Clarissa, Or The History Of A Young Lady, Volume 8 by Samuel Richardson

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CLARISSA HARLOWE

or the

HISTORY OF A YOUNG LADY

Nine Volumes
Volume VIII.

CONTENTS OF VOLUME VIII

LETTER I. Miss Howe, from the Isle of Wight.--
In answer to her's, No. LXI. of Vol. VII. Approves not of her choice of
Belford for her executor; yet thinks she cannot appoint for that office
any of her own family. Hopes she will live any years.

LETTER II. Clarissa to Miss Howe.--
Sends her a large packet of letters; but (for her relations' sake) not
all she has received. Must now abide by the choice of Mr. Belford for
executor; but farther refers to the papers she sends her, for her
justification on this head.

LETTER III. Antony Harlowe to Clarissa.--
A letter more taunting and reproachful than that of her other uncle. To
what owing.

LETTER IV. Clarissa. In answer.--
Wishes that the circumstances of her case had been inquired into.
Concludes with a solemn and pathetic prayer for the happiness of the
whole family.

LETTER V. Mrs. Norton to Clarissa.--
Her friends, through Brand's reports, as she imagines, intent upon her
going to the plantations. Wishes her to discourage improper visiters.
Difficult situations the tests of prudence as well as virtue. Dr.
Lewen's solicitude for her welfare. Her cousin Morden arrived in
England. Farther pious consolations.

LETTER VI. Clarissa. In answer.--
Sends her a packet of letters, which, for her relations' sake, she cannot
communicate to Miss Howe. From these she will collect a good deal of her
story. Defends, yet gently blames her mother. Afraid that her cousin
Morden will be set against her; or, what is worse, that he will seek to
avenge her. Her affecting conclusion on her Norton's divine
consolations.

LETTER VII. Lovelace to Belford.--
Is very ill. The lady, if he die, will repent her refusal of him. One
of the greatest felicities that can befal a woman, what. Extremely ill.
His ludicrous behaviour on awaking, and finding a clergyman and his
friends praying for him by his bedside.

LETTER VIII. Belford to Lovelace.--
Concerned at his illness. Wishes that he had died before last April.
The lady, he tells him, generously pities him; and prays that he may meet
with the mercy he has not shown.

LETTER IX. Lovelace to Belford.--
In raptures on her goodness to him. His deep regrets for his treatment
of her. Blesses her.

LETTER X. Belford to Lovelace.--
Congratulates him on his amendment. The lady's exalted charity to him.
Her story a fine subject for tragedy. Compares with it, and censures,
the play of the Fair Penitent. She is very ill; the worse for some new
instances of the implacableness of her relations. A meditation on the
subject. Poor Belton, he tells him, is at death's door; and desirous to
see him.

LETTER XI. Belford to Clarissa.--
Acquaints her with the obligation he is under to go to Belton, and (lest
she should be surprised) with Lovelace's resolution (as signified in the
next letter) to visit her.

LETTER XII. Lovelace to Belford.--
Resolves to throw himself at the lady's feet. Lord M. of opinion that
she ought to admit of one interview.

LETTER XIII. From the same.--
Arrived in London, he finds the lady gone abroad. Suspects Belford. His
unaccountable freaks at Smith's. His motives for behaving so ludicrously
there. The vile Sally Martin entertains him with her mimicry of the
divine lady.

LETTER XIV. From the same.--
His frightful dream. How affected by it. Sleeping or waking, his
Clarissa always present with him. Hears she is returned to her lodgings.
Is hastening to her.

LETTER XV. From the same.--
Disappointed again. Is affected by Mrs. Lovick's expostulations. Is
shown a meditation on being hunted after by the enemy of her soul, as it
is entitled. His light comments upon it. Leaves word that he resolves
to see her. Makes several other efforts for that purpose.

LETTER XVI. Belford to Lovelace.--
Reproaches him that he has not kept his honour with him. Inveighs
against, and severely censures him for his light behaviour at Smith's.
Belton's terrors and despondency. Mowbray's impenetrable behaviour.

