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

by Samuel Richardson

  LETTER LXVI

  MR. BRAND, TO JOHN HARLOWE, ESQ.SAT. NIGHT, SEPT. 2.

  WORTHY SIR,

  I am under no 'small concern,' that I should (unhappily) be the'occasion' (I am sure I 'intended' nothing like it) of 'wideningdifferences' by 'light misreport,' when it is the 'duty' of one of 'myfunction' (and no less consisting with my 'inclination') to 'heal' and'reconcile.'

  I have received two letter to set me 'right': one from a 'particularacquaintance,' (whom I set to inquire of Mr. Belford's character); andthat came on Tuesday last, informing me, that your 'unhappy niece' wasgreatly injured in the account I had had of her; (for I had told 'him'of it, and that with very 'great concern,' I am sure, apprehending it tobe 'true.') So I 'then' set about writing to you, to 'acknowledge' the'error.' And had gone a good way in it, when the second letter came (avery 'handsome one' it is, both in 'style' and 'penmanship') from myfriend Mr. Walton, (though I am sure it cannot be 'his inditing,')expressing his sorrow, and his wife's, and his sister-in-law's likewise,for having been the cause of 'misleading me,' in the account I gave ofthe said 'young lady'; whom they 'now' say (upon 'further inquiry') theyfind to be the 'most unblameable,' and 'most prudent,' and (it seems) themost 'pious' young lady, that ever (once) committed a 'great error'; as(to be sure) 'her's was,' in leaving such 'worthy parents' and'relations' for so 'vile a man' as Mr. Lovelace; but what shall we say?--Why, the divine Virgil tells us,

  'Improbe amor, quid non mortalia pectora cogis?'

  For 'my part,' I was but too much afraid (for we have 'greatopportunities,' you are sensible, Sir, at the 'University,' of knowing'human nature' from 'books,' the 'calm result' of the 'wise man'swisdom,' as I may say,

  '(Haurit aquam cribro, qui discere vult sine libro)'

  'uninterrupted' by the 'noise' and 'vanities' that will mingle with'personal conversation,' which (in the 'turbulent world') is not to beenjoyed but over a 'bottle,' where you have an 'hundred foolish things'pass to 'one that deserveth to be remembered'; I was but too much afraid'I say') that so 'great a slip' might be attended with 'still greater'and 'worse': for 'your' Horace, and 'my' Horace, the most charming writerthat ever lived among the 'Pagans' (for the 'lyric kind of poetry,' Imean; for, the be sure, 'Homer' and 'Virgil' would 'otherwise' be 'first'named 'in their way') well observeth (and who understood 'human nature'better than he?)

  'Nec vera virtus, cum semel excidit, Curat reponi deterioribus.'

  And 'Ovid' no less wisely observeth:

  'Et mala sunt vicina bonis. Errore sub illo Pro vitio virtus crimina saepe tulit.'

  Who, that can draw 'knowledge' from its 'fountain-head,' the works of the'sages of antiquity,' (improved by the 'comments' of the 'moderns,') butwould 'prefer' to all others the 'silent quiet life,' which'contemplative men' lead in the 'seats of learning,' were they not calledout (according to their 'dedication') to the 'service' and 'instruction'of the world?

  Now, Sir, 'another' favourite poet of mine (and not the 'less afavourite' for being a 'Christian') telleth us, that ill is the custom of'some,' when in a 'fault,' to throw the blame upon the backs of 'others,'

  '----Hominum quoque mos est, Quae nos cunque premunt, alieno imponere tergo.' MANT.

  But I, though (in this case) 'misled,' ('well intendedly,' nevertheless,both in the 'misleaders' and 'misled,' and therefore entitled to lay holdof that plea, if 'any body' is so entitled,) will not however, be classedamong such 'extenuators'; but (contrarily) will always keep in mind thatverse, which 'comforteth in mistake,' as well as 'instructeth'; and whichI quoted in my last letter;

  'Errare est hominis, sed non persistere----'

  And will own, that I was very 'rash' to take up with 'conjectures' and'consequences' drawn from 'probabilites,' where (especially) the'character' of so 'fine a lady' was concerned.

