The Project Gutenberg eBook of Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 5
Title: Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 5
Author: Samuel Richardson
Release date: January 1, 2004 [eBook #10799]
Most recently updated: October 28, 2024
Language: English
Credits: Produced by Julie C. Sparks and David Widger
CLARISSA HARLOWE
or the
HISTORY OF A YOUNG LADY
Volume V. (of Nine Volumes)
CONTENTS
THE HISTORY OF CLARISSA HARLOWE
DETAILED CONTENTS
LETTER I. Lovelace to Belford.—
An agreeable
airing with the lady. Delightfully easy she. Obsequiously
respectful
he. Miss Howe's plot now no longer his terror. Gives the
particulars
of their agreeable conversation while abroad.
LETTER II. From the
same.—
An account of his ipecacuanha plot. Instructs Dorcas
how to act surprise
and terror. Monosyllables and trisyllables to
what likened. Politeness
lives not in a storm. Proclamation criers.
The lady now sees she loves
him. Her generous tenderness for him. He
has now credit for a new
score. Defies Mrs. Townsend.
LETTER
III. Clarissa to Miss Howe.—
Acknowledged tenderness for
Lovelace. Love for a man of errors
punishable.
LETTER IV.
Lovelace to Belford.—
Suspicious inquiry after him and the
lady by a servant in livery from one
Captain Tomlinson. Her terrors
on the occasion. His alarming
management. She resolves not to stir
abroad. He exults upon her not
being willing to leave him.
LETTER V. VI. From the same.—
Arrival of Captain Tomlinson,
with a pretended commission from Mr. John
Harlowe to set on foot a
general reconciliation, provided he can be
convinced that they are
actually married. Different conversations on this
occasion.—The
lady insists that the truth be told to Tomlinson. She
carries her
point through to the disappointment of one of his private
views. He
forms great hopes of success from the effects of his
ipecacuanha
contrivance.
LETTER VII. Lovelace to Belford.—
He makes
such a fair representation to Tomlinson of the situation between
him
and the lady, behaves so plausibly, and makes an overture so
generous, that she is all kindness and unreserved to him. Her affecting
exultation on her amended prospects. His unusual sensibility upon
it.
Reflection on the good effects of education. Pride an excellent
substitute to virtue.
LETTER VIII. From the same.—
Who Tomlinson is. Again makes Belford object, in order to explain his
designs by answering the objections. John Harlowe a sly sinner.
Hard-
hearted reasons for giving the lady a gleam of joy.
Illustrated by a
story of two sovereigns at war.
Extracts from
Clarissa's letter to Miss Howe. She rejoices in her
present
agreeable prospects. Attributes much to Mr. Hickman. Describes
Captain Tomlinson. Gives a character of Lovelace, [which is necessary to
be attended to: especially by those who have thought favourably of
him
for some of his liberal actions, and hardly of her for the
distance she
at first kept him at.]
LETTER IX. Lovelace to
Belford.—
Letter from Lord M. His further arts and
precautions. His happy day
promised to be soon. His opinion of the
clergy, and of going to church.
She pities every body who wants
pity. Loves every body. He owns he
should be the happiest of men,
could he get over his prejudices against
matrimony. Draughts of
settlements. Ludicrously accounts for the reason
why she refuses to
hear them read to her. Law and gospel two different
things. Sally
flings her handkerchief in his face.
LETTER X. From the same.—
Has made the lady more than once look about her. She owns that he is
more than indifferent to her. Checks him with sweetness of temper
for
his encroaching freedoms. Her proof of true love. He ridicules
marriage
purity. Severely reflects upon public freedoms between men
and their
wives. Advantage he once made upon such an occasion. Has
been after a
license. Difficulty in procuring one. Great faults and
great virtues
often in the same person. He is willing to believe
that women have no
souls. His whimsical reasons.
LETTER XI.
Lovelace to Belford.—
Almost despairs of succeeding (as he had
hoped) by love and gentleness.
Praises her modesty. His encroaching
freedoms resented by her. The
woman, he observes, who resents not
initiatory freedoms, must be lost.
He reasons, in his free way, upon
her delicacy. Art of the Eastern
monarchs.
