The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling – Henry Fielding by Henry Fielding

"It is much easier to make good men wise, than to make bad men good."

Tom Jones is a good-natured but reckless young man foundling raised by the wealthy Squire Allworthy. Expelled from paradise due to his own indiscretions and the plotting of his hypocritical rival Blifil, Tom wanders the English countryside. He encounters a panoramic cast of characters, gets into brawls and amorous scrapes, all while trying to win the hand of his true love, Sophia Western.

Fielding's comic masterpiece is a landmark of the English novel. It is celebrated for its elaborate plot, its benevolent irony, and its zest for life, offering a rich satire of 18th-century society.