d confinement, which have deepened all her other calamities, [and which
must be laid at his door, as it was the act of his vile agents, that,
whether from his immediate orders or not, naturally flowed from his
preceding baseness;] the sex dishonoured in the eye of the world, in the
person of one of the greatest ornaments of it; the unmanly methods,
whatever they were, [for I know not all as yet,] by which he compassed
her ruin; all these considerations join to justify my warmth, and my
execrations of a man whom I think excluded by his crimes from the benefit
even of christian forgiveness--and were you to see all she writes, and to
know the admirable talents she is mistress of, you yourselves would join
with me to admire her, and execrate him.

Believe me to be, with a high sense of your merits,

Dear Ladies,
Your most obedient and humble servant,
ANNA HOWE.

LETTER LVI

MRS. NORTON, TO MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE
FRIDAY, JULY 28.

MY DEAREST YOUNG LADY,

I have the consolation to tell you that my son is once again in a hopeful
way, as to his health. He desires his duty to you. He is very low and
weak. And so am I. But this is the first time that I have been able,
for several days past, to sit up to write, or I would not have been so
long silent.

Your letter to your sister is received and answered. You have the answer
by this time, I suppose. I wish it may be to your satisfaction: but am
afraid it will not: for, by Betty Barnes, I find they were in a great
ferment on receiving your's, and much divided whether it should be
answered or not. They will not yet believe that you are so ill, as [to
my infinite concern] I find you are. What passed between Miss Harlowe
and Miss Howe has been, as I feared it would be, an aggravation.

I showed Betty two or three passages in your letter to me; and she seemed
moved, and said, She would report them favourably, and would procure me a
visit from Miss Harlowe, if I would promise to show the same to her. But
I have heard no more of that.

Methinks, I am sorry you refuse the wicked man: but doubt not,
nevertheless, that your motives for doing so are more commendable than my
wishes that you would not. But as you would be resolved, as I may say,
on life, if you gave way to such a thought; and as I have so much
interest in your recovery; I cannot forbear showing this regard to
myself; and to ask you, If you cannot get over your just resentments?--
But I dare say no mo