Richardson, Samuel.  Clarissa, or, The History of a Young Lady.  Ed. Angus Ross.  (1747-48)  London: Penguin, 1985, 2004. 
35        Preface            : notable comment by ‘editor’ that L and JB are reasonable beings, or consider themselves so; editors’ friends insist that “story or amusement should be considered as little more than the vehicle to the more necessary instruction. . . . it is one of the principal views of the publication: to caution parents against the undue exertion of their natural authority over their children in the great article of marriage: and children against preferring a man of pleasure to a man of probity, upon that dangerous but too commonly received notion, that a reformed rake makes the best husband” (36)
39        Anna Howe to Clarissa Harlowe recounting/inquiring about the duel between C’s brother James Harlowe jr. and Robert Lovelace, and esp. reputation of C: “Be this as it may, everybody pities you.”  Examine letter closely—AH includes/predicts various aspects of C’s situation and closes with own love for C
41        C to AH (Jan.13): note C’s level of insight, subtlety, sophistication even in first paragraph of her reply to AH, including manner of deflecting praise, expressing love; expresses wish that God had taken her in her last fever rather than endure the present tumult and blame.  C proceeds to offer requested acct. of Lord M and Uncle Antony’s conferring over prospect of Lovelace courting Arabella Harlowe; C presents entertaining, satirical acct. of Arabella’s desire for L and vanity, notes that she includes nonverbal details because they often express more than words, as AH has observed (42)—mention by Arabella that L’s faults may not be cured by marriage and so she would need patience (42)—note C’s ready interpretation/analysis of sister’s complacency and blindness to L’s indifference to her, which Arabella reads as bashfulness, modesty!
43        uncertain how to interpret C’s comment “I wish she had not somebody whom I love in her eye”—does this express C’s interest in L? is C the one quoted? See bottom of page for C’s humorous dig at sister’s lack of good humor
44        appears that L popped the question but in manner to catch out Arabella with a refusal? C ends letter with apt quote from Biddulph
45        acct of L’s turning his interest to C, and Bella’s scorn, family’s approbation, thought that if any could reform L, then C could!  meanwhile, letter from James against L’s immorality and prior grudge with him—L allowed to visit until father has chance to talk with James jr. upon his return
46        Clarissa on Lovelace’s character/patience
47-48   L slips passionate notes to C into his letters—C purports to ignore them; C comments on L’s haughty, violent temper—she’s careful not to express displeasure or pleasure (L had acknowledged a man seeks either from a woman)
49        C learns results of inquiry into L’s character: generous landlord, no debts, loves variety of women and resists marriage . . .
52        C faints in horror at violence—reads letter from L
53        C’s grandfather’s will
54        C critiques mother’s complaisance w/regard to her brother and sister—failure of will, of hierarchy, of father’s as well as mother’s authority
56        brother still proposing suitors for C, including Roger Solmes; C’s fortune in her father’s control
59        Solmes slated for C, she’s called back from Miss Howe’s (AH’s) after L visits more than six times!
60        C insults her sister in letter to AH
62        C hasn’t yet refused Solmes; Mrs. Norton (C’s nurse, sort of governess) and C’s aunt (Mrs. Hervey, half-sister to Lady Charlotte Harlowe) take C’s side and are reproved for it; no opportunity for C to say ‘no’ directly to Solmes
63        all correspondence banned
65        C mtg w/premptory father
67        AH’s spirited letter to C
69        AH rebukes C’s timidity
70        AH notes C’s slip/suggestion that she cares for L a little; AH sees how C’s
71        generous nature is a danger—e.g., C’s secret correspondence with L—AH declares that deep down C loves L
72        C’s defense/reply
74        L a writer—AH compares L’s writing to their “innocent” writing
77        C discovers siblings’ money motive
78        tale recounted of how C, to obviate everyone’s jealousy, gave up inherited estate (note repetition)—uncle Antony Harlowe states the L is good to his tenants; C cites L’s
79        further generosity but Antony’s pt is L’s estate may lead to peerage (Lord)
80-81   C sarcastic in describing coercion to marry Solmes—represents her siblings’ voices; C scorns S’s disinheriting of his own family—terms him an upstart
83        C envisions chance that brother’s selfish, feverous violence may redound on him
84        C declares to AH that she cannot yield—resents having to correspond with L for the sakes of those who try to force her to marry Solmes
85        AH protests that parents’ should have reason for the authority they exert; she also states that Arabella still loves L, confessed her vengefulness to servant Betty Barnes—AH anxious that C has a rival vengeful sister and a brother also motivated by interest and revenge
86        AH repeats wisdom of advising that C should have kept her estate, which would have given her leverage with family, and means to oppose her brother
90        C avoids Solmes, mother argues with her, accuses her of preferring L
92        mother says she’ll listen to C but it will not avail with others
93        father declares that it is a matter of their parental will, not a matter for discussion
95        C offers to live single or never to marry but with their approbation
96        declares Solmes a monster—she’s sullenly silent, reflects on how her brother’s will has become adopted as her father’s will so that she is forced to oppose her father; her mother misinterprets her silence as acquiescence
97        C disabuses her mother: “But surely you cannot believe I can ever think of having that man!”—mother reiterates that her father’s will must not be disputed
98        C describes dilemma to her mother about not knowing how to break off correspondence with L without risking that he will harm her family (brother, father, uncle)
99        mother takes all C’s letters and L’s; meanwhile, L’s latest letter: he threatens to contact Solmes
100      L says if C stops writing, he’ll assume she wants Solmes, and L will no longer suffer her brother’s insults to go unchallenged/unpunished; mother returns letters, impressed by C but states that her father would not be able to accept that C has continued the forbidden correspondence, and asks C what she would do; C responds that she wants to be able to tell L that she will never marry Solmes
101      mother brings up problem of terms, of the exchange of estates that Solmes has offered
104      C replies to AH’s letter—examines own motives if she were to set herself up independently—vanity or love praise
106      C hears her papa angry with her mother and with C; C cannot eat
107      C’s mother tells C she must yield, asserts grandfather’s will is flawed, won’t hold up; C sharp in her pert rejoinders
109      C’s mother’s opposition seems an effect of C’s father’s will—mother’s own reputation at stake according to the mother
110      contracts already drawn up signed, only await C’s signature?
