prejudicial to my Honour Upon this Belief you accuse me of Weakness you resolve to see me no more and are making a thousand feeble Vows against Love You esteem me as a false one and resolve to cease loving the vain Coquet and will say to me as a certain Friend of yours said to his false Mistress The Inconstant Though Sylvia you are very fair Yet disagreeable to me And since you so inconstant are Your Beauty 's damn'd with Levity Your Wit your most offensive Arms For want of Judgment wants its Charms To every Lover that is new All new and charming you surprize But when your fickle Mind they view They shun the danger of your Eyes Shou'd you a Miracle of Beauty show Yet you 're inconstant and will still be so 'T is thus you will think of me And in fine Damon during this Dream we are in a perpetual State of War Thus both resolve to break their Chain And think to do 't without much Pain But Oh! Alas we strive in vain For Lovers of themselves can nothing do There must be the Consent of Two You give it me and I must give it you And if we shall never be free till we acquit one another this Tye between you and I Damon is likely to last as long as we live therefore in vain you endeavour but can never attain your End and in conclusion you will say in thinking of me Oh! how at Ease my Heart wou'd live Cou'd I renounce this Fugitive This dear but false attracting Maid That has her Vows and Faith betray'd Reason wou'd have it so but Love Dares not the dang'rous Tryal prove Do not be angry then for this afflicting hour is drawing to an end and you ought not to despair of coming into my absolute Favour again Then do not let your murm'ring Heart Against my Int'rest take your Part. The Feud was rais'd by Dreams all false and vain And the next Sleep shall reconcile again Six a Clock Accommodation in Dreams THough the angry Lovers force themselves all they can to chase away the troublesome Tenderness of the Heart in the height of their Quarrels Love sees all their Sufferings pities and redresses 'em And when we begin to cool and a soft Repentance follows the Chagrin of the Love-Quarrel 't is then that Love takes the advantage of both Hearts and renews the charming Friendship more forcibly than ever puts a stop to all our Feuds and renders the Peace-making Minutes the most dear and tender part of our Life How pleasing 't is to see your Rage dissolve How sweet how soft is every Word that pleads for Pardon at my Feet 'T is there that you tell me your very Sufferings are over-paid when I but assure you from my Eyes that I will forget your Crime And your Imagination shall here present me the most sensible of your past Pain that you can wish and that all my Anger being vanish'd I give you a thousand Marks of my Faith and Gratitude and lastly to crown all that we again make new Vows to one another of inviolable Peace After these Debates of Love Lovers thousand Pleasures prove Which they ever think to taste Tho' oftentimes they do not last Enjoy then all the Pleasures that a Heart that is very amorous and very tender can enjoy Think no more on those Inquietudes that you have suffer'd bless Love for his Favours and thank me for my Graces and resolve to endure any thing rather than enter upon any new Quarrels And however dear the reconciling Moments are there proceeds a great deal of Evil from these little frequent Quarrels and I think the best Counsel we can follow is to avoid 'em as near as we can And if we cannot but that in spight of Love and good Understanding they should break out we ought to make as speedy a Peace as possible for 't is not good to grate the Heart too long lest it grow harden'd insensibly and lose its native Temper A few Quarrels there must be in Love Love cannot support itself without 'em and besides the Joy of an Accommodation Love becomes by it more strongly united and more charming Therefore let the Lover receive this as a certain Receipt against declining Love Love reconcil'd He that wou'd have the Passion be Entire between the Am'rous Pair Let not the little Feuds of Jealousie Be carried on to a Despair That pauls the Pleasure he would raise The Fire that he wou'd blow allays When Vnderstandings false arise When misinterpreted your thought If false Conjectures of your Smiles and Eyes Be up to Baneful Quarrel wrought Let Love the kind Occasion take And strait Accommodation make The sullen Lover long unkind Ill-natur'd hard to reconcile Loses the Heart he had inclin'd Love cannot undergo long Toil He 's soft and sweet not born to bear The rough Fatigues of painful War Seven a Clock Divers Dreams BEhold Damon the last Hour of your Sleep and of my Watch. She leaves you at liberty now and you may chuse your Dreams Trust 'em to your Imaginations give a Loose to Fancy and let it rove at Will provided Damon it be always guided by a respectful Love For thus far I pretend to give Bounds to your Imagination and will not have it pass beyond 'em Take heed in Sleeping you give no Ear to a flatt'ring Cupid that will favour your slumbring Minutes with Lies too pleasing and vain You are discreet enough when you are awake Will you not be so in Dreams Damon awake My Watch's Course is done after this you cannot be ignorant of what you ought to do during my absence I did not believe it necessary to caution you about Balls and Comedies you know a Lover depriv'd of his Mistress goes seldom there But if you cannot handsomly avoid these Divertions I am not so unjust a Mistress to be angry with you for it go if Civility or other Duties oblige you I will only forbid you in consideration of me not to be too much satisfied with those Pleasures but see 'em so as the World may have Reason to say you do not seek 'em you do not make a Business or a Pleasure of 'em and that 't is Complaisance and not Inclination that carries you thither Seem rather negligent than concern'd at any thing there and let every part of you say Iris is not here I say nothing to you neither of your Duty elsewhere I am satisfied you know it too well and have too great a Veneration for your Glorious Master to neglect any part of that for even Love itself And I very well know how much you love to be eternally near his illustrious Person and that you scarce prefer your Mistress before him in point of Love In all things else I give him leave to take place of Iris in the noble Heart of Damon I am satisfied you pass your Time well now at Windsor for you adore that place and 't is not indeed without great Reason for 't is
I am generous enough to make it good And since I am so willing to be just you ought to esteem me and to make it your chiefest Care to preserve me yours for I believe I shall deserve it and wish you shou'd believe so too Remember me write to me and observe punctually all the Motions of my Watch The more you regard it the better you will like it and whatever you think of it at first sight 't is no ill Present The Invention is soft and gallant and Germany so celebrated for rare Watches can produce nothing to equal this Damon my Watch is just and new And all a Lover ought to do My Cupid faithfully will shew And every Hour he renders there Except L'heure du Bergere The End of the WATCH THE CASE FOR THE WATCH DAMON to IRIS EXpect not O charming Iris that I shou'd chuse Words to thank you in Words that least part of Love and least the Business of the Lover but will say all and every thing that a tender Heart can dictate to make an Acknowledgment for so dear and precious a Present as this of your charming Watch while all I can say will but too dully express my Sense of Gratitude my Joy and the Pleasure I receive in the mighty Favour I confess the Present too rich too gay and too magnificent for my Expectation and though my Love and Faith deserve it yet my humbler Hope never durst carry me to a Wish of so great a Bliss so great an Acknowledgment from the Maid I adore The Materials are glorious the Work delicate and the Movement just and even gives Rules to my Heart who shall observe very exactly all that the Cupid remarks to me even to the Minutes which I will point with Sighs though I am oblig'd to 'em there but every Half-hour You tell me fair Iris that I ought to preserve it tenderly and yet you have sent it me without a Case But that I may obey you justly and keep it dear to me as long as I live I will give it a Case of my Fashion It shall be delicate and suitable to the fine Present of such Materials too But because I would have it perfect I will consult your admirable Wit and Invention in an Affair of so curious a consequence The FIGURE of the CASE I Design to give it the Figure of a Heart Does not your Watch Iris rule the Heart It was your Heart that contriv'd it and 't was your Heart you consulted in all the management of it and 't was your Heart that brought it to so fine a Conclusion The Heart never acts without Reason and all the Heart projects it performs with Pleasure Your Watch my lovely Maid has explain'd to me a World of rich Secrets of Love And where shou'd Thoughts so sacred be stor'd but in the Heart where all the Secrets of the Soul are treasur'd up and of which only Love alone can take a View 'T is thence he takes his Sighs and Tears and all his little Flatteries and Arts to please All his fine Thoughts and all his mighty Raptures nothing is so proper as the Heart to preserve it nothing so worthy as the Heart to contain it and it concerns my Interest too much not to be infinitely careful of so dear a Treasure And believe me charming Iris I will never part with it The Votary Fair Goddess of my just Desire Inspirer of my softest Fire Since you from out the num'rous Throng That to your Altars do belong To me the Sacred Myst'ry have reveal'd From all my Rival-Worshippers conceal'd And touch'd my Soul with heav'nly Fire Refin'd it from its grosser Sense And wrought it to a higher Excellence It can no more return to Earth Lake things that thence receive their Birth But still aspiring upward move And teach the World new Flights of Love New Arts of Secresie shall learn And render Youth discreet in Love's Concern In his soft Heart to hide the charming things A Mistress whispers to his Ear And e'ery tender Sigh she brings Mix with his Soul and hide it there To bear himself so well in Company That if his Mistress present be It may be thought by all the Fair Each in his Heart does claim a share And all are more belov'd than she But when with the dear Maid apart Then at her Feet the Lover lies Opens his Soul shews all his Heart While Joy is dancing in his Eyes Then all that Honour may or take or give They both distribute both receive A Looker on wou'd spoil a Lover's Joy For Love 's a Game where only Two can play And 't is the hardest of Love's Mysteries To feign Love where it is not hide it where it is After having told you my lovely Iris that I design to put your Watch into a Heart I ought to shew you the Ornaments of the Case I do intend to have 'em Crown'd Cyphers I do not mean those Crowns of Vanity which are put indifferently on all sorts of Cyphers No I must have such as may distinguish 〈◊〉 from the rest and may be true Emblems of what I wou'd represent My four Cyphers therefore shall be Crown'd with these four Wreaths of Olive Laurel Myrtle and Roles And the Letters that begin the Names of 〈◊〉 and Damon shall compose the Cyphers though I must intermix some other 〈◊〉 that bear another Sence and have another Signification The First CYPHER THE first Cypher is compos'd of an I 〈◊〉 a D which are joyn'd by an L and an E Which signifies Love extream And 't is but just O adorable Iris that Love shou'd be mixt with our Cyphers and that Love alone shou'd be the Union of ' em Love ought alone the Mystick Knot to die Love that great Master of all Arts And this dear Cypher is to let you see Love unites Names as well as Hearts Without this charming Union our Souls could not communicate those invisible Sweetnesses which compleat the Felicity of Lovers and which the most tender and passionate Expressions are too feeble to make us comprehend But my adorable Iris I am contented 〈◊〉 he vast Pleasure I feel in loving well without the Care of expressing it well if you will imagine my Pleasure without expressing it For I confess 't wou'd be no Joy to me to adore you if you did not perfectly believe I did adore you Nay though you lov'd me if you had no Faith in me I shou'd languish and love in as much Pain as if you scorn'd and at the same time believ'd I dy'd for you For surely Iris 't is a greater Pleasure to please than to be pleas'd and the glorious Power of giving is infinitely a greater Satisfaction than that of receiving there is so great and God-like a Quality in it I wou'd have your Belief therefore equal to my Passion extream as indeed all Love shou'd be or it cannot bear that Divine Name It can pass but for an indifferent Affection And these Cyphers ought
to make the World find all the noble Force of delicate Passion For O my Iris what wou'd Love signifie if we did not love fervently Sisters and Brothers Love Friends and Relations have Affections but where the Souls are joyn'd which are fill'd with eternal soft Wishes Oh! there is some Excess of Pleasure which cannot be exprest Your Looks your dear obliging Words and your charming Letters have sufficiently perswaded me of your Tenderness and you might surely see the Excess of my Passion by my Cares my Sighs and entire Resignation 〈◊〉 your Will I never think of Iris but 〈◊〉 Heart feels double Flames and pants and heaves with double Sighs and whose 〈◊〉 makes its Ardors known by a thousand 〈◊〉 sports And they are very much to blame 〈◊〉 give the Name of Love to feeble easie Passions Such transitory tranquil Inclinations are at best but Well-wishers to Love and a Heart that has such Heats as those ought not put it 〈◊〉 into the Rank of those nobler Victims that are offer'd at the Shrine of Love But our Souls Iris burn with a more glorious Flame 〈◊〉 lights and conducts us beyond a Possibility of losing one another 'T is this that 〈…〉 my Hopes 'T is this alone makes me believe myself worthy of Iris And let her judge of its Violence by the Greatness of its Spleâ—dour Does not a Passion of this Nature so true 〈◊〉 ardent deserve to be crown'd And will 〈◊〉 wonder to see over this Cypher a 〈…〉 Myrtles those Boughs so sacred to th◠〈◊〉 of Love and so worshipt by Lovers 'T is with these soft Wreaths that those are crown'd who understand how to love well and faithfully The Smiles the Graces and the Sports That in the sacred Groves maintain their Courts Are with these Myrtles crown'd Thither the Nymphs their Garlands bring Their Beauties and their Praises sing While Ecchoe's do the Songs resound 〈◊〉 tho' a God with Myrtle Wreaths 〈◊〉 his soft Temples bind More valu'd are those consecrated Leaves Thâ—n the bright Wealth in Eastern Rocks confin'd And Crowns of Glory less Ambition move 〈◊〉 those more sacred Diadems of Love The Second CYPHER IS crown'd with Olives and I add to the two Letters of our Names an R and an L for Reciprocal Love Every time that I have given you O lovely Iris Testimonies of my Passion I have been so blest as to receive some from your Bounty and you have been pleas'd to flatter me with a Belief that I was not indifferent to you I dare therefore say that being honour'd with the Glory of your Tenderness and Care I ought as a Trophy of my illustrious Conquest to adorn the Watch with a Cypher that is so advantageous to me Ought I not to esteem myself the most fortunate and happy of Mankind to have exchang'd my Heart with so charming and admirable a Person as Iris Ah! how sweet how precious is the Change and how vast a Glory arrives to me from it Oh! you must not wonder if my Soul abandon itself to a thousand Extasies In the Merchandize of Hearts Oh! how dear it is to receive as much as one gives and better Heart for Heart Oh! I wou'd not receive mine again for all the Crowns the Universe contains Nor ought you my Adorable make any Vows or Wishes ever to retrieve yours or shew the least Repentance for the Blessing you have given me The Exchange we made was confirm'd by a noble Faith and you ought to believe you have bestow'd it well 〈◊〉 you are paid for it a Heart that is so conforâ—able to yours so true so just and so full of Adoration And nothing can be the just Recompence of Love but Love and to enjoy the true Felicity of it our Hearts ought to keep an equal Motion and like the Scales â—f Justice always hang even 'T is the Property of Reciprocal Love to make the Heart feel the Delicacy of Love and to give the Lover all the Ease and Softness he can reasonably hope Such a Love renders all things advantageous and prosperous Such a Love triumphs over all other Pleasures And I put a Crown of Olives over the Cypher of Reciprocal Love to make known that two Hearts where Love is justly equal enjoy a Peace that nothing can disturb Olives are never fading seen But always flourishing and green The Emblem 't is of Love and Peace For love that 's true will never cease And Peace does Pleasure still increase Joy to the World the Peace of Kings imparts And Peace in Love distributes it to Hearts The Third CYPHER THE C and the L which are joyn'd to the Letters of our Names in this Cypher crown'd with Laurel explains a constant Love It will not my fair Iris suffice that my Love is extream my Passion violent and my Wishes fervent or that our Loves are reciprocal But it ought also to be constant for in Love the Imagination is oftner carried to those things that may arrive and which we wish for than to things that Time has robb'd us of And in those agreeable Thoughts of Joys to come the Heart takes more delight to wander than in all those that are past though the Remembrance of 'em are very dear and very charming We shou'd be both unjust if we were not perswaded we are possest with a Vertue the Use of which is so admirable as that of Constancy Our Loves are not of that sort that can finish or have end but such a Passion so perfect and so constant that it will be a President for future Ages to love perfectly and when they wou'd express an extream Passion they will say They lov'd as Damon did the charming Iris. And he that knows the Glory of constant Love will despise those fading Passions those little Amusements that serve for a Day What Pleasure or Dependance can one have in a Love of that sort What Concern What Raptures can such an Amour produce in a Soul And what Satisâ—â—ction can one promise one's self in playing with a false Gamester who though you are aware of him in spight of all your Precaution puts the false Dice upon you and wins all Those Eyes that can no better Conquest make Let 'em ne'r look abroad Such but the empty Name of Lovers take And so prophane the God Better they never shou'd pretend Than e'er begun to make an End Of that fond Flame what shall we say That 's born and languish'd in a Day Such short-liv'd Blessings cannot bring The Pleasure of an Envying Who is 't will celebrate that Flame That 's damn'd to such a scanty Fame While constant Love the Nymphs and Swains Still sacred make in lasting Strains And chearful Lays throughout the Plains A constant Love knows no Decay But still advancing e'ery Dâ—â— Will last as long as Life can stay With e'ery Look and Smile improves With the same Ardour always moves With such as Damon charming Iris loves Constant Love finds it self impossible to be sâ—ken it resists the Attacks
of Envy and a thousand Accidents that endeavour to change it Nothing can disoblige it but a known Falseness or Contempt Nothing can remove it 〈◊〉 for a short Moment it may lie sullen and 〈◊〉 it recovers and returns with greater Force and Joy I therefore with very good Reason Crown this Cypher of Constant Love with a Wreath of Laurel since such Love always triumphs over Time and Fortune though it be not her Property to besiege for she cannot overcome but in defending herself but the Victories she gains are never the less glorious For far less Conquest we have known The Victor wear the Laurel Crown The Triumph with more Pride let him receive While those of Love at least more Pleasures give The Fourth CYPHER PErhaps my lovely Maid you will not find out what I mean by the S and the L in this last Cypher that is crown'd with Roses I will therefore tell you I mean Secret Love There are very few People who know the Nature of that Pleasure which so Divine a Love creates And let me say what I will of it they must feel it themselves who wou'd rightly understand it and all its ravishing Sweets But this there is a great deal of Reason to believe the Secrecy in Love doubles the Pleasures of it And I am so absolutely perswaded of this that I believe all those Favours that are not kept â—â—cret are dull and paul'd very insipid and 〈◊〉 Pleasures And let the Favours be never â—â— innocent that a Lover receives from a Mistreâ—â— she ought to value 'em set a Price upon ' â—â— and make the Lover pay dear while he receiâ—â— 'em with Difficulty and sometimes with Hazard A Lover that is not secret but suffers every one to count his Sighs has at most but a feeble Passion such as produces sudden and transitory Desires which die as soon as born A true Love has not this Character for whensoever 't is made Publick it ceases to be a Pleasure and is only the Result of Vanity Not that I expect our Loves shou'd always remain a Secret No I shou'd never at that Rate arrive to a Blessing which above all the Glories of the Earth I aspire to but even then there are a thousand Joys a thousand Pleasures that I shall be as careful to conceal from the foolish World as if the whole Preservation of that Pleasure depended on my Silence as indeed â—â— does in a great Measure To this Cypher I put a Crown of Roses which are not Flowers of a very lasting Date And 't is to let you see that 't is impossible Love â—â— be long hid We see every Day with what fine Dissimulation and Pains People conceal a thousand Hates and Malices Disgusts Disobligations and Resentments without being able to conceal the least part of their Love but Reputation has an Ardour as well as Roses and a Lover ought to esteem that as the dearest and tenderest Thing not only that of his own which is indeed the least part but that of his Mistress more valuable to him than Life He ought to endeavour to give People no occasion to make false Judgments of his Actions or to give their Censures which most certainly are never in the Favour of the fair Person for likely those false Censures are of the busie Female Sex the Coquets of that number whose little Spights and Railleries joyn'd to that fancy'd Wit they boast of sets 'em at Odds with all the Beautiful and Innocent And how very little of that kind serves to give the World a Faith when a thousand Vertues told of the same Persons by more credible Witnesses and Judges shall pass unregarded so willing and inclin'd is all the World to credit the Ill and condemn the Good And yet Oh! what pity 't is we are compell'd to live in Pain to oblige this foolish scandalous World And tho' we know each others Vertue and Honour we are oblig'd to observe that Caution to humour the Talking Town which takes away so great a part of the Pleasure of Life 'T is therefore that among these Roses you will find some Thorns by which you may imagine that in Love Precaution is necessary to its Secrecy And we must restrain our selves upon a thousand Occasions with so much Care that O Iris 't is impossible to be Discreet without Pain but 't is a Pain that creates a thousand Pleasures Where shou'd a Lover hide his Joys Free from Malice free from Noise Where no Envy can intrude Where no busie Rival's Spy Made by Disappointment made May inform his Jealousie The Heart will their best Refuge prove Which Nature meant the Cabinet of Love What wou'd a Lover not endure His Mistress Fame and Honour to secure Iris the Care we take to be discreet Is the dear Toyl that makes the Pleasure sweet The Thorn that does the We althinc lose That with less sawcy Freedom we may touch the Rose The CLASP of the WATCH AH charming Iris Ah my lovely Maid 'T is now in a more peculiar Manner that I require your Aid in the finishing of my Design and compleating the whole Peice to the utmost Perfection and without your Aid it cannot be perform'd It is about the Clasp of the Watch a Material in all appearance the most trivial of any part of it But that it may be safe for ever I design it the Image or Figure of Two Hands that fair One of the adorable Iris joyn'd to mine with this Motto Inviolable Faith For this Case this Heart ought to be shut up by this eternal Clasp Oh there is nothing so necessary as this Nothing can secure Love but Faith That Vertue ought to be a Guard to all the Heart thinks and all the Mouth utters Nor can Love say he triumphs without it And when that remains not in the Heart all the rest deserves no Regard Oh! I have not lov'd so ill to leave one Doubt upon your Soul Why then will you want that Faith O unkind Charmer that my Passion and my Services so justly merit When two Hearts entirely love And in one Sphere of Honour move Each maintains the other's Fire With a Faith that is entire For what heedless Youth bestows On a faithless Maid his Vows Faith without Love bears Vertue 's Price But Love without her Mixture is a Vice Love like Religion still shou'd be In the Foundation firm and true In Points of Faith shou'd still agree Tho' Innovations vain and new Love's little Quarrels may arise In Fundamentals still they 're just and wise Then charming Maid be sure of this Allow me Faith as well as Love Since that alone affords no Bliss Vnless your Faith your Love improve Either resolve to let me die By fairer Play your Cruelty Than not your Love with Faith impart And with your Vows to give your Heart In mad Despair I 'd rather fall Than lose my glorious Hopes of conqu'ring all So certain it is that Love without Faith is of no value In
