Follows the fortunes of Tom, a foundling brought up by the kindly squire Allworthy. Despite a good and generous heart, Tom's naive inability to resist a pretty face leads to his downfall and he is banished from the Squire's house. But when the girl he really loves, Sophia, runs away to escape from her arranged marriage to his rival, the despicable Blifil, Tom pursues her to London, embarking on a series of riotous and frequently amorous adventures involving a wonderfully rich gallery of characters. Not so much a rake's progress as the exploits of an innocent abroad, it is a splendidly funny and often touching odyssey in which good ultimately triumphs over the corruption of human spirit.