'It will be a reflects think, upon all the ladies, if you do not as they do.' -'No, Sir Simon,' said I, 'that can't be, for the ladies' journey hither makes a glass of Canary a proper cordial for them but I won't refuse, because I will do myself the honour of drinking good health to you, and all this worthy company.' ་ Said good Lady Darnford to my master, I hope, Sir, we shall have Mrs. Andrews's company at table.' He said, very obligingly, Madam, it is her time now; and I will leave it to her choice.' -If the good ladies, then, will forgive me, Sir,' said I, I had rather be excused.' They all said, I must not be excused. I begged I might. Your reason for it, my dear Pamela?' said my master; 'since the ladies request it, I wish you would oblige them.''Sir,' replied I, 'your goodness will make me, every day, worthier of the honour the ladies do me; and when I can persuade myself that I am more worthy of it than at present, I shall with great joy embrace all the opportunities they will be pleased to give me.' Mrs. Peters whispered Lady Jones, as my master told me afterwards, 'Did you ever see such excellence, prudence, and discretion?'- Never in my life,' said the other good lady. She will adorn,' she was pleased to say, 'her distinction. Ay,' says Mrs. Peters, she would adorn any station in life.' My good master was highly delighted, generous gentleman as he is, with the favourable opinion of the ladies; and I took the more pleasure in it, because their favour seemed to lessen the disgrace of his stooping so much beneath himself. Y Lady Darnford said, 'We will not oppress you; though we could almost blame your too punctilious exactness; but if we excuse Mrs. Andrews from dinner, we must insist upon her company at the card-table, and at tea; for we shall pass the whole day with you, Sir, as we told you.'-' What say you to that, Pamela?' said my master. 'Sir,' replied I; 'whatever you and the ladies please, I will cheerfully do.' They said I was very obliging. But Sir Simon rapt out an oath, and said, that they might dine together if they would; but he would dine with me, and nobody else. For,' said he, I say, Sir, as Parson Williams said,' (by which I found my · master had told them the story,) you that nobody can like but yourself." must not think you have chosen one they would take a turn about the gar The young ladies said, if I pleased,' den with me. I answered I would very gladly attend them; and so we three, and Lady Jones's sister-in-law, and Mr. Peter's niece, walked together. They were very affable, kind, and obliging; and we soon entered into a good deal of familiarity; and I found Miss Darnford a very agreeable person. Her sister was a little more on the reserve: and I afterwards heard, that, about a year before, she would fain have had my master make his addresses to her; but though Sir Simon is reckoned rich, she was not thought a sufficient fortune for him. And now, to have him look down so low as me, must be a sort of mortification to a poor young lady !-And did!-I wish all young persons of my. pitied her-Indeed I to be. sex could be as happy as I am likely left the other ladies, and Sir Simon and My master told me afterwards, that I' they could hardly talk of any thing else; Mr. Peters, full of my praises; so that one launching out upon my complexion,' another upon my eyes, my hand, and in upon my whole person and behaviour i short, (for you'll think me sadly proud) and they all magnified my readiness and obligingness in my answers, and the for my good master's sake, who seemed like and I was glad of it, as I said, quite pleased and rejoiced. God bless him for his goodness to me ! ladies proposed a tune upon the spinDinner not being ready, the young net. I said, I believed it was not in tune. They said, they knew it was but I wish I had known it-Though in a few months ago. If it is,' said I, deed, ladies,' added I, 'since you know my story, I must own, that my mind of it.' has not been long in tune, to make use upon it, and sing to it; which I did, a So they would make me play song my dear good lady made me learn, and used to be pleased with, and which she brought with her from Bath: and the ladies were much taken with the song, and were so kind as to approve my performance: and Miss Darnford had all the accomplishments of my sex was pleased to compliment me, that I said, I had had a good lady, in my master's mother, who had spared no prine nor cost to improve me. She said, she wished Mr. B. could be prevailed upon to give a ball on an approaching occasion, that we might have a dancingmatch, &c. But I can't say I do, though I did not say so; for these occasions, I think, are too solemn for the principals, at least of our sex, to take part in, especially if they have the same thoughts of the solemnity that I have: for indeed, though I have before me a prospect of happiness, which may be envied by ladies of high rank, yet I must own to you, my dear parents, that I I have something very awful upon my mind, when I think of the matter; and shall more and more, as it draws nearer and nearer. This is the song: Go, happy paper, gently steal, And underneath her pillow lie; There in soft dreams, my Love reveal, That Love which I must still conceal And, wrapt in awful silence, die. Should flames be doem'd thy hapless fate, To atoms Thou wouldst quickly tu My pains may bear a longer date; For should I live, and should sh➜ hate, In endless torments I should burn. Tell fair Aurelin, she has charms Might in a Hermit stir desire, 7" attain the heav'n that's in her aries, I'd quit the world's alluring charm, And to a cell, content, retire. Of all that pleas'd my ravish'd eye, Her beauty should supply the place, Bold Raphael's strokes, and Titian's dye, Should but in vain presume to vie With her inimitable face. Nor more I'd wish for Phoebus' rayı, About four o'clock.