Jervis; in this manner:
Here, said I, were my poor honest parents; they took care to instill good
principles into my mind, till I was almost twelve years of age; and
taught me to prefer goodness and poverty to the highest condition of
life; and they confirmed their lessons by their own practice; for they
were, of late years, remarkably poor, and always as remarkably honest,
even to a proverb: for, As honest as goodman ANDREWS, was a byeword.
Well then, said I, comes my late dear good lady, and takes a fancy to me,
and said, she would be the making of me, if I was a good girl; and she
put me to sing, to dance, to play on the spinnet, in order to divert her
melancholy hours; and also taught me all manner of fine needle-work; but
still this was her lesson, My good Pamela, be virtuous, and keep the men
at a distance. Well, so I was, I hope, and so I did; and yet, though I
say it, they all loved me and respected me; and would do any thing for
me, as if I was a gentlewoman.
But, then, what comes next?--Why, it pleased God to take my good lady:
and then comes my master: And what says he?--Why, in effect, it is, Be
not virtuous, Pamela.
So here I have lived about sixteen years in virtue and reputation; and
all at once, when I come to know what is good, and what is evil, I must
renounce all the good, all the whole sixteen years' innocence, which,
next to God's grace, I owed chiefly to my parents, and my lady's good
lessons and examples, and choose the evil; and so, in a moment's time,
become the vilest of creatures! And all this, for what, I pray? Why,
truly, for a pair of diamond ear-rings, a necklace, and a diamond ring
for my finger; which would not become me: For a few paltry fine clothes,
which, when I wore them, would make but my former poverty more ridiculous
to every body that saw me; especially when they knew the base terms I
wore them upon.
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