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Other reasons for my taking the do better. Then I shall stay here step I have hinted at, are these: no longer than till I can receive

This wicked man knows I have your answer to this: in which you no friend in the world but you: will be pleased to let me know, if your neighbourhood therefore I cannot be hid, according to would be the first he would seek your former contrivance [happy, for me in, were you to think it had I given into it at the time!] possible for me to be concealed in by Mrs. Townsend's assistance, it: and in this case you might till the heat of his search be over. be subjected to inconveniences The Deptford road, I imagine, greater even than those which you will be the right direction to hear have already sustained on my ac- of a passage, and to get safely aboard.

count.

From my cousin Morden, were all unchained, and permitted to O why was the great fiend of he to come, I could not hope protection; since, by his letter to assume so specious a form, and me, it is evident, that my brother yet allowed to conceal his feet has engaged him in his party; nor he was ready to trample upon my and his talons, till with the one would I, by any means, subject honour, and to strike the other so worthy a man to danger; as might be the case, from the vio- into my heart! And what had I lence of this ungovernable spirit. done, that he should be let loose particularly upon me! These things considered, what Forgive me this murmuring better method can I take, than to question, the effect of my imgo abroad to some one of the patience, my guilty impatience, I English colonies; where nobody doubt: for, as I have escaped but yourself shall know any thing with my honour, and nothing but of me; nor you, let me tell you, my worldly prospects, and my presently, nor till I am fixed, and pride, my ambition, and my (if it please God) in a course of vanity, have suffered in this wreck living tolerably to my mind? For of my hopefuller fortunes, may I it is no small part of my concern, not still be more happy than I that my indiscretions have laid so deserve to be? And is it not in my heavy a tax upon you, my dear own power still by the divine friend, to whom, once, I hoped favour, to secure the great stake to give more pleasure than pain. of all? And who knows but that I am at present at one Mrs. this very path into which my inMoore's at Hampstead. My heart consideration has thrown me, misgave me at coming to this vil- strewed as it is with briers and lage, because I had been here thorns, which tear in pieces my with him more than once: but the gaudier trappings, may not be coach hither was so ready a con- the right path to lead me into the veniency, that I knew not what to great road to my future happi

ness; which might have been en- | too, did hear me (I know they did) dangered by evil communication? cry out for help: if the fire had And after all, are there not been other than a villainous plot still more deserving persons than (although in the morning, to I, who never failed in any capital blind them, I pretended to think point of duty, that have been more it otherwise) they would have humbled than myself; and some been alarmed as much as I; and too, by the errors of parents and have run in, hearing me scream, relations, by the tricks and base- to comfort me, supposing my terror ness of guardians and trustees, was the fire; to relieve me, suppoand in which their own rashness sing it were any thing else. But or folly had no part? the vile Dorcas went away as I will then endeavour to make soon as she saw the wretch throw his arms about me! the best of my present lot. And join with me, my best, my friend, in praying, that my punishment may end here; and that my present afflictions may be sanctified to me.

Bless me,

only my dear, I had only my slippers and an under-petticoat on. I was frighted out of my bed, by her cries of fire; and that I should be burnt to ashes in a moment - and she to go away, and never to reThis letter will enable you to turn, nor any body else! And yet account for a line or two, which II heard women's voices in the next sent to Wilson's to be carried to room; indeed I did an evident you, only for a feint, to get his contrivance of them all: God servant out of the way. He seemed be praised, I am out of their to be left, as I thought, for a spy house! upon me. But he returning too My terror is not yet over: I can soon, I was forced to write a few hardly think myself safe: every lines for him to carry to his master, well-dressed man I see from my to a tavern near Doctors' Com- windows, whether on horseback or mons, with the same view: and on foot, I think to be him. this happily answered my end.

I know you will expedite an I wrote early in the morning a answer. A man and horse will be bitter letter to the wretch, which procured me to-morrow early to I left for him obvious enough: and carry this. To be sure, you canI suppose he has it by this time. not return an answer by the same I kept no copy of it. I shall re- man, because you must see Mrs. collect the contents, and give you Townsend first: nevertheless, I the particulars of all, at more shall wait with impatience till you leisure. can; having no friend but you to I am sure you will approve of apply to; and being such a stranmy escape the rather, as the ger to this part of the world, that people of the house must be very I know not which way to turn myvile: for they, and that Dorcas | self; whither to go; nor what to do

what a dreadful hand have I watched as to have made it nemade of it! cessary, I would, after such an Mrs. Moore, at whose house I instance of the connivance of the am, is a widow, and of good cha-women of the house, have run out racter: and of this one of her into the street, and thrown myself neighbours, of whom I bought a into the next house I could have handkerchief, purposely to make entered, or claimed protection enquiry before I would venture, from the first person I had met. informed me. Women to desert the cause of a poor

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I will not set my foot out of creature of their own sex, in such a doors, till I have your direction: situation, what must they be! and I am the more secure, having Then, such a poor guilty sort of dropt words to the people of the figures did they make in the morhouse where the coach set me ning after he was gone out down, as if I expected a chariot to earnest to get me up stairs, and to meet me in my way to Hendon; a convince me, by the scorched winvillage a little distance from this. dow-boards, and burnt curtains And when I left their house, I and vallens, that the fire was realwalked backward and forward that (although I seemed to believe upon the hill; at first, not knowing all they would have me believe) I what to do; and afterwards, to be was more and more resolved to get certain that I was not watched out of their house at all advenbefore I ventured to enquire after a lodging.

tures.

