Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded
blessing to me; for I have the pleasure to think I am not puffed up
with this great alteration; and yet am I not wanting to look upon all
these favours and blessings in the light wherein I ought to receive
them, both at the hands of Heaven, and my dear benefactor.
We dined together with great pleasure; and I had, in every word and
action, all the instances of kindness and affection that the most
indulged heart could wish. He said he would return to his closet again;
and at five o’clock would come and take a walk with me in the garden:
And so retired as soon as he had dined, and I went up to mine.
About six, he was pleased to come up to me, and said, Now, my dear, I
will attend you for a little walk in the garden; and I gave him my hand
with great pleasure.
This garden is much better cultivated than the Lincolnshire one; but
that is larger, and has nobler walks in it; and yet there is a pretty
canal in this, and a fountain and cascade. We had a deal of sweet
conversation as we walked; and, after we had taken a turn round, I bent
towards the little garden; and when I came near the summer-house, took
the opportunity to slip from him, and just whipt up the steps of this
once frightful place, and kneeled down, and said, I bless thee, O God!
for my escapes, and for thy mercies! O let me always possess a
grateful, humble heart! and I whipt down again and joined him; and he
hardly missed me.
Several of the neighbouring gentry sent their compliments to him on his
return, but not a word about his marriage; particularly Mr. Arthur, Mr.
Towers, Mr. Brooks, and Mr. Martin of the Grove.
Monday.
I had a good deal of employment in choosing patterns for my new
clothes. He thought nothing too good; but I thought every thing I saw
was; and he was so kind to pick out six of the richest for me to choose
three suits out of, saying, We would furnish ourselves with more in
town, when we went thither. One was white, flowered with silver most
richly; and he was pleased to say, that, as I was a bride, I should
make my appearance in that the following Sunday. And so we shall have
in two or three days, from several places, nothing but mantua-makers
and tailors at work. Bless me! what a chargeable and what a worthless
hussy I am to the dear gentleman!—But his fortune and station require a
great deal of it; and his value for me will not let him do less, than
if he had married a fortune equal to his own: and then, as he says, it
would be a reflection upon him, if he did.—And so I doubt it will be,
as it is: For either way the world will have something to say. He made
me also choose some very fine laces, and linen; and has sent a message
on purpose, with his orders, to hasten all down, what can be done in
town, as the millinery matters, etc. to be completed there, and sent by
particular messengers, as done. All to be here, and finished by
Saturday afternoon, without fail.
I sent away John this morning, with some more of my papers to you, and
with the few he will give you separate. My desire is, that you will
send me all the papers you have done with, that I may keep my word with
Lady Davers; to beg the continuance of your prayers and blessings; to
hope you will give me your answer about my dear benefactor’s proposal
of the Kentish farm; to beg you to buy, two suits of clothes each; of
the finest cloth for you, my dear father; and of a creditable silk for
my dear mother; and good linen, and every thing answerable; and that
you will, as my best friend bid me say, let us see you here as soon as
possible; and he will have his chariot come for you, when you tell John
the day. Oh! how I long to see you both, my dear good parents, and to
share with you my felicities!
You will have, I’m sure, the goodness to go to all your creditors,
which are chiefly those of my poor unhappy brothers, and get an account
of all you are bound for; and every one shall be paid to the utmost
farthing, and interest besides, though some of them have been very
cruel and unrelenting.—But they are entitled to their own, and shall be
thankfully paid.
Now I think of it, John shall take my papers down to this place; that
you may have something to amuse you, of your dear child’s, instead of
those you part with; and I will continue writing till I am settled, and
you are determined; and then I shall apply myself to the duties of the
family, in order to become as useful to my dear benefactor, as my small
abilities will let me.
If you think a couple of guineas will be of use to Mrs. Mumford, who, I
doubt, has not much aforehand, pray give them to her, from me, (and I
will return them to you,) as for a pair of gloves on my nuptials: And
look through your poor acquaintances and neighbours, and let me have a
list of such honest industrious poor, as may be true objects of
charity, and have no other assistance; particularly such as are blind,
lame, or sickly, with their several cases; and also such poor families
and housekeepers as are reduced by misfortunes, as ours was, and where
a great number of children may keep them from rising to a state of
tolerable comfort: And I will choose as well as I can; for I long to be
making a beginning, with the kind quarterly benevolence my dear good
benefactor has bestowed upon me for such good purposes.
I am resolved to keep account of all these matters, and Mr. Longman has
already furnished me with a vellum book of white paper; some sides of
which I hope soon to fill with the names of proper objects: And though
my dear master has given me all this without account, yet shall he see
(but nobody else) how I lay it out, from quarter to quarter; and I
will, if any be left, carry it on, like an accomptant, to the next
quarter, and strike a balance four times a year, and a general balance
at every year’s end.—And I have written in it, Humble RETURNS for
DIVINE MERCIES; and locked it up safe in my newly-presented cabinet.
