other inferiour by the fame which still remains of the one which the others have not And indeed not one of our Sex is ignorant of Alexander Scipio or of Cicero himself But we hardly know what is the meaning of Hephestion Laelius and Atticus tho we have lately seen the life of the last in Print in our own Tongue For my part added Philocrita pleasantly having not had the honour to know any of 'em I promise you to call them only henceforward without truobling my self with their names the three Friends of Alexander Scipio and Cicero But in short said Cleander I boldly maintain that Friendship can never be firm and stedfast unless it has been able to level the great space there is between one friend and another and surmount that first difficulty which seem'd to hinder any reliance to be made upon it A Prince in stooping to his Subjects gives the greatest mark of goodness and friendship that can ever be shewn and a Subject is very miserable if he does not recompence the Magnanimity of that Friendship by the Ardency and Excess of his own At the worst if you will needs have that this acceptation of Friendship is improper I agree to 't But 't is certainly something that has all which the most steddy and most tender friendship can have and that suffices me I have been long expecting resum'd Philocrita you would say somewhat of Love 'T is so ample a Subject said Alcinor that it would furnish us abundantly with matter to discourse upon Alcinor is in the right said Iphiâ—…tes But in my Opinion he is in the wrong said Celanira For I believe it the hardest thing in the World to speak properly upon that Subject Let us then see how Cleander will speak on 't as to the point we have before us As I never seek to speak thereof but only to speak what I think replied Cleander I say without more ado that the Essential Differences betwixt Love and Friendship are fervency disquiet suspicion obedience submission jealousie injustice vexation discontents reconciliations change of an Opinion in an instant and sometimes divers changes in one and the same hour For in truth Friendship has only the shadow of all those Motions and moreover that too is when Friendship is so strong as to râ—…mble Love But there is no Courtier wedded to the Prince but seels all those Motions almost as violent as the most perfect Lover Whatsoever Equality the Prince should make between 'em thro Friendship Always Submission Respect and Obedience on their side as from a Lover to a Mistress their disquiet is extream their diffidence eternal Incessantly they are in fear of losing the favour of their Master even when they are most assured of it They all look upon one another as Rivals They are only possessed with that Passion Who could represent how half a word a smile a look penetrates and Charmes 'em to the very bottom of their Souls were it not for what occurs in Lovers Their injustice is beyond all comparison and is the true mark of a violent Passion for tho they understand well enough the Prince owes his Caresses to all the World one would say he stole from 'em all the favours he bestows upon others If by Chance he casts not his Eyes upon them it is sufficient to put 'em out of humour for a whole day together One and the same hour sees 'em contented and discontented charmed and dissatlsfied with the Court swearing to quit all and ready to give their Lives for the Service of their Master In a word all that is capricious in Love cannot be sound methinks in any other Passion than that of Courtiers for their Prince You are in the right said Alcaeâ—… and for my part when I see People who are naturally of great understanding and whom a long Experience has polished and rendred very able sometimes suffer ' emselves to be lur'd and decoy'd to the very end of their Lives by the vain hopes of the Court nay though they are very sensible they delude 'em Methinks I see that Lover of the Ancient and Modern Theater who says Ingrate I find her yet I love My Love and Death with equal steps do move I am resolv'd to Love and Die Since besides This That has no Remedy Beating Death at 's own Arms I Fear Lest now the King of Terrours fail me here So much does Love my Heart possess That not to die would be Vnhappiness But to hear you speak of Love said Philocrita to Cleander one would say you are almost as much in Love as you 're Ambitious Celanira blush'd and Cleander was in pain how he should make answer without discovering what he was willing to conceal and without Celaniraes accusing him likewise of want of Love and using too much dissimulation but resolving at length I was ever perswaded said he to Philocrita that People ought hardly ever to explain themselves upon this Subjâ—…ct by reason they are hardly believed whether they say they are in Love or say they are not And as to my particular if I had any Passion of that nature I would love so as it should be rather judged by my Actions than by my words You are in the right said I to him and Actions are more sincere than Words But after all Cleander there is a great distinction to be made between sincere Courtiers who love their Prince and interested Courtiers who only love their Fortune OF COMPLAISANCE AS Adherbal was speaking in this manner Valeria and Flavia came into the Room Clearchus came thither a moment after and were presently followed by Caesonia and Plotina whom Amilcar very seldom leaving arrived before all the Company were seated but as he seem'd more than usually out of Humour Claelia ask'd him the reason of it Tho 't is not easie for me to refuse any thing to a Person of your Merit yet am not over willing replied he to give you the satisfaction you request For you would laugh at me if I should tell you what you ask You are so seldom expos'd to such an Adventure rejoyn'd Plotina that tho it were out of Curiosity I should advise you to run this Risque Be assured replied Amilcar you will not believe me tho I tell you what I complain of As it will not be perhaps the first time that Credit has not been given to your words answer'd Plotina smiling you need not be so much in fear of not being believed Know then said he that in my Life I was never so much tired as I was to day for three hours together I was with a Man whom I have discours'd withal upon a hundred several subjects It must then be some Man of no great Sence said the Prince of Numidia That is not the business Sir reply'd Amilcar and I do not complain of his Stupidity It must then be one of those Men who dispute upon all matters said Clearchus who must be opiniatively contested with in regard they always
