Henry Fielding

When Lady Booby s ever virtuous servant Joseph rejects her determined advances, she dismisses him. He then embarks on a search for his beloved, the pristine Fanny Goodwill. He is accompanied by his friend and guide, the hapless Parson Adams, and after Joseph reunites with Fanny, the three embark on a series of adventures. But they soon find that their dearly held scruples come into conflict with the various people thieves, lovers, judges, self-professed Christians they meet on the way. Written in avowed imitation of the great picaresque novel Don Quixote, Joseph Andrews uses clever characterization to pit the wholesomeness of life in the country against the hypocrisy of the city. Quick-witted and thoroughly entertaining, this novel both volumes of which are included in this edition is regarded as one of the earliest masterpieces of the genre.