LETTER XVII. From the same.--
Mowbray's impatience to run from a dying Belton to a too-lively Lovelace.
Mowbray abuses Mr. Belton's servant in the language of a rake of the
common class. Reflection on the brevity of life.

LETTER XVIII. Lovelace to Belford.--
Receives a letter from Clarissa, written by way of allegory to induce him
to forbear hunting after her. Copy of it. He takes it in a literal
sense. Exults upon it. Will now hasten down to Lord M. and receive the
gratulations of all his family on her returning favour. Gives an
interpretation of his frightful dream to his own liking.

LETTER XIX. XX. From the same.--
Pities Belton. Rakishly defends him on the issue of a duel, which now
adds to the poor man's terrors. His opinion of death, and the fear of
it. Reflections upon the conduct of play-writers with regard
servants. He cannot account for the turn his Clarissa has taken in his
favour. Hints at one hopeful cause of it. Now matrimony seems to be in
his power, he has some retrograde motions.

LETTER XXI. Belford to Lovelace.--
Continuation of his narrative of Belton's last illness and impatience.
The poor man abuses the gentlemen of the faculty. Belford censures some
of them for their greediness after fees. Belton dies. Serious
reflections on the occasion.

LETTER XXII. Lovelace to Belford.--
Hopes Belton is happy; and why. He is setting out for Berks.

LETTER XXIII. Belford to Lovelace.--
Attends the lady. She is extremely ill, and receives the sacrament.
Complains of the harasses his friend had given her. Two different
persons (from her relations, he supposes) inquire after her. Her
affecting address to the doctor, apothecary, and himself. Disposes of
some more of her apparel for a very affecting purpose.

LETTER XXIV. Dr. Lewen to Clarissa.--
Writes on his pillow, to prevail upon her to prosecute Lovelace for his
life.

LETTER XXV. Her pathetic and noble answer.

LETTER XXVI. Miss Arabella Harlowe to Clarissa.--
Proposes, in a most taunting and cruel manner, the prosecution of
Lovelace; or, if not, her going to Pensylvania.

LETTER XXVII. Clarissa's affecting answer.

LETTER XXVIII. XXIX. Mrs. Norton to Clarissa.--
Her uncle's cruel letter to what owing. Colonel Morden resolved on a
visit to Lovelace.--Mrs. Hervey, in a private conversation with her,
accounts for, yet blames, the cruelty of her family. Miss Dolly Hervey
wishes to attend her.

LETTER XXX. Clarissa. In answer.--
Thinks she has been treated with great rigour by her relations.
Expresses more warmth than usual on this subject. Yet soon checks
herself. Grieves that Colonel Morden resolves on a visit to Lovelace.
Touches upon her sister's taunting letter. Requests Mrs. Norton's
prayers for patience and resignation.

LETTER XXXI. Miss Howe to Clarissa.--
Approves now of her appointment of Belford for an executor. Admires her
greatness of mind in despising Lovelace. Every body she is with taken
with Hickman; yet she cannot help wantoning with the power his obsequious
love gives her over him.

LETTER XXXII. XXXIII. Clarissa to Miss Howe.--
Instructive lessons and observations on her treatment of Hickman.--
Acquaints her with all that has happened since her last. Fears that all
her allegorical letter is not strictly right. Is forced by illness to
break off. Resumes. Wishes her married.

LETTER XXXIV. Mr. Wyerley to Clarissa.--
A generous renewal of his address to her now in her calamity; and a
tender of his best services.

LETTER XXXV. Her open, kind, and instructive answer.

LETTER XXXVI. Lovelace to Belford.--
Uneasy, on a suspicion that her letter to him was a stratagem only. What
he will do, if he find it so.

