Read Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 7 Page 65

  LETTER LXVI

  MISS MONTAGUE, TO MISS CLARISSA HARLOWETUESDAY, AUG. 1.

  DEAREST MADAM,

  All our family is deeply sensible of the injuries you have received atthe hands of one of it, whom you only can render in any manner worthy ofthe relation he stands in to us all: and if, as an act of mercy andcharity, the greatest your pious heart can show, you will be pleased tolook over his past wickedness and ingratitude, and suffer yourself to beour kinswoman, you will make us the happiest family in the world: and Ican engage, that Lord M., and Lady Sarah Sadleir, and Lady BettyLawrance, and my sister, who are all admirers of your virtues, and ofyour nobleness of mind, will for ever love and reverence you, and doevery thing in all their powers to make you amends for what you havesuffered from Mr. Lovelace. This, Madam, we should not, however, dareto petition for, were we not assured, that Mr. Lovelace is most sincerelysorry for his past vileness to you; and that he will, on his knees, begyour pardon, and vow eternal love and honour to you.

  Wherefore, my dearest cousin, [how you will charm us all, if thisagreeable style may be permitted!] for all our sakes, for his soul'ssake, [you must, I am sure, be so good a lady, as to wish to save asoul!] and allow me to say, for your own fame's sake, condescend to ourjoint request: and if, by way of encouragement, you will but say you willbe glad to see, and to be as much known personally, as you are by fame,to Charlotte Montague, I will, in two days' time from the receipt of yourpermission, wait upon you with or without my sister, and receive yourfarther commands.

  Let me, our dearest cousin, [we cannot deny ourselves the pleasure ofcalling you so; let me] entreat you to give me your permission for myjourney to London; and put it in the power of Lord M. and of the ladiesof the family, to make you what reparation they can make you, for theinjuries which a person of the greatest merit in the world has receivedfrom one of the most audacious men in it; and you will infinitely obligeus all; and particularly her, who repeatedly presumes to style herself

  Your affectionate cousin, and obliged servant,CHARLOTTE MONTAGUE.