To this Letter, continued _Bellario_, and numerous other Places in the Book, would I refer all those, if any such there are, who yet doubt her being capable of Love. Surely we may fairly conclude with _Lovelace_, that well might she, who had been used to be courted and admired by every desiring Eye, and worshipped by every respectful Heart--Well might such a Woman be allowed to draw back, when she found herself kept in suspence, as to the great Question of all, by a designing and intriguing Spirit, pretending Awe and Distance, as Reasons for reining in a Fervour, which, if real, cannot be reined in.
_Clarissa_ seems indeed, as Colonel _Morden_ says, (added the now-admiring _Bellario_) to have been, as much as Mortal could be, LOVE ITSELF.
Miss _Gibson_ was highly delighted with what _Bellario_ said, and added to it, That she thought _Clarissa's_ frankness of Heart was very apparent, from the manner in which she had treated those Gentlemen her Heart had obliged her to refuse, and from the generous Advice she in so many Places gives Miss _Howe_, in relation to her Treatment of Mr. _Hickman_: And pray, Sir, continued Miss _Gibson_, pardon my asking you one Question more, namely; whether you are not now satisfied with the Conduct of the Author in the Management of his whole Story?
_Bellario_ answered, That he was not only satisfied with it, but highly applauded all the material Parts of it; that the various distressful Situations in which you had placed your Heroine, were noble beyond Expression; that these three last Volumes contained many Scenes, each singly arising to as high a Tragedy as can possibly be wrote; that the Tears you had drawn from his Eyes were such Tears as flow'd from a Heart at once filled with Admiration and Compassion, and labouring under Sensations too strong for any Utterance in Words; and that for the Sake of _Clarissa_, he would never form any Judgment of a Work again till the whole was lain before him. This was noble! this was candid! this was like _Bellario_! and Miss _Gibson_ could not forbear saying, that she rejoyced in the Tears _he_ had shed for _Clarissa_. And, Sir, (continued she) 'I am convinced, that those whose Eyes melt not at Scenes of well-wrought Distress, cannot properly be said to laugh, from a liberal and chearful Spirit, at the true Scenes of comic Humour.'