  'Credere fallacy gravis est dementia famae.' MANT.

  Notwithstanding, Miss Clarissa Harlowe (I must be bold to say) is the'only young lady,' that ever I heard of (or indeed read of) that, 'havingmade such a false step,' so 'soon' (of 'her own accord,' as I may say)'recovered' herself, and conquered her 'love of the deceiver'; (a greatconquest indeed!) and who flieth him, and resolveth to 'die,' rather thanto be his; which now, to her never-dying 'honour' (I am well assured) isthe case--and, in 'justice' to her, I am now ready to take to myself(with no small vexation) that of Ovid,

  'Heu! patior telis vulnera facta meis.'

  But yet I do insist upon it, that all 'that part' of my 'information,'which I took upon mine own 'personal inquiry,' which is what relates toMr. 'Belford' and 'his character,' is 'literally true'; for there is notany where to be met with a man of a more 'libertine character' as to'women,' Mr. 'Lovelace' excepted, than he beareth.

  And so, Sir, I must desire of you, that you will not let 'any blame' lieupon my 'intention'; since you see how ready I am to 'accuse myself' oftoo lightly giving ear to a 'rash information' (not knowing it to be so,however): for I depended the more upon it, as the 'people I had it from'are very 'sober,' and live in the 'fear of God': and indeed when I waitupon you, you will see by their letter, that they must be 'conscientious'good people: wherefore, Sir, let me be entitled, from 'all your goodfamily,' to that of my last-named poet,

  'Aspera confesso verba remitte reo.'

  And now, Sir, (what is much more becoming of my 'function,') let me,instead of appearing with the 'face of an accuser,' and a 'rashcensurer,' (which in my 'heart' I have not 'deserved' to be thought,)assume the character of a 'reconciler'; and propose (by way of 'penance'to myself for my 'fault') to be sent up as a 'messenger of peace' to the'pious young lady'; for they write me word 'absolutely' (and, I believein my heart, 'truly') that the 'doctors' have 'given her over,' and thatshe 'cannot live.' Alas! alas! what a sad thing would that be, if the'poor bough,' that was only designed (as I 'very well know,' and am'fully assured') 'to be bent, should be broken!'

  Let it not, dear Sir, seem to the 'world' that there was any thing inyour 'resentments' (which, while meant for 'reclaiming,' were just andfit) that hath the 'appearance' of 'violence,' and 'fierce wrath,' and'inexorability'; (as it would look to some, if carried to extremity,after 'repentance' and 'contrition,' and 'humiliation,' on the 'fairoffender's' side:) for all this while (it seemeth) she hat been a 'secondMagdalen' in her 'penitence,' and yet not so bad as a 'Magdalen' in her'faults'; (faulty, nevertheless, as she hath been once, the Lord knoweth!

  'Nam vitiis nemo sine nascitur: optimus ille est, Qui minimis urgentur'----saith Horace).

  Now, Sir, if I may be named for this 'blessed' employment, (for, 'Blessedis the peace-maker!') I will hasten to London; and (as I know Miss hadalways a 'great regard' to the 'function' I have the honour to be of) Ihave no doubt of making myself acceptable to her, and to bring her, by'sound arguments,' and 'good advice,' into a 'liking of life,' which mustbe the 'first step' to her 'recovery': for, when the 'mind' is 'madeeasy,' the 'body' will not 'long suffer'; and the 'love of life' is a'natural passion,' that is soon 'revived,' when fortune turneth about,and smileth:

  'Vivere quisque diu, quamvis & egenus & ager, Optat.---- ---- ----' OVID.

  And the sweet Lucan truly observeth,

  '---- ---- Fatis debentibus annos Mors invita subit.---- ----'

  And now, Sir, let me tell you what shall be the 'tenor' of my 'pleadings'with her, and 'comfortings' of her, as she is, as I may say, a 'learnedlady'; and as I can 'explain' to her 'those sentences,' which she cannotso readily 'construe herself': and this in order to convince 'you' (didyou not already 'know' my 'qualifications') how well qualified I 'am' forthe 'christian office' to which I commend myself.