had had no other designe than to know if Diodota had Wit enough to reform her ill Conduct And indeed Madam Socrates spent all his Life in inspiring Sentiments of Virtue into all those he sees Insomuch that at the first according to his way he had rallied with that Woman for the taming her But after having well observed that her Wit was not worthy of her Beauty he ridicul'd her deploring the misfortune of that Woman who having wherewith to make her self adored made her self despised by all the Earth I looked upon Melicrita in my turn to see in her Eyes if the virtuous Sentiments of Theramenes did not please her She blushed and would dexterously have turned the Conversation upon another Subject But is it possible said I then that people should call Love the Passionate Sentiments that men have for such a Lady as Diodota who would willingly be beloved by all those that see her without being cruel to any one of her pretended Gallants If it be Love said Alcibiades it is at least a transport of a weak and passionate Heart Truly said Melicrita you give that weakness a very soft name He who can love one of those Women without Virtue is not virtuous himself But Madam resumed Theramenes Do not you know you who love all fine and ingenious things and understand them so well too you I say who esteem Euripides so much do not you know what he has asserted in one of his finest Pieces that there are two sorts of Loves If I did know it replied she I have forgotten it but I do not believe to have seen it I then desired Theramenes to tell us the passage if he remembred it and seeking a moment in his Memory he recited these Verses drawn out of a much larger Work The Sentiments of Euripides upon Honest Love Two sorts of Love in humane Breasts do reign And o're their Minds a different Empire gain Venus the wanton Parent of the one Does from the frothy Ocean bear her Son Who with thick foggy Thoughts our Souls inspires And preys upon us with material Fires Th' other adorn'd all o're with perfect Grace Is of a pure Divine and heavenly race That in the filthy muddy senses has its place By Beauties treacherous Charms it does betray And makes of sensual an Fools an easie prey And Reason our best Guide does still annoy By too much sense it does all sence destroy But with this Love all Virtues do combine And real Modesty does with Prudence joyn This is their fate alike they seem to be Yet the one being mortal they disagree For the other is endu'd with Immortality These Verses are out of Euripides I had not seen those Verses said Melicrita but I believe Euripides has made them to shew that there ought really to be two sorts of Love and that this does not prove there is so Before that your indifference Madam said Alcibiades had taken from me all hopes of being looked upon favourably by you I should have allowed of Euripides his distinction But as I dare not now own any more than Respect and Admiration for your Ladiship I confess sincerely said he rallying to perplex Theramenes that I believe but one kind which varies a little according to the persons we love But at the bottom there are many more Loves which die than Eternal Loves It is not sufficient to say said Theramenes Love varies according to the persons we love For I believe it may be more truly said Love varies according to the person who loves since it is properly the Heart of a Lover which renders Love either inconstant or faithful And indeed when we are born to love well the indifference and cruelty of the Person beloved do not make Love die And on the contrary the Beauty Wit Virtue and even the most tender Correspondence cannot fix a heart naturally unfaithful there must then needs be a frivolous Amour such as Euripides describes it and a virtuous Love such as he represents it to us I assure you resumed Melicrita rising to break off the Conversation that the Loves in Verse and in Prose are very Chimerical Loves and what Love there is in the heart of all men is very light and very frivolous You speak too generally Madam replied Theramenes I am of your opinion resumed I and a general Rule must never be made in any thing This Alcibiades agreed to and Androcles durst not oppose it But at length Melicrita went away without suffering any of the men in my Chamber to lead her to her Chariot refusing them all equally But Madam not to abuse your patience during six Months Theramenes forgot nothing of all that Love can inspire into a very witty man for the obtaining Melicrita's Consent to demand her of Aristocrates her Father She would never allow him to do it nay stretched her câ—…uelty much farther For she forbid it him so absolutely that he durst not disobey her And besides he would only owe her to her self He sometimes discovered in spight of Melicrita's endeavours that she did not hate him But he was so much the more unhappy He sought to divert her by Feasts by