Pamela

Pamela (Vol. II.)

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Title: Pamela (Vol. II.)
Author: Samuel Richardson
Release Date: July 20, 2004 [EBook #12958]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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PAMELA
Volume II
By Samuel Richardson
AUTHOR'S ORIGINAL PREFACE TO VOLUME II
The First part of PAMELA met with a success greatly exceeding the
most sanguine expectations: and the Editor hopes, that the Letters
which compose this Part will be found equally written to NATURE,
avoiding all romantic nights, improbable surprises, and irrational
machinery; and the passions are touched, where requisite; and rules,
equally new and _practicable_, inculcated throughout the whole, for the
_general conduct of life_; and, therefore, he flatters himself, that they

may expect the good fortune, which few continuations have met with,
to be judged not unworthy the First Part; nor disproportioned to the
more exalted condition in which PAMELA was destined to shine as an
affectionate _wife_, a faithful _friend_, a polite and kind _neighbour_,
an indulgent _mother_, and a beneficent _mistress_; after having in the
former Part supported the character of a dutiful _child_, a spotless
_virgin_, and a modest and amiable bride.
The reader will easily see, that in so great a choice of materials, as must
arise from a multitude of important subjects, in a married life, to such
geniuses and friendships as those of Mr. and Mrs. B. the Editor's
greatest difficulty was how to bring them within the compass which he
was determined not to exceed. And it having been left to his own
choice, in what manner to digest and publish the letters, and where to
close the work, he had intended, at first, in regard to his other
avocations, to have carried the piece no farther than the First Part.
It may be expected, therefore, that he should enter into an explanation
of the reasons whereby he was provoked into a necessity of altering his
intention. But he is willing to decline saying any thing upon so
well-known a subject.
The Editor has been much pressed with importunities and conjectures,
in relation to the person and family of the gentleman, who are the
principal persons in the work; all he thinks himself at liberty to say, or
is necessary to be said, is only to repeat what has already been hinted,
that the story has its foundation in truth; and that there was a necessity,
for obvious reasons, to vary and disguise some facts and circumstances,
as also the names of persons, places, &c.

LETTER I
My dear father and mother,
We arrived here last night, highly pleased with our journey, and the
occasion of it. May God bless you both with long life and health, to
enjoy your sweet farm, and pretty dwelling, which is just what I wished
it to be. And don't make your grateful hearts too uneasy in the
possession of it, by your modest diffidence of your own unworthiness:
for, at the same time, that it is what will do honour to the best of men, it
is not so very extraordinary, considering his condition, as to cause any
one to censure it as the effect of a too partial and injudicious kindness

for the parents of one whom he delighteth to honour.
My dear master (why should I not still call him so, bound to reverence
him as I am, in every light he can shine in to the most obliging and
sensible heart?) still proposes to fit up the large parlour, and three
apartments in the commodious dwelling he calls yours, for his
entertainment and mine, when I pay my duty to you both, for a few
happy days; and he has actually given orders to that effect; and that the
three apartments be so fitted up, as to be rather suitable to your
condition, than his own; for, he says, the plain simple elegance, which
he will have observed in the rooms, as well as the furniture, will be a
variety in his retirement to this place, that will make him return to his
own with the greater pleasure; and, at the same time, when we are not
there, will be of use for the reception of any of your friends; and so he
shall not, as he kindly says, rob the good couple of any of their
accommodations.
The old bow-windows he will have preserved, but will not have them
sashed,