 Letters 41 of Clarissa, Vol. 1. Miss Clarissa Harlow to Miss Howe Tuesday, March 21st. How willingly would my dear mother show kindness to me were she permitted? None of this persecution should I labour under, I am sure, if that regard were paid to her prudence and fine understanding which they so well deserve. Whether owing to her, or to my aunt, or to both, that a new trial was to be made upon me, I cannot tell. But this morning her shawry delivered into my hand the following condescending letter. My dear girl, for so I must still call you, since, dear, you may be to me in every sense of the word, we have taken into particular consideration some hints that fell yesterday from your good Norton, as if we had not, at Mr. Somes's first application, treated you with that condescension, wherewith we have, in all other instances, treated you. If it even had been so, my dear, you were not excusable to be wanting in your part, and to set yourself to oppose your father's will in a point which he had entered too far to recede with honour. But all yet may be well. On your single will, my child, depends all our happiness. Your father permits me to tell you that if you now at last comply with his expectations, all past disobligations shall be buried in oblivion as if they had never been, but with all that this is the last time that that grace will be offered you. I hinted to you, you must remember, that passons of the richest silks were sent for. They are come, and as they are come, your father, to show how much he is determined, will have me send them up to you. I could have wished they might not have accompanied this letter, but there is not great matter in that. I must tell you that your delicacy is not quite so much regarded as I had once thought it deserved to be. These are the newest, as well as the richest, that we could procure, answerable to our situation in the world, answerable to the fortune, additional to your grandfather's estate, designed you, and to the noble settlements agreed upon. Your father intends you six suits, three of them dressed suits, at his own expense. You have an entire new suit, and one besides, which I think you never wore but twice. As the new suit is rich, if you choose to make that one of the six, your father will present you with an hundred guineas in lieu. Mr. Psalms intends to present you with a set of jewels. As you have your grandmothers and your own, if you choose to have the former new set, and to make them serve, his present will be made in money, a very round sum, which will be given in full property to yourself, besides a fine annual allowance for pin-money, as it is called, so that your objection against the spirit of a man you think worse of than it deserves will have no weight, but you will be more independent than a wife of less discretion than we attribute to you perhaps ought to be. You know full well that I, who first and last brought a still larger fortune into the family than you will carry to Mr. Psalms, had not a possession made me of near this that we have made for you. Where people married of their liking, terms of the least things stood upon, yet should I be sorry, if you cannot, to oblige us all, overcome a dislike. Wonder not, Clary, that I write to you thus plainly and freely upon this subject. Your behaviour hitherto has been such that we have had no opportunity of entering minutely into the subject with you. Yet, after all that has passed between you and me in conversation, and between you and your uncles by letter, you have no room to doubt what is to be the consequence. Either child we must give up our authority, or you your humour. You cannot expect the one. We have all the reason in the world to expect the other. You know, I have told you more than once, that you must resolve to have Mr. Psalms, or never to be looked upon as our child. The draft of the settlement you may see whenever you will. We think there can be no room for objection to any of the articles. There is still more in them in our family's favour than was stipulated at first when your aunt talked of them to you. More so, indeed, than we could have asked. If upon perusal of them you think any alteration necessary it shall be made, do my dear girl send to me within this day or two, or rather ask me for the perusal of them. As a certain person's appearance at church so lately, and what he gives out everywhere makes us extremely uneasy, and as that uneasiness will continue while you are single, you must not wonder that a short day is intended. This day fortnight we design it to be, if you have no objection to make that I shall approve of, but if you determine as we would have you and signify it to us, we shall not stand with you for a week or so. Your sight-lines of person may perhaps make some think this alliance disparaging, but I hope you will not put such a personal value upon yourself. If you do, it will indeed be the less wonder that person should weigh with you, however weak the consideration, in another man. Thus we parents in justice ought to judge that our two daughters are equally dear and valuable to us. If so, why should Clarissa think that a disparagement which Arabella would not, nor we for her, have thought any, had the address been made to her? You will know what I mean by this without my explaining myself farther. Apply to us now, therefore, your compliance with our wishes, and then there is an end of your confinement. An act of oblivion, as I may call it, shall pass upon all your former refractoriness, and you will want more makers happy in you and in one another. You may in this case directly come down to your father and me in his study, where we will give you our opinions of the patterns with our hearty forgiveness and blessings. Be a good child as you used to be, my Clarissa. I have, notwithstanding your past behaviour and the hopelessness which some have expressed in your compliance, undertaken this one time more for you. Discredit not my hopes, my dear girl. I have promised never more to interfere between your father and you if this my most earnest application succeed not. I expect you down, love. Your father expects you down. But be sure, don't let him see anything un- cheerful in your compliance. If you come, I will clasp you to my fond heart with as much pleasure as ever I pressed you to it in my whole life. You don't know what I have suffered within these few weeks past, nor ever will be able to guess till you come to be in my situation, which is that of a fond and indulgent mother praying night and day and struggling to preserve against the attempts of more ungovernable spirits, the peace and union of her family. But you know the terms. Come not near us if you have resolved to be undutiful. But this, after what I have written, I hope you cannot be. If you come directly, and as I have said cheerfully as if your heart were in your duty, and you told me it was free, you know, I shall then, as I said, give you the most tender proofs how much I am your truly affectionate mother. Think for me, my dearest friend, how I must be affected by this letter. The contents of it is so surprisingly terrifying, yet so sweetly urged. Oh, why, cried I to myself, am I obliged to undergo this severe conflict between a command that I cannot obey, and language so condescendingly moving? Could I have been sure of being struck dead at the altar before the ceremony had given the man I hate a title to my vows, I think I could have submitted to having been led to it. But to think of living with and living for a man