left his vicarage and entered the
Dominican convent to end life as he began it. A few days later and he,
too, was dead, and the convent counted him a saint.

* * * * *

SAMUEL RICHARDSON

Pamela

Samuel Richardson, the son of a joiner, was born at some place
not identified in Derbyshire, England, 1689. After serving an
apprenticeship to a stationer, he entered a printing office as
compositor and corrector of the press. In 1719 Richardson,
whose career throughout was that of the industrious
apprentice, took up his freedom, and began business as printer
and stationer in Salisbury Court, London. Success attended his
venture; he soon published a newspaper, and also obtained the
printing of the journals of the House of Commons. "Pamela, or
Virtue Rewarded," was written as the result of a suggestion by
two booksellers that Richardson should compose a volume of
familiar letters for illiterate country folk. It was published
towards the end of 1740, and its vogue, in an age particularly
coarse and robust, was extraordinary. Of the many who
ridiculed his performance the most noteworthy was Fielding,
who produced what Richardson and his friends regarded as the
"lewd and ungenerous engraftment of 'Joseph Andrews.'" The
story has many faults, but the portrayal of Pamela herself is
accomplished with the success of a master hand. Richardson
died July 4, 1761.

_I.--Pamela to her Parents_

MY DEAR FATHER AND MOTHER,--I have great trouble, and some comfort, to
acquaint you with. The trouble is that my good lady died of the illness
I mention'd to you, and left us all griev'd for the loss of her; for she
was a dear good lady, and kind to all us her servants. Much I fear'd,
that as I was taken by her ladyship to wait upon her person, I should be
quite destitute again, and forc'd to return to you and my poor mother,
who have enough to do to maintain yourselves; and, as my lady's goodness
had put me to write and cast accounts, and made me a little expert at my
needle, and otherwise qualify'd above my degree, it was not every family
that could have found a place that your poor Pamela was fit for. But
God, whose graciousness to us we have so often experienc'd, put it into
my good lady's heart, on her death-bed, just an hour before she expir'd,
to recommend to my young master all her servants,