  I will, IN THE FIRST PLACE, put her in mind of the 'common course ofthings' in this 'sublunary world,' in which 'joy' and 'sorrow, sorrow'and joy,' succeed one another by turns'; in order to convince her, thather griefs have been but according to 'that' commo
n course of things:

  'Gaudia post luctus veniunt, post gaudia luctus.'

  SECONDLY, I will remind her of her own notable description of 'sorrow,'whence she was once called upon to distinguish wherein 'sorrow, grief,'and 'melancholy,' differed from each other; which she did 'impromptu,' bytheir 'effects,' in a truly admirable manner, to the high satisfaction ofevery one: I myself could not, by 'study,' have distinguished 'better,'nor more 'concisely'--SORROW, said she, 'wears'; GRIEF 'tears'; butMELANCHOLY 'sooths.'

  My inference to her shall be, that since a happy reconciliation will takeplace, 'grief' will be banished; 'sorrow' dismissed; and only sweet'melancholy' remain to 'sooth' and 'indulge' her contrite 'heart,' andshow to all the world the penitent sense she hath of her great error.

  THIRDLY, That her 'joys,'* when restored to health and favour, will bethe greater, the deeper her griefs were.

  * 'Joy,' let me here observe, my dear Sir, by way of note, is notabsolutely inconsistent with 'melancholy'; a 'soft gentle joy,' not a'rapid,' not a 'rampant joy,' however; but such a 'joy,' as shall lifther 'temporarily' out of her 'soothing melancholy,' and then 'let herdown gently' into it again; for 'melancholy,' to be sure, her'reflection' will generally make to be her state.

  'Gaudia, quae multo parta labore, placent.'

  FOURTHLY, That having 'really' been guilty of a 'great error,' she shouldnot take 'impatiently' the 'correction' and 'anger' with which she hathbeen treated.

  'Leniter, ex merito quicquid patiare ferundum est.'

  FIFTHLY, That 'virtue' must be established by 'patience'; as saithPrudentius:

  'Haec virtus vidua est, quam non patientia firmat.'

  SIXTHLY, That in the words of Horace, she may 'expect better times,' than(of late) she had 'reason' to look for.

  'Grata superveniet, quae non sperabitur, hora.'

  SEVENTHLY, That she is really now in 'a way' to be 'happy,' since,according to 'Ovid,' she 'can count up all her woe':

  'Felix, qui patitur quae numerare potest.'

  And those comforting lines,

  'Estque serena dies post longos gratior imbres, Et post triste malum gratior ipsa salus.'

  EIGHTHLY, That, in the words of Mantuan, her 'parents' and 'uncles' couldnot 'help loving her' all the time they were 'angry at her':

  'AEqua tamen mens est, & amica voluntas, Sit licet in natos austere parentum.'

  NINTHLY, That the 'ills she hath met with' may be turned (by the 'gooduse' to be made of them) to her 'everlasting benefit'; for that,

  'Cum furit atque ferit, Deus olim parcere quaerit.'

  TENTHLY, That she will be able to give a 'fine lesson' (a 'very' finelesson) to all the 'young ladies' of her 'acquaintance,' of the 'vanity'of being 'lifted up' in 'prosperity,' and the 'weakness' of being 'castdown' in 'adversity'; since no one is so 'high,' as to be above being'humbled'; so 'low,' as to 'need to despair': for which purpose theadvice of 'Ausonius,'

  'Dum fortuna juvat, caveto tolli: Dum fortuna tonat, caveto mergi.'

  I shall tell her, that Lucan saith well, when he calleth 'adversity theelement of patience';

  '----Gaudet patientia duris:'

  That

  'Fortunam superat virtus, prudential famam.'

  That while weak souls are 'crushed by fortune,' the 'brave mind' makeththe fickle deity afraid of it:

  'Fortuna fortes metuit, ignavos permit.'

