t that a woman so perfect can never be
displeased with her husband but to his disgrace: For who will blame her?
--Another reason why a LOVELACE should not wish to marry a CLARISSA.

But what a pretty fellow of an uncle is this foolish peer, to think of
making a wife independent of her emperor, and a rebel of course; yet
smarted himself for an error of this kind!

My beloved, in her torn paper, mentions but two hundred pounds a year,
for her separate use. I insisted upon her naming a larger sum. She said
it might be three; and I, for fear she should suspect very large offers,
named only five; but added the entire disposal of all arrears in her
father's hands for the benefit of Mrs. Norton, or whom she pleased.

She said, that the good woman would be uneasy if any thing more than a
competency were done for her. She was more for suiting all her
dispositions of this kind, she said, to the usual way of life of the
person. To go beyond it, was but to put the benefited upon projects,
or to make them awkward in a new state; when they might shine in that to
which they were accustomed. And to put it into so good a mother's power
to give her son a beginning in his business at a proper time; yet to
leave her something for herself, to set her above want, or above the
necessity of taking back from her child what she had been enabled to
bestow upon him; would be the height of such a worthy parent's ambition.

Here's prudence! Here's judgment in so young a creature! How do I hate
the Harlowes for producing such an angel!--O why, why, did she refuse my
sincere address to tie the knot before we came to this house!

But yet, what mortifies my pride is, that this exalted creature, if I
were to marry her, would not be governed in her behaviour to me by love,
but by generosity merely, or by blind duty; and had rather live single,
than be mine.

I cannot bear this. I would have the woman whom I honour with my name,
if ever I confer this honour upon any, forego even her superior duties
for me. I would have her look after me when I go out as far as she can
see me, as my Rosebud after her Johnny; and meet me at my return with
rapture. I would be the subject of her dreams, as well as of her waking
thoughts. I would have her think every moment lost that is not passed
with me: sing to me, read to me, play to me when I pleased: no joy so
great as in obeying me. When I should be inclined to love, overwhelm me
with it; when to be seri