Judge you, from all this, if I could very well bear that you should

think yourself so well secured of my affection, that you could take the

faults of others upon yourself; and, by a supposed supererogatory merit,

think your interposition sufficient to atone for the faults of others

. Yet am I not perfect myself: No, I am greatly imperfect. Yet will I not

allow, that my imperfections shall excuse those of my wife, or make her

think I ought to bear faults in her, that she can rectify, because she

bears greater from me. Upon the whole, I may expect, that you will bear with me, and study my

temper, till, and only till, you see I am capable of returning insult

for obligation; and till you think, that I shall be of a gentler

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deportment, if I am roughly used, than otherwise. One thing more I will

add, That I should scorn myself, if there was one privilege of your

sex, that a princess might expect, as my wife, to be indulged in, that

I would not allow to my Pamela; for you are the wife of my affections: I

never wished for one before you, nor ever do I hope to have another.

I hope, sir, said I, my future conduct--Pardon me, said he, my dear, for

interrupting you; but it is to assure you, that I am so well convinced

of your affectionate regard for me, that I know I might have spared the

greatest part of what I have said: And, indeed, it must be very bad

for both of us, if I should have reason to think it necessary to say

so much. But one thing has brought on another; and I have rather spoken

what my niceness has made me observe in other families, than what I fear

in my own. And, therefore, let me assure you, I am thoroughly satisfied

with your conduct hitherto. You shall have no occasion to repent it: And

you shall find, though greatly imperfect, and passionate, on particular

provocations, (which yet I will try to overcome,) that you have not

a brutal or ungenerous husband, who is capable of offering insult for

condescension, or returning evil for good.

I thanked him for these kind rules, and generous assurances: and assured

him, that they had made so much impression on my mind, that these, and

his most agreeable injunctions before given me, and such as he should

hereafter be pleased to give me, should be so many rules for my future

behaviour. And I am glad of the method I have taken of making a Journal of all that

passes in these first stages of my happiness, because it will sink the

impression still deeper; and I shall have recourse to them for my better

regulation, as often as I shall mistrust my memory.




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