me) desire to see any of the jewels, and were
I not able to produce them, it would amount to a demonstration of an
intention which would have a guilty appearance to them.

FRIDAY, ONE O'CLOCK, IN THE WOOD-HOUSE.

No letter yet from this man! I have luckily deposited my parcel, and
have your letter of last night. If Robert take this without the parcel,
pray let him return immediately for it. But he cannot miss it, I think:
and must conclude that it is put there for him to take away. You may
believe, from the contents of yours, that I shall immediately write
again.--

CLARISSA HARLOWE.

LETTER XXVI

MISS HOWE, TO MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE THURSDAY NIGHT, MARCH 30.

The fruits of my inquiry after your abominable wretch's behaviour and
baseness at the paltry alehouse, which he calls an inn, prepare to hear.

Wrens and sparrows are not too ignoble a quarry for this villainous
gos-hawk!--His assiduities; his watchings; his nightly risques; the
inclement weather he journeys in; must not be all placed to your
account. He has opportunities of making every thing light to him of
that sort. A sweet pretty girl, I am told--innocent till he went
thither--Now! (Ah! poor girl!) who knows what?

But just turned of seventeen!--His friend and brother-rake (a man of
humour and intrigue) as I am told, to share the social bottle with.
And sometimes another disguised rake or two. No sorrow comes near their
hearts. Be not disturbed, my dear, at his hoarsenesses! his pretty,
Betsey, his Rosebud, as the vile wretch calls her, can hear all he says.

He is very fond of her. They say she is innocent even yet--her father,
her grandmother, believe her to be so. He is to fortune her out to a
young lover!--Ah! the poor young lover!--Ah! the poor simple girl!

Mr. Hickman tells me, that he heard in town, that he used to be often
at plays, and at the opera, with women; and every time with a different
one--Ah! my sweet friend!--But I hope he is nothing to you, if all this
were truth.--But this intelligence, in relation to this poor girl, will
do his business, if you had been ever so good friends before.

A vile wretch! Cannot such purity in pursuit, in view, restrain him? but
I leave him to you!--There can be no hope of him. More of a fool,
than of such a man. Yet I wish I may be able to snatch the poor young
creature out of his villainous paws. I have laid a scheme to do so; if
indeed she be hitherto innocent and heart-free.

He appea