fine my adorable Iris this Case shall be as near as I can like those delicate ones of Filligrin Work which do not hinder the Sight from taking a View of all within You may therefore see through this Heart all your Watch. Nor is my Desire of preserving this inestimable Piece more than to make it the whole Rule of my Life and Actions And my chiefest Design in these Cyphers is to comprehend in them the principal Vertues that are most necessary to Love Do not we know that Reciprocal Love is Justice Constant Love Fortitude Secret Love Prudence Though 't is true that Extream Love that is Excess of Love in one Sense appears not to be Temperance yet you must know my Iris that in Matters of Love Excess is a Vertue and that all other Degrees of Love are worthy Scorn alone 'T is this alone that can make good the glorious Title 'T is this alone that can bear the true Name of Love and this alone that can bear the true Name of Love and this alone that renders the Lovers truly happy in spight of all the Storms of Fate and Shocks of Fortune This is an Antidote against all other Griefs This bears up the Soul in all Calamity and is the very Heaven of Life the last Refuge of all Worldly Pain and Care and may well bear the Title of Divine The Art of Loving well That Love may all Perfection be Sweet Charming to the last Degree The Heart where the bright Flame does dwell In Faith and Softness shou'd excel Excess of Love shou'd fill each Vein And all its sacred Rites maintain The tend'rest Thoughts Heav'n can inspire Shou'd be the Fuel to its Fire And that like Incense burn as pure Or that in Vrns shou'd still endure No fond Desire shou'd fill the Soul But such as Honour may controul Jealousie I will allow Not the amorous Winds that blow Shou'd wanton in my Iris Hair Or ravish Kisses from my Fair. Not the Flowers that grow beneath Shou'd borrow Sweetness of her Breath If her Bird she do caress How I grudge its Happiness When upon her Snowy Hand The Wanton does triumphing stand Or upon her Brest she skips And lays her Beak to Iris Lips Fainting at my ravisht Joy I cou'd the Innocent destroy If I can no Bliss afford To a little harmless Bird Tell me O thou dear lov'd Maid What Reason cou'd my Rage perswade If a Rival shou'd invade If thy charming Eyes shou'd dart Looks that sally from the Heart If you sent a Smile or Glance To another tho' by Chance Still thou giv'st what 's not thy own They belong to me alone All Submission I wou'd pay Man was born the Fair t' obey Your very Look I 'd understand And thence receive your least Command Never your Justice will dispute But like a Lover execute I wou'd no Vsurper be But in claiming sacred thee I wou'd have all and every part No Thought shou'd hide within thy Heart Mine a Cabinet was made Where Iris Secrets shou'd be laid In the rest without Controul She shou'd triumph o're the Soul Prostrate at her feet I 'd lie Despising Power and Liberty Glorying more by Love to fall Than rule the Vniversal Ball. Hear me O you sawcy Youth And from my Maxims learn this Truth Wou'd you great and powerful prove Be an humble Slave to Love 'T is nobler far a Joy to give Than any Blessing to receive THE LADYs ' Looking Glass TO DRESS Herself by OR THE Whole ART OF CHARMING By Mrs. BEHN LONDON Printed by W. Onley for S. Briscoe 1697. THE Lady's Looking-Glass TO DRESS Herself by OR THE ART of Charming HOW long O charming Iris shall I speak in vain of your adorable Beauty You have been just and believe I love you with a Passion perfectly tender and extream and yet you will not allow your Charms to be infinite You must either accuse my Flames to be unreasonable and that my Eyes and Heart are false Judges of Wit and Beauty or allow that you are the most perfect of your Sex But instead of that you always accuse of me Flattery when I speak of your infinite Merit and when I refer you to your Glass you tell me that flatters as well as Damon though one wou'd imagine that shou'd be a good Witness for the Truth of what I say and undeceive you of the Opinion of my Injustice Look and confirm yourself that nothing can equal your Perfections All the World says it and you must doubt it no longer O Iris Will you dispute against the whole World But since you have so long distrusted your own Glass I have here presented you with one which I know is very true and having been made for you only can serve only you All other Glasses present all Objects but this reflects only Iris whenever you consult it it will convince you and tell you how much Right I have done you when I told you you were the fairest Person that ever Nature made When other Beauties look into it it will speak to all the fair Ones but let 'em do what they will 't will say nothing to their Advantage Iris to spare what you call flattery Consult your Glass each Hour of the Day 'T will tell you where your Charms and Beauties lie And where your little wanton Graces play Where Love does revel in your Face and Eyes What Look invites your Slaves and what denies Where all the Loves adorn you with such Care Where dress your Smiles where arm your lovely Eyes Where deck the flowing Tresses of your Hair How cause your Snowy Breasts to fall and rise How this severe Glance makes the Lover die How that more soft gives Immortality Where you shall see what 't is enslaves the Soul Where e'ry Feature e'ry Look combines When the adorning Air o're all the whole To so much Wit and so nice Vertue joyns Where the Belle Taille and Motion still afford Graces to be eternally ador'd But I will be silent now and let your Glass speak THE Lady's Looking-Glass DAmon O charming Iris has given me to you that you may sometimes give your self the Trouble and me the Honour of Consulting me in the great and weighty Affairs of Beauty I am my adorable Mistress a faithful Glass and you ought to believe all I say to you The Shape of IRIS I Must begin with your Shape and tell you without Flattery 't is the finest in the World and gives Love and Admiration to all that see you Pray observe how free and easie it is without Constraint Stiffness or Affectation those mistaken Graces of the Fantastick and the Formal who give themselves Pain to shew their Will to please and whose Dressing makes the greatest part of its Fineness when they are more oblig'd to the Taylor than to Nature who add or diminish as occasion serves to form a Grace where Heaven never gave it And while they remain on this Wreck of Pride they are eternally uneasie without pleasing
God's sake to keep me well and if thou hast Love as I shall never doubt if thou art always as to Night shew that Love I beseech thee there being nothing so grateful to God and Mankind as Plain-dealing 'T is too late to conjure thee farther I will be purchas'd with Softness and dear Words and kind Expressions sweet Eyes and a low Voice Farewell I love thee dearly passionately and tenderly and am resolv'd to be eternally My only Dear Delight and Joy of my Life Thy Astrea LETTER VI. SInce you my dearest Lycidas have prescrib'd me Laws and Rules how I shall behave my self to please and gain you and that one of these is not Lying or Dissembling and that I had to Night promis'd you shou'd never have a tedious Letter from me more I will begin to keep my Word and stint my Heart and Hand I promis'd tho' to write and tho' I have no great Matter to say more than the Assurance of my Eternal Love to you yet to obey you and not only so but to oblige my own impatient Heart I must late as 't is say something to thee I stay'd after thee to Night till I had read a whole Act of my new Play too and then he led me over all the way saying Gad you were the Man And beginning some rallying Love-Discourse after Supper which he fancy'd was not so well receiv'd as it ought he said you were not handsome and call'd Philly to own it but he did not but was of my side and said you were handsome So he went on a while and all ended that concern'd you And this upon my Word is all Your Articles I have read over and do not like 'em you have broke one even before you have sworn or seal'd 'em that is they are writ with Reserves I must have a better Account of your Heart to Morrow when you come I grow desperate fond of you and wou'd fain be us'd well if not I will march off But I will believe you mean to keep your Word as I will for ever do mine Pray make hast to see me to Morrow and if I am not at home when you come send for me over the way where I have ingaged to Dine there being an Entertainment on purpose to Morrow for me For God's sake make no more Niceties and Scruples than need in your way of living with me that is do not make me believe this Distance is to ease you when indeed 't is meant to ease us both of Love and for God's sake do not misinterpret my Excess of Fondness and if I forget my self let the Check you give be sufficient to make me desist Believe me dear Creature 't is more out of Humour and Jest than any Inclination on my side for I could sit eternally with you without that part of Disturbance Fear me not for you are from that as safe as in Heaven it self Believe me dear Lycidas this Truth and trust me 'T is late Farewel and come for God's sake betimes to Morrow and put off your foolish Fear and Niceties and do not shame me with your perpetual ill Opinion my Nature is proud and insolent and cannot bear it I will be used something better in spight of all your Apprehensions falsly grounded Adieu keep me as I am ever yours Astrea By this Letter one would think I were the Nicest thing on Earth yet I know a dear Friend goes far beyond me in that unnecessary Fault LETTER VII My Charming Vnkind I Wou'd have gag'd my Life you cou'd not have left me so coldly so unconcerned as you did but you are resolv'd to give me Proofs of your No Love Your Counsel which was given you to Night has wrought the Effects which it usually do's in Hearts like yours Tell me no more you love me for 't will be hard to make me think it tho' it be the only Blessing I ask on Earth But if Love can merit a Heart I know who ought to claim yours My Soul is ready to burst with Pride and Indignation and at the same time Love with all his Softness assails me and will make me write so that between one and the other I can express neither as I ought What shall I do to make you know I do not use to condescend to so much Submission nor to tell my Heart so freely Though you think it Use methinks I find my Heart swell with Disdain at this Minute for my being ready to make Asseverations of the contrary and to assure you I do not nor never did love or talk at the rate I do to you since I was born I say I wou'd swear this but something rouls up my Bosom and checks my very Thought as it rises You ought Oh Faithless and infinitely Adorable Lycidas to know and guess my Tenderness you ought to see it grow and daily increase upon your Hands If it be troublesome 't is because I fancy you lessen whilst I encrease in Passion or rather that by your ill Judgment of mine you never had any in your Soul for me Oh unlucky oh vexatious Thought Either let me never see that Charming Face or ease my Soul of so tormenting an Agony as the cruel Thought of not being belov'd Why my Lovely Dear should I flatter you or why make more Words of my Tenderness than another Woman that loves as well wou'd do as once you said No you ought rather to believe that I say more because I have more than any Woman can be capable of My Soul is form'd of no other Material than Love and all that Soul of Love was form'd for my dear faithless Lycidas Methinks I have a Fancy that something will prevent my going to Morrow Morning However I conjure thee if possible to come to Morrow about Seven or Eight at Night that I may tell you in what a deplorable Condition you left me to Night I cannot describe it but I feel it and wish you the same Pain for going so inhumanely But oh you went to Joys and left me to Torments You went to Love alone and left me Love and Rage Fevers and Calentures even Madness it self Indeed indeed my Soul I know not to what degree I love you let it suffice I do most passionately and can have no Thoughts of any other Man whilst I have Life No! Reproach me Defame me Lampoon me Curse me and Kill me when I do and let Heaven do so too Farewel I love you more and more every Moment of my Life Know it and Goodnight Come to Morrow being Wednesday to my Adorable Lycidas your Astrea LETTER VIII WHy my dearest Charmer do you disturb that Repose I had resolved to pursue by taking it unkindly that I did not write I cannot disobey you because indeed I wou'd not tho' 't were better much for both I had been for ever silent I prophesie so but at the same time cannot help my Fate and know not what Force or Credit there is in the Vertue we both
lov'd nothing so much as to behold sighing Slaves at her Feet of the greatest Quality and treated 'em all with an Affability that gave 'em Hope Continual Musick as soon as it was dark and Songs of dying Lovers were sung under her Windows and she might well have made herself a great Fortune if she had not been so already by the rich Presents that were hourly made her and every Body daily expected when she wou'd make some one happy by suffering herself to be conquer'd by Love and Honour by the Assiduities and Vows of some one of her Adorers But Miranda accepted their Presents heard their Vows with pleasure and willingly admitted all their soft Addresses but wou'd not yield her Heart or give away that lovely Person to the Possession of one who cou'd please itself with so many She was naturally Amorous but extreamly Inconstant She lov'd one for his Wit another for his Face a third for his Mein but above all she admir'd Quality Quality alone had the Power to attack her entirely yet not to one Man but that Vertue was still admir'd by her in all where-ever she found that she lov'd or at least acted the Lover with such Art that deceiving well she fail'd not to compleat her Conquest and yet she never durst trust her fickle Humour with Marriage She knew the Strength of her own Heart and that it cou'd not suffer itself to be confin'd to one Man and wisely avoided those Inquietudes and that Uneasiness of Life she was sure to find in that married Life which wou'd against her Nature oblige her to the Embraces of one whose Humour was to love all the Young and the Gay But Love who had hitherto but play'd with her Heart and given it naught but pleasing wanton Wounds such as afforded only soft Joys and not Pains resolv'd either out of Revenge to those Numbers she had abandon'd and who had sigh'd so long in vain or to try what Power he had upon so fickle a Heart sent an Arrow dipp'd in the most tormenting Flames that rage in Hearts most sensible He struck it home and deep with all the Malice of an angry God There was a Church belonging to the Cordeliers whither Miranda often repair'd to her Devotion and being there one Day accompany'd with a young Sister of the Order after the Mass was ended as 't is the Custom some one of the Fathers goes about the Church with a Box for Contribution or Charity-Money it happen'd that Day that a young Father newly initiated carried the Box about which in his turn he brought to Miranda She had no sooner cast her Eyes on this young Friar but her Face was overspread with Blushes of Surprize She beheld him stedfastly and saw in his Face all the Charms of Youth Wit and Beauty he wanted no one Grace that cou'd form him for Love he appear'd all that is adorable to the Fair Sex nor cou'd the mishapen Habit hide from her the lovely Shape it endeavour'd to cover nor those delicate Hands that approach'd her too near with the Box. Besides the Beauty of his Face and Shape he had an Air altogether great in spite of his profess'd Poverty it betray'd the Man of Quality and that Thought weigh'd greatly with Miranda But Love who did not design she shou'd now feel any sort of those easie Flames with which she had heretofore burnt made her soon lay all those Considerations aside which us'd to invite her to Love and now lov'd she knew not why She gaz'd upon him while he bow'd before her and waited for her Charity 'till she perceiv'd the lovely Friar to blush and cast his Eyes to the Ground This awaken'd her Shame and she put her Hand into her Pocket and was a good while in searching for her Purse as if she thought of nothing less than what she was about at last she drew it out and gave him a Pistole but that with so much Deliberation and Leisure as easily betray'd the Satisfaction she took in looking on him while the good Man having receiv'd her Bounty after a very low Obeisance proceeded to the rest and Miranda casting after him a Look all languishing as long as he remain'd in the Church departed with a Sigh as soon as she saw him go out and return'd to her Apartment without speaking one Word all the Way to the young Fille Devote who attended her so absolutely was her Soul employ'd with this young holy Man Cornelia so was this Maid call'd who was with her perceiving she was so silent who us'd to be all Wit and good Humour and observing her little Disorder at the Sight of the young Father tho' she was far from imagining it to be Love took an Occasion when she was come home to speak of him Madam said she did you not observe that fine young Cordedelier who brought the Box At a Qustion that nam'd that Object of her Thoughts Miranda blush'd and the finding she did so redoubl'd her Confusion and she had scarce Courage enough to say Yes I did observe him And then forcing herself to smile a little continu'd And I wonder'd to see so jolly a young Friar of an Order so severe and mortify'd Madam reply'd Cornelia when you know his Story you will not wonder Miranda who was impatient to know all that concern'd her new Conqueror oblig'd her to tell his Story and Cornelia obey'd and proceeded The Story of Prince HENRICK YOU must know Madam that this young holy Man is a Prince of Germany of the House of whose Fate it was to fall most passionately in Love with a fair young Lady who lov'd him with an Ardour equal to what he vow'd her Sure of her Heart and wanting only the Approbation of her Parents and his own which her Quality did not suffer him to despair of he boasted of his Happiness to a young Prince his elder Brother a Youth amorous and fierce impatient of Joys and sensible of Beauty taking Fire with all fair Eyes He was his Father's Darling and Delight of his fond Mother and by an Ascendant over both their Hearts rul'd their Wills This young Prince no sooner saw but lov'd the fair Mistress of his Brother and with an Authority of a Sovereign rather than the Advice of a Friend warn'd his Brother Henrick this now young Friar to approach no more this Lady whom he had seen and seeing lov'd In vain the poor surpriz'd Prince pleads his Right of Love his Exchange of Vows and Assurance of an Heart that cou'd never be but for himself In vain he urges his Nearness of Blood his Friendship his Passion or his Life which so entirely depended on the Possession of the charming Maid All his Pleading serv'd but to blow his Brother's Flame and the more he implores the more the other burns and while Henrick follows him on his Knees with humble Submissions the other flies from him in Rages of transported Love nor cou'd his Tears that pursu'd his Brother's Steps move him to Pity
of those sorts of Persons who afflict and busie themselves and rejoyce at a hundred things they have no Interest in Coquets and Politicians who make it the Business of their whole Lives to gather all the News of the Town adding or diminishing according to the Stock of their Wit and Invention and spreading it all abroad to the believing Fools and Gossips and perplexing every-body with a hundred ridiculous Novels which they pass off for Wit and Entertainment Or else some of those Recounters of Adventures that are always telling of Intrigues and that make a Secret to a hundred People of a Thousand foolish things they have heard Like a certain Pert and Impertinent Lady of the Town whose Youth and Beauty being past sets up for Wit to uphold a feeble Empire over idle Hearts and whose Character is this The Coquet Milinda who had never been Esteem'd a Beauty at Fifteen Always Amorous was and Kind To every Swain she lent an Ear. Free as Air but False as Wind Yet none complain'd She was severe She eas'd more than she made complain Was always Singing Pert and Vain Where-e'er the Throng was she was seen And swept the Youths along the Green With equal Grace she flatter'd all And fondly proud of all Address Her Smiles invite her Eyes do call And her vain Heart her Looks confess She Rallies this to that she Bow'd Was Talking ever Laughing loud On every side she makes Advance And every where a Confidance She tells for Secrets all she knows And all to know she does pretend Beauty in Maids she treats as Foes But every handsom Youth as Friend Scandal still passes off for Truth And Noise and Nonsence Wit and Youth Coquet all o'er and every part Yet wanting Beauty even of Art Herds with the Vgly and the Old And plays the Critick on the rest Of Men the Bashful and the Bold Either and all by Turns likes best Even now tho' Youth be languisht she Sets up for Love and Gallantry This sort of Creature Damon is very dangerous not that I fear you will squander away a Heart upon her but your Hours for in spight of you she 'll detain you with a thousand Impertinencies and eternal Tattle She passes for a judging Wit and there is nothing so troublesome as such a Pretender She perhaps may get some Knowledge of our Correspondence and then no doubt will improve it to my disadvantage Possibly she may rail at me that is her Fashion by the way of Friendly Speaking and an Aukward Commendation the most effectual Way of Defaming and Traducing Perhaps she tells you in a cold Tone that you are a happy Man to be belov'd by me That Iris indeed is handsome and she wonders she has no more Lovers but the Men are not of her Mind if they were you should have more Rivals She commends my Face but that I have blue Eyes and 't is pity my Complexion is no better My Shape but too much inclining to Fat. Cries She would charm infinitely with her Wit but that she knows too well she is Mistress of it And concludes But all together she is well enough Thus she runs on without giving you leave to edge in a Word in my Defence and ever and anon crying up her own Conduct and Management Tell you how she is opprest with Lovers and fatigu'd with Addresses and recommending her self at every turn with a perceivable Cunning And all the while is Jilting you of your good Opinion which she would buy at the Price of any Body's Repose or her own Fame tho' but for the Vanity of adding to the Number of her Lovers When she sees a new Spark the first thing she does she enquires into his Estate If she find it such as may if the Coxcomb be well manag'd supply her Vanity she makes Advances to him and applies herself to all those little Arts she usually makes use of to gain her Fools and according to his Humour dresses and affects her own But Damon since I point to no particular Person in this Character I will not name who you should avoid but all of this sort I conjure you wheresoever you find ' em But if unlucky Chance throw you in their Way hear all they say without Credit or Regard as far as Decency will suffer you Hear 'em without approving their Foppery and hear 'em without giving 'em Cause to censure you But 't is so much Time lost to listen to all the Novels this sort of People will perplex you with whose Business is to be idle and who even tire themselves with their own Impertinencies And be assur'd after all there is nothing they can tell you that is worth your knowing And Damon a perfect Lover never asks any News but of the Maid he loves The Enquiry Damon If your Love be True To the Heart that you possess Tell me What have you to do Where you have no Tenderness Her Affairs who cares to learn For whom he has not some Concer◠If a Lover fain would know If the Object lov'd be true Let her but industrious be To watch his Curiosity Tho' ne'r so cold his Questions seem They come from warmer Thoughts within When I hear a Swain enquire What gay Melinda does to live I conclude there us some Fire In a Heart inquisitive Or 't is at least the Bill that 's set To shew The Heart is to be Let. Two a Clock Dinner time LEave all those fond Entertainments or you will disoblige me and make Dinner wait for you for my Cupid tells you 't is that Hour Love does not pretend to make you lose that nor is it my Province to order you your Diet. Here I give you a perfect Liberty to do what you please And possibly 't is the only Hour in the whole Four and twenty that I will absolutely resign you or dispence with your even so much as Thinking on me 'T is true in seating yourself at Table I would not have you placed over-against a very Beautiful Object for in such a one there are a thousand little Graces in Speaking Looking and Laughing that fail not to Charm if one gives way to the Eyes to gaze and wander that way in which perhaps in spight of you you will find a Pleasure And while you do so though without Design or Concern you give the fair Charmer a sort of Vanity in believing you have placed yourself there only for the Advantage of Looking on her and assumes a hundred little Graces and Affectations which are not Natural to her to compleat a Conquest which she believes so well begun already She softens her Eyes and sweetens her Mouth and in 〈◊〉 puts on another Air than when she had no Design and when you did not by your continual looking on her rouze her Vanity and increase her easie Opinion of her own Charms Perhaps she knows I have some Interest in your Heart and Prides herself at least with believing she has attracted the Eyes of my
