THE HISTORY

OF

CLARISSA HARLOWE



LETTER I

MR. LOVELACE, TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ.
SAT. MIDNIGHT.


No rest, says a text that I once heard preached upon, to the wicked--and
I cannot close my eyes (yet only wanted to compound for half an hour in
an elbow-chair)--so must scribble on.

I parted with the Captain after another strong debate with him in
relation to what is to be the fate of this lady. As the fellow has an
excellent head, and would have made an eminent figure in any station of
life, had not his early days been tainted with a deep crime, and he
detected in it; and as he had the right side of the argument; I had a
good deal of difficulty with him; and at last brought myself to promise,
that if I could prevail upon her generously to forgive me, and to
reinstate me in her favour, I would make it my whole endeavour to get off
of my contrivances, as happily as I could; (only that Lady Betty and
Charlotte must come;) and then substituting him for her uncle's proxy,