? If you are,
do you choose to come and be with me? Or can you conveniently?

I am a very unhappy creature, and, being among all strangers, should be
very glad to have you with me, of whose fidelity and love I have had so
many acceptable instances.

Living or dying, I will endeavour to make it worth your while, my Hannah.

If you are recovered, as I hope, and if you have a good place, it may be
they would bear with your absence, and suffer somebody in your room for a
month or so: and, by that time, I hope to be provided for, and you may
then return to your place.

Don't let any of my friends know of this my desire: whether you can come
or not.

I am at Mr. Smith's, a hosier's and glove shop, in King-street,
Covent-garden.

You must direct to me by the name of Rachel Clark.

Do, my good Hannah, come if you can to your poor young mistress, who
always valued you, and always will whether you come or not.

I send this to your mother at St. Alban's, not knowing where to direct
to you. Return me a line, that I may know what to depend upon: and I
shall see you have not forgotten the pretty hand you were taught, in
happy days, by

Your true friend,
CLARISSA HARLOWE.

LETTER LIV

HANNAH BURTON
[IN ANSWER.]
MONDAY, JULY 3.

HONORED MADDAM,

I have not forgot to write, and never will forget any thing you, my dear
young lady, was so good as to larn me. I am very sorrowful for your
misfortens, my dearest young lady; so sorrowfull, I do not know what to
do. Gladd at harte would I be to be able to come to you. But indeed I
have not been able to stir out of my rome here at my mother's ever since
I was forsed to leave my plase with a roomatise, which has made me quite
and clene helpless. I will pray for you night and day, my dearest, my
kindest, my goodest young lady, who have been so badly used; and I am
very sorry I cannot come to do you love and sarvice; which will ever be
in the harte of mee to do, if it was in my power: who am

Your most dutiful servant to command,
HANNAH BURTON.

LETTER LV

MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MRS. JUDITH NORTON
THURSDAY, JUNE 29.

MY DEAR MRS. NORTON,

I address myself to you, after a very long silence, (which, however, was
not owing either to want of love or duty,) principally to desire you to
satisfy me in two or three points, which it behoves me to know.

My father, and all the family, I am informed, are to be at my uncle
Harlowe's this day, as usual. Pray