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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 June 2022
From Lady DAVERS to Mrs. B.
My dear Pamela,
After I have thanked you for your last agreeable Letter, which has added the Earl, and Lord John, and Lady Jenny, to the Number of your Admirers, (you know Lady Betty, their Sister, was so before) I shall tell you, that I now write, at all their Requests, as well as at those of my Lord Davers, the Countess you so dearly love, and Lady Betty, for your Decision of an odd Dispute, that, on reading your Letter, and talking of your domestick Excellencies, happen’d among us.
Lady Betty would have it, That notwithstanding any Aukwardness which you attribute to yourself, she cannot but decide, by all she has seen of you, and has heard us say, that yours is the perfectest Character she ever heard or read of.
The Countess said, That you wrong yourself, in supposing, that you are not every thing that is polite and genteel, in your Behaviour, as well as Person; and that she knows not any Lady in England, who better becomes her Station than you do.
Why then, said Lady Jenny, Mrs. B. must be quite perfect; that's certain. So said her Brother, Lord John. So said the Earl, their Father. So said they all. And Lord Davers confirm’d, that you were. And Jackey swore to it.
Yet, as we are sure, there cannot be such a Character, in this Life, as has not one Fault, altho’ we could not tell where to fix it, the Countess started a whimsical Motion:—Lady Davers, said she, pray do you write to Mrs. B. and acquaint her with our Subject; and as it is impossible, that one who can act as she does, should not know herself better than any body else can do, desire her to acquaint us with some of those secret Foibles, that leave room for her to be still more perfect.
A good Thought! said I: A good Thought! said they all.—And this is the present Occasion of my writing; and pray see, that you accuse yourself of no more than you know yourself guilty: For Over-modesty borders so nearly on Pride, and too liberal Accusations seem to be but so many Traps for Acquittal with Applause, that you (whatever other Ladies might) will not be forgiven, if you deal with us in a way so poorly artful:
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