mits
the lady to see it. Nine women in ten that fall, fall, he says, through
their own fault.

LETTER LII. Lord M.'s characteristic letter.

LETTER LIII. Lovelace to Belford.--
The lady now comes to him at the first word. Triumphs in her sweetness
of temper, and on her patience with him. Puts his writings into
counsellor Williams's hands, to prepare settlements. Shall now be doubly
armed. Boasts of his contrivances in petto. Brings patterns to her.
Proposes jewels. Admires her for her prudence with regard to what he
puts her upon doing for her Norton. What his wife must do and be. She
declines a public wedding. Her dutiful reasons. She is willing to
dispense with Lord M.'s presence. He writes to Lord M. accordingly.

Extract from a letter from Clarissa.--
After giving Miss Howe an account of the present favourable appearances,
she desires her to keep herself all such of the particulars which she has
communicated to her as may discredit Mr. Lovelace.

LETTER LIV. Lovelace to Belford.--
His projected plot to revenge himself upon Miss Howe.

LETTER LV. From the same.--
Fresh contrivances crowd in upon him. He shall be very sick on the
morrow; and why. Women below impertinently reproachful. He will be no
man's successor. Will not take up with harlots.--History of the French
marquis.

THE HISTORY

OF

CLARISSA HARLOWE

LETTER I

MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, APRIL 26.

At length, my dearest Miss Howe, I am in London, and in my new lodgings.
They are neatly furnished, and the situation, for the town, is pleasant.

But I think you must not ask me how I like the old gentlewoman. Yet she
seems courteous and obliging.--Her kinswomen just appeared to welcome me
at my alighting. They seemed to be genteel young women. But more of
their aunt and them, as I shall see more.

Miss Sorlings has an uncle at Barnet, whom she found so very ill, that
her uneasiness, on that account, (having large expectations from him,)
made me comply with her desire to stay with him. Yet I wished, as her
uncle did not expect her, that she would see me settled in London; and
Mr. Lovelace was still more earnest that she would, offering to send her
back again in a day or two, and urging that her uncle's malady threatened
not a sudden change. But leaving the matter to her choice, after she
knew what would have been mine, she made me not the expected compliment.
Mr. Lovelace, how