The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews and his Friend, Mr. Abraham Abrams/Book I, Chapter X

CHAPTER X.

_Joseph writes another letter: his transactions with Mr Peter Pounce,

&c., with his departure from Lady Booby._

The disconsolate Joseph would not have had an understanding sufficient

for the principal subject of such a book as this, if he had any longer

misunderstood the drift of his mistress; and indeed, that he did not

discern it sooner, the reader will be pleased to impute to an

unwillingness in him to discover what he must condemn in her as a fault.

Having therefore quitted her presence, he retired into his own garret,

and entered himself into an ejaculation on the numberless calamities

which attended beauty, and the misfortune it was to be handsomer than

one's neighbours.

He then sat down, and addressed himself to his sister Pamela in the

following words:--

"Dear Sister Pamela,--Hoping you are well, what news have I to tell you!

O Pamela! my mistress is fallen in love with me-that is, what great

folks call falling in love-she has a mind to ruin me; but I hope I shall

have more resolution and more grace than to part with my virtue to any

lady upon earth.

"Mr Adams hath often told me, that chastity is as great a virtue in a

man as in a woman. He says he never knew any more than his wife, and I

shall endeavour to follow his example. Indeed, it is owing entirely to

his excellent sermons and advice, together with your letters, that I

have been able to resist a temptation, which, he says, no man complies

with, but he repents in this world, or is damned for it in the next; and

why should I trust to repentance on my deathbed, since I may die in my

sleep? What fine things are good advice and good examples! But I am

glad she turned me out of the chamber as she did: for I had once almost

forgotten every word parson Adams had ever said to me.

"I don't doubt, dear sister, but you will have grace to preserve your

virtue against all trials; and I beg you earnestly to pray I may be

enabled to preserve mine; for truly it is very severely attacked by more

than one; but I hope I shall copy your example, and that of Joseph my

namesake, and maintain my virtue against all temptations."

Joseph had not finished his letter, when he was summoned downstairs by

Mr Peter Pounce, to receive his wages; for, besides that out of eight

pounds a year he allowed his father and mother four, he had been

obliged, in order to furnish himself with musical instruments, to apply

to the generosity of the aforesaid Peter, who, on urgent occasions, used

to advance the servants their wages: not before they were due, but

before they were payable; that is, perhaps, half a year after they were

due; and this at the moderate premium of fifty per cent, or a little

more: by which charitable methods, together with lending money to other

people, and even to his own master and mistress, the honest man had,

from nothing, in a few years amassed a small sum of twenty thousand

pounds or thereabouts.

Joseph having received his little remainder of wages, and having stript

off his livery, was forced to borrow a frock and breeches of one of the

servants (for he was so beloved in the family, that they would all have

lent him anything): and, being told by Peter that he must not stay a

moment longer in the house than was necessary to pack up his linen,

which he easily did in a very narrow compass, he took a melancholy leave

of his fellow-servants, and set out at seven in the evening.

He had proceeded the length of two or three streets, before he

absolutely determined with himself whether he should leave the town that

night, or, procuring a lodging, wait till the morning. At last, the moon

shining very bright helped him to come to a resolution of beginning his

journey immediately, to which likewise he had some other inducements;

which the reader, without being a conjurer, cannot possibly guess, till

we have given him those hints which it may be now proper to open.