LETTER VIII
MR. LOVELACE, TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ.WEDN. JULY 12.
So, Jack, they think they have gained a mighty point. But, were I tochange my mind, were I to repent, I fancy I am safe.--And yet this verymoment it rises to my mind, that 'tis hard trusting too; for surely theremust be some embers, where there was fire so lately, that may be stirredup to give a blaze to combustibles strewed lightly upon them. Love, likesome self-propagating plants, or roots, (which have taken strong hold inthe earth) when once got deep into the heart, is hardly ever totallyextirpated, except by matrimony indeed, which is the grave of love,because it allows of the end of love. Then these ladies, all advocatesfor herself, with herself, Miss Howe at their head, perhaps,----not infavour to me--I don't expect that from Miss Howe--but perhaps in favourto herself: for Miss Howe has reason to apprehend vengeance from me, Iween. Her Hickman will be safe too, as she may think, if I marry herbeloved friend: for he has been a busy fellow, and I have long wished tohave a slap at him!--The lady's case desperate with her friends too; andlikely to be so, while single, and her character exposed to censure.
A husband is a charming cloke, a fig-leaved apron for a wife: and for alady to be protected in liberties, in diversions, which her heart pantsafter--and all her faults, even the most criminal, were she to bedetected, to be thrown upon the husband, and the ridicule too; a charmingprivilege for a wife!
But I shall have one comfort, if I marry, which pleases me not a little.If a man's wife has a dear friend of her sex, a hundred liberties may betaken with that friend, which could not be taken, if the single lady(knowing what a title to freedoms marriage had given him with her friend)was not less scrupulous with him than she ought to be as to herself.Then there are broad freedoms (shall I call them?) that may be taken bythe husband with his wife, that may not be quite shocking, which, if thewife bears before her friends, will serve for a lesson to that friend;and if that friend bears to be present at them without check orbashfulness, will show a sagacious fellow that she can bear as muchherself, at proper time and place.
Chastity, Jack, like piety, is an uniform thing. If in look, if inspeech, a girl give way to undue levity, depend upon it the devil hasgot one of his cloven feet in her heart already--so, Hickman, take careof thyself, I advise thee, whether I marry or not.
Thus, Jack, have I at once reconciled myself to all my relations--and ifthe lady refuses me, thrown the fault upon her. This, I knew, would bein my power to do at any time: and I was the more arrogant to them, inorder to heighten the merit of my compliance.
But, after all, it would be very whimsical, would it not, if all my plotsand contrivances should end in wedlock? What a punishment should thiscome out to be, upon myself too, that all this while I have beenplundering my own treasury?
And then, can there be so much harm done, if it can be so easily repairedby a few magical words; as I Robert take thee, Clarissa; and I Clarissatake thee, Robert, with the rest of the for-better and for-worselegerdemain, which will hocus pocus all the wrongs, the crying wrongs,that I have done to Miss Harlowe, into acts of kindness and benevolenceto Mrs. Lovelace?
But, Jack, two things I must insist upon with thee, if this is to be thecase.--Having put secrets of so high a nature between me and my spouseinto thy power, I must, for my own honour, and for the honour of my wifeand illustrious progeny, first oblige thee to give up the letters I haveso profusely scribbled to thee; and in the next place, do by thee, as Ihave head whispered in France was done by the true father of a certainmonarque; that is to say, cut thy throat, to prevent thy telling oftales.
I have found means to heighten the kind opinion my friends here havebegun to have of me, by communicating to them the contents of the fourlast letters which I wrote to press my elected spouse to solemnize. MyLord repeated one of his phrases in my favour, that he hopes it will comeout, that the devil is not quite so black as he is painted.
Now pr'ythee, dear Jack, since so many good consequences are to flow fromthese our nuptials, (one of which to thyself; since the sooner thoudiest, the less thou wilt have to answer for); and that I now-and-then amapt to believe there may be something in the old fellow's notion, whoonce told us, that he who kills a man, has all that man's sins to answerfor, as well as his own, because he gave him not the time to repent ofthem that Heaven designed to allow him, [a fine thing for thee, if thouconsentest to be knocked of the head; but a cursed one for themanslayer!] and since there may be room to fear that Miss Howe will notgive us her help; I pr'ythee now exert thyself to find out my ClarissaHarlowe, that I may make a LOVELACE of her. Set all the city bellmen,and the country criers, for ten miles round the metropolis, at work, withtheir 'Oye's! and if any man, woman, or child can give tale or tidings.'--Advertise her in all the news-papers; and let her know, 'That if shewill repair to Lady Betty Lawrance, or to Miss Charlotte Montague, shemay hear of something greatly to her advantage.'
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My two cousins Montague are actually to set out to-morrow to Mrs. Howe's,to engage her vixen daughter's interest with her friend. They willflaunt it away in a chariot-and-six, for the greater state andsignificance.
Confounded mortification to be reduced this low!--My pride hardly knowshow to brook it.
Lord M. has engaged the two venerables to stay here to attend the issue:and I, standing very high at present in their good graces, am to gallantthem to Oxford, to Blenheim, and to several other places.