Clarissa Harlowe

↩

See Letter 221. ↩

See Mrs. Norton’s letter, Letter 180. ↩

See Letter 230. ↩

The fashionable wigs at that time. ↩

And here, Belford, lest thou, through inattention, should be surprised at my assurance, let me remind thee (and that, thus, by way of marginal observation, that I may not break in upon my narrative) that this my intrepidity concerted (as I have from time to time acquainted thee) in apprehension of such an event as has fallen out. For had not the dear creature already passed for my wife before no less than four worthy gentlemen of family and fortune?460 and before Mrs. Sinclair, and her household, and Miss Partington? And had she not agreed to her uncle’s expedient, that she should pass for such, from the time of Mr. Hickman’s application to that uncle;461 and that the worthy Capt. Tomlinson should be allowed to propagate that belief: as he had actually reported to two families (they possibly to more); purposely that it might come to the ears of James Harlowe; and serve for a foundation for uncle John to build his reconciliation-scheme upon?462 And canst thou think that nothing was meant by all this contrivance? and that I am not still further prepared to support my story?

Indeed, I little thought, at the time that I formed these precautionary schemes, that she would ever have been able, if willing, to get out of my hands. All that I hoped I should have occasion to have recourse to them for, was only, in case I should have the courage to make the grand attempt, and should succeed in it, to bring the dear creature (and this out of tenderness to her, for what attention did I ever yet pay to the grief, the execrations, the tears of a woman I had triumphed over?) to bear me in her sight: to expostulate with me, to be pacified by my pleas, and by my own future hopes, founded upon the reconciliatory-project, upon my reiterated vows, and upon the Captain’s assurances. Since in that case, to forgive me, to have gone on with me, for a week, would have been to forgive me, to have gone on with me, forever. And that, had my eligible life of honour taken place, her trials would all have been then over: and she would have known nothing but gratitude, love, and joy, to the end of one of our lives. For never would I, never could I, have abandoned such an admirable creature as this. Thou knowest I never was a sordid villain to any of her inferiors⁠—Her inferiors, I may say⁠—For who is not her inferior? ↩

See Letters 183 and 188. ↩

What is between hooks [ } thou mayest suppose, Jack, I sunk upon the women, in the account I gave them of the contents of this letter. ↩

I gave Mrs. Moore and Miss Rawlins room to think this reproach just, Jack. ↩

See Letter 229. ↩

See Letter 233. ↩

See Letter 229, where Miss Howe says, Alas! my dear, I know you loved him! ↩

See Letters 183 and 188. ↩

See Letter 115. ↩

See Letter 229. ↩

See Letter 229. ↩

See Letter 229. ↩

See Letter 229. ↩

See Letter 229. ↩

See Letter 229. ↩

See Letter 229. ↩

See Letter 229. ↩

See Letter 229. ↩

See Letter 229. ↩

See Letter 220. ↩

See Letter 229. ↩

See Letter 229. ↩

See Letter 229. ↩

See Letter 229. ↩

See Letter 126. ↩

See Letter 127 and Letter 127. ↩

See Letter 139. ↩

See Letter 238. ↩

See Letter 233. ↩

See Letter 110. ↩

See Letter 233. ↩

Letter 198. ↩

The nature of the Bath stone, in particular. ↩

See Letter 223. ↩

The lady innocently means Mr. Lovelace’s forged one. See Letter 239. ↩

See Letters 9, 14 and 19 for what she herself says on that steadiness which Mr. Lovelace, though a deserved sufferer by it, cannot help admiring. ↩

See Letter 248. ↩

See Letter 229. ↩

See Letter 230. ↩

For the account of Mrs. Townsend, etc. see Letter 196. ↩

See Letters 230 and 231. ↩

He alludes here to the story of a pope, who, (once a poor fisherman), through every preferment he rose to, even to that of the cardinalate, hung up in view of all his guests his net, as a token of humility. But, when he arrived at the pontificate, he took it down, saying, that there was no need of the net, when he had caught the fish. ↩

Miss Howe, in Letter 111 says, That she was always more afraid of Clarissa than of her mother; and, in Letter 111. That she fears her almost as much as she loves her; and in many other places, in her