my Weakness and Indiscretion and I hope Damon finds the same For should he have any of those Attachments I should have no Pity for him The Example Damon if you wou'd have me true Be you my President and Guide Example sooner we pursue Than the dull Dictates of our Pride Precepts of Vertue are too weak an Aim 'T is Demonstration that can best reclaim Shew me the Path you 'd have me go With such a Guide I cannot stray What you approve whate'er you do It is but just I bend the Way If true my Honour favours your Design If false Revenge is the Result of mine A Lover true a Maid sincere Are to be priz'd as Things Divine 'T is Justice makes the Blessing dear Justice of Love without Design And she that Reigns not in a Heart alone Is never safe or easie on her Throne Four a Clock General Conversation IN this Visiting-Hour many People will happen to meet at one and the same time together in a Place And as you make not Visits to Friends to be silent you ought to enter into Conversation with 'em but those Conversations ought to be General and of General Things for there is no necessity of making your Friend the Confident of your Amours 'T would infinitely displease me to hear you have reveal'd to them all that I have repos'd in you tho' Secrets never so trivial yet since utter'd between Lovers they deserve to be priz'd at a higher rate For what can shew a Heart more indifferent and indiscreet than to declare in any Fashion or with Mirth or Joy the tender Things a Mistress says to a Lover and which possibly related at Second Hand bear not the same Sence because they have not the same Sound and Air they had originally when they came from the soft Heart of her who sigh'd 'em first to her lavish Lover Perhaps they are told again with Mirth or Joy unbecoming their Character and Business and then they lose their Graces for Love is the most Solemn Thing in Nature and the most unsuiting with Gaiety Perhaps the soft Expressions suit not so well the harsher Voice of the Masculine Lover whose Accents were not form'd for so much Tenderness at least not of that sort for Words that have the same Meaning are alter'd from their Sence by the least Tone or Accent of the Voice and those proper and fitted to my Soul are not possibly so to yours tho' both have the same Efficacy upon us yours upon my Heart as mine upon yours and both will be misunderstood by the unjudging World Besides this there is a Holiness in Love that 's true that ought not to be prophan'd And as the Poet truly says at the latter end of an Ode of which I will recite the whole The Invitation Aminta fear not to confess The charming Secret of thy Tenderness That which a Lover can't conceal That which to me thou should'st reveal And is but what thy lovely Eyes express Come whisper to my panting Heart That heaves and meets thy Voice half way That guesses what thou wou'dst impart And languishes for what thou hast to say Confirm my trembling Doubt and make me know Whence all these Blushings and these Sighings flow Why dost thou scruple to unfold A Mystery that does my Life concern If thou ne'er speak'st it will be told For Lovers all things can discern From every Look from every bashful Grace That still succeed each other in thy Face I shall the dear transporting Secret learn But 't is a Pleasure not to be exprest To hear it by the Voice confest When soft Sighs breathe it on my panting Breast All calm and silent is the Grove Whose shading Boughs resist the Day Here thou may'st blush and talk of Love While only Winds unheeding stay That will not bear the Sound away While I with solemn awful Joy All my attentive Faculties employ List'ning to every valu'd Word And in my Soul the Sacred Treasure hoard There like some Mystery Divine The wondrous Knowledge I 'll enshrine Love can his Joys no longer call his own Than the dear Secret's kept unknown There is nothing more true than those two last Lines and that Love ceases to be a Pleasure when it ceases to be a Secret and one you ought to keep sacred For the World who never makes a right Judgment of Things will misinterpret Love as they do Religion every one judging it according to the Notion he had of it or the Talent of his Sence Love as a great Duke said is like Apparitions every one talks of 'em but few have seen 'em Every Body thinks himself capable of understanding Love and that he is a Master in the Art of it when there is nothing so nice or difficult to be rightly comprehended and indeed cannot be but to a Soul very delicate Nor will he make himself known to the Vulgar There must be an uncommon Fineness in the Mind that contains him the rest he only visits in as many Disguises as there are Dispositions and Natures where he makes but a short stay and is gone He can fit himself to all Hearts being the greatest Flatterer in the World And he possesses every one with a Confidence that they are in the Number of his Elect and they think they know him perfectly when nothing but the Spirits refin'd possess him in his Excellency From this difference of Love in different Souls proceeds those odd fantastick Maxims which so many hold of so different Kinds And this makes the most innocent Pleasures pass oftentimes for Crimes with the unjudging Crowd who call themselves Lovers And you will have your Passion censur'd by as many as you shall discover it to and as many several Ways I advise you therefore Damon to make no Confidents of your Amours and believe that Silence has with me the most powerful Charm 'T is also in these Conversations that those indiscreetly civil Persons often are who think to oblige a good Man by letting him know he is belov'd by some one or other and making him understand how many good Qualities he is Master of to render him agreeable to the Fair Sex if he wou'd but advance where Love and good Fortune calls and that a too constant Lover loses a great part of his time which might be manag'd to more Advantage since Youth hath so short a Race to run By this and a thousand the like indecent Complaisances give him a Vanity that suits not with that Discretion which has hitherto acquir'd him so good a Reputation I wou'd not have you Damon act on these Occasions as many of the easie Sparks have done before you who receive such Weakness and Flattery for Truth and passing it off with a Smile suffer 'em to advance in Folâ—◠〈…〉 gain'd a Credit with 'em and 〈…〉 all they hear telling 'em they do 〈…〉 senting Gestures Silence or open 〈…〉 For my part I shou'd not conâ—◠〈…〉 that shou'd answer a sort of ciâ—◠〈…〉 for Love somewhat briskly
