Clarissa Harlowe, or the History of a Young Lady Volume 1 Preface

The Samuel Richardson Library · Oct 18, 2026 · 12m

In which the reader is introduced to a carefully presented epistolary history, framed as a correspondence between virtuous young ladies and scheming gentlemen, designed to instruct and caution on matters of morality and human conduct, especially pertaining to marriage and integrity. The Preface reveals the principal characters and sets the tone for a narrative that aspires not only to entertain but to provide exemplars of virtue and reflections on the nature of human frailty and reform.