n, as the hardest Marble. In
short, the many contradictory Faults that she was at once accused of, is
almost incredible: So many, that those who had attended enough to her
Character, to have an Inclination to justify her, found it difficult to
know where to begin to answer such a complicated Charge. But after a
short Silence, Miss _Gibson_ with her usual Penetration, said;

"Whenever any Person is accused of a Variety of Faults, which are
plainly impossible to dwell in the same Mind, I am immediately convinced
the Person so accused is innocent of them all. A Prude cannot, by an
observing Eye, be taken for a Coquet, nor a Coquet for a Prude, but a
good Woman may be called either, or both, according to the Dispositions
of her resolved Censurers; and hence I believe we may trace the Cause,
why the Characters even of those Persons who do not endeavour to wear
any Disguise are so very liable to be mistaken; for Partiality or
Prejudice generally sit as Judges: If the former mount the
Judgment-seat, how many different Terms do we make use of to express
that Goodness in another, which our own fluctuating Imaginations only
have erected? If the latter, how do we vary Expressions to paint that
Wickedness which we are resolve to prove inhabits the Mind we think
proper to condemn?" "Nay, but (said Mr. _Dellincourt_) how are we
concerned either to justify or accuse _Clarissa_? we cannot be either
partial to, or prejudised against her." "I know not how it is, (replyed
Miss _Gibson_) but those who dread Censure, tho' Circumspection wait on
every Step, will be censured, till there no longer remains in the World
any of those Dispositions that delight in inflicting that Punishment on
others they see they most fear. Now, tho' _Clarissa_ was not so
blameably fearful of Censure, but that her first Care was to preserve
the Innocence of her own Mind, and do no wrong; yet it is plain, she
would very gladly have avoided incurring, as well as deserving,
Reproach; and that she is treated like an intimate Acquaintance by all
her Readers, the Author may thank himself for. I dare say, the Authors
of _Cassandra_, _Clelia_, with numberless others I could name, were
never in any Danger of having their Heroines thought on, or treated like
human Creatures."

_Bellario_, who had hitherto been silent, said, "He thought _Clarissa_
could not justly be accused of any material Fault, but that of wanting
Affection for her Lover; for that he was sure, a Woman wh