hole in the Garden and conveys all the Bags into it and covers them safely up His Sons the next Day coming to the Closet and finding all removed were not a little disappointed and troubl'd to think how they shou'd at least recover that Money which was lent 'em by their Friends to carry on this Design All the Difficulty lay in discovering where their Father had hid it and to do that nothing occurr'd that wou'd hold Water till Don Lopez concluded to make once more the Experiment of his Fear of Apparitions against the next Night therefore they prepared the Chamber for their Design and invited some of their Friends on purpose to make the old Gentleman drunk which having effected he was carefully carried to Bed and three or four Statues out of the Garden convey'd up into his Room and placed on each side and corner of his Bed with People behind 'em to flash and make lightning to discover to him these imaginary Spectres All things being in this Order a Mastiff Dog with a great Iron Chain was let into the Room the ratling of which in a little time waken'd the old Gentleman who began to pray very heartily but Fear still prevailing as in Despair made him think to get out of the Room when he heard the Noise on the other side of the Room the most distant from the Door On his first Motion to rise the Person behind the Image flash'd with his Lightning and discover'd a white pale Ghost to the frighted Miser So he started back into his Bed again and thus he was serv'd on each side till in Despair and ready to die with Fear he cou'd scarce utter so much as one Prayer Then he heard a Voice with a thousand Terrours and Threats demand him he having taken the price of his Soul in the Money he had removed The old Man replied with a thousand Crosses to guard himself That the Money was in such a place and that he wou'd surrender not only that but his own too to be at ease When they had thus got the Knowledge of the place where the Treasure was hid they easily in the Fear he was in convey'd away the Statues and left all things in Order as if nothing had happen'd and repairing to the Garden found the Money but took no more thence but what they had before put there The next Day the old Gentleman sends for them to his Chamber ill with the Fright and lets 'em know That he had thus long been in an Errour in setting his Mind on hoarded Bags which ought to be plac'd in Heav'n at his Years but having had various Warnings against it he now resolv'd a new Life and in order to that wou'd immediately settle his Affairs So he divided his Estate equally betwixt them and having found his own Sum of Money left as he thought by the Devil he gave a third part to charitable uses and divided the other betwixt his Sons and retir'd to a Monastery where he soon made a very Religious End The Sons having by these means gain'd their Point did not long deferr the Happiness for which they undertook this and thus was my Friend Lucilla and her Cousin made the most fortunate of our Sex if Love and Money cou'd make 'em so But I have been too long in this to add some pleasant Adventures of my own which I must defer till the next Opportunity having only room enough left to subscribe my self your Friend and Servant Astrea LETTER Dear Friend THO' our Courtiers will not allow me to do any great Matters with my Politicks I 'm sure you must grant that I have done so with my Eyes when I shall tell you I have made two Dutch-men in Love with me Dutch-men do you mind me that have no Soul for any thing but Gain that have no Pleasure but Interest or the Bottle but in Affairs of Love go to the most sacred part of it more brutally than the most sordid of their four-footed Brethren nay they are so far from the Warmth of Love that through their Flegmatick Mass there is not Fire enough to give 'em a vigorous Appetite so far are they from the fineness of a vehement Passion Yet I Sir this very numerical Person your Friend and humble Servant have set two of 'em into a Blaze Two of very different Ages I was going to say Degrees too but I remember there are no Degrees in Holland Vander Albert is about Thirty Two of a hail Constitution something more sprightly than the rest of his Country-men and tho' infinitely fond of his Interest and an irreconcilable Enemy to Monarchy has by the Force of Love been oblig'd to let me into some Secrets that might have done our King and if not our Court our Country no small Service But I shall say no more of this Lover till I see you for some particular Reasons which you shall then likewise know My other is about twice his Age nay and Bulk too tho' Albert be not the most barbary Shape you have seen You must know him by the Name of Van Bruin and was introduc'd to me by Albert his Kinsman and oblig'd by him to furnish me in his Absence with what Money or other things I shou'd please to command or have Occasion for as long as he staid at Antwerp where he was like to continue some time about a Law Suit then depending He had not visited me often before I began to be sensible of the Influence of my Eyes on this old piece of worm-eaten Touch-wood but he had not the Confidence and that 's much to tell me he lov'd me and Modesty you know is no common Fault of his Country-men Tho' I rather impute it to a Love of himself that he wou'd not run the Hazard of being turn'd into ridicule on so disproportion'd a Declaration he often insinuated that he knew a Man of Wealth and Substance tho' stricken indeed in Years and on that Account not so agreeable as a younger Man that was passionately in love with me Desir'd to know whether my Heart was so far engag'd that his Friend shou'd not entertain any hopes I reply'd That I was surpriz'd to hear a Friend of Albert's making an Interest in me for another that if Love were a Passion I was any way sensible of it cou'd never be for an old Man and much to that purpose But all this wou'd not do in a Day or Two I receiv'd this Eloquent Epistle from him for he had heard Albert praise my Wit and he thought that what he writ to one so qualify'd must be in an extraordinary Style which I shall give you as near as I can in our Language and which I indeed was indebted to an Interpreter my self for tho' 't was writ in French which I have some Knowledge of LETTER Most Transcendent Charmer I Have strove often to tell you the Tempests of my Heart and with my own Mouth scale the Walls of your Affections but terrified with the
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
of the Injustice imaginable He had an extreme good and graceful Mien and all the Civility of a well-bread Great Man He had nothing of Barbarity in his Nature but in all Points address'd himself as if his Education had been in some Europaean Court. This great and just Character of Oroonoko gave me an extreme Curiosity to see him especially when I knew he spoke French and English and that I could talk with him But though I had heard so much of him I was as greatly surpriz'd when I saw him as if I had heard nothing of him so beyond all Report I found him He came into the Room and address'd himself to me and some other Women with the best Grace in the World He was pretty tall but of a shape the most exact that can be fansy'd The most famous Statuary cou'd not form the figure of a Man more admirably turnâ—d from Head to Foot His Face was not of that brown rusty Black which most of that Nation are but a perfect Ebony or polish'd Jett His Eyes were the most awful that cou'd be seen and very piercing the White of 'em being like Snow as were his Teeth His Nose was rising and Roman instead of African and flat His Mouth