Musicks and by a hundred ingenious Gallantries He attempted to touch her Heart by passionate Letters by Tears by Sighs by tender and touching words All this was to no purpose Insomuch as lying under these unhappy circumstances he resolved to endeavour the curing himself by absence Socrates having no fancy for Voyages did all he could to divert him from this design and blamed in his presence the excessive Curiosity of great Travellers as well as thaâ—… of all the Philosophers who had preceded him For all the world knows Socrates values nothing but Morality and believes it a thousand times more necessary than so many uncertain Knowledges which the most part of men make the business of all their Lives Theramenes did not tell Socrates the true cause of his design But he resolved to pursue it and departed without being able to take his leave of Melicrita For she carefully shun'd him for fear he should see in her Eyes the secret of her Heart But he wrote to her and the Letter was delivered her on the morrow after his departure The Letter was as follows I depart Madam that I may not importune you any more with my Passion and though I am perswaded my absence will not be sensible to you I easily perceive yours will be so cruel to me that Death will quickly put a period to my Sufferings Perhaps Madam when you have lost me for ever you will perceive I merited a less rigorous treatment Be not offended if I entertain so light a hope since it is the onely recompence I can pretend to for the most violent and most constant passion that the heart of man was ever capable of Theramenes addressed to me his Letter and desired me by another to deliver it to her for he was very much my Friend And though I had inviolably kept Melicrita's
is to say of the entire Genealogies of the Families of Mytelene and all the circumstances of their Estates For in a word without it be on certain particular occasions what divertisement is it to hear for a whole day together Xenocrates was the Son of Tryphon Clidemus was the Oâ—…pring of Zenophanes Zenophanes was the Issue of Tyrtaeus and so of the rest and what divertisement is there likewise to hear that such a House wherein you have no interest wherein you never was and whether you 'll never go as long as you live was built by this Man bought by that exchanged by another and that it is at present in the possession of a Man you never knew This is not very agreeable without doubt replied Alcaeus but neither is it so mortifying as to meet with those People who are engaged in some troublesome business and can speak of nothing else And in truth I found a while ago a Sea-Captain who pretends Pittacus ought to recompence him for a Ship He held me three hours not only in relating the reasons he pretended to have for the being re-imbursed but likewise what might be answered him and what he could reply And to make me the better apprehend his losses he fâ—…ll to telling me the particulars of what his Ship cost him For that purpose he told me the names of those who built it and specify'd to me all the parts of his Ship one after the other without any necessity for the making me understand it was one of the best and dearest and he had a great deal of injustice done him I must allow said Amithene it is a great persecution to meet with those sort of People but to tell you the truth those grave and serious Conversations wherein no mirth is allowed of have something so pestering and heavy that I never happen into them without being taken with the Head ach for the discourse is always upon the same note they never laugh and all is as precise and formal as if you were at Church I agree with you in what you say said Athis but I must say to the shame of our Sex that the Men have a great advantage over us as to Conversation and to prove it I need only tell the Company that going to Lycidices House I found her in her Mothers Chamber where was so great a number of Women there was hardly room for me but there was not one Man I cannot tell you after what manner all those Ladies had their Wits turned that day though some of them were very ingenious But I am constrained to avow that the Conversation was not very diverting for in short the discourse was only of nauseous trifles and I may say that in my life I never heard so many words and so little sense But happening to be near Lyeidice I could easily perceive how highly the resented it I must confess I observed it with delight since it made her say a hundred pleasant things As she was very much wearied with this 〈◊〉 Conversation which so much grated upon her humour there came in a Gentleman a Kinsman of hers And this is remarkable that though this Man is none of those elevated Wits that are so rare to be found and that he was but of the order of common well-bred People the Conversation changed on a sudden and became more regular more ingenious and more agreeable though there was no other change in the company than the coming in of a Man who contributed but very little to the discourse But in short without being able to tell you the true reason they fell to talk of other things they talked much better and those very persons who tyred me as well as Lycidice diverted me extreamly However the Company being gone I stayed alone with Lycidice She no sooner saw her self at liberty than making her Mclancholly give way to Joy Well Athis said she to me will you still condemn me for preferring the Conversation of Men before that of Women and are you not constrained to allow that who should write what fifteen or twenty Women say together would make the worst Book that ever was I confess said I to her laughing that if all was written in order that I have heard spoke to day it would be a fantastical