derers, treacherous murderers, in cold blood; and how did all their hearts burn with sordid and unbrotherly envy against their father's favourite son!

"Then it requires but the more care in finding out a wholesome woman, who has an honest and good-natured husband; and, let me tell you, Pamela, that the best natures, and the best constitutions, (though your case is an exception,) are not always to be met with in high-life; and the less, perhaps, because they don't exercise themselves as the patriarchal nurses you hinted at, used to do. Indeed I have seen spirits in some of the high-born of your sex, that one would not wish to be propagated; but, contrarily, (if there be so much in the nature of the nourishment,) I should think it matter of prudence, that the child should have any other nurse than its mother.

"As to the nurse's private vices, with regard to liquors, distempers, &c. this will be answered, by what I have hinted, of the greater care to be taken in the choice of the nurse. And I am so well pleased with your apprehensions of this nature, that it is a moral security to me, that you will make a proper choice; and I shall be entirely easy, in committing this province to so prudent and discreet a wife.

"I allow, that there is a great deal in what you say, as to the pitchy substance in new-born children; and I think it very proper that the child should have the first milk; but cannot such a nurse be found, as may answer this intention? If she cannot, I will, provided you deal by me with your usual sincerity, and not make scruples against a recommendation, on purpose to carry your own point, permit you to be your own nurse for one month, or so, if, by the opinion of proper judges, it be found necessary. But then, as I know the pretty wiredrawing ways of your sex, you must not so much as ask to go farther; for I shall not care to have my rest disturbed; and it may not be quite so well, perhaps, to lay us under the necessity of separate beds.

"Besides, my fondness for your personal graces, and the laudable, and, I will say, honest pleasure, I take in that easy, genteel form, which every body admires in you, at first sight, oblige me to declare, that I can by no means consent to sacrifice these to the carelessness into which I have seen very nice ladies sink, when they became nurses. Moreover, my chief delight in you is for the beauties of your mind; and unequalled as they are, in my opinion, you have still a genius capable of great improvement; and I shan't care, when I want to hear my Pamela read her French and Latin lessons, which I take so much delight to teach her, (and to endeavour to improve myself from her virtue and piety, at the same time,) to seek my beloved in the nursery; or to permit her to be engrossed by those

baby offices, which will better befit weaker minds.

"No, my dear, you must allow me to look upon you as my scholar, in one sense; as my companion, in another; and as my instructress, in a third. You know I am not governed by the worst motives; I am half overcome by your virtue and you must take care, that you leave not your work half done. But I cannot help looking upon the nurse's office, as an office beneath my Pamela. Let it have your inspection, your direction, and your sole attention, if you please, when I am abroad; but when I am at home, even a son and heir, so jealous am I of your affections, shall not be my rival in them; nor will I have my rest broken in upon, by your servants bringing to you, as you once proposed, your dear little one, at times, perhaps, as unsuitable to my repose, and your own, as to the child's necessities; for I have no notion of stifling even a cry, by cramming its little stomach, when that very cry shall, perhaps, be necessary for exercise to its lungs, and to open its little organs.

"You have been often somewhat uneasy, when I have talked, for argument's sake, in favour of polygamy. But when you mention the designations of nature, and form from thence your notions of duty on this subject, what will you say, if I could, from your very arguments of this kind, plead for that practice, and bring all your good patriarchal folks on my side, on whom you lay such stress, in one instance? For example, my dear :-Suppose I put you in mind, that while Rachel was giving her little one all her attention, as a good nurse, the worthy patriarch had several other wives. Don't be shocked, my dearest love! The laws of one's own country are a sufficient objection to me against polygamy ; at least, I will not think of any more wives, till you convince me, by your adherence to the example given you by the patriarch wives, that I ought to follow those of the patriarch husbands."

So here is that vile word polygamy again!Mr Bknows I had rather he should mention any thing than that. But be so good as to mind his next argument. He is pleased to entertain very high notions (though he puts them not in practice; and, indeed, I think it my duty to avoid giving him occasion for it) of the prerogative of a husband. Upon my word, he sometimes, for argument's sake, makes a body think a wife should not have the least will of her own. He sets up a dispensing power, in short, although he knows, that that doctrine once cost a prince his crown. And thus, proceeding with his answer to my plea, he argues :

"The chief thing that sticks with you, my dear Pamela, is, that you think it unnatural in a mother not to be a nurse to her own child, if she can ; and what is unnatural, you say, is sin.

