# Letter 456: Miss Howe, to Miss Clarissa Harlowe explained — Clarissa

> Chapter companion for Clarissa by Samuel Richardson.

## What happens

Anna Howe writes to Clarissa, recounting a conversation with Colonel Morden in which he praised Lovelace's supposed generosity. Anna vehemently defends Clarissa's innocence, arguing that Lovelace is the villain and Clarissa the innocent. She criticizes Morden's views on female virtue and the double standards of men. Anna also mentions preparing Morden for Clarissa's appointment of Belford as executor, and notes Morden's hope for a marriage between Clarissa and Lovelace. She touches on various other matters, including Clarissa's family's implacability and her own mother's illness, and expresses deep concern over Clarissa's recent letters.

## Themes in this chapter

### Female Agency and Virtue

Anna Howe passionately defends Clarissa's innocence and criticizes the double standards of men regarding female virtue.

### Deception and Appearance vs. Reality

Anna contrasts Lovelace's supposed generosity with his actual villainy, highlighting the gap between appearance and reality.

## Character check-ins

### Anna Howe

Writes the letter, recounting her conversation with Colonel Morden and defending Clarissa's virtue.

### Clarissa Harlowe

The recipient of the letter; Anna defends her innocence and discusses her situation.

### Colonel Morden

Discussed in the letter; praised Lovelace's generosity but Anna criticizes his views on female virtue.

### Robert Lovelace

Mentioned as the villain; Anna condemns his actions and notes his letter imploring Clarissa's pardon.

### John Belford

Mentioned as the person Clarissa appointed for an office, likely executor.

### Mr. Hickman

Mentioned in passing; Anna is offended with him at the moment.

## Key lines

> Mighty generous , I said, (were it as he supposed ), in such insolent reflectors, the best of them; who pretend to clear reputations which never had been sullied but by falling into their dirty acquaintance!

Anna sarcastically dismisses the idea that Lovelace's supposed generosity is praiseworthy, noting that such men only claim to clear reputations that were never tarnished until they became involved with them.

_Anna criticizes the hypocrisy of men who blame women for their own ruin._

> I never knew a man who deserved to be well thought of himself for his morals, who had a slight opinion of the virtue of our sex in general.

Anna asserts that men who hold women's virtue in low regard are themselves morally deficient.

_Anna defends the virtue of women against male skepticism._

> Your story, as I have heretofore said, will afford a warning as well as an example: For who is it that will not infer, that if a person of your fortune, character, and merit, could not escape ruin, after she had put herself into the power of her hyaena , what can a thoughtless, fond, giddy creature expect?

Anna says Clarissa's story will serve as both a warning and an example, as it shows that even a woman of high standing cannot escape ruin if she puts herself in a villain's power, so less cautious women have even less hope.

_Anna reflects on the broader moral lesson of Clarissa's experience._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/clarissa_se/chapters/letter-456-miss-howe-to-miss-clarissa-harlowe
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/clarissa_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/clarissa_se/chapters