Mrs. Jewkes takes all Opportunities of insinuating her Master's good Qualities, but especially his Manhood, and Pamela seems as desirous of hearing of them: p. 163. 'Well, well, Lambkin, (which the Foolish often calls me) if I was in his Place, he should not have his Property in you long questionable. Why, what would you do, said I, if you were he?——Not stand shill-I, shall-I, as he does; but put you and himself both out of your Pain.'
After a long Series of Intrigue carried on between her and the Parson, to no Purpose, but to swell the Grain of Mustard Seed to Two Volumes, a Swiss is introduced as an Assistant Guard, and Miss then begins to dream: p. 221. 'I dream'd they were both coming to my Bed-side, with the worst Designs; and I jump'd out of Bed in my Sleep, and frighted Mrs. Jewkes; 'till, waking with the Terror, I told her my Dream: And the wicked Creature only laughed, and said, All I fear'd was but a Dream, as well as that; and when it was over, and I was well awake, I should laugh at it as such!' These Words tho' spoke by Mrs. Jewkes in the Character of an abandon'd Profligate, yet can be of no Service to Youth, who may take the latter Part only, and be apt to conclude, that all Virtue is but a Dream; and certainly they were much better omitted than put in.
Well at Length the Squire arrives in his Fine Chariot, and now the Trenches are open'd again, and the amorous War is pursued with more Vigour than ever; p. 247, 248. 'When he had supp'd, he stood up, and said, O how happy for you it is, that you can at Will, thus make your speaking Eyes overflow in this manner, without losing any of their Brilliancy! You have been told, I suppose, that you are most beautiful in your Tears!—Did you ever, said he to her, (who all this while was standing in one Corner of the Parlour) see a more charming Creature than this? Is it to be wonder'd at, that I demean myself thus to take Notice of her!—See, said he, and took the Glass with one Hand, and turn'd me round with the other, What a Shape! what a Neck! what a Hand! and what a Bloom in that lovely Face!——But who can describe the Tricks and Artifices, that lie lurking in her little, plotting, guileful Heart! 'Tis no Wonder the poor Parson was infatuated with her——I blame him less than I do her; for who could expect such Artifice in so young a Sorceress! Come hither, Hussy, said he; you and I have a dreadful Reckoning to make. Why don't you come, when I bid you?—Fie upon it! Mrs. Pamela, said she, what! Not stir, when his Honour commands you to come to him!——Who knows but his Goodness will forgive you? He came to me, (for I had no Power to stir) and put his Arms about my Neck, and would kiss me; and said, Well, Mrs. Jewkes, if it were not for the Thought of this cursed Parson, I believe in my Heart, so great is my Weakness, that I could yet forgive this intriguing little Slut, and take her to my Bosom. O, said the Sycophant, you are very good, Sir, very forgiving, indeed!—But come, added the profligate Wretch, I hope you will be so good, as to take her to your Bosom; and that, by to-morrow Morning, you'll bring her to a better Sense of her Duty!
Then follows a Proposal at large to induce her to commence a kept Mistress: The Particulars of which, the Author hath fully set forth, in order to instruct the young Gentlemen of Fortune how to proceed in such a Case, and that young Girls of small Fortunes may see what tempting Things they have to trust to. 'Tis true he makes her refuse it, but with an Insinuation that the Offers are very advantageous.