your Hair That plays about with wanton Grace With every Motion of your Face Disdaining all that dull Formality That dares not move the Lip or Eye But at some fancy'd Grace's cost And think with it at least a Lover lost But the unlucky Minute to reclaim And ease the Coquet of her Pain The Pocket-Glass adjusts the Face again Re-sets the Mouth and languishes the Eyes And thinks the Spark that ogles that way dies Of Iris learn O ye mistaken Fair To dress your Face your Smiles your Air. Let easie Nature all the Bus'ness do She can the softer Graces shew Which Art but turns to Ridicule And where there 's none serves but to shew the Fool. In Iris you all Graces find Charms without Art a Motion unconfin'd Without Constraint she smiles she looks she talks And without Affectation moves and walks Beauties so perfect ne'er were seen O ye mistaken Fair Dress ye by Iris Mien The Discretion of IRIS BUT O Iris The Beauties of the Body are imperfect if the Beauties of the Soul do not advance themselves to an equal height But O Iris What Mortal is there so damned to Malice that does not with Adoration confess that you O charming Maid have an equal Portion of all the Braveries and Vertues of the Mind And who is it that confesses your Beauty that does not at the same time acknowledge and bow to your Wisdom The whole World admires both in you and all with impatience ask Which of the two is most surprising your Beauty or your Discretion But we dispute in vain on that excellent Subject for after all 't is determin'd that the two Charms are equal 'T is none of those idle Discretions that consists in Words alone and ever takes the Shadow of Reason for the Substance and that makes use of all the little Artifices of Subtilty and florid Talking to make the outside of the Argument appear fine and leave the inside wholly mis-understood Who runs away with Words and never thinks of Sence But you O lovely Maid never make use of these affected Arts but without being too brisk or too severe too silent or too talkative you aspire in all your Hearers a Joy and a Respect Your Soul is an Enemy to that usual Vice of your Sex of using little Arguments against the Fair or by a Word or Jest make your self and Hearers pleasant at the Expence of the Fame of others Your Heart is an Enemy to all Passions but that of Love And this is one of your noble Maxims That every one ought to love in some part of his Life And that in a Heart truly brave Love is without Folly That Wisdom is a Friend to Love and Love to perfect Wisdom Since these Maxims are your own do not O charming Iris resist that noble Passion And since Damon is the most tender of all your Lovers answer his Passion with a noble Ardour Your Prudence never fails in the Choice of your Friends and in chusing so well your Lover you will stand an eternal President to all unreasonable fair Ones O thou that dost excel in Wit and Youth Be still a President for Love and Truth Let the dull World say what it will A noble Flame 's unblameable Where a fine Sent'ment and soft Passion rules They scorn the Censure of the Fools Yield Iris then Oh yield to Love Redeem your dying Slave from pain The World your Conduct must approve Your Prudence never acts in vain The Goodness and Complaisance of Iris. WHO but your Lovers fair Iris doubts but you are the most complaisant Person in the World And that with so much Sweetness you oblige all that you command in yielding and as you gain the Heart of both Sexes with the Affability of your noble Temper so all are proud and vain of obliging you And Iris you may live assur'd that your Empire is eternally establish'd by your Beauty and your Goodness Your Power is confirm'd and you grow in Strength every Minute Your Goodness gets you Friends and your Beauty Lovers This Goodness is not one of those whose Folly renders it easie to every Desirer but a pure Effect of the Generosity of your Soul such as Prudence alone manages according to the Merit of the Person to whom it is extended and those whom you esteem receive the sweet Marks of it and only your Lovers complain Yet even then you charm And though sometimes you can be a little disturb'd yet through your Anger your Goodness shines and you are but too much afraid that that may bear a false Interpretation For oftentimes Scandal makes that pass for an Effect of Love which is purely that of Complaisance Never had any Body more Tenderness for their Friends than Iris Their Presence gives her Joy their Absence Trouble and when she cannot see them she finds no Pleasure like speaking of them obligingly Friendship reigns in your Heart and Sincerity on your Tongue Your Friendship is so strong so constant and so tender that it charms pleases and satisfies all that are not your Adorers 'T is therefore Damon is excusable if he be not contented with your noble Friendship alone for he is the most tender of that Number No! Give me all th' impatient Lover cries Without your Soul I cannot live Dull Friendship cannot mine suffice That dies for all you have to give The Smiles the Vows the Heart must all be mine I cannot spare one Thought or Wish of thine I sigh I languish all the Day Each Minute ushers in my Groans To e'ry God in vain I pray In e'ry Grove repeat my Moans Still Iris Charms are all my Sorrows Themes They pain me Waking and they wreck in Dreams Return fair Iris Oh return Lest sighing long your Slave destroys I wish I rave I faint I burn Restore me quickly all my Joys Your Mercy else will come too late Distance in Love more cruel is than Hate The Wit of Iris. YOU are deceiv'd in me fair Iris if you take me for one of those ordinary Glasses that represent the Beauty only of the Body I remark to you also the Beauties of the Soul And all about you declares yours the finest that ever was formed that you have a Wit that surprizes and is always new 'T is none of those that loses its Lustre when one considers it the more we examine yours the more adorable we find it You say nothing that is not at once agreeable and solid 't is always quick and ready without Impertinence that little Vanity of the Fair who when they know they have Wit rarely manage it so as not to abound in Talking and think that all they say must please because luckily they sometimes chance to do so But Iris never speaks but 't is of use and gives a Pleasure to all that hears her She has the perfect Art of penetrating even the most secret Thoughts How often have you known without being told all that has past in Damon's Heart For all great Wits are Prophets too
Tell me Oh tell me Charming Prophetess For you alone can tell my Love's Success The Lines in my dejected Face I fear will lead you to no kind Result It is your own that you must trace Those of your Heart you must consult 'T is there my Fortune I must learn And all that Damon does concern I tell you that I love a Maid As bright as Heav'n of Angel-hue The softest Nature ever made Whom I with Sighs and Vows pursue Oh tell me charming Prophetess Shall I this lovely Maid possess A thousand Rivals do obstruct my Way A thousand Fears they do create They throng about her all the Day Whilst I at awful Distance wait Say will the lovely Maid so fickle prove To give my Rivals Hope as well as Love She has a thousand Charms of Wit With all the Beauty Heav'n e're gave Oh! Let her not make use of it To flatter me into the Slave Oh! Tell me Truth to ease my Pain Say rather I shall die by her Disdain The Modesty of Iris. I Perceive fair Iris you have a Mind to tell me I have entertain'd you too long with a Discourse on yourself I know your Modesty makes this Declaration an offence and you suffer me with Pain to unveil those Treasures you wou'd hide Your Modesty that so commendable a Vertue in the Fair and so peculiar to you is here a little too severe Did I flatter you you shou'd blush Did I seek by praising you to shew an Art of Speaking finely you might chide But O Iris I say nothing but such plain Truths as all the World can witness are so And so far I am from Flattery that I seek no Ornament of Words Why do you take such Care to conceal your Vertues They have too much Lustre not to be seen in spight of all your Modesty Your Wit your Youth and Reason oppose themselves against this dull Obstructer of our Happiness Abate O Iris a little of this Vertue since you have so many other to defend yourself against the Attacks of your Adorers You yourself have the least Opinion of your own Charms And being the only Person in the World that is not in love with 'em you hate to pass whole Hours before your Looking-Glass and to pass your time like most of the idle Fair in dressing and setting off those Beauties which need so little Art You more wise disdain to give those Hours to the Fatigue of Dressing which you know so well how to employ a thousand Ways The Muses have blest you above your Sex and you know how to gain a Conquest with your Pen more absolutely than all the industrious Fair who trust to Dress and Equipage I have a thousand things to tell you more but willingly resign my place to Damon that faithful Lover he will speak more ardently than I For let a Glass use all its Force yet when it speaks its best it speaks but coldly If my Glass O charming Iris have the good Fortune which I cou'd never entirely boast to be believ'd 't will serve at least to convince you I have not been so guilty of Flattery as I have a thousand times been charg'd Since then my Passion is equal to your Beauty without Comparison or End believe O lovely Maid how I sigh in your Absence And be perswaded to lessen my pain and restore me to my Joys for there is no Torment so great as the Absence of a Lover from his Mistress of which this is the Idea The Effects of Absence from what we love Thou one continu'd Sigh all over Pain Eternal Wish but wish alas in vain Thou languishing impatient Hoper on A busie Toiler and yet still undone A breaking Glimpse of distant Day Inticing on and leading more astray Thou Joy in Prospect future Bliss extream But ne're to be possest but in a Dream Thou fab'lous Goddess which the ravish'd Boy In happy Slumbers proudly did enjoy But waking found an Airy Cloud he prest His Arms came empty to his panting Breast Thou Shade that only haunts the Soul by Night And when thou shou'dst inform thou fly'st the Sight Thou false Idea of the thinking Brain That labours for the charming Form in vain Which if by Chance it catch thou' rt lost again The End of the Looking-Glass THE Lucky Mistake A NEW NOVEL By Mrs. BEHN LONDON Printed by William Onley for S. Briscoe and T. Chapman 1697. THE Lucky Mistake A NEW NOVEL THe River Loyre has on its delightful Banks abundance of handsome beautiful and rich Towns and Villages to which the noble Stream adds no small Graces and Advantages blessing their Fields with Plenty and their Eyes with a thousand Diversions In one of these happily situated Towns called Orleance where abundance of People of the best Quality and Condition reside there was a rich Nobleman now retird from the busie Court where in his Youth he had been bred wearied with the Toyls of Ceremony and Noise to enjoy that perfect Tranquility of Life which is no where to be found but in Retreat a faithful Friend and a good Library and as the Admirable Horace says in a little House and large Gardens Count Bellyaurd for so was this Nobleman call'd was of this Opinion and the rather because he had one only Son call'd Rinaldo now grown to the Age of Fifteen who having all the excellent Qualities and Graces of Youth by Nature he would bring him up in all Vertues and noble Sciences which he believ'd the Gaiety and Lustre of the Court might divert He therefore in his Retirement spar'd no Cost to those that could instruct and accomplish him and he had the best Tutors and Masters that could be purchased at Court Bellyaurd making far less account of Riches than of fine Parts He found his Son capable of all Impressions having a Wit suitable to his delicate Person so that he was the sole Joy of his Life and the Darling of his Eyes In the very next House which joyn'd close to that of Bellyaurd's there liv'd another Count who had in his Youth been banish'd the Court of France for some Misunderstandings in some high Affairs wherein he was concern'd his name was De Pais a Man of great Birth but no Fortune or at least one not suitable to the Grandeur of his Original And as it is most natural for great Souls to be most proud if I may call a handsome Disdain by that vulgar Name when they are most depress'd so De Pais was more retir'd more â—strang'd from his Neighbours and kept a greater Distance than if he had enjoy'd all he had lost at Court and took more Solemnity and State upon him because he would not be subject to the Reproaches of the World by making himself familiar with it So that he rarely visited and was as rarely visited and contrary to the Custom of those in France who are easie of Excess and free of Conversation he kept his Family retir'd so close that 't was rare to see any of
a Scholar so that it was most certain he added very great Accomplishment to her Natural Wit and the more because she took a very great Delight in Philosophy which very often made her impatient of his coming especially when she had many Questions to ask him concerning it and she wou'd often receive him with a Pleasure in her Face which he did not fail to interpret to his own Advantage being very apt to flatter himself Her Sister Charlot would often ask her How she could give whole Afternoons to so disagreeable a Man What is it said she that charms 〈◊〉 his tawny Leather Face his extraordinary high Nose â—â— wide Mouth and Eye-brows that hang lowring over â—â— Eyes his lean Carcase and his lame and haulting Hips But Atlante wou'd discreetly reply If I must grant al you say of Count Vernole to be true yet he has a Wit and Learning that will attone sufficiently for all those Faults you mention A fine Soul is infinitely to be preferr'd to a fine Body this decays but that 's eternal and Age that ruins one refines the other Though possibly Atlante thought as ill of the Count as her Sister yet in Respect to him she would not own it Atlante was now arriv'd to her thirteenth Year when her Beauty which every day increas'd became the Discourse of the whole Town which had already gain'd her as many Lovers as had beheld her for none saw her without languishing for her or at least but what were in very great Admiration of her Every body talk'd of the young Atlante and all the Noblemen who had Sons knowing the Smallness of her Fortune and the Lustre of her Beauty would send them for fear of their being Charm'd with her either to some other part of the World or exhorted them by way of Precaution to keep out of her sight Old Bellyuard was one of those wise Parents and by a timely Prevention as he thought of Rinaldo's falling in Love with Atlante perhaps was the Occasion of his being so he had before heard of Atlante and of her Beauty but it had made no Impressions on his Heart but his Father no sooner forbid him Loving then he felt a new Desire tormenting him of seeing this lovely and dangerous young Person he wonders at his unaccountable Pain which daily solicits him within to go where he may behold this Beauty of whom he frames a thousand Idea's all such as were most agreeable to him but then upbraids his Fancy for not forming her half so delicate as she was and longs yet more to see her to know how near she approaches to the Picture he has drawn of her in his Mind and tho' he knew she liv'd the next House to him yet he knew also she was kept within like a Vow'd Nun or with the Severity of a Spaniard And tho' he had a Chamber which had a jetting Window that look'd just upon the Door of Monsieur De Pais and that he would watch many Hours at a time in hope to see them go out yet he could never get a glimps of her yet he heard she often frequented the Church of our Lady Thither then young Rinaldo resolv'd to go and did so two or three Mornings in which time to his unspeakable Grief he saw no Beauty appear that charm'd him and yet he fancy'd that Atlante was there and that he had seen her that some one of those young Ladies that he saw in the Church was she tho' he had no body to enquire of and that she was not so fair as the World reported for which he would often sigh as if he had lost some very great Expectation however he ceased not to frequent this Church and one day saw a young Beauty who at first glimps made his Heart leap to his Mouth and fell trembling again into its wanted place for it immediately told him that that young Maid was Atlante she was with her Sister Charlot who was very handsome but not comparable to Atlante He fix'd his Eyes upon her as she kneel'd at the Altar he never removâ—d from that charming Face as long as she remain'd there he forgot all Devotion but what he paid to her he ador'd her he burnt and languish'd already for her and found he must possess Atlante or die Often as he gaz'd upon her he saw her fair Eyes lifted up towards his where they often met which she perceiving would cast hers down into her Bosom or on her Book and blush as if she had done a Fault Charlot perceiv'd all the Motions of Rinaldo how he folded his Arms how he sigh'd and how he gaz'd on her Sister she took notice of his Cloaths his Garniture and every particular of his Dress as young Girls use to do and seeing him so very handsome and so much better dress'd than all the young Cavaliers that were in the Church she was very much pleas'd with him and could not forbear saying in a low Voice to Atlante Look look my Sister what a pretty Monsieur â—â—der is see how fine his Face is how delicate his Hair 〈◊〉 gallant his Dress and do but look how he gazes on you This would make Atlante blush anew who durst not raise her Eyes for fear she should encounter his While he had the Pleasure to imagine they were talking of him and he saw in the pretty Face of Charlot that what he said was not to his disadvantage and by the Blushes of Atlante that she was not displeas'd with what was spoken to her he perceiv'd the young one importunate with her and Atlante jogging her with her Elbow as much as to say Hold your peace all this he made a very kind Interpretation of and was transported with Joy at the good Omens He was willing to flatter his new Flame and to Complement his young Desire with a little Hope but the Divine Ceremony ceasing Atlante left the Church and it being very fair Weather she walk'd home Rinaldo who saw her going felt all the Agonies of a Lover who parts with all that can make him happy and seeing only Atlante attended with her Sister and a Footman following with their Books he was a thousand times about to speak to 'em but he no sooner advanc'd a step or two towards 'em to that Purpose for he followed them but his Heart fail'd and a certain Awe and Reverence or rather the Fears and Tremblings of a Lover prevented him but when he consider'd that possible he might never have so favourable an Opportunity again he resolv'd a-new and call'd up so much Courage to his Heart as to speak to Atlante but before he did so Charlot looking behind her saw Rinaldo very near to 'em and cry'd out with a Voice of Joy Oh! Sister Sister look where the handsome Monsieur is just behind us sure he is Some-body of Quality for see he has two Foot-men that follow him in just such Liveries and so rich as those of our Neighbour Monsieur Bellyaurd At this
Tarquin and his false wicked Fair One Miranda The full Account of which you will find admirably writ in the following Volume But I must not omit entirely some other Adventures that happen'd to her during this Negotiation tho' I cannot give so just and large a Representation of them as I willingly wou'd I have told you that as her Mind so her Body was adorn'd with all the Advantages of our Sex Wit Beauty and Judgment seldom meet in one especially in Woman you may allow this from a Woman but in her they were eminent and this made her turn all the Advantages each gave her to the Interest she had devoted her self to serve And whereas the Beauty of the Face is that which generally takes with Mankind so it gives 'em most commonly an Assurance and Security from Designs for they suppose that a beautiful Woman as she is made for the Pleasure of others so chiefly minds her own and in that they are not much mistaken for they pursue the same Course with the rest of the World Pleasure but then 't is as various as their Tempers and what they generally imagine may have the least share in many of them The Event I 'm sure shew'd that in Astrea at this time at least the Pleasures of Love had not the Predominance when she diverted the Hopes which the Vanity of a Dutch Merchant of great Interest and Authority in Holland had entertain'd of a successful Passion to the Service of her Prince and his own shameful Disappointment They are mistaken who imagine that a Dutchman can't love for tho' they are generally more phlegmatick than other Men yet it sometimes happens that Love does penetrate their Lump and dispense an enlivening Fire that destroys its graver and cooler Considerations at least it once prov'd so on this Spark whom we must call by the Name of Vander Albert of Vtrecht Antwerp is a City of great Opulence and Compass and before the Separation of the Seven Provinces from the other Ten the Emporium of Flanders and is yet a Town of considerable Trade and Resort 't is in the Spanish Netherlands and yet near Neighbour to the Dominions of the States For which Reason our Astrea chose it for the Place of her abode where she might with the greater Ease hear from and meet with Vander Albert who before the War in her Husband's time had been in love with her in England and on which she grounded the Success of her Negotiation Albert as soon as he knew of her Arrival at Antwerp and the publick Posts he was in wou'd give him Leave made a short Voyage to meet her with all the Love his Nature was capable of and which by chance was much and more refin'd than most of his Countrymen at least according to our common Notions of 'em and after a Repetition of all his former Professions for her Service press'd her extreamly to let him by some signal Means give undeniable Proofs of the Vehemence and Sincerity of his Passion for which he wou'd ask no Reward till he had by long and faithful Services convinc'd her that he deserv'd it This Proposal was so reasonable and so extreamly suitable to her present Aim in the Service of her Country that she accepted it and having the Reward in her own Power as well as the Judgment of his Deserts she put him to that use which made her very serviceable to the King I shall only instance one piece of Intelligence which might have sav'd the Nation a great deal of Money and Disgrace had Credit been given to it The latter end of the Year 1666. Albert sent her Word by a special Messenger that he wou'd be with her at a Day appointed which nothing cou'd have oblig'd him to but his Engagements to her but his Affairs requiring his immediate Return into Holland he had sent that Express to get her to be alone and in the way those few Minutes he cou'd stay with her The time comes Astrea is punctual to the Appointment and Albert informs her that Cornelius de Wit who with the rest of that Family had an implacable Hatred to the English Nation and the House of Orange that was so nearly related to it had with d' Ruyter propos'd to the States to sail up the River of Thames and destroy the English Ships in their Harbours since by the Proposal of a Peace the King of England had shewn so little of the Politician or was so rul'd by evil Counsellors that he never thought of treating with Sword in Hand but to save the Expence of fitting out a Fleet had expos'd so considerable a part of it to the Resentment of the Enemy This Proposal of de Wit concurring with the Advice which the Dutch Partisans in England had given 'em was well receiv'd and you may depend on it my Charming Astrea that it will be put in Execution said Albert for I can further assure you that we have that good Correspondence with some Ministers about the King that being ensur'd from all Opposition we look on it as a thing of neither Danger nor Difficulty When Albert had discover'd a Secret of this Importance and with all those Marks of a sincere Relation of Truth Astrea cou'd not doubt but he had sufficient Grounds for what he had told her and scarce allow'd that little time that Albert staid to the Civilities due for a Service of that mighty Consequence and this Interview was no sooner ended but she got ready her Dispatches for England But all the particular Circumstances she gave nor the Consequence of it if it should be effected cou'd gain Credit enough to her Intelligence to make any tolerable Preparations against it And all the Encouragement she met with was to be laugh'd at by the Minister she wrote to and her Letter shew'd by way of Contempt to some who ought not to have been let into the Secret and so bandy'd about till it came to the Ears of a particular Friend of hers who gave her an Account of what Reward she was to expect for her Service since that was so little valu'd and desir'd her therefore to lay aside her politick Negotiation and divert her Friends with some pleasant Adventures of Antwerp either as to her Lovers or those of any other Lady of her Acquaintance that in this she wou'd be more successful than in her Pretences of State since here she wou'd not fail of pleasing those she writ to Astrea vex'd at this Letter and the Treatment she had met with for a Service the Ancients wou'd have decreed her a Triumph gave over all sollicitous Thought of Business and resolv'd to comply with her Friends Request in what she wou'd take so much Pleasure in the Narration of But soon after she had the Satisfaction to see her incredulous Correspondents sufficiently punished for neglecting her Advice and by their Mismanagement find e'ery particular thing come to pass that she had forewarn'd 'em of Nay and some powerful Men fall
