f a Fellow,
dress'd in all the Accoutrements that could be collected together to
make him look terrible, yet through all, you might discern a sly leering
Grin: No sooner had the Doctor pronounced his Nostrum universal, but
_Andrew_ (for he, it seems, was the formidable Hero in Disguise)
advancing forward with an Air military flourishes his broad Sword over
his Head; and being mildly ask'd by the Doctor, what was the Occasion
of that tremendous Visage, he boldly answered----_to Kill any one that
dare dispute it_.
Thus you, Sir, as _Editor_ stand boldly a _Swiss_ at your own Portal, to
invite in your Friends with recommendatory Letters, and hard strain'd
complemental Rhimes to yourself as _Author_, to usher your doughty
Performance into the World.
I shall pass over them in a cursory Manner, as they only appear to be
_Aiders_ and _Abetters_, and not principally concerned; they only tend
to sound forth the Praise of the Book, and amount to little more than
what the Vulgar call a _Puff_. The first of them insinuates a _French
Translation_, and as I see one is since advertised to be published, it
may not be amiss to congratulate the Gentleman, whoever he is, on his
lucky Thought, and wish him as much Success on his being _Translator_,
as you have met with in being _Editor_; tho' upon Consideration I must
confess that would be doing wrong, for as I think the Book to have a bad
Tendency in general, (which I shall endeavour to prove presently) to
transmit it into another Language is but spreading the Infection
farther.
The next Epistle abounds with the same fulsome Flattery as the former,
it is there--"full of Instruction and Morality,--a pure clear Fountain
of Truth and Innocence;--a Magazine of Virtue and unblemish'd
Thoughts:--ALL others tend only to corrupt our Principles and mislead
our Judgments, but _Pamela_ must be for the universal Benefit of
Mankind, 'twill reclaim the Vicious, and mend the Age in general."
The Introduction to the Second Edition is only calculated to load us
with still more Stuff of the same Kind as the former; You would do well,
Sir, before you so confidently affirm the Gentleman who hath given his
Opinion upon the Objections that have been offered to be a Person of
_distinguish'd Taste_ and _Abilities_, either to have let us known _who_
he was, or some of his former Works, which might have convinced us of
those _Abilities_, for I think the long Harangue prefix'd to _Pamela_
will never be dee
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