How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
. . . I have nothing to say but what will make me look more like a vain Hussy, than any thing else: Yet I hope I shan't be so proud as to forget myself. Yet there is a secret Pleasure one has to hear one's self prais'd. (7.1)
Pamela was humble bragging before the hashtag was invented. Seriously, it's almost admirable how Pamela manages to relay all the fantastic things people say about her without sounding like a completely vain "hussy." (Her words, not ours.)
Quote #2
But this is more Pride to me, that I am come of such honest Parents, than if I had been born a Lady. (8.1)
But what if you had been born a lady and came from honest parents, hm?? Now that would be something to be proud of.
Quote #3
I tell you this, that I am very much displeased with the Freedoms you have taken with my Name to my House-keeper, as also to your Father and Mother; and you may as well have real Cause to take these Freedoms with me, as to make my Name suffer for imaginary ones: And saying so, he offer'd to take me on his Knee, with some Force. O how I was terrify'd! (18.11)
Check out Mr. B's twisted logic: attacking Pamela is totally justifiable—nay, appropriate!--punishment for the damage she has done to his name by telling other people about his behavior. Uh-huh. This here, Shmoopers, is what we call the bad kind of pride.
Quote #4
I am content to take all the Blame upon me; as I have already borne too great a Share for what I have deserv'd. (18.12)
Here, Mr. B paints himself as the injured party because his pride and name are more important than Pamela's right to attempt to protect herself from attacks or unwanted advances. Gee, where'd we put that tiny violin?
Quote #5
For my part, I was dress'd out, only to be admir'd, as it seems; and truly, if I had not known, that I did not make myself, as you, my dear Father, once hinted to me; and if I had had the Vanity to think as well of myself, as the good Company was pleased to do, I might possibly have been proud. But I know, as my Lady Davers said, tho' in Anger, yet in Truth, that I am but a poor Bit of painted Dirt. All that I value myself upon, is, that God has raised me to a Condition to be useful in my Generation, to better Persons than myself. This is my Pride: And I hope this will be all my Pride. For what was I of myself!—All the Good I can do, is but a poor third-hand Good; for my dearest Master himself is but the Second-hand. GOD, the All-gracious, the All-good, the All-bountiful, the All-mighty, the All-merciful GOD, is the First: To HIM, therefore, be all the Glory! (103.2)
Next time you're all dolled up to go out on a Friday night, make sure you take a few minutes to look in the mirror and remind yourself that you're "but a poor Bit of painted Dirt." Don't want to get a swelled head, do you? Here, Pamela reminds herself that she is just "dirt" and that God (by way of Mr. B) is responsible for everything she has.
Quote #6
This is a sad Letter, my dear Father and Mother; and one may see how poor People are despised by the Proud and the Rich . . . (74.12)
Pamela is super bummed out after reading Lady Davers's letter to her brother, in which Lady Davers takes Mr. B to task for his behavior toward Pamela. The problem is that Lady Davers doesn't object about the morality of Mr. B's behavior but about the—let's call it propriety. She's ticked off that he's making people gossip about him and dirty up his family name. Pamela thinks this is prideful and snotty of her, and we have to agree.
Quote #7
These Reflections occur'd to my Thoughts, made serious by my Master's Indisposition, and this proud Letter, of the lowly Lady Davers, against the high-minded Pamela. Lowly, I say, because she could stoop to such vain Pride, and high-minded I, because I hope I am too proud ever to do the like!—But, after all, poor Wretches that we be! we scarce know what we are, much less what we shall be!—But, once more, pray I, to be kept from the sinful Pride of a high Estate! (74.14)
Pamela plays with the notion of what makes someone "high" or "low" here, suggesting that Lady Davers's pride actually requires her to "stoop," whereas Pamela's desire to avoid that kind of bad attitude is the mark of a kind of "high-minded" pride. That's some tricky logic for a Poor, Pamela.
Quote #8
But now, if this should all end in the Sham-marriage!—It cannot be, I hope. Yet the Pride of Greatness and Ancestry, and such-like, is so strongly set out in Lady Davers's Letter, that I cannot flatter myself to be so happy as all these desirable Appearances make for me. (75.2)
Pamela is worried—completely reasonably, if you ask us--that Mr. B might still be too proud to marry her for reals, but not too proud to marry her for sham. And for a while, he is—until Pamela teaches him what real pride is.
Quote #9
But yet you see the Plea, my Girl, which I made to you before, of this Pride of Condition, and the World's Censure, which, I own, sticks a little too close with me still. (75.11)
Mr. B wants to put a ring on it, he really does, but he's still having trouble wrapping his mind around the fact that he's going to be marrying below his station. You can't shake off a couple decades of family pride over the course of a few months, after all.
Quote #10
Said Miss Darnford, This is a little better! To own a Fault, is some Reparation; and what every lordly Husband will not do. (92.116)
Mr. B is mad that Pamela is late to Sir Simon's, but he apologizes when he finds out that Lady Davers detained and abused Pamela for several hours. The fact that he's willing to admit he was wrong impresses Miss Darnford. Hear that, ladies? Don't go around expecting all your husbands to apologize like Mr. B. Only very special husbands do that.