PamelaundertheNotionofbeingaVirtuousModestGirlwillbeintroducedintoallFamiles,andwhenshegetsthere,whatScenesdoessherepresent?WhyafineyoungGentlemanendeavouringtodebauchabeautifulyoungGirlofSixteen.’(PamelaCensured,1741)Oneofthemostspectacularsuccessesoftheburgeoningliterarymarketplaceofeighteeent-centuryLondon,Pamelaalsomarkedadefiningmomentintheemergenceofthemodernnovel.Inthewordsofonecontemporary,itdividedtheworld’intotwodifferentParties,PamelistsandAntipamelists’,eveneclipsingthesensationalfactionalpoliticsoftheday.Preachedupforitsmorality,anddenouncedaspornographyindisguise,itvividlydescribesayoungservant’slongresistancetotheattemptsofherpredatorymastertoseduceher.Writteninthevoiceofitslow-bornheroine,butbyaprinterwhofifteenyearsearlierhadnarrowlyescapedimprisonmentfortheseditiousoutputofhispress,Pamelaisnotonlyaworkofpioneeringpsychologicalcomplexity,butalsoacompellingandprovocativestudyofpoweranditsabuse.Basedontheoriginaltextof1740,fromwhichRichardsonlaterretreatedinaseriesofdefensiverevisions,thiseditionmakesavailabletheversionofPamelathatarousedsuchwidespreadcontroversyonitsfirstappearance.
