Francis Hayman

Samuel Richardson was one of the earliest practitioners of the novel. He came to public attention with Pamela: or, Virtue rewarded 1740, which tells the story of a virtuous young maidservant and the lustful attentions of her master whom she constantly rebuffs, then reforms and finally marries. Painted scenes from the book can be seen nearby. Richardson’s novel was one of many that were to emerge in the 18th century by authors such as Daniel Defoe, Jonathan Swift and Henry Fielding.