I thank you, my dear, for the draughts of your two letters which were intercepted by this horrid man.  I see the great advantage they were of to him, in the prosecution of his villanous designs against the poor wretch whom he had so long made the sport of his abhorred inventions.

Let me repeat, that I am quite sick of life; and of an earth, in which innocent and benevolent spirits are sure to be considered as aliens, and to be made sufferers by the genuine sons and daughters of that earth.

How unhappy, that those letters only which could have acquainted me with his horrid views, and armed me against them, and against the vileness of the base women, should fall into his hands!—­Unhappier still, in that my very escape to Hampstead gave him the opportunity of receiving them.

Nevertheless, I cannot but still wonder, how it was possible for that Tomlinson to know what passed between Mr. Hickman and my uncle Harlowe:* a circumstance which gave the vile impostor most of his credit with me.

* See the note in Letter LXX. of this volume.

How the wicked wretch himself could find me out at Hampstead, must also remain wholly a mystery to me.  He may glory in his contrivances—­he, who has more wickedness than wit, may glory in his contrivances!—­But, after all, I shall, I humbly presume to hope, be happy, when he, poor wretch, will be—­alas!—­who can say what!——­

Adieu, my dearest friend!—­May you be happy!—­And then your Clarissa cannot be wholly miserable!

End of Vol. 6.