Containing Two Defiances to the Critics
- As soon as Squire Allworthy gets better, he and Squire Western schedule a dinner.
- Sophia believes that Mrs. Western has guessed that she is in love with Tom.
- So she decides to use this dinner as a chance to prove that she absolutely is not.
- Sophia spends the whole evening talking to Mr. Blifil and ignoring Tom.
- Watching Sophia at dinner, Squire Western decides that she has to be in love with Mr. Blifil.
- He pulls Squire Allworthy aside and proposes a match between the two.
- Squire Allworthy agrees that, if Sophia and Mr. Blifil love each other, he would be happy with the match.
- Squire Western is disappointed that Squire Allworthy doesn't just say, "Yes! We'll marry them right this very second!"
- In fact, some critics may think that it seems stupid of Squire Western not to force the marriage through right away.
- After all, the marriage would secure both Sophia and his nephew's fortunes.
- But the narrator reminds us that true wisdom isn't just seizing an opportunity when it comes by.
- For Squire Allworthy, the cost of forcing his nephew into a marriage is not worth the chance of making a ton of money.