'VI. Now, Pamela, will you see by this, what a value I set upon the

free-will of a person already in my power; and who, if these proposals

are not accepted, shall find, that I have not taken all these pains, and

risked my reputation, as I have done, without resolving to gratify my

passion for you, at all adventures; and if you refuse, without making

any terms at all. VI. I know, sir, by woful experience, that I am in your power:

I know all the resistance I can make will be poor and weak, and,

perhaps, stand me in little stead: I dread your will to ruin me

is as great as your power: yet, sir, will I dare to tell you,

that I will make no free-will offering of my virtue. All that

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I can do, poor as it is, I will do, to convince you, that your

offers shall have no part in my choice; and if I cannot escape

the violence of man, I hope, by God's grace, I shall have nothing

to reproach myself, for not doing all in my power to avoid my

disgrace; and then I can safely appeal to the great God, my only

refuge and protector, with this consolation, That my will bore no

part in my violation. '

VII. You shall be mistress of my person and fortune, as much as if the

foolish ceremony had passed. All my servants shall be yours; and you

shall choose any two persons to attend yourself, either male or female,

without any control of mine: and if your conduct be such, that I have

reason to be satisfied with it, I know not (but will not engage for

this) that I may, after a twelvemonth's cohabitation, marry you; for, if

my love increases for you, as it has done for many months past, it will

be impossible for me to deny you any thing.

'And now, Pamela, consider well, it is in your power to oblige me on

such terms, as will make yourself, and all your friends, happy: but this

will be over this very day, irrevocably over; and you shall find all you

would be thought to fear, without the least benefit arising from it to

yourself. 'And I beg you'll well weigh the matter, and comply with my proposals;

and I will instantly set about securing to you the full effect of them:

And let me, if you value yourself, experience a grateful return on this

occasion, and I'll forgive all that's past.'

VII. I have not once dared to look so high, as to such a

proposal as your seventh article contains. Hence have proceeded

all my little abortive artifices to escape from the confinement

you have put me in; although you promised to be honourable to me.

Your honour, well I know, would not let you stoop to so mean and

so unworthy a slave, as the poor Pamela: All I desire is, to be

permitted to return to my native meanness unviolated. What have

I done, sir, to deserve it should be otherwise? For the obtaining

of this, though I would not have married your chaplain, yet would

I have run away with your meanest servant, if I had thought I could

have got safe to my beloved poverty. I heard you once say, sir,

That a certain great commander, who could live upon lentils, might

well refuse the bribes of the greatest monarch: And I hope, as I

can contentedly live at the meanest rate, and think not myself

above the lowest condition, that I am also above making an exchange

of my honesty for all the riches of the Indies. When I come to be

proud and vain of gaudy apparel, and outside finery, then (which I

hope will never be) may I rest my principal good in such vain

trinkets, and despise for them the more solid ornaments of a good

fame, and a chastity inviolate!




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