University of Virginia Library

iii

All of the other revisions of Pamela are minor compared to that published in 1801, which has over 8400 changes in Volumes I and II, ranging from single words to whole pages cut or added. Hardly a paragraph is untouched — hardly a sentence, except in the first letters and in a few letters from low characters like old Mr. Andrews and John Arnold.

The following paragraphs will illustrate the constant small changes, often insignificant, sometimes so insignificant as to be inexplicable. The octavo reads:

In the 1801 edition this becomes: In general, where the changes are not so great as to make comparison impossible, the 1801 text follows the octavo. There are a few passages where the 1801 has a reading from the duodecimos, or even a reading which appears only in the first edition; it is not impossible that Richardson did compare his various texts in making his more elaborate revision, but the passages in question are not numerous or striking enough to prove that they are not the result of coincidence.

Many of the changes are similar to the ones made for editions published during Richardson's lifetime and for the duodecimo published shortly after his death. More contractions are expanded than in the octavo. Grammatical errors like "you was," presumably overlooked before, are now corrected. "If I was" frequently becomes "if I were." In a few cases, the 1801 text has a less grammatical reading: "it was I" becomes "it was me," "broken" goes back to "broke," "who do you think I have seen" becomes "whom" in the fifth and later editions but goes back to "who" in the 1801 (1801, II, 53; 8vo, II, 67; 12mo, II, 87). One would like to think that these readings are the result of Richardson's increased assurance with grammar and consequent increased boldness in departing from it for idiomatic effect, but they are not numerous enough to eliminate the possibility of carelessness or printer's error.

Pamela's style is made more elegant by the alteration of perhaps vulgar but colorful idioms: "my Heart went pit-a-pat" becomes "my heart fluttered," "another-guise sort of Heart" becomes "a much lighter heart," "my Heart's turn'd into Butter" becomes "my heart's melted," "Madam'd me up strangely" becomes "calling me madam at every word" (1801, I, 26, 35, 88, 128; 8vo, I, 34, 45, 116, 168). Formerly Mrs. Jewkes "huff'd poor Mr. Williams all to-pieces"; now she "behaved very rudely" to him (1801, I, 147; 8vo, I, 182). Pamela is not allowed to hurry out "with a Flea in my Ear," nor does she describe herself as "as clean as a Penny" (1801, I, 52, II, 23; 8vo, I, 68, II, 30). "Body"

in the sense of "person" becomes "girl" or "creature," "horrid cross" becomes "very cross," "crossish" "a little cross," "beholden" "obliged," "a deal" "a great deal," "I'll assure you" "I assure you." "Honesty" becomes "virtue" or "innocence"; "naughty," where it was left in the octavo, often becomes "wicked" or "foolish." "'Squire" is generally eliminated, though Goodman Andrews is still permitted to use the word. Pamela is no longer allowed to "sweat" so often; the word is changed to "toil." It is possible that a few of these elegancies were Anne Richardson's contribution, but most of them are so much like Richardson's practice in earlier revisions, especially for the second and fifth editions, that there can be little doubt the large majority of them were his.

Most of Pamela's "well's" and "O's" were cut. So were a great many of her numerous "so's" and "dear's" and "poor's" — the last word often where it had no real meaning, but sometimes where it reminded the reader of Pamela's family background. The practice of finding variants for "said," begun in the second edition and especially common in the octavo, is continued, and the phrase "said he" or one of its variants is often dropped entirely, in line with Richardson's usage in the rapid-fire dialogue of Sir Charles Grandison.

In view of these extensive changes in wording, it is surprising how much of the "neat Country Apparel" of Pamela's speech remains. Even in the first edition, Pamela's way of speaking becomes much more dignified once her master proposes to her. But in spite of the elimination of many homely words and phrases in the successive revisions, either Aaron Hill's advice or Richardson's good sense made him careful in tampering with her language before she is exalted, and a great deal of her simplicity persists in this final revision — fortunately, since the change in her language is largely responsible for the fact that even in the first edition Pamela almost dies as a character shortly before her marriage. In the 1801 edition she is still alive during the first volume.

