Shamela | Page 8

I beat them all. I rest,
Your Friend and Servant,
Henrietta, &c.
LETTER IX.
Shamela Andrews to Henrietta Maria Honora Andrews.
Dear Mamma,
I suppose Mrs. Jervis acquainted you with what past 'till I left
Bedfordshire; whence I am after a very pleasant Journey arrived in
Lincolnshire, with your old Acquaintance Mrs. Jewkes, who formerly
helped Parson Williams to me; and now designs I see, to sell me to my
Master; thank her for that; she will find two Words go to that Bargain.
The Day after my Arrival here, I received a Letter from Mr. Williams,
and as you have often desired to see one from him, I have inclosed it to

you; it is, I think, the finest I ever received from that charming Man,
and full of a great deal of Learning.
O! What a brave Thing it is to be a Schollard, and to be able to talk
Latin.
Parson Williams to Pamela Andrews
Mrs. Pamela,
Having learnt by means of my Clerk, who Yesternight visited the Revd.
Mr. Peters with my Commands, that you are returned into this County,
I purposed to have saluted your fair Hands this Day towards Even: But
am obliged to sojourn this Night at a neighbouring Clergyman's; where
we are to pierce a Virgin Barrel of Ale, in a Cup of which I shall not be
unmindful to celebrate your Health.
I hope you have remembered your Promise, to bring me a leaden
Canister of Tobacco (the Saffron Cut) for in Troth, this Country at
present affords nothing worthy the replenishing a Tube with. Some I
tasted the other Day at an Alehouse, gave me the Heart-Burn, tho' I
filled no oftner than five times.
I was greatly concerned to learn, that your late Lady left you nothing,
tho' I cannot say the Tidings much surprized me: For I am too
intimately acquainted with the Family; (myself, Father, and
Grandfather having been successive Incumbents on the same Cure,
which you know is in their Gift) I say, I am too well acquainted with
them to expect much from their Generosity. They are in Verity, as
worthless a Family as any other whatever. The young Gentleman I am
informed, is a perfect Reprobate; that he hath an Ingenium Versatile to
every Species of Vice, which, indeed, no one can much wonder at, who
animadverts on that want of Respect to the Clergy, which was
observable in him when a Child, I remember when he was at the Age of
Eleven only, he met my Father without either pulling off his Hat, or
riding out of the way. Indeed, a Contempt of the Clergy is the
fashionable Vice of the Times; but let such Wretches know, they
cannot hate, detest, and despise us, half so much as we do them.

However, I have prevailed on myself to write a civil Letter to your
Master, as there is a Probability of his being shortly in a Capacity of
rendring me a Piece of Service; my good Friend and Neighbour the
Revd. Mr. Squeeze-Tithe being, as I am informed by one whom I have
employed to attend for that Purpose, very near his Dissolution.
You see, sweet Mrs. Pamela, the Confidence with which I dictate these
Things to you; whom after those Endearments which have passed
between us, I must in some Respects estimate as my Wife: For tho' the
Omission of the Service was a Sin; yet, as I have told you, it was a
venial One, of which I have truly repented, as I hope you have; and also
that you have continued the wholsome Office of reading good Books,
and are improved in your Psalmody, of which I shall have a speedy
Trial: For I purpose to give you a Sermon next Sunday, and shall spend
the Evening with you, in Pleasures, which tho' not strictly innocent, are
however to be purged away by frequent and sincere Repentance. I am,
Sweet Mrs. Pamela,
Your faithful Servant,
Arthur Williams.
You find, Mamma, what a charming way he hath of Writing, and yet I
assure you, that is not the most charming thing belonging to him: For,
tho' he doth not put any Dears, and Sweets, and Loves into his Letters,
yet he says a thousand of them: For he can be as fond of a Woman, as
any Man living.
Sure Women are great Fools, when they prefer a laced Coat to the
Clergy, whom it is our Duty to honour and respect.
Well, on Sunday Parson Williams came, according to his Promise, and
an excellent Sermon he preached; his Text was, Be not Righteous
over-much; and, indeed, he handled it in a very fine way; he shewed us
that the Bible doth not require too much Goodness of us, and that
People very