MISS HOWE, TO MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE
SAT. SUNDAY, MAY 20, 21.
Now, my dear, for the promised subject. You must not ask me how I came
by the originals [such they really are] that I am going to present you
with: for my mother would not read to me those parts of your uncle's
letter which bore hard upon myself, and which leave him without any title
to mercy from me: nor would she let me hear but what she pleased of her's
in answer; for she has condescended to answer him--with a denial,
however; but such a denial as no one but an old bachelor would take from
a widow.
Any body, except myself, who could have been acquainted with such a
fal-lal courtship as this must have been had it proceeded, would have
been glad it had gone on: and I dare say, but for the saucy daughter, it
had. My good mamma, in that case, would have been ten years the younger
for it, perhaps: and, could I but have approved of it, I should have been
considered by her as if ten years older than I am: since, very likely, it
would have been: 'We widows, my dear, know not how to keep men at a
distance--so as to give them pain, in order to try their love.--You must
advise me, child: you must teach me to be cruel--yet not too cruel
neither--so as to make a man heartless, who has no time, God wot, to
throw away.'--Then would my behaviour to Mr. Hickman have been better
liked; and my mother would have bridled like her daughter.
O my dear, how might we have been diverted by the practisings for the
recovery of the long forgottens! could I have been sure that it would
have been in my power to have put them asunder, in the Irish style,
before they had come together. But there's no trusting to the widow
whose goods and chattels are in her own hands, addressed by an old
bachelor who has fine things, and offers to leave her ten thousand pounds
better than he found her, and sole mistress, besides, of all her
notables! for these, as you will see by-and-by, are his proposals.
The old Triton's address carries the writer's marks upon the very
subscription--To the equally amiable and worthy admired [there's for
you!] Mrs. ANABELLA HOWE, widow, the last word added, I suppose as
Esquire to a man, as a word of honour; or for fear the bella to Anna,
should not enough distinguish the person meant from the spinster: [vain
hussy you'll call me, I know:] And then follows;--These humbly present.
--Put down as a memorandum, I presume, to make a leg, and behave
handsomely at presenting it, he intending, very probably, to deliver it
himself.