They really are (every one of them) your very great admirers. And as for Lord M., he is so much pleased with you, and with the confidence, as he calls it, which you have reposed in his nephew, that he vows he will disinherit him, if he reward it not as he ought. You must take care, that you lose not both families.
I hear Mrs. Norton is enjoined, as she values the favour of the other family, not to correspond either with you or with me--Poor creatures!--But they are your--yet they are not your relations, neither, I believe. Had you had any other nurse, I should have concluded you had been changed. I suffer by their low malice--excuse me, therefore.
You really hold this man to his good behaviour with more spirit than I thought you mistress of; especially when I judged of you by that meekness which you always contended for, as the proper distinction of the female character; and by the love, which (think as you please) you certainly have for him. You may rather be proud of than angry at the imputation; since you are the only woman I ever knew, read, or heard of, whose love was so much governed by her prudence. But when once the indifference of the husband takes place of the ardour of the lover, it will be your turn: and, if I am not mistaken, this man, who is the only self-admirer I ever knew who was not a c.o.xcomb, will rather in his day expect homage than pay it.
Your handsome husbands, my dear, make a wife"s heart ache very often: and though you are as fine a person of a woman, at the least, as he is of a man, he will take too much delight in himself to think himself more indebted to your favour, than you are to his distinction and preference of you. But no man, take your finer mind with your very fine person, can deserve you. So you must be contented, should your merit be underrated; since that must be so, marry whom you will. Perhaps you will think I indulge these sort of reflections against your Narcissus"s of men, to keep my mother"s choice for me of Hickman in countenance with myself--I don"t know but there is something in it; at least, enough to have given birth to the reflection.
I think there can be no objection to your going to London. There, as in the centre, you will be in the way of hearing from every body, and sending to any body. And then you will put all his sincerity to the test, as to his promised absence, and such like.
But indeed, my dear, I think you have nothing for it but marriage. You may try (that you may say you have tried) what your relations can be brought to: but the moment they refuse your proposals, submit to the yoke, and make the best of it. He will be a savage, indeed, if he makes you speak out. Yet, it is my opinion, that you must bend a little; for he cannot bear to be thought slightly of.
This was one of his speeches once; I believe designed for me--"A woman who means one day to favour her lover with her hand, should show the world, for her own sake, that she distinguishes him from the common herd."
Shall I give you another very fine sentence of his, and in the true libertine style, as he spoke it, throwing out his challenging hand?--"D--n him, if he would marry the first princess on earth, if he but thought she balanced a minute in her choice of him, or of an emperor."
All the world, in short, expect you to have this man. They think, that you left your father"s house for this very purpose. The longer the ceremony is delayed, the worse appearance it will have in the world"s eye. And it will not be the fault of some of your relations, if a slur be not thrown upon your reputation, while you continue unmarried. Your uncle Antony, in particular, speaks rough and vile things, grounded upon the morals of his brother Orson. But hitherto your admirable character has antidoted the poison; the detractor is despised, and every one"s indignation raised against him.
I have written through many interruptions: and you will see the first sheet creased and rumpled, occasioned by putting it into my bosom on my mother"s sudden coming upon me. We have had one very pretty debate, I will a.s.sure you; but it is not worth while to trouble you with the particulars.--But upon my world--no matter though--
Your Hannah cannot attend you. The poor girl left her place about a fortnight ago, on account of the rheumatic disorder, which has confined her to her room ever since. She burst into tears, when Kitty carried to her your desire of having her with you; and called herself doubly unhappy, that she could not wait upon a mistress whom she so dearly loved.
Had my mother answered my wishes, I should have been sorry Mr. Lovelace had been the first proposer of my Kitty for your attendant, till Hannah should come. To be altogether among strangers, and a stranger to attend you every time you remove, is a very disagreeable thing. But your considerateness and bounty will make you faithful ones wherever you go.
You must take your own way: but, if you suffer any inconvenience, either as to clothes or money, that it is in my power to remedy, I will never forgive you. My mother, (if that is your objection) need not know any thing of the matter.
We have all our defects: we have often regretted the particular fault, which, though in venerable characters, we must have been blind not to see.
I remember what you once said to me; and the caution was good: Let us, my Nancy, were your words; let us, who have not the same failings as those we censure, guard against other and greater in ourselves.
Nevertheless, I must needs tell you, that my mother has vexed me a little very lately, by some instances of her jealous narrowness. I will mention one of them, though I did not intend it. She wanted to borrow thirty guineas of me: only while she got a note changed. I said I could lend her but eight or ten. Eight or ten would not do: she thought I was much richer. I could have told her, I was much cunninger than to let her know my stock; which, on a review, I find ninety-five guineas; and all of them most heartily at your service.
I believe your uncle Tony put her upon this wise project; for she was out of cash in an hour after he left her.