LETTER XXXVII. Belford to Lovelace.--
Brief account of his proceedings in Belton's affairs. The lady extremely
ill. Thought to be near her end. Has a low-spirited day. Recovers her
spirits; and thinks herself above this world. She bespeaks her coffin.
Confesses that her letter to Lovelace was allegorical only. The light in
which Belford beholds her.

LETTER XXXVIII. Belford to Lovelace.--
An affecting conversation that passed between the lady and Dr. H. She
talks of death, he says, and prepares for it, as if it were an occurrence
as familiar to her as dressing and undressing. Worthy behaviour of the
doctor. She makes observations on the vanity of life, on the wisdom of
an early preparation for death, and on the last behaviour of Belton.

LETTER XXXIX. XL. XLI. Lovelace to Belford.--
Particulars of what passed between himself, Colonel Morden, Lord M., and
Mowbray, on the visit made him by the Colonel. Proposes Belford to Miss
Charlotte Montague, by way of raillery, for an husband.--He encloses
Brand's letter, which misrepresents (from credulity and officiousness,
rather than ill-will) the lady's conduct.

LETTER XLII. Belford to Lovelace.--
Expatiates on the baseness of deluding young creatures, whose confidence
has been obtained by oaths, vows, promises. Evil of censoriousness.
People deemed good too much addicted to it. Desires to know what he
means my his ridicule with regard to his charming cousin.

LETTER XLIII. From the same.--
A proper test of the purity of writing. The lady again makes excuses for
her allegorical letter. Her calm behaviour, and generous and useful
reflections, on his communicating to her Brand's misrepresentations of
her conduct.

LETTER XLIV. Colonel Morden to Clarissa.--
Offers his assistance and service to make the best of what has happened.
Advises her to marry Lovelace, as the only means to bring about a general
reconciliation. Has no doubt of his resolution to do her justice.
Desires to know if she has.

LETTER XLV. Clarissa. In answer.

LETTER XLVI. Lovelace to Belford.--
His reasonings and ravings on finding the lady's letter to him only an
allegorical one. In the midst of these, the natural gayety of his heart
runs him into ridicule on Belford. His ludicrous image drawn from a
monument in Westminster Abbey. Resumes his serious disposition. If the
worst happen, (the Lord of Heaven and Earth, says he, avert that worst!)
he bids him only write that he advises him to take a trip to Paris; and
that will stab him to the heart.

LETTER XLVII. Belford to Lovelace.--
The lady's coffin brought up stairs. He is extremely shocked and
discomposed at it. Her intrepidity. Great minds, he observes, cannot
avoid doing uncommon things. Reflections on the curiosity of women.

LETTER XLVIII. From the same.--
Description of the coffin, and devices on the lid. It is placed in her
bed-chamber. His serious application to Lovelace on her great behaviour.

LETTER XLIX. From the same.--
Astonished at his levity in the Abbey-instance. The lady extremely ill.

LETTER L. Lovelace to Belford.--
All he has done to the lady a jest to die for; since her triumph has ever
been greater than her sufferings. He will make over all his possessions
and all his reversions to the doctor, if he will but prolong her life for
one twelvemonth. How, but for her calamities, could her equanimity blaze
out as it does! He would now love her with an intellectual flame. He
cannot bear to think that the last time she so triumphantly left him
should be the last. His conscience, he says, tears him. He is sick of
the remembrance of his vile plots.

LETTER LI. Belford to Lovelace.--
The lady alive, serene, and calm. The more serene for having finished,
signed, and sealed her last will; deferred till now for reasons of filial
duty.

LETTER LII. Miss Howe to Clarissa.--
Pathetically laments the illness of her own mother, and of her dear
friend. Now all her pertness to the former, she says, fly in her face.
She lays down her pen; and resumes it, to tell her, with great joy, that
her mother is better. She has had a visit form her cousin Morden. What
passed in it.

LETTER LIII. From the same.--
Displeased with the Colonel for thinking too freely of the sex. Never
knew a man that had a slight notion of the virtue of women in general,
who deserved to be valued for his morals. Why women must either be more
or less virtuous than men. Useful hints to young ladies. Is out of
humour with Mr. Hickman. Resolves to see her soon in town.