one abhors, what a sad thing is that. And then how could the glare of habit and ornament be supposed any inducement to one who has always held that the principal view of a good wife in the adorning of her person ought to be to preserve the affection of her husband, and to do credit to his choice, and that she should be even fearful of attracting the eyes of others. In this view must not the very richness of the patterns add to my disgust. Great encouragement, indeed, to think of adorning oneself to be the wife of Mr. Holmes. Upon the whole it was not possible for me to go down upon the prescribed condition. Do you think it was? And to write, if my letter would have been read, what could I write that would be admitted, and after what I had written and said to so little effect? I walked backward and forward, I threw down with disdain the patterns. Now to my closet, retired I, then quitting it through myself upon the setee, then upon this chair, then upon that, then into one window, and then into another. I need not what to do. And while I was in this suspense, having again taken up the letter to re-peruse it, Betty came in, reminding me by order that my papa and mama are waited for me in my father's study. Tell my mama, said I, that I beg the favour of seeing her here for one moment, or to permit me to attend her anywhere by herself. I listened at the stairs' head. You see, my dear, how it is, cried my father, very angrily. All your condescension, as your indulgence here too for, is thrown away. You blame your son's violence, as you call it. I had some pleasure in hearing this. But nothing else will do with her. You shall not see her alone. Is my presence an exception to the bold creature? Tell her, said my mother to Betty, she knows upon what terms she may come down to us, nor will I see her upon any other. The maid brought me this answer. I had recourse to my pen and ink, but I trembled so that I could not write, nor knew what to say had I steadier fingers. At last Betty brought me these lines from my father. Undutiful and perverse Clarissa! No condescension I see will move you. Your mother shall not see you, nor will I. Prepare, however, to obey. You know our pleasure. Your uncle Anthony, your brother and your sisters, and your favourite Mrs. Norton, shall see the ceremony performed privately at your uncle's chapel. And when Mr. Soames can introduce you to us, in the temper we wish to behold you in, we may perhaps forgive his wife. Although we never can in any other character our perverse daughter. As it will be so privately performed, clothes and equipage may be provided for afterwards. So prepare to go to your uncle's for an early day in next week. We will not see you till all is over, and we will have it over the sooner in order to shorten the time of your deserved confinement and our own trouble in contending with such a rebel as you have been of late. I will hear no pleas. I will receive no letter nor expostulation. Nor shall you hear from me any more till you have changed your name to my liking. This from your incensed father. If this resolution be adhered to, then will my father never see me more. For I will never be the wife of that Soames. I will die first. Tuesday evening. He, this Soames, came hither soon after I had received my father's letter. He sent up to beg leave to wait upon me. I wonder at his assurance. I said to Betty, who brought me this message, let him restore an unhappy creature to her father and mother, and then I may hear what he has to say. But if my friends will not see me upon his account, I will not see him upon his own. I hope, Miss," said Betty, you will not send me down with this answer. He is with your papa and mama. I am driven to despair, said I. I cannot be used worse. I will not see him. Down she went with my answer. She pretended it seems to be loath to repeat it, so was commanded out of her affected reserves, and gave it in its full force. Oh, how I heard my father's storm! They were all together, it seems, in his study. My brother was for having me turned out of the house that moment, to lovelace and my evil destiny. My mother was pleased to put in a gentle word for me. I know not what it was, but thus she was answered, My dear, this is the most provoking thing in the world in a woman of your good sense, to love a rebel as well as if she were dutiful. What encouragement for duty is this? Have I not loved her as well as ever you did? And why am I changed? Would to the Lord your sex knew how to distinguish. It is plain that she relies upon her power over you. The fond mother ever made a hardened child. She was pleased, however, to blame Betty, as the wench owned, for giving my answer its full force, but my father praised her for it. The wench says that he would have come up in his wrath that my refusing to see Mr. Somes had not my brother and sister prevailed upon him to the contrary. I wish he had, and were it not for his own sake that he had killed me. Mr. Somes condescended, I am mightily obliged to him truly, to plead for me. They're all in two months. How it will end, I know not. I am quite weary of life. So happy till within these few weeks. So miserable now. Well, indeed, might my mother say that I should have severe trials. P.S., the idiot, such a one am I treated like, is begged, as I may say, by my brother and sister. They have desired that I may be consigned over entirely to their management. If it be granted, it is granted on my father's part, I understand, but not yet on my mother's. What cruelty may I not expect from their envy, jealousy, and ill-will? I shall soon see by its effects, if I am to be so consigned. This is a written intimation, privately dropped in my woodhouse walk, by my cousin Dolly Harvey. The dear girl longs to see me, she tells me, but is forbidden till she sees me as Mrs. Soames, or as consenting to be his. I will take example by their perseverance. Indeed I will. End of Letter 41. One by Samuel Richardson. Letter 42. Miss Clarissa Harlow to Miss Howe. An angry dialogue, a scolding bout-rather had passed between my sister and me. Do you think I could scold, my dear? She was sent up to me upon my refusal to see Mr. Soames. Let loose upon me, I think. No intention on their parts to conciliate. It seems evident that I am given up to my brother and her by general consent. I will do justice to everything she said against me, which carried any force with it. As I ask for your approbation or disapprobation of my conduct upon the facts I lay before you, I should think it the sign of a very bad cause if I endeavored to mislead my judge. She began with representing to me the danger I had been in. Had my father come up, as he would have done had he not been hindered by Mr. Soames among the rest, she reflected upon my Norton as if she encouraged me in my perseverance. She ridiculed me for my supposed esteem for Mr. Loveless, was surprised that the witty, the prudent, nay the dutiful and hives, as she so sneeringly pronounced the word, Clarissa So should be so strangely fond of a profligate man that her parents were forced to lock her up in order to hinder her from running into his arms. Let me ask you, my dear, said she, how you now keep your account of this disposition of your time? How many hours in the twenty-four do you devote to your needle? How many to your prayers? How many to letter writing? And how many to love? Doubt. I doubt my little dear was her arch-expression. The latter article is like Aaron's rod, and swallows up the rest. Tell me, is it not so? To these