This man, somehow or other, knows everything that passes in our family. My confinement; Hannah's dismission; and more of the resentments and resolutions of my father, uncles, and brother, than I can possibly know, and almost as soon as the things happen, which he tells me of. He cannot come at these intelligences fairly.

He is excessively uneasy upon what he hears; and his expressions both of love to me, and resentment to them, are very fervent. He solicits me, "to engage my honour to him, never to have Mr. Solmes."

I think I may fairly promise him that I will not.

He begs, "That I will not think he is endeavouring to make himself a merit at any man's expense, since he hopes to obtain my favour on the foot of his own; nor that he seeks to intimidate me into a consideration for him. But declares, that the treatment he meets with from my family is of such a nature, that he is perpetually reproached for not resenting it; and that as well by Lord M. and Lady Sarah, and Lady Betty, as by all his other friends and if he must have no hope from me, he cannot answer for what his despair will make him do."

Indeed, he says, "his relations, the ladies particularly, advise him to have recourse to a legal remedy: but how, he asks, can a man of honour go to law for verbal abuses given by people entitled to wear swords?"

You see, my dear, that my mother seems as apprehensive of mischief as myself; and has indirectly offered to let Shorey carry my answer to the letter he sent me before.

He is full of the favour of the ladies of his family to me: to whom, nevertheless, I am personally a stranger; except, that once I saw Miss Patty Montague at Mrs. Knollys's.

It is natural, I believe, for a person to be the more desirous of making new friends, in proportion as she loses the favour of old ones: yet had I rather appear amiable

in the eyes of my own relations, and in your eyes, than in those of all the world besides. But these four ladies of his family have such excellent characters, that one cannot but wish to be thought well of by them. Cannot there be a way to find out by Mrs. Fortescue's means, or by Mr. Hickman, who has some knowledge of Lord M. (covertly, however) what their opinions are of the present situation of things in our family; and of the little likelihood there is, that ever the alliance once approved of by them, can take effect?

I have answered his letters.

This is the substance of my letter:

I express my surprise at his knowing (and so early) all that passes here."

I assure him, That were there not such a man in the world as himself, I would not have Mr. Solmes."

I tell him, "That to return, as I understand he does, defiances for defiances, to my relations, is far from being a proof with me, either of his politeness, or of the consideration he pretends to have for me.

"That the moment I hear he visits any of my friends without their consent, I will make a resolution never to see him more, if I can help it."

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I apprise him, "that I am connived at in sending this letter (although no one has seen the contents) provided it shall be the last I will ever write to him: that I had more than once told him, that the single life was my choice; and this before Mr. Solmes was introduced as a visitor to our family that Mr. Wyerley, and other gentlemen, knew it to be my choice, before himself was acquainted with any of us that I had never been induced to receive a line from him on the subject, but that I thought he had not acted ungenerously by my brother; and yet had not been so handsomely treated by my friends, as he might have expected but that had he even my friends on his side, I should have very great objections to him, were I to get

over my choice of a single life, so really preferable to me as it is; and that I should have declared as much to him, had I regarded him as more than a common visitor. On all these accounts, I desire, that the one more letter, which I will allow him to deposit in the usual place, may be the very last; and that only, to acquaint me with his acquiescence that it shall be so; at least till happier times."

This last I put in, that he may not be quite desperate. But if he take me at my word, I shall be rid of one of my tormentors.

MISS HOWE TO MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE.

Thursday Night, March 9.

HAVE no patience with any of the people you

are with. I know not what to advise you to do.

How do you know, that you are not punishable for being the cause, though to your own loss, that the will of your grandfather is not complied with?

I allow of all your noble reasonings for what you did at the time but since such a charming, such a generous instance of filial duty is to go thus unrewarded, why should you not resume?

I would resume it. Indeed I would.

You will say, you cannot do it, while you are with them. I don't know that. Do you think they can use you worse than they do? And is it not your right? And do they not make use of your own generosity to oppress you? Your uncle Harlowe is one trustee; your cousin Morden. is the other insist upon your right to your uncle; and write to your cousin Morden about it. This, I dare say, will make them alter their behaviour to you.

Your insolent brother-what has he to do to control you?-Were it me (I wish it were for one month, and no more) I'd show him the difference. I would be in my own mansion, pursuing my charming schemes, and making all around me happy. I would set up my own chariot. I

VOL. I.

H

would visit them when they deserved it. But when my brother and sister gave themselves airs, I would let them know, that I was their sister, and not their servant: and, if that did not do, I would shut my gates against them; and bid them go, and be company for each other.

As to this odious Solmes, I wonder not at your aversion to him.

I was twice in this wretch's company. At one of the times your Lovelace was there.

Lovelace entertained the company in his lively gay way, and made everybody laugh at one of his stories. It was before this creature was thought of for you. Solmes laughed too. It was, however, his laugh for his first three years, at least, I imagine, must have been one continual fit of crying; and his muscles have never yet been able to recover a risible tone. His very smile is so little natural to his features, that it appears in him as hideous as the grin of a man in malice.

What a dreadful thing must even the love of such a husband be! For my part, were I his wife, I should never have comfort but in his absence, or when I was quarrelling with him. But how grievous and apprehensive a thing must it be for his wife, had she the least degree of delicacy, to catch herself in having done something to oblige him?

So much for his person as to the other half of him, he is said to be an insinuating, creeping mortal to anybody he hopes to be a gainer by: an insolent, overbearing one, where he has no such views.

My Kitty, from one of his domestics, tells me, that his tenants hate him: and that he never had a servant who spoke well of him. Vilely suspicious of their wronging him, he is always changing.

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His pockets, they say, are continually crammed with keys so that when he would treat a guest (a friend he has not out of your family) he is half as long puzzling

which is which, as his niggardly treat might be concluded in. And if it be wine, he always fetches it himself. Nor has he much trouble in doing so; for he has very few visitors-only those, whom business or necessity brings: for a gentleman who can help it, would rather be benighted, than put up at his house.

Yet this is the man they have found out (for considerations as sordid as those he is governed by) for a husband, that is to say, for a lord and master, for Miss Clarissa Harlowe !

Here my mother broke in upon me.

I cannot but think, Nancy, said she, after all, that there is a little hardship in Miss Harlowe's case: and yet (as her mother says) it is a grating thing to have a child, who was always noted for her duty in smaller points, to stand in opposition to her parents' will, in the greater; yea, in the greatest of all. And now, to meddle the matter between both, is a pity, that the man they favour has not that sort of merit which a person of a mind so delicate as that of Miss Harlowe might reasonably expect in a husband. But then, this man is surely preferable to a libertine to a libertine too, who has had a duel with her own brother: fathers and mothers must think so, were it not for that circumstance-And it is strange if they do not know best.

But you see, child, proceeded my mother, what a different behaviour mine is to you. I recommend to you one of the soberest, yet politest, men in England.—

I think little of my mother's politest, my dear. She judges of honest Hickman for her daughter, as she would have done, I suppose, twenty years ago, for herself.

Of a good family, continued my mother; a fine, clear, and improving estate (a prime consideration with my mother, as well as with some other folks, whom you know) : and I beg and I pray you to encourage him: at least, not to use him the worse, for his being so obsequious to you.