s are of sufficient weight to engage his
acquiescence; I should think it strange, if he acquiesces not on this
occasion, and that with a cheerfulness, which may shew me, that his last
letter is written from his heart: For, if he be really so much concerned
at his past faults, as he pretends, and has for some time pretended,
must he not, of course, have corrected, in some degree, the impetuosity
of his temper? The first step to reformation, as I conceive, is to
subdue sudden gusts of passion, from which frequently the greatest evils
arise, and to learn to bear disappointments. If the irascible passions
cannot be overcome, what opinion can we have of the person's power over
those to which bad habit, joined to greater temptation, gives stronger
force?

Pray, my dear, be so kind as to make inquiry, by some safe hand, after
the disguises Mr. Lovelace assumes at the inn he puts up at in the poor
village of Neale, he calls it. If it be the same I take it to be, I
never knew it was considerable enough to have a name; nor that it has an
inn in it.

As he must, to be so constantly near us, be much there, I would be glad
to have some account of his behaviour; and what the people think of him.
In such a length of time, he must by his conduct either give scandal,
or hope of reformation. Pray, my dear, humour me in this inquiry. I have
reason for it, which you shall be acquainted with another time, if the
result of the inquiry discover them not.

LETTER XX

MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE WEDNESDAY MORNING, NINE O'CLOCK.

I am just returned from my morning walk, and already have received a
letter from Mr. Lovelace in answer to mine deposited last night. He
must have had pen, ink, and paper with him; for it was written in the
coppice; with this circumstance: On one knee, kneeling with the other.
Not from reverence to the written to, however, as you'll find!

Well we are instructed early to keep these men at distance. An
undesigning open heart, where it is loth to disoblige, is easily drawn
in, I see, to oblige more than ever it designed. It is too apt to govern
itself by what a bold spirit is encouraged to expect of it. It is very
difficult for a good-natured young person to give a negative where it
disesteems not.

Our hearts may harden and contract, as we gain experience, and when we
have smarted perhaps for our easy folly: and so they ought, or we should
be upon very unequal terms with the world.

Excuse these