discourse For my part said she there are some days that I am so incensed against my Sex that I am grieved to the very heart I am a Woman principally when I happen into one of those Conversations composed all of Dresses Moveables Jewels and such like things Not that said she I am against their being made a subject of discourse for in short I am sometimes well enough dress'd to be glad to have it told I am so and my Cloths are sometimes fine enough and well enough made to take delight in hearing 'em commended but I would not have the Discourse dwell upon these kind of things but that they be spoken of galantly and as by the by without transports and application and not as some Women do of my acquaintance who spend all their life in such like talk and think of nothing else and whose thoughts of those things are likewise so full of irresolutions that I am of opinion that at the end of their days they will not have determined in their minds whether Carnation becomes them better thanBlew or if Yellow is more advantagious to them than Green I must confess that Lycidices discourse made me laugh and I found it so much the more pleasant in that 't is true that there is a Lady of my acquaintance who employs all her Wit only in such things never talks of any thing else and makes her greatest glory consist in what surrounds her only that is to say in the guilding of her Palace in the Magnificence of her Furniture in the beauty of her Cloths and in the richness of her Jewels After having laughed at what Lycidice said I would have defended Women in general and told her I was perswaded there are as many Men as Ladies whose Conversation is disagreeable There are many of 'em without doubt replied she whose company is insupportable but with this advantage that we can easier get rid of 'em and we are not obliged to treat them with so exact a Civility But Athis this is not the thing in dispute for what I tell you is that the most amiable Women in the World when they are a great number together do hardly say any thing that is to be valued and are more tired than if they were alone But as for such Men as are civil and well bred 't is not the same with them their Conversation is not without doubt attended with so much mirth when there are no Ladies as when there are But commonly though it be more serious yet it is more rational and in short they can easier be without us than we without them In the mean while this vexes me more than I can tell you For my part replied
it is for Men to adore something that Great Nations are seen to worship Beasts rather than adore nothing as is reported by those who have travelled into Egypt And indeed said Chrysantes no more natural it is to desire Life and fear Death than to believe there is a Deity the Structure of the World is so great so beautiful so regular that it is worthy of all our admiration The Sun Stars and Heaven in general do so far surpass our knowledge notwithstanding all the discourses upon 'em that we are constrained to acknowledge there is an infinite space between what we may know and what we do not know and from the highest Heavens unto the very Center of the Earth humane Reason finds a Hundred Abysses wherein it loses its self Why do you think added Chrysantes that Men are inclin'd to adore Beasts and sometimes Stones rather than adore nothing 'T is only because they are naturally inclin'd to believe a Godhead But People of good sense agree that visible and terrestrial Objects cannot be truly the Objects of Worship Their Contests and their Diversities upon all these Objects shew that not one of all those Objects we see is truly and only adorable because if it was once shewn clearly and visibly it would certainly invite the Adoration of all the Earth And when I have told you the true Persians only adore the Sun I have told you at the same time we look upon it as the Soul of the World which is sensible to us and perswades us by all the Wonders wherewith it is filled This being so it must be allow'd there is a great deal of boldness and even folly to deny a Divinity since there 's no danger in believing there is one and a great deal in not believing there is The sole excellency of the Wit of Man proceeded Chrysantes ought to perswade him there is an Eternal Spirit superiour to his own For in short if there be no Rays but what depart from a Star and from a great Star there must needs be a Source from whence all humane reason does flow and the more that Source is unknown to us the more ought we to adore it Besides have not we in ourselves a proof of the Divinity We know for certain that we think that we reason But we know not very precisely what we do to think and to reason The Memory which is a Treasury of infinite Images which it keeps for us and restores to us when we have occasion for 'em is likewise one of those truths the cause whereof is very secret whatsoever the Science of Conjectures may say thereof Let us then avow there are true things which we know but by halves and it is to be worse than brute Breasts not to consider once in ones life what we are to believe and not believe and not to take the surest course But tho a Man should have understood all this said Agathyrsis would he apprehend very clearly that the God-ship you speak of concerns it self in the things here below and that after Death there are Punishments or Rewards Assoon as we agree reply'd Chrysantes there is an Almighty Divinity we ought to agree in all the rest For what appearance is there that this order so exactly kept in the construction of the World in general which can only be the effect of a Deity should be abandoned in the parts of its composition And what likelihood would there be too that the Universal