Clarissa · Chapter
Letter 306: Miss Cl. Harlowe, to Lady Betty Lawrance explained
Clarissa writes to Lady Betty Lawrance, thanking her for her kind letter but firmly declining her offered mediation.
What happens
Clarissa writes to Lady Betty Lawrance, thanking her for her kind letter but firmly declining her offered mediation. She explains that she was initially drawn to Lovelace by the honor of being related to such virtuous ladies and by the hope of reclaiming him, but she has been grievously mistaken. She details his treachery: tricking her into eloping, taking her to a vile London house, a wicked attempt that led her to escape to Hampstead, and then using two women disguised as Lady Betty and Miss Montague to betray her back to the brothel, where she was robbed of her senses and honor. She lists his forgeries and perjuries, declares she can never marry him, and accepts her own blame for corresponding with him against her family's commands. She hopes only that he may reform and that she may be his last victim.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Appearance vs. Reality
Lovelace's use of forged letters and impersonated ladies to betray Clarissa highlights the theme of deceptive appearances.
Suffering and Redemption
Clarissa frames her suffering as punishment for her disobedience, hoping to serve as a warning and perhaps find redemption through her ordeal.
Female Agency and Virtue
Clarissa asserts her agency by rejecting Lovelace and Lady Betty's mediation, while defending her virtue despite her ruin.
Characters to notice
- Clarissa Harlowe
Writes to Lady Betty, recounting Lovelace's betrayals and her own regrets.
- Robert Lovelace
Accused of trickery, forgery, perjury, and the rape of Clarissa.
- Lady Betty Lawrance
Recipient of the letter; Clarissa thanks her but declines her mediation.
- Miss Charlotte Montague
Mentioned as one of the ladies impersonated to betray Clarissa.
- Lord M.
Mentioned as having a letter forged by Lovelace.
Key passages
“I had another motive, which I knew would of itself give me merit with your whole family; a presumptuous one, (a punishably presumptuous one, as it has proved), in the hope that I might be an humble mean in the hand of Providence to reclaim a man, who had, as I thought, good sense enough to acknowledge the intended obligation, whether the generous hope were to succeed or not.”
Clarissa admits she hoped to reform Lovelace, a presumptuous goal that has backfired disastrously.
Clarissa reflects on her initial, naive intention to save Lovelace from his vices.
“for while I was endeavouring to save a drowning wretch, I have been, not accidentally, but premeditatedly, and of set purpose, drawn in after him.”
While trying to rescue Lovelace, Clarissa was deliberately pulled into ruin alongside him.
Clarissa uses a metaphor to describe how Lovelace's calculated actions dragged her down.
“That after he had compulsorily, as I may say, tricked me into the act of going off with him, he could carry me to one of the vilest houses, as it proved, in London: That he could be guilty of a wicked attempt, in resentment of which, I found means to escape from him to Hampstead: That, after he had found me out there (I know not how) he could procure two women, dressed out richly, to personate your Ladyship and Miss Montague; who, under pretence of engaging me to make a visit in town to your cousin Leeson, (promising to return with me that evening to Hampstead), betrayed me back again to the vile house: where, again made a prisoner, I was first robbed of my senses; and then of my honour.”
Clarissa recounts how Lovelace tricked her into eloping, took her to a brothel, she escaped to Hampstead, and then he used disguised women to lure her back, where she was drugged and raped.
This is Clarissa's detailed accusation of Lovelace's scheme leading to her rape.
