Clarissa Harlowe by Samuel Richardson (e reader manga .txt) π
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Clarissa Harlowe, or The History of a Young Lady is one of the longest novels in the English language. Written by Samuel Richardson over a period of several years and published in 1748, it is composed entirely of letters. Though this may seem daunting, the novel is highly regarded and is considered by many critics as one of the greatest works of English literature, appearing in several lists of the best British novels ever written.
The novel tells the story of young Clarissa, eighteen years of age at the start of the novel. She is generally regarded by her family, neighbors, and friends as the most virtuous and kind young woman they know. But she is drawn into correspondence with Richard Lovelace, a well-born, rich young man regarded as something of a rake, when she attempts to reconcile a dispute between Lovelace and her rash brother. Lovelace, imagining this indicates her love for him, carries out a series of strategems which result in him essentially abducting her from her family, from whom Clarissa then becomes estranged.
Much of the correspondence consists of the letters between Clarissa and her close friend Anna Howe, and between Lovelace and his friend Jack Belford, to whom he confesses all of his strategems and βinventionsβ in his assault on Clarissaβs honor.
The novel is thus a fascinating study of human nature. Much of Lovelaceβs actions and attitudes towards women are regrettably only too familiar to modern readers. And while Clarissa herself may be a little too good to be true, nevertheless she is shown as having some flaws which lead to a tragic outcome.
This Standard Ebooks edition is based on the 9-volume Chapman and Hall edition of 1902.
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- Author: Samuel Richardson
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See Letter 329. β©
See Letter 332. β©
See Letter 328. β©
Those parts of this letter which are marked with an angle quote (thus βΉ) were afterwards transcribed by Miss Howe in Letter 373 written to the Ladies of Mr. Lovelaceβs family; and are thus distinguished to avoid the necessity of repeating them in that letter. β©
See Letter 318. β©
See Letter 308. β©
See Letter 144. β©
This was erroneously given as Thursday in the original. ββ Editor β©
See Letter 343. β©
See Letter 360. β©
She takes in the time that she appointed to meet Mr. Lovelace. β©
Letters 364, 365, 366. β©
See Letter 365. β©
See Letter 365. β©
See Letter 364. β©
Mr. Lovelace could not know, that the lady was so thoroughly sensible of the solidity of this doctrine, as she really was: for, in her letter to Mrs. Norton, (Letter 362), she saysβ ββNor let it be imagined, that my present turn of mind proceeds from gloominess or melancholy: for although it was brought on by disappointment, (the world showing me early, even at my first rushing into it, its true and ugly face), yet I hope, that it has obtained a better root, and will every day more and more, by its fruits, demonstrate to me, and to all my friends, that it has.β β©
In Lithuania, the women are said to have so allowedly their gallants, called adjutores, that the husbands hardly ever enter upon any part of pleasure without them. β©
See Letter 208. β©
See Letter 366. β©
See Letter 364. β©
See Letter 364 and Letter 386. β©
See Letter 366. β©
See Letter 366. β©
See Letter 80. β©
Dr. Lewen. β©
See Letter 373. β©
See Letter 359. β©
See Miss Harloweβs Letter 386. β©
See Letter 386. β©
See the paragraph marked with an angle quote (thus βΉ), Letter 388. β©
In the fire-scene,Letter 225. β©
Letter 281 in the penknife-scene. β©
See Letter 402. β©
1.
A letter from Miss Montague, datedAug. 1.
2.
A copy of my answerAug. 3.
3.
Mr. Belfordβs Letter to me, which will show you what my request was to him, and his compliance with it; and the desired extracts from his friendβs lettersAug. 3, 4.
4.
A copy of my answer, with thanks; and requesting him to undertake the executor-shipAug. 4.
5.
Mr. Belfordβs acceptance of the trustAug. 4.
6.
Miss Montagueβs letter, with a generous offer from Lord M. and the Ladies of that familyAug. 7.
7.
Mr. Lovelaceβs to meAug. 7.
8.
Copy of mine to Miss Montague, in answer to hers of the day beforeAug. 8.
9.
Copy of my answer to Mr. LovelaceAug. 11.
β©
See Letter 32. β©
1.
A copy of mine to my sister, begging off my fatherβs malediction
dated July 21
2.
My sisterβs answer
dated July 27
3.
Copy of my second letter to my sister
dated July 29
4.
My sisterβs answer
dated Aug. 3
5.
Copy of my Letter to my mother
dated Aug. 5
6.
My uncle Harloweβs letter
dated Aug. 7
7.
Copy of my answer to it
dated the 10th
8.
Letter from my uncle Antony
dated the 12th
9.
And lastly, the copy of my answer to it
dated the 13th
β©
She means that of making Mr. Belford her executor. β©
For what these gentlemen mean by the Roman style, see Letter 31 in the first note. β©
See Letter 399. β©
Textual error: was shown in original as Aug. 15. ββ Editor β©
Mr. Belfordβs objections, That virtue ought not to suffer in a tragedy, is not well considered: Monimia in the Orphean, Belvidera in Venice Preserved, Athenais in Theodosius, Cordelia in Shakespeareβs King Lear, Desdemona in Othello, Hamlet, (to name no more), are instances that a tragedy could hardly be justly called a tragedy, if virtue did not temporarily suffer, and vice for a while triumph. But he recovers himself in the same paragraph; and leads us to look up to the future for the reward of virtue, and for the punishment of guilt: and observes not amiss, when he says, He knows not but that the virtue of such a woman as Clarissa is rewarded in missing such a man as Lovelace. β©
See Letter 429. β©
The Rev Mr. Norris, of Bremerton. β©
Madam Maintenon was reported to have prevailed upon Louis XIV of France, in his old age, (sunk, as he was, by ill success in the field), to marry her, by way of compounding with his conscience for the freedoms of his past life, to which she attributed his public losses. β©
This man came from her cousin Morden; as will be seen hereafter, Letters 455 and 459. β©
Letter 429. β©
Explained in Letter 431. β©
The stiff visit this good divine was prevailed upon to make her, as mentioned in Letter 75 (of which, however, she was too generous to remind him) might warrant the lady to think that he had rather inclined to their party, as to the parental side, than to hers. β©
See Letter 407.
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