the finest shap'd that cou'd be seen far from those great turn'd Lips which are so natural to the rest of the Negroes The whole Proportion and Air of his Face was so noble and exactly form'd that bating his Colour there cou'd be nothing in Nature more beautiful agreeable and handsome There was no one Grace wanting that bears the Standard of true Beauty His Hair came down to his Shoulders by the aids of Art which was by pulling it out with a Quill and keeping it comb'd of which he took particular care Nor did the Perfections of his Mind come short of those of his Person for his Discourse was admirable upon almost any Subject and who-ever had heard him speak wou'd have been convinc'd of their Errors that all fine Wit is confin'd to the White men especially to those of Christendom and wou'd have confess'd that Oroonoko was as capable even of reigning well and of governing as wisely had as great a Soul as politick Maxims and was as sensible of Power as any Prince civiliz'd in the most refined Schools of Humanity and Learning or the most illustrious Courts This Prince such as I have describ'd him whose Soul and Body were so admirably adorn'd was while yet he was in the Court of his Grand-father as I said as capable of Love as 't was possible for a brave and gallant Man to be and in saying that I have nam'd the highest Degree of Love for sure great Souls are most capable of that Passion I have already said the old General was kill'd by the shot of an Arrow by the side of this Prince in Battle and that Oroonoko was made General This old dead Hero had one only Daughter left of his Race a Beauty that to describe her truly one need say only she was Female to the noble Male the beautiful Black Venus to our young Mars as charming in her Person as he and of delicate Vertues I have seen an hundred White Men sighing after her and making a thousand Vows at her Feet all vain and unsuccessful And she was indeed too great for any but a Prince of her own Nation to adore Oroonoko coming from the Wars which were now ended after he had made his Court to his Grand-father he thought in honour he ought to make a Visit to Imoinda the Daughter of his Foster-father the dead General and to make some Excuses to her because his Preservation was the occasion of her Father's Death and to present her with those Slaves that had been taken in this last Battle as the Trophies of her Father's Victories When he came attended by all the young Soldiers of any Merit he was infinitely surpriz'd at the Beauty of this fair Queen of Night whose Face and Person was to exceeding all he had ever beheld that lovely Modesty with which she receiv'd him that Softness in her Look and Sighs upon the melancholy Occasion of this Honour that was done by so great a Man as Oroonoko and a Prince of whom she had heard such admirable things the Awfulness wherewith she receiv'd him and the Sweetness of her Words and Behaviour while he stay'd gain'd a perfect Conquest over his fierce Heart and made him feel the Victor cou'd be subdu'd So that having made his first Complements and presented her an Hundred and fifty Slaves in Fetters he told her with his Eyes that he was not insensible of her Charms while Imoinda who wish'd for nothing more than so glorious a Conquest was pleas'd to believe she understood that silent Language of new-born Love and from that moment put on all her additions to Beauty The Prince return'd to Court with quite another Humour than before and though he did not speak much of the fair Imoinda he had the pleasure to hear all his Followers speak of nothing but the Charms of that Maid insomuch that even in the presence of the old King they were extolling her and heightning if possible the Beauties they had found in her so that nothing else was talk'd of no other sound was heard in every corner where there were Whisperers but Imoinda Imoinda 'T will be imagin'd Oroonoko stay'd not long before he made his second Visit nor considering his Quality not much longer before he told her he ador'd her I have often heard him say that he admir'd by what strange Inspiration he came to talk things so soft and so passionate who never knew Love nor was us'd to the Conversation of Women but to use his own words he said Most happily some new and till then unknown Power instructed his Heart and Tongue in the Language of Love and at the same time in favour of him inspir'd Imoinda with a sense of his Passion She was touch'd with what he said and return'd it all in such Answers as went to his very Heart with a Pleasure unknown before Nor did he use those Obligations ill that Love had done him but turn'd all his happy moments to the best advantage and as he knew no Vice his Flame aim'd at nothing but Honour if such a distinction may be made in Love and especially in that Country where Men take to themselves a many as they can maintain and where the only Crime and Sin with Woman is to turn her off to abandon her to Want Shame and Misery such ill Morals are only practis'd in Christian Countries where they preferr the bare Name of Religion and without Vertue or Morality think that sufficient But Oroonoko was none of those Professors but as he had right Notions of Honour so he made her such Propositions as were not only and barely such but contrary to the custom of his Countrey he made her Vows she shou'd be the only Woman he wou'd possess while he liv'd that no
into the World the first Year after her Marriage a Son who was call'd Don Louis but it scarce saw the Light and dy'd almost as soon as born The Loss of this little Prince sensibly touch'd her but the Coldness she observ'd in the Prince her Husband went yet more near her Heart for she had given herself absolutely up to her Duty and had made her Tenderness for him her only Concern But puissant Glory which ty'd her so entirely to the Interest of the Prince of Portugal open'd her Eyes upon his Actions where she observ'd nothing in his Caresses and Civilities that was natural or could satisfie her delicate Heart At first she fancy'd herself deceiv'd but time having confirm'd her in what she feared she sighed in secret yet had that Consideration for the Prince as not to let him see her Disorder and which nevertheless she could not conceal from Agnes de Castro who liv'd with her rather as a Companion than a Maid of Honour and whom her Friendship made her infinitely distinguish from the rest This maid so dear to the Princess very well merited the Preference her Mistress gave her she was beautiful to excess wise discreet witty and had more Tenderness for Constantia than she had for herself having quitted her Family which was illustrious to give herself wholly to the Service of the Princess and to follow her into Portugal It was into the Bosom of this Maid that the Princess unladed her first Moans and the charming Agnes forgot nothing that might give ease to her afflicted Heart Nor was Constantia the only Person who complain'd on Don Pedro before his Divorce from Bianca he had expressed some Care and Tenderness for Elvira Gonzales Sister to Don Alvaro