and honour, and reward you here
and hereafter for your kindness to

Your ever obliged and affectionate
CLARISSA HARLOWE.

LETTER LVI

MRS. NORTON, TO MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE
[IN ANSWER TO HER'S OF THURSDAY, AUGUST 24. SEE LETTER XXX. OF THIS
VOLUME.]
THURSDAY, AUG. 31.

I had written sooner, my dearest young lady, but that I have been
endeavouring, ever since the receipt of your last letter, to obtain a
private audience of your mother, in hopes of leave to communicate it to
her. But last night I was surprised by an invitation to breakfast at
Harlowe-place this morning; and the chariot came early to fetch me--an
honour I did not expect.

When I came, I found there was to be a meeting of all your family with
Col. Morden, at Harlowe-place; and it was proposed by your mother, and
consented to, that I should be present. Your cousin, I understand, had
with difficulty brought this meeting to bear; for your brother had before
industriously avoided all conversation with him on the affecting subject;
urging that it was not necessary to talk to Mr. Morden upon it, who,
being a remoter relation than themselves, had no business to make himself
a judge of their conduct to their daughter, their niece, and their
sister; especially as he had declared himself in her favour; adding, that
he should hardly have patience to be questioned by Mr. Morden on that
head.

I was in hopes that your mother would have given me an opportunity of
talking with her alone before the company met; but she seemed studiously
to avoid it; I dare say, however, not with her inclination.

I was ordered in just before Mr. Morden came; and was bid to sit down--
which I did in the window.

The Colonel, when he came, began the discourse, by renewing, as he called
it, his solicitations in your favour. He set before them your penitence;
your ill health; your virtue, though once betrayed, and basely used; he
then read to them Mr. Lovelace's letter, a most contrite one indeed,* and
your high-souled answer;** for that was what he justly called it; and he
treated as it deserved Mr. Brand's officious information, (of which I had
before heard he had made them ashamed,) by representations founded upon
inquiries made by Mr. Alston,*** whom he had procured to go up on purpose
to acquaint himself with your manner of life, and what was meant by the
visits of that Mr. Belford.

* See Vol. VII. LXXIX.
** Ibid. Letter LXXXIII.
*** See Vol. VIII. Letter XXIII.