114      C boldly continues plans w/her mother in front of Solmes, “it was very saucy in me”
115      C’s father has threatened to confine C
117      letter from L and Lord M—L asks to meet C in the garden; offers her asylum; C hesitates to break off correspondence with L while there’s hope of using the break off to rid herself of Solmes
118      C has to direct her requests to her brother—he denies her request to go to church, and fires her servant Hannah
121      James H’s letter prohibiting C from meeting her parents, writing letters, and so on—confines C to her room—she’s allowed out only twice a day
123      C recounts part of L’s letter in letter to her mother; repeats her request to live a single life
124      Mrs. H’s reply to her daughter C
125-26C appeals to father, is denied
126      C’s acct of L’s letter, his intimate knowledge of all that goes on, his threats and denial of intimidation; L attests to favour of the ladies of his family to C
127      C’S REPLY TO L
128      AH suggests C resume her grandfather’s will—urges her to write to her uncle Morden, one of the will’s trustees
129      Anna’s description of Solmes
131      Anna mentions how she and C love each other; relates her own mother’s views, and tells of her mother’s proposed suitor to AH, named Hickman
133      Anna’s criticism of Mrs. Harlowe and Mr. Harlowe; AH envisions living with C
134      C chastises AH for critiquing her parents; C explains a new style/tactic regarding letter to her brother James Harlowe (137)
138      James H’s arrogant, dismissive reply
139      C’s letter to sister Arabella—pleads sisterly solidarity, empathy, etc.
140      C’s acct of L’s pride, imperious demeanor at church critiqued, analyzed
142      L to John Belford
143      L jilted in past by lady of quality—vowed revenge upon the sex but now thinks he may love C; he asserts that he is toying with James H and Harlowe family to force C to flee to him for protection
147      L plans to carry her off—revenge: “if I have not his sister I will have him” plots counter confederacy to include Belton, Mowbray, Tourville, and Belford
148      C to Uncle John Harlowe (“her second papa”), enclosed in letter to AH—she appeals to him, asks “why should I be miserable for life” and requests that he speak to her father in a ‘strong light’ that she cannot express (149)—she suggests that she be banished to her uncle home, where she can be watched
150      John H. denies C, asserts that family is united against L
151      C write to Uncle Antony, compares L and Solmes, esp. critical of Solmes: “I would have him know that he mistakes meekness and gentleness of disposition for servility and baseness of heart”—asks that if she is to be compelled into marriage, at least let it be to a man who can read and write, one who can teach her something
152      C also reiterates opposition to motives of family aggrandizement over uncertain future settlements from Solmes, and declares again her rejection of L
154-58 Antony’s length reply to C—misogynist, cites ex. of Solmes’s own sister being cut off, describes her sex as having a horrible romantic perverseness and that women lack judgment over their reading and writing—declares that “the devil’s in your sex”—considers his arguments unanswerable, and that he has the good of all in mind
159      C’s letter to Roger Solmes: “I write, sir, to demand of you the peace of mind you have robbed me of . . . . I cannot consent to marry a man whom I cannot value”
160      Solmes vows to persist and to be patient
162      L to JB—L at White Hart Inn—states that he doesn’t spare women who do not ask for mercy—notes innkeeper’s 17 yr old daughter “Rosebud”—values her innocence, esp. as way to gain good reputation and purportedly has vowed never to ruin a poor girl—enjoins JB not to ruin her; L admires Rosebud’s and Johnny’s pure hearts but admits his roguish nature—declares how preparation and expectation surpass emptiness of fruition (163)—plans to give 100L to help Rosebud and Johnny (form of atonement)
164      L’s male spy Joseph Leman, a servant in Harlowe household, has told a lie that C attempted to bribe him to take letters to Miss Howe and to L—this done as ruse to preserve her letter writing and to surprise her a her poultry house
165      love vs revenge if C does not prove open to L’s charms, he states he will carry her off: “a rape worthy of Jupiter!”
166      C’s acct of L accosting her—she had no voice to scream—he reviews her predicament—he’s articulate, knowledgeable
168      C finds that L’s reasons and controlled temper give her hope that he would be open to reform; L presses her to receive a letter from his aunt (Lady Betty) Lawrance (half-sister to Lord M)
170      L alludes to preventive measures, including C putting herself under his family’s protection—yet he also implicitly threatens her family if she is wed to Solmes—contradicts himself, though he argues that he does not mean to menace or intimidate her
171      C mentions what she would do before she accepts anyone’s protection and that she would resign her estate—L kisses her hand and asks her to resign her estate and to be his
172      L defends his behavior at church [but compare this acct to his acct to JB]
173      AH again deploys sarcasm and critically interprets C’s apparent susceptibility to L “the malady you wot of, yet wot not of”—to suggest that C is in love, or a prude
174      AH urges/chastises C to share the secrets of her heart—she reads C’s indirections as sign that C is not honest with herself—she also relates that she and her friends would like C to comment on L’s figure (!)
175      C in turn reads AH reading (interpreting) her through AH’s own experience and desires and needs—C asserts that she is unconscious of any preference for L
177      Mrs Norton called in; mother’s entreaties, Mrs Norton not allowed to expostulate with the family, only with C; Mrs N believes C prefers to live single, takes her side