most the last of my family, and most of what I possess must
descend to a strange line, and disagreeable and unworthy persons;
notwithstanding that I might, in this case, have issue of my own body;
when I further considered your untainted virtue, what dangers and
trials you had undergone by my means, and what a world of troubles I had
involved you in, only because you were beautiful and virtuous, which
had excited all my passion for you; and reflected also upon your tried
prudence and truth! I, though I doubted not effecting this my last plot,
resolved to overcome myself; and, however I might suffer in struggling
with my affection for you, to part with you, rather than to betray
you under so black a veil. Besides, said he, I remember how much I had
exclaimed against and censured an action of this kind, that had been
attributed to one of the first men of the law, and of the kingdom, as he
afterwards became; and that it was but treading in a path that another
had marked out for me; and, as I was assured, with no great satisfaction
to himself, when he came to reflect; my foolish pride was a little
piqued with this, because I loved to be, if I went out of the way, my
own original, as I may call it. On all these considerations it was, that
I rejected this project, and sent word to the person, that I had better
considered of the matter, and would not have him come, till he
heard further from me: And, in this suspense I suppose, some of your
confederates, Pamela, (for we have been a couple of plotters, though
your virtue and merit have procured you faithful friends and partisans,
which my money and promises could hardly do,) one way or other got
knowledge of it, and gave you this notice; but, perhaps, it would have
come too late, had not your white angel got the better of my black one,
and inspired me with resolutions to abandon the project, just as it
was to have been put into execution. But yet I own, that, from these
appearances, you were but too well justified in your fears, on this odd
way of coming at this intelligence; and I have only one thing to blame
you for, that though I was resolved not to hear you in your own defence,
yet, as you have so ready a talent at your pen, you might have cleared
your part of this matter up to me by a line or two; and when I had known
what seeming good grounds you had for pouring cold water on a young
flame, that was just then rising to an honourable expansion, should
not have imputed it, as