Samuel Richardson and Clarissa


 
 
 
 
 

Clarissa Harlowe in the Prison Room of the Sheriff's Office: Exhibited 1833
Charles Landseer 1799-1879.
Oil on canvas: 610 x 508 mm. Presented by Robert Vernon 1847; Tate Gallery; N00408.
Work Identifier: N00408.
116K.

     Samuel Richardson was born in Derbyshire in 1689, the son of a London joiner. He received little formal education and in 1706 was apprenticed to a printer in the capital. Thirteen years later he set up for himself as a stationer and printer and became one of the leading figures in the London trade. As a printer his output included political writings, such as the Troy periodical The True Briton, the newspapers, Daily Journal (1724-37) and Daily Gazatteer (1735-460, together with twenty-six volumes of the Journals of the House of Commons and general law printing. He was twice married and had twelve children.
     His literary career began when two booksellers proposed that he should compile a volume of model letters for unskilled letter writers. While preparing this, Richardson became fascinated by the project, and a small sequence of letters from a daughter in service, asking her father's advice when threatened by her master's advances, formed the germ of Pamela, or, Virtue Rewarded (1740-1741). Pamela was a huge success and became something of a cult novel. By May 1741 it reached a fourth edition and it was dramatized in Italy by Goldoni, as well as in England. His masterpiece, Clarissa, or the History of a Young Lady, one of the greatest European novels was published in 1747-8. Richardson's last novel, The History of Sir Charles Grandison, appeared in 1753-4. His writings brought him great personal acclaim and a coterie of devoted admirers who liked to discuss with him the moral aspects of the action in the novels. Samuel Richardson died in 1761 and is buried in St Bride's Church, London.

From Richardson, Samuel. Clarissa or the History of a Young Lady. London: Penguin. 1985.

Map of England and Wales at the approximate time Samuel Richardson wrote Clarissa. 868K.
Facsimiles of letters to and from Samuel Richardson: Facsimiles of letters of Samuel Richardson, Mr. Harris, Dr. Warburton, Colly Cibber, Mr. Garrett, Mr. Hervey, and Dr. Young. All letters at the end of volume VI., Barbauld, Anna Laetitia. (1804). The Correspondence of Samuel Richardson. Rpt. New York: AMS Press, Inc. 1966. 8K. on disk. Each letter (graphic facsimile) individually marked in regard to disk space.
 

Times Literary Supplement. "Richardson's Illustrators," December 16, 1920, p. 864.
An account of the sale of Highmore's engravings of Pamela at Christie's in November, with a brief analysis of the relationship between the artist and novelist; a further note is included, giving other illustrators of the three novels [Pamela, Clarissa, Sir Charles Grandison]. Description from Hannaford, Richard Gordon. (1980). Samuel Richardson: An Annotated Bibliography of Critical Studies. New York & London: Garland Publishing, Inc. 1401 words, 12K.
"The Harlowe Family" by Joseph Highmore, in the Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection. (1986) On exhibit at the Tate Gallery, London. 152K.
 

"Graphic Illustration of the Novels of Samuel Richardson, 1740-1810." Eaves, T. C. Duncan. Huntington Library Quarterly, 14 (1951), 349-83.
The illustrations of the novels reveal not only that Richardson was a dramatist "of high rank" but that modern critics of the novels often fail to interpret them accurately. The later neglect by artists of Richardson's novels (as well as the decline in his reputation) lies not with his art but with changing attitudes toward Richardson himself. Description from Hannaford, Richard Gordon. (1980). Samuel Richardson: An Annotated Bibliography of Critical Studies. New York & London: Garland Publishing, Inc.14,880 words, 96K on disk.
"Samuel Richardson's Clarissa and the Protestant Tradition." Albert George Marshall. In partial requirements of a Master's Thesis. Sp., 1978. CSU, Chico Library. Thesis ID. PR99 M34. This work comprises 44K of disk space to include 5679 words.
 

The Company at Tunbridge Wells. An Engraving. 364K.
A letter from Samuel Richardson to Miss Westcomb identifying the strollers. Letter from vol.III, page 311 of The Correspondence of Samuel Richardson by Anna Laetitia Barbauld (1804). Rpt. New York: AMS Press, Inc. 1966.

Clarissa, or the History of a Young Lady

Thomas Forde in his 1660 volume of familiar letters entitled Foenestra in Pectore prefaced his work with the statement that letters are the "best Casements, whereby men disclose themselves." Forde, Thomas. Foenestra in Pectore or, Familiar Letters. London, 1660.



 

1.       Miss Howe to Miss Clarissa Harlowe. Desires from her the particulars of the rencounter between Mr. Lovelace and her brother; and of the usage she receives upon it : also the whole of her story from the time Lovelace was introduced as a suitor to her sister Arabella. Admires her great qualities, and glories in the friendship between them.

2.       Clarissa to Miss Howe. Gives the requested particulars. Together with the grounds of her brother's and sister's ill-will to her; and of the animosity between her brother and Lovelace. Her mother connives at the private correspondence between her and Lovelace, for the sake of preventing greater evils. Character of Lovelace from an enemy. Copy of the preamble to her grandfather's will.

3.       Clarissa to Miss Howe. Continuation of Letter 2 theme.

4.       Clarissa to Miss Howe. Continuation of Letters 2 and 3 theme.

5.       Clarissa to Miss Howe. Her father, mother, brother briefly characterized. Her brother's consequence in the family. Wishes Miss Howe had encouraged her brother's address. Endeavors to find excuses for her father's ill temper, and for her mother's passiveness.

6.       Clarissa to Miss Howe. Mr. Symmes, Mr. Mullins, Mr. Wyerley, in turn, proposed to her, in malice to Lovelace; and on their being rejected, Mr. Solmes. Leave given her to visit Miss Howe for a few days. Her brother's insolent behavior upon it.

7.       Clarissa to Miss Howe. The harsh reception she meets with on her return from Miss Howe. Solmes's first visit.

8.       Clarissa to Miss Howe.  All her family determined in Solmes's favor. Her aversion to him. She rejects him, and is forbid going to church,  visiting,  receiving visits,  or writing  to anybody out of the house.
 
 
 

 
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