Next follows the grand Coup d'Eclat: A Scene so finely work'd up, that the warmest Imagination could scarcely form one more prevalent in the Cause of Vice. 'Tis true, the Sentences are artfully wrapt up, but whether the Ideas divested of their Tinsel Trappings and Coverings are too gross to entertain, much less capable of instructing the Youth of either Sex: Take the Author's own Words, and let the impartial World determine, at least, let every Father or Mother of a Family read them, and seriously say, whether they ought for the Sake of this and the foregoing Quotations, to receive Pamela into the Closets of their Children, or condemn it to the Flames, with the most lustful Pieces that ever appeared in Print? The Squire after forming a Pretence of going into the Country further for a Day or two, by the Assistance of Mrs. Jewkes, (who contrives to make Nan her fellow Guard, drunk) is convey'd into the Room in the Disguise of the Maid, she patiently sits, and sees the lovely Creature undress herself, &c. but take her own modest Relation as follows: p. 270, 271, 272, 273, 274. 'So I looked into the Closets, and kneeled down, as I used to do, to say my Prayers, and this with my under Cloaths, all undrest; and passed by the poor sleeping Wench, as I thought, in my Return. But, Oh! little did I think, it was my wicked, wicked Master in a Gown and Petticoat of hers, and her Apron over his Face and Shoulders. Mrs. Jewkes by this Time, was got to-bed, on the further Side, as she used to be; and, to make room for the Maid, when she should awake, I got into Bed, and lay close to her. And I said, Where are the Keys? tho', said I, I am not so much afraid to-Night. Here, said the wicked Woman, put your Arm under mine, and you shall find them about my Wrist, as they used to be. So I did, and the abominable Designer held my Hand with her Right Hand, as my Right Arm was under her Left. In less than a quarter of an Hour, I said, There's poor Nan awake; I hear her stir. Let us go to sleep, said she, and not mind her; She'll come to bed, when she's quite awake. Poor Soul! said I, I'll warrant she'll have the Head-ach finely to-morrow for it! Be silent said she, and go to sleep; you keep me awake; and I never found you in so talkative a Humour in my Life. Don't chide me, said I; I will say but one Thing more: Do you think Nan could hear me talk of my Master's Offers? No, no, said she; she was dead asleep. I'm glad of that, said I; because I would not expose my Master to his common Servants, and I knew you were no Stranger to his fine Articles. Said she, I think they were fine Articles, and you were bewitch'd you did not close in with them: But let us go to sleep. So I was silent; and the pretended Nan (O wicked base villainous Designer! What a Plot, what an unexpected Plot, was this!) seem'd to be awaking; and Mrs. Jewkes, abhorred Creature! said, Come, Nan!—What, are you awake at last? Prithee come to-bed; for Mrs. Pamela is in a talking Fit, and wont go to sleep one while. At that the pretended She came to the Bed-side; and sitting down in a Chair, where the Curtain hid her, began to undress. Said I, poor Mrs. Ann, I warrant your Head aches most sadly! How do you do?—She answered not one Word. Said the superlatively wicked Woman, You know I have order'd her not to answer you. And this Plot, to be sure, was laid when she gave her these Orders, the Night before. I heard her, as I thought, breathe all quick and short: Indeed, said I, Mrs. Jewkes, the poor Maid is not well. What ails you, Mrs. Ann? And still no Answer was made. But, I tremble to relate it! the pretended She came into Bed; but quiver'd like an Aspen-leaf; and I, poor Fool that I was! pitied her much.——But well might the barbarous Deceiver tremble at his vile Dissimulation, and base Designs. What Words shall I find, my dear Mother, (for my Father should not see this shocking Part) to describe the rest, and my Confusion, when the guilty Wretch took my left Arm, and laid it under his Neck, as the vile Procuress held my Right; and then he clasp'd me round my Waist! Said I, Is the Wench mad! Why, how now Confidence? thinking still it had been Nan. But he kissed me with frightful Vehemence; and then his Voice broke upon me like a Clap of Thunder. Now, Pamela, said he, is the dreadful Time of Reckoning come, that I have threaten'd.