Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 2
Samuel Richardson
Produced by Julie C. Sparks
CLARISSA HARLOWE
or the
HISTORY OF A YOUNG LADY
By Samuel Richardson
Nine Volumes
Volume II.
LETTERS OF VOLUME II
LETTER I. Clarissa to Miss Howe.--Another visit from her aunt andsister. The latter spitefully insults her with the patterns. A tenderscene between her aunt and her in Arabella's absence. She endeavours toaccount for the inflexibility of her parents and uncles.
LETTER II. Miss Howe to Clarissa.--Humourous description of Mr. Hickman.Imagines, from what Lovelace, Hickman, and Solmes, are now, what figuresthey made when boys at school.
LETTER III. From the same.--Useful observations on general life. Severecensures of the Harlowe family, for their pride, formality, and otherbad qualities.
LETTER IV. From the same.--Mr. Hickman's conversation with two ofLovelace's libertine companions.
LETTER V. From the same.--An unexpected visit from Mr. Lovelace. Whatpasses in it. Repeats her advice to her to resume her estate.
LETTER VI. VII. VIII. Clarissa to Miss Howe.--Farther particulars of thepersecutions she receives from her violent brother.
LETTER IX. From the same.--Impertinence of Betty Barnes. Overhears herbrother and sister encourage Solmes to persevere in his address. Shewrites warmly to her brother upon it.
LETTER X. From the same.--Receives a provoking letter from her sister.Writes to her mother. Her mother's severe reply. Is impatient. DesiresMiss Howe's advice what course to pursue. Tries to compose her angrypassions at her harpsichord. An Ode to Wisdom, by a Lady.
LETTER XI. Clarissa to Miss Howe.--Chides her for misrepresenting Mr.Hickman. Fully answers her arguments about resuming her estate. Herimpartiality with regard to what Miss Howe says of Lovelace, Solmes, andher brother. Reflections on revenge and duelling.
LETTER XII. Miss Howe to Clarissa.--Sir Harry Downeton's account of whatpassed between himself and Solmes. She wishes her to avoid both men.Admires her for her manifold excellencies.
LETTER XIII. Clarissa to Miss Howe.--Why she cannot overcome heraversion to Solmes. Sharp letter to Lovelace. On what occasion. All hisdifficulties, she tells him, owning to his faulty morals; which levelall distinction. Insists upon his laying aside all thoughts of her. Herimpartial and dutiful reasonings on her difficult situation.
LETTER XIV. Miss Howe to Clarissa.--A notable debate between her and hermother on her case. Those who marry for love seldom so happy as thosewho marry for convenience. Picture of a modern marriage. A lesson bothto parents and children in love-cases. Handsome men seldom make goodhusbands. Miss Howe reflects on the Harlowe family, as not famous forstrictness in religion or piety. Her mother's partiality for Hickman.
LETTER XV. Clarissa to Miss Howe.--Her increased apprehensions.Warmly defends her own mother. Extenuates her father's feelings; andexpostulates with her on her undeserved treatment of Mr. Hickman. Aletter to her from Solmes. Her spirited answer. All in an uproar aboutit. Her aunt Hervey's angry letter to her. She writes to her mother. Herletter returned unopened. To her father. He tears her letter in pieces,and sends it back to her. She then writes a pathetic letter to her uncleHarlowe.
LETTER XVI. From the same.--Receives a gentler answer than she expectedfrom her uncle Harlowe. Makes a new proposal in a letter to him, whichshe thinks must be accepted. Her relations assembled upon it. Heropinion of the sacrifice which a child ought to make to her parents.
LETTER XVII. From the same.--She tells her that the proposal she hadmade to her relations, on which she had built so much, is rejected.Betty's saucy report upon it. Her brother's provoking letter to her.Her letter to her uncle Harlowe on the occasion. Substance of a letterexcusatory from Mr. Lovelace. He presses for an interview with her inthe garden.
LETTER XVIII. Clarissa to Miss Howe.--Her uncle's angry answer.Substance of a humble letter from Mr. Lovelace. He has got a violentcold and hoarseness, by his fruitless attendance all night in thecoppice. She is sorry he is not well. Makes a conditional appointmentwith him for the next night, in the garden. Hates tyranny in all shapes.
