You can hardly imagine how it charms me to hear of a Second Edition already! but the News of still new upon new ones, will be found no Subject of Wonder. As ’tis sure, that no Family is without Sisters, or Brothers, or Daughters, or Sons, who can read; or wants Fathers, or Mothers, or Friends, who can think; so equally certain it is, that the Train to a Parcel of Powder does not run on with more natural Tendency, till it sets the whole Heap in a Blaze, than that Pamela, inchanting from Family to Family, will overspread all the Hearts of the Kingdom.
As to the Objection of those warm Friends to Honesty, who are for having Pamela dismiss Mrs. Jewkes; there is not One, among All these benevolent Complainers, who wou’d not discern himself to have been, laudably, in the wrong, were he only to be ask’d this plain Question---Whether a Step, both ill-judg’d, and undutiful, had not been the Reverse of a Pamela’s Character?---Two or three times over, Mr. B—— had inform’d her, that Mrs. Jewkes and Himself having been equally involv’d in One Guilt, she must forgive, or condemn, Both together. After this, it grew manifest Duty not to treat her with Marks of Resentment.---And, as here was a visible Necessity to appear not desirous of turning her away, so, in point of mere Moral Regard to the bad Woman Herself, it was nobler, to retain her, with a Prospect of correcting, in Time, her loose Habit of thinking, than, by casting her off, to the licentious Results of her Temper, abandon her to Temptations and Danger, which a Virtue like Pamela’s cou’d not wish her expos’d to.
The Manner in which this admirable Gentleman gives his Opinion of the Piece, and runs thro’ the principal Characters, is so masterly, that the Readers of Pamela will be charm’d by it, tho’ they should suppose, that his inimitable Benevolence has over-valu’d the Piece itself.
Inspir’d, without doubt, by some Skill, more than human, and comprehending in an humble, and seemingly artless, Narration, a Force that can tear up the Heart-strings, this Author has prepar’d an enamouring Philtre for the Mind, which will excite such a Passion for Virtue, as scarce to leave it in the Power of the Will to neglect her.
Longinus, I remember, distinguishing by what Marks we may know the Sublime, says, it is chiefly from an Effect that will follow the Reading it: a delightfully-adhering Idea, that clings fast to the Memory; and from which it is difficult for a Man to disengage his Attention.---If this is a Proof of the Sublime, there was never Sublimity so lastingly felt, as in Pamela!
Not the Charmer’s own prattling Idea stuck so close to the Heart of her Master, as the Incidents of her Story to the Thoughts of a Reader.---The Author transports, and transforms, with a Power more extensive than Horace requires, in his Poet!---
Mr. B——, and the Turns of his Passions---and the Softness, yet Strength, of their amiable Object---after having given us the most masterly Image of Nature, that ever was painted! take Possession of, and dwell in, the Memory.
And there, too, broods the kind and the credulous Parson Williams’s Dove, (without serpentine Mixture) hatching Pity and Affection, for an Honesty so sincere, and so silly!
There too, take their Places All the lower Supports of this beautiful Fabrick.---
I am sometimes transform’d into plain Goodman Andrews, and sometimes the good Woman, his Wife.