——I scream'd out in such a Manner, as never any Body heard the like. But there was no body to help me: And both my Hands were secured, as I said. Sure never poor Soul was in such Agonies as I. Wicked Man! said I; wicked, abominable Woman! O God! my God! this Time, this one Time! deliver me from this Distress! or strike me dead this Moment. And then I scream'd again and again. Says he, One Word with you, Pamela; one Word hear me but; and hitherto you see I offer nothing to you. Is this nothing, said I, to be in Bed here? To hold my Hands between you? I will hear, if you will instantly leave the Bed, and take this villainous Woman from me. Said she, (O Disgrace of Womankind!) What you do, Sir, do; don't stand dilly-dallying. She cannot exclaim worse than she has done. And she'll be quieter when she knows the worst. Silence! Said he to her; I must say one Word to you, Pamela; it is this: You see, now you are in my Power!——You cannot get from me, nor help yourself: Yet have I not offer'd any Thing amiss to you. But if you resolve not to comply with my Proposals, I will not lose this Opportunity: If you do I will yet leave you. O Sir, said I, leave me, leave me but, and I will do any Thing I ought to do. Swear then to me, said he, that you will accept my Proposals!—And then (for this was all detestable Grimace) he put his Hand in my Bosom. With Struggling, Fright, Terror, I fainted away quite, and did not come to myself soon; so that they both, from the cold Sweats that I was in, thought me dying—And I remember no more, than that, when, with great Difficulty, they brought me to myself, she was sitting on one side of the Bed, with her Cloaths on; and and he on the other with his, and in his Gown and Slippers. Your poor Pamela cannot answer for the Liberties taken with her in her deplorable State of Death. And when I saw them there, I sat up in my Bed, without any Regard to what Appearance I made, and nothing about my Neck; and he soothing me, with an Aspect of Pity and Concern, I put my Hand to his Mouth, and said, O tell me, yet tell me not, what I have suffered in this Distress! And I talked quite wild, and knew not what; for to be sure, I was on the Point of Distraction. He most solemnly, and with a bitter Imprecation, vow'd, that he had not offer'd the least Indecency; that he was frighten'd at the terrible manner I was taken with the Fit: That he would desist from his Attempt; and begg'd but to see me easy and quiet, and he would leave me directly, and go to his own Bed. O then, said I, take from me this most wicked Woman, this vile Mrs. Jewkes, as an Earnest that I may believe you! And will you, Sir, said the wicked Wretch, for a Fit or two, give up such an Opportunity as this?—I thought you had known the Sex better.—She is now, you see, quite well again! This I heard; more she might say; but I fainted away once more, at these Words, and at his clasping his Arms about me again. And when I came a little to myself, I saw him sit there, and the Maid Nan, holding a Smelling-bottle to my Nose, and no Mrs. Jewkes.'
Is this an affecting Incident entirely divested of all loose Images? Will any one in his Senses take upon him to say so? Can any Youth bear the Image of seeing her kneel naked, though at her Prayers, without Emotion: A lewd Scene suits but ill with Religion; and what an inconsistent Mixture of both is this? Her going to Bed, and the proper Posture in which she is laid, may be modest, but I defy the most innocent Virgin to read it in Company without being constrain'd to stifle a Conscious Blush; or in her Closet without causing a Palpitation which must amount to little less than a burning Desire; how then can any thing be said to encourage Virtue, that must infallibly rouse each latent vicious Inclination in the Heart? Breathing quick and short;——spreading the Arms, while they are both in Bed together;——clasping round the Waist;—putting his Hand in her Bosom,—struggling—fainting quite away——'till she owns herself that she cannot answer for the Liberties taken with her in that deplorable State of Death. These are Images which I think no Youth can read without Emotion, and yet I'm afraid are such as they will chuse to converse with rather than any in the Book. For here the blooming Nymph, the long desired Object of the eager Lover's Passion, lies naked, defenceless and exposed in Bed, he rushes on her with all the glowing Ardour of an ungoverned Passion, and tho' the Author has with much ado just saved her from Ravishment, yet 'tis with the greatest Difficulty, and that too with a plain Confirmation, that all Liberties were taken but the last: And even that Mrs. Jewkes is made to upbraid him for, as one that ought to know the Sex better. However, had it ended here, we had been deprived of another Volume; so that at all Events she must be saved a little longer, and the poor Squire withdraws shaking his Ears like a Dog that has burnt his Tail.
