ilty aggressor; and let no one say,
Clarissa Harlowe is now amply revenged in his fall; or, in the case of
your's, (which Heaven avert!) that her fault, instead of being buried in
her grave, is perpetuated, and aggravated, by a loss far greater than
that of herself.

Often, Sir, has the more guilty been the vanquisher of the less. An Earl
of Shrewsbury, in the reign of Charles II. as I have read, endeavouring
to revenge the greatest injury that man can do to man, met with his death
at Barn-Elms, from the hand of the ignoble Duke who had vilely
dishonoured him. Nor can it be thought an unequal dispensation, were it
generally to happen that the usurper of the Divine prerogative should be
punished for his presumption by the man whom he sought to destroy, and
who, however previously criminal, is put, in this case, upon a necessary
act of self-defence.

May Heaven protect you, Sir, in all your ways; and, once more, I pray,
reward you for all your kindness to me! A kindness so worthy of your
heart, and so exceedingly grateful to mine: that of seeking to make
peace, and to reconcile parents to a once-beloved child; uncles to a
niece late their favourite; and a brother and sister to a sister whom
once they thought not unworthy of that tender relation. A kindness so
greatly preferable to the vengeance of a murdering sword.

Be a comforter, dear Sir, to my honoured parents, as you have been to me;
and may we, through the Divine goodness to us both, meet in that blessed
eternity, into which, as I humbly trust, I shall have entered when you
will read this.

So prays, and to her latest hour will pray, my dear Cousin Morden, my
friend, my guardian, but not my avenger--[dear Sir! remember that!--]

Your ever-affectionate and obliged
CLARISSA HARLOWE.

LETTER XLV

COLONEL MORDEN, TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 23.

DEAR SIR,

I am very sorry that any thing you have heard I have said should give you
uneasiness.

I am obliged to you for the letters you have communicated to me; and
still further for your promise to favour me with others occasionally.

All that relates to my dear cousin I shall be glad to see, be it from
whom it will.

I leave to your own discretion, what may or may not be proper for Miss
Howe to see from a pen so free as mine.

I admire her spirit. Were she a man, do you think, Sir, she, at this
time, would have your advice to take upon such a subject as that upon
which you write?

F