iches were, are, and always
will be, his predominant passion. His were left him by a miser, on this
very account: and I must be obliged to forego all the choice delights
of my life, and be as mean as he, or else be quite unhappy. Pardon, Sir,
this severity of expression--one is apt to say more than one would of
a person one dislikes, when more is said in his favour than he can
possibly deserve; and when he is urged to my acceptance with so much
vehemence, that there is no choice left me.

Whether these things be perfectly so, or not, while I think they are,
it is impossible I should ever look upon Mr. Solmes in the light he is
offered to me. Nay, were he to be proved ten times better than I have
represented him, and sincerely think him; yet would he be still ten
times more disagreeable to me than any other man I know in the world.
Let me therefore beseech you, Sir, to become an advocate for your niece,
that she may not be made a victim to a man so highly disgustful to her.

You and my other uncle can do a great deal for me, if you please, with
my papa. Be persuaded, Sir, that I am not governed by obstinacy in this
case; but by aversion; an aversion I cannot overcome: for, if I have but
endeavoured to reason with myself, (out of regard to the duty I owe
to my father's will,) my heart has recoiled, and I have been averse to
myself, for offering but to argue with myself, in behalf of a man who,
in the light he appears to me, has no one merit; and who, knowing this
aversion, could not persevere as he does, if he had the spirit of a man.

If, Sir, you can think of the contents of this letter reasonable, I
beseech you to support them with your interest. If not--I shall be most
unhappy!--Nevertheless, it is but just in me so to write, as that Mr.
Solmes may know what he has to trust to.

Forgive, dear Sir, this tedious letter; and suffer it to have weight
with you; and you will for ever oblige

Your dutiful and affectionate niece,

CL. HARLOWE.

***

MR. ANTONY HARLOWE, TO MISS CL. HARLOWE

NIECE CLARY,

You had better not write to us, or to any of us. To me, particularly,
you had better never to have set pen to paper, on the subject whereon
you have written. He that is first in his own cause, saith the wise man,
seemeth just: but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him. And so, in
this respect, I will be your neighbour: for I will search your heart to
the bottom; that is to say, if your letter be written from y