portment to me, in my days of trial, as one devoted to perdition; as one who had no regard to a future state; but while she could live in ease and plenty for a poor remainder of years, cared not what she did, and was ready to undertake any thing which persons of power and riches would put her upon; and who, were she to be turned off disgracefully, at my desire, besides that I should thereby shew myself to be of an implacable spirit, might have been entertained by some profligate persons, to whose baseness such a woman might be useful; and that then her power to do mischief would have been augmented, and she would have gone on more successfully to do the devil's work, and several innocent creatures might have been entangled, like so many thoughtless flies, in the ensnaring web of this venomous-hearted spider, which Ï had so happily escaped. Is it not better then, thought I, if I can imprint conviction upon the poor wretch, whom its hopeful forerunner, shame, had already taken hold of, and add the delightful hope of mischiefs prevented, to that of a soul reclaimed? And may not I, who have been so hardly used by her, for that very reason, have more influence upon her than any other person, even the best of divines, could have?

Nay, would not this behaviour of mine very probably operate on a much higher and nobler subject, her dear naughty master, and let him see the force and amiableness of conquering one's self? that there must be something in that duty, which could make so young a creature regard it, in an instance so difficult to some minds, (and especially to the passionate and high-born,) that of forgiving injuries, where there is a power to revenge, and of returning good for evil.

And then, when no sullen behaviour to the poor wretch, on my side took place; no distant airs were affected, no angry brow put on, nor sharpness of speech used, towards one who might expect all these from me; would it not shew him, that I was sincere in my forgiveness? That I was not able to bear malice? Was a stranger to revenge? Had truly that softness of nature, and placableness of disposition, which he holds to be the greatest merit in our sex; and which, I dare say your ladyship will join with me in opinion, is indispensably necessary to the happy life of the person who is his wife?

Then I have no notion of that slight distinction I have so often heard between forgive and forget, when persons have a mind to split hairs, and to distinguish away their Christian duties by a word, and say, I must forgive such an action, but I will never forget it: when I would rather say, I will remember such an action, in order for my future guard; but I will forgive it as often as I remember it; or else I will try to forget it for ever, if it will occasion a breach in my Christian charity.

I will only add, That I thought it would not be wrong to keep her, as, besides what I have

mentioned, it would induce the world to think, that Mr B had not gone such very wicked lengths, as might have been imagined, if she had not been supportable to me in the same house? And who knows, moreover, what she might have reported of both, had she been dismissed?

How then, dearest ladies, if these considerations have any weight, could I act otherwise than I did, either with respect to your honoured brother, myself, or the poor woman? And when I tell your ladyships, that I have all the reason in the world to be pleased with this manner of acting, when I consider the confidence it hath given me with Mr B, and (what I was very desirous of) the good effects it hath had upon the woman herself, I dare say, both your ladyships' opinions will be in my favour on this head.

But your dear brother has just sent me word, that supper waits for me; and the post being ready to go off, I defer, till the next opportunity, what I have to say as to these good effects; and am, in the meantime,

Your ladyship's most obliged
And faithful servant,
P. B-

MY DEAR LADY,

I WILL now acquaint you with the good effects my behaviour to Mrs Jewkes has had upon her, as a further justification of my conduct towards the poor woman.

That she began to be affected as I wished, appeared to me, before I left the Hall, not only in the conversations I had with her after my hap piness was completed; but in her general demeanour also to the servants, to the neighbours, and in her devout behaviour at church: and this still further appears by a letter I have received from Miss Darnford. I dare say your ladyship will be pleased with the perusal of the whole letter, although a part of it would answer my present design: and in confidence that you will excuse, for the sake of its other beauties, the high and undeserved praises which she so lavishly bestows upon me, I will transcribe it all.

MISS DARNFORD, TO MRS B.

"MY DEAR NEIGHBOUR THAT WAS, "I MUST depend upon your known goodness, to excuse me for not writing before now, in answer to your letter of compliment to us, for the civilities and favours, as you call them, which you received from us in Lincolnshire, where we were infinitely more obliged to you, than you to us.