Strength of your Fortifications I concluded to make more regular Approaches and first attack you at a farther Distance and try first what a Bombardment of Letters wou'd do whether these Carcasses of Love thrown into the Sconces of your Eyes wou'd break into the midst of your Breast beat down the Court of Guard of your Aversion and blow up the Magazine of your Cruelty that you might be brought to a Capitulation and yield upon reasonable Terms Believe me I love thee more than Money for indeed thou art more beautiful than the Oar of Guinea and I had rather discover thy terra incognita than all the Southern incognita of America Oh! thou art beautiful in every part as a goodly Ship under sail from the Indies Thy Hair is like her flowing Pennons as she enters the Harbour and thy Forehead bold and fair as her Prow thy Eyes bright and terrible as her Guns thy Nose like her Rudder that steers my Desires thy Mouth the well-wrought Mortar whence the Granado's of thy Tongue are shot into the Gun-room of my Heart and shatter it to pieces thy Teeth are the grappling Irons that fasten me to my Ruin and of which I wou'd get clear in vain thy Neck is curious and small like the very Top-mast Head beneath which thy lovely Bosom spreads it self like the Main-sail before the Wind thy Middle's taper as the Bolt-sprit and thy Shape as slender and upright as the Main-mast thy Back-parts like the gilded carv'd Stern that jets over the Waters and thy Belly with the Perquisites thereunto belonging the Hold of the Vessel where all the rich Cargo lies under Hatches thy Thighs Legs and Feet the steady Keel that is ever under Water Oh! that I cou'd once see thy Keel above Water And is it not pity that so spruce a Ship shou'd be unman'd shou'd lie in the Harbour for want of her Complement for want of her Crew Ah let me be the Pilot to steer her by the Cape of good Hood for the Indies of Love But Oh! Fair English Woman Thou art rather a Fireship gilded and sumptuous without and driven before the Wind to set me on Fire for thy Eyes indeed are like that destructive tho' like Brandy bewitching Alas they have grappl'd my Heart my Fore-castle's on fire my Sails and Tackling are caught my upper Decks are consum'd and nothing but the Water of Despair keeps the very Hulk from the Combustion so you have left it only in my Choice to drown or burn O! for Pity 's sake take some Pity for thy Compassion is more desireable than a strong Gale when we are got to the Wind-ward of a Sally-Man your Eyes I say again and again like a Chain-shot have brought the Main-mast of my Resolution by the Board â—ut all the Rigging of my Discretion and Interest blown up the Powder-Room of my Affections and shatter'd all the Hulk of my Bosom so that without the Planks of your Pity I must inevitably sink to the Bottom This is the deplorable Condition Transcendent Beauty of your Undone Vassal Van Bruin To this I return'd this following ridiculous Answer which I insert to give you a better Picture of my Lovers Intellects LETTER Extraordinary Sir I Receiv'd your Extraordinary Epistle which has had extraordinary Effects I assure you and was not read without an extraordinary Pleasure I never doubted the Zeal of your Country-men in making new Discoveries in fixing new Trades in supplanting their Neighbours and in engrossing the wealth and Traffick of both the Indies but I confess I never expected so wise a Nation shou'd at last set out for the Island of Love I thought that had been a Terra del Fuego in all their Charts and avoided like Rocks and Quick-sands nay I shou'd assoon have suspected them guilty of becoming Apostles to the Samaoids and of preaching the Gospel to the Laplanders where there is nothing to be got and for which Reason the very Jesuits deny 'em Baptism as of setting out for so unprofitable a Voyage as Love Hark ye good Sir have you throughly consider'â— what you have done Have you reflected on the sad Consequences of declaring your self a Lover nay and an old Lover too to a young Woman To a Woman that wou'd expect all the Duties of Gallantry ev'n from a young Servant but great and terrible Works of Super-erogation from an antiquated Admirer Have you enough examin'd what Degrees of Generosity Love necessarily inspires that Foe to Interest that hereditary Enemy of your Country Nay have you thought whether by holding this Correspondence with Love you may not be declar'd a Rebel an Enemy to your Country and be brought into Suspicion of greater Intelligence with the French by entertaining their Gallantry and Love than de Wit by all his Intrigues with that Monarch I confess I tremble for you Alas alas How deplorable a Spectacle wou'd it be to these Eyes to see that agreeable Bulk dismember'd by the enrag'd Rabble and Scollops of your Flesh sold by Fish-wives for Gelders and Duckatoons have you maturely consider'd the evil Example you set your Neighbours who may be influenc'd by a Person of your Port and Figure And shou'd the Evil by this Means spread Holland we 're undone for then there were some Danger of Honesty's spreading and then good-night the best Card in all your Hands for the winning the Game and Money of Europe Lord Sir think what a dreadful thing it is to be the Ruine of ones Country but if publick Evils don 't affect you have you set before the Eyes of your Understanding the Charge of fitting out such a Vessel as you have made me for the Indies of Love and I fear the Profits will never answer the Expence of the Voyage There are Ribbonds and Hoods for my Pennons Diamond Rings Lockets and Pear-Necklaces for my Guns of Offence and Defence Silks Holland Lawn Cambrick c. for Rigging Gold and Silver Laces Imbroideries and Fringes fore and aft for my Stern and for my Prow rich Perfumes Paint and Powder for my Ammunition Treats rich Wines expensive Collations Gaming Money Pin-Money with a long Et caetera for my Cargo and Balls Masks Plays Walks Airing in the Country and a Coach and Six for my fair Wind. You may see by my Concern for your Interest and Person that the Approaches you have made have not been a little successful and if you are but as furious a Warriour when you come to storm as you are at a Bombardment the Lord have Mercy upon me But to deal ingeniously with you I doubt your Prowess in two or three particular Retrenchments which I fear you 'll hardly be able to gain There is first your Age a formidable Bastion you 'll scarce carry then your mighty Bulk will with the last Difficulties be brought to treat with my Love but what is yet more dreadful your Treachery to Vander Albert is a Fort that must prove impregnable if any thing can be so to such a Pen and
such a Head But if you carry the Town by dint of Valour I hope you 'll allow me Quarter and be as merciful to me as you are stout and then I shall not fail of being Extraordinary Sir Your humble Servant Astrea LETTER Magnanimous Heroine I Have receiv'd your Packet in answer to my Epistolary Advice-boat which did lately and honestly remonstrate my present State You give me hopes that out of your Imperial Bounty you will have me tugg'd home to the Harbour of your Good-Will place me in the Dock of your Friendship refit me for the Ocean of your Love and send me out a Cruising for the Service of your Pleasure Which Thought exalts my Heart more than Punch and makes me despise all Dangers of interloping spight of the Joint-stock of Vander Albert for the Scars I shall receive in your Warfare will be more valu'd by me than those I 've got in my robust Youth in the Heroick Combats of Snick or Snee when with a furious and triumphant Rage I have chopp'd off the Foreflap of my Antagonist's Shirt and laid him Noseless flat on his Back You seem tho' to make some Bones of two or three Scruples about my Person and Age. You say I 'm too bulky to be your Lover Let not Errors misguide you Child Portliness is comely and graceful and since Bulk is valu'd in all things else why not in Man then You value a great House more than a little one an Elephant more than an Ox a First Rate Ship more than a Frigat a Castle more than a Fort and the Ocean more than a Fish-pond then why not Van Bruin more than Vander Albert. O! but you say I 'm too old too but that 's more than you know you little Wag you and thereby hangs a Tale. I 'm not green Wood indeed and Sixty or Sixty Five has the Advantage of so many Years seasoning in all things else too we value Age Old Wine Old Seamen Old Soldiers and Old Medals Old Families and why not then Old Van Bruin But then you object my betraying my Friend but that shews that you are not so witty as you wou'd be thought for is any Man so much my Friend as I am to my self I that never part from my self as long as I live as I may from Vander Albert and shou'd I not then prefer a Friend that will certainly always stick to me to one that may desert me the next Moment and here I shou'd be false to that dear Friend to be true to Vander Albert. But what do you talk of Friendship I 'd sooner deny my Faith for you than for a New Rich Japan Traffick But Words are superfluous when you parley 't is a Sign you will hearken to a Capitulation and deliver up the Fort if you like the Terms and to shew you that what you propos'd has not terrify'd me I send you Cart-Blank to fill up your self for adod adod you must be mine and you shall be mine I 'll win thee and wear thee with my old tough Vigour you pretty little turly murly Rogue you and I come this Evening to sign Articles and put in a new Garrison but ever remain Your Deputy and happy Van Bruin Tho' I had no need of sending an Answer to this where he threatens me with a speedy Visit yet the more to divert my self and my Company I sent him this following Billet LETTER Most Magnanimous Hero YOU have made me extreamly proud of my self to find I can come into a Competition with the only Cause and Effect of your National Valour Punch and Snick or Snee Nor am I less pleas'd to find you so notable a Logician for I love Reasoning with an infinite Passion especially in a Lover and it must be allow'd that you have gain'd your Point in the Defence of your Bulk and might for a farther Vindication have added That Elephants have danc'd on the Ropes which shews their Bulk destroy'd not their Activity and by Consequence but a Word to the Wise When the Sons of God went in to the Daughters of Men they begat a Race of Giants well I don't know If our Planets shou'd happen to be in Conjunction what strange things might come to pass and what a wonderful Race we shou'd produce but I 'm satisfy'd that betwixt the Gayety of the Mother and the robust portly Activity of the Father cou'd not be less than dancing Elephants You have indeed surprizingly vanquish'd my Objection of your Age and I shall take Care to use you like venerable Medals valuable for their Antiquity and Rust tho' an old Lover look'd lately more like an old Gown than old Gold or an old Family and fitter for my Maid than my self or at least some decay'd Beauty that had not Stock of Charms enough to purchase a young one But you have convinc'd me of that Error too Alas I fear that deluding Tongue of your's will quite remove my Objection too of your Treachery to Vander Albert. Since you go on a National Principle and ev'n bribe my Judgment with the Complement of sacrificing your Faith or Religion which if it be your Interest is very considerable in a Dutch-man to the Love of me So that I defer Proposals of Articles till our Plenipo's meet and proceed regularly on these Preliminaries at the Place of Conference which is agreed on all hands to be the Abode of Your most happy Astrea You may imagine this Letter brought my Hogen Mogen Lover with no little haste to my Apartment whither we 'll now adjourn for 't wou'd be impertinent to trouble you with any more of these foolish Letters one or two may divert as a Minute or two of a Coxcomb's Company which on a longer Visit grows nauseous But to give you all 't wou'd make you pay too dear for so trifling a Pleasure The other part of his Courtship consisting in odd Grimaces ridiculous Postures and antick Motions cannot be so well describ'd to you as to give you a true Image of 'em so far at least as to render 'em as diverting to you as they were for a while to me But imagine to your self an old over-grown unwieldy Dutch-man playing awkerdly over all that he suppos'd wou'd make him look more agreeable in my Eyes Age he found I did not admire he therefore endeavour'd to conceal it by Dress Peruque and clumsey Gayety Respect he was inform'd I expected from a Lover which he wou'd express with such comical Cringes such odd sort of ogling and fantastick Address that I cou'd never force a serious Face on whatever he said for let the Subject be never so grave his Person and Delivery turn'd it into a Farce There was no piece of Gallantry he observ'd perform'd by the young Gentlemen of the City but he attempted in Imitation of them ev'n to Poetry but that indeed in his own Language and so might be extraordinary for ought I know Thus I diverted my self with him in Albert's Absence till he began to assume
and grow troublesome on my bare Permission of his Address for a very little Incouragement serves that Nation full of their own dear selves so that to rid my self of him I found no more ready way than to let Albert know all his Treachery to him and the many considerable Proffers he had made me to win me to his Desires But Albert with an unusual Resentment of these Affairs threaten'd his Death which was going farther than I desir'd for tho' I had no Kindness for either of them yet I had so much for my self as not to be the Occasion of any Murder or become the talk of the City on so ridiculous an Occasion so I pacified Albert and made him see how foolish such an Attempt on an old Man wou'd look and perswaded him only the next Visit he made me to upbraid him with his Treachery and forbid him the House and if need were to threaten him a little But this produced a very ridiculous Scene and worthy of more Spectators For my Nestorean Lover wou'd not give ground to Albert but was as high as he challeng'd him to Snick or Snee for me and a thousand things as comical in short nothing but my positive Command cou'd satisfie him and on that he promis'd no more to trouble me sure as he thought of me and was Thunder-struck when he heard me not only forbid him the House but ridicule all his Addresses to his Rival Albert and with a Countenance full of Despair went away not only from my Lodgings but the next Day from Antwerp leaving his Law-suit to the Care of his Friends unable to stay in the Place where he had met with so dreadful a Defeat Thus you see the Prowess of my Person how unsuccessful soever my Mind has been in our Statesmens Opinions you will in a little time find who is in the right of it I 'm sorry I can't at this time furnish you with any more refin'd Intâ—igues Those of a Prince that have happen'd here are too long and I have met with none that have touch'd me so far as to concern my Heart which is not the most insensible of all my Sex I assure you And I 'm so far from finding one fit to make a Lover of that I can't meet with one that raises me to Warmth of a Friend but here my Letter puts me in mind that I have exercis'd your Patience enough for once and I shall therefore conclude my self Your faithful Friend Astrea But now 't is time to proceed to her Affairs with Vander Albert her other Dutch Lover which was pleasant enough and in which she contriv'd to preserve her Honour without injuring her Gratitude for she cou'd not deny but he had done such Services that did justly challenge a Return for so much Love as produc'd ' em There was a Woman of some Remains of Beauty in Antwerp that had often given Astrea warning of the Infidelity of Albert assuring her he was of so â—ickle a Nature that he never lov'd past Enjoyment and sometimes made his Change before he had ev'n that pretence of which Number her self was for whom he had profess'd so much Love as to marry her and yet deserted her that very Night in the height of her Expectations This Woman came now into Astrea's Mind at the same time to gratifie her Admirer with a Belief of his Happiness and do Justice to an injur'd Woman She gives her Notice of her Design and orders the Appointment so that Albert met Catalina for that was her Name for Astrea and possess'd her with all the Satisfaction of a longing Lover But Catalina infinitely pleas'd with the Adventure appoints the next Night and the following and finding his Transports still fresh and high began to confide in her own Charms and keeping him longer than usual made the Day discover a double Disappointment of her in her future Pleasures and him in the past for he cou'd not forgive her ev'n the Joys she had imparted by the false Bait of another's Charms but flung from her with the highest Resentment and Indignation and return'd to Astrea to upbraid her with her ungenerous Dealing who for her Plea urg'd his Duty to his Wife and how unreasonable it was in him to desire the sacrificing of the Reputation of the Woman he profess'd to love Tho' Albert was forc'd to acquiesce in what she said he cou'd not lose his Desire now increas'd by the Pleasure of Revenge which he promis'd himself in the Enjoyment of her ev'n against her Will and almost without her Knowledge Mrs. Behn had an old Woman of near Threescore which out of Charity she kept as her Companion having been an old decay'd Gentlewoman but she guilty of the common Vice of Age Avarice still covetous of what they cannot enjoy was corrupted by Albert's Gold to put him dress'd in her Night-cloaths to Bed in her Place for she made her her Bedfellow when Astrea was out at a Merchant 's of Antwerp passing the Ev'ning in Play and Mirth as her Age and Gayety requir'd The Son of which Merchant was a brisk lively frolicksome young Fellow and with his two Sisters and some Servants waited on Astrea home and as a Conclusion of that Night's Mirth propos'd to go to bed to the old Woman and surprize her whilst they shou'd all come in with the Candles and compleat the merry Scene As it was agreed so they did but the young Spark was more surpriz'd when in the Encounter he found himself met with an unexpected Ardour and a Man's Voice saying Have I now caught thee thou malicious Charmer now I 'll not let thee go till thou hast done me Justice for all the Wrongs thou hast offer'd my doating Love By this time the rest of the Company were come in all extreamly surpriz'd to find Albert in Astrea's Bed instead of the old Woman who being thus discover'd and Albert appeas'd with a Promise to marry him at her Arrival in England was discarded to provide for her self according to her Deserts But Albert taking his leave of her with a heavy Heart and returning into Holland to make all things ready for his Voyage to England and Matrimony dy'd at Amsterdam of a Fever Whilst Astrea proceeded in her Journey to Ostend and Dunkirk where with Sir Bernard Gascoign and others she took Shipping for England in which short Voyage she met with a strange Appearance that was visible to all the Passengers and Ship's-Crew Sir Bernand Gascoign had brought with him from Italy several admirable Telescopes and Prospective-Glasses and looking through one of them when the Day was very calm and clear espy'd a strange Apparition floating on the Water which was also seen by all in their turns that look'd through it which made 'em conclude that they were painted Glasses that were put at the ends on purpose to surprize and amuse those that look'd through 'em till after having taken 'em out rubb'd and put 'em in again they found the same thing floating