I answered, that it was a double mortification to me to owe my safety from the effects of my father's indignation to a man I could never thank for anything. I vindicated the good Mrs. Norton with a warmth that was due to her merit. With equal warmth I resented her reflections upon me on Mr. Loveless's account. As to the disposition of my time in the twenty-four hours, I told her it would better have become her two piteous sister in distress than to exult over her, especially when I could too justly attribute to that disposition of some of her wakeful hours no small part in that distress. She raved extremely at this last hint, but reminded me of the gentle treatment of all my friends, my mothers in particular, before it came to this. She said that I had discovered a spirit they had never expected, that if they had thought me such a championness they would have hardly ventured to engage with me. But that now, the short and the long of it was, that the matter had gone too far to be given up, that it was become a contention between duty and willfulness whether a parent's authority were to yield to a daughter's obstinacy or the contrary, that I must therefore bend or break. That was all, child. I told her that I wished the subject were of such a nature that I could return her pleasantry with equal lightness of heart. But that if Mr. Psalms had such a merit in everybody's eyes in here particularly, why might he not be a brother to me rather than a husband? Oh, child, says she, me thinks you are as pleasant to the full as I am. I begin to have some hopes of you now, but do you think I will rob my sister of her humble servant? Had he first addressed himself to me, preceded she, something might have been said. But to take my younger sister's refusal, no, no, child, it is not come to that neither. Besides, that would be to leave the door open in your heart before you know who, child, and we would feign bar him out if possible. In short, and then she changed both her tone and her looks, had I been as forward as somebody to throw myself into the arms of one of the greatest profligates in England who had endeavored to support his claim to me through the blood of my brother, then might all my family join together to save me from such a wretch and to marry me as fast as they could to some worthy man who might opportunely offer himself. And now, Clary, all's out and make the most of it. Did not this deserve a severe return? Do say it did. To justify my reply, alas for my poor sister said I, the man was not always so great a profligate how true was the observation that unrequited love turns to deepest hate. I thought she would beat me, but I proceeded to have heard often of my brother's danger and my brother's murder when so little ceremony is made with me. Why should I not speak out? Did he not seek to kill the other if he could have done it when my brother had given loveless his life had it been in his power? The aggressor should not complain. And, as to the opportune offers, would to heaven someone had offered opportunely to somebody. It is not my fault, fella. The opportune gentlemen don't come. Could you, my dear, have shown more spirit? I expected to feel the weight of her hand. She did come up to me with it held up, then speechless with passion ran halfway down the stairs and came up again. When she could speak, God give me patience with you. Amen, said I. But you see, Bella, how ill you bear the retort you provoke. Will you forgive me? And let me find a sister in you as I am sorry to think me unsisterly in what I have said. Then did she pour upon me with greatest violence, considering my gentleness as a triumph of temper over her. She was resolved, she said, to let everybody know how I took the wicked lovelessest part against my brother. I wished, I told her, I could make the plea for myself, which she might for herself, to wit that my anger was more inexcusable than my judgment. But I presumed she had some other view in coming to me. Then she had hitherto acquainted me with. Let me, said I. But no, after all that had passed. If you have anything to propose that I can comply with anything that can make my only sister once more, my friend. I had before upon hearing her ridiculing me on my supposed nature of meekness said that although I wished to be thought meek, I would not be abject. Although humble not mean, and here in a sneering way she cautioned me on that head. I replied that her pleasantry was much more agreeable than her anger, but I wished she would let me know the end of a visit that had hitherto between us been so unsisterly. She desired to be informed, in the name of everybody was her word, that I was determined upon, and whether to comply or not, one word for all, my friends were not to have patience with so perverse a creature for ever. This, then, I told her, I would do. Absolutely break with the man they were also determined against. Upon condition, however, that neither Mr. Solmes nor any other were urged upon me with the force of a command. And what was this, more than I had offered before? What betringing my changes upon the same bells in neither receiving nor advancing one tittle? If I knew what other proposals I could make, I told her, that would be acceptable to them all, and free me from the address of a man so disagreeable to me, I would make them. I had indeed before offered never to marry without my father's consent. She interrupted me. That was because I depended upon my whining tricks to bring my father and mother to what I pleased. A poor dependence, I said. She knew those who would make that dependence vain. And I should have brought them to my own back very probably, and to my Uncle Harlow, too, as also my Aunt Harvey, had I not been forbidden from their sight, and thereby hindered from playing my pug's tricks before them. At least, Bella, said I, you have hinted to me to whom I am obliged that my father and mother and everybody else treat me thus harshly, but surely you make them all very weak. Indifferent persons, judging of us, too, from what you say, would either think me a very artful creature or you a very spiteful one. You are indeed a very artful one. For that matter interrupted she in a passion one of the artfulest I have ever known. And then, following an accusation so low, so unsisterly, that I have bewitched people of my insinuating address that nobody could be valued or respected, but must stand like ciphers wherever I came, how often said she, have I and my brother been talking upon a subject, and had everybody's attention till you came in, with your bewitching, meek pride and humble significance, and then have we either been stopped by reference to Miss Clary's option for sooth or been forced to stop ourselves or must have talked or unattended to by everybody. She paused. Dear Bella, proceed. She indeed seemed only gathering breath, and so I will, she said, did you not bewitch my grandmother? Could anything be pleasing to him that you did not say or do? How did he used to hang till he slabbered again poor dotting old man on your silver tongue? And what did you say that we could not have said? What did you do that we did not endeavor to do? And what was all this for, why truly his last will showed what effect your smooth obligingness had upon him? To leave the acquired part of his estate from the next heirs, his own sons, to a grandchild, to his youngest grandchild, a daughter too, to leave the family pictures from his sons to you, because you tittle about them. And though you now neglect their