"The truth is, my papa has been much dis

ordered with a kind of rambling rheumatism, to which the physicians, learnedly speaking, give the name of Arthritica vaga, or the Flying Gout; and when he ails ever so little, (it signifies nothing concealing his infirmities, where they are so well known, and when he cares not who knows them,) he is so peevish, and wants so much attendance, that my mamma, and her two girls, (one of which is as waspish as her papa; you may be sure I don't mean myself,) have much ado to make his worship keep the peace: and I being his favourite, when he is indisposed, because I have most patience, if I may give myself a good word, he calls upon me continually to read to him when he is grave, which is not often indeed, and to tell him stories and sing to him, when he is merry; and so I have been employed as a principal person about him, till I have frequently become sad, to make him cheerful, and happy when I could do it at any rate. For once, in a pet, he flung a book at my head, because I had not attended him for two hours, and he could not bear to be slighted by little bastards, (that was his word,) that were fathered upon him for his vexation! O these men! fathers or husbands much alike! the one tyrannical, the other insolent; so that, between one and t'other, a poor girl has nothing for it, but a few weeks' courtship, and perhaps a first month's bridalry, if that; and then she is as much a slave to a husband, as she was a vassal to her father-I mean, if the father be a Sir Simon Darnford, and the spouse a Mr B

"But I will be a little more grave; for a graver occasion calls for it, and yet an occasion that will give you real pleasure. It is the very great change that the example you have left behind you has had upon your housekeeper.

"You desired her to keep up as much regularity as she could among the servants there; and she is next to exemplary in it, so that she has every one's good word. She speaks of her lady not only with respect, but reverence; and calls it a blessed day for all the family, and particularly for herself, that you came into Lincolnshire. She reads prayers, or makes one of the servants read them, every Sunday night; and never misses being at church, morning and afternoon; and is preparing herself, by Mr Peters's advice and direction, for receiving the sacrament; which she earnestly longs to receive, and says, it will be the seal of her reformation. "Mr Peters gives us this account of her, and says she is full of contrition for her past misspent life, and is often asking him, if such and such sins can be forgiven; and among them, names her vile behaviour to her angel-lady, as she calls you.

"It seems she has written a letter to you, which passed Mr Peters's revisal, before she had the courage to send it; and prides herself have favoured her with an answer to it, which, she says, when she is dead, will be

that

you

VOL. VI.

found in a cover of black silk next her heart; for any thing from your hand, she is sure, will contribute to make her keep her good purposes; and for that reason she places it there: and when she has any bad thoughts, or is guilty of any faulty word, or passionate expression, she recollects her lady's letter, and that recovers her to a calm, and puts her again into a better frame.

"As she has written to you, 'tis possible I might have spared you the trouble of reading this account of her; but yet you will not be displeased that so free a liver and speaker should have some testimonial, besides her own assurances, to vouch for the sincerity of her refor mation.

"What a happy lady are you, that persuasion dwells upon your tongue, and reformation follows your example! We all hear continually of your excellencies. Every body is proud of speaking of you, and of having something to say of what they observe in you. This makes us long more and more to see you here again. My papa t'other day said, He wished you'd undertake him.

"This is not the least of what is admirable in you, that professed rakes and libertines, who take upon themselves to ridicule seriousness in every body else, speak of you with reverence; and while they attribute pharisaical pride, or affectation, or hypocrisy, to other good persons, they say, You are a credit to religion, and That adorns you, and you That.

Happy, thrice happy Mrs B-! May you long live the ornament of your sex, and a credit to all your acquaintance! Such examples as you set, how are they wanted in an age so depraved! I fear not making you proud, since praise but puts the worthy upon enlarging their deservings: for who, as I heard you once say, can sit down easy under imputed commenda tions they do not deserve? If they will not disclaim the praise they have not merited, when applied to their conduct, they give an earnest, by receiving it, that they will endeavour to do it, and ought never to rest till they have made themselves a title to it.

"Happy Mr B-! But why say I so? since, with more propriety, I may say, Happy every one who sees, who knows, who converses with Mrs B- not more the glory of the humble cot, than the ornament of the stately palace!

"If you knew how I love you, you would favour me with your presence and conversation, if it was in your own power to do so; and then I would rank myself among the happies, and call myself

"The happy POLLY DARNFORD."