Opinion of a second Life which is established amongst all People had no real foundation For in short there are some particular Men who do not believe what we ought to believe yet no whole Nation and so 't is no rule nor has any force against what I say It must likewise be granted that this intelligent Being which governs the World and takes care thereof ought to be at the same time just and not permit those Profligate Wretches who despise him and think only of doing mischief to Men should always be more happy than the good People who adore him and think only of doing good to others Therefore methinks 't is pretty easie to conclude a future life wherein Vice it punished and Vertue rewarded I also imagine said Eliorante whose Wiâ—… has much Solidity that we may boldly say there is no Opinion so universal for great things as that of a Divinity Now for example For the Government of People the Sentiments are very different There are Nations who elect Kings Others will have their Monarchy Hereditary Others will have no Kings at all and cannot resolve to obey one Man Those who are for Re-publicks differ in the Model of 'em some are desirous the Multitude should have the Sovereign Power Others to have a Counsel compos'd of the Wisest to rule 'em but as for a Deity all People are for it and acknowledge by this universal desire that there is really such a Being for 't is not natural to all Men to desire and believe a thing impossible otherwise Reason would be Folly No no interrupted Noromata it is not to be doubted but that there is a Divinity and be it what it will it governs the World and by a consequence which seems to me infallible there is a Second Life wherein Vice is punished and Vertue recompensed You have so much interest it should be so lovely Noromata resum'd Agathirsis that you ought to fear you are not prejudic'd But as for me whom you take for an Epicurean I ought not to have the same Confidence On the contrary reply'd Noromata I have told you from the beginning that your manners being so innocent as they are you ought not to take your repose in Sensuality Ah! Madam reply'd Chrysantes that is not the Course to find it The Libertines are not at case but when their thoughts only glance upon what they are and what they may be and it is absolutely impossible to be long in a sedate belief that there is no Divinity nor Second Life The most dissolute Libertines not tell all their doubts and disquiets The Passions and Disorders of their Lives do blind and hurry 'em away But notwithstanding all this there are some Moments wherein they see into the truth and assoon as they are in doubt they are miserable and know no more to whom to have recourse For my part said Noromata I am so much an Enemy to Nothing that this Antipathy I have to it is a kind of proof I shall never fall into it Is there any thing more just added she than to adore that Deity tho never so unknown to us if there was no Religion among Men there would be no Vertue in the World and the most savage and cruel Beasts would be less so than Men. And indeed added Noromata an implous person sometimes corrupts a whole great Court or City Judge then what it would be if all this great Nation was in such a Dissolution But Heaven has not permitted it to be so and will never
he had rendred him he spoke to himafter a frank and open manner and asked him if his Daughters Rigour which he had heard of had not extinguish'd Love in his Heart Theramenes knew not what to answer for fear of offending Melicrita but at length confess'd he had for her a Passion full of respect which would last as long as his Life Aristocrates then embracing him told him that he would bestow her upon him with all his Heart and with all his Estate and that Stenobia should approve of what he said Ah! generous Aristocrates cried he transported with a Joy which was nevertheless mingled with Grief You do not know my unhappiness and to discover it to you entirely know that if Melicrita does not give her self I can never be happy I should rather chuse to die of Despair than you should force Melicrita to obey you 'T is her Heart that I seek without it her Beauty Merit and all the Estate you offer me would not hinder me from being miserable But permit me added he with a very touching Air to endeavour the winning her without constraining her and allow me to go to the Baths of Thermopilae with your approbation and consent With all my heart said Aristocrates and if my Daughter is so ungrateful as not to love a man of so much honour as your self to whom I owe my Life and to whom I give it I will adopt you for my Son and no longer look upon her as my Child In fine Theramenes ravish'd with Joy desired Aristocrates he would not send us word of his return that he might surprize us the more agreeably It is time Madam that I bring you back to the Bath according to my promise and that I tell you Theramenes put himself into a magnificent Equipage Hopes had revived again all his gallant and agreeable Air. As he knew the custom of the Bath allows of Serenades and Musick-Entertainments he sent two days before his arrival one of his Friends a very ingenious person who bespoke all the excellent Musicians at the Bath and rendezvouz'd them in the dusk of the Evening Theramenes came to 'em without their knowing him and brought 'em before our Windows This surprized us extreamly For Melicrita had avoided all manner of Pleasures The Harmony was admirable and ended by a thing which perplexed us much more for as this Friend of Theramenes has one of the finest Voices in the World he sung a Stanza of a Song several times his Voyce being seconded by very soft Instruments A SONG Bless'd be the day bless'd Object of my love Which to both