Clarissa Harlowe

often seen with Miss (tête à tête) at the window⁠—in no bad way, indeed: but my friend’s wife is of opinion that all is not as it should be. And, indeed, it is mighty strange to me, if Miss be so notable a penitent (as is represented) and if she have such an aversion to Mr. Lovelace, that she will admit his privado into her retirements, and see no other company.

I understand, from Mrs. Smith, that Mr. Hickman was to see her some time ago, from Miss Howe; and I am told, by another hand, (you see, Sir, how diligent I have been to execute the commissions you gave me), that he had no extraordinary opinion of this Belford at first; though they were seen together one morning by the opposite neighbour, at breakfast: and another time this Belford was observed to watch Mr. Hickman’s coming from her; so that, as it should seem, he was mighty zealous to ingratiate himself with Mr. Hickman; no doubt to engage him to make a favourable report to Miss Howe of the intimacy he was admitted into by her unhappy friend; who (as she is very ill) may mean no harm in allowing his visits, (for he, it seemeth, brought to her, or recommended, at least, the doctor and apothecary that attend her): but I think (upon the whole) it looketh not well.

I am sorry, Sir, I cannot give you a better account of the young lady’s prudence. But, what shall we say?

Uvaque conspectâ livorem ducit ab uvâ,

as Juvenal observeth.

One thing I am afraid of; which is, that Miss may be under necessities; and that this Belford (who, as Mrs. Smith owns, hath offered her money, which she, at the time, refused) may find an opportunity to take advantage of those necessities: and it is well observed by that poet, that

Aegrè formosam poteris servare puellam:
Nunc prece, nunc pretio, forma petita ruit.

And this Belford (who is a bold man, and hath, as they say, the look of one) may make good that of Horace, (with whose writings you are so well acquainted; nobody better);

Audax omnia perpeti, Gens humana ruit per vetitum nefas.

Forgive me, Sir, for what I am going to write: but if you could prevail upon the rest of your family to join in the scheme which you, and her virtuous sister, Miss Arabella, and the Archdeacon, and I, once talked of, (which is to persuade the unhappy young lady to go, in some creditable manner, to some one of the foreign colonies), it might not save only her own credit and reputation, but the reputation and credit of all her family, and a great deal of vexation moreover. For it is my humble opinion, that you will hardly (any of you) enjoy yourselves while this (once innocent) young lady is in the way of being so frequently heard of by you: and this would put her out of the way both of this Belford and of that Lovelace, and it might, peradventure, prevent as much evil as scandal.

You will forgive me, Sir, for this my plainness. Ovid pleadeth for me,

—Adulator nullus amicus erit.

And I have no view but that of approving myself a zealous well-wisher to all your worthy family, (whereto I owe a great number of obligations), and very particularly, Sir,

Your obliged and humble servant,

Elias Brand.

Wedn. Aug. 9.

P.S.: I shall give you farther hints when I come down, (which will be in a few days); and who my informants were; but by these you will see, that I have been very assiduous (for the time) in the task you set me upon.

The length of my letter you will excuse: for I need not tell you, Sir, what narrative, complex, and conversation letters (such a one as mine) require. Everyone to his talent. Letter-writing is mine. I will be bold to say; and that my correspondence was much coveted in the university, on that account, by tyros, and by sophs, when I was hardly a soph myself. But this I should not have taken upon myself to mention, but only in defence of the length of my letter; for nobody writeth shorter or pithier, when the subject requireth common forms only⁠—but, in apologizing for my prolixity, I am adding to the fault, (if it were one, which, however, I cannot think it to be, the subject considered: but this I have said before in other words): so, Sir, if you will excuse my postscript, I am sure you will not find fault with my letter.

One word more as to a matter of erudition, which you greatly love to hear me start and dwell upon. Dr. Lewen once, in your presence, (as you, my good patron, cannot but remember), in a smartish kind of debate between him and me, took upon him to censure the paranthetical style, as I call it. He was a very learned and judicious man, to be sure, and an ornament to our function: but yet I must needs say, that it is a style which I greatly like; and the good Doctor was then past his youth, and that time of life, of consequence, when a fertile imagination, and a rich fancy, pour in ideas so fast upon a writer, that parentheses are often wanted (and that for the sake of brevity, as well as perspicuity) to save the reader the trouble of reading a passage more than once. Every man to his talent, (as I said before). We are all so apt to set up our natural biases for general standards, that I wondered the less at the worthy Doctor’s stiffness on this occasion. He smiled at me, you may remember, Sir⁠—and, whether I was right or not, I am sure I smiled at him. And you, my worthy patron, (as I had the satisfaction to observe), seemed to be of my party. But was it not strange, that the old gentleman