Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 6

  Produced by Produced by Julie C. Sparks.

  CLARISSA HARLOWE

  or the

  HISTORY OF A YOUNG LADY

  Nine VolumesVolume VI.

  CONTENTS OF VOLUME VI

  LETTER I. II. Lovelace to Belford.--His conditional promise to Tomlinson in the lady's favour. His pleasand arguments on their present situation, and on his darling andhitherto-baffled views. His whimsical contest with his conscience. Hislatest adieu to it. His strange levity, which he calls gravity, on thedeath of Belford's uncle.

  LETTER III. IV. From the same.--She favours him with a meeting in the garden. Her composure. Herconversation great and noble. But will not determine any thing in hisfavour. It is however evident, he says, that she has still sometenderness for him. His reasons. An affecting scene between them. Heringenuousness and openness of heart. She resolves to go to church; butwill not suffer him to accompany her thither. His whimsical debate withthe God of Love, whom he introduced as pleading for the lady.

  LETTER V. VI. VII. From the same.--He has got the wished-for letter from Miss Howe.--Informs him of themanner of obtaining it.--His remarks upon it. Observations on femalefriendships. Comparison between Clarissa and Miss Howe.

  LETTER VIII. From the same.--Another conversation with the lady. His plausible arguments to re-obtainher favour ineffectual. His pride piqued. His revenge incited. Newarguments in favour of his wicked prospects. His notice that a licenseis actually obtained.

  LETTER IX. X. From the same.--Copy of the license; with his observations upon it. His scheme forannual marriages. He is preparing with Lady Betty and Miss Montague towait upon Clarissa. Who these pretended ladies are. How dressed. Theygive themselves airs of quality. Humourously instructs them how to actup their assumed characters.

  LETTER XI. XII. Lovelace to Belford.--Once more is the charmer of his soul in her old lodgings. Brief accountof the horrid imposture. Steels his heart by revengeful recollections.Her agonizing apprehensions. Temporary distraction. Is ready to fallinto fits. But all her distress, all her prayers, her innocence, hervirtue, cannot save her from the most villanous outrage.

  LETTER XIII. Belford to Lovelace.--Vehemently inveighs against him. Grieves for the lady. Is now convincedthat there must be a world after this to do justice to injured merit.Beseeches him, if he be a man, and not a devil, to do all the poorjustice now in his power.

  LETTER XIV. Lovelace to Belford.--Regrets that he ever attempted her. Aims at extenuation. Does he notsee that he has journeyed on to this stage, with one determined point inview from the first? She is at present stupified, he says.

  LETTER XV. From the same.--The lady's affecting behaviour in her delirium. He owns that art hasbeen used to her. Begins to feel remorse.

  LETTER XVI. From the same.--The lady writes upon scraps of paper, which she tears, and throws underthe table. Copies of ten of these rambling papers; and of a letter tohim most affectingly incoherent. He attempts farther to extenuate hisvillany. Tries to resume his usual levity; and forms a scheme to decoythe people at Hampstead to the infamous woman's in town. The lady seemsto be recovering.

  LETTER XVII. From the same.--She attempts to get away in his absence. Is prevented by the odiousSinclair. He exults in the hope of looking her into confusion when hesees her. Is told by Dorcas that she is coming into the dining-room tofind him out.

  LETTER XVIII. From the same.--A high scene of her exalted, and of his depressed, behaviour. Offers tomake her amends by matrimony. She treats his offer with contempt.Afraid Belford plays him false.

  LETTER XIX. From the same.--Wishes he had never seen her. With all the women he had known till now,it was once subdued, and always subdued. His miserable dejection. Hisremorse. She attempts to escape. A mob raised. His quick invention topacify it. Out of conceit with himself and his contrivances.

  LETTER XX. XXI. Lovelace to Belford.--Lord M. very ill. His presence necessary at M. Hall. Puts Dorcas uponingratiating herself with her lady.--He re-urges marriage to her. Sheabsolutely, from the most noble motives, rejects him.

  LETTER XXII. From the same.--Reflects upon himself. It costs, he says, more pain to be wicked than tobe good. The lady's solemn expostulation with him. Extols her greatnessof soul. Dorcas coming into favour with her. He is alarmed by anotherattempt of the lady to get off. She is in agonies at being prevented.He tried to intimidate her. Dorcas pleads for her. On the point ofdrawing his sword against himself. The occasion.