A great many references to God, left over from the first edition, are cut or are changed to "Heaven," and some of the kneeling and blessing is dropped (1801, II, 160, 267, 279, 280; 8vo, II, 226, 372, 388, 390). At the other end of the gamut, some "low" details like eating and drinking are dropped, as well as details of clothing. For example, when Mr. Andrews stops at the alehouse on the way to seek his daughter, no longer does he put on "a clean Shirt and Neckcloth," he puts on "fresh linen," and before setting out for Mr. B.'s he does not eat "some Bread and Cheese" and drink "a Can of Ale" (1801, II, 64; 8vo, II, 83). At the farmer's on her way to Mr. B.'s Lincolnshire estate

Pamela is denied the glass of sack (1801, I, 128; 8vo, I, 168), and on the eve of her wedding Mr. B. does not over-persuade her to drink "Two Glasses" (1801, II, 116; 8vo, II, 154). "Poor Pamela's bundle" still contains the "four other shifts," but their description is dropped: "one the fellow to that I have on; another pretty good one, and the other two old fine ones, that will serve me to turn and wind with at home, for they are not worth leaving behind me" (1801, I, 93; 8vo, I, 122). In the first bedroom scene, Pamela is no longer about to say her prayers when her master rushes out of the closet, and though she still notices, in spite of her fright, that his morning gown is "a rich silk," she does not add that it is "silver" (1801, I, 72; 8vo, I, 95).

It was probably Richardson's increased acquaintance with the world and with women like Miss Talbot and Lady Bradshaigh which led him to avoid such vulgar elegance as the over-use of "Gentleman" and "Lady" ("man" and "woman" are generally substituted) and to turn Lady Jones, Lady Arthur, and Lady Towers into Mrs. and Miss, which was certainly correct in the last two instances since "Lady" Arthur's husband was a mere "'Squire" and "Lady" Towers was unmarried. When in 1753 Lady Bradshaigh remarked on his "many mistakes . . . with regard to the Titles of several characters" in Clarissa and Pamela, Richardson replied that his "Ignorance of Proprietys of those Kinds, was one of the Causes."[21] He also gets rid of excess attendants (1801, II, 90; 8vo, II, 122), and his gentry no longer speak of "the Parson" or address each other as "Sister," "Aunt," or "Miss."

Perhaps to prepare for Volume II, when all the characters become virtuous and polite, some of Pamela's harsh reflections on the refusal of Mr. B.'s Lincolnshire neighbors to help her are moderated (1801, I, 177, 185, 251; 8vo, I, 220, 230, 312). The name of Mr. B.'s Lincolnshire estate is expanded in Pamela's poem from "B—-n-hall" to "Brandon-hall" (1801, I, 186; 8vo, I, 231), perhaps in an effort to make readers forget about "Booby."

One might have expected that Richardson would be especially sensitive about the criticism that certain of his scenes were inflaming. One would certainly expect that if Anne did any extensive revision her hand would have been especially heavy here. Victorian editions often bowdlerized Pamela. But there are comparatively few deletions in the "warm" scenes. Mr. B. puts his hand in Pamela's bosom only in the second bedroom scene (1801, I, 273; 8vo, I, 341) — his other mammary explorations are deleted (I, 29, 73, 251; 8vo, I, 37, 96, 311). Pamela's doubts as to what has happened to her during her fits are less stressed

