Clarissa · Chapter
Letter 209: Mr. Lovelace, to John Belford, Esq. explained
Lovelace writes to Belford about his multiple plots concerning Clarissa, including a scheme to feign illness to test her compassion and love.
What happens
Lovelace writes to Belford about his multiple plots concerning Clarissa, including a scheme to feign illness to test her compassion and love. He recounts a past seduction of a French marquise and dismisses Sally Martin's accusations that he intends to marry Clarissa.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Appearance vs. Reality
Lovelace devises a plan to feign illness, manipulating appearances to test Clarissa's feelings.
Power and Manipulation
Lovelace boasts of his contrivances and aims to control Clarissa's responses through calculated schemes.
Libertinism and Morality
Lovelace recounts his seduction of a French marquise and dismisses moral concerns, reflecting libertine values.
Characters to notice
- Robert Lovelace
Author of the letter; boasts of his contrivances and plans to feign sickness to manipulate Clarissa.
- John Belford
Recipient of the letter; Lovelace addresses him as 'general' and confides his schemes.
- Clarissa Harlowe
Referred to as 'Gloriana' and 'my fair-one'; Lovelace plans to test her compassion and love through a feigned illness.
- Anna Howe
Mentioned in relation to a 'smuggling scheme' and Lovelace's concern that Clarissa might flee to her.
- Sally Martin
Accuses Lovelace of intending to marry Clarissa; he dismisses her as impertinent.
- Dorcas Wykes
Planned to represent Lovelace as very ill as part of his feigned sickness scheme.
Key passages
“Henceforth, O watchful fair-one, guard thee well: For I'll not kill thee there! nor there! nor there! But, by the zone that circles Venus' waist, I'll kill thee ev'ry where; yea, o'er and o'er.”
From now on, careful lady, protect yourself because I will not harm you in just one place but everywhere.
Lovelace adapts Shakespeare's Hector to threaten Clarissa with overwhelming seduction.
“I have so many contrivances rising up and crowding upon me for preference, with regard to my Gloriana, that I hardly know which to choose?”
I have so many schemes competing for my attention concerning Clarissa that I can barely decide which one to use.
Lovelace expresses his abundance of manipulative plans for Clarissa.
“Love hides a multitude of faults, and diminishes those it cannot hide.”
Love covers many flaws and lessens those it cannot conceal.
Lovelace rationalizes that if Clarissa shows love, it will excuse his future transgressions.