-six closely printed pages, with
several full-page copper-plate illustrations. The plot, however, gains
rather than loses in this condensed form. The principal distressing
situations follow so fast one upon the other that the intensity of the
various episodes in the _affecting_ history is increased by the total
absence of all the "moving" letters found in the original work. The
"lordly husband and father," "the imperious son," "the proud ambitious
sister, Arabella," all combined to force the universally beloved and
unassuming Clarissa to marry the wealthy Mr. Somers, who was to be the
means of "the aggrandisement of the family." Clarissa, in this
perplexing situation, yielded in a desperate mood to "the earnest
entreaties of the artful Lovelace to accept the protection of the Ladies
of his family." Who these ladies were, to whom the designing Lovelace
conducted the agitated heroine, is set forth in unmistakable language;
and thereafter follow the treacherous behaviour exhibited by Lovelace,
the various attempts to escape by the unhappy beauty, and her final
exhaustion and death. An example of the style may be given in this
description of the death-scene:

"Clarissa had before remarked that all would be most conveniently over
in bed: The solemn, the most important moment approached, but her soul
ardently aspiring after immorality [immortality was of course the
author's intention], she imagined the time moved slowly; and with great
presence of mind, she gave orders in relation to her body, directing her
nurse and the maid of the house, as soon as she was cold, to put her
into her coffin. The Colonel [her cousin], after paying her another
visit, wrote to her uncle, Mr. John Harlowe, that they might save
themselves the trouble of having any further debates about
reconciliation; for before they could resolve, his dear cousin would
probably be no more....

"A day or two after, Mr. Belford [a friend] was sent for, and
immediately came; at his entrance he saw the Colonel kneeling by her
bed-side with the ladies right hand in both his, which his face covered
bathing it with tears, though she had just been endeavoring to comfort
him, in noble and elevated strains. On the opposite side of the bed was
seated Mrs. Lovick, who leaning against the bed's-head in a most
disconsolate manner, turned to him as soon as she saw him, crying, O Mr.
Belford, the dear lady! a heavy sigh not permitting her to say more.
Mrs. Smith [the landlady]