profess but I am sure 't is not good to tempt it I think I am sure and I think my Lycidas just But oh to what purpose is all this fooling You have often wisely considered it but I never stay'd to think till 't was too late and whatever Resolutions I make in the absence of my lovely Friend one single sight turns me all Woman and all his Take notice then my Lycidas I will henceforth never be wise more never make any Vows against my Inclinations or the little wing'd Deity I do not only see 't is all in vain but I really believe they serve only to augment my Passion I own I have neither the Coldness of Lycidas nor the Prudence I cannot either not Love or have a Thousand Arts of hiding it I have no Body to fear and therefore may have some Body to Love But if you are destin'd to be he the Lord have mercy on me for I am sure you 'll have none I expect a Reprimand for this plain Confession but I must justifie it and I will because I cannot help it I was born to Ill Luck and this Loss of my Heart is possibly not the least part on 't Do not let me see you disapprove it I may one Day grow asham'd on 't and reclaim but never whilst you blow the Flame tho' perhaps against your Will I expect now a very wise Answer and I believe with abundance of Discretion you will caution me to avoid this Danger that threatens Do so if you have a mind to make me launch farther into the main Sea of Love Rather deal with me as with a right Woman make me believe my self infinitely belov'd I may chance from the natural Inconstancy of my Sex to be as false as you wou'd wish and leave you in quiet For as I am satisfi'd I love in vain and without return I 'm satisfi'd that nothing but the thing that hates me cou'd treat me as Lycidas do's and 't is only the vanity of being belov'd by me can make you countenance a softness so displeasing to you How cou'd any thing but the Man that hates me entertain me so unkindly witness your excellent Opinion of me of loving others witness your passing by the end of the Street where I live and squandring away your time at any Coffee-House rather than allow me what you know in your Soul is the greatest Blessing of my Life your dear dull melancholy Company I call it dull because you can never be gay or merry where Astrea is How cou'd this Indifference possess you when your malicious Soul knew I was languishing for you I dy'd I fainted and pin'd for an Hour of what you lavish'd out regardless of me and without so much as thinking on me What can you say that Judgment may not pass that you may not be condemn'd for the worst-natur'd incorrigible Thing in the World Yield and at least say My honest Friend Astrea I neither do love thee nor can nor ever will at least let me say you were generous and told me plain blunt Truth I know it nay worse you impudently but truly told me your Business wou'd permit you to come every Night but your Inclinations wou'd not At least this was honest but very unkind and not over civil Do not you my Amiable Lycidas know I wou'd purchase your sight at any Rate Why this Neglect then Why keeping distance But as much as to say Astrea truly you will make me love you you will make me fond of you you will please and delight me with your Conversation and I am a Fellow that do not desire to be pleas'd therefore be not so civil to me for I do not desire civil Company nor Company that diverts me A pretty Speech this and yet if I do obey desist being civil and behave my self very rudely as I have done you say these two or three Days then Oh Astrea where is your Profession where your Love so boasted your Good-nature c. Why truly my dear Lycidas where it was and ever will be so long as you have invincible Charms and shew your Eyes and look so dearly tho' you may by your prudent Counsel and your wise Conduct of Absence and marching by my Door without calling in oblige me to stay my Hand and hold my Tongue I can conceal my Kindness tho' not dissemble one I can make you think I am wise if I list but when I tell you I have Friendship Love and Esteem for you you may pawn your Soul upon 't Believe 't is true and satisfie your self you have my dear Lycidas in your Astrea all she professes I shou'd be glad to see you as soon as possible you say Thursday you can I beg you will and shall with Impatience expect you betimes Fail me not as you wou'd have me think you have any Value for Astrea I beg you will not fail to let me hear from you to Day being Wednesday and see you at Night if you can Here I must draw to an End for tho' considerable Trusts were repos'd in her yet they were of that Import that I must not presume here to insert 'em But shall conclude with her Death occasion'd by an unskilful Physician about March or April 1686. and was buried in the Cloysters of Westminster-Abby cover'd only with a plain Marble-stone with two wretched Verses on it made as I 'm inform'd by a very ingenious Gentleman tho' no Poet the very Person whom the Envious of our Sex and the Malicious of the other wou'd needs have the Author of most of hers which to my Knowledge were her own Product without the Assistance of any thing but Nature which shews it self indeed without the Embarrassments of Art in e'ry thing she has writ She was of a generous and open Temper something passionate very serviceable to her Friends in all that was in her Power and cou'd sooner forgive an Injury than do one She had Wit Honour Good-humour and Judgment She was Mistress of all the pleasing Arts of Conversation but us'd 'em not to any but those who lov'd Plain-dealing She was a Woman of Sense and by Consequence a Lover of Pleasure as indeed all both Men and Women are but only some wou'd be thought to be above the Conditions of Humanity and place their chief Pleasure in a proud vain Hypocrisie For my part I knew her intimately and never saw ought unbecoming the just Modesty of our Sex tho' more gay and free than the Folly of the precise will allow She was I 'm satisfy'd a greater Honour to our Sex than all the canting Tribe of Dissemblers that die with the false Reputation of Saints This I may venture to say because I 'm unknown and the revengeful Censures of my Sex will not reach me since they will never be able to draw the Veil and discover the Speaker of these bold Truths If I have done my dead Friend any manner of Justice I am satisfy'd having obtain'd my End If not
Age or Wrinkles shou'd encline him to change for her Soul wou'd be always fine and always young and he should have an eternal Idea in his Mind of the Charms she now bore and shou'd look into his Heart for that Idea when he cou'd find it no longer in her Face After a thousand Assurances of his lasting Flame and her eternal Empire over him she condescended to receive him for her Husband or rather receiv'd him as the greatest Honour the Gods cou'd do her There is a certain Ceremony in these cases to be observ'd which I forgot to ask him how perform'd but 't was concluded on both sides that in obedience to him the Grand-father was to be first made acquainted with the Design For they pay a most absolute Resignation to the Monarch especially when he is a Parent also On the other side the old King who had many Wives and many Concubines wanted not Court-Flatterers to inâ—inuate into his Heart a thousand tender Thoughts for this young Beauty and who represented her to his Fancy as the most charming he had ever possess'd in all the long race of his numerous Years At this Character his old Heart like an extinguisht Brand most apt to take Fire felt new Sparks of Love and began to kindle and now grown to his second Childhood long'd with impatience to behold this gay thing with whom alas he could but innocently play But how he shou'd be confirm'd she was this Wonder before he us'd his Power to call her to Court where Maidens never came unless for the King 's private Use he was next to consider and while he was so doing he had Intelligence brought him that Imoinda was most certainly Mistress to the Prince Oroonoko This gave him some Shagrien however it gave him also an opportunity one day when the Prince was a-hunting to wait on a Man of Quality as his Slave and Attendant who shou'd go and make a Present to Imoinda as from the Prince he shou'd then unknown see this fair Maid and have an opportunity to hear what Message she wou'd return the Prince for his Present and from thence gather the state of her Heart and degree of her Inclination This was put in execution and the old Monarch saw and burnt He found her all he had heard and wou'd not delay his Happiness but found he shou'd have some Obstacle to overcome her Heart for she express'd her sense of the Present the Prince had sent her in terms so sweet so soft and pretty with an Air of Love and Joy that cou'd not be dissembl'd insomuch that 't was past doubt whether she lov'd Oroonoko entirely This gave the old King some affliction but he salv'd it with this that the Obedience the People pay their King was not at all inferior to what they paid their Gods and what Love wou'd not oblige Imoinda to do Duty wou'd compell her to He was therefore no sooner got to his Apartment but he sent the Royal Veil to Imoinda that is the Ceremony of Invitation He sends the Lady he has a mind to honour with his Bed a Veil with which she is cover'd and secur'd for the King 's Use and 't is Death to disobey besides held a most impious Disobedience 'T is not to be imagin'd the Surprize and Grief that seiz'd this lovely Maid at this News and Sight However as Delays in these cases are dangerous and Pleading worse than Treason trembling and almost fainting she was oblig'd to suffer her self to be cover'd and led away They brought her thus to Court and the King who had caus'd a very rich Bath to be prepar'd was led into it where he sate under a Canopy in State to receive this long'd-for Virgin whom he having commanded shou'd be brought to him they after dis-robing her led her to the Bath and making fast the Doors left her to descend The King without more Courtship bad her throw off her Mantle and come to his Arms. But Imoinda all in Tears threw her self on the Marble on the brink of the Bath and besought him to hear her She told him as she was a Maid how proud of the Divine Glory she should have been of having it in her power to oblige her King but as by the Laws he cou'd not and from his Royal Goodness wou'd not take from any Man his wedded Wife so she believ'd she shou'd be the Occasion of making him commit a great Sin if she did not reveal her State and Condition and tell him she was another's and cou'd not be so happy to be his The King enrag'd at this Delay hastily demanded the Name of the bold Man that had marry'd a Woman of her Degree without his Consent Imoinda seeing his Eyes fierce and his Hands tremble whether with Age or Anger I know not but she fansy'd the last almost repented she had said so much for now she fear'd the storm wou'd fall on the Prince she therefore said a thousand things to appease the raging of his Flame and to prepare him to hear who it was with calmness but before she spoke he imagin'd who she meant but wou'd not seem to do so but commanded her to lay aside her Mantle and suffer her self to receive his Caresses or by his Gods he swore that happy Man whom she was going to name shou'd die though it were even Oroonoko himself Therefore said he deny this Marriage and swear thy self a Maid That reply'd Imoinda by all our Powers I do for I am not yet known to my Husband 'T is enough said the King 't is enough both to satisfie my Conscience and my Heart And rising from his Seat he went and led her into the Bath it being in vain for her to resist In this time the Prince who was return'd from Hunting went to visit his Imoinda but found her gone and not only so but heard she had receiv'd the Royal Veil This rais'd him to a storm and in his madness they had much ado to save him from laying violent Hands on himself Force first prevail'd and then Reason They urg'd all to him that might oppose his Rage but nothing weigh'd so greatly with him as the King 's Old Age uncapable of injuring him with Imoinda He wou'd give way to that Hope because it pleas'd him most and flatter'd best his Heart Yet this serv'd not altogether to make him cease his different Passions which sometimes rag'd within him and sometimes softned into Showers 'T was not enough to appease him to tell him his Grand-father was old and cou'd not that way injure him while he retain'd that awful Duty which the Young Men are us'd there to pay to their grave Relations He cou'd not be convinc'd he had no cause to sigh and mourn for the loss of a Mistress he cou'd not with all his strength and courage retrieve And he wou'd often cry Oh my Friends were she in wall'd Cities or confin'd from me in Fortifications of the greatest strength did Inchantments or Monsters detain
her from me I wou'd venture through any Hazard to free her But here in the Arms of a feeble Old Man my Youth my violent Love my Trade in Arms and all my vast Desire of Glory avail me nothing Imoinda is as irrecoverably lost to me as if she were snatcht by the cold Arms of Death Oh! she is never to be retriev'd If I wou'd wait tedious Years till Fate shou'd bow the old King to his Grave even that wou'd not leave me Imoinda free but still that Custom that makes it so vile a Crime for a Son to marry his Father's Wives or Mistresses wou'd hinder my Happiness unless I wou'd either ignobly set an ill President to my Successors or abandon my Countrey and fly with her to some unknown World who never heard our Story But it was objected to him That his case was not the same for Imoinda being his lawful Wife by solemn Contract 't was he was the injur'd Man and might if he so pleas'd take Imoinda back the breach of the Law being on his Grand-Father's side and that if he cou'd circumvent him and redeem her from the Otan which is the Palace of the King's Women a sort of Seraglio it was both just and lawful for him so to do This Reasoning had some force upon him and he shou'd have been entirely comforted but for the thought that she was possess'd by his Grand-father However he lov'd so well that he was resolv'd to believe what most favour'd his Hope and to endeavour to learn from Imoinda's own Mouth what only she cou'd satisfie him in whether she was robb'd of that Blessing which was only due to his Faith and Love But as it was very hard to get a sight of the Women for no Men ever enter'd into the Otan but when the King went to entertain himself with some one of his Wives or Mistresses and 't was Death at any other time for any other to go in so he knew not how to contrive to get a sight of her While Oroonoko felt all the Agonies of Love and suffer'd under a Torment the most painful in the world the old King was not exempted from his share of Affliction He was troubled for having been forc'd by an irresistible Passion to rob his Son of a Treasure he knew cou'd not but be extremely dear to him since she was the most beautiful that ever had been seen and had besides all the Sweetness and Innocence of Youth and Modesty with a Charm of Wit surpassing all He found that however she was forc'd to expose her lovely Person to his wither'd Arms she cou'd only sigh and weep there and think of Oroonoko and oftentimes cou'd not for bear speaking of him though her Life were by Custom forfeited by owning her Passion But she spoke not of a Lover only but of a Prince dear to him to whom she spoke and of the Praises of a Man who till now fill'd the old Man's Soul with Joy at every recital of his Bravery or even his Name And 't was this Dotage on our young Hero that gave Imoinda a thousand Privileges to speak of him without offending and this Condescention in the old King that made her take the Satisfaction of speaking of him so very often Besides he many times enquir'd how the Prince bore himself And those of whom he ask'd being entirely Slaves to the Merits and Vertues of the Prince still answer'd what they thought conduc'd best to his Service which was to make the old King fansie that the Prince had no more Interest in Imoinda and had resign'd her willingly to the Pleasure of the King that he diverted himself with his Mathematicians his Fortifications his Officers and his Hunting This pleas'd the old Lover who fail'd not to report these things again to Imoinda that she might by the Example of her young Lover withdraw her Heart and rest better contented in his Arms. But however she was forc'd to receive this unwelcome News in all appearance with Unconcern and Content her Heart was bursting within and she was only happy when she cou'd get alone to vent her Griefs and Moans with Sighs and Tears What Reports of the Prince's Conduct were made to the King he thought good to justifie as far as possibly he cou'd by his Actions and when he appear'd in the Presence of the King he shew'd a Face not at all betraying his Heart so that in a little time the old Man being entirely convinc'd that he was no longer a Lover of Imoindae he carry'd him with him in his Train to the Otan often to banquet with his Mistress But as soon as he enter'd one day into the Apartment of Imoinda with the King at the first Glance from her Eyes notwithstanding all his determined Resolution he was ready to sink in the place where he stood and had certainly done so but for the support of Aboan a young Man who was next to him which with his Change of Countenance had betray'd him had the King chanc'd to look that way And I have observ'd 't is a very great error in those who laugh when one says A Negro can change Colour for I have seen 'em as frequently blush and look pale and that as visibly as ever I saw in the most beautiful White And 't is certain that both these Changes were evident this day in both these Lovers And Imoinda who saw with some Joy the Change in the Prince's Face and found it in her own strove to divert the King from beholding either by a forc'd Caress with which she met him which was a new Wound in the Heart of the poor dying Prince But as soon as the King was busy'd in looking on some fine thing of Imoinda's making she had time to tell the Prince with her angry but Love-darting Eyes that she resented his Coldness and bemoan'd her own miserable Captivity Nor were his Eyes silent but answer'd hers again as much as Eyes cou'd do instructed by the most tender and most passionate Heart that ever lov'd And they spoke so well and so effectually as Imoinda no longer doubted but she was the only Delight and Darling of that Soul she found pleading in 'em its Right of Love which none was more willing to resign than she And 't was this powerful Language alone that in an instant convey'd all the Thoughts of their Souls to each other that they both found there wanted but Opportunity to make them both entirely happy But when he saw another Door open'd by Onahâ—l a former old Wife of the Kings who now had Charge of Imoinda and saw the Prospect of a Bed of State made ready with Sweets and Flowers for the Dalliance of the King who immediately led the trembling Victim from his sight into that prepar'd Repose what Rage what wild Frenzies seiz'd his Heart which forcing to keep within bounds and to suffer without noise it became the more insupportable and rent his Soul with ten thousand pains He was forc'd to retire to
and his Business up in the Plantation But as it was more for Form than any Design to put him to his Task he endur'd no more of the Slave but the Name and remain'd some Days in the House receiving all Visits that were made him without stirring towards that part of the Plantation where the Negroes were At last he wou'd needs go view his Land his House and the Business assign'd him But he no sooner came to the Houses of the Slaves which are like a little Town by it self the Negroes all having left Work but they all came forth to behold him and found he was that Prince who had at several times sold most of 'em to these Parts and from a Veneration they pay to great Men especially if they know 'em and from the Surprize and Awe they had at the sight of him they all cast themselves at his Feet crying out in their Language Live O King Long live O King And kissing his Feet paid him even Divine Homage Several English Gentlemen were with him and what Mr. Trefry had told 'em was here confirm'd of which he himself before had no other Witness than Caesar himself But he was infinitely glad to find his Grandure confirm'd by the Adoration of all the Slaves Caesar troubl'd with their Over-Joy and Over-Ceremony besought 'em to rise and to receive him as their Fellow-Slave assuring them he was no better At which they set up with one Accord a most terrible and hidious Mourning and Condoling which he and the English had much a-do to appease but at last they prevail'd with 'em and they prepar'd all their barbarous Musick and every one kill'd and dress'd something of his own Stock for every Family has their Land a-part on which at their leisure-times they breed all eatable things and clubbing it together made a most magnificent Supper inviting their Grandee Captain their Prince to honour it with his Presence which he did and several English with him where they all waited on him some playing others dancing before him all the time according to the Manners of their several Nations and with unwearied Industry endeavouring to please and delight him While they sat at Meat Mr. Trefry told Caesar that most of these young Salves were undone in Love with a fine She Slave whom they had had about Six Months on their Land the Prince who never heard the Name of Love without a Sigh nor any mention of it without the Curiosity of examining further into that tale which of all Discourses was most agreeable to him asked how they came to be so Unhappy as to be all Undone for one fair Slave Trefry who was naturally Amorous and lov'd to talk of Love as well as any body proceeded to tell him they had the most charming Black that ever was beheld on their Plantation about fifteen or sixteen Years old as he guess'd that for his part he had done nothing but Sigh for her ever since she came and that all the White Beauties he had seen never charm'd him so absolutely as this fine Creature had done and that no Man of any Nation ever beheld her that did not fall in Love with her and that she had all the Slaves perpetually at her Feet and the whole Countrey resounded with the Fame of Clemene for so said he we have Christen'd her But she denies us all with such a noble Disdain that 't is a Miracle to see that she who can give such eternal Desires shou'd her self be all Ice and all Unconcern She is adorn'd with the most graceful Modesty that ever beautify'd Youth the softest Sigher that if she were capable of Love one wou'd swear she languish'd for some absent happy Man and so retir'd as if she fear'd a Rape even from the God of Day or that the Breezes wou'd steal Kisses from her delicate Mouth Her Task of Work some sighing Lover every Day makes it his Petition to perform for her which she accepts blushing and with reluctancy for fear he will ask her a Look for a Recompence which he dares not presume to hope so great an Awe she strikes into the Hearts of her Admirers I do not wonder reply'd the Prince that Clemene shou'd refuse Slaves being as you say so Beautiful but wonder how she escapes those who can entertain her as you can do or why being your Slave you do not oblige her to yield I confess said Trefry when I have against her Will entertain'd her with Love so long as to be transported with my Passion even above Decency I have been ready to make use of those advantages of Strength and Force Nature has given me But oh she disarms me with that Modesty and Weeping so tender and so moving that I retire and thank my Stars she overcame me The Company laugh'd at his Civility to a Slave and Caesar only applauded the Nobleness of his Passion and Nature since that Slave might be Noble or what was better have true Notions of Honour and Vertue in her Thus pass'd they this Night after having receiv'd from the Slaves all imaginable Respect and Obedience The next day Trefry ask'd Caesar to walk when the Heat was allay'd and designedly carry'd him by the Cottage of the fair Slave and told him she whom he spoke of last night liv'd there retir'd But says he I wou'd not wish you to approach for I am sure you will be in Love as soon as you behold her Caesar assur'd him he was Proof against all the Charms of that Sex and that if he imagin'd his Heart cou'd be so perfidious to Love again after Imoinda he believ'd he shou'd tear it from his Bosom They had no sooner spoke but a little Shock-Dog that Clemene had presented her which she took great delight in ran out and she not knowing any body was there ran to get it in again and bolted out on those who were just speaking of her When seeing them she wou'd have run in again but Trefry caught her by the Hand and cry'd Clemene however you flie a Lover you ought to pay some Respect to this Stranger pointing to Caesar But she as if she had resolv'd never to raise her Eyes to the Face of a Man again bent 'em the more to the Earth when he spoke and gave the Prince the leisure to look the more at her There needed no long Gazing or Consideration to examine who this fair Creature was he soon saw Imoinda all over her in a minute he saw her Face her Shape her Air her Modesty and all that call'd forth his Soul with Joy at his Eyes and left his Body destitute of almost Life it stood without Motion and for a Minute knew not that it had a Being and I believe he had never come to himself so oppress'd he was with Over-joy if he had not met with this Allay that he perceiv'd Imoinda fall dead in the Hands of Trefry This awaken'd him and he ran to her Aid and caught her in his Arms where by
