MR. LOVELACE TO MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE. M [Superscribed to Mrs. Lovelace.] M. Hall. Saturday night, June 24. Y DEAREST LIFE,-If you do not impute to love, and to terror raised by love, the poor figure I made before you last night, you will not do me justice. I thought I would try to the very last moment, if, by complying with you in everything, I could prevail upon you to promise to be mine on Thursday next, since you refused me an earlier day. Could I have been so happy, you had not been hindered going to Hampstead, or wherever else you pleased. But when I could not prevail upon you to give me this assurance, what room had I (my demerit so great) to suppose, that your going thither would not be to lose you for ever? I will not offer to defend myself, for wishing you to remain where you are, till either you give me your word to meet me at the altar on Thursday; or till I have the honour of attending you, preparative to the solemnity which will make that day the happiest of my life. The orders I have given to the people of the house are : that you shall be obeyed in every particular that is consistent with my expectations of finding you there on my return to town on Wednesday next: that Mrs. Sinclair, and her nieces, having incurred your just displeasure, shall not, without your orders, come into your presence: that neither shall Dorcas, till she has fully cleared her conduct to your satisfaction, be permitted to attend you: but Mabell in her place; of whom you seemed some time ago to express some liking. Will I have left behind me to attend your commands. If he be either negligent or impertinent, your dismission shall be a dismission of him from my service for ever. But, as to letters which may be sent you, or any which you may have to send, I must humbly entreat, that none such pass from or to you, for the few days that I shall be absent. But I do assure you, madam, that the seals of both sorts shall be sacred: and the letters, if such be sent, shall be given into your own hands the moment the ceremony is performed, or before, if you require it. Meantime I will enquire, and send you word, how Miss Howe does; and to what, if I can be informed, her long silence is owing. Dr. Perkins I found here, attending my lord, when I arrived with Dr. S. He acquaints me, that your father, mother, uncles, and the still less worthy persons of your family, are well; and intend to be all at your uncle Harlowe's next week; I presume, with intent to keep his anniversary. This can make no alteration, but a happy one, as to persons, on Thursday; because Mr. Tomlinson assured me, that, if anything fell out to hinder your uncle's coming up in person (which, however, he did not then expect) he would be satisfied if his friend the captain were proxy for him. I shall send a man and horse to-morrow to the captain, to be at greater certainty. I send this by a special messenger, who will wait your pleasure in relation to the impatiently-wished-for Thursday : which I humbly hope will be signified by a line. His lordship is exceeding ill. Dr. S. has no hopes of him. The only consolation I can have for the death of a relation who loves me so well, if he do die, must arise from the additional power it will put into my hands of showing how much I am, My dearest life, Your ever-affectionate and faithful MR. LOVELACE TO MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE. M [Superscribed to Mrs. Lovelace.] M. Hall. June 25. Y DEAREST LOVE,-I cannot find words to express how much I am mortified at the return of my messenger without a line from you. At present, revolving my poor behaviour of Friday night before you, I think I should sooner choose to go to my last audit, unprepared for it as I am, than to appear in your presence, unless you give me some hope, that I shall be received as your elected husband, rather than (however deserved) as a detested criminal. Let me therefore propose an expedient, in order to spare my own confusion; and to spare you the necessity for that soul-harrowing recrimination, which I cannot stand, and which must be disagreeable to yourself to name the church, and I will have everything in readiness; so that our next interview will be, in a manner, at the very altar; and then you will have the kind husband to forgive for the faults of the ungrateful lover. If your resentment be still too high to write more, let it only be in your own dear hand, these words, St. Martin's Church, Thursday-or these, St. Giles's Church, Thursday; nor will I insist upon any inscription or subscription, or so much as the initials of your name. This shall be all the favour I will expect, till the dear hand itself is given to mine, in presence of that Being whom I invoke as a witness of the inviolable faith and honour of Your adoring LOVELACE MR. LOVELACE TO MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE. [Superscribed to Mrs. Lovelace.] M. Hall. Monday, June 26. IN a letter sent by the messenger whom I despatch with this, I have desired, that my friend, Mr. Belford, who is your very great admirer, and who knows all the secrets of my heart, will wait upon you, to know what I am to depend upon, as to the chosen day. Relieve, I beseech you, dearest madam, by the four requested words, or by Mr. Belford, the anxiety of Your ever affectionate and obliged LOVELACE. MR. LOVELACE TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ. M. Hall. June 26. HOU wilt see the situation I am in with Miss Harlowe by the enclosed copies of my letters to her. my Now, Belford, as I really, in my present mood, think of nothing less than marrying her, if she let not Thursday slip; I would have thee attend her, in pursuance of the intimation I have given her in my letter of this date; and vow for me, swear for me, bind thy soul to her for honour, and use what arguments thy friendly heart can suggest, in order to procure me an answer from her; which, as thou wilt see, she may give in four words only. And then I purpose to leave Lord M. (dangerously ill as he is) and meet her at her appointed church, in order to solemnise if she will sign but Cl. H. to thy writing the four words, that shall do; for I would not come up to be made a fool of in the face of all my family and friends. If she should let the day go off;-I shall be desperate. I am entangled in my own devices, and cannot bear that she should detect me. O that I had been honest !-What a devil are all my plots come to! What do they end in, but one grand plot upon myself, and a title to eternal infamy and disgrace! But, depending on thy friendly offices, I will say no more of this.-Let her send me but one line!—but one line!— To treat me as unworthy of her notice; yet be altogether in my power-I cannot-I will not bear that. The doctors give Those who would not My lord, as I said, is extremely ill. him over. He gives himself over. have him die, are afraid he will die. am doubtful. But as to myself, I Thou wilt see in the inclosed what pains I am at to despatch messengers; who are constantly on the road to meet each other, and one of them to link in the chain with a fourth, whose station is in London, and five miles onward, or till met. But in truth, I have some other matters for them to perform at the same time, with my lord's banker and his lawyer; which will enable me, if his lordship is so good as to die this bout, to be an overmatch for some of my other relations. I don't mean Charlotte and Patty; for they are noble girls; but others, who have been scratching and clawing underground like so many moles in my absence; and whose workings I have discovered since I have been down, by the little heaps of dirt they have thrown up. A speedy account of thy commission, dear Jack! The letter travels all night. |