Letters 167-175 dated May 2nd through May 9th Summary

Mr. Lovelace tells John Belford that Clarissa did not like the varlets, but Mr. Lovelace is curious to know their opinion of her. Her dislike and distrust for Miss Partington and so many other things annoy him very much. He is very pleased that Mrs. Howe has forbidden correspondence between Clarissa and Miss Howe, regardless of Clarissa's despair over the fact. Mr. Belford, along with Mr. Belton, Mr. Mowbray and Mr. Tourville, praise Clarissa and defend her dislikes as rational and insightful. They anger Mr. Lovelace by their urges for Mr. Lovelace to marry Clarissa and to stop thinking about ruining her. He does not believe that Clarissa loves him and feels it necessary to prove her virtue. He laments that if he does conquer her, no future conquest...