States did a calm Peace restore Oh Gods to me may it so happy prove That from my Breast it may remove My differing Passion fierce Allarms That I more nigh can your bright Eyes adore Gaze and admire all that vast stock of charms Duty and Honour forc'd me from your sight Amidst the horrour of a Martial Field I could but take the sad delight To kiss your Name engraven on my Shield In Fights and Prisons Death I oft did court That welcome Guest alas to me Though it to win in vain was all effort Though from Wars dangers though from Prisons free I 'm sure to wear your Chains to all eternity This Song being ended all the instruments renewed their Harmony and going off by little and â—…ittle left in us a great curiosity For the rumours of the Peace being concluded did still pass for very uneertain with us at that place Melicrita had some presentments of the truth without imparting 'em to me But the next Morning as we were ready to go to the Temple we were very agreeably surprized to see Theramenes who gave a Pacquet from Aristocrates and from Stenobia to Melicrita This Interview had something so touching that I cannot express it to you The Looks Air and Words of Theramenes did shew the Love he had in his Soul and Melicrita's modesty all great as it is could not hinder but that there appeared in her Eyes a certain emotion full of tenderness which was infinitely pleasing to Theramenes I shall not tell you what those two persons said to one another Aristocrates and Stenobia's Letters were a command to look upon Theramenes as a man to whom they yielded all the power they had over her Melicrita blush'd at reading 'em But as Theramenes did very much suspect what made her blush No no Madam said he to her do not fear I will abuse the power which Aristocrates and Stenobia have over you and which they told me they would employ in favour of me I will onely owe you to your self and should rather chuse to die a thousand times than constrain you But Theramenes said she to him in some disorder you do not think I owe you the Life of the best Father that ever was Could I disobey him though I were still afraid of an engagement which lasts all one's life Ah! Madam cried he you owe me nothing as Aristocrates's Daughtâ—… but you owe your self to the constant Passion I have for you As I knew I should oblige Melicrita if I interposed in the Conversation I told Theramenes having for him his own merit the 〈◊〉 Service he had rendred his Affection aâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…bority of Aristocrates and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 entertain all manner of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…thought he had nothing 〈◊〉 to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to us his Imprisonâ—… and wait peaceably for our return to Athens and that in the mean while it was time to go thank the Gods for his Liberty Accordingly we went to the Temple and the rest of the day Theramenes after having entertained Melicrita for some time while I discoursed his Friend related to us all he had suffered during his Imprisonment And as he highly commended the merit virtue and goodness of the Wife of him who commanded in the Castle whereinto he was carried Wounded and detained Prisoner confessing generously he owed his Life to the care she had taken of him I took notice this Discourse made Melicrita blush there passing then in her mind some Sentiments which had like to have renewed in her Heart the fear of marrying a Lover who might not love her or love her less after having married her But she concealed this weakness and even resolved to vanquish it She made such an Answer to Aristocrates's Letter as becomes an obedient Daughter and lived after a very affectionate manner with Theramenes All the men of Quality at the Bath made him a thousand Carâ—…sses The Princess of Sicyon seem'd passionately desirous to be acquainted with him All the Ladies in general were the same and as the noise began to spread abroad that he was to marry Melicrita assoon as ever we were returned to Athens all the Men made their Compliments to Theramenes upon that occasion and all the Ladies did the like to Melicrita As Alcibiades had been in love with her formerly he said the most pleasant things imaginable wondring how it was possible that still admiring Melicrita he was
saw Eupolia the other day troubling her self at the news of the death of a man who had liv'd neer an Age. For my particular said Theramenes I have seen her lose an excellent Collation for that it thundered For my part said Hiparetta I know very well she refused to come one day to a very agreeable walk onely because she must have crossed a River Pray you resumed she agreeably do not take so much pains to sift your Memory for all that I fear since I know it much better than you And now I find you have a mind the Princess and all the persons here who are but little acquainted with me should know my weakness I will confess to you all I am afraid of I fear all Diseases in general great and small I fear Thunder I fear the Sea and Rivers I fear Fire and Water Cold and Heat the Sereens or Blasts and Mists or Fogs and I am afraid the Earth should happen to tremble here as well as in Sicily Moreover I know to my misfortune all that has ever been said of Presages and I know it to my torment And to say all in few words I fear all that can directly or indirectly occasion Death But cannot you call to mind said Alcibiades that fear of Death does alter Health and may make one die the sooner for the curing your self of so many Fears Cannot you think added Melicrita all those Fears are useless that if the Earth is to tremble it will tremble in spight of you that if the Thunder is