LETTER XII. From
the same.—
A letter from Captain Tomlinson makes all up. Her
uncle Harlowe's
pretended proposal big with art and plausible
delusion. She acquiesces
in it. He writes to the pretended
Tomlinson, on an affecting hint of
her's, requesting that her uncle
Harlowe would, in person, give his niece
to him; or permit Tomlinson
to be his proxy on the occasion.—And now for
a little of mine,
he says, which he has ready to spring.
LETTER XIII. Belford to
Lovelace.—
Again earnestly expostulates with him in the lady's
favour. Remembers
and applauds the part she bore in the conversation
at his collation. The
frothy wit of libertines how despicable.
Censures the folly, the
weakness, the grossness, the unpermanency of
sensual love. Calls some of
his contrivances trite, stale, and poor.
Beseeches him to remove her
from the vile house. How many dreadful
stories could the horrid Sinclair
tell the sex! Serious reflections
on the dying state of his uncle.
LETTER XIV. Lovelace to Belford.—
Cannot yet procure a license. Has secured a retreat, if not victory.
Defends in anger the simplicity of his inventive contrivances.
Enters
upon his general defence, compared with the principles and
practices of
other libertines. Heroes and warlike kings worse men
than he. Epitome
of his and the lady's story after ten years'
cohabitation. Caution to
those who would censure him. Had the sex
made virtue a recommendation to
their favour, he says, he should
have had a greater regard to his morals
than he has had.
LETTER XV. From the same.—
Preparative to his little mine, as
he calls it. Loves to write to the
moment. Alarm begins. Affectedly
terrified.
LETTER XVI. From the same.—
The lady frighted
out of her bed by dreadful cries of fire. She awes him
into decency.
On an extorted promise of forgiveness, he leaves her.
Repenting, he
returns; but finds her door fastened. What a triumph has
her sex
obtained by her virtue! But how will she see him next morning,
as he
has given her.
LETTER XVII. Lovelace to Belford.—
Dialogue with Clarissa, the door between them. Her letter to him. She
will not see him for a week.
LETTER XVIII. From the same.—
Copies of letters that pass between them. Goes to the commons to try
to
get the license. She shall see him, he declares, on his return.
Love
and compassion hard to be separated. Her fluctuating reasons on
their
present situation. Is jealous of her superior qualities. Does
justice
to her immovable virtue.
LETTER XIX. From the same.—
The lady escaped. His rage. Makes a solemn vow of revenge, if once
more
he gets her into his power. His man Will. is gone in search of
her. His
hopes; on what grounded. He will advertise her. Describes
her dress.
Letter left behind her. Accuses her (that is to say,
LOVELACE accuses
her,) of niceness, prudery, affectation.
LETTER XX. From the same.—
A letter from Miss Howe to Clarissa
falls into his hands; which, had it
come to her's, would have laid
open and detected all his designs. In it
she acquits Clarissa of
prudery, coquetry, and undue reserve. Admires,
applauds, blesses her
for the example she has set for her sex, and for
the credit she has
done it, by her conduct in the most difficult
situations.
[This letter may be considered as a kind of summary of Clarissa's trials,
her persecutions, and exemplary conduct hitherto; and of Mr.
Lovelace's
intrigues, plots, and views, so far as Miss Howe could be
supposed to
know them, or to guess at them.]
A letter from
Lovelace, which farther shows the fertility of his
contriving
genius.
LETTER XXI. Clarissa to Miss Howe.—
Informs her
of Lovelace's villany, and of her escape. Her only concern,
what.
The course she intends to pursue.
LETTER XXII. Lovelace to Belford.—
Exults on hearing, from his man Will., that the lady has refuged
herself
at Hampstead. Observations in a style of levity on some
passages in the
letter she left behind her. Intimates that Tomlinson
is arrived to aid
his purposes. The chariot is come; and now,
dressed like a bridegroom,
attended by a footman she never saw, he
is already, he says, at
Hampstead.
LETTER XXIII. XXIV.
