ffect and please the Reader
beyond all the Strokes of Oratory in the World; for those will but spoil
it: and, should you permit such a murdering Hand to be laid upon it, to
gloss and tinge it over with superfluous and needless Decorations,
which, like too much Drapery in Sculpture and Statuary, will but
encumber it; it may disguise the Facts, mar the Reflections, and
unnaturalize the Incidents, so as to be lost in a Multiplicity of fine
idle Words and Phrases, and reduce our Sterling Substance into an empty
Shadow, or rather _frenchify_ our _English_ Solidity into Froth and
Whip-syllabub. No; let us have _Pamela_ as _Pamela_ wrote it; in her own
Words, without Amputation, or Addition. Produce her to us in her neat
Country Apparel, such as she appear'd in, on her intended Departure to
her Parents; for such best becomes her Innocence, and beautiful
Simplicity. Such a Dress will best edify and entertain. The flowing
Robes of Oratory may indeed amuse and amaze, but will never strike the
Mind with solid Attention.

In short, Sir, a Piece of this Kind is much wanted in the World, which
is but too much, as well as too early, debauched by pernicious _Novels_.
I know nothing Entertaining of that Kind that one might venture to
recommend to the Perusal (much less the Imitation) of the Youth of
either Sex: All that I have hitherto read, tends only to corrupt their
Principles, mislead their Judgments, and initiate them into Gallantry,
and loose Pleasures.

Publish then, this good, this edifying and instructive little Piece for
their sakes. The Honour of _Pamela_'s Sex demands _Pamela_ at your
Hands, to shew the World an Heroine, almost beyond Example, in an
unusual Scene of Life, whom no Temptations, or Sufferings, could subdue.
It is a fine, and glorious Original, for the Fair to copy out and
imitate. Our own Sex, too, require it of you, to free us, in some
measure, from the Imputation of being incapable of the Impressions of
Virtue and Honour; [_del._ 8th] {and to shew the Ladies, that we are not
inflexible while they are so.}

In short, the Cause of Virtue calls for the Publication of such a Piece
as this. Oblige then, Sir, the concurrent Voices of both Sexes, and give
us _Pamela_ for the Benefit of Mankind: [_del._ 8th] {And as I believe
its Excellencies cannot be long unknown to the World, and that there
will not be a Family without it; so I make no Doubt but every Family
that has it, will be much improv'd and better'd by it