nds;
and indeed, if Pamela did not pardon you, I should think she but half
forgave me, because you acted by my instructions.--Well, said she,
God bless you both together, since it must be so; and I will double my
diligence to oblige my lady, as I find she will soon be.

O my dear father and mother! now pray for me on another score; for
fear I should grow too proud, and be giddy and foolish with all these
promising things, so soothing to the vanity of my years and sex. But
even to this hour can I pray, that God would remove from me all these
delightful prospects, if they were likely so to corrupt my mind, as to
make me proud and vain, and not acknowledge, with thankful humility,
the blessed Providence which has so visibly conducted me through the
dangerous paths I have trod, to this happy moment.

My master was pleased to say, that he thought I might as well dine with
him, since he was alone: But I begged he would excuse me, for fear, as
I said, such excess of goodness and condescension, all at once, should
turn my head;--and that he would, by slower degrees, bring on my
happiness, lest I should not know how to bear it.

Persons that doubt themselves, said he, seldom do amiss: And if there
was any fear of what you say, you could not have it in your thoughts:
for none but the presumptuous, the conceited, and the thoughtless, err
capitally. But, nevertheless, said he, I have such an opinion of your
prudence, that I shall generally think what you do right, because it is
you that do it.

Sir, said I, your kind expressions shall not be thrown away upon me, if
I can help it; for they will task me with the care of endeavouring to
deserve your good opinion, and your approbation, as the best rule of my
conduct.

Being then about to go up stairs, Permit me, sir, said I, (looking about
me with some confusion, to see that nobody was there,) thus on my knees
to thank you, as I often wanted to do in the chariot, for all your
goodness to me, which shall never, I hope, be cast away upon me. And so
I had the boldness to kiss his hand.

I wonder, since, how I came to be so forward. But what could I do?--My
poor grateful heart was like a too full river, which overflows its
banks: and it carried away my fear and my shamefacedness, as that does
all before it on the surface of its waters!

He clasped me in his arms with transport, and condescendingly kneeled by
me, and kissing me, said, O my dear obliging good girl, on my knees, as
y