Now, my dear, although your practice be so unexceptionable, you seem not to have a right notion of the obedience which a wife naturally owes, as well as voluntarily vows, to a husband's will.

In all lawful things, you'll say-But suppose, my dear, you were to make a solemn vow, either as a single woman, or as a wife, to do anything that you had a natural power to do. No doubt you would think yourself under an obligation to perform it, let the consequence be what it would. But to shew you, who are so learned in the old law, of how little force even the vows of your sex are, and how much you are under the control of ours, read the following verses in Numbers, XXX. If a MAN vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth. The reason of this is, he is sole and independent, and master of his own will and actions. But what follows? If a WOMAN also vow a vow unto the Lord, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house, in her youth; and her father hear her vow, and her bond, wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her; then all her vows shall stand; and every bond, wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand. But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds, wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand; and the Lord shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.

"The very same thing is, with equal strength, expressed in the verses immediately following, in relation to a HUSBAND'S allowing or disallowing his WIFE'S Vows; nor is it distinguished at all, whether the vow be just or unjust; and it is worthy of observation too, that the laws of England, in consideration of the obedience a wife owes to a husband, will acquit a WOMAN of certain crimes, for which they will punish a MAN with death.

"What I have mentioned, therefore, shews how much the daughter is under the absolute control of her father, and the wife of her husband; so that you see, my dear, even in such a strong point as a solemn vow to the Lord, the wife may be absolved by the husband from the performance of it.

"And, by the way, this is no bad piece of information to young ladies, who are urged by their designing lovers to enter into vows and contracts in their favour; not one of which, you see, is of force, unless the father, and, by the same rule, those who have authority over her, and stand in the father's place, approve and confirm it.

"If this, therefore, be the case in so solemn a point, surely a husband may take upon himself to dispense with such a supposed obligation, as that which you seem so loath to give up,

even although you had made a vow, that you would nurse your own child. And the rather, if the principle a husband acts upon is laudable, a desire to continue his affectionate and faithful regards to his wife, to preserve in her, as long as may be preserved, those graces, and those delicacies of person, which he admires in her, and which it is impossible a thorough nurse should keep up; and as moreover, in your case, her time may be employed to so much greater improvement to her own mind, and her husband's morals, while he can look upon her in a light above that of an insipid prattling nurse, who must become a fool and a baby herself, before she can be complete in the character, into which you, my dear, want to dwindle.

"Some men may be fond of having their wives undertake this province, and very good reasons may be assigned for such their fondness; but it suits not me at all. And yet no man would be thought to have a greater affection for children than myself, or be more desirous to do them justice; for I think every one should look forward to posterity with a preference; but if my Pamela can be better employed; if the office can be equally well performed; if your direction and superintendence will be sufficient; and if I cannot look upon you in that way with equal delight, as if it was otherwise; I insist upon it, my Pamela, that you acquiesce with my dispensation, and don't think to let me lose my beloved wife, and have an indelicate nurse put upon me instead of her.

"As to that hint (the nearest to me of all) of dangers to your constitution; there is as much reason to hope it may not be so, as to fear that it may. For children sometimes bring health with them as well as infirmity; and it is not a little likely, that the nurse's office may affect the health of one I hold most dear, who has no very robust constitution, and thinks it so much her duty to attend it, that she will abridge herself of half the pleasures of life, and on that account confine herself within doors, or, in the other case, must take with her her infant and her nursery-maid wherever she goes; and I shall either have very fine company, (shall I not?) or be obliged to deny myself yours.

"Then, as I propose to give you a smattering of the French and Italian, I know not but I may take you with me on a little tour into France and Italy; at least to Bath, to Tunbridge, to Oxford, to York, and the principal places of England. Wherefore, as I love to look upon you as the companion of my pleasures, I advise you, my dearest love, not to weaken, or, to speak in a phrase proper to the present subject, wean me from that love to you, and admiration of you, which hitherto has been rather increasing than otherwise, as your merit, and regard for me, have increased."

