MISS HOWE, TO MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE
SATURDAY, MAY 20.
I did not know, my dear, that you deferred giving an answer to Mr.
Lovelace's proposals till you had my opinion of them. A particular hand,
occasionally going to town, will leave this at Wilson's, that no delay
may be made on that account.
I never had any doubt of the man's justice and generosity in matters of
settlement; and all his relations are as noble in their spirits as in
their descent; but now, it may not be amiss for you to wait, to see what
returns my Lord makes to his letter of invitation.
The scheme I think of is this:
There is a person, whom I believe you have seen with me, her name
Townsend, who is a great dealer in Indian silks, Brussels and French
laces, cambricks, linen, and other valuable goods; which she has a way
of coming at duty-free; and has a great vend for them (and for other
curiosities which she imports) in the private families of the gentry
round us.
She has her days of being in town, and then is at a chamber she rents at
an inn in Southwark, where she keeps patterns of all her silks, and much
of her portable goods, for the conveniency of her London customers. But
her place of residence, and where she has her principal warehouse, is at
Depford, for the opportunity of getting her goods on shore.
She was first brought to me by my mother, to whom she was recommended on
the supposal of my speedy marriage, 'that I might have an opportunity to
be as fine as a princess,' was my mother's expression, 'at a moderate
expense.'
Now, my dear, I must own, that I do not love to encourage these
contraband traders. What is it, but bidding defiance to the laws of our
country, when we do, and hurting fair traders; and at the same time
robbing our prince of his legal due, to the diminution of those duties
which possibly must be made good by new levities upon the public?
But, however, Mrs. Townsend and I, though I have not yet had dealings
with her, are upon a very good foot of understanding. She is a sensible
woman; she has been abroad, and often goes abroad in the way of her
business, and gives very entertaining accounts of all she has seen.
And having applied to me to recommend her to you, (as it is her view to
be known to young ladies who are likely to change their condition,) I am
sure I can engage her to give you protection at her house at Deptford;
which she says is a populous village, and one of the last, I should
think, in which you would be sought for. She is not much there, you will
believe, by the course of her dealings, but, no doubt, must have somebody
on the spot, in whom she can confide: and there, perhaps, you might be
safe till your cousin comes. And I should not think it amiss that you
write to him out of hand. I cannot suggest to you what you should write.
That must be left to your own discretion. For you will be afraid, no
doubt, of the consequence of a variance between the two men.
But, notwithstanding all this, and were I sure of getting you safely out
of his hands, I will nevertheless forgive you, were you to make all up
with him, and marry to-morrow. Yet I will proceed with my projected
scheme in relation to Mrs. Townsend; though I hope there will be no
occasion to prosecute it, since your prospects seem to be changed, and
since you have had twenty-four not unhappy hours together. How my
indignation rises for this poor consolation in the courtship [courtship
must I call it?] of such a woman! let me tell you, my dear, that were you
once your own absolute and independent mistress, I should be tempted,
notwithstanding all I have written, to wish you to be the wife of any man
in the world, rather than the wife either of Lovelace or of Solmes.
Mrs. Townsend, as I have recollected, has two brothers, each a master of
a vessel; and who knows, as she and they have concerns together, but
that, in case of need, you may have a whole ship's crew at your devotion?
If Lovelace give you cause to leave him, take no thought for the people
at Harlowe-place. Let them take care of one another. It is a care they
are used to. The law will help to secure them. The wretch is no
assassin, no night-murderer. He is an open, because a fearless enemy;
and should he attempt any thing that would make him obnoxious to the laws
of society, you might have a fair riddance of him, either by flight or
the gallows; no matter which.
Had you not been so minute in your account of the circumstances that
attended the opportunity you had of overhearing the dialogue between Mr.
Lovelace and two of the women, I should have thought the conference
contrived on purpose for your ear.
I showed Mr. Lovelace's proposals to Mr. Hickman, who had chambers once
in Lincoln's-inn, being designed for the law, had his elder brother
lived. He looked so wise, so proud, and so important, upon the occasion;
and wanted to take so much consideration about them--Would take them home
if I pleased--and weigh them well--and so forth--and the like--and all
that--that I had no patience with him, and snatched them back with anger.