Lovelace to Belford.—
Exults on his contrivances.—By
what means he gets into the lady's
presence at Mrs. Moore's. Her
terrors, fits, exclamations. His
plausible tales to Mrs. Moore and
Miss Rawlins. His intrepid behaviour
to the lady. Copies of letters
from Tomlinson, and of pretended ones
from his own relations,
calculated to pacify and delude her.
LETTER XXV. XXVI. From the
same.—
His farther arts, inventions, and intrepidity. She puts
home questions
to him. 'Ungenerous and ungrateful she calls him. He
knows not the
value of the heart he had insulted. He had a plain
path before him,
after he had tricked her out of her father's house!
But that now her
mind was raised above fortune, and above him.' His
precautionary
contrivances.
LETTER XXVII. XXVIII. XXX. XXXI.
XXXII. From the same.—
Character of widow Bevis. Prepossesses
the women against Miss Howe.
Leads them to think she is in love with
him. Apt himself to think so;
and why. Women like not novices; and
why. Their vulgar aphorism
animadverted on. Tomlinson arrives.
Artful conversation between them.
Miss Rawlins's prudery. His forged
letter in imitation of Miss Howe's,
No. IV. Other contrivances to
delude the lady, and attach the women to
his party.
LETTER
XXXIII. XXXIV. XXXV. XXXVI. From the same.—
Particulars of
several interesting conversations between himself,
Tomlinson, and
the lady. Artful management of the two former. Her noble
spirit. He
tells Tomlinson before her that he never had any proof of
affection
from her. She frankly owns the regard she once had for him.
'He had
brought her,' she tells Tomlinson and him, 'more than once to own
it
to him. Nor did his own vanity, she was sure, permit him to doubt of
it. He had kept her soul in suspense an hundred times.' Both men
affected in turn by her noble behaviour, and great sentiments. Their
pleas, prayers, prostrations, to move her to relent. Her distress.
THE HISTORY OF CLARISSA HARLOWE
VOLUME FIVE
LETTER I
MR. LOVELACE, TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ. FRIDAY EVENING.
Just returned from an airing with my charmer, complied with after great importunity. She was attended by the two nymphs. They both topt their parts; kept their eyes within bounds; made moral reflections now-and- then. O Jack! what devils are women, when all tests are got over, and we have completely ruined them!
The coach carried us to Hampstead, to Highgate, to Muswell-hill; back to Hampstead to the Upper-Flask: there, in compliment to the nymphs, my beloved consented to alight, and take a little repast. Then home early by Kentish-town.
Delightfully easy she, and so respectful and obliging I, all the way, and as we walked out upon the heath, to view the variegated prospects which that agreeable elevation affords, that she promised to take now-and-then a little excursion with me. I think, Miss Howe, I think, said I to myself, every now-and-then as we walked, that thy wicked devices are superceded.
But let me give thee a few particulars of our conversation in the circumrotation we took, while in the coach—She had received a letter from Miss Howe yesterday, I presumed?
She made no answer. How happy should I think myself to be admitted into their correspondence? I would joyfully make an exchange of communications.
So, though I hoped not to succeed by her consent, [and little did she think I had so happily in part succeeded without it,] I thought it not amiss to urge for it, for several reasons: among others, that I might account to her for my constant employment at my pen; in order to take off her jealousy, that she was the subject of thy correspondence and mine: and that I might justify my secrecy and uncommunicativeness by her own.
I proceeded therefore—That I loved familiar-letter-writing, as I had more than once told her, above all the species of writing: it was writing from the heart, (without the fetters prescribed by method or study,) as the very word cor-respondence implied. Not the heart only; the soul was in it. Nothing of body, when friend writes to friend; the mind impelling sovereignly the vassal-fingers. It was, in short, friendship recorded; friendship given under hand and seal; demonstrating that the parties were under no apprehension of changing from time or accident, when they so liberally gave testimonies, which would always be ready, on failure or infidelity, to be turned against them.—For my own part, it was the principal diversion I had in her absence; but for this innocent amusement, the distance she so frequently kept me at would have been intolerable.
Sally knew my drift; and said, She had had the honour to see two or three of my letters, and of Mr. Belford's; and she thought them the most entertaining that she had ever read.
My friend Belford, I said, had a happy talent in the letter-writing way; and upon all subjects.
