This Compliment was a little of the grossest for a fine Gentleman! But the Heightening is still behind: After some little tart Repartees and Sallies aiming at Wit, the Author seems to indulge his Genius with all the Rapture of lascivious Ingenuity: p. 84, 85. 'I wish, said he, (I'am almost ashamed to write it, impudent Gentleman) I wish, I had thee as quick another Way, as thou art in thy Repartees.——And he laugh'd, and I snatch'd my Hands from him, and I tripp'd away as fast I could. Ah! thought I marry'd? I'm sure 'tis Time you were married, or at this Rate no honest Maiden ought to live with you!' Here's Virtue encouraged with a Vengeance and the most obscene Idea express'd by a double Entendre, which falls little short of the coarsest Ribaldry; yet Pamela is designed to mend the Taste and Manners of the Times, and instruct and encourage Youth in Virtue; if that were the Case there was no absolute Necessity in my Opinion for the inserting of this Passage. How artfully is the Turn of the Entendre wrought up for the Instruction of both Sexes. The young Gentleman will find the Squir's Wish to be, that his beloved Pamela would quite the cold Air of a reserved Modesty, immediately yield to his Wishes, and meet him in an amorous Conflict, with all the Vivacity that simple Nature unrestrain'd by Art could inspire. And little Miss, who just begins to sigh and wish for she knows not what, will be encouraged to wish for a Husband, and think a double Entendre strictly virtuous, even tho' it turns upon the Closet Commerce between the Sexes: And should any one intrusted with her Education inform her that she is in the Wrong, or strive to check the rising Passion; may she not pertly answer. Why sure! There's no Harm in it, for Pamela does so; there are several such Things in that good Book, and my Mother recommended me to the reading of it, nay, and the Parson says it is the best Book in the World except the Bible.
Miss Pamela tho' very angry with her Master, yet in some Measure seems to be very fond of excusing him: 'He's very wicked indeed, says she, but then there are others as bad, 'tis Time he was married truely; for he grows so rampant he'll overrun the Parish else, but if he does there are others that will keep him in Countenance; there's Squire Martin he keeps a Seraglio of his own, and has had three Lyings in, it seems, in his House, within these three Months; and several more of my Master's Companions who are as bad as he. Alack a day! What a World we live in! It is grown more Wonder that Men are resisted than that Women comply.' Indeed Mr. Pamela is very discerning of her Age!
Mrs. Jervis notwithstanding her motherly Goodness, seems still to be Procuress in Ordinary, though indeed she doth not prove so pac'd an One as Mrs. Jewkes doth afterwards; but wou'd any sober Matron after what Attempts have been made before, ever so far comply with the loose Inclinations of her Master as to introduce him into a Closet to overhear a private Conversation and her Charge? But the five Guineas the Squire gave her upon closing her yearly Accounts seem to have soften'd her a little more to his Interest, for in p. 95. she conveys him into the Green Room, where was a Sash Door and a Curtain conveniently that he might both hear and see, tho' Pamela confesses she had reason to remember the last Closet Work.
Her harmless Tattle o'er her Things whilst she was seperating them from those she intended to leave behind her, but added fresh Fuel to the Squire's Flame; and here he first takes Heart to make an Open Declaration of his Love. p. 102, 103. 'He took me up, in a kinder manner, than ever I had known; and he said, Shut the Door, Pamela, and come to me in my Closet: I want to have a little serious Talk with you. How can I, Sir, said I, how can I? and wrung my Hands! O pray, Sir, let me go out of your Presence, I beseech you. By the God that made me, said he, I'll do you no harm, Shut the Parlour-door, and come to me in my Library. He then went into his Closet, which is his Library, and full of rich Pictures besides; a noble Apartment, tho' called a Closet, and next the private Garden, into which it has a Door that opens. I shut the Parlour-door, as he bid me; but stood at it irresolute. Place some Confidence in me surely, said he, you may, when I have spoken thus solemnly. So I crept towards him with trembling Feet, and my Heart throbing through my Handkerchief. Come in, said he, when I bid you. I did so. Pray, Sir, said I, pity and spare me. I will said he, as I hope to be sav'd. He sat down upon a rich Settee; and took hold of my Hand, and said, Don't doubt me, Pamela. From this Moment I will no more consider you as my Servant; and I desire you'll not use me with Ingratitude for the Kindness I am going to express towards you. This a little embolden'd me; and he said, holding both my Hands in his, You have too much Wit and good Sense not to discover, that I, inspite of my Heart, and all the Pride of it, cannot but love you. Yes, look up to me, my sweet-fac'd Girl! I must say I love you; and have put on a Behaviour to you, that was much against my Heart, in hopes to frighten you to my Purposes. You see I own it ingenously.'
