“I observed the girl wrote a pretty hand, and very swift and free; and affixed her points or stops with so much judgment (her years considered), that I began to have an high opinion of her understanding.  Some observations likewise upon several of the passages were so just and solid, that I could not help being tacitly surprised at them.

“My mother watched my eye, and was silent:  I seemed not to observe that she did; and after a while, laid down the book, shutting it with great indifference, and talking of another subject.

“Upon this, my mother said, ’Don’t you think Pamela writes a pretty hand, son?’

“‘I did not mind it much,’ said I, with a careless air.  ’This is her writing, is it?’ taking the book, and opening it again, at a place of Scripture.  ‘The girl is mighty pious!’ said I.

“‘I wish you were so, child.’

“‘I wish so too, Madam, if it would please you.’

“‘I wish so, for your own sake, child.’

“‘So do I, Madam;’ and down I laid the book again very carelessly.

“‘Look once more in it,’ said she, ’and see if you can’t open it upon some place that may strike you.’

“I opened it at—­’Train up a child in the way it should go,’ &c.  ’I fancy,’ said I, ’when I was of Pamela’s age, I was pretty near as good as she.’

“‘Never, never,’ said my mother; ’I am sure I took great pains with you; but, alas I to very little purpose.  You had always a violent headstrong will.’

“’Some allowances for boys and girls, I hope, Madam; but you see I am as good for a man as my sister for a woman.’

“‘No indeed, you are not, I do assure you.’

“‘I am sorry for that.  Madam; you give me a sad opinion of myself.’”

“Brazen wretch!” said my lady; “but go on.”

“‘Turn to one of the girl’s observations on some text,’ said my mother.

“I did; and was pleased with it more than I would own.  ’The girl’s well enough,’ said I, ’for what she is; but let’s see what she’ll be a few years hence.  Then will be the trial.’

“‘She’ll be always good, I doubt not.’

“’So much the better for her.  But can’t we talk of any other subject?  You complain how seldom I attend you; and when you are always talking of matrimony, or of this low-born, raw girl, it must needs lessen the pleasure of approaching you.’

“But now, as I hinted to you, ladies, and my lord, I had a still higher opinion of Pamela; and esteemed her more worthy of my attempts.  ‘For,’ thought I, ’the girl has good sense, and it will be some pleasure to watch by what gradations she may be made to rise into love, and into a higher life, than that to which she was born.’  And so I began to think she would be worthy in time of being my mistress, which, till now, as I said before, I had been a little scrupulous about.