(1801, I, 74, 274; 8vo, I, 97, 342). Mr. B. no longer breathes "all quick and short" when he comes to Pamela's bedside (1801, I, 272; 8vo, I, 340). Two remarks in which Pamela jokes about her master's attempts are cut: "if I would not earn his Wages, why should I have them?" and "if I would not do the good Gentleman's Work, why should I take his Wages?" (1801, I, 48, 94; 8vo, I, 62, 124). Also gone is Mr. B.'s pun that he wishes he had her as "quick another way" as she is in repartee (1801, I, 82; 8vo, I, 107) — a remark which the author of Pamela Censured (p. 44) had said conveys "the most obscene Idea express'd by a double Entendre, which falls little short of the coarsest Ribaldry." Mr. B. does not joke about Pamela's watching men "dress and undress themselves" (1801, II, 89; 8vo, II, 121). Richardson may have been intentionally avoiding ambiguity when he dropped Pamela's remark about her sufferings between Mr. B. and his housekeeper (1801, I, 305; 8vo, I, 382), but it is unlikely that he dropped Mr. B.'s odd dream about the horses (1801, II, 157; 8vo, II, 222) because he foresaw what the Freudians would be able to do with it.

Some of the moralizing passages are gone (for example, 1801, II, 86; 8vo, II, 115), but the greatest gain from cutting is in the scenes which consist largely of insipid compliment and fulsome praise of Pamela (1801, II, 59-62, 73, 305-7; 8vo, II, 75-79, 95, 423-26). Most of the cuts before Mr. B.'s decision to propose are compensated by additions, but in Volume II many scenes are considerably reduced — not, of course, considerably enough, since a love of having his characters praised was one of Richardson's besetting faults throughout his career. Several indirectly self-laudatory passages, where characters remark on Pamela's charming way of writing, are omitted (1801, I, 100, 309, II, 53, 76, 97; 8vo, I, 131, 387, II, 66-67, 100, 130-131).

The longer additions are largely in the lively conversational style of Sir Charles Grandison. There are some good exchanges between Pamela and Mrs. Jewkes. When Pamela discusses with Mrs. Jewkes Mr. B's request to come to his Lincolnshire estate, the octavo reads:

In the text of 1801 this is expanded:

When Mrs. Jewkes offers to propose to Mr. B. that Pamela marry Mr. Williams, in the octavo Pamela said "of all Things, I did not love a Parson" (I, 235). In the text of 1801 both Pamela and Mrs. Jewkes say much more:

Lady Davers's arrival is more vividly told (1801, II, 165-166; 8vo, II, 235-236), and her comments on Mr. B's letter to Pamela are lengthened and improved (1801, II, 184-187; 8vo, II, 257-260). A long passage, of which the following is only a little more than half, is added in which Pamela comments indignantly on a letter from Mr. B.:

This addition will serve to illustrate the heightened style of the revision, as well as the way in which Richardson makes his heroine more sympathetic and less subservient.

The longest addition, the development of the scene at the farmer's (1801, I, 128-138; 8vo, I, 168-171), is a good example of the sharp characterization, realistic presentation of manners, and accurate reporting of conversation which do so much to redeem Sir Charles Grandison and to account for Jane Austen's admiration for that book. A single paragraph can serve as illustration. Farmer Monkton (originally Norton) is going through Mr. B.'s letter to Pamela:

"The tedious old man" continues going through "the vile letter" and "then," Pamela writes, "he swelled strangely, half over the table, as I thought, proud of his fine speech and wisdom."

Although no scenes are untouched, certain ones are touched rather lightly: the fine ladies passage (added in the octavo), Pamela in her new country dress and Pamela with her three bundles, the two bedroom scenes, the meeting with the gypsy, the wedding (though the scenes before and after are entirely rewritten), Lady Davers's long scenes with Pamela and with Pamela and Mr. B. the next day. These are largely scenes of action. Those which consist of polite conversation (Pamela at Sir Simon and Lady Darnford's [1801, II, 194-206; 8vo, II, 269-293], for instance) or which involve motivation, especially the relation

between Pamela and Mr. B. (the garden scene [1801, I, 280-283; 8vo, I, 349-354], or Pamela's meditations on whether to return [1801, II, 13-14; 8vo, II, 17-18]) are most heavily revised. Generally logical reasons for Pamela's actions are given, and it is shown clearly that she has always been as proper as she could be under difficult circumstances, but instead of the warmth of her earlier outpourings, we sometimes get rather cold explanations of her conduct.