By this Means he perswades the Maid to stay a Fortnight longer, and then Parson Williams is first introduced: Thinks he if I can debauch this Girl 'tis but marrying her to my Chaplain afterwards, giving him a good Living and all's right; and this he brings in with an Offer of Fifty Guineas. However all will not do and she is to go away when she pleases; upon which melancholy occasion Miss must grow poetical and entertain us with a Ditty.
The Squire's Intrigues, the Author has laid the Scene of himself; which take in his own Words: p. 114, 115. 'Here it is necessary to observe, that the fair Pamela's Trials were not yet over; but the worst of all were yet to come, at a Time when she thought them at an End, and that she was returning to her Father: For when her Master found that her Virtue was not to be subdu'd, and he had in vain tried to conquer his Passion for her, being a Gentleman of Intrigue, he had order'd his Lincolnshire Coachman to bring his travelling Chariot from thence, not caring to trust his Body Coachman, who, with the rest of the Servants, so greatly lov'd and honour'd the fair Damsel; and having given him Instructions accordingly, and prohibited his other Servants, on Pretence of resenting Pamela's Behaviour, from accompanying her any Part of the Way, he drove her Five Miles on the Way to her Father's; and then turning off, cross'd the Country, and carried her onward towards his Lincolnshire Estate. It is also to be observ'd, that the Messenger of her Letters to her Father, who so often pretended Business that Way, was an Implement in his Master's Hands, and employ'd by him for that Purpose; and who always gave her Letters first to him, and his Master used to open and read them, and then send them on.'
Not to mention the little Occurrences upon the Road, the Chaste Discourse at the Inn, her Interview with Mrs. Jewkes, &c. we now transpose the Scene from Bedfordshire to the Mansion House in Lincolnshire, where the poor Turtle is now coop'd up; and certainly it must be allowed, that the Author has contrived to heighten his Amorous Tale by just Degrees, so as at once to court the Expectation, and raise the glowing Passions 'till it is almost impossible but they must burst forth in a Blaze.
Mrs. Jewkes enters into the Business with all the Assurance of an experienc'd Bawd. It was contrived that Miss should bait at an Inn upon the Road, kept by her Sister, and there Mrs. Jewkes receives her fair Charge: p. 136. 'The naughty Woman came up to me with an Air of Confidence, and kiss'd me: See, Sister, said she, here's a charming Creature! Would she not tempt the best Lord in the Land to run away with her? O frightful! thought I; here's an Avowal of the Matter at once: I am now gone, that's certain. And so was quite silent and confounded; and seeing no Help for it, (for she would not part with me out of her Sight) I was forc'd to set out with her in the Chariot.'
Her behaviour there was a Piece with the first Onset; p. 137. 'Every now and then she would be staring in my Face, in the Chariot, and squeezing my Hand, and saying, Why you are very pretty, my silent Dear! And once she offer'd to kiss me. But I said, I don't like this Sort of Carriage, Mrs. Jewkes; it is not like two Persons of one Sex. She fell a laughing very confidently, and said, That's prettily said, I vow! Then thou hadst rather be kiss'd by the other Sex? "Isackins, I commend thee for that"!' There are at present, I am sorry to say it, too many who assume the Characters of Women of Mrs. Jewkes's Cast, I mean Lovers of their own Sex, Pamela seems to be acquainted with this, and indeed shews so much Virtue, that she has no Objection to the Male Sex as too many of her own have.
Pamela begins now to shew her Skill in Intrigue. It is a trite Observation, that Confinement and Restraint will drive a Woman to the most desperate Applications for a Remedy. She is lock'd up, and no Spanish Lady whatever could be closer confined by the most watchful Duenna; but Miss comforts herself that she shall be too hard for them all: p. 157. 'Well, thought I, I hope still, Argus, to be too hard for thee. Now Argus, the Poets say, had an Hundred Eyes, and was made to watch with them all, as she does.' The Parson here is brought upon the Tapis, and instead of the harmless Dove hatching Piety and Affection, he enters into his Patron's Affairs with so much affected Business, as makes him rather a Medlar than a Friend. A fine Complement to the Clergy by the Way!