Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 8

by Samuel Richardson

  LETTER LIX

  MR. BELFORD, TO WILLIAM MORDEN, ESQ.LONDON, SEPT. 4.

  SIR,

  The urgency of the case, and the opportunity by your servant, willsufficiently apologize for this trouble from a stranger to your person,who, however, is not a stranger to your merit.

  I understand you are employing your good offices with the parents ofMiss Clarissa Harlowe, and other relations, to reconcile them to the mostmeritorious daughter and kinswoman that ever family had to boast of.

  Generously as this is intended by you, we here have too much reason tothink all your solicitudes on this head will be unnecessary: for it isthe opinion of every one who has the honour of being admitted to herpresence, that she cannot lie over three days: so that, if you wish tosee her alive, you must lose no time to come up.

  She knows not that I write. I had done it sooner, if I had had the leastdoubt that before now she would not have received from you some news ofthe happy effects of your kind mediation in her behalf. I am, Sir,

  Your most humble servant,J. BELFORD.