It cannot be said that the characters of Pamela and Mr. B. are fundamentally altered, but an effort is made to make them more consistent and to prepare the reader for the idealized characters of the third and fourth volumes. Richardson was evidently conscious of the gap between the servant girl and libertine of the beginning and the fine lady and gentleman of the end, and tried to bridge it. The gap proved unbridgeable; the plot of the novel forced Richardson to assume that a virtuous and intelligent girl can be made permanently blissful by marrying a man who has kidnapped her and tried hard to rape her.

Many alterations seem designed to obviate such charges as those made in Shamela Andrews, the anonymous Lettre sur Pamela,[22] and Pamela Censured (pp. 21-22, passim) that Pamela is too artful. It is Mrs. Jervis who "is very desirous" that she stay and finish Mr. B.'s waistcoat (1801, I, 45; 8vo, I, 58). Pamela does not decide to encourage John Arnold's repentance because she "may possibly make some Discoveries by it" (1801, I, 156; 8vo, I, 194), or think of herself as an innocent intriguer (1801, I, 167; 8vo, I, 208), or reflect when Mr. Williams goes to jail "so there is an End of all my Hopes from him" (1801, I, 224; 8vo, I, 278), or lie to Nan (1801, I, 204; 8vo, I, 253), or even prevaricate to Mrs. Jewkes (1801, I, 262, 266; 8vo, I, 327, 331-332).

Pamela's modesty is less excessive,[23] especially her fears on her wedding day: when Pamela goes up to her chamber she no longer sees "(what made my Heart throb) Mrs. Jewkes's officious Pains to put the Room in order for a Guest, that however welcome, as now my Duty teaches me to say, is yet dreadful to me to think of"; nor when the time of retiring draws near, does Mr. B. take "notice, but in a very delicate manner, how my Colour went and came, and how foolishly I trembled." Perhaps Richardson came to agree with Pamela's following remark (also cut), "Nobody, surely, in such delightful Circumstances,

ever behav'd so sillily!" (1801, II, 133, 137; 8vo, II, 180, 187). She no longer implies a threat of suicide (1801, I, 184, 313-314; 8vo, I, 228, 393). She does not give up the idea of escape after her first failure (1801, I, 244; 8vo, I, 301). She does not anticipate Mr. B.'s proposal by her hopes (1801, I, 284, 301; 8vo, I, 354, 376-377). She is less pert (1801, I, 60, 66, 305, 308, II, 173, 177, 252, 278; 8vo, I, 78, 85, 381, 385, II, 244, 249, 53 386-387) and less humble (1801 II, 58, 69, 88-89, 125-126, 224, 280; 8vo, II, 73, 89, 119-120, 167-171, 317, 391) — even her father's humility is decreased (1801, II, 89; 8vo, II, 121). She does not go into ecstasies at the arrival of John Arnold (1801, I, 149; 8vo, I, 185), or fear that Robin may decide to rape her (1801, I, 124; 8vo, I, 164), or propose to ride horseback behind a man (1801, I, 61; 8vo, I, 80), or prop herself in the coach against Mr. Colbrand (1801, II, 16; 8vo, II, 20).

These changes are fairly consistent and do serve to increase Pamela's dignity without destroying her simplicity. With Mr. B. Richardson is less successful, probably because he had less to work on. Mr. B.'s letters are more extensively rewritten than almost anything else in the book (1801, I, 110-113, 127, 130-131, 173-175, 216-218, 219-220; 8vo, I, 146-148, 166-168, 169, 217-219, 268-270, 272-274). Yet we do not see that his character emerges more clearly, or that the revisions make a great difference. Richardson seems to have recognized that something needed to be done with Mr. B., but he did not know what to do. Given the plot, Mr. B.'s case was hopeless. Still Richardson tried to make him more of a gentleman. Mr. B. insists less on his pride of station, and is somewhat less rude to Pamela (1801, I, 51, 81; 8vo, I, 65-66, 106). A few of the gross terms which Shamela Andrews had parodied and which the Lettre sur Pamela (pp. 9-12) had objected to are altered — Pamela is no longer a "Slut" or a "Hussy" or a "Baggage." After his proposal of marriage he is slightly less imperious (1801, II, 83, 194, 237; 8vo, II, 111, 269, 333); his rules on her conduct as a wife sound a little less like a master ordering his maid, and they are not inflicted on Pamela — she asks for them (1801, II, 153-157; 8vo, II, 214-222).

