ast effort.'

And indeed, my dear, this must have succeeded, I verily think, with such
a daughter as they had to deal with, could that father, who never, I
dare say, kneeled in his life but to his God, have so far condescended
as your aunt writes he would.

But then, my dear, what would this have done?--Perhaps you would
have given Lovelace this meeting, in hopes to pacify him, and prevent
mischief; supposing that they had given you time, and not hurried you
directly into the state. But if you had not met him, you see that he was
resolved to visit them, and well attended too: and what must have been
the consequence?

So that, upon the whole, we know not but matters may be best as they
are, however disagreeable that best is.

I hope your considerate and thoughtful mind will make a good use of
this hint. Who would not with patience sustain even a great evil, if she
could persuade herself that it was kindly dispensed, in order to prevent
a still greater?--Especially, if she could sit down, as you can, and
acquit her own heart?

Permit me one further observation--Do we not see, from the above state
of the matter, what might have been done before by the worthy person
of your family, had she exerted the mother, in behalf of a child so
meritorious, yet so much oppressed?

Adieu, my dear. I will be ever yours. ANNA HOWE.

*****

[Clarissa, in her answer to the first of the two last letters, chides
her friend for giving so little weight to her advice, in relation to her
behaviour to her mother. It may be proper to insert here the
following extracts from that answer, though a little before the time.]

You assume, my dear, says she, your usual and ever-agreeable style in
what you write of the two gentlemen,* and how unaptly you think they
have chosen; Mr. Hickman in addressing you, Mr. Lovelace me. But I am
inclinable to believe that, with a view to happiness, however two mild
tempers might agree, two high ones would make sad work of it, both at
one time violent and unyielding. You two might, indeed, have raqueted
the ball betwixt you, as you say.** But Mr. Hickman, by his gentle
manners, seems formed for you, if you go not too far with him. If you
do, it would be a tameness in him to bear it, which would make a man
more contemptible than Mr. Hickman can ever deserve to be made. Nor is
it a disgrace for even a brave man, who knows what a woman is to vow to
him afterwards, to be very obsequious beforehand.