to fall it will perhaps rather fall in the place you shall chuse for your asyle than in that you quit And cannot you in short submit your mind to the will of the Gods But cannot you your self conceive retorted Eupolia that if I could do otherwise I would Do you think I am bereft of all Reason And do you think I do not sometimes see I am to blame But after all at the same time my Reason condemns me my Imagination is Mistress of my Heart and makes it act all it pleases What I finde admirable is said Therameâ—… that most people give a handsome Preâ—… to the Fear they have of dying For they boldly say they are not so weak as to fear the pain that is suffered in dying but are afraid they have not spent their Lives so well as they ought to have done And this is extraordinary that without becoming better for the putting a period to the fear they say they have they onely think of preserving their Healths and avoiding all Dangers without any thoughts of reforming their Principles and Manners Ha! as for those people said Alcibiades all the world is full of 'em and there is nothing else every where to be seen than those persons who fear the Punishments of the other Life without growing better and who by all their actions bely all their words and shew they onely fear Death since they onely precaution ' emselves against it For my part said Eupolia as I am not over-wicked and that I confide in the goodness of the Gods I do not so much fear what will happen to me when I am dead as what will happen to me before I die For I am very much afraid of grief and pain and then I have a horrour for that obscurity of the Grave But after all said Areta all your Fears are useless you must die as well as those who fear nothing and the surest way is to live the most virtuously we can wait for Death without desiring and without fearing it and receive it as a thing we had expected all our lives and which is not to be avoided For my share added the Princess I think there is more constancy required for the supporting old Age when it is attended with the inconveniencies wherewith it is usually followed than for the receiving Death with a good grace True it is said Hiparetta agreeably that when one is accustomed to be young beautiful and healthful it is a cruel thing to be Old Ugly and Sick And I know not over-well though I hate Death sufficiently if I should not rather chuse it than to see my self in that condition Ha! as for what concerns me said Eupolia though I had been as beautiful as Venus in my life-time who should offer to raise me up again to Life if I was dead and to raise me up ugly old diseased and unhappy I would take her at her word and should rather chuse to live horrible ugly than to be dead because I reckon Life for a great blessing But you do not think of what you say replied Hiparetta smiling and you are less afraid of Death than you imagine for I sancied you were going to declare you would not for any thing in the world be raised again to Life for fear of dying once again and yet you talk after this rate My acquaintance are so used to rally me for my weakness said Eupelia that I am never displeased at the drolling War they make upon me But the mischief is you are not the better by it replied Melicrita and are incurable For after all as a brave man cannot become cowardly and fearful so a timerous person cannot become valiant Since Fear does sometimes make some contemn Dangers said Lysander I know not why Reason may not do as much Those who contemn Danger through the excess of Fear which renders 'em valiant replied Xenophon can never give greater Proofs of their timidity than by doing a thing so contrary to their Temperament Thus one may say they are brave without ceasing to be Cowards and without laying by their true Nature It is not so with those who would employ their Reason for to drive Fear away from their Hearts since it cannot be done but by engaging them and making 'em act against their own inclinations Xenophon had certainly reason for his assertion said Eupolia But to comfort me for my weakness added she I could wish all the Ladies of the Company were obliged to say particularly what they think of Death I assure you said Hiparetta after having once seriously thought of Death for the regulating ones Life it is pretty convenient to think of it no more or very seldom When against my will I hear of the death of any one soever I suddenly seek for some cause for that persons death which cannot sute with me For example If it was a person in years I plainly say that he or she had been long in the World and I think in secret I am far from that Age. If the person was young I say that he or she were of an unhealthy Constitution At another time they did not take care of themselves in another Encounter that he or she had done something that had occasioned their Disease And whatsoever I say I flatter my self I shall live as long as one can live I know the Names of all those who have lived an Age and diverting my mind from that fatal thought
