Pamela Censured Part 4

15.17-19.2

An attack on the "Introduction to This Second Edition." Aaron Hill is the "Person of distinguish'd _Taste_ and _Abilities_."

22.22-24

_Pamela Censured_ here refuses to employ _Pamela_'s tactic of including parts of letters to support opinions.

26.7-13

Quotation from Letter VII.

26.13-25

_Pamela's Conduct in High Life_ brands the remarks on this page "too poor to censure" and "downright _silly_" (I, xiii).

26.26-28.17

Quotation from Letter XI.

28.22-29.1

This comment, according to _Pamela's Conduct in High Life_, "is like the Roman Persecution of the Christians, who sewed them in Bears Skins and then baited them. How unfair he is, and how much of the Goat he has in his Const.i.tution are visible" (I, xiii).

29.1-30.27

Quotation from Letter XV. Concerning this pa.s.sage, _Pamela's Conduct in High Life_ asks: "What is there immodest in this Account, what to excite any Pa.s.sions but those of Pity for a virtuous young Creature, and Indignation to a tyrannical lewd Man of Fortune? How do the Fright, the Terror, and Apprehensions of a defenceless Virgin kindle Desire? and when they have deprived her of Sense, how can we fairly from the Words of _Pamela_'s Letter gather, that she fell in an indecent Posture?" "The Warmth of Imagination in this virtuous Censurer," continues _Pamela's Conduct in High Life_, "supplies the rest: He can't suppose that she could possibly fall but as he has painted her, and if the Editor has been defective in CONVEYING THE MOST ARTFUL AND ALLURING AMOROUS IDEAS, if the Letters do not abound with Incidents which must necessarily raise in the unwary Youth that read them EMOTIONS _far distant_ from the PRINCIPLES of VIRTUE. If they are not replete with _Images to enflame_, the Censurer endeavours to repair the Fault[. H]e, not the Editor, contrives to give an Idea of _Pamela_'s hidden Beauties, and would have you imagine she lies in the most immodest Posture, such a one as Mrs.

_Jervis_ thought Things had gone farther, but can this be gathered from _Pamela_'s Account, or is not this virtuous Censurer endeavouring to impress in the Minds of Youth that read his Defence of Modesty and Virtue, _Images_ that may _enflame_? _Was not_, says he, _the 'Squire very modest to withdraw? for she lay in such a pretty Posture that Mrs._ Jervis _thought it was worse_. Why did Mrs. _Jervis_ think this from the pretty Posture? Nay, how could she think it from any Posture?

when the same Account tells us she and the 'Squire were obliged to burst open the Door, for Mrs. _Jervis_ to get in to her a.s.sistance; Is it not more reasonable for Mrs. _Jervis_ to conclude as she did, from the unruly lawless Pa.s.sion with which she knew her Master tormented, from the Obstinacy of his Temper, and from the Hopes he might entertain, being Master of a large Fortune, that he might, born up by that, stem the Tide of Justice, and perpetrate the greatest Villainy with Impunity?

We are told in the Letters that she fainted away, and fell on the Floor stretch'd at her Length, and as her Gown was caught in, and torn by the Door, she must fall too near it, in whatever Posture, to shew any _latent_ Beauties, but what is there indecent in this Relation? Is there any particular Posture described? Oh, but the Censurer lays her in one which may _enflame_, you must imagine as lusciously as he does; if the Letter has not discover'd enough, the pious Censurer lends a Hand, and endeavours to _surfeit your Sight_ by lifting the Covering which was left by the Editor, and with the Hand of a boisterous Ravisher takes the Opportunity of _Pamela_'s being in a Swoon to ----" (I, xiv-xv).

30.28

Concerning "whether the 'Squire was not modest," _Pamela's Conduct in High Life_ explains that Mr. B "shews he had some Humanity, and was touch'd with Remorse at the Distress he himself occasioned. This, no doubt the Censurer, who seems as much divested of Humanity as a Stranger to Virtue or even Decency, blames the 'Squire for in his Heart, thinks him a silly Country b.o.o.by, a half-paced Sinner, a Milk-sop to be capable of Compa.s.sion, and no doubt would gladly have had him gone thorough, that he might have had the Pleasure of imaginary Pimping, and have _surfeited his Sight_" (I, xv-(xvi)).

31.6-32.19

Concerning this pa.s.sage, _Pamela's Conduct in High Life_ sums up its argument by saying: "But this unfair Censurer fearing he has not yet warm'd the Imagination of his Readers, lays Pamela in a Posture, and particularizes her latent charms, _p._ 31, and then charges his own luxurious Fancy on the Author, as he calls the Editor" (I, [xvi]).

33.1-20

Quotation from Letter XVIII.

33.25-34.13

Quotation from Letter XIX. Concerning this pa.s.sage, _Pamela's Conduct in High Life_ exclaims: "Pamela talks very rationally to Mrs. _Jervis_, foresees Consequences, and concludes, _she that can't keep her Virtue ought to live in Disgrace_. At this our Censurer cries out, _Fine Instructions truly!_" With this, _Pamela's Conduct in High Life_ makes its parting stab at _Pamela Censured_: "But it is impossible with Decency to follow this luscious Censurer, really I had scarce Patience to read, and therefore you will not expect me to rake longer in his Dirt. I have written enough to shew you of what Stamp are all the Calumniators of the virtuous _Pamela_. How sensual and coa.r.s.e their Ideas, how inhumane their Sentiments, how immoral their Principles, how vile their Endeavours, how unfair their Quotations, how lewd and weak their Remarks" (I. [xvi]).

35.12-29

Quotation from Letter XXIV.

37.2-38.6

Quotation from Letter XXIV.

38.10-25

Quotation from Letter XXIV.

39.12-20

Quotation from Letter XXV.

39.24-40.10

Quotation from Letter XXV.

40.15-41.19

Quotation from Letter XXV.

42.2-17

Quotation from Letter XXV.

42.26-28

Quotation from Letter XXVII.

43.5-16

Quotation from Letter XXVII.

43.20-44.3

Quotation from Letter XXVII.

44.9-17

Quotation from Letter XXVII.

45.20-46.3

Quotation from Letter XXVII.

46.19-20

Reference to Letter XXIX.

46.26-48.4