I intend to let Lady Davers see no farther of my papers, than to her
own angry letter to her brother; for I would not have her see my
reflections upon it; and she’ll know, down to that place, all that’s
necessary for her curiosity, as to my sufferings, and the stratagems
used against me, and the honest part I have been enabled to act: And I
hope, when she has read them all, she will be quite reconciled: for she
will see it is all God Almighty’s doings; and that a gentleman of his
parts and knowledge was not to be drawn in by such a poor young body as
me.
I will detain John no longer. He will tell you to read this last part
first, and while he stays. And so, with my humble duty to you both, and
my dear Mr. B——’s kind remembrance, I rest
Your ever-dutiful and gratefully happy DAUGHTER.
Wednesday evening.
HONOURED FATHER AND MOTHER!
I will now proceed with my journal.
On Tuesday morning, my dear sir rode out, and brought with him to
dinner, Mr. Martin of the Grove, and Mr. Arthur, and Mr. Brooks, and
one Mr. Chambers; and he stept up to me, and said he had rode out too
far to return to breakfast; but he had brought with him some of his old
acquaintance, to dine with me. Are you sorry for it, Pamela? said he. I
remembered his lessons, and said No, sure, sir; I cannot be angry at
any thing you are pleased to do. Said he, You know Mr. Martin’s
character, and have severely censured him in one of your letters, as
one of my brother rakes, and for his three lyings-in.
He then gave me the following account, how he came to bring them. Said
he, ‘I met them all at Mr. Arthur’s; and his lady asked me, if I was
really married? I said, Yes, really. And to whom? said Mr. Martin. Why,
replied I, bluntly, to my mother’s waiting-maid. They could not tell
what to say to me hereupon, and looked one upon another. And I saw I
had spoiled a jest, from each. Mrs. Arthur said, You have, indeed, sir,
a charming creature, as ever I saw; and she has mighty good luck. Ay,
said I, and so have I. But I shall say the less, because a man never
did any thing of this nature, that he did not think he ought, if it
were but in policy, to make the best of it. Nay, said Mr. Arthur, if
you have sinned, it is with your eyes open: for you know the world as
well as any gentleman of your years in it.’
‘Why, really, gentlemen, said I, I should be glad to please all my
friends; but I can’t expect, till they know my motives and inducements,
that it will be so immediately. But I do assure you, I am exceedingly
pleased myself; and that, you know, is most to the purpose.’
‘Said Mr. Brooks, I have heard my wife praise your spouse that is, so
much for person and beauty, that I wanted to see her of all things.
Why, replied I, if you’ll all go and take a dinner with me, you shall
see her with all my heart. And, Mrs. Arthur, will you bear us company?
No, indeed, sir, said she. What, I’ll warrant, my wife will not be able
to reconcile you to my mother’s waiting-maid; is not that it? Tell
truth, Mrs. Arthur. Nay, said she, I shan’t be backward to pay your
spouse a visit, in company of the neighbouring ladies; but for one
single woman to go, on such a sudden motion too, with so many
gentlemen, is not right. But that need not hinder you, gentlemen. So,
said he, the rest sent, that they should not dine at home; and they and
Mr. Chambers, a gentleman lately settled in these parts, one and all
came with me: And so, my dear, concluded he, when you make your
appearance next Sunday, you’re sure of a party in your favour; for all
that see you must esteem you.’
He went to them; and when I came down to dinner, he was pleased to take
me by the hand, at my entrance into the parlour, and said, My dear, I
have brought some of my good neighbours to dine with you. I said, You
are very good, sir.—My dear, this gentleman is Mr. Chambers; and so he
presented every one to me; and they saluted me, and wished us both joy.
I, for my part, said Mr. Brooks, wish you joy most heartily. My wife
told me a good deal of the beauties of your person; but I did not think
we had such a flower in our country. Sir, said I, your lady is very
partial to me; and you are so polite a gentleman, that you will not
contradict your good lady.
I’ll assure you, madam, returned he, you have not hit the matter at
all; for we contradict one another twice or thrice a day. But the
devil’s in’t if we are not agreed in so clear a case!
Said Mr. Martin, Mr. Brooks says very true, madam, in both respects;
(meaning his wife’s and his own contradiction to one another, as well
as in my favour;) for, added he, they have been married some years.
As I had not the best opinion of this gentleman, nor his jest, I said,
I am almost sorry, sir, for the gentleman’s jest upon himself and his
lady; but I think it should have relieved him from a greater jest, your
pleasant confirmation of it.—But still the reason you give that it may
be so, I hope, is the reason that may be given that it is not so; to
wit, that they have been married some years.
Said Mr. Arthur, Mr. Martin, I think the lady has very handsomely
reproved you. I think so too, said Mr. Chambers; and it was but a very
indifferent compliment to a bride. Said Mr. Martin, Compliment or not,
gentlemen, I have never seen a matrimony of any time standing, that it
was not so, little or much: But I dare say it will never be so here.
To be sure, sir, said I, if it was, I must be the ungratefullest person
in the world, because I am the most obliged person in it. That notion,
said Mr. Arthur, is so excellent, that it gives a moral certainty it
never can.
Sir, said Mr. Brooks to my dear master, softly, You have a most
accomplished lady, I do assure you, as well in her behaviour and wit,
as in her person, call her what you please. Why, my dear friend, said
my master, I must tell you, as I have said before now, that her person