examples could wipe and clean them with your dainty hands, the family plate, too, in such quantities of two or three generations standing must not be changed because of his precarious child humoring his old phala taste, admired it to make it all her own. This was too low to move me. O my poor sister, said I, not to be able or at least willing to distinguish between art and nature. If I did oblige, I was happy in it. I look for no further reward. My mind is above art, from the dirty motives you mention. I wish with all my heart my grandfather had not thus distinguished me. He saw my brother likely to be amply provided for out of the family as well as in it. Be desired that you might have the greater share of my father's favour, for he and no doubt but you both have. You know, Bella, that the estate of my grandfather bequeathed me was not half the real estate he left. What's all that to an estate in possession and left you with such distinction as gave you a reputation of greater value than the estate itself? Hence my misfortune, Bella, in your envy I doubt, but I have not given up that possession in the best manner I could. Yes, interrupting me, she hated me for that best manner. Specious little witch, she called me, your best manner so full of art and design had never been seen through. If you, with your blandishing ways, have not been put out of sight and reduced to positive declaration, hindered from playing your little declaration, hindered from playing your little whining tricks, curling like a serpent about your mama and making her cry to deny you anything, your little obstinate heart was set upon. Obstinate heart, Bella. Yes, obstinate heart, for did you ever give up anything had you not the art to make them think all was right, you asked, though my brother and I were frequently refused favours of no greater import? I know not, Bella, that I ever asked anything unfit to be granted. I seldom asked favours for myself, but for others. I was a reflecting creature for this. All you speak of, Bella, was a long time ago. I cannot go so far back into our childish follies. Little did I think of how long-standing your late-shown antipathy is. I was a reflector again, such a saucy meekness, such a best manner and such venom in words. Oh, Clary Clary, that word always a two-faced girl. Nobody thought I had two faces when I gave up all my father's management, taking from his bounty as before all my little pocket-money without a shilling addition to my stipend or desiring it. Yes, cutting creature, and that was another of your fetches, for it did not engage my fond father as no doubt you thought it would, to tell you that since you had done so grateful and foolish a thing, he would keep entire for your use all the produce of the estate left to you, but be but your steward in it, and that you should be entitled to the same allowance as before. Another of your hook-ins, Clary, so that all your extravagance have been supported grottis. My extravagance is Bella, but did my father ever give me anything he did not give you? Yes, indeed. I got more by that means than I should have had the conscience to ask, but I have still the greater part to show. But you, you have to show. I dare say not fifty pieces in the world. Indeed I have not. I believe you, your mama Norton, and I suppose but mum for that. Unworthy Bella, the good woman of a low in circumstance is great in mind much greater than those who would impute meanness or soul incapable of it. What then have you done with the sums given you from infancy to squander? Let me ask you, affecting archeness, has loveless, has your rake put it out of interest for you? Oh, that, my dear sister, would not make me blush for her. It is, however, out at interest, and I hope it will bring me better than to lie useless in my cabinet. She understood me, she said. Were I a man, she should suppose I was aiming to carry the county popularity. A crowd to follow me with their blessings as I wept to and from church and nobody else to be regarded were agreeable things. House topped proclamations. I hid not my light under a bushel. She would say that for me. But was it not a little hard upon me to be kept from blazing on a Sunday and to be hindered from my charitable ostentations? This indeed, Bella, is cruel in you who have so largely contributed to my confinement, but go on. You'll be out of breath by and by. I cannot wish to be able to return this usage. Poor Bella, and I believe I smiled a little too contemptuously for her sister. Too a sister. None of your saucy contempts rising in her voice. None of your poor Bella's with the air of superiority in a younger sister. Well then, rich Bella, curtsying, that will please you better and it is due likewise to the hordes you boast of. Looky, Clary, holding up her hand. If you are not a little more abject in your meekness, a little more mean in your humility and to treat me with respect due to an elder sister you shall find. Not that you will treat me any worse than you have done, Bella. That cannot be unless you were to let fall your uplifted hand upon me and that would less become you to do than me to bear. Good meek creature. But you were upon your overtones just now and I shall surprise everybody by tearing so long. They will think some good may be done with you and supper will be ready. At tear with stray down my cheek how happy have I been, said I, sighing in the suppertime conversations with all my dear friends in my eye round their hospital board. I met only with insult for this, Bella, has not a feeling heart. The highest joy in this life she is not capable of. But then she saves herself many griefs by her impenetrable yet for ten times the pain that such a sensibility is attended with would I not part with the pleasure it brings with it. She asked me upon turning from her if she should not say anything below of my compliances. You may say that I will do everything they would have me do if they will free me from Mr. Solm's address. This is all you desire at present. Creeper on insinuator, what words has she but will not the other man flame out and roar most horribly upon the snatching from his paws a prey he thought himself sure of? I must let you talk in your own way or we shall never come to a point. I shall not matter in his roaring as you call it. I will promise him that if I ever marry any other man it shall be till he is married and if he be not satisfied with such a condensation I shall think he ought and I will give any assurances that I will neither correspond with him nor see him. Surely this will do. But I suppose then that you have no objection to see and converse on a civil footing with Mr. Solm's as your father's friend or so. No, I must be permitted to retire to my apartment whenever he comes. I would no more converse with this one than correspond with the other and that would make Mr. Lovelace guilty of some rashness on the belief that I broke with him to have Mr. Solm's and so that wicked wretch is to be allowed such a control over you that you are not to be civil to your father's friends at his own house for fear of incensing him when this comes to be represented be so good as to tell me what is it you expect from it everything I said or nothing as she was pleased to represent it be so good as to give it your interest Bella and say further that I will by any means I can in the law or otherwise make over to my father to my uncles or even to my brother all I am entitled to by my grandfather's will as a security for the performance of my promises and