had the Happiness or rather the Misfortune so Love ordain'd to see this Ravisher of her Heart and Soul and every Day she took new Fire from his lovely Eyes Unawares unknown and unwillingly he gave her Wounds and the Difficulty of her Cure made her Rage the more She burnt she languish'd and dy'd for the young Innocent who knew not he was the Author of so much Mischief Now she resolves a thousand Ways in her tortur'd Mind to let him know her Anguish and at last pitch'd upon that of writing to him soft Billets which she had learnt the Art of doing or if she had not she had now Fire enough to inspire her with all that cou'd charm and move These she deliver'd to a young Wench who waited on her and whom she had entirely subdu'd to her Interest to give to a certain Lay-Brother of the Order who was a very simple harmless Wretch and who serv'd in the Kitchen in the nature of a Cook in the Monastery of Cordeliers She gave him Gold to secure his Faith and Service and not knowing from whence they came with so good Credentials he undertook to deliver the Letters to Father Francisco which Letters were all afterwards as you shall hear produc'd in open Court These Letters fail'd not to come every Day and the Sence of the first was to tell him that a very beautiful young Lady of a great Fortune was in love with him without naming her but it came as from a third Person to let him know the Secret that she desir'd he wou'd let her know whether she might hope any Return from him assuring him he needed but only see the fair Languisher to confess himself her Slave This Letter being deliver'd him he read by himself and was surpriz'd to receive Words of this nature being so great a Stranger in that place and cou'd not imagine or wou'd not give himself the trouble of guessing who this should be because he never design'd to make Returns The next Day Miranda finding no Advantage from her Messenger of Love in the Evening sends another impatient of Delay confessing that she who suffer'd the Shame of Writing and Imploring was the Person herself who ador'd him 'T was there her raging Love made her say all things that discover'd the nature of its Flame and propose to flee with him to any part of the World if he wou'd quit the Convent that she had a Fortune considerable enough to make him happy and that his Youth and Quality were not given him to so unprofitable an End as to lose themselves in a Convent where Poverty and Ease was all their Business In fine she leaves nothing unurg'd that might debauch and invite him not forgetting to send him her own Character of Beauty and left him to judge of her Wit and Spirit by her Writing and her Love by the Extremity of Passion she profess'd To all which the lovely Friar made no Return as believing a gentle Capitulation or Exhortation to her wou'd but inflame her the more and give new Occasions for her continuing to write All her Reasonings false and vicious he despis'd pities the Error of her Love and was Proof against all she could plead Yet notwithstanding his Silence which left her in doubt and more tormented her she ceas'd not to pursue him with her Letters varying her Style sometimes all wanton loose and raving sometimes feigning a Virgin-modesty all over accusing herself blaming her Conduct and siging her Destiny as one compell'd to the shameful Discovery by the Austerity of his Vow and Habit asking his Pity and Forgiveness urging him in Charity to use his Fatherly Care to perswade and reason with her wild Desires and by his Councel drive the God from her Heart whose Tyranny was worse than that of a Fiend and he did not know what his pious Advice might do But still she writes in vain in vain she varies her Style by a Cunning peculiar to a Maid possess'd with such a sort of Passion This cold Neglect was still Oil to the burning Lamp and she tries yet more Arts which for want of right Thinking were as fruitless She has recourse to Presents her Letters came loaded with Rings of great price and Jewels which Fops of Quality had given her Many of this sort he receiv'd before he knew where to return 'em or how and on this Occasion alone he sent her a Letter and restor'd her Trifles as he call'd 'em But his Habit having not made him forget his Quality and Education he writ to her with all the profound Respect imaginable believing by her Presents and the Liberality with which we parted with 'em that she was of Quality But the whole Letter as he told me afterwards was to perswade her from the Honour she did him by loving him urging a thousand Reasons solid and pious and assuring her he had wholly devoted the rest of his Days to Heaven and had no need of those gay Trifles she had sent him which were only fit to adorn Ladies so fair as herself and who had business with this glittering World which he disdain'd and had for ever abandon'd He sent her a thousand Blessings and told her she shou'd be ever in his Prayers though not in his Heart as she desired And abundance of Goodness more he express'd and Councel he gave her which had the same Effect with his Silence it made her Love but the more and the more impatient she grew She now had a new Occasion to write she now is charm'd with his Wit this was the new Subject She rallies his Resolution and endeavours to re-call him to the World by all the Arguments that Humane Invention is capable of But when she had above four Months languish'd thus in vain not missing one Day wherein she went not to see him without discovering herself to him she resolv'd as her last Effort to shew her Person and see what that assisted by her Tears and soft Words from her Mouth cou'd do to prevail upon him It happen'd to be on the Eve of that Day when she was to receive the Sacrament that she covering herself with her Veil came to Vespers purposing to make choice of the conquering Friar for her Confessor She approach'd him and as she did so she trembl'd with Love At last she cry'd Father my Confessor is gone for some time from the Town and I am oblig'd to morrow to receive and beg you will be pleas'd to take my Confession He cou'd not refuse her and let her into the Sacriste where there is a Confession-Chair in which he seated himself and on one side of him she kneel'd down over against a little Altar where the Priests Robes lie on which was plac'd some lighted Wax-Candles that made the little place very light and splendid which shone full upon Miranda After the little Preparation usual in Confession she turn'd up her Veil and discover'd to his View the most wond'rous Object of Beauty he had ever seen dress'd
in all the Glory of a young Bride her Hair and Stomacher full of Diamonds that gave a Lustre all dazling to her brighter Face and Eyes He was surpriz'd at her amazing Beauty and question'd whether he saw a Woman or an Angel at his Feet Her Hands which were elevated as if in Prayer seem'd to be form'd of polish'd Alabaster and he confess'd he had never seen any thing in Nature so perfect and so admirable He had some pain to compose himself to hear her Confession and was oblig'd to turn away his Eyes that his Mind might not be perplex'd with an Object so diverting when Miranda opening the finest Mouth in the World and discovering new Charms began her Confession Holy Father said she amongst the Number of my vile Offences that which afflicts me to the greatest Degree is that I am in Love Not continu'd she that I believe simple and vertuous Love a Sin when 't is plac'd on an Object proper and suitable but my dear Father said she and wept I love with a Violence which cannot be contain'd within the Bounds of Reason Moderation or Vertue I love a Man whom I cannot possess without a Crime and a Man who cannot make me happy without become perjur'd Is he marry'd reply'd the Father No answer'd Miranda Are you so continu'd he Neither said she Is he too near ally'd to you said Francisco a Brother or Relation Neither of these said she He is unenjoy'd unpromis'd and so am I Nothing opposes our Happiness or makes my Love a Vice but You 'T is you deny me Life 'T is you that forbids my Flame 'T is you will have me die and seek my Remedy in my Grave when I complain of Tortures Wounds and Flames O cruel Charmer 't is for you I languish and here at your Feet implore that Pity which all my Addresses have fail'd of procuring me With that perceiving he was about to rise from his Seat she held him by his Habit and vow'd she wou'd in that posture follow him where-ever he flew from her She elevated her Voice so loud he was afraid she might be heard and therefore suffer'd her to force him into his Chair again where being seated he began in the most passionate Terms imaginable to dissuade her but finding she but the more persisted in Eagerness of Passion he us'd all the tender Assurance that he cou'd force from himself that he wou'd have for her all the Respect Esteem and Friendship that he was capable of paying that he had a real Compassion for her and at last she prevail'd so far with him by her Sighs and Tears as to own he had a Tenderness for her and that he cou'd not behold so many Charms without being sensibly touch'd by them and finding all those Effects that a Maid so young and fair causes in the Souls of Men of Youth and Sense But that as he was assured he cou'd never be so happy to marry her and as certain he cou'd not grant any thing but honourable Passion he humbly besought her not to expect more from him than such and then began to tell her how short Life was and transitory its Joys how soon she wou'd grow weary of Vice and how often change to find real Repose in it but never arrive to it He made an End by new Assurance of his eternal Friendship but utterly forbad her to hope Behold her now deny'd refus'd and defeated with all her pleading Youth Beauty Tears and Knees imploring as she lay holding fast his Scapular and embracing his Feet What shall she do She swells with Pride Love Indignation and Desire her burning Heart is bursting with Despair her Eyes grow fierce and from Grief she rises to a Storm and in her Agony of Passion which looks all disdainful haughty and full of Rage she began to revile him as the poorest of Animals Tells him his Soul was dwindled to the Meanness of his Habit and his Vows of Poverty were suited to his degenerate Mind And said she since all my nobler Ways have fail'd me and that for a little hypocritical Devotion you resolve to lose the greatest Blessings of Life and to sacrifice me to your Religious Pride and Vanity I will either force you to abandon that dull Dissimulation or you shall die to prove your Sanctity real Therefore answer me immediately answer my Flame my raging Fire which your Eyes have kindled or here in this very Moment I will ruine thee and make no Scruple of revenging the Pains I suffer by that which shall take away your Life and Honour The trembling young Man who all this while with extream Anguish of Mind and Fear of the dire Result had listen'd to her Ravings full of Dread demanded what she wou'd have him do When she reply'd Do that which thy Youth and Beauty were ordain'd to do This place is private a Sacred Silence reigns here and no one dares to pry into the Secrets of this holy Place We are as secure from Fears of Interruption as in Desarts uninhabited or Caves forsaken by wild Beasts The Tapers too shall veil their Lights and only that glimmering Lamp shall be witness of our dear Stealths of Love Come to my Arms my trembling longing Arms and curse the Folly of thy Bigottry that has made thee so long lose a Blessing for which so many Princes sigh in vain At these Words she rose from his Feet and snatching him in her Arms he cou'd not defend himself from receiving a thousand Kisses from the lovely Mouth of the charming Wanton after which she ran herself and in an instant put out the Candles But he cry'd to her In vain O too indiscreet Fair Onè in vain you put out the Light for Heaven still has Eyes and will look down upon my broken Vows I own your Power I own I have all the Sense in the World of your charming Touches I am frail Flesh and Blood but yet yet yet I can resist and I prefer my Vows to all your powerful Temptations I will be deaf and blind and guard my Heart with Walls of Ice and make you know that when the Flames of true Devotion are kindled in a Heart it puts out all other Fires which are as ineffectual as Candles lighted in the Face of the Sun Go vain Wanton and repent and mortifie that Blood which has so shamefully betray'd thee and which will one Day ruine both thy Soul and Body At these Words Miranda more enrag'd the nearer she imagin'd herself to Happiness made no Reply but throwing herself in that instant into the Confessing-Chair and violently pulling the young Friar into her Lap she elevated her Voice to such a degree in crying out Help help A Rape Help help that she was heard all over the Church which was full of People at the Evening's Devotion who flock'd about the Door of the Sacristi which was shut with a Spring-lock on the inside but they durst not open the Door 'T is easily to be imagin'd in what
when a Lover ceases to be blest With the dear Object he desires Ah! How indifferent are the rest How soon their Conversation tires Though they a thousand Arts to please invent Their Charms are dull their Wit impertinent Ten a Clock Reading of Letters MY Cupid points you now to the Hour in which you ought to retire into your Cabinet having already past an Hour in Dressing and for a Lover who is sure not to appear before his Mistress even that Hour is too much to be so employ'd But I will think you thought of nothing less than Dressing while you were about it Lose then no more Minutes but open your Scrutore and read over some of those Billets you have receiv'd from me Oh! what Pleasures a Lover feels about his Heart in reading those from a Mistress he entirely loves The Joy Who but a Lover can express The Joys the Pants the Tenderness That the soft Amorous Soul invades While the dear Billet-doux he reads Raptures Divine the Heart o're-flow Which he that Loves not cannot know A thousand Tremblings thousand Fears The short-breath'd Sighs the joyful Tears The Transport where the Love 's confest The Change where Coldness is exprest The diff'ring Flames the Lover burns As those are shy or kind by Turns However you find 'em Damon construe 'em all to my Advantage Possibly some of 'em have an Air of Coldness something different from that Softness they are usually too amply fill'd with but where you find they have believe there that Sence of Honour and my Sexes Modesty guided my Hand a little against the Inclinations of my Heart and that it was a kind of an Atonement I believed I ought to make for something I feared I had said too kind and too obliging before But where-ever you find that stop that Check in my Career of Love you will be sure to find something that follows it to favour you and deny that unwilling Imposition upon my Heart which lest you should mistake Love shews himself in Smiles again and flatters more agreeably disdaining the Tyranny of Honour and Rigid Custom that Imposition on our Sex and will in spight of me let you see he Reigns absolutely in my Soul The reading my Billet-doux may detain you an Hour I have had Goodness enough to write you enough to entertain you so long at least and sometimes reproach my self for it but contrary to all my Scruples I find my self dispos'd to give you those frequent Marks of my Tenderness If yours be so great as you express it you ought to kiss my Letters a Thousand times you ought to read them with Attention and weigh every Word and value every Line A Lover may receive a Thousand indearing Words from a Mistress more easily than a Billet One says a great many kind Things of course to a Lover which one is not willing to write or to give testify'd under one's Hand Sign'd and Seal'd But when once a Lover has brought his Mistress to that degree of Love he ought to assure himself she loves not at the common Rate Love's Witness Slight unpremediated Words are born By every common Wind into the Air Carelesly utter'd die as soon as born And in one instant give both Hope and Fear Breathing all Contraries with the same Wind According to the Caprice of the Mind But Billets-doux are constant Witnesses Substantial Records to Eternity Just Evidence who the Truth confess On which the Lover safely may rely They 're serious Thoughts digested and resolv'd And last when Words are into Clouds devolv'd I will not doubt but you give Credit to all that is Kind in my Letters and I will believe you find a Satisfaction in the Entertainment they give you and that the Hour of Reading 'em is not disagreeable to you I cou'd wish your Pleasure might be extream even to the Degree of suffering the Thought of my Absence not to diminish any part of it And I cou'd wish too at the End of your Reading you wou'd sigh with Pleasure and say to your self The Transport O Iris While you thus can charm While at this Distance you can wound and warm My absent Torments I will bless and bare That give me such dear Proofs how kind you are Present the valu'd Store was only seen Now I am rifling the bright Mass within Every dear past and happy Day When Languishing at Iris Feet I lay When all my Prayers and all my Tears cou'd move No more then her Permission I should love Vain with my Glorious Destiny I thought beyond scarce any Heaven cou'd be But Charming Maid now I am taught That Absence has a thousand Joys to give On which the Lovers present never thought That recompence the Hours we grieve Rather by Absence let me be undone Than forfeit all the Pleasures that has won With this little Rapture I wish you wou'd finish the Reading my Letters shut your Scrutore and quit your Cabinet for my Love leads to Eleven a Clock Eleven a Clock The Hour to Write in IF my Watch did not inform you 't is now time to Write I believe Damon your Heart wou'd and tell you also that I should take it kindly if you would employ a whole Hour that way and that you should never lose an Occasion of writing to me since you are assured of the Welcome I give your Letters Perhaps you will say an Hour is too much and that 't is not the Mode to write long Letters I grant you Damon when we write those indifferent ones of Gallantry in course or necessary Compliment the handsom comprizing of which in the fewest words renders 'em the most agreeable But in Love we have a Thousand foolish things to say that of themselves bear no great Sound but have a mighty Sence in Love for there is a peculiar Eloquence natural alone to a Lover and to be understood by no other Creature To those Words have a thousand Graces and Sweetnesses which to the Unconcerned appears Meanness and Easie Sense at the best But Damon you and I are none of those ill Judges of the Beauties of Love we can penetrate beyond the Vulgar and perceive the fine Soul in every Line through all the humble Dress of Phrase when possibly they who think they discern it best in florid Language do not see it at all Love was not born or bred in Courts but Cottages and nurs'd in Groves and Shades smiles on the Plains and wantons in the Streams all unador'd and harmlâ—â—â— Therefore Damon do not consult your Wit in this Affair but Love alone and speak all that he and Nature taught you and let the fine Things you learn in Schools alone Make use of those Flowers you have gather'd there when you converse with States-men and the Gown Let Iris possess your Heart in all its simple Innocence that 's the best Eloquence to her that loves and this is my Instruction to a Lover that would succeed in his Amours for I have a Heart very difficult
to please and this is the nearest Way to it Advice to Lovers Lovers if you would gain a Heart Of Damon learn to win the Prize He 'll shew you all its tend'rest Part And where its greatest Danger lies The Magazine of its Disdain Where Honour feebly guarded does remain If present do but little say Enough the silent Lover speaks But wait and sigh and gaze all Day Such Rhet'rick more than Languages takes For Words the dullest way do move And utter'd more to shew your Wit than Love Let your Eyes tell her of your Heart Its Story is for Words too delicate Souls thus exchange and thus impart And all their Secrets can relate A Tear a broken Sigh she 'll understand Or the soft trembling Pressings of the Hand Or if your Pain must be in Words exprest Let 'em fall gently unassur'd and slow And where they fail your Looks may tell the rest Thus Damon spoke and I was conquer'd so The witty Talker has mistook his Art The modest Lover only charms the Heart Thus while all Day you gazing sit And fear to speak and fear your Fate You more Advantages by Silence get Than the gay forward Youth with all his Prate Let him be silent here but when away Whatever Love can dictate let him say There let the bashful Soul unvail And give a Loose to Love and Truth Let him improve the amorous Tale With all the Force of Words and Fire of Youth There all and any thing let him express Too long he cannot write too much confess O Damon How well have you made me understand this soft Pleasure You know my Tenderness too well not to be sensible how I am charmed with your agreeable long Letters The Invention Ah! he who first found out the Way Souls to each other to convey Without dull Speaking sure must be Something above Humanity Let the fond World in vain dispute And the first Sacred Mystery impute Of Letters to the Learned Brood And of the Glory cheat a God 'T was Love alone that first the Art essay'd And Psyche was the first fair yielding Maid That was by the dear Billet-doux betray'd It is an Art too ingenious to have been found out by Man and too necessary to Lovers not to have been invented by the God of Love himself But Damon I do not pretend to exact from you those Letters of Gallantry which I have told you are filled with nothing but fine Thoughts and writ with all the Arts of Wit and Subtilty I would have yours still all tender unaffected Love Words unchosen Thoughts unstudied and Love unfeigned I had rather find more Softness than Wit in your Passion more of Nature than of Art more of the Lover than the Poet. Nor would I have you write any of those little short Letters that are read over in a minute in Love long Letters bring a long Pleasure Do not trouble yourself to make 'em fine or write a great deal of Wit and Sence in a few Lines that is the Notion of a witty Billet in any Affair but that of Love And have a Care rather to avoid these Graces to a Mistress and assure yourself dear Damon that what pleases the Soul pleases the Eye and the Largeness or Bulk of your Letter shall never offend me and that I only am displeased when I find them small A Letter is ever the best and most powerful Agent to a Mistress it almost always perswades 't is always renewing little Impressions that possibly otherwise Absence would deface Make use then Damon of your Time while it is given you and thank me that I permit you to write to me Perhaps I shall not always continue in the Humor of suffering you to do so and it may so happen by some Turn of Chance and Fortune that you may be deprived at the same time both of my Presence and of the Means of sending to me I will believe that such an Accident would be a great Misfortune to you for I have often hearâ— you say that To make the most happy 〈◊〉 ver suffer Martyrdom one need only for 〈◊〉 him Seeing Speaking and Writing to 〈◊〉 Object he loves Take all the Advantaâ—â— then you can you cannot give me too often Marks too powerful of your Passion Writâ— therefore during this Hour every Day 〈◊〉 give you leave to believe that while you do so you are Serving me the most Obligingly and Agreeably you can while absent and that you are giving me a Remedy against all Grief Uneasiness Melancholy and Despair Nay if you exceed your Hour you need not be asham'd The Time you employ in this kind Devoir id the Time that I shall be grateful for and no doubt will recompense it You ought not however to neglect Heaven for me I will give you time for your Devotion for my Watch tells you 't is time to go to the Temple Twelve a Clock Indispensible Duty THere are certain Duties which one ought never to neglect That of Adoring the Gods is of this nature and which we ought to pay from the bottom of our Hearts And that Damon is the only time I will dispense with your not thinking on me But I would not have you go to one of those Temples where the celebrated Beauties and those that make a Profession of Gallantry go and which come thither only to see and be seen and whither they repair more to shew their Beauty and Dress than to honour the Gods If you will take my Advice and oblige my Wish you shall go to those that are least frequented and you shall appear there like a Man that has a perfect Veneration for all things Sacred The Instruction Damon if your Heart and Flame You wish should always be the same Do not give it leave to rove Nor expose it to new Harms E're you think on 't you may love If you gaze on Beauty's Charms If with me you wou'd not part Turn your Eyes into your Heart If you find a new Desire In your easie Soul take Fire From the tempting Ruine fly Think it faithless think it base Fancy soon will fade and die If you wisely cease to gaze Lovers should have Honour too Or they pay but half Love's due Do not to the Temple go With design to gaze or show What e're Thoughts you have abroad Though you can deceive elsewhere There 's no feigning with your God Souls should be all perfect there The Heart that 's to the Altar brought Only Heaven should fill its Thought Do not your sober Thoughts perplex By gazing on the Ogling Sex Or if Beauty call your Eyes Do not on the Object dwell Guard your Heart from the Surprize By thinking Iris doth excel Above all earthly Things I 'd be Damon most belov'd by thee And only Heaven must Rival me One a Clock Forc'd Entertainment I Perceive it will be very difficult for you to quit the Temple without being surrounded with Complements from People of Ceremony Friends and News-mongers and several