Gonzales Favourite to the King of Portugal and this Amusement in the young Years of the Prince had made a deep Impression on Elvira who flatter'd her Ambition with the Infirmities of Bianca She saw with a secret Rage Constantia take her place who was possest with such Charms that quite divested her of all Hopes Her Jealousie left her not idle she examin'd all the Actions of the Prince and easily discover'd the little Regard he had for the Princess but this brought him not back to her And it was upon very good Grounds that she suspected him to be in Love with some other Person and possessed with a new Passion and which she promis'd herself she would destroy as soon as she could find it out She had a Spirit altogether proper for bold and hazardous Enterprizes and the Credit of her Brother gave her so much Vanity as all the Indifference of the Prince was not capable of humbling The Prince languish'd and conceal'd the Cause with so much Care that 't was impossible for any to find it out No publick Pleasures were agreeable to him and all Conversations were tedious and it was Solitude alone that was able to give him any ease This Change surprized all the World The King who lov'd his Son very tenderly earnestly press'd him to know the Reason of his Melancholy but the Prince made no answer but only this That it was the Effects of his Temper But Time ran on and the Princess was brought to Bed of a second Son who liv'd and was call'd Fernando Don Pedro forc'd himself a little to take part in the publick Joy so that they believ'd his Humour was changing but this appearance of a Calm endured not long and he fell back again into his black Melancholy The Artful Elvira was incessantly agitated in searching out the Knowledge of this Secret Chance wrought for her And as she was walking full of Indignation and Anger in the Garden of the Palace of Coimbra she found the Prince of Portugal sleeping in an obscure Grotto Her Fury could not contain itself at the Sight of this lov'd Object she roul'd her Eyes upon him and perceiv'd in spight of Sleep that some Tears escap'd his Eyes the Flame which burnt yet in her Heart soon grew soft and tender there But oh she heard him sigh and after that utter these Words Yes Divine Agnes I will sooner die than let you know it Constantia shall have nothing to reproach me with Elvira was enrag'd at this Discourse which represented to her immediately the same Moment Agnes de Castro with all her Charms and not at all doubting but it was she who possest the Heart of Don Pedro she found in her Soul more Hatred for this fair Rival than Tenderness for him The Grotto was not a Place sit to make Reflections in or to form Designs Perhaps her first Transports would have made her waken'd him if she had not perceiv'd a Paper lying under his Hand which she softly seiz'd on and that she might not be surpriz'd in the reading it she went out of the Garden with as much Haste as Confusion When she was retir'd to her Apartment she open'd the Paper trembling and found in it these Verses writ by the Hand of Don Pedro and which in appearance he had newly then composed In vain oh Sacred Honour you debate The mighty Business in my Heart Love Charming Love rules all my Fate Interest and Glory claim no part The God sure of his Victory Triumphs there And will have nothing in his Empire share In vain oh Sacred Duty you oppose In vain your Nuptial Tye you plead Those forc'd Devoirs LOVE overthrows And breaks the Vows he never made Fixing his fatal Arrows every where I burn and languish in a soft Despair Fair Princess you to whom my Faith is due Pardon the Destiny that drags me on 'T is not my Fault my Heart 's untrue I am compell'd to be undone My Life is yours I gave it with my Hand But my Fidelity I can't command Elvira did not only know the Writing of Don Pedro but she knew also that he could write Verses And seeing the sad Part which Constantia had in these which were now fallen into her Hands she made no scruple of resolving to let the Princess see 'em But that she might not be suspected she took care not to appear in the Business herself and since it was not enough for Constantia to know that the Prince did not love her but that she must know also he was a Slave to Agnes de Castro Elvira caused these few Verses to be written in an unknown Hand under those writ by the Prince Sleep betray'd the unhappy Lover While Tears were streaming from his Eyes His heedless Tongue without disguise The Secret did discover The Language of his Heart declare That Agnes Image Triumphs there Elvira regarded neither Exactness nor Grace in these Lines and if they had but the Effect she design'd she wish'd no more Her Impatience could not wait till the next Day to expose 'em she therefore went immediately to the Lodgings of the Princess who was then walking in the Garden of the Palace and passing without resistance even to her Cabinet she put the Paper into a Book in
which the Princess us'd to read and went out again unseen and satisfied with her good Fortune As soon as Constantia was return'd she enter'd into her Cabinet and saw the Book open and the Verses lying in it which were to cost her so dear She soon knew the Hand of the Prince which was so familiar to her and besides the Information of what she had always fear'd she understood it was Agnes de Castro whose Friendship alone was able to comfort her in her Misfortunes who was the fatal Cause of it she read over the Paper an hundred times desiring to give her Eyes and Reason the Lye but finding but too plainly she was not deceiv'd she found her Soul possest with more Grief than Anger When she consider'd as much in Love as the Prince was he had kept his Torment secret After having made her Moan without condemning him the Tenderness she had for him made her shed a Torrent of Tears and inspir'd her with a Resolution of concealing her Resentment She would certainly have done it by a Vertue extraordinary if the Prince who missing his Verses when he wak'd and fearing they might fall into indiscreet Hands had not enter'd the Palace all troubl'd with his Loss and hastily going into Constantia's Apartment saw her fair Eyes all wet with Tears and at the same instant cast his own on the unhappy Verses that had escap'd from his Soul and now lay before the Princess He immediately turn'd pale at this sight and appear'd so mov'd that the generous Princess felt more Pain than he did Madam said he infinitely alarm'd from whom had you that Paper It cannot come but from the Hand of some Person answer'd Constantia who is an Enemy both to your Repose and mine it is the Work Sir of your own Hand and doubtless the Sentiment of your Heart But be not surpriz'd and do not fear for if my Tenderness should make it pass for a Crime in you the same Tenderness which nothing is able to alter shall hinder me from complaining The Moderation and Calmness of Constantia serv'd only to render the Prince more asham'd and confuss'd How Generous are you madam pursu'd he and how Vnfortunate am I. Some Tears accompanied his Words and the Princess