  LETTER XXIII. From the same.--Cannot yet persuade himself but the lady will be his. Reasons for hisopinion. Opens his heart to Belford, as to his intentions by her.Mortified that she refuses his honest vows. Her violation but notional.Her triumph greater than her sufferings. Her will unviolated. He is abetter man, he says, than most rakes; and why.

  LETTER XXIV. XXV. From the same.--The lady gives a promissory note to Dorcas, to induce her to further herescape.--A fair trial of skill now, he says. A conversation between thevile Dorcas and her lady: in which she engages her lady's pity. Thebonds of wickedness stronger than the ties of virtue. Observations onthat subject.

  LETTER XXVI. XXVII. XXVIII. From the same.--A new contrivance to advantage of the lady's intended escape.--A letterfrom Tomlinson. Intent of it.--He goes out to give opportunity for thelady to attempt an escape. His designs frustrated.

  LETTER XXIX. From the same.--An interesting conversation between the lady and him. No concession inhis favour. By his soul, he swears, this dear girl gives the lie to alltheir rakish maxims. He has laid all the sex under obligation to him;and why.

  LETTER XXX. Lovelace to Belford.--Lord M. in extreme danger. The family desire his presence. Heintercepts a severe letter from Miss Howe to her friend. Copy of it.

  LETTER XXXI. From the same.--The lady, suspecting Dorcas, tries to prevail upon him to give her herliberty. She disclaims vengeance, and affectingly tells him all herfuture views. Denied, she once more attempts an escape. Prevented, andterrified with apprehensions of instant dishonour, she is obliged to makesome concession.

  LETTER XXXII. From the same.--Accuses her of explaining away her concession. Made desperate, he seeksoccasion to quarrel with her. She exerts a spirit which overawes him.He is ridiculed by the infamous copartnership. Calls to Belford to helpa gay heart to a little of his dismal, on the expected death of Lord M.

  LETTER XXXIII. From the same.--Another message from M. Hall, to engage him to go down the next morning.

  LETTER XXXIV. XXXV. From the same.--The women's instigations. His farther schemes against the lady. What,he asks, is the injury which a church-rite will not at any time repair?

  LETTER XXXVI. From the same.--Himself, the mother, her nymphs, all assembled with intent to execute hisdetestable purposes. Her glorious behaviour on the occasion. Heexecrates, detests, despises himself; and admires her more than ever.Obliged to set out early that morning for M. Hall, he will press her withletters to meet him next Thursday, her uncle's birthday, at the altar.

  LETTER XXXVII. XXXVIII. XXXIX. Lovelace to Clarissa, from M. Hall.--Urging her accordingly, (the license in her hands,) by the most engagingpleas and arguments.

  LETTER XL. Lovelace to Belford.--Begs he will wait on the lady, and induce her to write but four words tohim, signifying the church and the day. Is now resolved on wedlock.Curses his plots and contrivances; which all end, he says, in one grandplot upon himself.

  LETTER XLI. Belford to Lovelace. In answer.--Refuses to undertake for him, unless he can be sure of his honour. Whyhe doubts it.

 
LETTER XLII. Lovelace. In reply.--Curses him for scrupulousness. Is in earnest to marry. After one moreletter of entreaty to her, if she keep sullen silence, she must take theconsequence.

  LETTER XLIII. Lovelace to Clarissa.--Once more earnestly entreats her to meet him at the altar. Not to beforbidden coming, he will take for leave to come.

  LETTER XLIV. Lovelace to Patrick M'Donald.--Ordering him to visit the lady, and instructing him what to say, and howto behave to her.

  LETTER XLV. To the same, as Captain Tomlinson.--Calculated to be shown to the lady, as in confidence.

  LETTER XLVI. M'Donald to Lovelace.--Goes to attend the lady according to direction. Finds the house in anuproar; and the lady escaped.

  LETTER XLVII. Mowbray to Lovelace.--With the same news.

  LETTER XLVIII. Belford to Lovelace.--Ample particulars of the lady's escape. Makes serious reflections on thedistress she must be in; and on his (Lovelace's) ungrateful usage of her.What he takes the sum of religion.