Your ladyship will, as I said, forgive me what may appear like vanity in this communication. Miss Darnford is a charming young

R

lady. I always admired her; but her letters are the sweetest, kindest! But I am too much the subject of her encomiums, and so will say no more; but add here a copy of the poor woman's letter to me; and your ladyship will see what an ample correspondence you have opened to yourself, if you go on to encounter it.

"HONOURED MADAM,

"I have been long labouring under two difficulties; the desire I had to write to you, and the fear of being thought presumptuous, if I did. But I will depend on your goodness so often tried; and put pen to paper, in that very closet, and on that very desk, which once were so much used by your dear self, when I was acting a part that now cuts me to the heart to think of. But you forgave me, madam, and shewed me you had too much goodness to revoke your forgiveness. And could I have silenced the reproaches of my own heart, I should have had no cause to think I had ever offended.

"But, oh! madam, how has your goodness to me, which once filled me with so much gladness, now, on reflection, made me sorrowful, and at times miserable-To think I should act so barbarously as I did, by so much sweetness, and so much forgiveness! Every place that I remember to have used you hardly in, how does it now fill me with sadness, and makes me often smite my breast, and sit down with tears and groans, bemoaning my vile actions, and my hard heart! How many places are there in this melancholy fine house, that call one thing or other to my remembrance, that give me remorse! But the pond and the woodhouse, whence I dragged you so mercilessly, after I had driven you to despair almost, what thoughts do they bring to my remembrance! Then my wicked instigations-What an odious wretch

was I !

"Had his honour been as abandoned as myself, what virtue had been destroyed between his orders, and my too rigorous execution of them; nay, stretching them, to shew my wicked zeal, to serve a master, whom, though I honoured, I should not (as you more than once hinted to me, but with no effect at all, so resolutely wicked was my heart) have so well obeyed in his unlawful commands.

"His honour has made you amends, has done justice to your merits, and so atoned for his fault. But as for me, it is out of my power ever to make reparation. All that is left me, is to let your ladyship see, that your pious example has made such an impression upon me, that I am miserable now in the reflection upon my past guilt.

"You have forgiven me, and God will, I hope; for the creature cannot be more merciful than the Creator; that is all my hope!-Yet,

sometimes I dread that I am forgiven here, at least not punished, in order to be punished the more hereafter! What then will become of the unhappy wretch, that has thus lived in a state of sin, and had so qualified herself by a course of wickedness, as to be thought a proper instrument for the worst purposes that any one could be employed in.

"Good your ladyship, let not my honoured master see this letter. He will think I have the boldness to reflect upon him; when, God knows my heart, I only write to condemn myself, and my unwomanly actions, as you were pleased often most justly to call them.

"But I might go on thus for ever accusing myself, not considering whom I am writing to; and whose precious time I am taking up. But what I chiefly write for, I am not come to yet; that is, to beg your ladyship's prayers for me. For, oh, madam, I fear I shall else be for ever miserable! We every week hear of the good you do, and the charity you extend to the bodies of the miserable. Extend, I beseech you, good madam, to the unhappy Jewkes, the mercy of your prayers, and tell me if you think I have not sinned beyond hope of pardon; for there is a woe denounced against the presumptuous sinner.

"Your ladyship assured me, at your departure, on the confession of my remorse for my misdoings, and my promise of amendment, that you would take it for a proof of my being in earnest, if I would endeavour to keep up a regularity among the servants here; if I would subdue them with kindness, as I had owned myself subdued; and if I would endeavour to make every one think, that the best security they could give of their doing their duty to their master in his absence, was by doing it to God Almighty, from whose all-seeing eye nothing can be hid. This, I remember, your ladyship told me, was the best test of fidelity and duty, that any servants could shew; since it was impossible, without religion, but that worldly convenience, or self-interest, must be the main tie; and so the worst actions might succeed, if servants thought they should find their sordid advantage in sacrificing their duty.

"So well am I convinced of this truth, that I hope I have begun the example to good effect; and as no one in the family was so wicked as I, it was therefore less difficult to reform them; and you will have the pleasure to know, that you have now servants here, whom you need not be ashamed to call yours.