When I began, I thought to You will direct for me, my dear, write but a few lines. But, be my by the name of Mrs. Harriet subject what it will, I know not Lucas. how to conclude when I write to Had I not made my escape when you. It was always so: it is not I did, I was resolved to attempt it therefore owing peculiarly to that again and again. He was gone most interesting and unhappy to the Commons for a licence, as situation, which you will allow, he wrote me word; for I refused to however, to engross at present the see him, notwithstanding the whole mind of promise he extorted from me.

How hard, how next to impossible, my dear, to avoid many lesser deviations, when we are betrayed into a capital one!

Your unhappy, but ever affectionate,

CLARISSA HAarlowe.

LETTER VI.

Mr. Lovelace to John Belford, Esq.

Friday morning, past two o'clock.

For fear I should not get away at my first effort, I had apprised him, that I would not set eye upon him under a week, in order to gain lo triumphe! Io Clarissa, sing! myself time for it in different ways Once more what a happy man thy and were I so to have been friend! - A silly dear novice, to

be heard to tell the coachman in my clothes: and it has made me whither to carry her! And to go so much alive, that, midnight as it to Hampstead, of all the villages is, I have sent for a Blunt's chariot, about London! The place to attend me here by day dawn, where we had been together more with my usual coachman, if posthan once! sible; and knowing not else what Methinks I am sorry she ma- to do with myself, I sat down, and, naged no better! — I shall find the in the joy of my heart, have not recovery of her too easy a task, I only written thus far, but have fear! Had she but known how concluded upon the measures I much difficulty enhances the value shall take when admitted to her of any thing with me, and had she presence: for well am I aware of had the least notion of obliging difficulties I shall have to conme by it, she would never have tend with from her perverseness. stopt short at Hampstead, surely. Well, but after all this exultation, thou wilt ask, 'If I have already got back my charmer?' I have not: but knowing where she is, is almost the same thing as having her in my power. And it delights me to think how she will have so ordered matters, that her start and tremble when I first pop ladiship cannot stur but I must upon her! How she will look with have notice of her goins and conscious guilt, that will more than comins. As I knowed I dursted wipe off my guilt of Wednesday not look into your honner's fase, night, when she sees her injured if I had not found out my lady, lover and acknowledged husband, thoff she was gone off the prems's from whom, the greatest of felo- in a quarter of an hour, as a man nies, she would have stolen herself. may; so I knowed you would be

HONNORED SUR,

THIS is to sertifie your honner, as how I am heer at Hamestet, wher I have found out my lady to be in logins at one Mrs. Moore's, near upon Hamestet-Hethe. And I

But_thou_wilt be impatient to glad at hart to know I had found know how I came by my lights. her out; and so I send this Petur Read the inclosed here, and re- Patrick, who is to have 5 shillins, member the instructions which it being now near 12 of the clock from time to time, as I have told at nite; for he would not sturwiththee, I have given my fellow, in out a hearty drink too besides; apprehension of such an elope- and I was willing all shulde be ment; and that will tell thee all, snug likeways at the logins before and what I may reasonably expect I sent. from the rascal's diligence and management, if he wishes ever to see my face again.

I received it about half an hour ago, just as I was going to lie down

I have munny of youre honner's; but I thought as how if the man was payed by me beforend, he mought play trix; so left that to your honner.

My lady knows nothing of my calls them, 'tis plain, were wrote being hereaway. But I thoute it for no other purpose but to send best not to leve the plase, because him out of the way with them, and she has taken the logins but for a one of them to amuse me. directed to Miss Howe is only

fue nites.

That

If your honner come to the this: Upper Flax, I will be in site all the Thursday, June 8. day about the Tapp-house or the I WRITE this, my dear Miss Howe, Hethe. I have borroued another only for a feint, and to see if it cote, instead of your honner's will go current. I shall write at liferie, and a blacke wigg; so large very soon, if not miserably cannot be knoen by my lady, iff as prevented!!! CL. H. howe she shuld see me: and have made as if I had the toothe-ake, so Now, Jack, will not her feints, with my hancriffe at my mothe, justify mine! Does she not invade the teth which your honner was my province, thinkest thou? And pleased to bett out with your hon- is it not now fairly come to who ner's fyste, and my damn'd wide shall most deceive and cheat the mothe, as your honner notifys it other? So, I thank my stars, we to be, cannot be knoen to be are upon a par, at last, as to this mine. point which is a great ease to The two inner letters I had my conscience, thou must believe. from my lady, before she went And if what Hudibras tells us is off the prems's. One was to be true, the dear fugitive has also left at Mr. Wilson's for Miss abundance of pleasure to come. Howe. The next was to be for

your honner. But I knoed you was not at the plase directed; and being afear'd of what fell out, so I kept them for your honner, and so could not give um to you, until I seed you. Miss How's only made belief to her ladiship as I carried it, and sed as how there was nothing left for hur, as shee wished to knoe: so here they be. bothe.

I am, may it please your honner, Your honner's most dutiful, and, wonce more, happy

In being cheated, as to cheat.
As lookers-on find most delight,
Who least perceive the juggler's sleight;
The more admire the sleight of hand.
And still the less they understand,

Doubtless the pleasure is as great,

This is my dear juggler's letter to me; the other inner letter sent by Will.

MR. LOVELACE, Thursday, June 8. Do not give me cause to dread your return. If you would not that I should hate you for ever, send me half a line by the bearer, to assure me that you will not attempt to see me for a week to come. I cannot look you in the The two inner letters, as Will face without equal confusion and

servant,

WM. SUMMERS.

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