and by 〈…〉 understand they are already enâ—◠〈…〉 directing 'em to Fools that will possible 〈◊〉 to 'em and credit such Stuff 〈…〉 out of a Folly so infamous and disinâ—â—â—â—â— In such a Case only I am willing you 〈◊〉 own your Passion not that you need tell 〈◊〉 Object which has charm'd you And you 〈◊〉 say you are already a Lover without 〈◊〉 you are belov'd For so long as you 〈…〉 have a Heart unengag'd you are exâ—◠〈◊〉 all the little Arts and Addresses of this 〈◊〉 obliging Procurers of Love and give 〈…〉 hope they have of making you their 〈…〉 For your own Reputation then and 〈…〉 and Honour shun such Conversations for they are neither credible to you nor pleasing to me And believe me Damon a true lover has no Curiosity but what concerns his Mistress Five a Clock Dangerous Visits I Foresee or fear that these busie impertinent Friends will oblige you to 〈…〉 Ladies of their Acquaintance or 〈…〉 My Watch does not forbid you Yet I must tell you I apprehend Danger in such Visits 〈◊〉 I fear you will have need of all your 〈◊〉 and Precaution in these Encounters That you may give me no Cause to suspect you perhaps you will argue that Civility obliges you to 't If I were assur'd there wou'd no other Design be carried on I shou'd believe it were to advance an amorous Prudence too far to forbid you Only keep yourself upon your Guard for the Business of most part of the Fair Sex is to seek only the Conquest of Hearts All their Civilities are but so many Interests and they do nothing without Design And in such Conversations there is always a Je ne scay quoy that is fear'd especially when Beauty is accompanied with Youth and Gaiety and which they assume upon all Occasions that may serve their Turn And I confess 't is not an easie matter to be just in these Hours and Conversations The most certain Way of being so is to imagine I read all your Thoughts observe all your Looks 〈◊〉 hear all your Words The Caution My Damon if your Heart be kind Do not too long with Beauty stay For there are certain Moments when the Mind Iss hurry'd by the Force of Charms away 〈…〉 a Minute Critical there lies 〈…〉 on Love and takes you by Surprize â— Lover pleas'd with Constancy 〈◊〉 still as if the Maid he lov'd were by 〈◊〉 if his Actions were in View As if his Steps she did pursue Or that his very Soul she knew 〈…〉 for tho' I am not present there My Love my Genius waits you every-where I am very much pleas'd with the Remedy you say you make use of to defend yourself from the Attacks that Beauty gives your Heart which in one of your Billets you said was this 〈◊〉 to this purpose The Charm for Constancy 〈◊〉 to keep my Soul entire and true It thinks each Moment of the Day on you And when a charming Face I see That does all other Eyes incline It has no influence on me I think it ev'n deform'd to thine My Eyes my Soul and Sense regardless move To all but the dear Object of my Love But Damon I know all Lovers are naturally Flatterers though they do not think so themselves because every one makes a Sense of Beauty according to his own Fancy But perhaps you will say in your own Defence That 't is not Flattery to say an unbeautiful Woman it beautiful if he that says so believes she is so I shou'd be content to acquit you of the 〈◊〉 provided you allow me the last And if I appear charming in Damon's Eyes I am not fond of the Approbation of any other 'T is enough the World thinks me not altogether disagreeable to justifie his Choice but let your good Opinion give what Increase it pleases to my Beauty though your Approbation give me a Pleasure it shall not a Vanity and I am contented that Damon should think me a Beauty without thy believing I am one 'T is not to draw new Assurances and new Vows from you that I speak this though Tales of Love are the only ones we desire to hear often told and which never the the Hearers if addrest to themselves But 't is not to this End I now seem to doubt what you say to my Advantage No my Heart knows no Disguise nor can dissemble one Thought of it to Damon 't is all sincere and honest as his Wish 'T is therefore it tells you it does not credit every thing you say though I believe you say abundance of Truths in a great Part of my Character But when you advance to that which my own Sense my Judgment or my Glass cannot perswade me to believe you must give me leave either to believe you think me vain enough to credit you or pleas'd that your Sentiments and mine are differing in this Point But I doubt I may rather reply in some Verses a Friend of yours and mine sent to a Person she thought had but indifferent Sentiments for her yet who nevertheless flatter'd her because he imagin'd she had a very great Esteem for him She is a Woman that you know naturally hates 〈◊〉 On the other side she was extreamly dissâ—â—isfy'd and uneasie at his Opinion of his being more in her Favour than she desir'd he shou'd believe So that one Night having left her full of Pride and Anger she next Morning sent him these Verses instead of a Billet-doux The Defiance By Heaven 't is false I am not vain And rather wou'd the Subject be Of your Indifference or Disdain Than Wit or Raillery Take back the trifling Praise you give And pass it on some easier Fool Who may th' injuring Wit believe That turns her into Ridicule Tell her she 's witty fair and gay With all the Charms that can subdue Perhaps she 'll credit what you say But curse me if I do If your Diversion you design On my good Nature you have prest Or if you do intend it mine You have mistook the Jest. Philander fly that guilty Art Your charming facil Wit will find It cannot play on a Heart That is sincere and kind For Wit with Softness does reside Good Nature is with Pity stor'd But Flatt'ry's the Result of Pride And fawns to be Ador'd Nay even when you smile and bow T is to be render'd more compleat Your Wit with ev'ry Grace you shew Is but a Popular Chat. Laugh on and call me Coxcomb do And your Opinion to improve Think all you think of me is true And to confirm it swear I love Then while you wreck my Soul with Pain And of a cruel Conquest boast 'T is you Philander that are vain And witty at my cost Possibly the angry Aminta when she writ these Verses was more offended that he believ'd himself belov'd than that he flatter'd tho' she wou'd seem to make that a great part of the Qsuarrel and Cause of her Resentment For we are often in an Humour to seem
more modest in that Point than naturally we are being too apt to have a favourable Opinion of ourselves And 't is rather the Effects of a Fear that we are flatter'd than our own ill Opinion of the Beauty flatter'd and that the Praiser does not think so well of it as we do our selves or as at least he wish she shou'd Not but there are Grains of Allowance for the Temper of him that speaks One Man's Humour is to talk much and he may be permitted to enlarge upon the Praise he gives the Person he pretends to without being accus'd of much Guilt Another hates to be Wordy from such an one I have known one soft Expression one tender Thing go as far as whole Days everlasting Protestations urg'd with Vows and mighty Eloquence And both the one and the other indeed must be allow'd in good Manners to stretch the Complement beyond the Bounds of nice Truth and we must not wonder to hear a Man call a Woman a Beauty when she is not Ugly or another a Great Wit if she have but common Sence above the Vulgar well Bred when well Drest and good Natur'd when Civil And as I shou'd be very ridiculous if I took all you said for absolute Truth so I should be very unjust not to allow you very sincere in almost all you said besides and those Things the most material to Love Honour and Friendship And for the rest Damon be it true or false this believe You speak with such a Grace that I cannot chuse but Credit you and find an infinite Pleasure in that Faith because I lovu you And if I cannot find the Cheat I am contented you shou'd deceive me on because yoe do it so agreeably Six a Clock Walk without Design YOU yet have Time to Walk and my Watch foresaw you cou'd not refuse your Friends You must to the Park or to the Mall for the Season is fair and inviting and all the young Beauties love those Places too well not to be there 'T is there that a Thousand Intrigues are carried on and as many more design'd 'T is there that every one is set out for Conquest and who aim at nothing less than Hearts Guard yours well my Damon and be not always admiring what you see Do not in passing by sigh 'em silent Praises Suffer not so much as a guilty Wish to approach your Thoughts nor a heedful Glance to steal from your fine Eyes Those are Regards you ought only to have for her you Love But oh above all have a Care of what you say You are not reproachable if you should remain silent all the Time of your Walk nor wou'd those that know you believe it the Effects of Dulness but Melancholy And if any of your Friends ask you Why you are so I will give you leave to sigh and say The Mall-Content Ah? Wonder not if I appear Regardless of the Pleasures here Or that my Thoughts are thus confin'd To the just Limits of my Mind My Eyes take no Delight to rove O've all the smiling Charmers of the Grove Since she is absent whom they love Ask me not Why the flow'ry Spring Or the gay little Birds that sing Or the young Streams no more delight Or Shades and Arbours can't invite Why the soft Murmurs of the Wind Within the thick grown Groves confin'd No more my Soul transport or cheer Since all that 's charming Iris is not here Nothing seems glorious nothing fair Then suffer me to wander thus With down-cast Eyes and Arms a-cross Let Beauty unregarded go The Trees and Flowers unheeded strow Let purling Streams neglected glide With all the Spring 's adorning Pride 'T is Iris only Soul can give To the dull Shades and Plains and make 'em thrive Nature and my lost Joys retrieve I do not for all this wholly confine your Eyes You may look indifferently on all but with a particular Regard on none You may praise all the Beauties in general but no single one too much I will not exact from you neither an entire Silence There are a thousand Civilities you ought to pay to all your Friends and Acquaintance and while I caution you of Actions that may get you the Reputation of a Lover of some of the Fair that haunt those Places I wou'd not have you by an unnecessary and uncomplaisant Sullenness gain that of a Person too negligent or morose I wou'd have you remiss in no one Punctilio of Good Manners I wou'd have you very just and pay all you owe but in these Affairs be not over generous and give away too much In fine You may Look Speak and Walk but Damon do it all without Design And while you do so remember that Iris sent you this Advice The Warning Take heed my Damon in the Grove Where Beauties with Design do walk Take heed my Damon how you look and talk For there are Ambuscades of Love The very Winds that softly blow Will help betray your easie Heart And all the Flowers that blushing grow The Shades above and Rivulets below Will take the Victor's part Remember Damon all my Safety lies In the just Conduct of your Eyes The Heart by Nature good and brave Is to those treacherous Guards a Slave If they let in the fair destructive Foe Scarce Honour can defend her Noble Seat Ev'n she will be corrupted too Or driv'n to a Retreat The Soul is but the Cully to the Sight And must be pleas'd in what that takes delight Therefore examine your self well and conduct your Eyes during this Walk like a Lover that seeks nothing And do not stay too long in these places Seven a Clock Voluntary Retreat T IS time to be weary 't is Night Take Leave of your Friends and retire Home 'T is in this Retreat that you ought to recollect in your Thoughts all the Actions of the Day and all those Things that you ought to give me an Account of in your Letter You cannot hide the least Secret from me without Treason against Sacred Love For all the World agrees that Confidence is one of the greatest Proofs of the Passion of Love and that Lover who refuses this Confidence to the Person he loves is to be suspected to love but very indifferently and to think very poorly of the Sence and Generosity of his Mistress But that you may acquit your self like a Man and a Lover of Honour and leave me no doubt upon my Soul think of all you have done this Day that I may have all the Story of it in your next Letter to me But deal faithfully and neither add nor diminish in your Relation the Truth and Sincerity of your Confession will attone even for little Faults that you shall commit against me in some of those Things you shall tell me For if you have fail'd in any Point or Circumstance of Love I had much rather hear it from you than another For 't is a sort of Repentance to accuse yourself and wou'd be a Crime
unpardonable if you suffer me to hear it from any other And be assur'd while you confess it I shall be indulgent enough to forgive you The noblest Quality of Man is Sincerity and Damon one ought to have as much of it in Love as in any other Business of one's Life notwithstanding the most part of Men make no Account of it there but will believe there ought to be double Dealing and an Art practis'd in Love as well as in War â—ut Oh! beware of that Notion Sincerity Sincerity Thou greatest Good Thou Vertue which so many boast And art so nicely understood And often in the Searching lost For when we do approach thee near The fine Idea fram'd of thee Appears not now so charming fair As the most useful Flattery Thou hast no Glitt'ring to invite Nor tak'st the Lover at first Sight The modest Vertue shuns the Croud And lives like Vestals in a Cell In Cities 't will not be allow'd Nor takes Delight in Courts to dwell 'T is Nonsence with the Man of Wit And ev'n a Scandal to the Great For all the Young and Fair unfit And scorn'd by wiser Fops of State 〈…〉 as never known To the false 〈◊〉 or the falsâ—r Gown And Damon tho' thy Noble Blood Be most Illustr'ous and Refin'd Tho' ev'ry Grace and ev'ry Good Adorn thy Person and thy Mind 〈◊〉 if this Vertue shine not there This God-like Vertue which alone Wer't thou less Witty Brave or Fair Wou'd for all these less priz'd attone My tender Folly I 'd controul 〈◊〉 scorn the Conquest of thy Soul Eight a Clock Impatient Demands AFter you have sufficiently recollected your self of all the past Actions of the Day call your Page into your Cabinet or him whom you trusted with your last Letter to me where you ought to enquire of him a thousand things and all of me Ask impatiently and be angry if he answers not your Curiosity soon enough Think that he has a Dreaming in his Voice in these Moments more than at other times and reproach him with Dulness For 't is most certain that when one loves tenderly we wou'd know in a Minute what cannot be related in an Hour Ask him How I did How I receiv'd his Letter And if he examin'd the Air of my Face when I took it If I blush'd or look'd pale If my Hand trembled or I spoke to him with short interrupting Sighs If I ask'd him any Questions about you while I was opening the Seal Or if I cou'd not well speak and was silent If I read it attentively and with Joy And all this before you open the Answer I have sent you by him Which because you are impatient to read you with the more Haste 〈◊〉 Earnestness demand all you expect from him and that you may the better know what Humour I was in when I writ that to you For Oh! A Lover has a thousand little Fears and Dreads he knows not why In fine make him recount to you all that past while he was with me And then you ought to read that which I have sent that you may inform your self of all that passes in my Heart for you may assure your self all that I say to you that way proceeds from thence The Assurance How shall a Lover come to know Whether he 's belov'd or no What dear Things must she impart To assure him of her Heart Is it when her Blushes rise And she languish in her Eyes Tremble when he does approach Look pale and faint at every touch Is it when a thousand ways She does his Wit and Beauty praise 〈◊〉 venture to explain 〈◊〉 moving Words a Pain 〈◊〉 so indiscreet she grows To confirm it with her Vows These some short-liv'd Passion moves 〈…〉 Object 's by she loves 〈…〉 and sudden Fire 〈…〉 by some fond Desire 〈◊〉 Goldness will ensue When the Lover's out of View Then she reflects with Scandal o'er 〈◊〉 Scene that past before 〈◊〉 with Blushes wou'd recal 〈◊〉 unconsid'ring Criminal 〈…〉 thousand Faults she 'll find 〈◊〉 bide the Errors of her Mind 〈…〉 weight is found in words As no substantial Faith affords Deceiv'd and briff'd all may be 〈◊〉 that frail Security But a well-digested Flame That will always be the same And that does from Merit grow Establish'd by our Reason too By a better way will prove 'T is th' unerring Fire of Love Lasting Records it will give And that all she says may live Sacred and Authentick stand Her Heart confirms it by her Hand If this a Maid well born allow Damon believe her just and true Nine a Clock Melancholy Reflections YOU will not have much trouble 〈…〉 what my Watch designs here 〈…〉 be no Thought more afflicting than that 〈…〉 Absence of a Mistress and which the 〈…〉 of the Heart will soon make you finde◠〈◊〉 Thousand Fears oppress him he is jealous of every Body and envies those Eyes and 〈◊〉 that are charm'd by being near the 〈…〉 dor'd He grows impatient and makes a 〈◊〉 sand Resolutions and as soon abandâ—â—◠〈◊〉 He gives himself wholly up to the 〈…〉 Incertainty and by degrees from 〈…〉 Thought to another winds himself 〈…〉 supportable Chagrin Take this 〈…〉 think on your Misfortunes which 〈…〉 small to a Soul that is wholly sensible of Love And every one knows that a Love◠〈◊〉 of the Object of his Heart is depriv'd of 〈…〉 World and Inconsolable For though 〈…〉 wishes without ceasing for the dear 〈…〉 one loves and though you speak of her every Minute though you are writing to her every Day and though you are infinitely pleas'd with the dear and tender Answers yet to speak sincerely it must be confess'd that the Felicity of a true Lover is to be always near his Mistress And you may tell me O Damon what you please and say that Absence inspires the Flame which perpetual Presence would fatiate I love too well to be of that Mind and when I am I shall believe my Passion is declining I know not whether it advances your Love but surely it must ruine your Repose And is it impossible to be at once an absent Lover and happy too For my part I can meet with nothing that can please in the absence of Damon but on the contrary I see all things with Disgust I will flatter my self that 't is so with you and that the least Evils appear great Misfortunes and that all those who speak to you of any thing but of what you love increase your Pain by a new remembrance of her Absence I will believe that these are your Sentiments you are assur'd not to see me in some Weeks and if your Heart do not betray your Words all those Days will be tedious to you I would not however have your Melancholy too extream and to lessen it you may perswade yourself that I partake it with you for I remember in your last you told me you would wish we should be both griev'd at the same time and both at the same
a Lover as you are but you are thinking now how to render yourself worthy the Glory of such a God-like Master by projecting a thousand things of Gallantry and Danger And tho' I confess such Thoughts are proper for your Youth your Quality and the Place you have the Honour to hold under our Sovereign yet let me tell you Damon you will not be without Inquietude if you think of either being a delicate Poet or a brave Warriour for Love will still interrupt your Glory however you may think to divert him either by Writing or Fighting And you ought to remember these Verses Love and Glory Beneath the kind protecting Lawrel's shade For sighing Lovers and for Warriours made The soft Adonis and rough Mars were laid Both were design'd to take their Rest But Love the gentle Boy opprest And false Alarms shook the stern Hero's Breast This thinks to soften all his Toils of War In the dear Arms of the obliging Fair And That by Hunting to divert his Care All Day o'er Hills and Plains wild Beasts he chas'd Swift as the flying Winds his eager haste In vain the God of Love pursues as fast But oh no Sports no Toils divertive prove The Evening still returns him to the Grove To sigh and languish for the Queen of Love Where Elegies and Sonnets he does frame And to the list'ning Ecchoes sighs her Name And on the Trees carves Records of his Flame The Warriour in the dusty Camp all Day With ratling Drums and Trumpets does essay To fright the tender flatt'ring God away But still alas in vain whate'er Delight What Care he takes the wanton Boy to fright Love still revenges it at Night 'T is then he haunts the Royal Tent The sleeping Hours in Sighs are spent And all his Resolutions does prevent In all his Pains Love mix'd his Smart In every Wound he feels a Dart And the soft God is trembling in his Heart Then he retires to shady Groves And there in vain he seeks Repose And strives to fly from what he cannot lose While thus he lay Bellona came And with a generous fierce Disdain Vpbraids him with his feeble Flame Arise the World 's great Terror and their Care Behold the glitt'ring Host from far That waits the Conduct of the God of War Beneath these glorious Lawrels which were made To Crown the Noble Victor's Head Why thus supinely art thou laid Why on that Face where awful Terror grew Thy Sun-parc'd Cheeks why do I view The shining Tracks of falling Tears bedew What God has wrought these universal Harms What fatal Nymph what fatal Charms Has made the Hero deaf to War's Alarms Now let the Conqu'ring Ensigns up be furl'd Learn to be gay be soft and curl'd And idle lose the Empire of the World In fond Effeminate Delights go on Lose all the Glories you have won Bravely resolve to love and be undone 'T is thus the Martial Virgin pleads Thus she the Am'rous God perswades To fly from Venus and the flow'ry Meads You see here that Poets and Warriours are oftentimes in Affliction even under the Shades of their protecting Lawrels and let the Nymphs and Virgins sing what they please to their Memory under the Mirtles and on Flow'ry Beds much better Days than in the Campaign Nor do the Crowns of Glory surpass those of Love The first is but an empty Name which is won kept and lost with Hazard but Love more nobly employs a brave Soul and all his Pleasures are solid and lasting and when one has a worthy Object of one's Flame Glory accompanies Love too But go to sleep the Hour is come and 't is now that your Soul ought to be entertain'd in Dreams Two a Clock Conversation in Dreams I Doubt not but you will think it very bold and arbitrary that my Watch should pretend to rule even your Sleeping Hours and that my Cupid should govern your very Dreams which are but Thoughts disorder'd in which Reason has no part Chimera's of the Imagination and no more But tho' my Watch does not pretend to Counsel unreasonable yet you must allow it here if not to pass the Bounds at least to advance to the utmost limits of it I am assur'd that after having thought so much of me in the Day you will think of me also in the Night And the first Dream my Watch permits you to make is to think you are in Conversation with me Imagine Damon that you are talking to me of your Passion with all the Transport of a Lover and that I hear you with Satisfaction That all my Looks and Blushes while you are speaking gives you new Hopes and Assurances that you are not indifferent to me and that I give you a thousand Testimonies of my Tenderness all Innocent and Obliging While you are saying all that Love can dictate all that Wit and good Manners can invent and all that I wish to hear from Damon believe in this Dream all flattering and dear that after having shew'd me the Ardour of your Flame that I confess to you the Bottom of my Heart and all the loving Secrets there that I give you Sigh for Sigh Tenderness for Tenderness Heart for Heart and Pleasure for Pleasure And I would have your Sense of this Dream so perfect and your Joy so entire that if it happen you should awake with the Satisfaction from this Dream you should find your Heart still panting with the soft Pleasure of the dear deceiving Transport and you should be ready to cry out Ah! how sweet it is to dream When Charming Iris is the Theme For such I wish my Damon your sleeping and your waking Thoughts should render me to your Heart Three a Clock Capricious Suffering in Dreams IT is but just to mix a little Chagrin with these Pleasures a little Bitter with your Sweet you may be cloy'd with too long an Imagination of my Favours And I will have your Fancy in Dreams represent me to it as the most capricious Maid in the World I know here you will accuse my Watch and blame me with unnecessary Cruelty as you will call it but Lovers have their little Ends their little Advantages to pursue by Methods wholly unaccountable to all but that Heart that contrives 'em And as good a Lover as I believe you you will not enter into my Design at first sight and though on reasonable Thoughts you will be satisfied with this Conduct of mine at its first approach you will be ready to cry out The Request Oh Iris let my sleeping Hours be fraught With Joys which you deny my waking Thought Is 't not enough you absent are Is 't not enough I sigh all Day And languish out my Life in Care To e'ery Passion made a Prey I burn with Love and soft Desire I rave with Jealousie and Fear All Day for Ease my Soul I tire In vain I search it e'ery-where It dwells not with the Witty or the Fair. It is not in the Camp or Court In Bus'ness Musick