I expected my beloved would have been inquisitive after our subject: but (lying perdue, as I saw) not a word said she. So I touched upon this article myself.
Our topics were various and diffuse: sometimes upon literary articles [she was very attentive upon this]; sometimes upon the public entertainments; sometimes amusing each other with the fruits of the different correspondencies we held with persons abroad, with whom we had contracted friendships; sometimes upon the foibles and perfections of our particular friends; sometimes upon our own present and future hopes; sometimes aiming at humour and raillery upon each other.—It might indeed appear to savour of vanity, to suppose my letters would entertain a lady of her delicacy and judgment: but yet I could not but say, that perhaps she would be far from thinking so hardly of me as sometimes she had seemed to do, if she were to see the letters which generally passed between Mr. Belford and me [I hope, Jack, thou hast more manners, than to give me the lie, though but in thy heart].
She then spoke: after declining my compliment in such a manner, as only a person can do, who deserved it, she said, For her part, she had always thought me a man of sense [a man of sense, Jack! What a niggardly praise!],—and should therefore hope, that, when I wrote, it exceeded even my speech: for that it was impossible, be the letters written in as easy and familiar a style as they would, but that they must have that advantage from sitting down to write them which prompt speech could not always have. She should think it very strange therefore, if my letters were barren of sentiment; and as strange, if I gave myself liberties upon premeditation, which could have no excuse at all, but from a thoughtlessness, which itself wanted excuse.—But if Mr. Belford's letters and mine were upon subjects so general, and some of them equally (she presumed) instructive and entertaining, she could not but say, that she should be glad to see any of them; and particularly those which Miss Martin had seen and praised.
This was put close.
I looked at her, to see if I could discover any tincture of jealousy in this hint; that Miss Martin had seen what I had not shown to her. But she did not look it: so I only said, I should be very proud to show her not only those, but all that passed between Mr. Belford and me; but I must remind her, that she knew the condition.
No, indeed! with a sweet lip pouted out, as saucy as pretty; implying a lovely scorn, that yet can only be lovely in youth so blooming, and beauty so divinely distinguished.
How I long to see such a motion again! Her mouth only can give it.
But I am mad with love—yet eternal will be the distance, at the rate I go on: now fire, now ice, my soul is continually upon the hiss, as I may say. In vain, however, is the trial to quench—what, after all, is unquenchable.
Pr'ythee, Belford, forgive my nonsense, and my Vulcan-like metaphors—Did I not tell thee, not that I am sick of love, but that I am mad with it? Why brought I such an angel into such a house? into such company?—And why do I not stop my ears to the sirens, who, knowing my aversion to wedlock, are perpetually touching that string?
I was not willing to be answered so easily: I was sure, that what passed between two such young ladies (friends so dear) might be seen by every body: I had more reason than any body to wish to see the letters that passed between her and Miss Howe; because I was sure they must be full of admirable instruction, and one of the dear correspondents had deigned to wish my entire reformation.
She looked at me as if she would look me through: I thought I felt eye- beam, after eye-beam, penetrate my shivering reins.—But she was silent. Nor needed her eyes the assistance of speech.
Nevertheless, a little recovering myself, I hoped that nothing unhappy had befallen either Miss Howe or her mother. The letter of yesterday sent by a particular hand: she opening it with great emotion—seeming to have expected it sooner—were the reasons for my apprehensions.
We were then at Muswell-hill: a pretty country within the eye, to Polly, was the remark, instead of replying to me.
But I was not so to be answered—I should expect some charming subjects and characters from two such pens: I hoped every thing went on well between Mr. Hickman and Miss Howe. Her mother's heart, I said, was set upon that match: Mr. Hickman was not without his merits: he was what the ladies called a SOBER man: but I must needs say, that I thought Miss Howe deserved a husband of a very different cast!
This, I supposed, would have engaged her into a subject from which I could have wiredrawn something:—for Hickman is one of her favourites— why, I can't divine, except for the sake of opposition of character to that of thy honest friend.
But she cut me short by a look of disapprobation, and another cool remark upon a distant view; and, How far off, Miss Horton, do you think that clump of trees may be? pointing out of the coach.—So I had done.
