Pamela, Or Virtue Rewarded

Arthur, said my master, I have brought you a mistress that is a great

gardener. She'll shew you a new way to plant beans: And never any body

had such a hand at improving a sun-flower as she!--O sir, sir, said I,

(but yet a little dashed,) all my improvements in every kind of thing

are owing to you, I am sure!--And so I think I was even with the dear

man, and yet appeared grateful before his servants. They withdrew,

blessing us both, as the rest had done. And then came in the postilion,

and two helpers, (for my master has both here, and at Lincolnshire, fine

hunting horses; and it is the chief sport he takes delight in,) as also

the scullion-boy: And I said, How do all of you? And how dost do, Tommy?

I hope you're very good. Here your dear master has ordered you something

a-piece, in honour of me. And my master holding three fingers to me, I

gave the postilion and helpers three guineas each, and the little boy

two; and bid him let his poor mother lay it out for him, for he must not

spend it idly. Mr. Colbrand, Abraham, and Thomas, I had before presented

at t'other house. And when they were all gone but Mrs. Jervis, I said, And now, dearest

sir, permit me, on my knees, thus to bless you, and pray for you. And

oh, may God crown you with length of days, and increase of honour;

and may your happy, happy Pamela, by her grateful heart, appear always

worthy in your dear eyes, though she cannot be so in her own, nor in

those of any others! Mrs. Jervis, said my master, you see the excellency of this sweet

creature! And when I tell you that the charms of her person, all lovely

as she is, bind me not so strongly to her, as the graces of her mind;

congratulate me, that my happiness is built on so stable a basis. Indeed

I do, most sincerely, sir, said she:

This is a happy day to me! I stept into the library, while he was thus pouring out his kindness for

me to Mrs. Jervis; and blessed God there on my knees, for the difference

I now found to what I had once known in it.--And when I have done the

same in the first scene of my fears, the once frightful summer-house,

I shall have gone through most of my distressful scenes with gratitude;

but shall never forbear thanking God in my mind, for his goodness to

me in every one. Mrs. Jervis, I find, had whispered him what I had done

above, and he saw me upon my knees, with my back towards him, unknown to

me; but softly put to the door again, as he had opened it a little way.

And I said, not knowing he had seen me, You have some charming pictures

here, sir.--Yes, said he, my dear life, so I have; but none equal to

that which your piety affords me; And may the God you delight to

serve, bless more and more my dear angel!--Sir, said I, you are all

goodness!--I hope, replied he, after your sweet example, I shall be

better and better. Do you think, my dear father and mother, there ever was so happy a

creature as I? To be sure it would be very ungrateful to think with

uneasiness, or any thing but compassion, of poor Miss Sally Godfrey.