
AMELIA - Complete
By Henry Fielding
INTRODUCTION.
DEDICATION. - To RALPH ALLEN, ESQ.
AMELIA.
VOL. I
BOOK I.
Chapter i. — Containing the exordium, &c.
Chapter ii. — The history sets out. Observations on the excellency of the English constitution and curious examinations before a justice of peace.
Chapter iii. — Containing the inside of a prison.
Amelia tells the story of a young woman of gentle disposition, raised in the bustling streets of mid‑century London. She is celebrated for her kindness and steadfastness, qualities that endear her to friends and family alike. When she marries the handsome but wayward Mr. Booth, the novel follows their early married life, exploring the promises and uncertainties that accompany a new union. Fielding paints the domestic world with vivid humor, capturing the everyday rhythms of 18th‑century society.
Booth’s flirtations and impulsive choices test Amelia’s patience, yet her quiet strength remains a steady anchor. Through witty dialogue and keen observation, the narrative examines the clash between personal desire and social expectation, while offering a compassionate portrait of a woman navigating love, duty, and the occasional scandal. Listeners will be drawn into Fielding’s lively prose, his gentle satire, and the enduring question of whether virtue can survive in a world that often rewards folly.
Language
en
Duration
~20 hours (1172K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Text file produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team HTML file produced by David Widger
Release date
2004-07-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1707–1754
Best known for lively, comic novels that helped shape the English novel, this 18th-century writer brought sharp wit, social satire, and a big-hearted feel for human nature to books like Joseph Andrews and Tom Jones. He also had a remarkable second career in public service, helping lay the groundwork for modern policing in London.
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