MRS. NORTON, TO MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE
MONDAY, AUG. 14.
All your friends here, my dear young lady, now seem set upon proposing to
you to go to one of the plantations. This, I believe, is owing to some
misrepresentations of Mr. Brand; from whom they have received a letter.
I wish, with all my heart, that you could, consistently with your own
notions of honour, yield to the pressing requests of all Mr. Lovelace's
family in his behalf. This, I think, would stop every mouth; and, in
time, reconcile every body to you. For your own friends will not believe
that he is in earnest to marry you; and the hatred between the families
is such, that they will not condescend to inform themselves better; nor
would believe him, if he were ever so solemnly to avow that he is.
I should be very glad to have in readiness, upon occasion, some brief
particulars of your sad story under your own hand. But let me tell you,
at the same time, that no misrepresentations, nor even your own
confession, shall lessen my opinion either of your piety, or of your
prudence in essential points; because I know it was always your humble
way to make light faults heavy against yourself: and well might you, my
dearest young lady, aggravate your own failings, who have ever had so
few; and those few so slight, that your ingenuousness has turned most of
them into excellencies.
Nevertheless, let me advise you, my dear Miss Clary, to discountenance
any visits, which, with the censorious, may affect your character. As
that has not hitherto suffered by your wilful default, I hope you will
not, in a desponding negligence (satisfying yourself with a consciousness
of your own innocence) permit it to suffer. Difficult situations, you
know, my dear young lady, are the tests not only of prudence but of
virtue.
I think, I must own to you, that, since Mr. Brand's letter has been
received, I have a renewed prohibition to attend you. However, if you
will give me leave, that shall not detain me from you. Nor would I stay
for that leave, if I were not in hopes that, in this critical situation,
I may be able to do you service here.
I have often had messages and inquiries after your health from the
truly-reverend Dr. Lewen, who has always expressed, and still expresses,
infinite concern for you. He entirely disapproves of the measures of the
family with regard to you. He is too much indisposed to go abroad. But,
were he in good health, he would not, as I understand, visit at
Harlowe-place, having some time since been unhandsomely treated by your
brother, on his offering to mediate for you with your family.
***
I am just now informed that your cousin Morden is arrived in England. He
is at Canterbury, it seems, looking after some concerns he has there; and
is soon expected in these parts. Who knows what may arise from his
arrival? God be with you, my dearest Miss Clary, and be your comforter
and sustainer. And never fear but He will; for I am sure, I am very
sure, that you put your whole trust in Him.
And what, after all, is this world, on which we so much depend for
durable good, poor creatures that we are!--When all the joys of it, and
(what is a balancing comfort) all the troubles of it, are but momentary,
and vanish like a morning dream!
And be this remembered, my dearest young lady, that worldly joy claims no
kindred with the joys we are bid to aspire after. These latter we must
be fitted for by affliction and disappointment. You are therefore in the
direct road to glory, however thorny the path you are in. And I had
almost said, that it depends upon yourself, by your patience, and by your
resignedness to the dispensation, (God enabling you, who never fails the
true penitent, and sincere invoker,) to be an heir of a blessed
immortality.
But this glory, I humbly pray, that you may not be permitted to enter
into, ripe as you are so soon to be for it, till, with your gentle hand,
(a pleasure I have so often, as you now, promised to myself,) you have
closed the eyes of
Your maternally-affectionate
JUDITH NORTON.