LETTER XIX. From the same.--A characteristic dialogue with the pertBetty Barnes. Women have great advantage over men in all the powers thatrelate to the imagination. Makes a request to her uncle Harlowe, whichis granted, on condition that she will admit of a visit from Solmes. Shecomplies; and appoints that day sevennight. Then writes to Lovelaceto suspend the intended interview. Desires Miss Howe to inquire intoLovelace's behaviour at the little inn he puts up at in his way toHarlowe-Place.
LETTER XX. From the same.--Receives a letter from Lovelace, writtenin very high terms, on her suspending the interview. Her angry answer.Resolves against any farther correspondence with him.
LETTER XXI. Miss Howe to Clarissa.--Humourous account of her mother andMr. Hickman in their little journey to visit her dying cousin. Ralliesher on her present displeasure with Lovelace.
LETTER XXII. Mr. Hickman to Mrs. Howe.--Resenting Miss Howe's treatmentof him.
LETTER XXIII. Mrs. Howe. In answer.
LETTER XXIV. Miss Howe to Clarissa.--Observes upon the contents of herseven last letters. Advises her to send all the letters and papers shewould not have her relations see; also a parcel of clothes, linen, &c.Is in hopes of procuring an asylum for her with her mother, if thingscome to extremity.
LETTER XXV. Clarissa to Miss Howe.--Requisites of true satire. Rejoicesin the hopes she gives of her mother's protection. Deposits a parcelof linen, and all Lovelace's letters. Useful observations relating tofamily management, and to neatness of person and dress. Her contrivancesto amuse Betty Barnes.
LETTER XXVI. Miss Howe to Clarissa.--Result of her inquiry afterLovelace's behaviour at the inn. Doubts not but he has ruined theinnkeeper's daughter. Passionately inveighs against him.
LETTER XXVII. Clarissa. In answer.--Is extremely alarmed at Lovelace'ssupposed baseness. Declares her abhorrence of him.
LETTER XXVIII. Miss Howe to Clarissa.--Lovelace, on inquiry, comes outto be not only innocent with regard to his Rosebud, but generous. MissHowe rallies her on the effects this intelligence must have upon hergenerosity.
LETTER XXIX. Clarissa. In reply.--Acknowledges her generosity engagedin his favour. Frankly expresses tenderness and regard for him; and ownsthat the intelligence of his supposed baseness had affected her morethan she thinks it ought. Contents of a letter she has received fromhim. Pities him. Writes to him that her rejection of Solmes is not infavour to himself; for that she is determined to hold herself freeto obey her parents, (as she had offered to them,) of their giving upSolmes. Reproaches him for his libertine declarations in all companiesagainst matrimony. Her notions of filial duty, notwithstanding thepersecutions she meets with.
LETTER XXX. Miss Howe to Clarissa.--Her treatment of Mr. Hickman on hisintrusion into her company. Applauds Clarissa for the generosity of herspirit, and the greatness of her mind.
LETTER XXXI. Clarissa to Miss Howe.--Dr. Lewen makes her a formal visit.Affected civility of her brother and sister to her. Is visited by heruncle Harlowe: and by her sister. She penetrates the low art designed inthis change of their outward behaviour. Substance of Lovelace's replyto her last. He acknowledges his folly for having ever spoken lightly ofmatrimony.
LETTER XXXII. From the same.--Another letter from Mr. Lovelace, inwhich he expresses himself extremely apprehensive of the issue ofher interview with Solmes. Presses her to escape; proposes means foreffecting it; and threatens to rescue her by violence, if they attemptto carry her to her uncle Antony's against her will. Her terror on theocc
asion. She insists, in her answer, on his forbearing to take any rashstep; and expresses herself highly dissatisfied that he should thinkhimself entitled to dispute her father's authority in removing her toher uncle's. She relies on Mrs. Howe's protection till her cousin Mordenarrives.
LETTER XXXIII. Clarissa to Miss Howe.--A visit from her aunt Hervey,preparative to the approaching interview with Solmes. Her aunt tells herwhat is expected on her having consented to that interview.
LETTER XXXIV. XXXV. From the same.--A particular account of what passedin the interview with Solmes; and of the parts occasionally taken init by her boisterous uncle, by her brutal brother, by her implacablesister, and by her qualifying aunt. Her perseverance and distress. Hercousin Dolly's tenderness for her. Her closet searched for papers. Allthe pens and ink they find taken from her.
