unless you give leave.

Adieu, my dearest friend. Be happy: and hundreds will then be happy of
consequence. Inexpressibly so, I am sure, will then be

Your ever affectionate
ANNA HOWE.

LETTER X

MISS HOWE, TO MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE
SUNDAY NIGHT, JULY 16.

MY DEAREST FRIEND,

Why should you permit a mind, so much devoted to your service, to labour
under such an impatience as you must know it would labour under, for want
of an answer to a letter of such consequence to you, and therefore to me,
as was mine of Thursday night?--Rogers told me, on Thursday, you were so
ill; your letter sent by him was so melancholy!--Yet you must be ill
indeed, if you could not write something to such a letter; were it but a
line, to say you would write as soon as you could. Sure you have
received it. The master of your nearest post-office will pawn his
reputation that it went safe: I gave him particular charge of it.

God send me good news of your health, of your ability to write; and then
I will chide you--indeed I will--as I never yet did chide you.

I suppose your excuse will be, that the subject required consideration--
Lord! my dear, so it might; but you have so right a mind, and the matter
in question is so obvious, that you could not want half an hour to
determine.--Then you intended, probably, to wait Collins's call for your
letter as on to-morrow!--Suppose something were to happen, as it did on
Friday, that he should not be able to go to town to-morrow?--How, child,
could you serve me so!--I know not how to leave off scolding you!

Dear, honest Collins, make haste: he will: he will. He sets out, and
travels all night: for I have told him, that the dearest friend I have in
the world has it in her own choice to be happy, and to make me so; and
that the letter he will bring from her will assure it to me.

I have ordered him to go directly (without stopping at the
Saracen's-head-inn) to you at your lodgings. Matters are now in so good
a way, that he safely may.

Your expected letter is ready written I hope: if it can be not, he will
call for it at your hour.

You can't be so happy as you deserve to be: but I doubt not that you will
be as happy as you can; that is, that you will choose to put yourself
instantly into Lady Betty's protection. If you would not have the wretch
for your own sake; have him you must, for mine, for your family's, for
your honour's, sake!--Dear, honest Collins, make haste! make haste!