who lov'd him with extream Ardor was so sensibly touch'd that it was a good while before she could utter a Word Constantia then broke Silence and shewing him what Elvira had caus'd to be written You are betray'd Sir added she you have been heard speak and your Secret is known It was at this very moment that all the Forces of the Prince abandon'd him and his Condition was really worthy Compassion He could not pardon himself the unvoluntary Crime he had committed in exposing of the lovely and the innocent Agnes And tho' he was convinc'd of the Vertue and Goodness of Constantia the Apprehensions that he had that this modest and prudent Maid might suffer by his Conduct carried him beyond all Consideration The Princess who heedfully surveyed him saw so many Marks of Despair in his Face and Eyes that she was afraid of the Consequences and holding out her Hand in a very obliging manner to him she said I promise you Sir I will never more complain on you and that Agnes shall always be very dear to me you shall never hear me make you any Reproaches And since I cannot possess your Heart I will content my self with endeavouring to render myself worthy of it Don Pedro more confus'd and dejected than before he had been bent one of his Knees at the Feet of Constantia and with respect kiss'd that fair kind Hand she had given him and perhaps forgot Agnes for a Moment But Love soon put a stop to all the little Advances of Hymen the fatal Star that presided over the Destiny of Don Pedro had not yet vented its Malignity and one Moment's sight of Agnes gave new Forces to his Passion The Wish and Desires of this charming Maid had no part in this Victory her Eyes were just tho' penetrating and they searched not in those of the Prince what they had a desire to discover to her As she was never far from Constantia Don Pedro was no sooner gone out of the Closet but Agnes entred and finding the Princess all pale and languishing in her Chair she doubted not but there was some sufficient Cause for her Affliction she put herself in the same Posture the Prince had been in before and expressing an Inquietude full of Concern Madam said she by all your Goodness conceal not from me the Cause of your Trouble Alas Agnes reply'd the the Princess what would you know And what should I tell you The Prince the Prince my dearest Maid is in Love the Hand that he gave me was not a Present of his Heart and for the Advantage of this Alliance I must become the Victim of it What! the Prince in Love replied Agnes with an Astonishment mixt with Indignation What Beauty can dispute the Empire over a Heart so much your due Alas Madam all the Respect I owe him cannot hinder me from murmuring against him Accuse him of nothing interrupted Constantia he does what he can and I am more obliged to him for desiring to be Faithful than if I possest his real Tenderness It is not enough to Fight but to Overcome and the Prince does more in the Condition wherein he is than I ought reasonably to hope for In fine he is my Husband and an agreeable one to whom nothing is wanting but what I cannot inspire that is a Passion which would have made me but too happy Ah Madam cry'd out Agnes transported with her Tenderness for the Princess he is a blind and stupid Prince who knows not the precious Advantages he possesses He must surely know something reply'd the Princess modestly But Madam reply'd Agnes Is there any thing not only in Portugal but in all Spain that can compare with you And without considering the charming Qualities of your Person can we enough admire those of your Soul My dear Agnes interrupted Constantia sighing she who robs me of my Husband's Heart has but too many Charms to plead his Excuse since it is Thou Child whom Fortune makes use of to give me the Killing Blow Yes Agnes the Prince loves thee and the Merit I know thou art possest of puts Bounds to my Complaints without suffering me to have the least Resentment The delicate Agnes little expected to hear what the Princess told her Thunder would have less surprized and less oppress'd her She remained a long time without speaking but at last fixing her Looks all frightful on Constantia What say you Madam cry'd she And what Thoughts have you of me What that I should betray you And coming hither only full of Ardor to be the Repose of your Life do I bring a fatal Poyson to afflict it What Detestation must I have for the Beauty they find in me without aspiring to make it appear And how ought I to
Death of the King The End of AGNES de CASTRO THE LOVER's WATCH OR THE ART OF Making LOVE BEING Rules for Courtship For Every HOUR in the DAY and NIGHT. By Mrs. BEHN LONDON Printed by W. Onley for S. Briscoe 1697. THE Lover's Watch OR THE ART OF Making LOVE The ARGUMENT 'T IS in the most Happy and August Court of the Best and Greatest Monarch of the World that Damon a young Nobleman whom we will render under that Name languishes for a Maid of Quality who will give us leave to call her Iris Their Births are equally Illustrious they are both Rich and both Young their Beauty such as I dae not too nicely particularize lest I should discover which I am not permitted to do who these charming Lovers are Let it suffice that Iris is the most fair and accomplisht Person that ever adorn'd a Court and that Damon is only worthy of the Glory of her Favour for he has all that can render him lovely in the fair Eyes of the Amiable Iris. Nor is he Master of those Superficial Beauties alone that please at first Sight he can charm the Soul with a thousand Arts of Wit and Gallantry And in a word I may say without flattering either that there is no one Beauty no one Grace no perfection of Mind and Body that wants to compleat a Victory on both sides The Agreement of Age Fortunes Quality and Humours in these two fair Lovers made the impatient Damon hope that nothing would oppose his Passion and if he saw himself every Hour languishing for the Adorable Maid he did not however despair And if Iris sigh'd it was not for fear of being one day more happy In the midst of the Tranquility of these two Lovers Iris was obliged to go into the Country for some Months whither 't was impossible for Damon to wait on her he being oblig'd to attend the King his Master and being the most Amorous of his Sex suffer'd with extream Impatience thâ— Absence of his Mistress Nevertheless he fail'd not to send to her every day and gave up all his melancholly Hours to Thinking Sighing and Writing to her the softest Letters that Love could inspire So that Iris even blessed that Absence that gave her so tender and convincing Proofs of his Passion and found this dear way of Conversing even recompensed all her Sighs for his Absence After a little Intercourse of this kind Damon be thought himself to ask Iris a Discretion which he had won of her before she left the Town and in a Billet-doux to that purpose prest her very earnestly for it Iris being infinitely pleas'd with his Importunity suffer'd him to ask it often and he never fail'd of doing so But as I do not here design to relate the Adventures