Page images
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

66

an Eye-Witness of it, because the Papers your have hitherto favoured me with do not reach to that Period of her exemplary Life.

You may obferve, Sir, there is at the End of the fecond Volume of my Lady's Letters already publish'd, a fummary Account of her Life, what Papers I have by me may, I believe, help you to one more fatisfactory. You "will in one of her Letters find the Lady Davers, "notwithstanding the Refolutions fhe had made, "notwithstanding the great Affection fhe had for her Brother, and the Apprehenfions fhé had of his Refentment; notwithstanding her Complaifance for her Lord, and the Danger of incurring the Cenfure of all Perfons of good "Senfe, and Admirers of Virtue, could not, "when at my Lady's Houfe (out of her Bro"ther's Sight and Hearing) get the better of "her Pride, and treat her on a better foot than « fhe did her own Woman.

"My Lady's good Senfe and exemplary Humility would not allow her to refent or com"plain of this Treatment; fo far from it, the took more Care to conceal it from her Hufband than Lady Davers did from her Brother, for even before him fhe made appear a visible Reluctance to be barely civil. My Lord, on "the other hand, who was no Stranger to this unreasonable Haughtiness of his Lady, fhew'd his charming Sifter, fuch he commonly called her, the Refpect due to a Lady of the firfe Rank for Birth; for which, when he was «once called to an Account by Lady Davers,

he anfwer'd, that his charming Sifter's Virtue, "her Piety, and excellent Temper commanded not only his, but the Love and Respect of all "who know her, except one fenfelefs, haughty Lady

of his Acquaintance, to whom he d half the (by her) defpifed Pamela's

t.

y Lord one Day faid to my good Lady, ning Sifter, were you not the Quintefof (what we call) Goodness on Earth, could never away with my Wife's infulting per.

e anfwered, My Lady is very good; but The ufe me in the most cruel Manner, t would your Lordship think of my Grále to my Benefactor, my dear Mafter, could fent even the worst Treatment from his T?

is true, my Lord, that good Lady canas yet prevail on herself to diftinguish ben the Brother's Wife, and her Mother's ant. But is this wonderful? Has not dear Mafter, in doing me the greateft our, given her Ladyfhip the highest Protion? Time, my Lord, which affwages ef, will, I hope, with my obfervant Ret, abate her Ladyfhip's Anger.

My Lady Davers herfelf would often gazé Pleafure on her Beauties; nay, when by nfelves praife her Virtue, and of a fudden her Arms round her Waffe, kifs and proteft loved and admired her: In a Moment afas if recovered from a Trante, push my yaway, and cry, Pamela, leave the Room, u makeft me demean myfelf. I love thee, it does not become my Character that World, or even thou fhould't know it. , Wench, complain of thy rigid Stars that ve thee not a more confpicious Birth, or el Custom and my elevated Rank, which not, with Decency, allow me to reward

7

thy

"thy Merit and oblige my dear Brother by fhew. "ing how much I prize and esteem it.

"My Mafter one Day reproaching her Lady"fhip for not calling my Lady Sifter, fhe an"fwered, Dear Brother, I have already gone "great Lengths to please you, which really I blush at. Allow me Time, I may ftill go far"ther, but I cannot, as eafily as you have done, forget the vaft Difference there is in our Births. I acknowledge your Pamela's good Senfe, Humility, and Virtue; nay, I think "her the most beautiful Creature that ever I yet fet my Eyes on. But when I reflect up"on the Meannefs of her Origin, that Thought "effaces all her Perfections.

My Mafter who knew the Temper of both

thefe Ladies, anfwered, My dear Sifter, I will "leave you to my Wife to work a Cure.-] "am fure the good Senfe of Pamela muft prove "too hard, at long run, for the groundless "Pride of the Peerefs.

"But I am got upon a Subject which gives "me fo much Pleafure that I fhall grow tire grow tire "fome. What I have juft now written I had "from my Aunt, who was an Ear and Eye Witnefs of what I have, fet down.

"Mr. Brenville who defires to give you this "himself, will do me the Favour to let me "know the Day you will pleafe to appoint, and I will certainly be in the Way and have the Papers ready.

I am,

SIR,

Your very

bumble Servant,

M. Brenville..

To

Madam,

To Mrs. Brenville

MR. Brenville did me the Favour of the Letz ter your good Nature and Regard for the late amiable Mrs. B's Memory obliged me with. If it is not inconvenient, I will wait "on you this Day fev'nnight. I take fo long "a Space that you may not hurry yourself in collecting your Papers.

I return you Thanks for your ready Com"pliance with the Request of,,

Madam,

Your very humble Servant.

M

B. W

Madam,

To Mrs. Brenville.

« SINCE you favoured me with the Sight of your Papers I have applied myfelf folely to "the reading them. Indeed, I could not any. where have met with fo agreeable an En tertainment. The lovely Pamela writes with Solidity and Judgment much beyond what can be expected from her Age, for thefe Letters "which you have obliged me with mention her. first Pregnancy only; and we may gather "from the Volumes already published, and her

Journey into Kent, with which thefe Papers "commence, that it must have been pretty tfoon after her Marriage, and fhe was, we learn, married at the Age of Sixteen,

« Her

วิช

Her Religion check'd her natu or (I difcover by her Writing) f been very fatirical. Tis vifib "wanted neither Wit nor Spirit, "dent, that they were both fubjec and good Nature.

Your Aunt, good Mrs. Jervis her Notes that her Lady left Bed fet out for London and Kent, as ❝ter fhews, a few Days after Lo "Davers's Departure. That Mr.

:

fented fo far that Lady's Obftinac fufing to own his Wife a Sifter "her that Appellation, he could n "the Entreaties of his dear Pamela, ¢ upon to write to her, till after f "roughly reconciled to that char "That they, Mr. B and his Pa "Lincolnshire, ftaid at the Seat in till the beginning of January: the Michaelmas before her Ladyfhi "fied in the Defire the had of Miss "ing committed to her Care. T "extremely fond of the Child, no "thing for the forming her Mind "her a virtuous and genteel Educa "fhe never vifited any where w "and kept her conftantly in her S "as on the one Hand Mrs. B. "tender and prudent Mother to her "other, Mifs behaved as a dutifu "Daughter to her reputed Aunt,

<< I have confulted a Bookfeller, v fay very juftly, bears the Characte "of great Probity. He looked ove "you have entrufted in my Hand, fa "make about thirteen or fourteer

« PreviousContinue »