Here endeth all I have to write concerning our conversation on this our agreeable airing.
We have both been writing ever since we came home. I am to be favoured with her company for an hour, before she retires to rest.
All that obsequious love can suggest, in order to engage her tenderest sentiments for me against tomorrow's sickness, will I aim at when we meet. But at parting will complain of a disorder in my stomach.
***
We have met. All was love and unexceptionable respect on my part. Ease and complaisance on her's. She was concerned for my disorder. So sudden!—Just as we parted! But it was nothing. I should be quite well by the morning.
Faith, Jack, I think I am sick already. Is it possible for such a giddy fellow as me to persuade myself to be ill! I am a better mimic at this rate than I wish to be. But every nerve and fibre of me is always ready to contribute its aid, whether by health or by ailment, to carry a resolved-on roguery into execution.
Dorcas has transcribed for me the whole letter of Miss Howe, dated Sunday, May 14,* of which before I had only extracts. She found no other letter added to that parcel: but this, and that which I copied myself in character last Sunday whilst she was at church, relating to the smuggling scheme,** are enough for me.
* See Vol. IV. Letter XXIX. ** Ibid. Letter XLII.
***
Dorcas tells me, that her lady has been removing her papers from the mahogany chest into a wainscot box, which held her linen, and which she put into her dark closet. We have no key of that at present. No doubt but all her letters, previous to those I have come at, are in that box. Dorcas is uneasy upon it: yet hopes that her lady does not suspect her; for she is sure that she laid in every thing as she found it.
LETTER II
MR. LOVELACE, TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ. COCOA-TREE, SATURDAY, MAY 27.
This ipecacuanha is a most disagreeable medicine. That these cursed physical folks can find out nothing to do us good, but what would poison the devil! In the other world, were they only to take physic, it would be punishable enough of itself for a mis-spent life. A doctor at one elbow, and an apothecary at the other, and the poor soul labouring under their prescribed operations, he need no worse tormentors.
But now this was to take down my countenance. It has done it: for, with violent reachings, having taken enough to make me sick, and not enough water to carry it off, I presently looked as if I had kept my bed a fortnight. Ill jesting, as I thought in the midst of the exercise, with edge tools, and worse with physical ones.
Two hours it held me. I had forbid Dorcas to let her lady know any thing of the matter; out of tenderness to her; being willing, when she knew my prohibition, to let her see that I expected her to be concerned for me.—
Well, but Dorcas was nevertheless a woman, and she can whisper to her lady the secret she is enjoined to keep!
Come hither, toad, [sick as the devil at the instant]; let me see what a mixture of grief and surprize may be beat up together in thy puden-face.
That won't do. That dropt jaw, and mouth distended into the long oval, is more upon the horrible than the grievous.
Nor that pinking and winking with thy odious eyes, as my charmer once called them.
A little better that; yet not quite right: but keep your mouth closer. You have a muscle or two which you have no command of, between your cheek-bone and your lips, that should carry one corner of your mouth up towards your crow's-foot, and that down to meet it.
There! Begone! Be in a plaguy hurry running up stair and down, to fetch from the dining-room what you carry up on purpose to fetch, till motion extraordinary put you out of breath, and give you the sigh natural.
What's the matter, Dorcas?
Nothing, Madam.
My beloved wonders she has not seen me this morning, no doubt; but is too shy to say she wonders. Repeated What's the matter, however, as Dorcas runs up and down stairs by her door, bring on, O Madam! my master! my poor master!
What! How! When!—and all the monosyllables of surprize.
[Within parentheses let me tell thee, that I have often thought, that the little words in the republic of letters, like the little folks in a nation, are the most significant. The trisyllables, and the rumblers of syllables more than three, are but the good-for-little magnates.]
I must not tell you, Madam—My master ordered me not to tell you—but he is in a worse way than he thinks for!—But he would not have you frighted.
High concern took possession of every sweet feature. She pitied me!—by my soul, she pitied me!
Where is he?