of these two Amiable Persons nor give you all the Billet-douxes that past between them You shall here find nothing but the Watch this charming Maid sent her impatient Lover IRIS to DAMON IT must be confest Damon that you are the most importuning Man in the World Your Billets have an hundred times demanded a Discretion which you won of me and tell me you will not wait my Return to be paid You are either a very faithless Creditor or believe me very unjust that you dun with such Impatience But to let you see I am a Maid of Honour and value my Word I will acquit myself of this Obligation I have to you and send you a Watch of my fashion perhaps you never saw any so good It is not one of those that have always something to be mended in it but one that is without Fault very just and good and will remain so as long as you continue to love me But Damon know that the very Minute you cease to do so the String will break and it will go no more 'T is only useful in my Absence and when I return 't will change its Motion And though I have set it but for the Spring-time 't will serve you the whole Year round and 't will be necessary only that you alter the business of the Hours which my Cupid in the middle of my Watch points you out according to the length of the Days and Nights Nor is the Dart of that little God directed to those Hours so much to inform you how they pass as how you ought to pass them how you ought to employ those of your Absence from Iris. 'T is there you shall find the whole Business of a Lover from his Mistress for I have design'd it a Rule to all your Actions The Consideration of the Workman ought to make you set a Value upon the Work And though it be not an accomplisht and perfect Piece yet Damon you ought to be grateful and esteem it since I have made it for you alone But however I may boast of the Design I know as well as I believe you love me that you will not suffer me to have the Glory of it wholly but will say in your heart That Love the great Instructor of the Mind That forms a new and fashions every Soul Refines the gross Defects of Humane kind Humbles the Proud and Vain inspires the Dull Gives Cowards noble Heat in Fight And teaches feeble Woman how to write That doth the Vniverse command Does from my Iris Heart direct her Hand I give you the liberty to say this to your Heart if you please And that you may know with what Justice you do so I will confess in my turn The Confession That Love 's my Conduct where I go And Love instructs me all I do Prudence no longer is my Guide Nor take I Counsel of my Pride In vain does Honour now invade In vain does Reason take my part If against Love it do perswade If it rebel against my Heart If the soft Ev'ning do invite And I incline to take the Air The Birds the Spring the Flowers no more delight 'T is Love makes all the Pleasure there Love which about me still I bear I 'm charm'd with what I thither bring And add a Softness to the Spring If for Devotion I design Love meets me even at the shrine In all my Worships claims a part And robs even Heaven of my Heart All Day does Counsel and controul And all the Night employs my Soul No wonder then if all you think be true That Love 's concern'd in all I do for you And Damon you know that Love is no ill Master and I must say with a Blush that he has found me no unapt Scholar and he instructs too agreeably not to succeed in all he undertakes Who can resist his soft Commands When he resolves what God withstands But I ought to explain to you my Watch The naked Love which you will find in the middle of it with his Wings clip'd to shew you he is fix'd and constant and will not fly away points you out with his Arrow the four and twenty Hours that compose the Day and the Night Over
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
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
time pleas'd and I believe I love too well not to obey you Love Secur'd Love of all Joys the sweetest is The most substantial Happiness The softest Blessing Life can crave The noblest Passion Souls can have Yet if no Interruptions were No Difficulties came between ' Twou'd not be render'd half so dear The Skie is gayest when small Clouds are seen The sweetest Flower the blushing Rose Amidst the Thorns securest grows If Love were one continu'd Joy How soon the Happiness wou'd cloy The wiser Gods did this foresee And to preserve the Bliss entire Mix'd it with Doubt and Jealousie Those necessary Fuels to the Fire Sustain'd the fleeting Pleasures with new Fears With little Quarrels Sighs and Tears With Absence that tormenting Smart That makes a Minute seem a Day A Day a Year to the impatient Heart That languishes in the delay But cannot sigh the tender Pain away That still returns and with a greater Force Through every Vein it takes its grateful Course But whatsoe'er the Lover does sustain Tho' he still sigh complain and fear It cannot be a Mortal Pain When Two do the Affliction bear Ten a Clock Reflections AFter the afflicting Thoughts of my absence make some Reflections on your Happiness Think it a Blessing to be permitted to love me Think it so because I permit it to you alone and never could be drawn to allow it any other The first thing you ought to consider is that at length I have suffer'd my self to be overcome to quit that Nicety that is natural to me and receive your Addresses nay thought 'em agreeable and that I have at last confest the Present of your Heart is very dear to me 'T is true I did not accept of it the first time it was offer'd me nor before you had told me a thousand times that you could not escape expiring if I did not give you leave to sigh for me and gaze upon me and that there was an absolute necessity for me either to give you leave to love or die And all those Rigors my Severity has made you suffer ought now to be recounted to your Memory as Subjects of Pleasure and you ought to esteem and judge of the Price of my Affections by the Difficulties you found in being able to touch my Heart Not but you have Charms that can conquer at first sight and you ought not to have valued me less if I had been more easily gain'd But 't is enough to please you to think and know I am gain'd no matter when or how When after a thousand Cares and Inquietudes that which we wish for succeeds to our Desires the Remembrance of those Pains and Pleasures we encounter'd in arriving at it gives us a new Joy Remember also Damon that I have prefer'd you before all those that have been thought worthy of my Esteem and that I have shut my Eyes to all their pleading Merits and cou'd survey none but yours Consider then that you had not only the Happiness to please me but that you only found out the way of doing it and I had the Goodness at last to tell you so contrary to all the Delicacy and Niceness of my Soul contrary to my Prudence and all those Scruples you know are natural to my Humour My Tenderness proceeded further and I gave you innocent Marks of my new-born Passion on all Occasions that presented themselves For after that from my Eyes and Tongue you knew