# Letter 173: Miss Clarissa Harlowe, to Miss Howe explained — Clarissa

> Chapter companion for Clarissa by Samuel Richardson.

## What happens

Clarissa writes to Anna Howe, expressing her discontent with Lovelace's vanity and pride, and detailing her grim outlook. She mentions receiving her clothes but not her money or books, only a Drexelius on Eternity, Practice of Piety, and Francis Spira, sent by her brother to point her toward death and despair. She encloses a letter from her cousin Colonel Morden, who warns her against marrying a libertine like Lovelace, urging her to comply with her parents' wishes and marry Mr. Solmes for the sake of duty and family harmony.

## Themes in this chapter

### Female Agency and Virtue

Clarissa asserts her moral judgment by critiquing Lovelace's pride and vanity, and grapples with the pressure to obey her family versus her own inclinations.

### Libertinism and Morality

Colonel Morden's letter provides a detailed condemnation of libertines, warning Clarissa of the moral dangers and degradation associated with marrying a rake like Lovelace.

### Family Obligation and Rebellion

Clarissa is torn between her family's demand that she marry Solmes and her own resistance, as highlighted by Colonel Morden's plea for filial duty.

## Character check-ins

### Clarissa Harlowe

Writes to Anna Howe, expressing her disappointment in Lovelace and her despair over her situation.

### Robert Lovelace

Criticized by Clarissa for his vanity, pride, and lack of genuine tenderness; his character is further condemned in Colonel Morden's letter.

### Anna Howe

Recipient of Clarissa's letter; thanked for sending Mr. Hickman's letter.

### Mr. Hickman

His letter is mentioned as having been sent to Clarissa via Anna Howe.

### Colonel Morden

Writes a letter from Florence warning Clarissa against Lovelace and urging her to obey her parents.

### Mr. Solmes

Referenced as the suitor Clarissa's family prefers; Colonel Morden advises her to marry him.

## Key lines

> He is constantly accusing me of over-scrupulousness. He says, 'I am always out of humour with him: that I could not have behaved more reservedly to Mr. Solmes: and that it is contrary to all his hopes and notions, that he should not, in so long a time, find himself able to inspire the person, whom he hoped so soon to have the honour to call his, with the least distinguishing tenderness for him beforehand.'

Lovelace complains that Clarissa is too scrupulous and cold toward him, treating him as reservedly as she did Solmes, and that she has not shown him any special affection despite his hopes.

_Clarissa reports Lovelace's accusations of her being overly cautious and lacking tenderness._

> The man who is fond of being thought more or better than he is, as I have often observed, but provokes a scrutiny into his pretensions; and that generally produces contempt. For pride, as I believe I have heretofore said, is an infallible sign of weakness; of something wrong in the head or in both.

A person who wants to be seen as greater than they are invites close examination, which usually leads to disdain, because pride reveals weakness or foolishness.

_Clarissa reflects on pride as a sign of weakness, criticizing Lovelace's vanity._

> They were brought me on Thursday; but neither my few guineas with them, nor any of my books, except a Drexelius on Eternity, the good old Practice of Piety, and a Francis Spira. My brother's wit, I suppose. He thinks he does well to point out death and despair to me.

Her clothes arrived on Thursday, but without her money or most of her books—only religious texts about death and despair, sent by her brother as a cruel joke.

_Clarissa notes the spiteful selection of books sent by her brother to remind her of mortality and hopelessness._

> A libertine, my dear cousin, a plotting, an intriguing libertine, must be generally remorseless — unjust he must always be. The noble rule of doing to others what he would have done to himself is the first rule he breaks; and every day he breaks it; the oftener, the greater his triumph.

A libertine is inherently remorseless and unjust, constantly violating the golden rule, and takes pride in doing so.

_Colonel Morden warns Clarissa about the moral corruption of libertines._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/clarissa_se/chapters/letter-173-miss-clarissa-harlowe-to-miss-howe
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/clarissa_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/clarissa_se/chapters