Pamela, Or Virtue Rewarded
Page 47VERSES ON MY GOING AWAY.
I. My fellow-servants dear, attend
To these few lines, which I have penn'd:
I'm sure they're from your honest friend,
And wisher-well, poor PAMELA.
II. I, from a state of low degree,
Was plac'd in this good family:
Too high a fate for humble me,
The helpless, hopeless PAMELA.
III. Yet though my happy lot was so,
Joyful, I homeward from it go,
No less content, when poor and low,
Than here you find your PAMELA.
IV. For what indeed is happiness,
But conscience innocence and peace?
And that's a treasure I possess;
Thank Heaven that gave it PAMELA.
V. My future lot I cannot know
But this I'm sure, where'er I go,
Whate'er I am, whate'er I do,
I'll be the grateful PAMELA.
VI. No sad regrets my heart annoy,
From master high, to scullion boy,
For all your loves to PAMELA.
VII. One thing or two I've more to say;
God's holy will, be sure, obey;
And for our master always pray,
As ever shall poor PAMELA.
VIII. For, oh! we pity should the great,
Instead of envying their estate;
Temptations always on 'em wait,
Exempt from which are such as we.
IX. Their riches, gay deceitful snares,
Enlarge their fears, increase their cares
Their servants' joy surpasses theirs;
At least so judges PAMELA.
X. Your parents and relations love
Let them your duty ever prove;
And you'll be bless'd by Heav'n above,
As will, I hope, poor PAMELA.
XI. For if asham'd I e'er could be
Of my dear parents' low degree,
What lot had been too mean for me,
XII. Thrice happy may you ever be,
Each one in his and her degree;
And, sirs, whene'er you think of me,
Pray for content to PAMELA.
XIII. Pray for her wish'd content and peace;
And rest assur'd she'll never cease,
To pray for all your joys increase,
While life is lent to PAMELA.
XIV. On God all future good depends:
Serve him. And so my sonnet ends,
With, thank ye, thank ye, honest friends,
For all your loves to PAMELA,
Here it is necessary the reader should know, that the fair Pamela's
trials were not yet over; but the worst were to come, at a time when she
thought them at an end, and that she was returning to her father: for
when her master found her virtue was not to be subdued, and he had in
vain tried to conquer his passion for her, being a gentleman of pleasure
and intrigue, he had ordered his Lincolnshire coachman to bring his
travelling chariot from thence, not caring to trust his Bedfordshire
coachman, who, with the rest of the servants, so greatly loved and
honoured the fair damsel; and having given him instructions accordingly,
behaviour, from accompanying her any part of the road, he drove her
five miles on the way to her father's; and then turning off, crossed the
country, and carried her onwards toward his Lincolnshire estate. It is also to be observed, that the messenger of her letters to her
father, who so often pretended business that way, was an implement in
his master's hands, and employed by him for that purpose; and always
gave her letters first to him, and his master used to open and read
them, and then send them on; by which means, as he hints to her, (as she
observes in her letter XXX) he was no stranger to what she wrote. Thus
every way was the poor virgin beset: And the whole will shew the base
arts of designing men to gain their wicked ends; and how much it behoves
the fair sex to stand upon their guard against artful contrivances,
especially when riches and power conspire against innocence and a low
estate. A few words more will be necessary to make the sequel better understood.
The intriguing gentleman thought fit, however, to keep back from her
father her three last letters; in which she mentions his concealing
himself to hear her partitioning out her clothes, his last effort to
induce her to stay a fortnight, his pretended proposal of the chaplain,
and her hopes of speedily seeing them, as also her verses; and to send
himself a letter to her father, which is as follows: