having indeed narrowly escaped a prosecution; for, four of the six essays being deemed libels, Mr. Payne the publisher was found guilty, while Richardson, although intimate with the Duke, was passed over, owing to the non-appearance of his name on the title-page. He was likewise occupied, about this time, in printing two newspapers, "The Daily Journal" and "The Daily Gazetteer," and he soon after obtained, through his interest with the Speaker Onslow, the lucrative situation of printer to the House of Commons. From his press issued the first edition of the "Journals of the House of Commons," in twentysix folio volumes, an undertaking for which he at length obtained upwards of three thousand pounds.

He suffered not, however, the pressure of his business, though great, and requiring much superintendence, to preclude his mental progress; he was fond of exercising his pen, and frequently employed it, at the requisition of the booksellers, in composing for them prefaces and dedications. With these they were so much pleased, that, knowing his partiality to letter-writing, they requested him to furnish them with a volume of Familiar Letters, which might serve as a kind of manual or director for persons in inferior life.

In attempting a compliance with this request was Pamela produced, the history of whose birth shall be given in the author's words addressed to his friend Aaron Hill.

"Mr. Rivington and Mr. Osborne, whose names are on the title-page, (of Pamela,) had long been urging me to give them a little book (which they said they were often asked after) of familiar letters on the useful concerns of common life; and at last I yielded to their importunity, and began to recollect such subjects as I thought would be useful in such a design, and formed several letters accordingly. And, among the rest, I thought of giving one or two as cautions to young folks circumstanced as Pamela was. Little did I think, at first, of making one, much less two volumes of it. But, when I began, I thought the story, if written in an easy and natural manner, suitably to the simplicity of it, might possibly introduce a new species of writing, that might possibly turn young people into a course of reading different from the pomp and parade of romance-writing, and, dismissing the improbable and marvellous, with which novels generally abound, might tend to promote the cause of religion and virtue. I therefore gave way to enlargement; and so Pamela became as you see her. But so little did I

hope for the approbation of judges, that I had not the courage to send the two volumes to your ladies, until I found the book well received by the public.

my

"While I was writing the two volumes, my worthy-hearted wife, and the young lady who is with us, when I had read them some part of the story, which I had begun without their knowing it, used to come into little closet every night with Have you any more of Pamela, Mr. R.? We are come to hear a little more of Pamela, &c. This encouraged me to prosecute it, which I did so diligently, through all my other business, that, by a memorandum on my copy, I began it Nov. 10, 1739, and finished it Jan. 10, 1739-40, And I have often, censurable as I might be thought for my vanity for it, and lessening to the taste of my two female friends, had the story of Moliere's Old Woman in my thoughts upon the occasion."*

Pamela was published in 1740, and immediately attracted a most extraordinary degree of attention. It presented the public, indeed, with a work truly original in its plan, uniting the interest arising from well-combined incident with the moral purposes of a sermon; to these were

Barbauld's Life, p. 73, 74, 75.

added so much touching simplicity and pathos, so many admirable draughts from nature, that the fascination became general. Though the novel was brought forward anonymously, it was impossible that the author should be long concealed, and no sooner was he known than compliments and commendations were poured in upon him in profusion. The admiration, in fact, of his readers was such as to lead them into the most enthusiastic and even preposterous commendations. Mr. Lucas, the author of "The Search after Happiness," in writing to a friend, says, "I am informed that the author of Pamela, the best book ever published, and calculated to do most good, is one Mr. Richardson, Printer; and, to carry the extravagance still higher, Mr. Chetwynd declared, that if all other books were to be burnt, Pamela, next to the Bible, ought to be preserved.

Eulogy such as this, defeats its own purpose, and appears, indeed, in the present day, absolutely ludicrous; for though Pamela, as the first attempt in a new style of composition, and as exhibiting much skill in the delineation of character, accompanied with much power over the tender passions, and much attention to promote the cause of piety and morality, possesses great merit, it displays also great defects, of which the

most prominent is the frequent indelicacy of its scenes. These, though the ultimate purport of the novel be to inculcate virtue, are dangerous and seductive; and whilst Dr. Slocock recommended Pamela from the pulpit, Dr.Watts more wisely told the author that the ladies could not read it without blushing.

Pamela originally consisted but of. two volumes, which formed a perfect whole, and terminated with the marriage of the lovers. Stimulated, however, by the success with which it had been received, and still further excited by an attempt to give a spurious continuation of it, the author commenced a second part, in which the conduct of Pamela is displayed in the married state, and in the higher ranks of society. This second part is, likewise, in two volumes, but, both in point of conception and execution, is greatly inferior to the first.*

The most galling event that occurred to our

* The author of the Life of Richardson in the General Biographical Dictionary, edition 1784, says, “it is much to be regretted that his improved edition, (of Pamela,) in which much was altered, much omitted, and the whole new modelled, has never yet been given to the public; as the only reason which prevented it in his life-time, that there was an edition unsold, must long have ceased." Does this edition exist? or has it ever been given to the world?