These, my dear parents, are charming allure

ments, almost irresistible temptations! And that makes me mistrust myself the more, and be the more diffident. For we are but too apt to be persuaded into any thing, when the motives are so tempting as these last. But do you take it indeed, that a husband has such a vast prerogative? Can it be, now under the gospel, that this setting themselves, as it were, in God's place, and dispensing with our wills as pleases theirs, is still in force? Yet it is said, that our Saviour came not to break the law, but to fulfil it.

I take it for granted, that many wives will not choose to dispute this point so earnestly as I have done; for we have had several little debates about it; and it is the only point I have ever yet debated with him; but one would not be altogether implicit neither. It is no compliment to him to be quite passive, and to have no will at all of one's own; yet would I not dispute one point, but in supposition of a superior obligation; and this, he says, he can dispense with; but, alas! my dear Mr B

was never

yet thought so entirely fit to fill up the character of a casuistical divine, as that one may absolutely rely upon his decisions in these serious points ; and you know we must all stand or fall by our own judgments.

Upon condition, therefore, that he requires not to see this my letter, nor your answer to it, unless I please, I write for your advice; for you both have always made a conscience of your duties, and taught me to do so too, or perhaps I had not been what I am; and I know, moreover, that nobody is more conversant with the Scriptures than you are; and, some how or other, he has got the Dean against me; and I care not to be so free with the worthy minister of our parish here, and still less with the younger clergymen I am acquainted with.

But this I see plainly enough, that he will have his own way; and if I cannot get over my scruples, what shall I do? For if I think it a sin to submit to the dispensation he insists upon as in his power to grant, and do submit to it, what will become of my peace of mind? For it is not in our power to believe as one will. Then weak minds will have their doubts, and the law allows a toleration for scrupulous and tender consciences; but my beloved husband, my lawgiver, and my prince, I doubt will allow none to poor me!

As to the liberty he gives me for a month, I should be loath to take it; for one does not know the inconveniences that may attend a change of nourishment; or if I did, I should rather-but I know not what I would say; for I am but a young creature to be in this way, and very unequal to it in every respect! So I commit myself to God's direction, and your vice, as becomes

Your ever dutiful daughter,
P. B

ad

LETTER XLVI.

TO MRS B FROM HER PARENTS.

MY DEAREST CHILD,

YOUR mother and I have as well considered the case you put as we are able; and we think your own reasons very good; and it is a thousand pities your honoured husband will not allow them, as you, my dear, make it such a point with you. Very few ladies would give their spouses, we believe, the trouble of this debate ; and few gentlemen are so very nice as yours in this respect; for I (but what signifies what such a mean soul as I think, compared to so learned and brave a gentleman; yet I) always thought your dear mother, and she has been a pretty woman too, in her time, never looked so lovely, as when I saw the dear creature, like the pelican in the wilderness, feeding her young ones from her kind breast; and had I had ever so noble an estate, I am sure I should have had the same thoughts.

But since the good Squire cannot take this pleasure; since he so much values your person; since he gives you warning, that it may estrange his affections; since he is impatient of denial, and thinks so highly of his prerogative; since he may, if disobliged, resume some bad habits, and so you may have all your prayers and hopes in his perfect reformation frustrated, and find your own power to do good more narrowed, as I may say; we think, besides the obedience you have vowed to him, and is the duty of every good wife, you ought to give up the point, and acquiesce; for this seemeth to us to be the lesser evil; and God Almighty, if it should be your duty, will not be less merciful than men ; who, as his honour says, by the laws of the realm, excuse a wife when she is faulty by the command of her husband; and we hope, the fault he is pleased to make you commit, (if a fault, for he really gives very praiseworthy motives for his dispensation,) will not be laid at his own door. So e'en resolve, my dearest child, to submit to it, and with cheerfulness to.

God send you a happy hour! But who knows, when the time comes, whether it may not be proper to dispense with this duty, as you deem it, on other accounts? For every young person is not enabled to perform it. So, to shew his honour, that you will cheerfully acquiesce, your dear mother advises, that you would look out for a wholesome, good-humoured, honest body, as near your complexion and temper, and constitution, as may be; and it may not be the worse, she thinks, if she is twenty, or one or two-and-twenty; for she will have more strength and perfection, as one may say, than even you can have at your tender age; and above all, for the

is

wise reason you give from your reading, that she may be brought to bed much about your time, if it be possible. We will look out, if you please, about us for such an one; and as Mr Bnot averse to have the dear child in the house with you, you will have as much delight, and the dear baby may fare as well, under your prudent and careful eye, as if you were to be obliged in the way you would choose.

