



Produced by Michael Roe and the Online Distributed
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  AN
  APOLOGY
  FOR THE
  LIFE
  OF
  Mrs. SHAMELA ANDREWS.


  (Price One Shilling and Six-Pence)




  AN
  APOLOGY
  FOR THE
  LIFE
  OF
  Mrs. SHAMELA ANDREWS.


In which, the many notorious FALSHOODS and MISREPRSENTATIONS of a
Book called

  _PAMELA_,

Are exposed and refuted; and all the matchless ARTS of that young
Politician, set in a true and just Light.

  Together with

A full Account of all that passed between her and Parson _Arthur
Williams_; whose Character is represented in a manner something
different from that which he bears in _PAMELA_. The whole being exact
Copies of authentick Papers delivered to the Editor.

  Necessary to be had in all FAMILIES.

  By Mr. _CONNY KEYBER_.

  _LONDON_:

  Printed for A. Dodd, at the _Peacock_, without _Temple-bar_.
  M. DCC. XLI.

[Illustration]




To Miss _Fanny_, _&c._


  MADAM,

It will be naturally expected, that when I write the Life of
_Shamela_, I should dedicate it to some young Lady, whose Wit and
Beauty might be the proper Subject of a Comparison with the Heroine
of my Piece. This, those, who see I have done it in prefixing your
Name to my Work, will much more confirmedly expect me to do; and,
indeed, your Character would enable me to run some Length into a
Parallel, tho' you, nor any one else, are at all like the matchless
_Shamela_.

You see, Madam, I have some Value for your Good-nature, when in a
Dedication, which is properly a Panegyrick, I speak against, not for
you; but I remember it is a Life which I am presenting you, and why
should I expose my Veracity to any Hazard in the Front of the Work,
considering what I have done in the Body. Indeed, I wish it was
possible to write a Dedication, and get any thing by it, without one
Word of Flattery; but since it is not, come on, and I hope to shew my
Delicacy at least in the Compliments I intend to pay you.

_First_, then, Madam, I must tell the World, that you have tickled up
and brightned many Strokes in this Work by your Pencil.

_Secondly_, You have intimately conversed with me, one of the
greatest Wits and Scholars of my Age.

_Thirdly_, You keep very good Hours, and frequently spend an useful
Day before others begin to enjoy it. This I will take my Oath on; for
I am admitted to your Presence in a Morning before other People's
Servants are up; when I have constantly found you reading in good
Books; and if ever I have drawn you upon me, I have always felt you
very heavy.

_Fourthly_, You have a Virtue which enables you to rise early and
study hard, and that is, forbearing to over-eat yourself, and this in
spite of all the luscious Temptations of Puddings and Custards,
exciting the Brute (as Dr. _Woodward_ calls it) to rebel. This is a
Virtue which I can greatly admire, though I much question whether I
could imitate it.

_Fifthly_, A Circumstance greatly to your Honour, that by means of
your extraordinary Merit and Beauty; you was carried into the
Ball-Room at the _Bath_, by the discerning Mr. _Nash_; before the Age
that other young Ladies generally arrived at that Honour, and while
your Mamma herself existed in her perfect Bloom. Here you was
observed in Dancing to balance your Body exactly, and to weigh every
Motion with the exact and equal Measure of Time and Tune; and though
you sometimes made a false Step, by leaning too much to one Side; yet
every body said you would one time or other, dance perfectly well,
and uprightly.

_Sixthly_, I cannot forbear mentioning those pretty little Sonnets,
and sprightly Compositions, which though they came from you with so
much Ease, might be mentioned to the Praise of a great or grave
Character.

And now, Madam, I have done with you; it only remains to pay my
Acknowledgments to an Author, whose Stile I have exactly followed in
this Life, it being the properest for Biography. The Reader, I
believe, easily guesses, I mean _