Clarissa, Volume 5 | Page 3

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

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devices are superceded.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