3 That these dangers of Eighteenth-Century London were not
wholly the growth of Richardson's imagination, is clear from an
anecdote given in Dr. John Brown's Horse SubsecivsBf 1862, p. 25.
2d SAMUEL RICHARDSON [chap.
which proximately inspired Richardson, and which
(as Scott suggests) was probably derived from the
corresponding gentleman of his 'prentice days, is
related by him in one of his letters to Aaron Hill.
As it serves to explain the subject of the novel, it may
be given here in Eichardson's own words : —

" I will now write to your question — Whether there
was any original groundwork of fact, for the general
foundation of Pamela's story.
"About twenty-five years ago, a gentleman, with
whom I was intimately acquainted (but who, alas ! is
now no more !) met with such a story as that of
Pamela, in one of the simimer tours which he used
to take for his pleasure, attended with one servant
only. At every inn he put up at, it was his way
to inquire after curiosities in its neighbourhood, either
ancient or modern; and particularly he asked who
was the owner of a fine house, as it seemed to him,
beautifully situated, which he had passed by (describ-
ing it) within a mile or two of the inn.
