me out of the curiosity first; and when the
liking was brought to be conditional--why then, you know, I throbbed no
more about him.

O! pray now, as you say, now I have mentioned that my fellow was not
such a charming fellow as yours, let Miss Biddulph, Miss Lloyd, Miss
Campion, and me, have your opinion, how far figure ought to engage us:
with a view to your own case, however--mind that--as Mr. Tony says--and
whether at all, if the man be vain of it; since, as you observe in a
former, that vanity is a stop-short pride in such a one, that would make
one justly doubt the worthiness of his interior. You, our pattern, so
lovely in feature, so graceful in person, have none of it; and have
therefore with the best grace always held, that it is not excusable even
in a woman.

You must know, that this subject was warmly debated among us in our last
conversation: and Miss Lloyd wished me to write to you upon it for your
opinion; to which, in every debated case, we always paid the greatest
deference. I hope you will not be so much engrossed by your weighty
cares, as not to have freedom of spirits enough to enter upon the task.
You know how much we all admire your opinion on such topics; which ever
produces something new and instructive, as you handle the subjects. And
pray tell us, to what you think it owing, that your man seems so careful
to adorn that self-adorned person of his! yet so manages, that one
cannot for one's heart think him a coxcomb?--Let this question, and the
above tasks, divert, and not displease you, my dear. One subject, though
ever so important, could never yet engross your capacious mind. If
they should displease you, you must recollect the many instances of my
impertinence which you have forgiven, and then say, 'This is a mad girl:
but yet I love her!--And she is my own'

ANNA HOWE.

LETTER XXXVIII

MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE MONDAY, MARCH 20.

Your last so sensibly affects me, that I must postpone every other
consideration, however weighty, to reply to it: and this I will do
very distinctly, and with all the openness of heart which our mutual
friendship demands.

But let me observe, in the first place, gratefully observe, that if I
have in fifty passages of my letters given you such undoubted proofs of
my value for Mr. Lovelace, that you have spared me for the sake of my
explicitness, it is acting by me with a generosity worthy of yourself.

But lives the man, think you, who is s