Richardson’s own editions of _Pamela_ appeared as follows: (1) November 6, 1740, (2) February 14, 1741, (3) March 12, 1741, (4) May 5, 1741, (5) September 22, 1741, (6) May 10, 1742, (7) 1754, (8) October 28, 1761[1] (three months after Richardson’s death). The first edition prints Richardson’s preface and two complimentary letters. To these the “Introduction to this Second Edition” adds twenty-four pages of letters and comment and the third edition makes no changes in the introduction whatsoever, even retaining “this Second Edition,”[2] The fourth makes some changes, and the fifth, considerably more. The sixth, a handsome quarto in a row of duodecimos, abandons the introductory letters; the seventh follows the fifth, and the eight makes some major cuts.
Notwithstanding Richardson’s freedom in editing these letters -- and Fielding’s insinuation in _Shamela_ that they were Richardson’s own copy -- he wrote none of them. Jean Baptiste de Freval, a Frenchman living in London, for whom Richardson was printing a book,[3] wrote the first. The second probably came from William Webster, clergyman and editor of _The Weekly Miscellany_, wherein the letter had appeared as an advertisement, the first public reference to _Pamela_, on October 11, 1740.[4] Webster owed (an obligation eventually forgiven) “a debt of 140 _l._ to my most worthy Friend, Mr. _Richardson_, the _Printer_,”[5] and Richardson reprints the letter using Webster’s phrase: “To my worthy Friend, the Editor of _Pamela_.” These first two letters, de Freval’s and Webster’s, respond to an author’s request for criticism. The rest, new with the second edition, are unsolicited.
All of these are the work of Aaron Hill, excepting only the anonymous letter which Richardson summarizes, beginning on page xxi[6] -- sent to Richardson in care of Charles Rivington, co-publisher of _Pamela_, on November 15, 1740, the first gratuitous response to Richardson’s book. To advertisements in _The Daily Gazeteer_ (November 20) and _The London Evening-Post_ (December 11-13), Richardson added a note:
An anonymous Letter relating to this Piece is come to the Editor’s Hand, who takes this Opportunity (having no better) most heartily to thank the Gentleman for his candid and judicious Observations; and to beg Favour of a further Correspondence with him, under what Restrictions he pleases. Instruction, and not Curiosity, being sincerely the Motive for this request.[7]