LETTER LIV. Belford to Lovelace.--
The lady writes and reads upon her coffin, as upon a desk. The doctor
resolves to write to her father. Her intense, yet cheerful devotion.

LETTER LV. Clarissa to Miss Howe.--
A letter full of pious reflections, and good advice, both general and
particular; and breathing the true spirit of charity, forgiveness,
patience, and resignation. A just reflection, to her dear friend, upon
the mortifying nature of pride.

LETTER LVI. Mrs. Norton to Clarissa.--
Her account of an interesting conversation at Harlowe-place between the
family and Colonel Morden; and of another between her mother and self.
The Colonel incensed against them all. Her advice concerning Belford,
and other matters. Miss Howe has obtained leave, she hears, to visit
her. Praises Mr. Hickman. Gently censures Miss Howe on his account.
Her truly maternal and pious comfortings.

LETTER LVII. Belford to Lovelace.--
The lady's sight begins to fail her. She blesses God for the serenity
she enjoys. It is what, she says, she had prayed for. What a blessing,
so near to her dissolution, to have her prayers answered! Gives
particular directions to him about her papers, about her last will and
apparel. Comforts the women and him on their concern for her. Another
letter brought her from Colonel Morden. The substance of it. Belford
writes to hasten up the Colonel. Dr. H. has also written to her father;
and Brand to Mr. John Harlowe a letter recanting his officious one.

LETTER LVIII. Dr. H. to James Harlowe, Senior, Esq.

LETTER LIX. Copy of Mr. Belford's letter to Colonel Morden,
to hasten him up.

LETTER LX. Lovelace to Belford.--
He feels the torments of the damned, in the remorse that wrings his
heart, on looking back on his past actions by this lady. Gives him what
he calls a faint picture of his horrible uneasiness, riding up and down,
expecting the return of his servant as soon as he had dispatched him.
Woe be to the man who brings him the fatal news!

LETTER LXI. Belford to Lovelace.--
Farther particulars of the lady's pious and exemplary behaviour. She
rejoices in the gradual death afforded her. Her thankful acknowledgments
to Mr. Belford, Mrs. Smith, and Mrs. Lovick, for their kindness to her.
Her edifying address to Mr. Belford.

LETTER LXII. Clarissa to Mrs. Norton. In answer to her's, No. LVI.--
Afflicted only for her friends. Desires not now to see her cousin
Morden, nor even herself, or Miss Howe. God will have no rivals, she
says, in the hearts of those whom HE sanctifies. Advice to Miss Howe.
To Mr. Hickman. Blesses all her relations and friends.

LETTER LXIII. Lovelace to Belford.--
A letter of deep distress, remorse, and impatience. Yet would he fain
lighten his own guilt by reflections on the cruelty of her relations.

LETTER LXIV. Belford to Lovelace
The lady is disappointed at the Doctor's telling her that she may yet
live two or three days. Death from grief the slowest of deaths. Her
solemn forgiveness of Lovelace, and prayer for him. Owns that once she
could have loved him. Her generous concern for his future happiness.
Belford's good resolutions.

LETTER LXV. Mr. Brand to Mr. John Walton.

LETTER LXVI. Mr. Brand to John Harlowe, Esq.;
in excuse of his credulity, and of the misreports founded upon it.

LETTER LXVII. Lovelace to Belford.--
Blesses him for sending him word the lady is better. Her charity towards
him cuts him to the heart. He cannot bear it. His vehement self
reproaches. Curses his contriving genius, and his disbelief that there
could be such virtue in woman. The world never saw such an husband as he
will make, if she recover, and will be his.

LETTER LXVIII. Belford to Lovelace.--
The lady's pious frame. The approaches of death how supportable to her;
and why. She has no reason, she says, to grieve for any thing but the
sorrow she has given to her friends.

