s therefore confident of the favourable Reception which he boldly
bespeaks for this little Work; he thinks any _further Preface_ or
_Apology_ for it, unnecessary: And the rather for two Reasons, 1st.
Because he can Appeal from _his own_ Passions, (which have been
uncommonly _moved_ in perusing these engaging Scenes) to the Passions of
_Every one_ who shall read them with the least Attention: And, in the
next place, because an _Editor_ may reasonably be supposed to judge with
an Impartiality which is rarely to be met with in an _Author_ towards
his own Works.}

The Editor.

To the Editor of the Piece intitled, PAMELA; or, _VIRTUE Rewarded_.

_Dear SIR,_

I have had inexpressible Pleasure in the Perusal of your PAMELA. It
intirely answers the Character you give of it in your Preface; nor have
you said one Word too much in Commendation of a Piece that has
Advantages and Excellencies peculiar to itself. For, besides the
beautiful Simplicity of the Style, and a happy Propriety and Clearness
of Expression (the Letters being written under the immediate Impression
of every Circumstance which occasioned them, and that to those who had a
Right to know the fair Writer's most secret Thoughts) the several
Passions of the Mind must, of course, be more affectingly described, and
Nature may be traced in her undisguised Inclinations with much more
Propriety and Exactness, than can possibly be found in a Detail of
Actions long past, which are never recollected with the same Affections,
Hopes, and Dreads, with which they were felt when they occurred.

This little Book will infallibly be looked upon as the hitherto
much-wanted Standard or Pattern for this Kind of Writing. For it abounds
with lively Images and Pictures; with Incidents natural, surprising, and
perfectly adapted to the Story; with Circumstances interesting to
Persons in common Life, as well as to those in exalted Stations. The
greatest Regard is every where paid in it to Decency, and to every Duty
of Life: There is a constant Fitness of the Style to the Persons and
Characters described; Pleasure and Instruction here always go hand in
hand: Vice and Virtue are set in constant Opposition, and Religion
every-where inculcated in its native Beauty and chearful Amiableness;
not dressed up in stiff, melancholy, or gloomy Forms, on one hand, nor
yet, on the other, debased below its due Dignity and noble Requisites,
in Compliment to a too fashionable but depraved Taste.