Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 8
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LETTER III
MR. ANTONY HARLOWE, TO MISS CL. HARLOWE[IN REPLY TO HER'S TO HER UNCLE HARLOWE, OF THURSDAY, AUG. 10.]AUG. 12.
UNHAPPY GIRL!
As your uncle Harlowe chooses not to answer your pert letter to him;and as mine, written to you before,* was written as if it were in thespirit of prophecy, as you have found to your sorrow; and as you are nowmaking yourself worse than you are in your health, and better than youare in your penitence, as we are very well assured, in order to movecompassion; which you do not deserve, having had so much warning: for allthese reasons, I take up my pen once more; though I had told yourbrother, at his going to Edinburgh, that I would not write to you, evenwere you to write to me, without letting him know. So indeed had we all;for he prognosticated what would happen, as to your applying to us, whenyou knew not how to help it.
* See Vol. I. Letter XXXII.
Brother John has hurt your niceness, it seems, by asking you a plainquestion, which your mother's heart is too full of grief to let her ask;and modesty will not let your sister ask; though but the consequence ofyour actions--and yet it must be answered, before you'll obtain from yourfather and mother, and us, the notice you hope for, I can tell you that.
You lived several guilty weeks with one of the vilest fellows that everdrew breath, at bed, as well as at board, no doubt, (for is not hischaracter known?) and pray don't be ashamed to be asked after what maynaturally come of such free living. This modesty indeed would havebecome you for eighteen years of your life--you'll be pleased to markthat--but makes no good figure compared with your behaviour since thebeginning of April last. So pray don't take it up, and wipe your mouthupon it, as if nothing had happened.
But, may be, I likewise am to shocking to your niceness!--O girl, girl!your modesty had better been shown at the right time and place--Everybody but you believed what the rake was: but you would believe nothingbad of him--What think you now?
Your folly has ruined all our peace. And who knows where it may yet end?--Your poor father but yesterday showed me this text: With bitter griefhe showed it me, poor man! and do you lay it to your heart:
'A father waketh for his daughter, when no man knoweth; and the care forher taketh away his sleep--When she is young, lest she pass away theflower of her age--[and you know what proposals were made to you atdifferent times.] And, being married, lest she should be hated. In hervirginity, lest she should be defiled, and gotten with child in herfather's house--[and I don't make the words, mind that.] And, having anhusband, lest she should misbehave herself.' And what follows? 'Keepa sure watch over a shameless daughter--[yet no watch could hold you!]lest she make thee a laughing stock to thine enemies--[as you have madeus all to this cursed Lovelace,] and a bye-word in the city, and areproach among the people, and make thee ashamed before the multitude.'Ecclus. xlii. 9, 10, &c.
Now will you wish you had not written pertly. Your sister's severities!--Never, girl, say that is severe that is deserved. You know the meaningof words. No body better. Would to the Lord you had acted up but to onehalf of what you know! then had we not been disappointed and grieved, aswe all have been: and nobody more than him who was
Your loving uncle,ANTONY HARLOWE.
This will be with you to-morrow. Perhaps you may be suffered to have some part of your estate, after you have smarted a little more. Your pertly-answered uncle John, who is your trustee, will not have you be destitute. But we hope all is not true that we hear of you. --Only take care, I advise you, that, bad as you have acted, you act not still worse, if it be possible to act worse. Improve upon the hint.