LETTER LXIX. Lovelace to Belford.--
Never prayed in his life, put all the years of it together, as he has
done for this fortnight. Has repented of all his baseness: And will
nothing do? Conjures him to send him good news in his next, as he would
not be answerable for consequences.

LETTER LXX. Belford to Lovelace.--
Solemn leave taken of her by the doctor and apothecary; who tell her she
will hardly see the next night. The pleasure with which she receives the
intimation. How unlike poor Belton's behaviour her's! A letter from
Miss Howe. Copy of it. She cannot see to read it. Her exalted
expressions on hearing it read. Tries to write an answer to it; but
cannot. Dictates to Mrs. Lovick. Writes the superscriptive part herself
on her knees. Colonel Morden arrives in town.

LETTER LXXI. From the same.--
What passes on Colonel Morden's visit to his cousin. She enjoins the
Colonel not to avenge her.

THE HISTORY

OF

CLARISSA HARLOWE

LETTER I

MISS HOWE, TO MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE
YARMOUTH, ISLE OF WIGHT, MONDAY, AUG. 7.

MY DEAREST CREATURE,

I can write but just now a few lines. I cannot tell how to bear the
sound of that Mr. Belford for your executor, cogent as your reasons for
that measure are: and yet I am firmly of opinion, that none of your
relations should be named for the trust. But I dwell the less on this
subject, as I hope (and cannot bear to apprehend the contrary) that you
will still live many, many years.

Mr. Hickman, indeed, speaks very handsomely of Mr. Belford. But he, poor
man! has not much penetration.--If he had, he would hardly think so well
of me as he does.

I have a particular opportunity of sending this by a friend of my aunt
Harman's; who is ready to set out for London, (and this occasions my
hurry,) and is to return out of hand. I expect therefore, by him a large
packet from you; and hope and long for news of your amended health: which
Heaven grant to the prayers of

Your ever-affectionate
ANNA HOWE.

LETTER II

MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE
FRIDAY, AUG. 11.

I will send you a large packet, as you desire and expect; since I can do
it by so safe a conveyance: but not all that is come to my hand--for I
must own that my friends are very severe; too severe for any body, who
loves them not, to see their letters. You, my dear, would not call them
my friends, you said, long ago; but my relations: indeed I cannot call
them my relations, I think!----But I am ill; and therefore perhaps more
peevish than I should be. It is difficult to go out of ourselves to give
a judgment against ourselves; and yet, oftentimes, to pass a just
judgment, we ought.

I thought I should alarm you in the choice of my executor. But the sad
necessity I am reduced to must excuse me.

I shall not repeat any thing I have said before on that subject: but if
your objections will not be answered to your satisfaction by the papers
and letters I shall enclose, marked 1, 2, 3, 4, to 9, I must think myself
in another instance unhappy; since I am engaged too far (and with my own
judgment too) to recede.

As Mr. Belford has transcribed for me, in confidence, from his friend's
letters, the passages which accompany this, I must insist that you suffer
no soul but yourself to peruse them; and that you return them by the very
first opportunity; that so no use may be made of them that may do hurt
either to the original writer or to the communicator. You'll observe I
am bound by promise to this care. If through my means any mischief
should arise, between this humane and that inhuman libertine, I should
think myself utterly inexcusable.

I subjoin a list of the papers or letters I shall enclose. You must
return them all when perused.*

* 1. A letter from Miss Montague, dated . . . . Aug. 1.
2. A copy of my answer . . . . . . . . . . . Aug. 3.
3. Mr. Belford's Letter to me, which will show
you what my request was to him, and his
compliance with it; and the desired ex-
tracts from his friend's letters . . . . Aug. 3, 4.
4. A copy of my answer, with thanks; and re-
questing him to undertake the executor-
ship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aug. 4.
5. Mr. Belford's acceptance of the trust . . Aug. 4.
6. Miss Montague's letter, with a generous
offer from Lord M. and the Ladies of that
family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aug. 7.
7. Mr. Lovelace's to me . . . . . . . . . . . Aug. 7.
8. Copy of mine to Miss Montague, in answer
to her's of the day before . . . . . . . Aug. 8.
9. Copy of my answer to Mr. Lovelace . . . . Aug. 11.

