worthy families you so laudably serve, as well for your sakes, as their own!

They turned away with tears; and Mrs. Worden would have said something to me, but could not.-Only both taking Mrs. Jervis by the hand, Happy, happy Mrs. Jervis! said they, almost in a breath.—And happy, happy I too, repeated I, in my Mrs. Jervis, and in such kind and worthy wellwishers as Mrs. Worden and Mrs. Lesley! Wear this, Mrs. Worden; wear this, Mrs. Lesley; for my sake:

And I gave each of them a ring, with a crystal and brilliants set about it, which Mr. B had bought a week before, for this very purpose; for he has a great opinion of both the good folks, and often praised their prudence, and their quiet and respectful behaviour to everybody, so different from the impertinence, that was his word, of most ladies' women, who are favourites.

Mrs. Jervis said, I have enjoyed many happy hours in your conversation, Mrs. Worden, and Mrs. Lesley: I shall miss you very much.

I must endeavour, said I, taking her hand, to make it up to you, my good friend, as well as I can. And of late we have not had so many opportunities together as I should have wished, had I not been so agreeably engaged as you know. So we must each try to comfort the other, when we have lost, I such noble, and you such worthy companions.

Mrs. Jervis's honest heart, before touched by the parting, showed itself at her eyes.-Wonder not, my good friends, said I to the two gentlewomen, wiping with my handkerchief her venerable cheeks, that I always endeavour thus to dry up all my good Mrs. Jervis's tears; and then I kissed her, thinking of you, my dear mother; and I was forced to withdraw a little abruptly, lest I should be too much moved myself, because I was going up to our departing company, who, had they inquired into the occasion, would perhaps have thought it derogatory (though I should not) to my present station, and too much retrospecting to my former.

I could not, in conversation between Mr. B— and myself, when I was gratefully expatiating upon the amiable characters of our noble guests, and of their behaviour and kindness to me, help observing that I had little expected, from some hints* which formerly dropt from Mr. Bto find my good Lord Davers so polite and so sensible

a man.

,

He is a very good-natured man, replied Mr. B. I believe I might once or twice drop some disrespectful words of him: but it was the effect of passion, at the time, and with a view to two or three points of his conduct in public life; for which I took the liberty to find fault with him, and received very unsatisfactory excuses. One of these, I remember particularly, was in a conference between a committee of each house of parliament, in which he behaved in a way I could not wish from a man so nearly allied to me by marriage; for all he could talk of, was the dignity of their house, when the reason of the thing was strong with the other; and it fell to my lot to answer what he said; which I did with some asperity; and this occasioned a coolness between us for some time.

But no man makes a better figure in private life than Lord Davers; especially now that my sister's good sense has got the better of her passions, and she can behave with tolerable decency towards him. For, formerly, Pamela, it was not so; the violence of her spirit making him appear in a light too little advantageous either to his quality or merit. But now his lordship improves upon me every time I see him.

You know not, my dear, continued Mr. B-, what a disgrace a haughty and passionate woman brings upon her husband, and upon herself too, in the eye of her own sex, as well as ours. Nay, even those ladies, who would be as glad of dominion as she, if they might be permitted to exercise it, despise others who do, and the man most who suffers it.

And let me tell you, my Pamela, said the dear man, * See vol. i. p. 376.

with an air that showed he was satisfied with his own conduct in this particular, that you cannot imagine how much a woman owes to her husband, as well with regard to her own peace of mind, as to both their reputations (however it may go against the grain with her sometimes), if he be a man who has discretion to keep her encroaching passions under a genteel and reasonable control!

How do you like this doctrine, miss ?—I'll warrant you believe that I could do no less than drop Mr. B—— one of my best courtesies, in acknowledgment of my obligation to him, for so considerately preserving to me my peace of mind, and my reputation, as well as his own, in this case.

