 17, chapter seven.

Fielding reveals that Dowling has become:²⁷⁸

… a great favourite with Mr Blifil, and whom Mr Allworthy, at the desire of his nephew, had made his steward; and had likewise recommended him to Mr Western from whom [Dowling] had received a promise of being promoted [to steward] upon the first vacancy; and in the meantime, was … transacting some affairs which the squire then had in London.

The adage, “keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer”, springs to mind. The writer concludes that after his meeting with Tom at the Coventry road inn, Dowling confronts Blifil with the evidence he is concealing the truth concerning Tom’s parentage, while conspiring to alienate Tom and Allworthy. A reasonable inference is that Dowling was (is) blackmailing Blifil, explicitly or implicitly. Blifil rewards Dowling’s silence by ingratiating him with Allworthy and Western; this forms part (at least) of the promises Blifil makes “to [induce] him to secrecy”.²⁷⁹

²⁷⁷ Ibid, 544.

²⁷⁸ Ibid, 752.
²⁷⁹ Ibid, 794.
Dowling appears briefly in Book 18, chapter three,²⁸⁰ where Mrs Miller recognises him as the lawyer seen interviewing witnesses to Tom’s duel with Fitzpatrick.²⁸¹ The exchange that follows indicates the importance of considering evidence in context. Mrs Miller does not question Dowling’s motives when he urges the witnesses to tell the truth as she believes Allworthy sent Dowling to intercede on Tom’s behalf. However, the revelation that Blifil instructed Dowling causes her to have second thoughts.²⁸² Blifil convinces Allworthy that he told Dowling to “soften” the witnesses’ evidence. He receives support from Nightingale who says: “[This] is the light in which it appeared to me from the gentleman’s [Dowling’s] behaviour.”²⁸³ But as previously noted, Fielding warns against judging a person’s character from her or his actions (or her or his words). What Dowling does not say reveals more about his character and his motives as Mrs Waters’ account of their meeting demonstrates.

Dowling, acting on Blifil’s instructions, approaches “Mrs Fitzpatrick”, offering to pay for Tom’s prosecution for murder, but Dowling mistakes Mrs Waters for Mrs Fitzpatrick. He does not identify himself or his principal, the “very worthy gentleman … well apprized with [the] villain [Tom].²⁸⁴ Mrs Waters, too, infers that Dowling acts for Allworthy, but only after Partridge informs her who Dowling is.²⁸⁵ Why does Dowling conceal his and Blifil’s identities? The logical explanation involves “… the deepest and blackest villainy”.²⁸⁶ Dowling conceals his (and Blifil’s) part in Tom’s downfall in order to protect his sinecure with Allworthy – and the prospect of further rewards from Western. However, confronted with evidence of his involvement, Dowling attempts to recover the situation by asserting that he was acting on Blifil’s instructions.²⁸⁷ Again, what Dowling does not say reveals the true extent of his villainy.

Part V C above notes how Dowling “[conveyed] a lie in the words of the truth”.²⁸⁸ Fielding goes further, finally laying bare Dowling’s motivation, both for his prior actions and for disclosing Blifil’s role in Tom’s downfall:²⁸⁹

²⁸⁰ Ibid, 771.

²⁸¹ Ibid, 777.
²⁸² Ibid, 777–78.
²⁸³ Ibid, 778.
²⁸⁴ Ibid, 787–88.
²⁸⁵ Ibid, 788.
²⁸⁶ Ibid.
²⁸⁷ Ibid, 792.
²⁸⁸ Ibid, 793.
²⁸⁹ Ibid, 794.
… he very plainly saw he should not be able to keep them, he thought proper now to make this confession, which the promises of forgiveness, joined to the threats, … extorted from him, … besides [he was] taken unawares, and had no time to consider of evasions.

The “them” Dowling cannot keep are the “promises Blifil had made” to secure his silence.²⁹⁰ Dowling, the blackmailer, knows Blifil’s villainy has been exposed. Blifil can only keep his promises (“pay the blackmailer”) as long as he enjoys Allworthy’s confidence. Fielding implies that had Dowling had been forewarned, he may yet have tried to conceal the true extent of his involvement. But the evidence is overwhelming and Dowling knows that the case is lost. His only alternative is to attempt a plea in mitigation. Allworthy reinforces his failure as a judge (and as a judge of character) when he declares himself “well satisfied with this [plea] … .”²⁹¹

7.