Herewith I transmit you a Copy of sweet, dear, pretty _Pamela_, a
little Book which this Winter hath produced, of which, I make no
doubt, you have already heard mention from some of your Neighbouring
Clergy; for we have made it our common Business here, not only to cry
it up, but to preach it up likewise: The Pulpit, as well as the
Coffee-house, hath resounded with its Praise, and it is expected
shortly, that his L--p will recommend it in a ---- Letter to our
whole Body.
And this Example, I am confident, will be imitated by all our Cloth
in the Country: For besides speaking well of a Brother, in the
Character of the Reverend Mr. _Williams_, the useful and truly
religious Doctrine of _Grace_ is every where inculcated.
This Book is the “SOUL of _Religion_, Good-Breeding, Discretion,
Good-Nature, Wit, Fancy, Fine Thought, and Morality. There is an
Ease, a natural Air, a dignified Simplicity, and MEASURED FULLNESS in
it, that RESEMBLING LIFE, OUT-GLOWS IT. The Author hath reconciled
the _pleasing_ to the _proper_; the Thought is every where exactly
cloathed by the Expression; and becomes its Dress as _roundly_ and as
close as _Pamela_ her Country Habit; or _as she doth her no Habit_,
when modest Beauty seeks to hide itself, by casting off the Pride of
Ornament, and displays itself without any Covering;” which it
frequently doth in this admirable Work, and presents Images to the
Reader, which the coldest Zealot cannot read without Emotion.
For my own Part (and, I believe, I may say the same of all the Clergy
of my Acquaintance) “I have done nothing but read it to others, and
hear others again read it to me, ever since it came into my Hands;
and I find I am like to do nothing else, for I know not how long yet
to come: because if I lay the Book down _it comes after me_. When it
has dwelt all Day long upon the Ear, it takes Possession all Night of
the Fancy. It hath Witchcraft in every Page of it.----Oh! I feel an
Emotion even while I am relating this: Methinks I see _Pamela_ at
this Instant, with all the Pride of Ornament cast off.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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