LETTER XXVIII
MRS. NORTON, TO MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE[IN ANSWER TO HER'S OF THURSDAY, AUG. 17.*]TUESDAY, AUG. 22.
* See Letter VI. of this volume.
MY DEAREST YOUNG LADY,
The letters you sent me I now return by the hand that brings you this.
It is impossible for me to express how much I have been affected by them,and by your last of the 17th. Indeed, my dear Miss Clary, you are veryharshly used; indeed you are! And if you should be taken from us, whatgrief and what punishment are not treasuring up against themselves in theheavy reflections which their rash censures and unforgivingness willoccasion them!
But I find to what your uncle Antony's cruel letter is owing, as well asone you will be still more afflicted by, [God help you, my poor dearchild!] when it comes to your hand, written by your sister, withproposals to you.*
* See Letter XXVI. ibid.
It was finished to send you yesterday, I know; and I apprize you of it,that you should fortify your heart against the contents of it.
The motives which incline them all to this severity, if well grounded,would authorize any severity they could express, and which, while theybelieve them to be so, both they and you are to be equally pitied.
They are owning to the information of that officious Mr. Brand, who hasacquainted them (from some enemy of your's in the neighbourhood aboutyou) that visits are made you, highly censurable, by a man of a freecharacter, and an intimate of Mr. Lovelace; who is often in private withyou; sometimes twice or thrice a day.
Betty gives herself great liberties of speech upon this occasion, and allyour friends are too ready to believe that things are not as they shouldbe; which makes me wish that, let the gentleman's views be ever sohonourable, you could entirely drop acquaintance with him.
Something of this nature was hinted at by Betty to me before, but sodarkly that I could not tell what to make of it; and this made me mentionto you so generally as I did in my last.
Your cousin Morden has been among them. He is exceedingly concerned foryour misfortunes; and as they will not believe Mr. Lovelace would marryyou, he is determined to go to Lord M.'s, in order to inform himself fromMr. Lovelace's own mouth, whether he intends to do you that justice ornot.
He was extremely caressed by every one at his first arrival; but I amtold there is some little coldness between them and him at present.
I was in hopes of getting a sight of this letter of Mr. Brand: (a rashofficious man!) but it seems Mr. Morden had it given him yesterday toread, and he took it away with him.
God be your comfort, my dear Miss! But indeed I am exceedingly disturbedat the thoughts of what may still be the issue of all these things. Iam, my beloved young lady,
Your most affectionate and faithfulJUDITH NORTON.