Too much in a hurry for good manners, [another parenthesis, Jack! Good manners are so little natural, that we ought to be composed to observe them: politeness will not live in a storm]. I cannot stay to answer questions, cries the wench—though desirous to answer [a third parenthesis—Like the people crying proclamations, running away from the customers they want to sell to]. This hurry puts the lady in a hurry to ask, [a fourth, by way of establishing the third!] as the other does the people in a hurry to buy. And I have in my eye now a whole street raised, and running after a proclamation or express-crier, as if the first was a thief, the other his pursuers.
At last, O Lord! let Mrs. Lovelace know!—There is danger, to be sure! whispered from one nymph to another; but at the door, and so loud, that my listening fair-one might hear.
Out she darts—As how! as how, Dorcas!
O Madam—A vomiting of blood! A vessel broke, to be sure!
Down she hastens; finds every one as busy over my blood in the entry, as if it were that of the Neapolitan saint.
In steps my charmer, with a face of sweet concern.
How do you, Mr. Lovelace?
O my best love!—Very well!—Very well!—Nothing at all! nothing of consequence!—I shall be well in an instant!—Straining again! for I was indeed plaguy sick, though no more blood came.
In short, Belford, I have gained my end. I see the dear soul loves me. I see she forgives me all that's past. I see I have credit for a new score.
Miss Howe, I defy thee, my dear—Mrs. Townsend!—Who the devil are you?— Troop away with your contrabands. No smuggling! nor smuggler, but myself! Nor will the choicest of my fair-one's favours be long prohibited goods to me!
***
Every one is now sure that she loves me. Tears were in her eyes more than once for me. She suffered me to take her hand, and kiss it as often as I pleased. On Mrs. Sinclair's mentioning, that I too much confined myself, she pressed me to take an airing; but obligingly desired me to be careful of myself. Wished I would advise with a physician. God made physicians, she said.
I did not think that, Jack. God indeed made us all. But I fancy she meant physic instead of physicians; and then the phrase might mean what the vulgar phrase means;—God sends meat, the Devil cooks.
I was well already, on taking the styptic from her dear hands.
On her requiring me to take the air, I asked, If I might have the honour of her company in a coach; and this, that I might observe if she had an intention of going out in my absence.
If she thought a chair were not a more proper vehicle for my case, she would with all her heart!
There's a precious!
I kissed her hand again! She was all goodness!—Would to Heaven I better deserved it, I said!—But all were golden days before us!—Her presence and generous concern had done every thing. I was well! Nothing ailed me. But since my beloved will have it so, I'll take a little airing!— Let a chair be called!—O my charmer! were I to have owned this indisposition to my late harasses, and to the uneasiness I have had for disobliging you; all is infinitely compensated by your goodness.—All the art of healing is in your smiles!—Your late displeasure was the only malady!
While Mrs. Sinclair, and Dorcas, and Polly, and even poor silly Mabell [for Sally went out, as my angel came in] with uplifted hands and eyes, stood thanking Heaven that I was better, in audible whispers: See the power of love, cried one!—What a charming husband, another!—Happy couple, all!
O how the dear creature's cheek mantled!—How her eyes sparkled!—How sweetly acceptable is praise to conscious merit, while it but reproaches when applied to the undeserving!—What a new, what a gay creation it makes all at once in a diffident or dispirited heart!
And now, Belford, was it not worth while to be sick? And yet I must tell thee, that too many pleasanter expedients offer themselves, to make trial any more of this confounded ipecacuanha.
LETTER III
MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE SATURDAY, MAY 27.
Mr. Lovelace, my dear, has been very ill. Suddenly taken. With a vomiting of blood in great quantities. Some vessel broken. He complained of a disorder in his stomach over night. I was the affected with it, as I am afraid it was occasioned by the violent contentions between us.—But was I in fault?
How lately did I think I hated him!—But hatred and anger, I see, are but temporary passions with me. One cannot, my dear, hate people in danger of death, or who are in distress or affliction. My heart, I find, is not proof against kindness, and acknowledgements of errors committed.