  ELEVENTHLY, That if she take the advice of 'Horace,'

  'Fortiaque adversis opponite pectora rebus,'

  it will delight her 'hereafter' (as 'Virgil' saith) to 'revoke her pasttroubles':

  '----Forsan & haec olim meminisse juvabit.'

  And, to the same purpose, 'Juvenal' speaking of the 'prating joy' ofmariners, after all their 'dangers are over':

  'Gaudent securi narrare pericula nautae.'

  Which suiting the case so well, you'll forgive me, Sir, for 'poppingdown' in 'English metre,' as the 'translative impulse' (pardon a newword, and yet we 'scholars' are not fond of 'authenticating new' words)came upon me 'uncalled for':

  The seaman, safe on shore, with joy doth tell What cruel dangers him at sea befell.

  With 'these,' Sir, and an 'hundred more' wise 'adages,' which I havealways at my 'fingers' end,' will I (when reduced to 'form' and 'method')entertain Miss; and as she is a 'well-read,' and (I might say, but forthis 'one' great error) a 'wise' young lady, I make no doubt but I shall'prevail' upon her, if not by 'mine own arguments,' by those of 'wits'and 'capacities' that have a 'congeniality' (as I may say) to 'her own,'to take to heart,

  ----Nor of the laws of fate complain, Since, though it has been cloudy, now't clears up again.----

  Oh! what 'wisdom' is there in these 'noble classical authors!' A 'wiseman' will (upon searching into them,) always find that they speak 'his'sense of 'men' and 'things.' Hence it is, that they so readily occur tomy 'memory' on every occasion--though this may look like 'vanity,' it istoo true to be omitted; and I see not why a man may not 'know thesethings of himself,' which 'every body' seeth and 'saith of him'; who,nevertheless, perhaps know not 'half so much as he,' in other matters.

  I know but of 'one objection,' Sir, that can lie against my going; andthat will arise from your kind 'care' and 'concern' for the 'safety of myperson,' in case that 'fierce' and 'terrible man,' the wicked Mr.Lovelace, (of whom every one standeth in fear,) should come cross me, ashe may be resolved to try once more to 'gain a footing in Miss'saffections': but I will trust in 'Providence' for 'my safety,' while Ishall be engaged in a 'cause so worthy of my function'; and the 'more'trust in it, as he is a 'learned man' as I am told.

  Strange too, that so 'vile a rake' (I hope he will never see this!)should be a 'learned man'; that is to say, that a 'learned man' may be a'sly sinner,' and take opportunities, 'as they come in his way'--which,however, I do assure you, 'I never did,'

  I repeat, that as he is a 'learned man,' I shall 'vest myself,' as I maysay, in 'classical armour'; beginning 'meekly' with him (for, Sir,'bravery' and 'meekness' are qualities 'very consistent with each other,'and in no persons so shiningly 'exert' themselves, as in the 'Christianpriesthood'; beginning 'meekly' with him, I say) from Ovid,

  'Corpora magnanimo satis est protrasse leoni:'

  So that, if I should not be safe behind the 'shield of mine ownprudence,' I certainly should be behind the 'shields' of the'ever-admirable classics': of 'Horace' particularly; who, being a 'rake'(and a 'jovial rake' too,) himself, must have great weight with all'learned rakes.'

  And who knoweth but I may be able to bring even this 'Goliath inwickedness,' although in 'person' but a 'little David' myself, (armedwith the 'slings' and 'stones' of the 'ancient sages,') to a due sense ofhis errors? And what a victory would that be!

  I could here, Sir, pursuing the allegory of David and Goliath, give yousome of the 'stones' ('hard arguments' may be called 'stones,' since they'knock down a pertinacious opponent') which I could 'pelt him with,' werehe to be wroth with me; and this in order to take from you, Sir, allapprehensions for my 'life,' or my 'bones'; but I forbear them till youdemand them of me, when I have the honour to attend you in person.