-My master just came up to me, and said, 'If you should see Mr. Williams below, do you think, Pamela, you should not be surprised?' -'No, Sir,' said I, I hope not. Why should I?'-' Expect,' said he, 'a stranger, then, when you come down to us in the parlour; for the ladies are preparing themselves for the card-table, and they insist upon your company.'-You have a mind, Sir,' said I, to try all my courage.' Why, said he, does it want courage to see him? No, Sir,' said I, 'not at all. But I was grievously dashed to see all those strange ladies and gentlemen; and now to see Mr. Wiliams before them, as some of them refused his application for me, when I wanted to get away, it will a little shock me to see them smile, in recollecting what has passed of that kind.'—' Well,’ said he, 'guard your heart against surprises, though you shall see, when you come down, a man that I can allow you to love dearly, though hardly preferably to me.' This surprises me much. I am afraid he begins to be jealous of me. What will become of me (for he looked very seriously) if any turn should happen now -My heart aches! I know not what's the matter. But I will go down as brisk as I can, that nothing may be imputed to me. Yet I wish this Mr. Williams had not been there now, when they are all there; because of their fleers at him and me. Otherwise I should be glad to see the poor gentlenan; for, indeed think him a good man, and he has suffered for my. sake. So I am sent for down to cards. I'll go; but wish I may continue their good opinions of me: for I shall be very awk. ward. My master, by his serious question, and bidding me guard my heart against surprises, though I should see, when I came down, a man he can allow me to love dearly, though hardly better than himself, has quite alarmed me, and made me sad!-I hope he loves me!→→ But whether he does or not, I am infor 't now, over head and ears, I doubt, and can't help loving him; 'tis a folly to deny it. I can't love any man preferably to him. I shall soon know what he means. Now, my dear mother, I must write to you. Well might my good master say 80 mysteriously about guarding my heart against surprises, I never was so surprised; and never could see a man I loved so dearly! O, it was my dear, dear father, not Mr. Williams, who was below ready to receive and bless your daughter. Both my master and he enjoined me to write how the whole matter was, and my thoughts on this joyful occasion. I will take the matter from the beginning that Providence directed his feet here, to this time, as I have had it from Mrs. Jewkes, my master, my father, the ladies, and my own heart and conduct, as far as I know of both; be cause they command it, and you will be pleased with my relation; and, as you know how I came by the connexion, will make one uniform relation of it. 1 It seems my dear father and you were so uneasy to know the truth of the story from Thomas, that, fearing I was betrayed and undone, he got leave of absence and set out the day after Thomas was there; on Friday morning he got to the neighbouring town; and there he heard that the gentry in the neighbourhood were at my master's, at a great entertainment. He put on a -clean shirt and neckcloth he had in his pocket, at an alehouse there, and got shaved; and, after he had ate some bread and cheese, and drank a can of ale, he set out for my master's house, with a heavy heart, in fear of being brow-beaten. He had, it seems, asked at the alehouse what family the squire had down here, in hopes to hear some thing of me; they said, a housekeeper, two maids, and, at present, two coachmen, two grooms, a footman, and a helper. Was that all? he said. They told him, there was a young creature there, who was, or was to be, his mistress, or somewhat of that nature; but had been his mother's waiting-maid. This, he said, grieved his heart, and confirmed his fears. So he went on, and about three in the afternoon reached the gate; and, ringing there, Sir Simon's coachman cane, when he asked for the housekeeper; though, from what I had written, in his heart he could not abide her. She sent for him, little thinking who he was, and asked him, in the hall, what was his business with her.-Only, Madam,' said he, whether I cannot speak one word with the squire? No, friend, said she; he is engaged with several gentlemen and ladies.' Said he- I have business with his honour of greater consequence to me than either life or death;' and tears stood in his eyes. At which she went into the great parlour, where my master was talking very pleasantly with the ladies; and she said-Sir, here is a good old man, who wants to see you on business of life and death, he says, and is very earnest.'— Aye,' said he, who can that be?-Let him stay in the little hall, and I'll soon come to him.' They all stared; and Sir Simon said, 'No more nor less, I dare say, my good friend, but a bastard child. If it is,' said Lady Jones, bring it in to us.'