Pamela | Page 9

and to _me_, for his sake? For otherwise (believe
me, I hope you will, my dear father and mother), I could sit down and
rejoice with the meanest and remotest relation I have. But in the world's
eye, to every body but my best of parents, I must, if ever so reluctant to
it, appear in a light that may not give discredit to his choice.
Then again, as I hinted, you will be able, without the least injury to our
common benefactor, to do kinder things by any of our relations, when
not with you, than you can do, if they live with you.
You may lend them a little money to put them in a way, if any thing
offers that you think will be to their advantage. You can fit out my
she-cousins to good reputable places. The younger you can put to
school, or, when fit, to trades, according to their talents; and so they
will be of course in a way to get an honest and creditable livelihood.
But, above all things, one would discourage such a proud and
ambitious spirit in any of them, as should want to raise itself by favour
instead of merit; and this the rather, for, undoubtedly, there are many
more happy persons in low than in high life, take number for number
all the world over. I am sure, although four or five years of different
life had passed with me, I had so much pride and pleasure in the

thought of working for my living with you, if I could but get honest to
you, that it made my confinement the more grievous, and, if possible,
aggravated the apprehensions attending it.
But I beg of you, not to think these my reasons proceed from the bad
motives of a heart tainted with pride on its high condition. Indeed there
can be no reason for it, to one who thinks after this manner--the
greatest families on earth have some among them who are unhappy and
low in life; and shall such a one reproach me with having twenty low
relations, because they have, peradventure, not above five?
Let us then, my dear parents, endeavour to judge of one another, as
God, at the last day, will judge of us all: and then the honest peasant
will stand fairer in our esteem than the guilty peer.
In short, this shall be my own rule--Every one who acts justly and
honestly, I will look upon as my relation, whether so or not; and the
more he wants my assistance, the more entitled to it he shall be, as well
as to my esteem; while those who deserve it not, must expect only
compassion from me, and my prayers were they my brothers or sisters.
'Tis true had I not been poor and lowly, I might not have thought thus;
but if it be a right way of thinking, it is a blessing that I was so; and that
shall never be matter of reproach to me, which one day will be matter
of justification.
Upon the whole, I should think it advisable, my dear father and mother,
to make such kind excuses to the offered service of my cousins, as your
better reason shall suggest to you; and to do any thing else for them of
more value, as their circumstances may require, or occasions offer to
serve them.
But if the employing and having them about you, will add comfort to
your lives, I give up entirely my own opinion, and doubt not every
thing will be thought well of, that you shall think fit to do.
And so I conclude with assuring you, that I am, my ever-dear parents,
your dutiful and happy daughter.
The copy of this letter I will keep to myself, till I have your answer,
that you may be under no difficulty how to act in either of the cases
mentioned in it.

LETTER V
MY DEAREST DAUGHTER,

How shall I do to answer, as they deserve, your two last letters? Sure
no happy couple ever had such a child as we have! But it is in vain to
aim at words like yours: and equally in vain for us to offer to set forth
the thankfulness of our hearts, on the kind office your honoured
husband has given us; for no reason but to favour us still more, and to
quiet our minds in the notion of being useful to him. God grant I may
be able to be so!--Happy shall I be, if I can! But I see the generous drift
of his proposal; it is only to make me more easy from the nature of my
employment, and, in my mind too, over-loaded as I may say, with
benefits; and at the same