LETTER LXIII
MRS. NORTON, TO MISS CLARISSA HARLOWEMONDAY NIGHT, JULY 3.
O the barbarous villany of this detestable man! And is there a man inthe world who could offer violence to so sweet a creature!
And are you sure you are now out of his reach?
You command me to keep secret the particulars of the vile treatment youhave met with; or else, upon an unexpected visit which Miss Harlowefavoured me with, soon after I had received your melancholy letter, Ishould have been tempted to own I had heard from you, and to havecommunicated to her such parts of your two letters as would havedemonstrated your penitence, and your earnestness to obtain therevocation of your father's malediction, as well as his protection fromoutrages that may still be offered to you. But then your sister wouldprobably have expected a sight of the letters, and even to have beenpermitted to take them with her to the family.
Yet they must one day be acquainted with the sad story:--and it isimpossible but they must pity you, and forgive you, when they know yourearly penitence, and your unprecedented sufferings; and that you havefallen by the brutal force of a barbarous ravisher, and not by the vilearts of a seducing lover.
The wicked man gives it out at Lord M.'s, as Miss Harlowe tells me, thathe is actually married to you--yet she believes it not: nor had I theheart to let her know the truth.
She put it close to me, Whether I had not corresponded with you from thetime of your going away? I could safely tell her, (as I did,) that I hadnot: but I said, that I was well informed, that you took extremely toheart your father's imprecation; and that, if she would excuse me, Iwould say it would be a kind and sisterly part, if she would use herinterest to get you discharged from it.
Among other severe things, she told me, that my partial fondness for youmade me very little consider the honour of the rest of the family: but,if I had not heard this from you, she supposed I was set on by Miss Howe.
She expressed herself with a good deal of bitterness against that younglady: who, it seems, every where, and to every body, (for you must thinkthat your story is the subject of all conversations,) rails against yourfamily; treating them, as your sister says, with contempt, and even withridicule.
I am sorry such angry freedoms are taken, for two reasons; first, becausesuch liberties never do any good. I have heard you own, that Miss Howehas a satirical vein; but I should hope that a young lady of her sense,and right cast of mind, must know that the end of satire is not toexasperate, but amend; and should never be personal. If it be, as mygood father used to say, it may make an impartial person suspect that thesatirist has a natural spleen to gratify; which may be as great a faultin him, as any of those which he pretends to censure and expose inothers.
Perhaps a hint of this from you will not be thrown away.
My second reason is, That these freedoms, from so warm a friend to you asMiss Howe is known to be, are most likely to be charged to your account.
My resentments are so strong against this vilest of men, that I dare nottouch upon the shocking particulars which you mention of his baseness.What defence, indeed, could there be against so determined a wretch,after you was in his power? I will only repeat my earnest supplicationto you, that, black as appearances are, you will not despair. Yourcalamities are exceeding great; but then you have talents proportioned toyour trials. This every body allows.
Suppose the worst, and that your family will not be moved in your favour,your cousin Morden will soon arrive, as Miss Harlowe told me. If heshould even be got over to their side, he will however see justice doneyou; and then may you live an exemplary life, making hundreds happy, andteaching young ladies to shun the snares in which you have been sodreadfully entangled.
As to the man you have lost, is an union with such a perjured heart ashis, with such an admirable one as your's, to be wished for? A base,low-hearted wretch, as you justly call him, with all his pride ofancestry; and more an enemy to himself with regard to his present andfuture happiness than to you, in the barbarous and ungrateful wrongs hehas done you: I need not, I am sure, exhort you to despise such a man asthis, since not to be able to do so, would be a reflection upon a sex towhich you have always been an honour.
Your moral character is untainted: the very nature of your sufferings, asyou will observe, demonstrates that. Cheer up, therefore, your dearheart, and do not despair; for is it not GOD who governs the world, andpermits some things, and directs others, as He pleases? and will He notreward temporary sufferings, innocently incurred, and piously supported,with eternal felicity?--And what, my dear, is this poor needle's point ofNOW to a boundless eternity?
My heart, however, labours under a double affliction: For my poor boy isvery, very bad--a violent fever--nor can it be brought to intermit.--Prayfor him, my dearest Miss--for his recovery, if God see fit.--I hope Godwill see fit--if not (how can I bear to suppose that!) Pray for me, thathe will give me that patience and resignation which I have been wishingto you. I am, my dearest young lady,
Your ever affectionateJUDITH NORTON.