  And now, (my dear Sir,) what remaineth, but that having shown you (whatyet, I believe, you did not doubt) how 'well qualified' I am to attendthe lady with the 'olive-branch,' I beg of you to dispatch me with it'out of hand'? For if she be so 'very ill,' and if she should not liveto receive the grace, which (to my knowledge) all the 'worthy family'design her, how much will that grieve you all! And then, Sir, of whatavail will be the 'eulogies' you shall all, peradventure, join to give toher memory? For, as Martial wisely observeth,

  '---- Post cineres gloria sera venit.'

  Then, as 'Ausonius' layeth it down with 'equal propriety,' that 'thosefavours which are speedily conferred are the most grateful and obliging'----

  And to the same purpose Ovid:
/>   'Gratia ab officio, quod mora tar dat, abest.'

  And, Sir, whatever you do, let the 'lady's pardon' be as 'ample,' and as'cheerfully given,' as she can 'wish for it': that I may be able to tellher, that it hath your 'hands,' your 'countenances,' and your 'wholehearts,' with it--for, as the Latin verse hath it, (and I presume tothink I have not weakened its sense by my humble advice),

  'Dat bene, dat multum, qui dat cum munere vultum.'

  And now, Sir, when I survey this long letter,* (albeit I see itenamelled, as a 'beautiful meadow' is enamelled by the 'spring' or'summer' flowers, very glorious to behold!) I begin to be afraid that Imay have tired you; and the more likely, as I have written without that'method' or 'order,' which I think constituteth the 'beauty' of 'goodwriting': which 'method' or 'order,' nevertheless, may be the 'betterexcused' in a 'familiar epistle,' (as this may be called,) you pardoning,Sir, the 'familiarity' of the 'word'; but yet not altogether 'here,' Imust needs own; because this is 'a letter' and 'not a letter,' as I maysay; but a kind of 'short' and 'pithy discourse,' touching upon 'various'and 'sundry topics,' every one of which might be a 'fit theme' to enlargeupon of volumes; if this 'epistolary discourse' (then let me call it)should be pleasing to you, (as I am inclined to think it will, because ofthe 'sentiments' and 'aphorisms' of the 'wisest of the antients,' which'glitter through it' like so many dazzling 'sunbeams,') I will (at myleisure) work it up into a 'methodical discourse'; and perhaps may oneday print it, with a 'dedication' to my 'honoured patron,' (if, Sir, Ihave 'your' leave,) 'singly' at first, (but not till I have thrown out'anonymously,' two or three 'smaller things,' by the success of which Ishall have made myself of 'some account' in the 'commonwealth ofletters,') and afterwards in my 'works'--not for the 'vanity' of thething (however) I will say, but for the 'use' it may be of to the'public'; for, (as one well observeth,) 'though glory always followethvirtue, yet it should be considered only as its shadow.'

  * And here, by way of note, permit me to say, that no 'sermon' I evercomposed cost me half the 'pains' that this letter hath done--but I knewyour great 'appetite' after, as well as 'admiration' of, the 'antientwisdom,' which you so justly prefer to the 'modern'--and indeed I joinwith you to think, that the 'modern' is only 'borrowed,' (as the 'moon'doth its light from the 'sun,') at least, that we 'excel' them innothing; and that our 'best cogitations' may be found, generallyspeaking, more 'elegantly' dressed and expressed by them.

  'Contemnit laudem virtus, licet usque sequatur Gloria virtutem, corpus ut umbra suum.'

  A very pretty saying, and worthy of all men's admiration.

  And now, ('most worthy Sir,' my very good friend and patron,) referringthe whole to 'your's,' and to your 'two brothers,' and to 'young Mr.Harlowe's' consideration, and to the wise consideration of good 'MadamHarlowe,' and her excellent daughter, 'Miss Arabella Harlowe'; I take theliberty to subscribe myself, what I 'truly am,' and 'every shall delightto be,' in 'all cases,' and at 'all times,'

  Your and their most ready and obedientas well as faithful servant,ELIAS BRAND.