w spirit. A promise is
an obligation. A just man will keep his promise, a generous man will go
beyond it.--This is my rule.

If you doubt my honour to your young lady, it is more than she does. She
would not stay with me an hour if she did. Mine is the steadiest
heart in the world. Hast thou not reason to think it so? Why this
squeamishness then, honest Joseph?

But it is because thou art honest--so I forgive thee. Whoever loves my
divine Clarissa, loves me.

Let James Harlowe call me what names he will, for his sister's sake I
will bear them. Do not be concerned for me; her favour will make me rich
amends; his own vilely malicious heart will make his blood boil over
at any time; and when it does, thinkest thou that I will let it touch
thine? Ah! Joseph, Joseph! what a foolish teaser is thy conscience! Such
a conscience as gives a plain man trouble, when he intends to do for the
best, is weakness, not conscience.

But say what thou wilt, write all thou knowest or hearest of to me, I'll
have patience with every body. Why should I not, when it is as much the
desire of my heart, as it is of thine, to prevent mischief?

So now, Joseph, having taken all this pains to satisfy thy conscience,
and answer all thy doubts, and to banish all thy fears, let me come to a
new point.

Your endeavours and mine, which were designed, by round-about ways, to
reconcile all, even against the wills of the most obstinate, have
not, we see answered the end we hoped they would answer; but, on the
contrary, have widened the differences between our families. But this
has not been either your fault or mine: it is owing to the black,
pitch-like blood of your venomous-hearted young master, boiling over, as
he owns, that our honest wishes have hitherto been frustrated.

Yet we must proceed in the same course. We shall tire them out in time,
and they will propose terms; and when they do, they shall find out how
reasonable mine shall be, little as they deserve from me.

Persevere, therefore, Joseph, honest Joseph, persevere; and unlikely as
you may imagine the means, our desires will at last be obtained.

We have nothing for it now, but to go through with our work in the way
we have begun. For since (as I told you in my last) my beloved mistrusts
you, she will blow you up, if she be not mine; if she be, I can, and
will, protect you; and as, if there will be any fault, in her opinion,
it will be rather mine than yours, she must forgive you, and