way to be Wives of Theramenes but with so much trouble and so much grief that she filled me with pity She likewise fancied that when Theramenes first heard this News he had not been sufficiently afflicted at it But said I to her you your self did not shew all your grief in the presence of all the world And it was apparent enough by the manner that Theramenes told Androcles at first that this news could not be true that he was both surprized and afflicted You have your self forgotten without doubt that Theramenes would have followed us that I absolutely forbid his so doing in your name and that he has been just now refused entrande into our House I know all you say resumed she but I know likewise better that I am the most unfortunate person in the world After this she went to Bed and caused her Chamber to be shut as if she would have endeavoured to have slept Theramenes wrote me a Letter to desire me to procure him an opportunity of speaking to Melicrita but she would not mâ—… any answer And I was constrained to send Theramenes word I would see him on the morrow and then I went to bed As for Melicrita she did not sleep a moment and her Mind was so cruely agitated that assoon as it was day she got up dressed her self very negligently without making any noise and stole out with one of her Women to find out Theano who lodged a hundred Paces from us Theano was much surprized to see her so early and to see her with so sad a countenance Melicrita desired her to enter into a Closet that was next her Chamber How come you so early a riser said Theano to her we have not a Virgin of Minerva up so betimes as you At least I know very well replied Melicrita you have not one so unfortunate as I and truly I come to you as to an asyle You know added she how often the delicacy of my Heart and of my Sentiments has given me a distaste to the world and moved me to make it my request you would receive me among the veil'd Virgins but now it is absolutely necessary for me to conjure you to promise me that assoon as we are returned to Athens you will cause me to be received accordingly among 'em for I 〈◊〉 in the most deplorable condition imaginable But pray said Theano to her what has happened to you Melicrita thereupon acquainted her with what she had heard And as Theano knew all her former Sentiments she easily comprehended the last principally seeing how much Melicrita was grieved I know very well said that fair afflicted one to her as Theano told me since I have very strict engagements which tie me to the world I love my Parents as much as I am obliged to love ' em I love Theolinda as well as my self and Theramenes more than I can express I know by quitting 'em I shall cause in 'em a mortal Grief and shall cause in my self a very sensible one too But after all it is impossible for me to suffer Theramenes's Heart should be divided nor can I see a Rival without hating her So that my dear Theolinda I will break off all that weds me to the World and renounce it for ever As Theano is a very prudent person she pitied her flaâ—…red her and in some sort espouâ—… her Sentiments After which looking upon her with an air of Compassion You raise my pity so much the more said she to her as that the Remedy you seek is not proper for you For my dear Melicrita when we leave the World to serve the Gods we must not be so irritated against it we must have calm sedate minds and our Reason altogether free You must not come pursu'd she among the vell'd Virgins with a heart fill'd with different Passions You must quit the World when it smiles upon you and not when it frowns You must not be wanting to all your duties for the figuring to your self one according to your own fancy The Victims that are offered to the Gods ought to be pure by much stronger reason the Heart that is offered 'em which is the most noble Offering that can be made ' em Believe me Melicrita continu'd she if you should rashly come amongst us you would not be happy People do not change their Habits by changing their Clothes And if it should happen when you are engaged that the Law should be revoked which troubles you so much which may easily happen since they have abolished one more holy it might likewise happen that you would repent your engagement and regret all you shall have quitted When we give our selves to the Gods pursued she it must be out of purer motives than those of yours Humane Passions must not have any share therein In a word my dear Melicrita I will see you without grief and your mind in tranquillity before I listen to your Proposition As they were at this pass I interrupted 'em For waking and Theramenes being come to desire me he might speak with Melicrita I was much surprized to hear she was gone out and to know by one of my Servants they had seen her â—…nter the Lodgings of Minerva's Virgins Theramenes seemed transported with grief rightly judging that Melicrita was under a very violent affliction He desired me so earnestly to go find her out and bring her back that he might discourse her that I did so that very instant For Theaâ—… received no man at her House unless they were her very near Relations Assoon as Melicrita saw me she suspected I would propose her seeing Theramenes No no Theolinda said she to me Do not come to augment my trouble by perswading me to see Theramenes for I do not doubt but that he sends you hither If he is as much afflicted as I am I shall find a redoubling of the tribulation I am under If he is not grieved as much as he ought to be especially knowing what my humour is Choler will put me into a Fury But pray said I to her have you not Reason do not you love Glory Will you make such a hurry as to become the divertisement of the Bath Alas said she I know not what I would have But as I believe grief will make me sick we must give out beforehand that I am so that the Waters do me hurt and so return to Athens without taking leave of any body under pretence of my indisposition And when we are there Theano will change her opinion That I do not believe replied she but when we are there we will talk further of this business In the mean while added that wise person Theramenes did not make this capricious Law He did not declare to you that he will obey it You are indebted to him for Aristocrates's Life who has promised you to him You ought to see and hear him and I promise to come and see you by and by to calm again the agitation of your mind After this