Tom Jones Book 2, Chapter 8 Summary

A Receipt to Regain the Lost Affections of a Wife, Which Hath Never Been Known to Fail in the Most Desperate Cases

  • Since Captain Blifil hates both his wife and Squire Allworthy, his happiest times are when he is alone.
  • He likes to go for walks and dream about what he will do with Squire Allworthy's money once the squire dies.
  • But in the middle of one of these long fantasies about Squire Allworthy's money, it's Captain Blifil who suddenly dies.
  • (He dies of "apoplexy," which is an old school term for a stroke.)
  • So all of Captain Blifil's (hateful) dreams have been for nothing.
  • He forgot to remember that luck is a factor in all plans.