If he did, you will judge that they intend to distress you. If it will provoke you to demand your own in a legal way, I wish they would; since their putting you upon that course will justify the necessity of your leaving them. And as it is not for your credit to own that you were tricked away contrary to your intention, this would afford a reason for your going off, that I should make very good use of. You"ll see, that I approve of Lovelace"s advice upon this subject. I am not willing to allow the weight of your answer to him on that head, which perhaps ought to be allowed it.*
* See Letter x.x.xI. of this volume.
You must be the less surprised at the inventions of this man, because of his uncommon talents. Whatever he had turned his head to, he would have excelled in; or been (or done things) extraordinary. He is said to be revengeful: a very bad quality! I believe, indeed, he is a devil in every thing but his foot--this, therefore, is my repeated advice--provoke him not too much against yourself: but unchain him, and let him loose upon your sister" Betty, and your brother"s Joseph Leman.
This is resenting low: but I know to whom I write, or else I would go a good deal higher, [I"ll a.s.sure you.]
Your next, I suppose, will be from London. Pray direct it, and your future letters, till further notice, to Mr. Hickman, at his own house.
He is entirely devoted to you. Don"t take so heavily my mother"s partiality and prejudices. I hope I am past a baby.
Heaven preserve you, and make you as happy as I think you deserve to be, prays
Your ever affectionate ANNA HOWE.
LETTER x.x.xVII
MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE WEDN. MORNING, APRIL 19.
I am glad, my dear friend, that you approve of my removal to London.
The disagreement between your mother and you gives me inexpressible affliction. I hope I think you both more unhappy than you are. But I beseech you let me know the particulars of the debate you call a very pretty one. I am well acquainted with your dialect. When I am informed of the whole, let your mother have been ever so severe upon me, I shall be easier a great deal.--Faulty people should rather deplore the occasion they have given for anger than resent it.
If I am to be obliged to any body in England for money, it shall be to you. Your mother need not know of your kindness to me, you say--but she must know it, if it be done, and if she challenge my beloved friend upon it; for would you either falsify or prevaricate?--I wish your mother could be made easy on this head--forgive me, my dear,--but I know--Yet once she had a better opinion of me.--O my inconsiderate rashness!--Excuse me once more, I pray you.--Pride, when it is native, will shew itself sometimes in the midst of mortifications--but my stomach is down already.
I am unhappy that I cannot have my worthy Hannah. I am sorry for the poor creature"s illness as for my own disappointment by it. Come, my dear Miss Howe, since you press me to be beholden to you: and would think me proud if I absolutely refused your favour; pray be so good as to send her two guineas in my name.
If I have nothing for it, as you say, but matrimony, it yields little comfort, that his relations do not despise the fugitive, as persons of their rank and quality-pride might be supposed to do, for having been a fugitive.
But O my cruel, thrice cruel uncle! to suppose--but my heart checks my pen, and will not let it proceed, on an intimation so extremely shocking as that which he supposes!--Yet, if thus they have been persuaded, no wonder if they are irreconcilable.
This is all my hard-hearted brother"s doings!--His surmisings:--G.o.d forgive him--prays his injured sister!
LETTER x.x.xVIII
MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE THURSDAY, APRIL 20.
Mr. Lovelace"s servant is already returned with an answer from his friend Mr. Doleman, who has taken pains in his inquiries, and is very particular. Mr. Lovelace brought me the letter as soon as he had read it: and as he now knows that I acquaint you with every thing that he offers, I desired him to let me send it to you for your perusal. Be pleased to return it by the first opportunity. You will see by it, that his friends in town have a notion that we are actually married.
TO ROBERT LOVELACE, ESQ. TUESDAY NIGHT, APRIL 18.
DEAR SIR,
I am extremely rejoiced to hear, that we shall so soon have you in town after so long an absence. You will be the more welcome still, if what report says, be true; which is, that you are actually married to the fair lady upon whom we have heard you make such encomiums. Mrs. Doleman, and my sister, both wish you joy if you are; and joy upon your near prospect if you are not.
I have been in town for this week past, to get help if I could, from my paralytic complaints; and am in a course for them. Which, nevertheless, did not prevent me from making the desired inquiries. This is the result.
You may have a first floor, well furnished, at a mercer"s in Belford-street, Covent-garden, with conveniencies for servants: and these either by the quarter or month. The terms according to the conveniences required.
Mrs. Doleman has seen lodgings in Norfolk-street and others in Cecil-street; but though the prospects to the Thames and Surrey-hills look inviting from both these streets, yet I suppose they are too near the city.
The owner of those in Norfolk-street would have half the house go together. It would be too much for your description therefore: and I suppose, tat when you think fit to declare your marriage, you will hardly be in lodgings.