Read Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 9 Page 49

  LETTER XLVII

  MR. BELFORD, TO MISS HOWETHURSDAY, SEPT. 28.

  MADAM,

  I do myself the honour to send you by this, according to my promise,*copies of the posthumous letters written by your exalted friend.

  * See Letter XXXVI. of this volume.

  These will be accompanied with other letters, particularly a copy of onefrom Mr. Lovelace, begun to be written on the 14th, and continued down tothe 18th.* You will see by it, Madam, the dreadful anguish that hisspirits labour with, and his deep remorse.

  * See Letter XXXVII. ibid.

  Mr. Lovelace sent for this letter back. I complied; but I first took acopy of it. As I have not told him that I have done so, you will bepleased to forbear communicating of it to any body but Mr. Hickman. Thatgentleman's perusal of it will be the same as if nobody but yourself sawit.

  One of the letters of Colonel Morden, which I enclose, you will observe,Madam, is only a copy.* The true reason for which, as I will ingenuouslyacknowledge, is, some free, but respectful animadversions which theColonel has made upon your declining to carry into execution your part ofyour dear friend's last requests. I have therefore, in respect to thatworthy gentleman, (having a caution from him on that head,) omitted thoseparts.

  * The preceding Letter.

  Will you allow me, Madam, however, to tell you, that I myself could nothave believed that my inimitable testatrix's own Miss Howe would havebeen the most backward in performing such a part of her dear friend'slast will, as is entirely in her own power to perform--especially, whenthat performance would make one of the most deserving men in Englandhappy; and whom, I presume, she proposes to honour with her hand.

  Excuse me, Madam, I have a most sincere veneration for you; and would notdisoblige you for the world.

  I will not presume to make remarks on the letters I send you; nor uponthe informations I have to give you of the dreadful end of two unhappywretches who were the greatest criminals in the affair of your adorablefriend. These are the infamous Sinclair, and a person whom you have readof, no doubt, in the letters of the charming innocent, by the name ofCaptain Tomlinson.

  The wretched woman died in the extremest tortures and despondency: theman from wounds got in defending himself in carrying on a contrabandtrade; both accusing themselves, in their last hours, for the parts theyhad acted against the most excellent of women, as of the crime that gavethem the deepest remorse.

  Give me leave to say, Madam, that if your compassion be not excited forthe poor man who suffers so greatly from his own anguish of mind, as youwill observe by his letter he does; and for the unhappy family, whoseremorse, you will see by Colonel Morden's, is so deep; your terror must.And yet I should not wonder, if the just sense of the irreparable lossyou have sustained hardens a heart against pity, which, on a lessextraordinary occasion, would want its principal grace, if it were notcompassionate.

  I am, Madam, with the greatest respect and gratitude,Your most obliged and faithful humble servant,J. BELFORD.