y-arrived cousin, who, as she
heard, was soliciting for her, would be able to succeed in her favour.

I hope I shall not be thought an officious man on this occasion; but, if
I am, I cannot help it, being driven to write, by a kind of parental and
irresistible impulse.

But, Sir, whatever you think fit to do, or permit to be done, must be
speedily done; for she cannot, I verily think, live a week: and how long
of that short space she may enjoy her admirable intellects to take
comfort in the favours you may think proper to confer upon her cannot be
said. I am, Sir,

Your most humble servant,

R.H.

LETTER LIX

MR. BELFORD, TO WILLIAM MORDEN, ESQ.
LONDON, SEPT. 4.

SIR,

The urgency of the case, and the opportunity by your servant, will
sufficiently apologize for this trouble from a stranger to your person,
who, however, is not a stranger to your merit.

I understand you are employing your good offices with the parents of
Miss Clarissa Harlowe, and other relations, to reconcile them to the most
meritorious daughter and kinswoman that ever family had to boast of.

Generously as this is intended by you, we here have too much reason to
think all your solicitudes on this head will be unnecessary: for it is
the opinion of every one who has the honour of being admitted to her
presence, that she cannot lie over three days: so that, if you wish to
see her alive, you must lose no time to come up.

She knows not that I write. I had done it sooner, if I had had the least
doubt that before now she would not have received from you some news of
the happy effects of your kind mediation in her behalf. I am, Sir,

Your most humble servant,
J. BELFORD.

LETTER LX

MR. LOVELACE, TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ.
[IN ANSWER TO LETTER LVII.]
UXBRIDGE, TUESDAY MORN, BETWEEN 4 AND 5.

And can it be, that this admirable creature will so soon leave this
cursed world! For cursed I shall think it, and more cursed myself, when
she is gone. O, Jack! thou who canst sit so cool, and, like Addison's
Angel, direct, and even enjoy, the storm, that tears up my happiness by
the roots; blame me not for my impatience, however unreasonable! If thou
knowest, that already I feel the torments of the damned, in the remorse
that wrings my heart, on looking back upon my past actions by her, thou
wouldst not be the devil thou art, to halloo on a worrying conscience,
which, without my merciless aggravations, is altogether intolerable.

I