Whilst the gentle _Clarissa's_ Death is the natural Consequence of her innocent Life; her calm and prepared Spirit, like a soft smooth Stream, flows gently on, till it slides from her Misfortunes, and she leaves the World free from Fear, and animated only by a lively Hope.
She wished her closing Scene might be happy. _She had her Wish_, (says the Author in his Postscript) _it was happy._
Nothing ever made so strong a Contrast as the Deaths of _Lovelace_ and _Clarissa_. Wild was the Life of _Lovelace_, rapid was his Death; gentle was _Clarissa's_ Life, softly flowed her latest Hours; the very Word _Death_ seems too harsh to describe her leaving Life, and her last Breath was like the soft playing of a western Breeze, all calm! all Peace! all Quiet!
The true Difference between the Virtuous and the Vicious lies in the Mind, where the Author of _Clarissa_ has placed it; _Lovelace_ says well, when he views the persecuted _Clarissa_ a-sleep.
'See the Difference in our Cases; she the charming Injured can sweetly sleep, whilst the varlet Injurer cannot close his Eyes, and has been trying to no purpose the whole Night to divert his Melancholy, and to fly from himself.'
Rightly I think in the Author's Postscript is it observed, that what is called poetical Justice is chimerical, or rather anti-providential Justice; for God makes his Sun to shine alike on the Just and the Unjust. Why then should Man invent a kind of imaginary Justice, making the common Accidents of Life turn out favourable to the Virtuous only? Vain would be the Comforts spoken to the Virtuous in Affliction, in the sacred Writings, if Affliction could not be their Lot.
But the Author of _Clarissa_ has in his Postscript quoted such undoubted Authorities, and given so many Reasons on the Christian System for his Catastrophy, that to say more on that Head would be but repeating his Words. The Variety of Punishments also of those guilty Persons in this Work who do not die, and the Rewards of those who are innocent, I could go through; had not that Postscript, and the Conclusion supposed to be writ by Mr. _Belford_, already done it to my Hands. Only one thing I must say, that I don't believe the most revengeful Person upon Earth could wish their worst Enemy in a more deplorable Situation, than if _Lovelace_ in his Frenzy, in that charming picturesque Scene, where he is riding between _Uxbridge_ and _London_, when his impatient Spirit is in suspence; and also when he hears of _Clarissa's_ Death.