I must answer you, though against my own resolution. Every body loves
you; and you know they do. The very ground you walk upon is dear to most
of us. But how can we resolve to see you? There is no standing against
your looks and language. It is our loves makes us decline to see you.
How can we, when you are resolved not to do what we are resolved you
shall do? I never, for my part, loved any creature, as I loved you from
your infancy till now. And indeed, as I have often said, never was there
a young creature so deserving of our love. But what is come to you now!
Alas! alas! my dear kinswoman, how you fail in the trial!
I have read the letters you enclosed. At a proper time, I may shew them
to my brother and sister: but they will receive nothing from you at
present.
For my part, I could not read your letter to me, without being unmanned.
How can you be so unmoved yourself, yet so able to move every body
else? How could you send such a letter to Mr. Solmes? Fie upon you! How
strangely are you altered!
Then to treat your brother and sister as you did, that they don't care
to write to you, or to see you! Don't you know where it is written, That
soft answers turn away wrath? But if you will trust to you sharp-pointed
wit, you may wound. Yet a club will beat down a sword: And how can you
expect that they who are hurt by you will not hurt you again? Was this
the way you used to take to make us all adore you as we did?--No, it
was your gentleness of heart and manners, that made every body, even
strangers, at first sight, treat you as a lady, and call you a lady,
though not born one, while your elder sister had no such distinctions
paid her. If you were envied, why should you sharpen envy, and file up
its teeth to an edge?--You see I write like an impartial man, and as one
that loves you still.
But since you have displayed your talents, and spared nobody, and moved
every body, without being moved, you have but made us stand the closer
and firmer together. This is what I likened to an embattled phalanx,
once before. Your aunt Hervey forbids your writing for the same reason
that I must not countenance it. We are all afraid to see you, because we
know we shall be made as so many fools. Nay, your mother is so afraid
of you, that once or twice, when she thought you were coming to force
yourself into her presence, she shut the door, and locked herself in,
because she knew she must not see you upon your terms, and you are
resolved you will not see her upon hers.
Resolves but to oblige us all, my dearest Miss Clary, and you shall see
how we will clasp you every one by turns to our rejoicing hearts. If the
one man has not the wit, and the parts, and the person, of the other, no
one breathing has a worse heart than that other: and is not the love
of all your friends, and a sober man (if he be not so polished) to be
preferred to a debauchee, though ever so fine a man to look at? You have
such talents that you will be adored by the one: but the other has as
much advantage in those respects, as you have yourself, and will not set
by them one straw: for husbands are sometimes jealous of their authority
with witty wives. You will have in one, a man of virtue. Had you not
been so rudely affronting to him, he would have made your ears tingle
with what he could have told you of the other.
Come, my dear niece, let me have the honour of doing with you what no
body else yet has been able to do. Your father, mother, and I, will
divide the pleasure, and the honour, I will again call it, between us;
and all past offences shall be forgiven; and Mr. Solmes, we will engage,
shall take nothing amiss hereafter, of what has passed.
He knows, he says, what a jewel that man will have, who can obtain your
favour; and he will think light of all he has suffered, or shall suffer,
in obtaining you.
Dear, sweet creature, oblige us: and oblige us with a grace. It must be
done, whether with a grace or not. I do assure you it must. You must not
conquer father, mother, uncles, every body: depend upon that.
I have set up half the night to write this. You do not know how I
am touched at reading yours, and writing this. Yet will I be at
Harlowe-place early in the morning. So, upon reading this, if you will
oblige us all, send me word to come up to your apartment: and I will
lead you down, and present you to the embraces of every one: and you
will then see, you have more of a brother and sister in them both, than
of late your prejudices will let you think you have. This from one who
used to love to style himself,
Your paternal uncle, JOHN HARLOWE.
*****
In about an hour after this kind letter was given me, my uncle sent up
to know, if he should be a welcome visiter, upon the terms mentioned in
his letter? He bid Betty bring him down a verbal answer: a written one,
he said, would be a bad sign: and he bid her therefore not to bring a
letter. But I had just finished the enclosed transcription of one I had
been writing. She made a difficulty to carry it; but was prevailed upon
to oblige me by a token which these Mrs. Betty's cannot withstand.