LETTER XXXVI. From the same.--Substance of a letter from Lovelace. Hisproposals, promises, and declarations. All her present wish is, to beable to escape Solmes, on one hand, and to avoid incurring the disgraceof refuging with the family of a man at enmity with her own, on theother. Her emotions behind the yew-hedge on seeing her father going intothe garden. Grieved at what she hears him say. Dutiful message toher mother. Harshly answered. She censures Mr. Lovelace for his rashthreatenings to rescue her. Justifies her friends for resenting them;and condemns herself for corresponding with him at first.
LETTER XXXVII. Miss Howe to Clarissa.--Is vexed at the heart to beobliged to tell her that her mother refuses to receive and protect her.Offers to go away privately with her.
LETTER XXXVIII. Clarissa to Miss Howe.--Her disinterested arguments inMrs. Howe's favour, on her refusal to receive her. All her consolationis, that her unhappy situation is not owing to her own inadvertence offolly. Is afraid she is singled out, either for her own faults, or forthose of her family, or perhaps for the faults of both, to be a veryunhappy creature. Justifies the ways of Providence, let what will befalher: and argues with exemplary greatness of mind on this subject. Warmlydiscourages Miss Howe's motion to accompany her in her flight.
LETTER XXXIX. Clarissa to Miss Howe.--Further instances of herimpartiality in condemning Lovelace, and reasoning for her parents.Overhears her brother and sister exulting in the success of theirschemes; and undertaking, the one to keep his father up to hisresentment on occasion of Lovelace's menaces, the other her mother.Exasperated at this, and at what her aunt Hervey tells her, she writesto Lovelace, that she will meet him the following Monday, and throwherself into the protection of the ladies of his family.
LETTER XL. From the same.--Her frightful dream. Now that Lovelace hasgot her letter, she repents her appointment.
LETTER XLI. From the same.--Receives a letter from Mr. Lovelace, fullof transport, vows, and promises. He presumes upon her being his on hergetting away, though she has not given him room for such hopes. In heranswer she tells him, 'that she looks not upon herself as absolutelybound by her appointment: that there are many points to be adjustedbetween them (were she to leave her father's house) before she can givehim particular encouragement: that he must expect she will do her utmostto procure a reconciliation with her father, and his approbation ofher future steps.' All her friends are to be assembled on the followingWednesday: she is to be brought before them. How to be proceeded with.Lovelace, in his reply, asks pardon for writing to her with so muchassurance; and declares his entire acquiescence with her will andpleasure.
LETTER XLII. From the same.--Confirms her appointment; but tells himwhat he is not to expect. Promises, that if she should change her mindas to withdrawing, she will take the first opportunity to see him, andacquaint him with her reasons. Reflections on what she has done. Herdeep regret to be thus driven.
LETTER XLIII. Miss Howe to Clarissa.--Reasons why she ought to allow herto accompany her in her flight. Punctilio at an end, the moment she isout of her father's house. Requisites of friendship. Questions whethershe will not rather choose to go off with one of her own sex thanwith Lovelace? And if not, whether she should not marry him as soon aspossible?
LETTER XLIV. Clarissa to Miss Howe, (Miss Howe's last not received.)Lovelace promises compliance, in every article, with her pleasure.Her heart misgives her notwithstanding. She knows not but she may yetrecede.
LETTER XLV. From the same. In answer to Letter XLIII.--Reflectionsworthy of herself on some of the passages in Miss Howe's last letter.Gives her home-put questions a full consideration; and determines NOT towithdraw with Lovelace.
LETTER XLVI. XLVII. From the same.--Substance of her letter to Lovelace,revoking her appointment. Thinks herself obliged (her letter being nottaken away) as well by promise as in order to prevent mischief, to meethim, and to give him her reason for revoking.--The hour of meeting nowat hand, she is apprehensive of the contest she shall have with him, ashe will come with a different expectation.
LETTER XLVIII. From the same.--Dated from St. Alban's. Writes in theutmost anguish of mind for the little parcel of linen she had sent toher with better hopes. Condemns her own rashness in meeting Lovelace.Begs her pity and her prayers.
THE HISTORY OF CLARISSA HARLOWE