The revision of Pamela is a reflection of a double aim not only in this book but in Richardson's art as a whole. Pamela is credible as a moderately clever and entirely proper little servant girl with a not-unjustifiable eye on the main chance, a high respect for rank, but an even higher respect for the moral lessons which have been instilled into her. She is at times funny, at times pathetic, always likeable — and as admirable as one would expect a girl of her class and her opportunities to be. But Richardson was not content to leave it at that.

He needed a moral, which turned out to be the most immoral feature of the book: Mr. B. must be turned into a man who can be considered a reward for virtue. And he needed a model character: poor Pamela must be contorted into a fine lady and loaded with qualities (never conveyed through her words and actions, as is her real personality, but only stated) — she must use correct grammar and write wonderful poetry and carve turkeys and serve cake beautifully and love music and reading (in her spare time) and be weighted down with praises until the reader rebels and almost denies her the qualities she does possess.

This split is apparent in the second volume of the first edition; it is even more apparent in Volumes III and IV; it is the motivation of many changes in all the revisions — nothing about Pamela must be open to criticism.

A good example is the scene at Sir Simon's following Pamela's interview with Lady Davers (1801, II, 194-206; 8vo, II, 269-293). In the earlier editions Pamela keeps saying that she wants to make peace between Mr. B. and his sister — and then she reports all of Lady Davers's most outrageous remarks in full. She does not want to bother the company with her troubles — and she keeps bringing the subject up. This is the way Richardson's original Pamela would have acted. Later Richardson learned that this is not ideal ladylike behavior, and in the 1801 edition the scene is rewritten and Pamela is much closer to the ideal, but much less lively. He also learned that gentlemen do not discuss their family affairs so freely in public, and Mr. B. becomes more reserved. The gentry are no longer so openly eager in their desire to hear all the spicy details. It is all much less vulgar. But it is less real — not, perhaps, less like what gentlemen and ladies really did, but Richardson had realized his earlier vulgar ladies and gentlemen and only reports his later correct ones.

The 1801 edition avoids a good many vulgarities and absurdities, and eliminates some of the involuntary farce. It is more carefully written and more consistent. Some of the more tedious passages are cut. And Richardson deserves credit for not altering more of the good ones and for not further elevating Pamela. At least throughout the first volume she remains alive, and is an only slightly toned-down, or toned-up, version of the girl whom Richardson had somehow conceived.

The 1801 revision merely goes further in the direction in which the other revisions were headed. It accomplishes what the second, fifth, and octavo editions set out to do, and (probably with those changes in the eighth duodecimo edition which were not included in the 1801) it best represents Richardson's final intention. If any single text is to

be preferred to it, that text is the first edition, which has never been reprinted. Both are necessary to students of Richardson, and neither is readily accessible. A double-column Pamela containing the text of the first edition (with variants from the other duodecimos and the octavo) and the text of the 1801 edition (with the adoption of the few readings from the 1810 which clearly correct misprints in the 1801) would doubtless best serve the scholar. But though one eighteenth-century admirer said that "if all the Books in England were to be burnt, this Book, next the Bible, ought to be preserved,"[24] there is some doubt that it needs such extensive preservation. Both texts should be made available for anyone who wants to study Pamela in her country habit and in her country-gentry habit, but for anyone who simply wants to read Pamela for enjoyment, we believe that the text of the first edition should be the one reprinted. It is closer to the Pamela whom Richardson actually imagined, whereas all succeeding texts try to approach the Pamela he thought he should have imagined.