Read Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 7 Page 50

  LETTER LI

  MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE[ENCLOSED IN THE PRECEDING.]THURSDAY, JULY 27.

  MY DEAREST MISS HOWE,

  Since you seem loth to acquiesce in my determined resolution, signifiedto you as soon as I was able to hold a pen, I beg the favour of you, bythis, or by any other way you think most proper, to acquaint the worthyladies, who have applied to you in behalf of their relation, thatalthough I am infinitely obliged to their generous opinion of me, yet Icannot consent to sanctify, as I may say, Mr. Lovelace's repeatedbreaches of all moral sanctions, and hazard my future happiness by aunion with a man, through whose premeditated injuries, in a long train ofthe basest contrivances, I have forfeited my temporal hopes.

  He himself, when he reflects upon his own actions, must surely beartestimony to the justice as well as fitness of my determination. Theladies, I dare say, would, were they to know the whole of my unhappystory.

  Be pleased to acquaint them that I deceive myself, if my resolution onthis head (however ungratefully and even inhumanely he has treated me) benot owing more to principle than passion. Nor can I give a strongerproof of the truth of this assurance, on this one easy condition, that hewill never molest me more.

  In whatever way you choose to make this declaration, be pleased to let mymost respectful compliments to the ladies of that noble family, and to myLord M., accompany it. And do you, my dear, believe that I shall be, tothe last moment of my life,

  Your ever obliged and affectionateCLARISSA HARLOWE.