the Sentiments of my Heart I confirm'd that Truth to you by my Letters Confess Damon that if you make these Reflections you will not pass this Hour very disagreeably Beginning Love As free as wanton Winds I liv'd That unconcern'd do play No broken Faith no Fate I griev'd No Fortune gave me Joy A dull Content crown'd all my Hours My Heart no Sighs opprest I call'd in vain on no deaf Pow'rs To ease a tortur'd Breast The sighing Swains regardless pin'd And strove in vain to please With Pain I civilly was kind But could afford no Ease Tho' Wit and Beauty did abound The Charm was wanting still That could inspire the tender wound Or bend my careless will Till in my Heart a kindling Flame Your softer Sighs had blown Which I with striving Love and Shame Too sensibly did own Whate'er the God before cou'd plead What'er the Youth's Desert The feeble Siege in vain was laid Against my stubborn Heart At first my Sighs and Blushes spoke Just when your Sighs wou'd rise And when you gaz'd I wish'd to look But durst not meet your Eyes I trembled when my Hand you press'd Nor cou'd my Guilt controul But Love prevail'd and I confess'd The Secrets of my Soul And when upon the giving part My Present to avow By all the Ways confirm'd my Heart That Honour wou'd allow Too mean was all that I cou'd say Too poorly understood I gave my Soul the noblest way My Letters made it good You may believe I did not easily nor suddenly bring my Heart to this Condescension but I lov'd and all things in Damon were capable of making me resolve so to do I could not think it a Crime where every Grace and every Vertue justified my Choice And when once one is assur'd of this we find not much difficulty in owning that Passion which will so well commend ones Judgment and there is no Obstacle that Love does not surmount I confess'd my Weakness a thousand ways before I told it you and I remember all those things with Pleasure but yet I remember 'em also with Shame Eleven a Clock Supper I Will believe Damon that you have been so well entertain'd during this Hour and have found so much Sweetness in these Thoughts that if one did not tell you that Supper waits you would lose yourself in Reflections so pleasing many more Minutes But you must go where you are expected perhaps among the Fair the Young the Gay but do not abandon your Heart to too much Joy tho' you have so much Reason to be contented but the greatest Pleasures are alwaies imperfect if the Object belov'd do not partake of it For this Reason be cheerful and merry with Reserve Do not talk too much I know you do not love it and if you do it 't will be the effect of too much Complaisance or with some design of pleasing too well for you know your own charming Power and how agreeable your Wit and Conversation is to all the World Remember I am covetous of every Word you speak that is not address'd to me and envy the happy Listner if I am not by And I may reply to you as Aminta did to Philander when he charg'd her of loving a Talker And because perhaps you have not heard it I will to divert you send it you and at the same time assure you Damon that your more noble Quality of speaking little has reduc'd me to a perfect Abhorrence of those Wordy Sparks that value themselves upon their ready and much Talking upon every trivial Subject
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
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
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
any Body Iris I have seen a Woman of your Acquaintance who having a greater Opinion of her own Person than any Body else has screw'd her Body into so fine a Form as she calls it that she dares no more stir a Hand lift up an Arm or turn her Head aside than if for the Sin of such a Disorder she were to be turn'd into a Pillar of Salt the less stiff and fix'd Statue of the two Nay she dares not speak or smile lest she shou'd put her Face out of that order she had set it in her Glass when she last look'd on herself And is all over such a Lady Nice excepting in her Conversation that ever made a ridiculous Figure And there are many Ladies more but too much tainted with that nauseous Formality that old-fashion'd Vice But Iris the charming the all-perfect Iris has nothing in her whole Form that is not free natural and easie and whose every Motion cannot please extreamly and which has not given Damon a thousand Rivals Damon the Young the Am'rous and the True Who sighs incessantly for you Whose whole Delight now you are gone Is to retire to Shades alone And to the Eccho's make his Moan By purling Streams the wishing Youth is laid Still sighing Iris lovely charming Maid See in thy Absence how thy Lover dies While to his Sighs the Eccho still replies Then with the Stream he holds Discourse O thou that bend'st thy liquid force To lovely Tames upon whose Shore The Maid resides whom I adore My Tears of Love upon thy Surface bear And if upon thy Banks thou seest my Fair In all thy softest Murmurs sing From Damon I this Present bring My e'ery Curl contains a Tear Then at her Feet thy Tribute pay But haste O happy Stream away Lest charm'd too much thou shoud'st for ever stay And thou O gentle murm'ring Breeze That plays in Air and wantons with the Trees On thy young Wings where gilded Sun-beams play To Iris my soft Sighs convey Still as they rise each Minute of the Day But whisper gently in her Ear Let not the ruder Winds thy Message hear Nor ruffle one dear Curl of her bright Hair Oh! touch her Cheeks with sacred Reverence And stay not gazing on her lovely Eye But if thou bear'st her Rosie Breath from thence 'T is Incense of that Excellence That as thou mount'st 't will perfume all the Skies IRIS'S Complexion SAY what you will I am confident if you will confess your Heart you are every time you view yourself in me surpriz'd at the Beauty of your Complexion and will secretly own you never saw any thing so fair I am not the first Glass by a thousand that has assur'd you of this If you will not believe me ask Damon he tells it you every Day but that Truth from him offends you and because he loves too much you think his Judgment too little and since this is so perfect that must be defective But 't is most certain your Complexion is infinitely fine your Skin soft and smooth as polisht Wax or Ivory extreamly white and clear though if any Body speaks but of your Beauty an agreeable Blush casts itself all over your Face and gives you a thousand new Graces And then two Flowers newly born Shine in your Heav'nly Face The Rose that blushes in the Morn Vsurps the Lilly's place Sometimes the Lilly does prevail And makes the gen'rous Crimson pale IRIS'S Hair OH the beautiful Hair of Iris It seems as if Nature had crown'd you with a great Quantity of lovely fair brown Hair to make us know that you were born to Rule and to repair the Faults of Fortune that has not given you a Diadem And do not bewail the Want of that so much your Merit 's due since Heaven has so gloriously recompens'd you with what gains more admiring Slaves Heav'n for Sovereignty has made your form And you