instead of being thought neither gentlewoman nor rustic, as Sir Jacob hinted (linsey-wolsey, I think, was his term too), I may be looked upon as an original in my way; and all originals pass muster well enough, you know, madam, even with judges.

Now I am upon this subject, I can form to myself, if your ladyship will excuse me, two such polite gentlemen as my lawyers, mentioned in my former, who, with a true London magnanimity and penetration (for, madam, I fancy your London critics will be the severest upon the country girl), will put on mighty significant looks, forgetting, it may be, that they have any faults themselves, and apprehending that they have nothing to do but to sit in judgment upon others, one of them expressing himself after this manner: 'Why, truly, Jack, the girl is well enoughconsidering I can't say '—(then a pinch of snuff perhaps adds importance to his air)—' but a man might love her ' for a month or two.' (These sparks talked in this manner of other ladies before me.)-She behaves better than 'I expected from her-considering'—again will follow.— 'So I think,' cries the other; and tosses his tie behind him, with an air partly of contempt and partly of rakery. 'As you say, Jemmy, I expected to find an awkward country girl; but she tops her part, I'll assure you! -Nay, for that matter, behaves very tolerably for what 'she was—And is right, not to seem desirous to drown the remembrance of her original in her elevation—and, I 'can't but say' (for something like it they did say), 'is 'mighty pretty, and passably genteel.' And thus, with their poor praise of Mr. B's girl, they think they have made a fine compliment to his judgment.

But for his sake (for, as to my own, I am not solicitous about such gentlemen's good opinions), I owe them a spite; and believe I shall find an opportunity to come out of their debt. For I have the vanity to think, now your ladyship has made me proud, by your kind encouragements and approbation, that the country girl will make them look about them, with all their genteel contempts, which they miscall praise.

But how I run on! Your ladyship expects that I should write as freely to you as I used to do to my parents. I have the merit of obeying you, that I have; but I doubt too much to the exercise of your patience.

This (like all mine) is a long letter; and I will only add to it Miss Darnford's humble respects and thanks for your ladyship's kind mention of her, which she receives as no small honour.

And now, madam, with a greater pleasure than I can express, will I make use of the liberty your ladyship so kindly allows me to take, of subscribing myself, with that profound respect which becomes me,

Your ladyship's most obliged sister,

And obedient servant,

P. B——.

Mr. Adams, Mr. Longman, and Mrs. Jervis are just arrived; and our household is now complete.

LETTER L.

Lady Davers to Mrs. B―.

MY DEAR PAMELA,-After I have thanked you for your last agreeable letter, which has added the earl and Lady Jenny to the number of your admirers (you know Lady Betty, her sister, was so before), I shall tell you, that I now write, at all their requests, as well as at those of my Lord Davers, the countess you so dearly love, and Lady Betty, for your decision of an odd dispute, that, on reading your letter, and talking of your domestic excellences, happened among us. Lady Betty would have it, that notwithstanding any awkwardness which you attribute to yourself, she cannot but decide, by all she has seen of your writings, and has

heard us say, that yours is the perfectest character she ever heard or read of, in the sex.

The countess said, that you wrong yourself, in supposing that you are not everything that is polite and genteel, as well in your behaviour as in your person; and that she knows not any lady in England who better becomes her station than you do.

Why then, said Lady Jenny, Mrs. B- must be quite perfect; that's certain. So said the earl; so said they all. And Lord Davers confirmed that you were. And Jackey

swore to it.

Yet, as we are sure there cannot be such a character in this life as has not one fault, although' we could not tell where to fix it, the countess made a whimsical motion: -Lady Davers, said she, pray do you write to Mrs. B—, and acquaint her with our subject; and as it is impossible, that one who can act as she does should not know herself better than anybody else can do, desire her to acquaint us with some of those secret foibles that leave room for her to be still more perfect.

A good thought! said I: A good thought! said they all. -And this is the present occasion of my writing; and pray see that you accuse yourself of no more than you know yourself guilty: for over-modesty borders nearly on pride; and too liberal self-accusations are generally but so many traps for acquittal with applause; so that (whatever other ladies might) you will not be forgiven if you deal with us in a way so poorly artful: Let your faults, therefore, be such as you think we can subscribe to, from what we have seen of you, and what we have read of yours; and you must try to extenuate them too, as you give them, lest we should think you above that nature, which, in the best cases, is your undoubted talent.

I congratulate you and Miss Darnford on her arrival: she is a charming young lady; but tell her, that we shall not allow her to take you at your word, and to think that she excels you in any one thing: only indeed we think you nicer in some points than you need to be, as to your

present agreeable circumstance. And yet, let me tell you, that the easy and unaffected conjugal purity, in word and behaviour, between your good man and you, is worthy of imitation, and what the countess and I have with pleasure contemplated since we left you, an hundred times, and admire in you both: And 'tis good policy too, child, as well as high decorum; for it is what will make you ever new and respectful to one another.

But you have the honour of it all, whose sweet, natural, and easy modesty, in person, behaviour, and conversation, forbid indecency, even in thought, much more in word, to approach you; insomuch that no rakes can be rakes in your presence, and yet they hardly know to what they owe their restraint.

However, as people who see you at this time, will take it for granted that you and Mr. B― have been very intimate together, I should think you need not be ashamed of your appearance: because, as he rightly observes, you have no reason to be ashamed of your husband.

Excuse my pleasantry, my dear: and answer our demand upon you, as soon as you can, which will oblige us all; particularly

Your affectionate sister,

B. DAVERS.

LETTER LI.

Mrs. B to Lady Davers.

MY DEAREST LADY,-What a task have you imposed upon me! And according to the terms you annex to it, how shall I acquit myself of it, without incurring the censure of affectation, if I freely accuse myself as I may deserve; or of vanity, if I do not? Indeed, madam, I have a great many failings; and you don't know the pain it costs me to keep them under; not so much for fear the

world should see them, for, I bless GOD, I can hope they are not capital, as for fear they should become capital, if I were to let them grow upon me.

And this, surely, I need not have told your ladyship and the Countess of C--, who have read my papers, and seen my behaviour in the kind visit you made to your dear brother, and had from both but too much reason to censure me, did not your generous and partial favour make you overlook my greater failings, and pass under a kinder name many of my lesser: For, surely, my good ladies, you must both of you have observed, in what you have read and seen, that I am naturally of a saucy temper; and with all my appearing meekness and humility, can resent, and sting too, when I think myself provoked.

I have also discovered in myself, on many occasions (of some of which I will by and by remind your ladyship), a malignancy of heart that, it is true, lasts but a little while -nor had it need-but for which I have often called myself to account-to very little purpose hitherto.

And indeed, madam (now for a little extenuation, as you expect from me), I have some difficulty, whether I ought to take much pains to subdue myself in some instances, in the station to which I am raised, that otherwise it would have become me to attempt to do: For it is no easy task, for a person in my circumstances to distinguish between the ought and the ought not; to be humble without meanness, and decent without arrogance. And let me add, that if all persons thought as justly, as I flatter myself I do, of the inconveniences, as well as conveniences, which attend their being raised to a condition above them, they would not imagine all the world was their own, when they came to be distinguished as I have been: For, what with the contempts of superior relations on one side (which all such must undergo at first), the envy of the world, and low reflections arising from that envy, on the other, from which no one must hope to be totally exempted; and the awkwardness, besides, with which they support their elevated condition, if they have