as I shall have no reason to expect any favor from my father if I break them I shall not be worth anybody's having and further still unkindly as my brother has used me I will go down to Scotland privately as his housekeeper I now see I may be spared here if he will promise to treat me no worse than he would do a hired one or I will go to Florence to my cousin Morden if his stay in Italy will admit of it in either case it may be given out that I am gone to the other or to the world's end I care not whether it is said I am gone or do go let me ask you child if you will give your pretty proposal in writing yes with all my heart and I stepped to my closet and wrote to my purpose I have mentioned and moreover the following lines to my brother my dear brother my sister as will be accepted I am sure they will if you please to give them your sanction let me beg of you for God's sake that you will I think myself very unhappy and having encouraged your displeasure no sister can love a brother better than I love you pray do not put the worst but the best constructions upon my proposals when you have them reported to you indeed I mean the best I have no subterfuges no arts no intentions but to keep them you shall yourself drop everything into writing as strong as you can and I will sign it and what the law will not do to enforce it to my resolution and my will shall so that I shall be worth nobody's address and that not my papa's consent nor shall any person or any consideration induce me to revoke it you can do no more than anybody to reconcile my parents and uncles to me let me owe this desirable favor to your brotherly interposition and you will forever oblige your afflicted sister CL Harlow and how do you think Bella employed herself while I was writing why playing gently upon my harpsichord and humming to it to show her unconcernedness when I approached her with what I had written she arose with an air of levity I love you have not written already you have I protest oh what a ready penwoman may I read it idiot please and let me beseech you my dear Bella to back these proposals with your good offices and folding my uplifted hands tears I believe standing in my eyes I will love you as never sister loved another there aren't a strange creature she said there is no withstanding thee she took the proposals on letter and having read them burst into afflicted laugh how wise ones may be taken in then you did not know that I was jesting with you all this time and so you would have me carried down this pretty piece of nonsense don't let me be so surprised that you're a seeming unsisterliness Bella I hope it is but seeming witt in such jesting as this the folly of the creature how natural it is for people when they set their hearts upon anything to think everybody must see with their eyes pray to your child what becomes of your father's authority here who stoopes here the parent or the child how does the square with engagements actually agreed upon between your father and Mr. Psalms but sincerity that your rake will not follow you to the world's end nevertheless that you may not think that I stand in the way of a reconciliation in such fine terms as these I will be your messenger this once and hear what my papa will say to it although beforehand I can tell you these proposals will not answer the principal end so down she went that it seems my Aunt Hervey and my Uncle Harlow and as they have all engaged to act in concert messengers were dispatched to my Uncle and Aunt to desire them to be there at breakfast in the morning Monday night 11 o'clock I'm afraid I shall not be thought worthy just as I began to fear I should not be thought worthy of an answer Betty wrapped up my door and said if I were not in bed she had a letter for me I had but just unwriting the above dialogue and stepped to the door with the pen in my hand always writing this said the bold wench it is admirable how you can get away with what you write but the fairies they say are always at hand to help lovers she retired in so much haste that had I been disposed I could not take the notice of this influence which it deserved and closed my brother's letter he was resolved to let me see that I should have nothing to expect from his kindness but surely he will not be permitted to carry every point the assembling of my friends tomorrow is a good sign and I will hope something from that and from proposals to reasonable and now I will try if any repose will fall to my lot as a stranger of this night to Miss Clary Harlow enclosed in the proceeding your proposals will be considered by your father and mother and all your friends tomorrow morning what trouble does your shameful forwardness give us all I wonder you have the courage to write to me upon whom you are so continually emptying your whole female quiver I have no patience with you as the aggressor in a quarrel which owed its beginning to my consideration for you you have made such confession in a villain's favor as ought to cause all your relations to renounce you forever for my part I will not believe any woman in the world who promises against her avowed inclination to put it out of your power to ruin yourself is the only way left to prevent your ruin I do not intend to write but your too kind sister has prevailed upon me as you are going to Scotland that day of grace is over nor would I advise you that you should go to grandfather up your cousin Morden besides that worthy gentleman might be involved in some fatal dispute upon your account and then be called the aggressor a fine situation you have brought yourself to to propose to hide yourself and to have falsehoods told to conceal you your confinement at this rate is the happiest thing that could befall you your bravo's behavior at church looking out for you is a sufficient indication of his power over you had you not so shamelessly acknowledged it one word for all your parents and uncles may do as they will the honor of the family I cannot carry this point I will retire to Scotland and never see the face of anyone of it more James Harlow there's a brother there's a flaming duty to a father and mother and uncles but he sees himself valued and made of consequence and he gives himself heirs accordingly nevertheless as I said before I will hope better things from those who have not the interest my brother has to keep open these unhappy differences end of letter 42 read by Patti Brugman letter 43 of Calorissa by Samuel Richardson this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please go to LibriVox.org this recording by Patti Brugman Clarissa or the history of a young lady by Samuel Richardson letter 43 Ms. Clarissa Harlow to Ms. Howe Tuesday, March 21st Would you not have thought my dear Ms. Howe as well as I that my proposal must have been accepted and that my brother by the last article of this unbrotherly letter where he threatens to go to Scotland if it should be hearkened to was of opinion that it would for my part after I had read the unkind letter over and over I concluded upon the whole that a reconciliation upon terms so disadvantageous to myself as hardly any other person in my case I daresay would have proposed must be the result of this morning's conference and in that belief I had begun to give myself new trouble in thinking this difficulty over how I should be able to pacify loveless on that part of my engagement by which I undertook to break off all correspondence with him unless my friends should be brought by the interposition of his powerful friends and any offers