So God direct you, my dearest child, in all your ways, and make you acquiesce in this point with cheerfulness, (although, as you say, one cannot believe as one pleases; for we verily are of opinion you safely may, as matters stand,) and continue to you, and your beloved and honoured husband, health, and all manner of happiness, are the prayers of

Your most affectionate father and mother, JOHN AND ELIZ. ANDREWS.

I have privately shewed our worthy minister your letter. You know, my dear, he is learned and judicious; and he is of our opinion, that it is best for you, on all accounts, to acquiesce. Besides, it may disoblige the Squire, and it will signify nothing, after all; for he will have his way, that's sure enough.

LETTER XLVII.

MRS B- TO HER PARENTS.

I THANK you, my dearest parents, for your kind letter; it was given to Mr B——, and he brought it to me himself, and was angry with me; indeed he was, as you shall hear.

"Tis from the good couple, my dear, I see. I hope they are of my opinion. But whether they be or not-But I will leave you; and do you, Pamela, step down to my closet when you have perused it.

He was pleased to withdraw, and I read it, and sat down, and considered it well; but as you know I made it always my maxim to do what I could not avoid to do, with as good a grace as possible, I waited on the dear gentle

man.

Well, Pamela, said he, a little seriously, what say the worthy pair?

O sir! they declare for you. They say, it is best for me to yield up this point.

They are certainly in the right. But were you not a dear perverse creature, to give me all this trouble about your saucy scruples?

Nay, sir, don't call them so, said I; little thinking he was displeased with me--I still am somewhat wavering, though they advise me to acquiesce; and, as it is your will, and you have

* See p. 203, &c.

determined how it shall be, it is my duty to yield up the point.

But do you yield it up cheerfully, my dear? I do, sir; and will never more dispute it, let what will happen. And I beg pardon for having so often entered into this subject with you. But you know, sir, if one's weakness of mind gives one scruples, one should not yield implicitly, till they are satisfied; for that would look as if one gave you not the obedience of a free inind.

You are very obliging, just now, my dear: But I can tell you, you had made me half serious; yet I would not shew it, in compliment to your present condition; for I did not expect that you would have thought any appeal necessary, though to your father and mother, in a point that I was determined upon, as you must see, every time we talked of it.

This struck me all in a heap. I looked down to the ground, having no courage to look up to his face, for fear I should behold his aspect as mortifying to me as his words. But he took both my hands, and drew me kindly to him, and saluted me-Excuse me, my dearest love; I am not angry with you. Speak to me, child. Why starts this precious pearl? and kissed my cheek-Speak to me, Pamela !—

I will, sir-I will-as soon as I can-for this being my first check, so seriously given, my heart was full. But as I knew he would be angry, and think me obstinate, if I did not speak, I said, full of concern, I wish, sir-I wishyou had been pleased to spare me longer, a little longer, for the same kind, very kind considera

tion.

But is it not better, my dear, to tell you I was a little out of humour with you, than that I am?-But you had been very earnest with me on this point more than once; and you put me upon a hated, because ungenerous, necessity of pleading my prerogative, as I call it: And yet this would not do, but you would appeal against me in the point I was determined upon, for reasons altogether in your favour! and if this was not like my Pamela, excuse me, that I could not help being a little unlike myself.

Ah! thought I, this is not so very unlike your dear self, if I were to give the least shadow of an occasion; for it is of a piece with your lessons formerly."

I am sure, said I, I was not in the least aware that I had offended. But I was too little circumspect. I had been used to your goodness for so long a time, that I expected it, it seems, and thought I was sure of your favourable construction.

Why, so you may be, my dear, in every thing almost. But I don't love to speak twicet my mind on the same subject. You know I don't;

+ See p. 205.

and you have really disputed this point with me five or six times; insomuch, that I wondered what was come to my dearest.