most certainly now render'd the most glorious Palace in the Christian World And had our late Gracious Soveraign of blessed Memory had no other Miracles and Wonders of his Life and Reign to have immortaliz'd his Fame of which there shall remain a Thousand to Posterity this Noble Structure alone this Building almost Divine would have eterniz'd the great Name of Glorious Charles the Second till the World moulder again to its old Confusion its first Chaos And the Paintings of the famous Vario and Noble Carvings of the unimitable Gibon shall never die but remain to tell succeeding Ages that all Arts and Learning were not confin'd to ancient Rome and Greece but that England too could boast its mightiest Share Nor is the In-side of this Magnificent Structure immortaliz'd with so many eternal Images of the Illustrious Charles and Katherine more to be admir'd than the wondrous Prospects without The stupendious Heighth on which the famous Pile is built renders the Fields and Flowery Meads below the Woods the Thickets and the winding Streams the most delightful Object that ever Nature produc'd Beyond all these and far below in an inviting Vale the venerable College an Old but Noble Building raises itself in the midst of all the Beauties of Nature high-grown Trees fruitful Plains purling Rivulets and spacious Gardens adorn'd with all Variety of Sweets that can delight the Senses At farther distance yet on an Ascent almost as high as that to the Royal Structure you may behold that famous and noble Clifdon Rise a Palace erected by the illustrious Duke of Buckingham Who will leave this wondrous Piece of Architecture to inform the future World of the Greatness and Delicacy of his Mind it being for its Situation its Prospects and its marvellous Contrivances one of the finest Villa's of the World at least were it finish'd as begun and would sufficiently declare the magnifick Soul of the Hero that caus'd it to be built and contriv'd all its Fineness And this makes up not the least part of the beautiful Prospect from the Palace-Royal while on the other side lies spread a fruitful and delightful Park and Forest well stor'd with Deer and all that make the Prospect charming fine Walks Groves distant Valleys Downs and Hills and all that Nature could invent to furnish out a quiet soft Retreat for the most Fair and most Charming of Queens and the most Heroick Good and Just of Kings And these Groves alone are fit and worthy to divert such Earthly Gods Nor can Heaven Nature or Humane Art contrive an Addition to this Earthly Paradise unless those great Inventors of the Age Sir Samuel Morland or Sir Robert Gorden cou'd by the Power of Engines convey the Water so into the Park and Castle as to furnish it with delightful Fountains both useful and beautiful These are only wanting to render the Place all Perfection without Exception This Damon is a long Digression from the Business of my Heart but you know I am so in Love with that charming Court that when you gave me an Occasion by your being there now but to name the Place I could not forbear transgressing a little in favour of its wondrous Beauty and the rather because I wou'd in recounting it give you to understand how many fine Objects there are besides the Ladies that adorn it to employ your vacant Moments in and hope you will without my Instructions pass a great part of your idle Time in surveying these Prospects and give that Admiration you shou'd pay to living Beauty to those more venerable Monuments of everlasting Fame Neither need I Damon assign you your waiting Times your Honour Duty Love and Obedience will instruct you when to be near the Person of the King and I believe you will omit no part of that Devoir You ought to establish your Fortune aud your Glory For I am not of the Mind of those Critical Lovers who believe it a very hard Matter to reconcile Love and Interest to adore a Mistress and serve a Master at the same time And I have heard those who on this Subject say Let a Man be never so careful in these double Duties 't is Ten to One but he loses his Fortune or his Mistress These are Errors that I condemn And I know that Love and Ambition are not incompatible but that a brave Man may preserve all his Duties to his Soveraign and his Passion and his Respect for his Mistress And this is my Notion of it Love and Ambition The Nobler Lover who wou'd prove Vncommon in Address Let him Ambition joyn with Love With Glory Tenderness But let the Vertues so be mixt That when to Love he goes Ambition may not come betwixt Nor Love his Power oppose The vacant Hours from softer Sport Let him give up to Int'rest and the Court. 'T is Honour shall his Bus'ness be And Love his Noblest Play Those two should never disagree For both make either gay Love without Honour were too mean For any gallant Heart And Honour singly but a Dream Where Love must have no part A Flame like this you cannot fear Where Glory claims an equal Share Such a Passion Damon can never make you quit any part of your Duty to your Prince And the Monarch you serve is so gallant a Master that the Inclination you have to his Person obliges you to serve him as much as your Duty for Damon's Loyal Soul loves the Man and adores the Monarch for he is certainly all that compels both by a charming force and Goodness from all Mankind The King Darling of Bellona's Care The second Deity of War Delight of Heaven and Joy of Earth Born for great and wondrous things Destin'd at his Auspicious Birth T' out do the num'rous Race of long-past Kings Best Representative of Heaven To whom its chiefest Attributes are given Great Pious Stedfast Just and Brave To Vengeance slow but swift to save Dispencing Mercy all abroad Soft and Forgiving as a God! Thou Saving Angel who preserv'st the Land From the Just Rage of the Avenging Hand Stopt the dire Plague that o'er the Earth was hurl'd And sheathing thy Almighty Sword Calm'd the wild Fears of a distracted World As Heaven first made it with a sacred Word But I will stop the low Flight of my humble Muse who when she is upon the Wing on this Glorious Subject knows no Bounds And all the World has agreed to say so much of the Vertues and Wonders of this great Monarch that they have left me nothing new to say though indeed he every day gives us new Themes of his growing Greatness and we see nothing that equals him in our Age. Oh how happy are we to obey his Laws for he is the greatest of Kings and the best of Men You will be very unjust Damon if you do not confess I have acquitted myself like a Maid of Honour of all the Obligations I owe you upon the account of the Discretion I lost to you If it be not valuable enough
Atlante could not forbear but before she was aware of it turn'd her Head and look'd on Rinaldo which encourag'd him to advance and putting off his Hat which he clapt under his Arm with a low Bow said Ladies you are slenderly attended and so many Accidents arrive to the Fair in the rude Streets that I humbly implore you will permit me whose Duty it is as a Neighbour to wait on you to your Door Sir said Atlante blushing we fear no Insolence and need no Protector or if we did we should not be so rude to take you out of your Way to serve us Madam said he my Way lies yours I live at the next Door and am Son to Bellyaurd your Neighbour But Madam added he if I were to go all my Life out of the Way to do you Service I should take it for the greatest Happiness that could arrive to me but Madam sure a Man can never be out of his Way who has the Honour of so charming Company Atlante made no Reply to this but blush'd and bow'd But Charlot said Nay Sir if you are our Neighbour we will give you leave to Conduct us home But pray Sir how came you to know we are your Neighbours for we never saw you before to our knowledge My pretty Mis reply'd Rinaldo I knew it from the transcendent Beauty appear'd in your Faces and sine Shapes for I have heard there was no Beauty in the World like that of Atlante 's and I no sooner saw her but my Heart told me it was she Heart said Charlot laughing Way does Hearts use to speak The most intelligibly of any thing Rinaldo reply'd when 't is tenderly touch'd when 't is charm'd and transported At these Words he sigh'd and Atlante to his extream Satisfaction blushed Touch charm'd and transported said Charlot what 's that And how do you do to have it be all these Things For I would give any thing in the World to have my Heart speak Oh! said Rinaldo your Heart is too young it is not yet arrived to the Years of speaking about thirteen or fourteen it may possibly be saying a thousand soft Things to you but it must be first inspir'd by some Noble Object whose Idea it must retain What reply'd this pretty Pratlet I 'll warrant I must be in love Yes said Rinaldo most passionately or you will have but little Conversation with your Heart Oh! reply'd she I am afraid the Pleasure of such a Conversation will not make me Amends for the Pain that Love will give me That said Rinaldo is according as the Object is kind and 〈◊〉 you Hope if he Love and you Hope you will have a dâ—â—ble Pleasure And in this how great an Advantage have you fair Ladies above us Men 'T is almost impossible for you to love in vain you have your Choice of a thousand Hearts which you have subdu'd and may not only chuse your Slaves but be assur'd of 'em without speaking you are belov'd it needs not cost you a Sigh or a Tear But unhappy Man is often destsn'd to give his Heart where it is not regarded to sigh to weep and languish without any hope of Pity You speak so feelingly Sir said Charlot that I am afraid this is your Case Yes Madam reply'd Rinaldo sighing I am that unhappy Man Indeed 't is pity said she Pray how long have you been so Ever since I heard of the charming Atlante reply'd he sighing again I ador'd her Character but now I have seen her I die for her For me Sir said Atlante who had not yet spoke this is the common Complement of all the young Men who pretend to be Lovers and if one should pity all those Sighers we should have but very little left for ourselves I believe saith Rinaldo there are none that tell you so who do not mean as they say yet among all those Adorers and those that say they will die for you you will find none will be so good as their Words as Rinaldo Perhaps said Atlante of all those who tell me of dying there are none that tell it with so little Reason as Rinaldo if that be your Name Sir Madam it is said he and who am transported with an unspeakable Joy to hear those last Words from your fair Mouth and let me O lovely Atlante assure you that what I have said are not Words of Course but proceed from a Heart that has vow'd itself eternally yours even before I had the Happiness to behold this Divine Person but now that my Eyes have made good all my Heart before imagin'd and did but hope I swear I will die à thousand Deaths rather than violate what I have said to you That Indore you that my Soul and all my Faculties are charm'd with your Beauty and Innocence and that my Life and Fortune not inconsiderable shall be laid at your Feet This he spoke with a Fervency of Passion that left her no doubt of what he had said yet she blush'd for shame and a little angry at herself for suffering him to say so much to her the very first time she saw him and accused herself for giving him any Encouragement And in this Confusion she replied Sir you have said too much to be believed and I cannot imagine so short an Acquaintance can make so considerable an Impression of which Confession I accuse myself much more than you in that I did not only hearken to what you said without forbidding you to entertain me at that rate but for unheedily speaking something that has encourag'd this Boldness for so must I call it in a Man so great a Stranger to me Madam said he if I have offended by the suddenness of my presumptuous Discovery I beseech you to consider my Reasons for it the few Opportunities I am like to have and the impossibility of waiting on you both from the Severity of your Father and mine who e'r I saw you warn'd me of my Fate as if he foresaw I should fall in Love as soon as I should chance to see you and for that Reason has kept me closer to my Studies than hitherto I have been And from that time I began to feel a Flame which was kindled by Report alone and the Description my Father gave of your wondrous and dangerous Beauty Therefore Madam I have not suddenly told you of my Passion I have been long your Lover and have â—ong languish'd without telling of my Pain and you ought to pardon it now since it is done with all the Respect and Religious Awe that 't is possible for a Heart to deliver and unload itself in therefore Madam if you have by Chance uttered any thing that I have taken advantage or hope from I assure you 't is so small that you have no Reason to repent it but rather if you would have me live send me not from you without a Confirmation of that little hope See Madam said he more earnestly and trembling see we are almost arriv'd at
of his Eyes which were sometimes stedfastly fix'd on the Ground then lifted up to her or Heaven for he cou'd see nothing more Beautiful on Earth she made use of the Privilege of her Sex and began the Discourse first to this effect Has any thing happen'd Sir since our retreat hither to occasion that Disorder which is but too visible in your Face and too dreadful in your hitherto continu'd silence Speak I beseech you Sir and let me know if I have any way unhappily contributed to it No Madam reply'd he my Friendship is now likely to be the only cause of my greatest Misery for to morrow I must be guilty of an unpardonable Crime in betraying the generous Confidence which your noble Father has plac'd in me To morrow added he with a pitious Sigh I must deliver you into the Hands of one whom your Father hates even to death instead of doing my self the Honour of becoming his Son-in-Law within a few Days more But I will consider and remind my self that I give you into the hands of my Friend of my Friend that Loves you better than his Life which he has often expos'd for your sake and what is more than All to my Friend whom you Love more than any Consideration on Earth And must this be done she ask'd Is it inevitable as Fate Fix'd as the Laws of Nature Madam reply'd he Don't you find the Necessity of it Ardelia continu'd he by way of Question Does not your Love require it Think you are going to your Dear Antonio who alone can merit you and whom only you can love Were your last words true return'd she I shou'd yet be unhappy in the Displeasure of a Dear and Tender Father and infinitely more in being the cause of your Infidelity to him No Don Henrique continu'd she I cou'd with greater Satisfaction return to my miserable Confinement than by any means disturb the Peace of your Mind or occasion one moment's interruption of your Quiet Wou'd to Heaven you did not sigh'd he to himself Then addressing his words more distinctly to her cry'd he Ah Cruel Ah Unjust Ardelia These Words belong to none but Antonio why then wou'd you endeavour to persuade me that I do or ever can merit the Tenderness of such an Expression Have a care pursu'd he Have a care Ardelia your outward Beauties are too powerful to be resisted even your Frowns have such a sweetness that it attracts the very Soul that is not strongly prepossess'd with the noblest Friendship and the highest Principles of Honour Why then alas did you add such Sweet and Charming Accents Why Ah Don Henrique she interrupted why did you appear to me so Charming in your Person so great in your Friendship and so Illustrious in your Reputation Why did my Father e'er since your first Visit continually fill my Ears and Thoughts with Noble Characters and Glorious Idea's which yet but imperfectly and faintly represent the Inimitable Original But what is most severe and cruel why Don Henrique why will you defeat my Father in his Ambition of your Alliance and me of those glorious Hopes with which you had bless'd my Soul by casting me away from you to Antonio Ha! cry'd he starting What said you Madam What did Ardelia say That I had bless'd your Soul with Hopes That I wou'd cast you away to Antonio Can they who safely arrive in their wish'd for Port be said to be Shipwrack'd Or Can an Abject Indigent Wretch make a King These are more than Riddles Madam and I must not think to Expound ' em No said she Let it alone Don Henrique I 'll ease you of that trouble and tell you plainly that I Love you Ah! cry'd he now all my Fears are come upon me How ask'd she Were you afraid I shou'd Love you Is my Love so dreadful then Yes when misplac'd reply'd he but 't was your Falshood that I fear'd Your Love were what I wou'd have sought with utmost hazard of my Life nay even of my Future Happiness I fear had you not been Engag'd strongly oblig'd to Love else where both by your own Choice and Vows as well as by his dangerous Services and matchless Constancy For which said she I do not Hate him though his Father kill'd my Uncle Nay perhaps continu'd she I have a Friendship for him but no more No more said you Madam cry'd he But tell me Did you never Love him Indeed I did reply'd she but the Sight of You has better instructed me both in my Duty to my Father and in causing my Passion for you without whom I shall be eternally miserable Ah then pursue your honourable Proposal and make my Father happy in my Marriage It must not be return'd Don Henrique my Honour my Friendship forbids it No she return'd your Honour requires it and if your Friendship opposes your Honour it can have no sure nor solid Foundation Female Sophistry cry'd Henrique But you need no Art nor Artifice Ardelia to make me Love you Love you pursu'd he By that bright Sun the Light and Heat of all the World You are my only Light and Heat Oh Friendship Sacred Friendship now assist me Here for a time he paus'd and then afresh proceeded thus You told me or my Ears deceiv'd me that you Lov'd me Ardelia I did she reply'd and that I do Love you is as true as that I told you so 'T is well But wou'd it were not so Did ever Man receive a Blessing thus Why I cou'd wish I did not Love you Ardelia But that were impossible At least unjust interrupted she Well then he went on to shew you that I do sincerely consult your particular Happiness without any regard to my own to morrow I will give you to Don Antonio and as a Proof of your Love to me I expect your ready Consent to it To let you see Don Henrique how perfectly and tenderly I Love you I will be sacrific'd to morrow to Don Antonio and to your Quiet Oh Strangest Dearest Obligation cry'd Henrique To morrow then as I have told your Father I am to bring you to see the Dearest Friend I have on Earth who dare not appear within this City for some unhappy Reasons and therefore cannot be present at our Nuptials for which cause I cou'd not but think it my Duty to one so nearly related to my Soul to make him happy in the Sight of my Beautiful Choice e're yet she be my Bride I hope said she my Loving Obedience may merit your Compassion and that at last e're the Fire is lighted that must consume the Offering I mean the Marriage-Tapers alluding to the old Roman Ceremony that you or some other pitying Angel will snatch me from the Altar Ah No more Ardelia Say no more cry'd he we must be Cruel to be Just to our selves Here their Discourse ended and they walk'd into the House where they sound the Good Old Gentleman and his Lady with whom he stay'd till about an Hour after Supper
divide his Soul between Love and Obedience He was sensible that he ought not to stay that he was but an Affliction to the young Princess whose Honour cou'd never permit her to ease any part of his Flame nor was he so vicious to entertain a Thought that shou'd stain her Vertue He beheld her now as his Brother's Wife and that secur'd his Flame from all loose Desires if her native Modesty had not been sufficient of itself to have done it and that profound Respect he paid her And he consider'd in obeying his Father he left her at Ease and his Brother freed of a thousand Fears he went to seek a Cure which if he cou'd not find at last he cou'd but die and so he must even at her Feet However that 't was more noble to seek a Remedy for his Disease than expect a certain Death by staying After a thousand Reflections on his hard Fate and bemoaning himself and blaming his cruel Stars that had doom'd him to die so young after an infinity of Sighs and Tears Resolvings and Unresolvings he on the sudden was interrupted by the trampling of some Horses he heard and their rushing through the Boughs and saw four Men make towards him He had not time to mount being walk'd some Paces from his Horse One of the Men advanc'd and cry'd Prince you must die I do believe thee reply'd Henrick but not by a Hand so base as thine And at the same time drawing his Sword run him into the Groin When the Fellow found himself so wounded he wheel'd off and cry'd Thou art a Prophet and hast rewarded my Treachery with Death The rest came up and one shot at the Prince and shot him in the Shoulder the other two hastily laying hold but too late on the Hand of the Murtherer cry'd Hold Traytor we relent and he shall not die He reply'd 'T is too late he is shot and see he lies dead Let us provide for our selves and tell the Prince we have done the Work for you are as guilty as I am At that they all fled and left the Prince lying under a Tree weltering in his Blood About the Evening the Forester going his Walks saw the Horse richly caparison'd without a Rider at the Entrance of the Wood and going farther to see if he cou'd find its Owner found there the Prince almost dead He immediately mounts him on the Horse and himself behind bore him up and carry'd him to the Lodge where he had only one old Man his Father well skill'd in Surgery and a Boy They put him to Bed and the old Forester with what Art he had dress'd his Wound and in the Morning sent for an abler Surgeon to whom the Prince enjoyn'd Secrecy because he knew him The Man was faithful and the Prince in time was recover'd of his Wound and ae soon as he was well he came for Flanders in the Habit of a Pilgrim and after some time took the Order of St. Francis none knowing what became of him 'till he was profefs'd and then he writ his own Story to the Prince his Father to his Mistress and his ungrateful Brother The young Princess did not long survive his Loss she languish'd from the Moment of his Departure and he had this to confirm his devout Life to know she dy'd for him My Brother Madam was an Officer under the Prince his Father and knew his Story perfectly well from whose Mouth I had it What! reply'd Miranda then is Father Henrick a Man of Quality Yes Madam said Cornelia and has chang'd his Name to Francisco But Miranda fearing to betray the Sentiments of her Heart by asking any more Questions about him turn'd the Discourse and some Persons of Quality came in to visit her for her Apartment was about Six a-clock like the Presence-Chamber of a Queen always fill'd with the greatest People There meet all the Beaux Espreets and all the Beauties But it was visible Miranda was not so gay as she us'd to be but pensive and answering Mal a propo to all that was said to her She was a thousand times going to speak against her Will something of the charming Friar who was never from her Thoughts and she imagin'd if he could inspire Love in a course grey ill-made Habit a shorn Crown a Hair-Cord about his Waste bare-leg'd in Sandals instead of Shooes what must he do when looking back on Time she beholds him in a Prospect of Glory with all that Youth and Illustrious Beauty set off by the Advantage of Dress and Equipage She frames an Idea of him all gay and splendid and looks on his present Habit as some Disguise proper for the Stealths of Love some feign'd put-on Shape with the more Security to approach a Mistress and make himself happy and that the Robe laid by she has the Lover in his proper Beauty the same he wou'd have been if any other Habit tho' never so rich were put off In the Bed the silent gloomy Night and the soft Embraces of her Arms he loses all the Friar and assumes all the Prince and that awful Reverence due alone to his holy Habit he exchanges for a thousand Dalliances for which his Youth was made for Love for tender Embraces and all the Happiness of Life Some Moments she fancies him a Lover and that the fair Object that takes up all his Heart has left no room for her there but that was a Thought that did not long perplex her and which almost as soon as born she turn'd to her Advantage She beholds him a Lover and therefore finds he has a Heart sensible and tender he had Youth to be fir'd as well as to inspire he was far from the lov'd Object and totally without Hope and she reasonably consider'd that Flame wou'd of itself soon die that had only Despair to feed on She beheld her own Charms and Experience as well as her Glass told her they never fail'd of Conquest especially where they design'd it And she believ'd Henrick would be glad at least to quench that Flame in himself by an Amour with her which was kindl'd by the young Princess of his Sister These and a thousand other Self-flatteries all vain and indiscreet took up her waking Nights and now more retir'd Days while Love to make her truly wretched suffer'd her to sooth herself with fond Imaginations not so much as permitting her Reason to plead one Moment to save her from Undoing She wou'd not suffer it to tell her he had taken holy Orders made sacred and solemn Vows of everlasting Chastity that 't was impossible he cou'd marry her or lay before her any Argument that might prevent her Ruine but Love mad malicious Love was always call'd to Counsel and like easie Monarchs she had no Ears but for Flatterers Well then she is resolv'd to love without considering to what End and what must be the Consequence of such an Amour She now miss'd no Day of being at that little Church where she