He had tried Force long enough; in order therefore to spin out the Narration, he must take another Method, and try what artful Insinuations and Perswasions would do: p. 280. 'After walking about, he lead me into a little Alcove—He began to be very teizing, and made me sit on his Knee, and was so often kissing me, that I said, Sir, I don't like to be here at all, I assure you. Indeed you make me afraid!—And what made me the more so, was that he once said to Mrs. Jewkes, and did not think I heard him.—Said he, I will try once more; but I have begun wrong. For I see Terror does but add to her Frost; but she is a charming Girl, and may be thaw'd by Kindness; and I should have melted her by Love, instead of freezing her by Fear.'
This leads us on to Soothings and Blandishments, till he forms a Trap wherein he is caught himself, and forms an Introduction for fresh Characters; but even amidst all he can't forbear now and then breaking partly tending to the Obscene; for he supposes that had not Pamela been with him, she might have been Wife to some Plough Boy. And upon her answering that had it been so, she should have been content, he replies (V. II. p. 18.) intimating that the whole Manor must be at the Lord's Command. In p. 20. poor Pamela is to be press'd to Death; p. 21. he stoops to enquire where she garters, and wants to examine her Knees. Which by the Way shews the Squire to be a little ignorant, or certainly by seeing her undress twice he might have known.
After a great Deal of Chitchat and Courtship, we are last arrived at the fixing of the last Holy Rite:—But to shew our Author's Inclination for a Joke (for he must doubtless be a very Merry Man) he makes Honest Sir Simon Darnford praise her Fingers, and laughing tells her they were made to touch any Key: The fluttering Heart before Marriage is prettily described, Lady Davers's Passion tho' a little too violent, and carried to the very highest Extravagance of Nature, affords us Matter of Diversion, as does her running a Race with Collbrand of Laughter.——Pamela herself in p. 167, tells us, she shan't sleep a Wink the first Night, but concludes with this comfortable Reflection, that she supposes all young Maidens are the same; and therefore very prudently resolves to undergo it. But in order to encourage her the Squire desires Good Mrs. Jewkes (who is now her chief Favourite) to entertain her with some pleasant Stories, suitable to the Occasion. And his desiring to spoil the pretty Waist of his Pamela, p. 216, so far from making half the Women in England hurt themselves by Strait-lacing, that I am of Opinion, most of them assisted by that and some other foregoing Passages, wou'd rather endeavour to enlarge themselves in that Part, than decrease it. Nor do Mr. Longman or Mrs. Jervis seem to be of a contrary Opinion to the Squire, but both facetiously drink a Bumper to the Hans in Kelder.
Thus, Sir, thro' a Series of Intrigue interwoven with Amorous Incidents have we traced the Lovely Pamela from the Servant Maid to the Mistress of the Mansion House, and as I think I have marked out several Passages, that tend only to inflame without any View at all to Instruction, that the Images they present are so far from being innocent, they could not be stronger invented, or more naturally expressed, to excite Lasciviousness in the Minds of the Youth of both Sexes. I shall conclude at present, hoping that in your next Edition you will either amend them or entirely strike them out; not that I have pointed all that I think exceptionable, as it would be too long for a Thing of this Kind, and am of Opinion that there are Faults enough of different Sorts, which may possibly be the Subject of a Second Epistle: In the mean time, let me address myself in the most earnest Manner to those of maturer Years, who may chance to be your Readears, that they would weigh what Virtue is, and how much these amorous Expressions may tend to corrupt their Children, before they suffer them to peruse it, nor be led away by the slight Viel of a few Religious Sentiments, which are thinly spread over them, to permit the Youth under their Care to discover the naked Charms of an inflaming Passion, which is too much exposed in almost every Page of this much-admir'd Pamela. I am, SIR,