The extract is taken from "Pamela", that is a novel written by Samuel Richardson.

It is an epistolary novel because it is arranged into letters.

Pamela is a young girl, she is fifteen years old, and she is a servant in an aristocratic family.

After the death of her Mistress, her son, Mr.B, tries to seduce Pamela, who repels him.

The extract is organized into two parts:

The first one reports a letter written by Lady Davers to her brother Mr.B.

She is worried about her brother's behaviour, in particular she is worried about his ambiguous relationship with Pamela, who is only a servant. The crossing of social classes in a marriage was not acceptable for the member of aristocracy, because it was also a matter of honour to be preserved; so she feels embarrassed about it.

On the other hand, Lady Davers wants to protect Pamela from her brother, because she thinks that Pamela is a good and innocent girl.

Even if, the most important aspect that she wants to underline is the importance of their family and their high social position.

The second part is written by Pamela to her parents.

Lady Davers letter becomes the subject of Pamela's letter, in which she thinks over what she has read, and shares her thoughts with her parents.

From her words, her puritan spirit emerges:

She criticizes Lady Davers for the division, she made between the aristocratic class and the poor people.

In fact the poor people are despised by the rich.

Pamela wants to underline that all men are the same in front of God, and in God's judgement people are nor rich or poor, they are just people.