fits, which were feparately performed by the two Ladies the fame Afternoon, and might have had a mischievous Effect, had it not been ftopt by two fresh Reputations which were publifhed the Day afterwards, and engroffed the whole Talk of the Town.

But whatever Opinion or Sufpicion the scandalous Inclination of Defamers might entertain of Lady Booby's innocent Freedoms, it is certain they made no Impreffion on young Andrews, who never offered to encroach beyond the Liberties which his Lady allowed him. A Behaviour which the imputed to the violent Refpect he preferved for her, and which ferved only to heighten a something she began to conceive, and which the next Chapter will open a little farther.

The Death of Sir Thomas Booby, with the affectionate and mournful Behaviour of his Widow, and the great Purity of Jofeph

Andrews.

AT

T this Time, an Accident happened which put a stop to thofe agreeable Walks, which probably would have foon puffed up the Cheeks of Fame, and caused her to blow her brazen Trumpet through the Town; and this was no other than the Death of Sir Thomas Booby, who, departing this Life, left his difconfolate Lady confined to her Houfe, as clofely as if the herself had been

* It may feem an Abfurdity that Tattle fhould vifit, as she actually did, to fpread a known Scandal: but the Reader may reconcile this, by fuppofing with me, that, notwithstanding what the fays, this was her first Acquaintance with it.

attacked

attacked by fome violent Disease. During the first fix Days the poor Lady admitted none but Mrs. Slipflop, and three Female Friends, who made a Party at Cards: but on the feventh fhe ordered Joey, whom for a good Reason we shall hereafter call JOSEPH, to bring up her Tea-kettle. The Lady being in Bed, called Jofeph to her, bade him fit down, and having accidentally laid her Hand on his, the asked him, if he had ever been in Love? Jofeph answered, with fome Confusion, it was time enough for one so young as himself to think on fuch Things. As young as you are, reply'd the Lady, I am convinced you are no Stranger to that Paffion; Come Joey,' fays the,

tell me truly, who is the happy Girl whofe Eyes ⚫ have made a Conqueft of you?' Jofeph returned, that all the Women he had ever feen, were equally indifferent to him. O then,' faid the Lady, you are a general Lover. Indeed you handfome. Fellows, like handsome Women, are very long • and difficult in fixing: but yet you fhall never perfwade me that your Heart is fo infufceptible of Affection; I rather impute what you fay to your Secrecy, a very commendable Quality, and what I am far from being angry with you for. Nothing can be more unworthy in a young • Man than to betray any Intimacies with the Ladies.' Ladies! Madam, faid Jofeph, I am fure I never had the Impudence to think of any that deferve that Name. Don't pretend to too much Modefty, faid fhe; for that fometimes may be impertinent: but pray, anfwer me this Quefti6 on. Suppose a Lady should happen to like you; fuppofe the fhould prefer you to all your Sex, and admit you to the fame Familiarities as you might have hoped for, if you had been born

• her

her Equal, are you certain that no Vanity could. ⚫ tempt you to discover her? Answer me honestly, Jofeph; Have you fo much more Senfe and fo much more Virtue than you handsome young Fellows generally have, who make no Scruple of facrificing our dear Reputation to your Pride, • without confidering the great Obligation we lay on you, by our Condefcenfion and Confidence? • Can you keep a Secret, my Joey?' Madam,.. fays he, I hope your Ladyfhip can't tax me with ever betraying the Secrets of the Family; and. I hope, if you was to turn me away, I might have that Character of you.' 'I don't intend to turn you away, Joey,' faid fhe, and fighed, I am afraid it is not in my Power.' She then raised herself a little in her Bed, and difcovered one of the whiteft Necks that ever was seen; at which. Jofeph blufhed, La! fays fhe, in an affected Surprize, "what am I doing? I have trufted myself. with a Man alone, naked in Bed; fuppofe you. should have any wicked Intentions upon my Honour, how fhould I defend myfelf?' Jofeph protested that he never had the least evil Design against her. No, fays fhe, perhaps you may. not call your Defigns wicked; and perhaps they are not fo.'-He fwore they were not. You • misunderstand me, fays fhe; Imean if they were ⚫ against my Honour, they may not be wicked; but the World calls them fo. But then, fay you, the World will never know any thing of the Matter; yet would not that be trufting to your Secrecy? Muft not my Reputation be then in your Power? Would you not then be my Matter?' Jofeph begged her Ladyfhip to be comforted; for that he would never imagine the least wicked thing against her, and that he

had

had rather die a thousand Deaths than give her any Reason to fufpect him. Yes, faid fhe, I • must have Reason to fufpect you. Are you not a Man? and without Vanity I may pretend to • fome Charms. But perhaps you may fear I fhould profecute you; indeed I hope you do ; and yet Heaven knows I fhould never have the • Confidence to appear before a Court of Justice; ⚫ and you know, Joey, I am of a forgiving Temper. Tell me, Joey, don't you think I fhould forgive you?' Indeed, Madam, fays Jofeph, • I will never do any thing to disoblige your La• dyship.' How, fays the, do you think it would not difoblige me then? Do you think I • would willingly fuffer you?' I don't underftand you, Madam," fays Jofeph. • Don't

you?' faid fhe, then you either are a Fool, 6 or pretend to be fo; I find I was mistaken in you. So get you down Stairs, and never let me ⚫ fee your Face again: your pretended Innocence ⚫ cannot impose on me,' Madam, faid Jofeph, I would not have your Ladyfhip think any Evil ' of me. I have always endeavoured to be a duti⚫ful Servant both to you and my Master.' ⚫ thou Villain! anfwered my Lady, Why didft • thou mention the Name of that dear Man, unlefs to torment me, to bring his precious Me· mory to my Mind,' (and then he burst into a Fit, of Tears.) Get thee from my Sight, I fhall

never endure thee more. At which Words she turned away from him; and Jofeph retreated from the Room in a moft difconfolate Condition, and writ that Letter which the Reader will find in the next Chapter.

С НА Р.

CHAP. VI.

How Jofeph Andrews writ a Letter to his Sifter Pamela.

To Mrs. Pamela Andrews, living with Squire Booby.

Dear Sifter,

SIN

INCE I received your Letter of your good Lady's Death, we have had a Misfortune of the fame kind in our Family. My worthy Mafter Sir Thomas died about four Days ago; and what is worfe, my poor Lady is certainly gone diftracted. None of the Servants expected her to take it fo to heart, because they quarrelled almost every Day of their Lives: but no more of that, because you know, Pamela, I never loved to tell the Secrets of my Mafter's Family; but to be sure you must have known they never loved one another; and I have heard her Ladyship wifh his Honour dead above a thousand times: but no body knows what it is to lofe a Friend 'till they have loft him.

Don't tell any body what I write, because I should not care to have Folks fay 1 difcover what passes in our Family: but if it had not been fo great a Lady, I fhould have thought he had had a-mind to

me.

Dear Pamela, don't tell any body: but he ordered me to fit down by her Bed-fide, when fhe was in naked Bed; and fhe held my Hand, and talked exactly as a Lady does to her Sweet heart in a Stage-Play, which I have feen in Covent-Garden, while he wanted him to be no better than he should be.

If Madam be mad, I shall not care for staying

Lang