""Tis true, I found it a little difficult at first to keep them within sight of their duty, after your ladyship departed: But when they saw I was in earnest, and used them courteously, as you advised, and as your usage of me convinced me was the rightest usage; when they were told I had your commands to acquaint you how they conformed to your injunctions, the task

became easy; and I hope we shall all be still more and more worthy of the favour of so good a lady, and so bountiful a master.

"I dare not presume upon the honour of a line to your unworthy servant. Yet it would pride me much, if I could have it. But I shall ever pray for your ladyship's and his honour's felicity, as becomes

"Your undeserving servant,

"K. JEWKES."

I have already, with these transcribed letters of Miss Darnford and Mrs Jewkes, written a great deal: But nevertheless, as there yet remains one passage in your ladyship's letter, relating to Mrs Jewkes, that seems to require an answer, I will take notice of it, if I shall not quite tire your patience.

That passage is this: "Lady Betty rightly observes, says your ladyship, that he knew what a vile woman she [Mrs Jewkes] was, when he put you into her power; and, no doubt, employed her, because he was sure she would answer all his purposes; and that, therefore, she should have had very little opinion of the sincerity of his reformation, while he was so solicitous in keeping her there.

"She would, she says, had she been in your case, have had one struggle for her dismission, let it have been taken as it would; and he that was so well pleased with your virtue, must have thought this a natural consequence of it, if he was in earnest to become virtuous himself."

But, alas! madam, he was not so well pleased with my virtue for virtue's sake, as Lady Betty thinks he was. He would have been glad, at that very time, to have found me less resolved on that score. He did not so much as pretend to any disposition to virtue. No, not he!

He had entertained, as it proved, a strong passion for me. This passion had been heightened by my resisting of it. His pride, and the advantages he had, both of person and fortune, would not let him brook control; and when he could not have me upon his own terms, God turned his evil purposes to good ones, and he resolved to submit to mine, or rather to such as he found I would not yield to him without. For, all this time, I had no terms to propose. Neither my low fortune, my unjust captivity, nor my sex, nor unexperienced youth, (not a soul near me whom I could call my friend, or whose advice I could ask,) permitted me to offer any terms to him, had I been disposed to have disputed his will, or his intercession for the woman; which, as I have said, I was not. I had but one steady purpose to adhere to, and having grace given me to adhere to that, he resolved, since he could not

⚫ See p. 165.

conquer his passion for me, to make me his with honour. But still I doubt, as I said, this was not for the love of virtue at that time. That came afterwards, and I hope will always be his governing motive, in his future actions; and then I shall be happy indeed.

But Lady Betty thinks "I was to blame to put Mrs Jewkes upon a foot, in the present I made on my nuptials, with Mrs Jervis." But the case was rather this, That I put Mrs Jervis on a foot with Mrs Jewkes; for the dear gentleman had named the sum he would have me give Mrs Jewkes,* and I would not give Mrs Jervis less, because I loved her better; nor more could I give her, on that occasion, without making such a difference between two persons equal in station, on a solemnity, too, where one was present and assisting, the other not, as would have shewn such a partiality, as might have induced their master to conclude, I was not so sincere in my forgiveness, as he hoped from me, and as I really was.

But a stronger reason still was behind; that I could, in a much more agreeable manner, both to Mrs Jervis and myself, shew my love and my gratitude to the dear good woman: and this I have taken care to do, in the manner I will submit to your ladyship; at the tribunal of whose judgment I am willing all my actions respecting your dear brother shall be tried: and I hope your ladyship will not think me a too profuse or lavish creature; I hope you won't have reason for it: yet, if you think you have, pray, my dear lady, don't spare me; for if you shall judge me profuse in one article, I will endeavour to save it in another.

But I will make what I have to say on this head the subject of a letter by itself: and am, meantime,

Your ladyship's most obliged,
And obedient servant,
P. B-

LETTER XVII.

MRS B TO LADY DAVERS.

MY DEAR LADY,

It is needful, in order to let you more intelligibly into the subject where I left off in my last, that your ladyship should know, that your generous brother has made me his almoner, as I was my late dear lady's; and has ordered Mr Longman to pay me fifty pounds quarterly, t for purposes of which he requires no account, though I have one always ready to produce; + and he has given me other sums to enable me to do all the good I can to distressed objects, at my first setting out. Thus enabled, your lady

ship knows not how many honest hearts I have made glad already, and how many more I hope to rejoice before a year is at an end, and yet keep within my limits.

