who shall read them with the least Attention: And,
in the next place, because an Editor may reasonably be supposed to judge with an
Impartiality which is rarely to be met with in an Author towards his own Works.
                                                                     The Editor.
 

       To the Editor of the Piece intitled, Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded.

Dear Sir,
    I have had inexpressible Pleasure in the Perusal of your Pamela. It intirely
answers the Character you give of it in your Preface; nor have you said one Word
too much in Commendation of a Piece that has Advantages and Excellencies
peculiar to itself. For, besides the beautiful Simplicity of the Style, and a
happy Propriety and Clearness of Expression (the Letters being written under the
immediate Impression of every Circumstance which occasioned them, and that to
those who had a Right to know the fair Writer's most secret Thoughts) the
several Passions of the Mind must, of course, be more affectingly described, and
Nature may be traced in her undisguised Inclinations with much more Propriety
and Exactness, than can possibly be found in a Detail of Actions long past,
which are never recollected with the same Affections, Hopes, and Dreads, with
which they were felt when they occurred.
    This little Book will infallibly be looked upon as the hitherto much-wanted
Standard or Pattern for this Kind of Writing. For it abounds with lively Images
and Pictures; with Incidents natural, surprising, and perfectly adapted to the
Story; with Circumstances interesting to Persons in common Life, as well as to
those in exalted Stations. The greatest Regard is every where paid in it to
Decency, and to every Duty of Life: There is a constant Fitness of the Style to
the Persons and Characters described; Pleasure and Instruction here always go
hand in hand: Vice and Virtue are set in constant Opposition, and Religion
every-where inculcated in its native Beauty and chearful Amiableness; not
dressed up in stiff, melancholy, or gloomy Forms, on one hand, nor yet, on the
other, debased below its due Dignity and noble Requisites, in Compliment to a
too fashionable but depraved Taste. And this I will boldly say, that if its
numerous Beauties are added to its excellent Tendency, it will be found worthy a
Place, not only in all Families (especially such as have in them young Persons
of either Sex) but in the Collections of the most curious and polite Readers.
For, as it borrows none of its Excellencies from the romantic Flights of
unnatural Fancy, its being founded in Truth and Nature, and built upon
Experience, will be a lasting Recommendation to the Discerning and