they might make which it was rather his part to suggest than mine to intimate to change their minds thus was I employed not very agreeably you may believe because of the vehemence of the tempers I had to conflict with when breakfasting time approached and my judges began to arrive and oh how my heart fluttered on hearing the chariot of the one and then of the other other rattled through the courtyard and the hollow-sending footsteps giving notice of each persons stepping out to take his place on the awful bench which my fancy had formed for them and my other judges that thought I is my aunt Harvey's that my uncle Harlow's now comes my uncle Anthony and my imagination made a fourth chariot for the odious Psalms although it happened he was not there and now thought I are they all assembled and now my brother calls upon my sister to make a report now the hard-hearted Bella her speech with invective now has she concluded her report now the debate upon it now does my brother flame now threatened to go to Scotland now is he chidden and now soothed and then I ran through the whole conference in my imagination forming speeches for this person and that, pro and con till all concluded as I flattered myself in an acceptance of my conditions and in giving directions to have an instrument drawn to tie me up to my good behavior well I suppose all agreed to give Psalms a wife every way more worthy of him and with her the promise of my grandfather's estate and case of my forfeiture or dying unmarried on the righteous condition he proposes to entitle himself to it with me and now thought I am I to be ordered down to recognize my own proposals and how shall I look upon my awful judges how shall I stand and the questioning of some the setsirliness of others the returning love of one or two how greatly shall I be affected then I wept and I dried my eyes and I practiced at my glass for a look more cheerful than my heart and now as anything stirred is my sister coming to declare the issue of all tears gushing again my heart fluttering as a bird against its wires my eyes again and again to no purpose and thus my Nancy excuse the fanciful prolixity was I employed and such were my thoughts and imaginations when I found a very different result from the hopeful conference for about ten o'clock up came my sister with an air of cruel triumph waving her hand with a light flourish obedience with that reserved is required of you Clarie Papa is justly incensed that you should presume to dispute his will and to make conditions with him he knows what is best for you and as you own matters are gone a great way between this hated loveless and you they will believe nothing you say except you will give the one only instance that will put them out of doubt of the sincerity of your promises what child are you surprised cannot you speak that expected a different issue had you strange that you could with all your acknowledgements and confessions so credible to your noted prudence I was indeed speechless for some time my eyes were even fixed and ceased to flow but upon the hard hearted Bella proceeding with her airs of insult indeed I was mistaken said I indeed I was for in you Bella I expected I hoped for a sister what interrupted she with all your mannerly flings and your despising airs did you expect that I was capable of telling stories for you did you think that when I was asked my own opinion of the sincerity of your declarations I could not tell them how far our matters had gone between you and your fellow when the intention is to bend that stubborn will of yours to your duty do you think I would deceive them do you think I would encourage them to call you down to contradict all that I should have invented in your favor well well Bella I am less obliged to you that's all I was willing to think that I still had a brother and sister but I find I am mistaken pretty mobsy-eyed soul was her expression and was it willing to think it had still a brother and sister and why don't you go on, Clary mocking my half-weeping accent I thought I had a father a mother, two uncles and an aunt but I am mistaken that's all come, Clary say this and it will be in part true because you have thrown off all their authority and because you respect one vile wretch more than them all how have I deserved this at your hand, sister but I will only say I pity you and with that disdainful air to you Clary none of that bridled neck none of your scornful pity girl I beseech you this sort of behavior is natural to you surely Bella what new talents does it discover in you but proceed if it be a pleasure to you, proceed Bella and since I must not pity you I will pity myself for nobody else will because you don't said she hush Bella, interrupting her you deserve it I know you were going to say so I will say as you say in everything and that's the way to please you then say loveless is a villain so I will when I think him so then you don't think him so indeed I don't you did not always Bella and what Clary did you mean by that bristling up to me tell me what you mean by that reflection tell me why you call it a reflection what did I say thou art a provoking creature but what say you to two or three duels of that wretches I can't tell what to say unless I knew the occasions do you justify dueling at all I do not neither can I help this dueling will you go down and humble that stubborn spirit of yours to your mama nothing shall I conduct your ladyship down offering to take my declined hand what not about to say to answer me I turned from her in silence what turn your back upon me to shall I bring up your mama to you love following me and taking my struggling hand what not speak yet come my silent dear speak one word to me you must say to very soon to Mr. Psalms I can tell you that then gushing into tears which I could not hold in longer they shall be the last words I will ever speak well well insultingly wiping my averted face with her handkerchief while her other hand held mine in a ridiculing tone I'm glad anything will make thee speak did you think you may be brought to speak the two words only they are to be the last the gentle lover from its tender bleeding heart was that ridiculous Bella saucy clary changing your sneering tone to an imperious one but do you think you can humble yourself to go down to your mama I am tired of such stuff as this tell me Bella if my mama will condescend to see me yes if you can be dutiful at last I can I will but what call you dutiful to give up my own inclinations that's something more for you to tell of in obedience of my parents commands and to beg that I may not be made more miserable with a man that is fitter for anybody than for me for me do you mean clary why not since you have put the question you have a better opinion of him than I have my friends I hope would not think him too good for me and not good enough for you but cannot you tell me Bella what is to become of me without insulting over me thus if I must be thus treated remember that if I am guilty of any rashness the usage I meet with will justify it so clary you are contriving an excuse I find for somewhat that we have not doubted has been in your head a great while if it were so you seem resolved for your part and so does my brother for his will not want one but indeed Bella I can no longer bear this reputation of the worst part of yesterday's conversation I desire I may throw myself at my father and mother's feet and hear from them what their sentence is I shall at least avoid by that means the unsisterly