Ferdinand Count Fathom, the subject of the ensuing sheets, was the son of a man who, by his vices and miscarriages, had rendered himself obscure; and his mother, a woman of good family, whose reputation had suffered from a too early attachment to the ruin of her own fortune, was in a very different situation from that which her birth and education seemed to promise.

She had been educated in a convent, where she imbibed all the dictates of piety and decorum; but her introduction into the great world, the true school of corruption, soon produced a signal alteration in her conduct. A flattering exterior, and a mind perhaps too susceptible of impression, exposed her to the addresses of a gentleman whose appearance promised every thing but protection. He was a man of acknowledged gallantry, though his acquaintance with the world had taught him to consider matrimony as a fortress to be besieged, but never taken. He succeeded in his amorous enterprise, and the consequence was a private marriage, which the lady, for obvious reasons, concealed from her relations.

After some time spent in a state of fluctuating happiness, her husband, whose extravagance had anticipated his fortune, finding himself reduced to the necessity of seeking supplies from the public, embarked in a scheme of privateering, and sailed to the East Indies, with a commission that authorized him to act as an enemy to the French. He left his wife in a decent lodging, with a small provision, and a promise of a speedy return with a fortune adequate to repair all her past misfortunes.

Whether he was shipwrecked, or taken by the enemy, or fell by some other accident common to his profession, we cannot precisely say; but his wife never heard any more of him. The remittances, which for a short time followed him, failing, and her slender funds being nearly exhausted, she was obliged to retire to a much humbler habitation in the skirts of London, where, in the greatest privacy, Ferdinand Count Fathom, the hero of our history, was brought into the world.

CHAPTER TWO. A superficial View of our Hero’s Infancy

The lady, whose name we shall for the present conceal, that we may afford her time to make some amends for her imprudence, supported herself and her child by the most laudable industry, and endeavoured to instil into the infant mind of Ferdinand the principles of virtue and economy. She possessed a good understanding, which, joined with her natural sagacity, enabled her to struggle with adversity, and to keep her misfortunes from the eyes of the world.

She performed the office of an instructress to the children of some reduced families in her neighbourhood, and her frugality was such that she was able to maintain a decent appearance, and even to save a little money, which she carefully laid up for the future establishment of her son.

Ferdinand, from his earliest infancy, exhibited a surprising quickness of apprehension. He was far from being the child of excessive fondness; he learned to reason before he could properly articulate, and seemed to possess a natural penetration that surveyed every object with a keen and inquisitive eye. He was not remarkable for the sweetness of his disposition; he was rather inclined to be pensive and reserved, and discovered a certain haughtiness of aspect which seemed ill-suited to the humility of his circumstances.

When he was about five years of age, his mother, finding her health sensibly declining, redoubled her endeavours to cultivate his understanding, well knowing that a strong mind would be his best inheritance. She taught him the French and Italian languages, and instructed him in the rudiments of history and geography. She was particularly careful in explaining the connections between the different parts of the world, and the means by which men acquire power and influence in society.

CHAPTER THREE. He is initiated in a Military Life, and has the good Fortune to acquire a generous Patron

The mother of Fathom, sensible of the decay of her constitution, and haunted by the fear of leaving her son entirely destitute, conceived a project which, in her situation, might be deemed rash, but which sprang from the purest maternal affection. She resolved to present him to a person of distinction, with whom she had once been remotely acquainted, in hopes that his fortunes might be improved by a powerful patronage.

This gentleman was a travelling officer of high rank, who happened to be in London on a temporary leave of absence. He possessed a heart, if not entirely free from the vices of his profession, yet susceptible of honour and generosity.

She contrived an interview, presented her son, and, with a modest eloquence, related a carefully edited version of her history, omitting the unfortunate attachment, and attributing her present situation to the sudden death of a distant relative whose estate had been contested. She spoke of Ferdinand’s promising genius, his gentle manners, and his uncommon capacity for learning, concluding with an earnest entreaty that he might be admitted into some situation where his talents might be useful.

The officer, struck by the boy’s intelligent eyes and composed demeanour, was favorably impressed. He examined Ferdinand, who answered his questions with a precision that astonished him. The officer, whose name was Sir, made some discreet inquiries into the lady’s character, which confirmed her reputation for virtue in her present circumstances. Pleased with the boy, and moved by the mother’s distress, he promised to take Ferdinand under his protection. He procured him a place as a cadet in a regiment then quartered in Flanders, providing him with a respectable outfit and a letter of recommendation to his lieutenant-colonel.

The parting between mother and son was affecting. The lady, summoning all her remaining strength, pressed him to her breast, and exhorted him to remember the lessons she had taught him, cautioning him against the vices of the camp, and charging him to behave with courage and integrity. Ferdinand, though young, understood the gravity of the occasion, and promised everything she desired, perhaps more from a desire to soothe her anxiety than from any deep comprehension of the duties he undertook.

Within a fortnight of this interview, the mother expired, having only received assurance of her son’s safe arrival in the Low Countries, where he was immediately incorporated into the regiment.

You can download, read online, find more details of this full eBook The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom — Complete by T. Smollett from

And convert it to the AudioBook with any voice you like in our AI Voice AudioBook app.

Reddit • TikTok • Facebook • X (Twitter)

Free eBook, AI Voice, AudioBook: The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom — Complete by T. Smollett

Listen to the AudioBook: The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom — Complete by T. Smollett