The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom by Tobias Smollett is a satirical novel from the mid-18th century, centered on the cunning and morally ambiguous character of Ferdinand Count Fathom. Born under mysterious circumstances and equipped with remarkable talents for deception and manipulation, Fathom navigates a world ripe for exploitation, with the narrative exploring themes of vice and virtue through his adventures and schemes.
The novel opens with an unusual introduction to Fathom, born to a mother who frequented military camps and battlegrounds, filling various roles. His mother, a fiercely adventurous figure, embodies a wild and untamed environment. As he grows, Fathom combines charisma and villainy, attracting the attention of powerful patrons and nurturing his own ambitions. His sharp wit and adaptability make him both an object of admiration and contempt, setting the stage for a complex journey through deception, ambition, and the nature of morality.

INTRODUCTION

PART I.
TO DOCTOR
CHAPTER ONE. SOME SAGE OBSERVATIONS THAT NATURALLY INTRODUCE OUR IMPORTANT HISTORY.
CHAPTER TWO. A SUPERFICIAL VIEW OF OUR HERO’S INFANCY.
CHAPTER THREE. HE IS INITIATED IN A MILITARY LIFE, AND HAS THE GOOD FORTUNE TO ACQUIRE A GENEROUS PATRON.
CHAPTER FOUR. HIS MOTHER’S PROWESS AND DEATH; TOGETHER WITH SOME INSTANCES OF HIS OWN SAGACITY.
CHAPTER FIVE. A BRIEF DETAIL OF HIS EDUCATION.
CHAPTER SIX. HE MEDITATES SCHEMES OF IMPORTANCE.
CHAPTER SEVEN. ENGAGES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A FEMALE ASSOCIATE, IN ORDER TO PUT HIS TALENTS IN ACTION.
CHAPTER EIGHT. THEIR FIRST ATTEMPT; WITH A DIGRESSION WHICH SOME READERS MAY THINK IMPERTINENT.
CHAPTER NINE. THE CONFEDERATES CHANGE THEIR BATTERY, AND ACHIEVE A REMARKABLE ADVENTURE.
CHAPTER TEN. THEY PROCEED TO LEVY CONTRIBUTIONS WITH GREAT SUCCESS, UNTIL OUR HERO SETS OUT WITH THE YOUNG COUNT FOR VIENNA, WHERE HE ENTERS INTO LEAGUE WITH ANOTHER ADVENTURER.
CHAPTER ELEVEN. FATHOM MAKES VARIOUS EFFORTS IN THE WORLD OF GALLANTRY.
CHAPTER TWELVE. HE EFFECTS A LODGMENT IN THE HOUSE OF A RICH JEWELLER.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN. HE IS EXPOSED TO A MOST PERILOUS INCIDENT IN THE COURSE OF HIS INTRIGUE WITH THE DAUGHTER.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN. HE IS REDUCED TO A DREADFUL DILEMMA, IN CONSEQUENCE OF AN ASSIGNATION WITH THE WIFE.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN. BUT AT LENGTH SUCCEEDS IN HIS ATTEMPT UPON BOTH.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN. HIS SUCCESS BEGETS A BLIND SECURITY, BY WHICH HE IS ONCE AGAIN WELL-NIGH ENTRAPPED IN HIS DULCINEA’S APARTMENT.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. THE STEP-DAME’S SUSPICIONS BEING AWAKENED, SHE LAYS A SNARE FOR OUR ADVENTURER, FROM WHICH HE IS DELIVERED BY THE INTERPOSITION OF HIS GOOD GENIUS.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. OUR HERO DEPARTS FROM VIENNA, AND QUITS THE DOMAIN OF VENUS FOR THE ROUGH FIELD OF MARS.
CHAPTER NINETEEN. HE PUTS HIMSELF UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF HIS ASSOCIATE, AND STUMBLES UPON THE FRENCH CAMP, WHERE HE FINISHES HIS MILITARY CAREER.
CHAPTER TWENTY. HE PREPARES A STRATAGEM BUT FINDS HIMSELF COUNTERMINED?PROCEEDS ON HIS JOURNEY, AND IS OVERTAKEN BY A TERRIBLE TEMPEST.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE. HE FALLS UPON SCYLLA, SEEKING TO AVOID CHARYBDIS.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO. HE ARRIVES AT PARIS, AND IS PLEASED WITH HIS RECEPTION.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE. ACQUITS HIMSELF WITH ADDRESS IN A NOCTURNAL RIOT.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR. HE OVERLOOKS THE ADVANCES OF HIS FRIENDS, AND SMARTS SEVERELY FOR HIS NEGLECT.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE. HE BEARS HIS FATE LIKE A PHILOSOPHER; AND CONTRACTS ACQUAINTANCE WITH A VERY REMARKABLE PERSONAGE.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX. THE HISTORY OF THE NOBLE CASTILIAN.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN. A FLAGRANT INSTANCE OF FATHOM’S VIRTUE, IN THE MANNER OF HIS RETREAT TO ENGLAND.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT. SOME ACCOUNT OF HIS FELLOW-TRAVELLERS.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE. ANOTHER PROVIDENTIAL DELIVERANCE FROM THE EFFECTS OF THE SMUGGLER’S INGENIOUS CONJECTURE.
CHAPTER THIRTY. THE SINGULAR MANNER OF FATHOM’S ATTACK AND TRIUMPH OVER THE VIRTUE OF THE FAIR ELENOR.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE. HE BY ACCIDENT ENCOUNTERS HIS OLD FRIEND, WITH WHOM HE HOLDS A CONFERENCE, AND RENEWS A TREATY.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO. HE APPEARS IN THE GREAT WORLD WITH UNIVERSAL APPLAUSE AND ADMIRATION.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE. HE ATTRACTS THE ENVY AND ILL OFFICES OF THE MINOR KNIGHTS OF HIS OWN ORDER, OVER WHOM HE OBTAINS A COMPLETE VICTORY.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR. HE PERFORMS ANOTHER EXPLOIT, THAT CONVEYS A TRUE IDEA OF HIS GRATITUDE AND HONOUR.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE. HE REPAIRS TO BRISTOL SPRING, WHERE HE REIGNS PARAMOUNT DURING THE WHOLE SEASON.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX. HE IS SMITTEN WITH THE CHARMS OF A FEMALE ADVENTURER, WHOSE ALLUREMENTS SUBJECT HIM TO A NEW VICISSITUDE OF FORTUNE.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN. FRESH CAUSE FOR EXERTING HIS EQUANIMITY AND FORTITUDE.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT.THE BITER IS BIT.