You will see by these several Letters, written and received in so little
a space of time (to say nothing of what I have received and written which
I cannot show you,) how little opportunity or leisure I can have for
writing my own story.

I am very much tired and fatigued--with--I don't know what--with writing,
I think--but most with myself, and with a situation I cannot help
aspiring to get out of, and above!

O my dear, the world we live in is a sad, a very sad world!----While
under our parents' protecting wings, we know nothing at all of it.
Book-learned and a scribbler, and looking at people as I saw them as
visiters or visiting, I thought I knew a great deal of it. Pitiable
ignorance!--Alas! I knew nothing at all!

With zealous wishes for your happiness, and the happiness of every one
dear to you, I am, and will ever be,

Your gratefully-affectionate
CL. HARLOWE.

LETTER III

MR. ANTONY HARLOWE, TO MISS CL. HARLOWE
[IN REPLY TO HER'S TO HER UNCLE HARLOWE, OF THURSDAY, AUG. 10.]
AUG. 12.

UNHAPPY GIRL!

As your uncle Harlowe chooses not to answer your pert letter to him;
and as mine, written to you before,* was written as if it were in the
spirit of prophecy, as you have found to your sorrow; and as you are now
making yourself worse than you are in your health, and better than you
are in your penitence, as we are very well assured, in order to move
compassion; which you do not deserve, having had so much warning: for all
these reasons, I take up my pen once more; though I had told your
brother, at his going to Edinburgh, that I would not write to you, even
were you to write to me, without letting him know. So indeed had we all;
for he prognosticated what would happen, as to your applying to us, when
you knew not how to help it.

* See Vol. I. Letter XXXII.

Brother John has hurt your niceness, it seems, by asking you a plain
question, which your mother's heart is too full of grief to let her ask;
and modesty will not let your sister ask; though but the consequence of
your actions--and yet it must be answered, before you'll obtain from your
father and mother, and us, the notice you hope for, I can tell you that.

You lived several guilty weeks with one of the vilest fellows that ever
drew breath, at bed, as well as at board, no doubt, (for is not his
character known?) and pray don't be ashamed to be asked after what may
naturally come of such free living. This modesty indeed would have
become you for eighteen years of your life--you'll be pleased to mark
that--but makes no good figure compared with your behaviour since the
beginning of April last. So pray don't take it up, and wipe your mouth
upon it, as if nothing had happened.

But, may be, I likewise am to shocking to your niceness!--O girl, girl!
your modesty had better been shown at the right time and place--Every
body but you believed what the rake was: but you would believe nothing
bad of him--What think you now?

Your folly has ruined all our peace. And who knows where it may yet end?
--Your poor father but yesterday showed me this text: With bitter grief
he showed it me, poor man! and do you lay it to your heart:

'A father waketh for his daughter, when no man knoweth; and the care for
her taketh away his sleep--When she is young, lest she pass away the
flower of her age--[and you know what proposals were made to you at
different times.] And, being married, lest she should be hated. In her
virginity, lest she should be defiled, and gotten with child in her
father's house--[and I don't make the words, mind that.] And, having an
husband, lest she should misbehave herself.' And what follows? 'Keep
a sure watch over a shameless daughter--[yet no watch could hold you!]
lest she make thee a laughing stock to thine enemies--[as you have made
us all to this cursed Lovelace,] and a bye-word in the city, and a
reproach among the people, and make thee ashamed before the multitude.'
Ecclus. xlii. 9, 10, &c.

Now will you wish you had not written pertly. Your sister's severities!
--Never, girl, say that is severe that is deserved. You know the meaning
of words. No body better. Would to the Lord you had acted up but to one
half of what you know! then had we not been disappointed and grieved, as
we all have been: and nobody more than him who was

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