insults I meet with from you hey day what is this is it you my meek sister clary yes it is Bella and I will claim my affection due to a child of the family or to know why I am to be thus treated when I offer only to preserve myself the liberty of refusal which belongs to my sex and to please my parents would give up my choice I have contended myself till now to take second hand messengers and first hand insults you are but my sister my brother is not my sovereign and while I have a father and mother living I will not be thus treated by my sister and their servants all setting upon me as it should seem to make me more desperate and to do a rash thing I will know in shortster Bella why I am to be constrained thus what is intended by it and whether I am to be considered as a child or slave she stood aghast all the time partly with real partly with affected surprise and is it you is it indeed you well clary you amaze me but since you are so desirous to refer yourself to your father and mother I will go down and tell them what you say your friends are not yet gone I believe and they shall assemble again and then you may come down and please your own cause and person let me then let my brother and you be absent you have made yourself too much parties against me to sit as my judges and I desire to have none of yours or his interpositions I'm sure you could not have represented what I proposed fairly I'm sure you could not nor is it possible you should be commissioned to treat me thus well well I'll call upon my brother to you I will indeed he shall justify himself as well as me I desire not to see my brother except he will come as a brother laying aside the authority he has unjustly assumed over me and so Claire is it nothing to him or to me is it that our sister shall disgrace her whole family as how Bella disgrace it the man whom you thus freely treat is a man of birth and fortune is a man of parts and nobly allied he was once thought worthy of you and I wish to heaven you had had him I'm sure it was not thus my fault you had not although you did me thus this set her into a flame I wish I had foreborn it oh how the poor Bella raved I thought she would have beat me once or twice and she vowed her fingers itched to do so but I was not worth her anger yet she flamed on we were heard to be on high and Betty came up from my mother to commend my sister to a tender she went down accordingly threatening me with letting everyone know a violent creature I had shown myself to be Tuesday noon March 21st I have as yet heard no more of my sister and have not courage enough to insist upon throwing myself at the feet of my father and mother as I thought in my heat of temper I should be able to do and I am now grown as calm as ever and we're Bella to come up again as fit to be played upon as before I'm indeed sorry that I sent her me in such disorder but my papa's letter threatening me with my uncle Anthony's house and chapel terrifies me strangely by their silence I'm afraid some new storm is gathering but what shall I do with this loveless I have just now but the unsuspected hole in the wall that I told you of in my letter by Hannah got a letter from him so uneasy is he for fear that I should be revealed upon in Solm's favor so full of menaces if I am so so resenting the usage I receive for how can I not tell but he has undoubtedly intelligence of all that is done in the family such protestations of inviolable faith and honor such vows of reformation such pressing arguments to escape from this disgraceful confinement oh my Nancy what shall I do with this loveless and of letter 43 read by Patty Bruckman letter 44 of Clarissa by Samuel Richardson this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please go to LibriVox.org this recording by Patty Bruckman Clarissa or the history of a young lady by Samuel Richardson letter 44 Ms. Clarissa Harlow to Ms. Howe Wednesday morning 9 o'clock my aunt Herbie lay here last night and is but just gone for me she came up to me with my sister that would not trust my aunt without this ill-natured witness when she entered my chamber I told her that this visit was a high favor to a poor prisoner in her hard confinement I kissed her hand she kindly sleuthing me said why this distance to your aunt my dear who loves you so well she owned that she came to expostulate with me for the peace sake of the family for that she could not believe it possible if I did not conceive myself unkindly treated that I who had ever shown such a sweetness of temper as well as manners should be thus resolute in a point so very near to my father my mother and she were both willing to impute my resolution to the manner I had been begun with and to my supposing that my brother had originally more of a hand in the proposals made by Mr. Psalms than my father or the friends in short feign would my aunt have furnished me with an excuse to come off my opposition bail all the while humming a tune and opening this book in bat with that singing but saying nothing after having shown me that my opposition could not be of signification my father's honor being engaged my aunt concluded with enforcing me my duty in stronger terms than I believe she would have done the circumstances of the case considered had not my sister been present it would be repeating what I have so often mentioned to give you the arguments that passed besides so I will only recite what she was pleased to say that carried with it a new face when she found me inflexible as she was pleased to call it she said for her part she could not but say that if I were not to have either Mr. Psalms or Mr. Loveless and yet to make my friends easy must marry she should not think of Mr. Wirely what did I think of Mr. Wirely ah clary put in my sister what do you say to Mr. Wirely I saw through this immediately it was said on purpose I doubted not to have an argument against me of absolute preposition in Mr. Loveless's favor since Mr. Wirely everywhere avows his values even to veneration for me and is far less exceptional both in person and mind than Mr. I was willing to turn the tables by trying how far Mr. Psalms's terms might be dispensed with since the same terms could not be expected for Mr. Wirely I therefore decided to know whether my answer if it should be in favor of Mr. Wirely would release me from Mr. Psalms for I owned that I had not the aversion to him that I had to the other nay she had no commission to propose such a thing she only knew that my father and mother would not be easy till Mr. Loveless's hopes were entirely defeated cunning creatures said my sister and this and her adjoining in the question before convinced me that it was a designed snare for me don't you do madam said I put questions that can answer no end but to support my brother's schemes against me is there any hopes of an end to my sufferings and disgrace without having this heated man imposed upon me will not what I have offered be accepted I'm sure it ought I will venture to say that why niece if there be not any such hopes I presume you don't think yourself absolved from the duty to do from a child to a parent yes said my sister I do not doubt but it is Mr. Clary's aim to fly to her loveless to get her estate into her own hands but go to live at the grove in that independence upon which she builds all her perseverance and dear heart my little love how will you then blaze away your mama Norton your oracle with your poor and your gates mingling so proudly and so meanly with the rage turd reflecting by your ostentation