Now, madam, as I knew Mrs Jervis was far from being easy in her circumstances, thinking herself obliged to pay old* debts for two extravagant children, who are both dead; and maintaining in schooling and clothes three of their children, which always keeps her bare; I took upon me one day, as she and I sat together at our needles, to say to her, (as we are always running over old stories, when we are alone,) My good Mrs Jervis, will you allow me to ask you after your own private affairs, and if you are tolerably easy in them?

You are very good, madam, said she, to concern yourself about my poor matters, so much as you have to employ your thoughts about, and so much as every moment of your time is taken up, from the hour you rise, to the time of your rest. But I can, with great pleasure, attribute it to your bounty, and that of my honoured master, that I am easier and easier every day.

But tell me, my dear Mrs Jervis, said I, how your matters particularly stand. I love to mingle concerns with my friends; and as I hide nothing from you, I hope you'll treat me with equal freedom; for I always loved you, and always will; and nothing but death shall divide our friendship.

She had tears of gratitude in her eyes; and taking off her spectacles, I cannot bear, said she, so much goodness! Oh, my lady!

Oh, my Pamela! say, replied I. How often must I chide you for calling me any thing but your Pamela, when we are alone together?

My heart, said she, will burst with your goodness! I cannot bear it!

But you must bear it, and bear still greater exercises to your grateful heart, I can tell you that. A pretty thing truly! Here I, a poor helpless girl, raised from poverty and distress, by the generosity of the best of men, only because I was young and sightly, shall put on lady-airs to a gentlewoman born, the wisdom of whose years, and her faithful services, and good management, make her a much greater merit in this family, than I can pretend to have. And return, shall I, in the day of my power, insult and haughtiness for the kindness and benevolence I received from her in that of my indigence? Indeed I won't forgive you, my dear Mrs Jervis, if I think you capable of looking upon me in any other light than as your daughter; for you have been a mother to me, when the absence of my own could not afford me the comfort and good counsel I received every day from you.

Then moving my chair nearer her, and taking her hand, and wiping, with my handkerchief in my other, her reverend cheek, Come, come, my dear second mother, said I, call me your daughter, your Pamela : I have passed many sweet hours with you under that name: and as I have but too seldom such an opportunity as this, open to me your worthy heart, and let me know, if I cannot make my second mother as easy and happy as your dear master has made my first.

She hung her head on her shoulder, and I waited till the discharge of her tears gave time for utterance to her words; provoking only her speech, by saying, You used to have three grandchildren to provide for in clothes and schooling. They are all living, I hope?

Yes, madam, they are living; and your last bounty, (twenty guineas was a great sum, and all at once!) made me very easy and very happy!

How easy, and how happy, Mrs Jervis?

Why, my dear lady, I paid five to one old creditor of my unhappy son's; five to a second; and two and a half to two others, in proportion to their respective demands; and with the other five I paid off all arrears of the poor children's schooling and maintenance; and every one is satisfied and easy; and all declare they will never do harsh things by me, if they are paid

no more.

But tell me, Mrs Jervis, what you owe in the world, put all together; and you and I will contrive, with justice to our best friend, to do all we can, to make you quite easy; for, at your time of life, I cannot bear that you shall have any thing to disturb you, which I can remove; and so, my dear Mrs Jervis, let me know all.

Come, I know your debts, (dear, just, good woman as you are!) like David's sins, are ever before you: So come, putting my hand in her pocket, let me be a friendly pickpocket: Let me take out your memorandum-book, and we will see how all matters stand, and what can be done. Come, I see you are too much moved ; your worthy heart is too much affected (pulling out her book, which she always has about her): I will go to my closet, and return presently.

So I left her to recover her spirits, and retired with the good woman's book to my closet.

Your dear brother stepping into the parlour just after I had gone out, Where's your lady, Mrs Jervis? said he.-And being told, came up to me; What ails the good woman below, my dear? said he: I hope you and she have had no words!

No, indeed, sir, answered I. If we had, I am sure it would have been my fault: but I have picked her pocket of her memorandum-book, in order to look into her private affairs, to see if I