I thought, sir, you would have distinguished between a command where my conscience was concerned, and a common point: You know, sir, I never had any will but yours in common points. But, indeed, you make me fearful, because my task is rendered too difficult for my own weak judgment. But then, sir-But I shall offend again

And then what? Say all you would say, Pamela. And then what?

Why, sir, if I must speak-you threaten me so at every turn with that cruel word polygamy, that it shews me it is too much in your mind But I shall make you angry again.

Was not the patriarch husbands' practice, Pamela, a fit thing to be opposed to that of the patriarch wives? But do you say, I threaten you with that word? Take care, my love: You have been a faultless angel hitherto. Don't let me find you ready to make such harsh constructions as a mere woman is accustomed to make, when she is disposed to be captious; although a better construction lies before her.

I was silent, but by my tears. Now I doubt, Pamela, your spirit is high. You won't speak, because you are out of humour at what I say. I will have no sullen reserves, my dearest. What means that heaving sob? I know, my dear love, that this is a time with your sex, when saddened with your apprehensions, and indulged because of them, by the fond husband, it is needful, for both their sakes, to watch over the changes of their temper. For ladies in your way are often like encroaching subjects: They are apt to extend what they call their privileges, on the indulgence shewed them; and the husband never again recovers the ascendant he had before.

You know these things better than I, Mr B. But I had no intention to invade your province, or to go out of my own. Yet I thought I had a right to a little free-will, a very little; especially on some greater occasions.

Why, so you have, my dear. But you must not plead one text of Scripture in behalf of your own will; and refuse to another its due weight, when it makes for mine.

Well, sir, I must needs say I have one advantage above others of my sex: For if wives, in my circumstances, are apt to grow upon indulgence, I am very happy, that your kind and watchful care will hinder me from falling into that error.

He gave me a gentle tap on the neck: Let me beat my beloved saucebox, said he: Is it thus you rally my watchful care over you for your own good? But tell me truly, Pamela, are you not a little sullen? Look up to me, my dear Are you not?

I believe I am; but 'tis but very little, sir

It will soon go off-Please to let me withdraw, that I may take myself to task about it ;-for, at present, I know not what to do, because I did not expect the displeasure I have incurred.

Is it not the same thing, replied he, if this our first quarrel end here, without your withdrawing?-I forgive you heartily, my Pamela; and give me one kiss, and I will think of your saucy appeal against me no more.

I will comply with your condition, sir; but I have a great mind to be saucy. I wish you would let me for this once.

What would you say, my dearest? Be saucy then, as you call it; as saucy as you can.

Why then I am a little sullen at present, that I am :-And I am not fully convinced, whether it must be I that forgive you, or you me.-For, indeed, till I can recollect, I cannot think my fault so great in this point, that was a point of conscience to me, as (pardon me, sir,) to stand in need of your forgiveness.

Well then, my dearest, said he, we will forgive one another; but take this with you, that it is my love to you, that makes me more delicate than otherwise I should be; and you have inured me so much to a faultless conduct, that I can hardly bear with natural infirmities from you. But, giving me another tap, get you gone; I leave you to your recollection; and let me know what fruits it produces: for I must not be put off with a half-compliance; I must have your whole will with me, if possible.

So I went up, and recollecting every thing, sacrificed to my sex, as Mr B calls it, when he talks of a wife's reluctance to give up a favourite point; for I shed a good many tears, because my heart was set upon it; and this patriarchal retort hung heavy upon my mind.

And so, my dear father and mother, twenty charming ideas and pleasures, which I had formed to myself, had I obtained this permission, are vanished from me, and my measures are quite broken. But after my heart was relieved by my eye, I was lighter and easier. And the result is, we have heard of a good sort of woman, that is to be my poor baby's mother, when it comes; and so your kindly offered inquiries are needless, I believe.

I can't tell but this sort of rebuff might be a little necessary, after all; for I had forgotten, through Mr B- -'s past indulgence for so long a time, his injunctions and lessons: and this awfully enforced remembrance shews me, that the rules he formerly prescribed, were not words of course, but that he intended to keep me up to the letter of them. So I must be a little more circumspect, I find that, than of late I thought I had occasion to be.

But he is the best and tenderest of husbands, for all this; and yet I was forced to accept of his forgiveness, and he did not think himself obliged to me for mine; and has carried his point all to nothing, as the racing gentlemen