upon all the ladies in the county do not as you do this is known to be your scheme and the poor without doors and loveless within with one hand building up a name pulling it down with the other what a charming scheme is this but let me tell you my pretty little flighty one that your father's living will shall control your grandfather's dead one and that estate will be dispensed of as your fond grandfather would have disposed it and he lived to see such a change in his favor in a word miss it will be kept out of your hands till my father sees you discreet enough to have the management of it or till you can dutifully by law tear it from him fine miss Harlow sit my aunt this is not pretty to your sister oh madam let her go this is nothing to what I have borne from Miss Harlow she is either commissioned to treat me ill by her envy or by an higher authority to which I must submit as to revoking this estate what hinders if I pleased I know my power but have not the least thought of exerting it be pleased to let my father know that whatever be the consequence to myself were he to turn me out of doors which I should rather think you would do than to be confined and insulted as I am and were I to be reduced to indigence and want I would see no relief that should be contrary to his will for that matter child said my aunt were you to marry you must do as your husband will have you if that husband be Mr. Loveless he will be glad of any opportunity of further embroiling the families and let me tell you niece if he had the respect for you which he pretends to have he would not throw out defiances as he does he is known to be very revengeful and were I you Miss Clare I should be afraid he would wreck upon me that vengeance though had not offered him which he is continually threatening to pour upon the family Mr. Loveless's threatened vengeance is in return for threatened vengeance it is not everybody will bear insult as of late I have been forced to bear it oh how my sister's face shown with passion but Mr. Loveless proceeded I as I have said 20 and 20 times would be quite out of question with me were I to be generously treated my sister said something with great vehemence but only raising my voice to be heard without minding her pray madam provoking interrogated I may not to have been as wild a man when he was at first introduced into our family as he is said to be yet then the common phrases of wild oats and black oxen and such like were qualifiers and marriage and the wife's discretion were to perform wonders but turning to my sister I find I have said too much oh thou wicked reflector and what made me abhor him thank you but the proof of those villainous freedoms that ought to have had the same effect upon you were you but half so good a creature as you pretended to be proof did you say Bella I thought you had not proof but you know best it's not this very spiteful my dear now clary said she would I give a thousand pounds to know all that is in my little rancorous and reflecting heart at this moment I might that you know for much less some and not be afraid of being worse treated than I have been well young ladies I am sorry to see passion run so high between you you know niece to me you had not been confined thus to your apartment could your mother by condensation or by your father by authority have been able to move you but how can you expect when there must be a concession on one side that it should be on theirs if my dolly who has not the hundredth part of your understanding were thus to set herself up an absolute contradiction to my will in the point so material I should not take it well of her indeed I should not I believe not madam that if Miss Hervey had just such a brother and just such a sister you may look Bella and if both were to aggravate her parents as my brother and sister do mine then perhaps you might use her as I am used and if she hated the man you propose to her and with as much reason as I do Mr. Psalms and love a rake and liberty miss as you do loveless said my sister then might she continued I not minding her beg to be excused from obeying and if she did and would give you the most solemn assurances and security besides that she would never have the man you disliked against your consent I dare say Miss Hervey's father and mother would sit down satisfied and not endeavor to force her inclinations so said my sister with uplifted hands father and mother now come in for their share but if child replied my aunt I knew she loved a rake and suspected that she sought only to gain time in order to wire draw me into consent I beg pardon madam for interrupting you but if Miss Hervey could obtain your consent what further would be said true child but she never should then madam it would never be that I doubt niece if you do madam can you think confinement and ill usage is the way to prevent the apprehended rashness my dear this sort of intimation would make one but too apprehensive that there is no trusting to yourself when one knows your inclination that apprehension madam seems to have been conceived before this intimation or the least cause for it was given why else the disgraceful confinement I have been laid under let me venture to say that my suffering seemed to be rather owing to a concerted design to intimate me with proper hands knowing there were two good grounds for my opposition then to a doubt of my conduct for when they were inflicted first I had given no cause for doubt nor should there be room now for any if my discretion might be trusted my aunt after a little hesitation said but consider my dear what confusion will be perpetuated in your family if you marry this hated loveless and that it be considered what misery to me madam if I marry that hated Psalms many a young creature has thought she could not love a man with whom she has afterwards been very happy few women child marry their first loves that may be the reason there are so few happy marriages but there are few first impressions fit to be encouraged I'm afraid so too madam I have a very different opinion of the light and first impressions but as I have so often said all I wish for is to have leave to live single indeed you must not miss your father and mother will be unhappy till they see you married and out of loveless's reach I am told that you propose to condition with him so far as matters are gone between you never to have any man if you have not him I know no better way to prevent mischief on all sides I freely own it and there is not if he be out of the question another man in the world I can think favorably of nevertheless I would give all I have in the world that he were married to some other person indeed I would bella for all you put on that smile in credulity maybe so clary but I will smile for all that if he be out of the question repeated my aunt so miss clary I see how it is I will go down Miss Harlow I shall follow you and I will endeavor to persuade your father to let my sister herself come up and a happier event may then result depend upon it madam said my sister this will be the case my mother and she will both be in tears but with this different effect my mother will come down soft and cut to the heart but will leave her favorite hardened from the advantages she will think she has over my mother's tenderness why madam it is for this very reason that the girl is not admitted into her presence thus she ran on as she went downstairs end of letter 44 read by Patty Brugman end of Clarissa Harlow or the history of a young lady Samuel Richardson