-' I will,' said he. Mrs. Jewkes says, my master was much surprised when he saw who it was; and she much more, when my dear father said, Good God! give me patience! but, great as you are, Sir, must ask for my child!' and burst ou into tears-(O what trouble have I given you both!)-My master said, taking him by the hand, 'Don't be uneasy, Goodman Andrews: your daughter is in the way to be happy! This alarmed my dear father, and he said, "What! then, is she dying! And, trembling, could scarce stand. My master made him sit down by him, and said, “No, God be praised, she is very well: pray be comforted; I cannot bear to see you thus apprehensive; but she has written you a letter, to assure you that she has reason to be well satisfied and happy.' Ah, Sir!' said he, 'you told me once she was in London, waiting on a bishop's lady, but she was then a severe prisoner here.'-' That's all over now, Goodman Andrews,' said my master: the times are altered: for now the sweet girl has taken me prisoner; and, in a few days I shall put on the most agreeable fetters that ever man wore.' O, Sir,' said he,' you are too pleasant for my griefs. My heart's almost broken. But may I not see my poor child?'--'You shall presently,' said he; for she is coming down to us: and since you won't believe me, I hope you will her.' 'I will ask you, good Sir,' said he, but one question, that I may know how to look upon her when I see her. Is she honest? Is she virtuous ?'-' As the new-born babe, Mr. Andrews,' said my good master; and, in twelve days time I hope, will be my wife.' O flatter me not, good your honour,' said he, 'it cannot be! it cannot be !I fear you have deluded her with strange hopes; and would make me believe inipossibilities!'- Mrs. Jewkes,' said he, do you tell my dear Pamela's good father, when I go out, all you know of me, and your mistress that is to be. Make much of him, set out what you have, and make him drink a glass of what he likes best. If this be wine,' added he, fill me up a bumper.' She did so; and he took my father by the hand, and said, 'Believe me, good man, and be easy; for I can't bear to see you tortured in this cruel suspense your dear daughter is the beloved of my soul. I am glad you are come; for you'll see us all in the same story. Here's your dame's health; and God bless y both for being the happy means of procuring for me so great a blessing! So he drank a bumper to this most obliging health. What do I hear? It cannot surely be,' said my father. And your honour is too good, I hope, to mock a poor old man. This ugly story, Sir, of the bishop runs in my head--But you say I shall see my dear child-and see her honest. If not, poor as I am, I would not own her.' My master bid Mrs. Jewkes not let me know yet that my father was come; and went to the company, and said, 'I have been agreeably surprised: here is honest old Goodman Andrews come full of grief to see his daughter: he fears she is seduced; and tells me, good honest man, that, poor as he is, he will not own her if she be not virtuous. O,' said they all with one voice almost, 'Dear Sir! shall we not see the good old man you have so praised for his plain good sense and honest heart?'-'If,' said he, I thought Pamela would not be too much affected with the surprise, I would make you all witness to their first interview; for never did daughter love a father, or father a daughter, as they two do one another.' Miss Darnford, and all the ladies and gentlemen, begged it might be so. But was not this very cruel? For well might they think I should not support myself in such an agreeable surprise. and I will send for her down.'-' O, Sir,' said my father, don't, don't let me; I am not fit to appear before your guests; let me see my daughter by myself, I beseech you.' Said he, They all know your bonest character, Goodman Andrews, and long to see you, for Pamela's sake.” He took my father by the hand, and led him in, against his will, to the company. They were all very good.. My master kindly said, 'Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you one of the honestest men in England, my good Pamela's father.' Mr. Peters went to him, and took him by the hand, and said, We are all glad to see you, Sir; you are the happiest man in the world, in a daughter whom we never saw before to-day, but cannot enough admire.' Said my master, This gentleman, Goodman Andrews, is the minister of the parish; but not young enough for Mr. Williams.' This airy expression, my poor father said, made him fear that all was a jest. Sir Simon also took him by the hand and said, 'Aye, you have a sweet daughter, Honesty; we are all in love with her.' And the ladies came and said very fine things: Lady Darnford particularly, that he might think himself the happiest man in England, in such a daughter. If, and please you, Madam,' said he, 'she be but virtuous, 'tis all in all for all the rest is accident. But I doubt his honour has been too much upon the jest with me.' 'No,' said Mrs. Peters, we are all witnesses that He said kindly-I only fear, that he intends very honourably by her.' the dear girl may be too much affect-It's some comfort,' said he, and wiped ed. O, said Lady Darnford we'll his eyes, that such good ladies say so all help to keep up her spirits.' Says -But I wish I could see her.' he, I'll go up and prepare her; but won t tell her of it.' So he came up to me, as I have said, and amused me about Mr. Williams, to half prepare me for some surprise, though that could not have been any thing to this; and he left me, as I said, in that suspense, at his mysterious words, saying, he would send to me, when they were going to cards. 