He took great care to have his illness concealed from me as long as he could. So tender in the violence of his disorder!—So desirous to make the best of it!—I wish he had not been ill in my sight. I was too much affected—every body alarming me with his danger. The poor man, from such high health, so suddenly taken!—and so unprepared!—
He is gone out in a chair. I advised him to do so. I fear that my advice was wrong; since quiet in such a disorder must needs be best. We are apt to be so ready, in cases of emergency, to give our advice, without judgment, or waiting for it!—I proposed a physician indeed; but he would not hear of one. I have great honour for the faculty; and the greater, as I have always observed that those who treat the professors of the art of healing contemptuously, too generally treat higher institutions in the same manner.
I am really very uneasy. For I have, I doubt, exposed myself to him, and to the women below. They indeed will excuse me, as they think us married. But if he be not generous, I shall have cause to regret this surprise; which (as I had reason to think myself unaccountably treated by him) has taught me more than I knew of myself.
'Tis true, I have owned more than once, that I could have liked Mr. Lovelace above all men. I remember the debates you and I used to have on this subject, when I was your happy guest. You used to say, and once you wrote,* that men of his cast are the men that our sex do not naturally dislike: While I held, that such were not (however that might be) the men we ought to like. But what with my relations precipitating of me, on one hand, and what with his unhappy character, and embarrassing ways, on the other, I had no more leisure than inclination to examine my own heart in this particular. And this reminds me of a transcribe, though it was written in raillery. 'May it not be,' say you,** 'that you have had such persons to deal with, as have not allowed you to attend to the throbs; or if you had them a little now-and-then, whether, having had two accounts to place them to, you have not by mistake put them to the wrong one?' A passage, which, although it came into my mind when Mr. Lovelace was least exceptionable, yet that I have denied any efficacy to, when he has teased and vexed me, and given me cause of suspicion. For, after all, my dear, Mr. Lovelace is not wise in all his ways. And should we not endeavour, as much as is possible, (where we are not attached by natural ties,) to like and dislike as reason bids us, and according to the merit or demerit of the object? If love, as it is called, is allowed to be an excuse for our most unreasonable follies, and to lay level all the fences that a careful education has surrounded us by, what is meant by the doctrine of subduing our passions?—But, O my dearest friend, am I not guilty of a punishable fault, were I to love this man of errors? And has not my own heart deceived me, when I thought it did not? And what must be that love, that has not some degree of purity for its object? I am afraid of recollecting some passages in my cousin Morden's letter.***—And yet why fly I from subjects that, duly considered, might tend to correct and purify my heart? I have carried, I doubt, my notions on this head too high, not for practice, but for my practice. Yet think me not guilty of prudery neither; for had I found out as much of myself before; or, rather, had he given me heart's ease enough before to find it out, you should have had my confession sooner.
* See Vol. IV. Letter XXXIV. ** See Vol. I. Letter XII. *** See Vol. IV. Letter XIX, & seq.
Nevertheless, let me tell you (what I hope I may justly tell you,) that if again he give me cause to resume distance and reserve, I hope my reason will gather strength enough from his imperfections to enable me to keep my passions under.—What can we do more than govern ourselves by the temporary lights lent us?
You will not wonder that I am grave on this detection—Detection, must I call it? What can I call it?—
Dissatisfied with myself, I am afraid to look back upon what I have written: yet know not how to have done writing. I never was in such an odd frame of mind.—I know not how to describe it.—Was you ever so?— Afraid of the censure of her you love—yet not conscious that you deserve it?
Of this, however, I am convinced, that I should indeed deserve censure, if I kept any secret of my heart from you.
But I will not add another word, after I have assured you, that I will look still more narrowly into myself: and that I am
Your equally sincere and affectionate CL. HARLOWE.
LETTER IV
MR. LOVELACE, TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ. SAT. EVENING.
I had a charming airing. No return of my malady. My heart was perfectly easy, how could my stomach be otherwise?
But when I came home, I found that my sweet soul had been alarmed by a new incident—The inquiry after us both, in a very suspicious manner, and that by description of our persons, and not by names, by a servant in a blue livery turn'd up and trimm'd with yellow.
Dorcas was called to him, as the upper servant; and she refusing to answer any of the fellow's questions, unless he told his business, and from whom he came, the fellow (as short as she) said, that if she would not answer him, perhaps she might answer somebody else; and went away out of humour.
