By which they may provoke a young woman, said I, to do rash things,
which otherwise she would not do.
But, if it be a rash thing, [returned she,] should she do it? A prudent
daughter will not wilfully err, because her parents err, if they were to
err: if she do, the world which blames the parents, will not acquit the
child. All that can be said, in extenuation of a daughter's error in
this case, arises from a kind consideration, which Miss Clary's letter
to Lady Drayton pleads for, to be paid to her daughter's youth and
inexperience. And will such an admirable young person as Miss Clarissa
Harlowe, whose prudence, as we see, qualifies her to be an advisor of
persons much older than herself, take shelter under so poor a covert?
Let her know, Nancy, out of hand, what I say; and I charge you to
represent farther to her, That let he dislike one man and approve
of another ever so much, it will be expected of a young lady of her
unbounded generosity and greatness of mind, that she should deny herself
when she can oblige all her family by so doing--no less than ten or a
dozen perhaps the nearest and dearest to her of all the persons in the
world, an indulgent father and mother at the head of them. It may be
fancy only on her side; but parents look deeper: And will not Miss
Clarissa Harlowe give up her fancy to her parents' judgment?
I said a great deal upon this judgment subject: all that you could wish
I should say; and all that your extraordinary case allowed me to say.
And my mother was so sensible of the force of it, that she charged me
not to write to you any part of my answer to what she said; but only
what she herself had advanced; lest, in so critical a case, it should
induce you to take measures which might give us both reason (me for
giving it, you for following it) to repent it as long as we lived.
And thus, my dear, have I set my mother's arguments before you. And the
rather, as I cannot myself tell what to advise you to do--you know best
your own heart; and what that will let you do.
Robin undertakes to deposit this very early, that you may have an
opportunity to receive it by your first morning airing.