But after all, when one duly weighs the matter, I can't tell but what he says may be right in the main; for I have not been able to contradict him, partial as I am to my sex, when he has pointed out to me instances in the behaviour of certain ladies, who, like children, the more they have been humoured, the more humorsome they have grown; which must have occasioned as great uneasiness to themselves, as to their husbands. Will you excuse me, my dear? This is between ourselves; for I did not own so much to Mr. B. For one should not give up one's sex, you know, if one can help it; for the men will be as apt to impose, as the women to encroach, I doubt.

Well, but here, my honoured father and mother, and my dear Miss Darnford, at last I end my journal-wise letters, as I may call them; our noble guests being gone, and our time and employments rolling on in much the same manner, as in past days, of which I have given an account.

If anything new or uncommon, or more particularly affecting to me than usual, occurs, I shall not fail to trouble you with it, as I have opportunity. But I have now my correspondence with Lady Davers to resume; and how shall I do about that?-Oh! I can easily tell: It is but trespassing a little on your indulgent allowance for me, my everhonoured parents.—And you, my dear miss, will find it a

relief, instead of an occasion for regret, to be eased of a great many impertinencies which I write to you in my heart's confidence, and in the familiarity of friendship.-Besides, I shall have the happiness of changing our paper-correspondence into personal conversation with you, when at London. -And what a sweet change for me will that be!-I will end with the joyful thought; and with the assurance that I am,

My dearest father and mother,

And best beloved Miss Darnford,

Your dutiful and affectionate

P. B

LETTER XXXIX.

Mrs. B to Miss Darnford.

MY DEAR MISS DARNFORD, I hear that Mrs. Jewkes is in no good state of health. I am very sorry for it. I pray for her life, that she may be a credit (if it please God) to the penitence she has so lately assumed.-For if she die, it will look discouraging to some thoughtless minds who penetrate not far into the methods Providence takes with its poor creatures, that as soon as she had changed her manner of living, and was in a reformed state, she was taken away: Though 'tis certain, that a person is fittest to die when worthiest to live. And what a mercy will it be to her, if she should not live long, that she saw her errors and repented before 'twas too late!

Do, my dear good Miss Darnford, vouchsafe to the poor soul the honour of a visit: She may be low-spirited-she may be too much sunk with the recollection of past things. -Comfort, with that sweetness which is so natural to Miss Darnford, her drooping heart; and let her know that I have a true concern for her, and give it her in charge to take care

VOL. III.

B

of herself, and spare nothing that will administer either to her health, or peace of mind.

You'll pardon me, my dear, that I put you upon such an office; an office indeed unsuitable to a lady in your station, to a person in hers; but not to your piety and charity, where a duty so eminent as that of visiting the sick, and cheering the doubting mind, is in the question.

I know your condescension will give her great comfort: and if she should be hastening to her account, what a pleasure will it give such a lady as you, to have illuminated. a benighted mind, when it was tottering on the verge of death!

But I hope she will get the better of her indisposition, and live many years a thankful monument of God's mercies, and to do more good by her example in the latter part of her life, than she may possibly have done evil in the former.

I know she will want no spiritual help from good Mr. Peters but then the kind notice of so generally esteemed a young lady, will raise her more than can be imagined; for there is a tenderness, a sympathy, in the good persons of our sex to one another, that (while the best of the other seem but to act as in office, saying to one those things which, though edifying and convincing, one is not certain proceeds not rather from the fortitude of their minds than the tenderness of their natures) mingles from one woman to another with one's very spirits, thins the animal mass, and runs through one's heart, in the same lifey current (I cannot clothe my thought suitably to express what I would express), giving assurance, as well as pleasure, in the most arduous cases, and brightening our misty prospects till we see the Sun of Righteousness rising on the hills of comfort, and dispelling the heavy fogs of doubt and diffidence.

This it is makes me wish and long as I do, for the company of my dear Miss Darnford. Oh, when shall I see you? When shall I?-To speak to my present case, it is all I long for; and pardon my freedom of expression, as well as thought, when I let you know in this instance, how