LETTER IV
MISS HOWE, TO MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE THURSDAY MORN. 10 O'CLOCK (MAR. 23).
I will postpone, or perhaps pass by, several observations which I had tomake on other parts of your letters; to acquaint you, that Mr. Hickman,when in London, found an opportunity to inquire after Mr. Lovelace'stown life and conversation.
At the Cocoa-tree, in Pall-mall, he fell in with two of his intimates,the one named Belton, the other Mowbray; both very free of speech,and probably as free in their lives: but the waiters paid them greatrespect, and on Mr. Hickman's inquiry after their characters, calledthem men of fortune and honour.
They began to talk of Mr. Lovelace of their own accord; and upon somegentlemen in the room asking, when they expected him in town, answered,that very day. Mr. Hickman (as they both went on praising Lovelace)said, he had indeed heard, that Mr. Lovelace was a very finegentleman--and was proceeding, when one of them, interrupting him,said,--Only, Sir, the finest gentleman in the world; that's all.
And so he led them on to expatiate more particularly on his qualities;which they were very fond of doing: but said not one single word inbehalf of his morals--Mind that also, in your uncle's style.
Mr. Hickman said, that Mr. Lovelace was very happy, as he understood, inthe esteem of the ladies; and smiling, to make them believe he did notthink amiss of it, that he pushed his good fortune as far as it wouldgo.
Well put, Mr. Hickman! thought I; equally grave and sage--thou seemestnot to be a stranger to their dialect, as I suppose this is. But I saidnothing; for I have often tried to find out this might sober man of mymother's: but hitherto have only to say, that he is either very moral,or very cunning.
No doubt of it, replied one of them; and out came an oath, with a Whowould not?--That he did as every young fellow would do.
Very true! said my mother's puritan--but I hear he is in treaty with afine lady--
So he was, Mr. Belton said--The devil fetch her! [vile brute!] forshe engrossed all his time--but that the lady's family ought tobe--something--[Mr. Hickman desired to be excused repeating what--thoughhe had repeated what was worse] and might dearly repent their usage of aman of his family and merit.
Perhaps they may think him too wild, cries Hickman: and theirs is, Ihear, a very sober family--
SOBER! said one of them: A good honest word, Dick!--Where the devil hasit lain all this time?--D---- me if I have heard of it in this senseever since I was at college! and then, said he, we bandied it aboutamong twenty of us as an obsolete.
These, my dear, are Mr. Lovelace's companions: you'll be pleased to takenotice of that!
Mr. Hickman said, this put him out of countenance.
I stared at him, and with such a meaning in my eyes, as he knew how totake; and so was out of countenance again.
Don't you remember, my dear, who it was that told a young gentlemandesigned for the gown, who owned that he was apt to be too easily putout of countenance when he came into free company, 'That it was a badsign; that it looked as if his morals were not proof; but that his gooddisposition seemed rather the effect of accident and education, thanof such a choice as was founded upon principle?' And don't you knowthe lesson the very same young lady gave him, 'To endeavour to stem anddiscountenance vice, and to glory in being an advocate in all companiesfor virtue;' particularly observing, 'That it was natural for a man toshun or to give up what he was ashamed of?' Which she should be sorryto think his case on this occasion: adding, 'That vice was a coward, andwould hide its head, when opposed by such a virtue as had presence ofmind, and a full persuasion of its own rectitude to support it.' Thelady, you may remember, modestly put her doctrine into the mouth of aworthy preacher, Dr. Lewen, as she used to do, when she has a mind notto be thought what she is at so early an age; and that it may give moreweight to any thing she hit upon, that might appear tolerable, was hermodest manner of speech.
Mr. Hickman, upon the whole, professed to me, upon his second recovery,that he had no reason to think well of Mr. Lovelace's morals, from whathe heard of him in town; yet his two intimates talked of his being moreregular than he used to be. That he had made a very good resolution,that of old Tom Wharton, was the expression, That he would never givea challenge, nor refuse one; which they praised in him highly: that, inshort, he was a very brave fellow, and the most agreeable companion inthe world: and would one day make a great figure in his country; sincethere was nothing he was not capable of--
I am afraid that his last assertion is too true. And this, my dear, isall that Mr. Hickman could pick up about him: And is it not enough todetermine such a mind as yours, if not already determined?
Yet it must be said too, that if there be a woman in the world that canreclaim him, it is you. And, by your account of his behaviour in theinterview between you, I own I have some hope of him. At least, thisI will say, that all the arguments he then used with you, seemed tobe just and right. And if you are to be his--But no more of that: hecannot, after all, deserve you.