6 My master went from me to my father, and asked if he had eaten any thing. 'No,' said Mrs. Jewkes, the good 'man's heart's so full, he cannot eat, nor do any thing, till he has seen his dear daughter. That shall soon be,' said my master. I will have you come in with me; for she is going to sit down with my guests, to a game at quadrille! They would have had him sit down by them, but he would only sit behind the door in the corner of the room, so that, entering, one could not see him; because the door opened against him, and almost hid him. The ladies all sat down; and my master said, 'Desire Mrs. Jewkes to step up, and tell Mrs, Andrews the ladies wait for her.' So down I came. Miss Darnford rose, and met me at the door, and said, 'Well, Miss Andrews, we long for your company.' I did not see my dear father; and i seems his heart was too full to speak; and he got up, and sat down, three o four times successively, unable to come to me, or to say any thing. The ladies looked that way; but I would not, sup posing it was Mr. Williams. They made me sit down between Lady Darnford and Lady Jones; and asked me what I would play at. I said, 'At what your ladyships please.' I wondered to see them smile, and look upon me, and to that corner of the room; but I was afraid of looking, for fear of seeing Mr. Williams; though my face was that way too, and the table before me. Said my master, Did you send your letter away to the post-house, my good girl, for your father.' 'To be sure, Sir,' said I, I did not forget that: I took the liberty to desire Mr. Thomas to carry it. What,' said he, 'I wonder will the good old couple say to it?' O Sir, said I, your goodness will be a cordial to their dear honest hearts!? At that, my dear father, not able to contain himself, nor yet to stir from the place, gushed out into a flood of tears, which he, good soul, had been struggling with, it seems; and cried out, Oh, my dear child!' 6 I knew the voice, and, lifting up my eyes, saw my father. I gave a spring, and overturned the table, without regard to the company, and threw myself at his feet: O my father! my father!' said I, can it be? Is it you? Yes, it is !-O bless your happy'- daughter! I would have said, and down I sunk. My master seemed concerned. 'I feared,' said he, that the surprize would be too much for her spirits; and all the ladies ran to me, and made me drink a glass of water; and I found myself encircled in the arms of my dearest father. Oh tell me, said I, every thing. How long have you been here?-When did you come ? how does my honoured mother?' And half a dozen questions more, before he could answer one. They permitted me to retire with my father; and then I poured forth all my vows, and thanksgivings to God, for this additional blessing; and confirmed all my master's goodness to his scarce-believing amazement. We kneeled together, blessing God, and one another, for several ecstatic minutes; and my master coming in soon after, my dear father said, "O Sir, what a change is this! May God reward and bless you, both in this world and the next.' May God bless us all!' said he. But how does my sweet girl! I have been in pain for you. I am sorry I did not apprise you beforehand.'—' O Sir, said I, 'it was you; and all you do must be good. But this was a blessing so unexpected!' Well,' said he, you have given pain to all the company. They will be glad to see you when you can; for you have spoiled all their diversion; and still painfully delighted them. Mr. Andrews,' added he, 'do you make this house your own; and the longer you stay, the more welcome you'll be.-After you have a little composed yourself, my dear girl, step in to us again. I am glad to see you so well already.' And so he left us. 'See you, my dear father,' said I, what goodness there is in this once naughty master? O pray for him! and for me that I may deserve it!' How long has this happy change been wrought, my dear child ?'—' O,' said I, 'several days! I have written down every thing; and you'll see, from the depth of misery, what God has done for me.' 'Blessed be his name!' said he, But, do you say, he will marry you? Can such a brave gentleman make a lady of the child of such a poor man as I? O the Divine goodness! How will your poor dear mother support these happy tidings? I will set cut tomorrow, to acquaint her with them; for I am but half happy, till the dear good woman shares them with me!To be sure, my child, we ought to go into some far country, to hide ourselves, that we may not disgrace you by our poverty.' ‘O my dear father,' said I, 'now you are unkind for the first time. Your po verty has been my glory, and my riches, I ever thought it an honour, rather than a disgrace, because you were always so honest, that your child might well boast of such a parentage!' In this manner, my dear mother, did we pass the happy moments, till Miss Darnford came to me and said, How do you, dear Madam? I rejoice to see you so well! Pray let us have your company-And your's too, good Mr. Andrews,' taking his hand. This was very obliging, I told her. We went to the great parlour; and my master made my father sit down by him, and drink a glass of wine with him. Mean time, I made my excuses to the ladies, as well as I could, which they readily granted me. But Sir Simon, after his |