  LETTER XLIX. Lovelace to Belford.--Runs into affected levity and ridicule, yet at last owns all his gayetybut counterfeit. Regrets his baseness to the lady. Inveighs against thewomen for their instigations. Will still marry her, if she can be foundout. One misfortune seldom comes alone; Lord M. is recovering. He hadbespoken mourning for him.

  LETTER L. Clarissa to Miss Howe.--Writes with incoherence, to inquire after her health. Lets her knowwhither to direct to her. But forgets, in her rambling, her privateaddress. By which means her letter falls into the hands of Miss Howe'smother.

  LETTER LI. Mrs. Howe to Clarissa.--Reproaches her for making all her friends unhappy. Forbids her to writeany more to her daughter.

  LETTER LII. Clarissa's meek reply.

  LETTER LIII. Clarissa to Hannah Burton.

  LETTER LIV. Hannah Burton. In answer.

  LETTER LV. Clarissa to Miss Norton.--Excuses her long silence. Asks her a question, with a view to detectLovelace. Hints at his ungrateful villany. Self-recrimination.

  LETTER LVI. Mrs. Norton to Clarissa.--Answers her question. Inveighs against Lovelace. Hopes she has escapedwith her honour. Consoles her by a brief relation of her own case, andfrom motives truly pious.

  LETTER LVII. Clarissa to Lady Betty Lawrance.--Requests an answer to three questions, with a view farther to detectLovelace.

  LETTER LVIII. Lady Betty to Clarissa.--Answers her questions. In the kindest manner offers to mediate betweenher nephew and her.

  LETTER LIX. LX. Clarissa to Mrs. Hodges,her uncle Harlowe's housekeeper; with a view of still farther detectingLovelace. --- Mrs. Hodges's answer.

  LETTER LXI. Clarissa to Lady Betty Lawrance.--Acquaints her with her nephew's baseness. Charitably wishes hisreformation; but utterly, and from principle, rejects him.

  LETTER LXII. Clarissa to Mrs. Norton.--Is comforted by her kind soothings. Wishes she had been her child. Willnot allow her to come up to her; why. Some account of the people she iswith; and of a worthy woman, Mrs. Lovick, who lodges in the house.Briefly hints to her the vile usage she has received from Lovelace.

  LETTER LXIII. Mrs. Norton to Clarissa.--Inveighs against Lovelace. Wishes Miss Howe might be induced to refrainfrom freedoms that do hurt, and can do no good. Farther piously consolesher.

  LETTER LXIV. Clarissa to Mrs. Norton.--A new trouble. An angry letter from Miss Howe. The occasion. Her heartis broken. Shall be uneasy, till she can get her father's curse revoked.Casts about to whom she can apply for this purpose. At last resolves towrite to her sister to beg her mediation.

  LETTER LXV. Miss Howe to Clarissa.--Her angry and reproachful letter above-mentioned; demands from her theclearing up of her conduct.

  LETTER LXVI. Clarissa to Miss Howe.--Gently remonstrates upon her severity. To this hour knows not all themethods taken to deceive and ruin her. But will briefly, yetcircumstantially, enter into the darker part of her sad story, though herheart sinks under the thoughts of a recollection so painful.

  LETTER LXVII. LXVIII. LXIX. LXX. From the same.--She gives the promised particulars of her story. Begs that the blackestparts of it may be kept secret; and why. Desires one friendly tear, andno more, may be dropt from her gentle eye, on the happy day that shallshut up all her sorrows.

  LETTER LXXI. LXXII. Miss Howe to Clarissa.--Execrates the abandoned profligate. She must, she tells her, look to theworld beyond this for her reward. Unravels some of Lovelace's plots; anddetects his forgeries. Is apprehensive for her own as well as Clarissa'ssafety. Advises her to pursue a legal vengeance. Laudable custom in theIsle of Man. Offers personally to attend her in a court of justice.

  LETTER LXXIII. Clarissa to Miss Howe.--Cannot consent to a prosecution. Discovers who it was that personatedher at Hampstead. She is quite sick of life, and of an earth in whichinnocent and benevolent spirits are sure to be considered as aliens.

  THE HISTORY

  OF

  CLARISSA HARLOWE