PART II.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE. OUR ADVENTURER IS MADE ACQUAINTED WITH A NEW SCENE OF LIFE.
CHAPTER FORTY. HE CONTEMPLATES MAJESTY AND ITS SATELLITES IN ECLIPSE.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE. ONE QUARREL IS COMPROMISED, AND ANOTHER DECIDED BY UNUSUAL ARMS.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO. AN UNEXPECTED RENCONTRE, AND A HAPPY REVOLUTION IN THE AFFAIRS OF OUR ADVENTURER.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE. FATHOM JUSTIFIES THE PROVERB, “WHAT’S BRED IN THE BONE WILL NEVER COME OUT OF THE FLESH.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR. ANECDOTES OF POVERTY, AND EXPERIMENTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE. RENALDO’S DISTRESS DEEPENS, AND FATHOM’S PLOT THICKENS.
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX. OUR ADVENTURER BECOMES ABSOLUTE IN HIS POWER OVER THE PASSIONS OF HIS FRIEND, AND EFFECTS ONE HALF OF HIS AIM.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN. THE ART OF BORROWING FURTHER EXPLAINED, AND AN ACCOUNT OF A STRANGE PHENOMENON.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT. COUNT FATHOM UNMASKS HIS BATTERY; IS REPULSED; AND VARIES HIS OPERATIONS WITHOUT EFFECT.
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE. MONIMIA’S HONOUR IS PROTECTED BY THE INTERPOSITION OF HEAVEN.
CHAPTER FIFTY. FATHOM SHIFTS THE SCENE, AND APPEARS IN A NEW CHARACTER.
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE. TRIUMPHS OVER A MEDICAL RIVAL.
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO. REPAIRS TO THE METROPOLIS, AND ENROLS HIMSELF AMONG THE SONS OF PAEAN.
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE. ACQUIRES EMPLOYMENT IN CONSEQUENCE OF A LUCKY MISCARRIAGE.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR. HIS ECLIPSE, AND GRADUAL DECLINATION.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE. AFTER DIVERS UNSUCCESSFUL EFFORTS, HE HAS RECOURSE TO THE MATRIMONIAL NOOSE.
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX. IN WHICH HIS FORTUNE IS EFFECTUALLY STRANGLED.
CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN. FATHOM BEING SAFELY HOUSED, THE READER IS ENTERTAINED WITH A RETROSPECT.
CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT. RENALDO ABRIDGES THE PROCEEDINGS AT LAW, AND APPROVES HIMSELF THE SON OF HIS FATHER.
CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE. HE IS THE MESSENGER OF HAPPINESS TO HIS SISTER, WHO REMOVES THE FILM WHICH HAD LONG OBSTRUCTED HIS PENETRATION, WITH REGARD TO COUNT FATHOM.
CHAPTER SIXTY. HE RECOMPENSES THE ATTACHMENT OF HIS FRIEND; AND RECEIVES A LETTER THAT REDUCES HIM TO THE VERGE OF DEATH AND DISTRACTION.
CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE. RENALDO MEETS WITH A LIVING MONUMENT OF JUSTICE, AND ENCOUNTERS A PERSONAGE OF SOME NOTE IN THESE MEMOIRS.
CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO. HIS RETURN TO ENGLAND, AND MIDNIGHT PILGRIMAGE TO MONIMIA’S TOMB.
CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE. HE RENEWS THE RITES OF SORROW, AND IS ENTRANCED.
CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR. THE MYSTERY UNFOLDED?ANOTHER RECOGNITION, WHICH, IT IS TO BE HOPED, THE READER COULD NOT FORESEE.
CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE. A RETROSPECTIVE LINK, NECESSARY FOR THE CONCATENATION OF THESE MEMOIRS.
CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX. THE HISTORY DRAWS NEAR A PERIOD.
CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN. THE LONGEST AND THE LAST.