Transcriber's Note:
Spelling, grammar, and punctuation have been retained as in the original,with the exception of a few printer's errors. A full list of these canbe found at the end of the text.REMARKS
ON
CLARISSA,
Addressed to the Author.
Occasioned by some critical Conversations on the
Characters and Conduct of that Work.
WITH
Some Reflections on the Character and Behaviour
of Prior'sEMMA.
LONDON:
Printed for J. Robinson in Ludgate-street.
M,DCC,XLIX.
[Price One Shilling.]
REMARKS
ON
CLARISSA, &c.
erhaps an Address of this Nature[3]may appear very unaccountable, andwhimsical; when I assure you, my Designis fairly to lay before you all theCriticisms, as far as I can rememberthem, that I have heard on your History of Clarissa;from the Appearance of the two first Volumes,to the Close of the Work. I have not willinglyomitted any one Objection I have heard madeto your favourite Character, from her first Appearancein the World; nor, on the contrary, have Ieither diminished or added to the favourable Constructionput on her Words or Actions. If theGrounds for the Objections are found to be deduciblefrom the Story, I would have them remain intheir full Force; but if the Answers her Admirershave given to those Objections are found to resultfrom an impartial and attentive perusal of the Story,I would not have her deny'd the Justice they havedone her. But tho' I seem here to speak only ofClarissa, as she is your principal Character, yet I intend[4]as well to take notice of what has been said relatingto your whole Story, as to her in particular.
In the first Conversation I heard on this Subj