It would not be amiss for the sex to know what our opinions are upon this subject.  I love to warn them.  I wish no man to succeed with them but myself.  I told thee once, that though a rake, I am not a rake’s friend.*

* See Vol.  III.  Letter XVIII.

Thou sayest, that I ever hated wedlock.  And true thou sayest.  And yet as true, when thou tellest me, that I would rather marry than lose this lady.  And will she detest me for ever, thinkest thou, if I try her, and succeed not?—­Take care—­take care, Jack!—­Seest thou not that thou warnest me that I do not try without resolving to conquer?

I must add, that I have for some time been convinced that I have done wrong to scribble to thee so freely as I have done (and the more so, if I make the lady legally mine); for has not every letter I have written to thee been a bill of indictment against myself?  I may partly curse my vanity for it; and I think I will refrain for the future; for thou art really very impertinent.

A good man, I own, might urge many of the things thou urgest; but, by my soul, they come very awkwardly from thee.  And thou must be sensible, that I can answer every tittle of what you writest, upon the foot of the maxims we have long held and pursued.—­By the specimen above, thou wilt see that I can.

And pr’ythee tell me, Jack, what but this that follows would have been the epitome of mine and my beloved’s story, after ten years’ cohabitation, had I never written to thee upon the subject, and had I not been my own accuser?

’Robert Lovelace, a notorious woman-eater, makes his addresses in an honourable way to Miss Clarissa Harlowe; a young lady of the highest merit—­fortunes on both sides out of the question.

’After encouragement given, he is insulted by her violent brother; who thinks it his interest to discountenance the match; and who at last challenging him, is obliged to take his worthless life at his hands.

’The family, as much enraged, as if he had taken the life he gave, insult him personally, and find out an odious lover for the young lady.

’To avoid a forced marriage, she is prevailed upon to take a step which throws her into Mr. Lovelace’s protection.

’Yet, disclaiming any passion for him, she repeatedly offers to renounce him for ever, if, on that condition, her relations will receive her, and free her from the address of the man she hates.

’Mr. Lovelace, a man of strong passions, and, as some say, of great pride, thinks himself under very little obligation to her on this account; and not being naturally fond of marriage, and having so much reason to hate her relations, endeavours to prevail upon her to live with him what he calls the life of honour; and at last, by stratagem, art, and contrivance, prevails.