Clarissa, Volume 2 | Page 7

on.
WEDNESDAY, FIVE O'CLOCK
I will now add a few lines--My aunt, as she went down from me, was
met at the foot of the stairs by my sister, who seemed to think she had
staid a good while after her; and hearing her last words prescribing to
me implicit duty, praised her for it, and exclaimed against my obstinacy.
Did you ever hear of such perverseness, Madam? said she: Could you
have thought that your Clarissa and every body's Clarissa, was such a
girl?--And who, as you said, is to submit, her father or she?
My aunt said something in answer to her, compassionating me, as I
thought, by her accent: but I heard not the words.

Such a strange perseverance in a measure so unreasonable!--But my
brother and sister are continually misrepresenting all I say and do; and I
am deprived of the opportunity of defending myself!--My sister says,*
that had they thought me such a championess, they you not have
engaged with me: and now, not knowing how to reconcile my supposed
obstinacy with my general character and natural temper, they seem to
hope to tire me out, and resolve to vary their measures accordingly. My
brother, you see,** is determined to carry this point, or to abandon
Harlowe-place, and never to see it more. So they are to lose a son, or to
conquer a daughter--the perversest and most ungrateful that ever
parents had!--This is the light he places things in: and has undertaken,
it seems, to subdue me, if his advice should be followed. It will be
farther tried; of that I am convinced; and what will be their next
measure, who can divine?
* See Letter XLII. of Vol. I. ** Ibid.
I shall dispatch, with this, my answer to your's of Sunday last, begun on
Monday;* but which is not yet quite finished. It is too long to copy: I
have not time for it. In it I have been very free with you, my dear, in
more places than one. I cannot say that I am pleased with all I have
written--yet will not now alter it. My mind is not at ease enough for the
subject. Don't be angry with me. Yet, if you can excuse one or two
passages, it will be because they were written by
Your CLARISSA HARLOWE.
* See Letter XL, ibid.

LETTER II
MISS HOWE, TO MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE WEDNESDAY
NIGHT, MARCH 22.
ANGRY!--What should I be angry for? I am mightily pleased with
your freedom, as you call it. I only wonder at your patience with me;
that's all. I am sorry I gave you the trouble of so long a letter upon the
occasion,* notwithstanding the pleasure I received in reading it.
* See Vol. I, Letter XXXVII, for the occasion; and Letters XXXVIII.
and XL. of the same volume, for the freedom Clarissa apologizes for.
I believe you did not intend reserves to me: for two reasons I believe
you did not: First, because you say you did not: Next, because you have
not as yet been able to convince yourself how it is to be with you; and

persecuted as you are, how so to separate the effects that spring from
the two causes [persecution and love] as to give to each its particular
due. But this I believe I hinted to you once before; and so will say no
more upon this subject at present.
Robin says, you had but just deposited your last parcel when he took it:
for he was there but half an hour before, and found nothing. He had
seen my impatience, and loitered about, being willing to bring me
something from you, if possible.
My cousin Jenny Fynnett is here, and desires to be my bedfellow
to-night. So I shall not have an opportunity to sit down with that
seriousness and attention which the subjects of yours require. For she is
all prate, you know, and loves to set me a prating; yet comes upon a
very grave occasion--to procure my mother to go with her to her
grandmother Larking, who has long been bed-ridden; and at last has
taken it into her head that she is mortal, and therefore will make her
will; a work she was till now extremely averse to; but it must be upon
condition that my mother, who is her distant relation, will go to her,
and advise her as to the particulars of it: for she has a high opinion, as
every one else has, of my mother's judgment in all matters relating to
wills, settlements, and such-like notable affairs.
Mrs. Larking lives about seventeen miles off; and as my mother cannot
endure to lie out of her own house, she proposes to set out early in the
morning, that she