Dorcas hurried up to her Lady, and alarmed her, not only with the fact, but with her own conjectures; adding, that he was an ill-looking fellow, and she was sure could come for no good.
The livery and the features of the servant were particularly inquired after, and as particularly described—Lord bless her! no end of her alarms, she thought! And then did her apprehensions anticipate every evil that could happen.
She wished Mr. Lovelace would come in.
Mr. Lovelace came in soon after; all lively, grateful, full of hopes, of duty, of love, to thank his charmer, and to congratulate with her upon the cure she had performed. And then she told the story, with all its circumstances; and Dorcas, to point her lady's fears, told us, that the servant was a sun-burnt fellow, and looked as if he had been at sea.
He was then, no doubt, Captain Singleton's servant, and the next news she should hear, was, that the house was surrounded by a whole ship's crew; the vessel lying no farther off, as she understood, than Rotherhithe.
Impossible, I said. Such an attempt would not be ushered in by such a manner of inquiry. And why may it not rather be a servant of your cousin Morden, with notice of his arrival, and of his design to attend you?
This surmise delighted her. Her apprehensions went off, and she was at leisure to congratulate me upon my sudden recovery; which she did in the most obliging manner.
But we had not sat long together, when Dorcas again came fluttering up to tell us, that the footman, the very footman, was again at the door, and inquired, whether Mr. Lovelace and his lady, by name, had not lodgings in this house? He asked, he told Dorcas, for no harm. But his disavowing of harm, was a demonstration with my apprehensive fair-one, that harm was intended. And as the fellow had not been answered by Dorcas, I proposed to go down to the street-parlour, and hear what he had to say.
I see your causeless terror, my dearest life, said I, and your impatience —Will you be pleased to walk down—and, without being observed, (for he shall come no farther than the parlour-door,) you may hear all that passes?
She consented. We went down. Dorcas bid the man come forward. Well, friend, what is your business with Mr. and Mrs. Lovelace?
Bowing, scraping, I am sure you are the gentleman, Sir. Why, Sir, my business is only to know if your honour be here, and to be spoken with; or if you shall be here for any time?
Whom came you from?
From a gentleman who ordered me to say, if I was made to tell, but not else, it was from a friend of Mr. John Harlowe, Mrs. Lovelace's eldest uncle.
The dear creature was ready to sink upon this. It was but of late that she had provided herself with salts. She pulled them out.
Do you know anything of Colonel Morden, friend? said I.
No; I never heard of his name.
Of Captain Singleton?
No, Sir. But the gentleman, my master, is a Captain too.
What is his name?
I don't know if I should tell.
There can be no harm in telling the gentleman's name, if you come upon a good account.
That I do; for my master told me so; and there is not an honester gentleman on the face of God's yearth.—His name is Captain Tomlinson, Sir.
I don't know such a one.
I believe not, Sir. He was pleased to say, he don't know your honor, Sir; but I heard him say as how he should not be an unwelcome visiter to you for all that.
Do you know such a man as Captain Tomlinson, my dearest life, [aside,] your uncle's friend?
No; but my uncle may have acquaintance, no doubt, that I don't know.— But I hope [trembling] this is not a trick.
Well, friend, if your master has anything to say to Mr. Lovelace, you may tell him, that Mr. Lovelace is here; and will see him whenever he pleases.
The dear creature looked as if afraid that my engagement was too prompt for my own safety; and away went the fellow—I wondering, that she might not wonder, that this Captain Tomlinson, whoever he were, came not himself, or sent not a letter the second time, when he had reason to suppose that I might be here.
Mean time, for fear that this should be a contrivance of James Harlowe, who, I said, love plotting, though he had not a head turned for it, I gave some precautionary directions to the servants, and the women, whom, for the greater parade, I assembled before us, and my beloved was resolved not to stir abroad till she saw the issue of this odd affair.
And here must I close, though in so great a puzzle.
Only let me add, that poor Belton wants thee; for I dare not stir for my life.
Mowbray and Tourville skulk about like vagabonds, without heads, without hands, without souls; having neither you nor me to conduct them. They tell me, they shall rust beyond the power of oil or action to brighten them up, or give them motion.
How goes it with thy uncle?