Your pertly-answered uncle John, who is your trustee, will not have
you be destitute. But we hope all is not true that we hear of you.
--Only take care, I advise you, that, bad as you have acted, you
act not still worse, if it be possible to act worse. Improve upon
the hint.



LETTER IV

MISS CL. HARLOWE, TO ANTONY HARLOWE, ESQ.
SUNDAY, AUG. 13.


HONOURED SIR,

I am very sorry for my pert letter to my uncle Harlowe. Yet I did not
intend it to be pert. People new to misfortune may be too easily moved
to impatience.

The fall of a regular person, no doubt, is dreadful and inexcusable.
is like the sin of apostacy. Would to Heaven, however, that I had had
the circumstances of mine inquired into!

If, Sir, I make myself worse than I am in my health, and better than I am
in my penitence, it is fit I should be punished for my double
dissimulation: and you have the pleasure of being one of my punishers.
My sincerity in both respects will, however, be best justified by the
event. To that I refer.--May Heaven give you always as much comfort in
reflecting upon the reprobation I have met with, as you seem to have