‘Errare est hominis, sed non persistere——­’

And will own, that I was very ‘rash’ to take up with ‘conjectures’ and ‘consequences’ drawn from ‘probabilites,’ where (especially) the ‘character’ of so ‘fine a lady’ was concerned.

      ‘Credere fallacy gravis est dementia famae.’  Mant.

Notwithstanding, Miss Clarissa Harlowe (I must be bold to say) is the ‘only young lady,’ that ever I heard of (or indeed read of) that, ’having made such a false step,’ so ‘soon’ (of ‘her own accord,’ as I may say) ‘recovered’ herself, and conquered her ‘love of the deceiver’; (a great conquest indeed!) and who flieth him, and resolveth to ‘die,’ rather than to be his; which now, to her never-dying ‘honour’ (I am well assured) is the case—­and, in ‘justice’ to her, I am now ready to take to myself (with no small vexation) that of Ovid,

      ‘Heu! patior telis vulnera facta meis.’

But yet I do insist upon it, that all ‘that part’ of my ‘information,’ which I took upon mine own ‘personal inquiry,’ which is what relates to Mr.  ‘Belford’ and ‘his character,’ is ‘literally true’; for there is not any where to be met with a man of a more ‘libertine character’ as to ‘women,’ Mr.  ‘Lovelace’ excepted, than he beareth.

And so, Sir, I must desire of you, that you will not let ‘any blame’ lie upon my ‘intention’; since you see how ready I am to ‘accuse myself’ of too lightly giving ear to a ‘rash information’ (not knowing it to be so, however):  for I depended the more upon it, as the ‘people I had it from’ are very ‘sober,’ and live in the ‘fear of God’:  and indeed when I wait upon you, you will see by their letter, that they must be ‘conscientious’ good people:  wherefore, Sir, let me be entitled, from ’all your good family,’ to that of my last-named poet,

      ‘Aspera confesso verba remitte reo.’

And now, Sir, (what is much more becoming of my ‘function,’) let me, instead of appearing with the ‘face of an accuser,’ and a ’rash censurer,’ (which in my ‘heart’ I have not ‘deserved’ to be thought,) assume the character of a ‘reconciler’; and propose (by way of ‘penance’ to myself for my ‘fault’) to be sent up as a ‘messenger of peace’ to the ‘pious young lady’; for they write me word ‘absolutely’ (and, I believe in my heart, ‘truly’) that the ‘doctors’ have ‘given her over,’ and that she ‘cannot live.’  Alas! alas! what a sad thing would that be, if the ‘poor bough,’ that was only designed (as I ‘very well know,’ and am ‘fully assured’) ‘to be bent, should be broken!’

Let it not, dear Sir, seem to the ‘world’ that there was any thing in your ‘resentments’ (which, while meant for ‘reclaiming,’ were just and fit) that hath the ‘appearance’ of ‘violence,’ and ‘fierce wrath,’ and ‘inexorability’; (as it would look to some, if carried to extremity, after ‘repentance’ and ‘contrition,’ and ‘humiliation,’ on the ’fair offender’s’ side:) for all this while (it seemeth) she hat been a ’second Magdalen’ in her ‘penitence,’ and yet not so bad as a ‘Magdalen’ in her ‘faults’; (faulty, nevertheless, as she hath been once, the Lord knoweth!