were more than for dull Empire born O'er Hearts your Kingdom shall extend Your vast Dominion know no end Thither the Loves and Graces shall resort To Iris make their Homage and their Court No envious Star no common Fate Did on my Iris Birth-day wait But all was happy all was delicate Here Fortune wou'd inconstant be in vain Iris and Love eternally shall reign Love does not make less use of your Hair for new Conquests than of all the rest of your Beauties that adorn you If he takes our Hearts with your fine Eyes it ties 'em fast with your Hair and if it weaves a Chain not easily broken It is not of those sorts of Hair whose harshness discovers ill Nature nor of those whose Softness shews us the Weakness of the Mind Not that either of these are Arguments without Exception but 't is such as bears the Character of a perfect Mind and a delicate Wit and for its Colour the most faithful discreet and beautiful in the World such as shews a Complexion and Constitution neither so cold to be insensible nor so hot to have too much Fire that is neither too white nor too black but such a mixture of the two Colours as makes it the most agreeable in the World 'T is that which leads those captivated Hearts That bleeding at your Feet do lie 'T is that the Obstinate converts That dare the Power of Love deny 'T is that which Damon so admires Damon who often tells you so If from your Eyes Love takes his Fires 'T is with your Hair he strings his Bow Which touching but the feather'd Dart It never mist the destin'd Heart IRIS'S Eyes I Believe my fair Mistress I shall dazle you with the Lustre of your own Eyes They are the finest Blue in the World They have all the Sweetness that ever charm'd the Heart with a certain Languishment that 's irresistable and never any look'd on 'em that did not sigh after ' em Believe me Iris they carry unavoidable Darts and Fires and whoever expose themselves to their Dangers pay for their Imprudence Cold as my solid Chrystal is Hard and impenetrable too Yet I am sensible of Bliss When your charming Eyes I view Even by me their Flames are felt And at each Glance I fear to melt Ah how pleasant are my Days How my glorious Fate I bless Mortals never knew my Joys Nor Monarchs guest my Happiness Every Look that 's soft and gay Iris gives me every Day Spight of her Vertue and her Pride Every Morning I am blest With what to Damon is deny'd To view her when she is undrest All her Heaven of Beauty 's shown To triumphing Me alone Scarce the prying Beams of Light Or th' impatient God of Day Are allow'd so dear a Sight Or dare prophane her with a Ray When she has appear'd to me Like Venus rising from the Sea But Oh! I must those Charms conceal All too Divine for vulgar Eyes Shou'd I my secret Joys reveal Of sacred Trust I break the Tyes And Damon wou'd with Envy die Who hopes one Day to be
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
under the Censures of the People for the Misfortunes their Pride Folly or private Designs had brought upon them But to return from this short Excursion to her Letter LETTER My Dear Friend YOur Remarks upon my politick Capacity tho' they are sharp touch me not but recoil on those that have not made use of the Advantages they might have drawn from thence and are doubly to blame First in sending a Person in whose Ability Sense and Veracity they cou'd not confide and next not to understand when a Person indifferent tells 'em a probable Story and which if it come to pass wou'd sufficiently punish their Incredulity and which if followed wou'd have put 'em on their Guard against a vigilant and industrious Foe who watch'd e'ery Opportunity of returning the several Repulses and Damages they had met with of late from them But I have often observ'd your busie young Statesmen so very opinionated of their own Designs that they are so far from encouraging those of another if good that they cannot forgive their Proposal and sacrifice a publick Good to their particular Pride But I have let these Idle Reflections for such must all be that regard our wretched Statesmen divert me from a more agreeable Relation To comply therefore with your Request in its full Extent I shall give you an Account of both my own Adventures and those of a Lady of my Acquaintance and with her I 'll begin for 't is but civil to give place to a Stranger I shall convey her to your Knowledge by the Name of Lucilla She is of a gay airy Disposition middle-siz'd fine black Eyes long flowing dark Hair Nature has drawn her Eye-brows which are dark much finer than Art usually does those of the affected Beauties of our Acquaintance her Mouth is small her Lips plump ruddy and fresh I won't say moist her Hand small Fingers long and taper and her Shape better than is usual among the Flemish Ladies To this I must add That her Wit is much above the common Rate With all these Accomplishments you may imagine that she was not without her Admirers among which Number none came so near her Heart as the eldest Son of Ramirez an old sordid Miser that loved his Money much above his Sons or ev'n himself which made the Allowance he gave his Two Sons but very small and not fit to enable them to make any tolerable Figure in the World For the real Names of these two Brothers I must give that of Miguel and Lopez and for the Grace of the Matter add Don to ' em Don Miguel and Don Lopez I know not how they came by 'em had Souls as brave and generous as that of their Fathers was wretched and base they with Pain saw their many Advantages of a liberal Education their Fathers Covetousness robb'd 'em of and by their natural Parts and winning Behaviour touched their Relations so nearly that they long contributed to their Improvement ev'n till now the Brothers were become two of the most accomplish'd and gallant Youths of the City their Quality gave them Admittance to the best Families and their Accomplishments to the Hearts of the fairest Ladies but few ever pass'd farther than the Confines of theirs and the lighter touches of an Amoret was all that made them sigh till they saw the incomparable Lucilla and her fair Cousin of whom not knowing her I shall say nothing Don Miguel as gay as he was and as insensible as he fansied himself no sooner saw Lucilla but he found the Difference betwixt the Force of her Eyes and those of the rest of the Ladies of his Acquaintance And as a Proof of it he was not sooner touch'd with Love than Jealousie for her Cousin sitting by her he observ'd his Brother's Eyes often cast that way and was very uneasie at it and that Friendship that grew up with their Years and increas'd as they grew found now a sudden Check I will not like your Romance-Writers give you an Account of all his private Reflections on this Occasion nor the Conflict and Struggling betwixt his old Guest Friendship and this new Intruder Love It is enough to tell you that assoon as Opportunity serv'd he took Care to put himself out of Pain or at least to give himself a Certainty whether his Brother was his Rival or not and was not a little pleas'd that Lucilla had only found the way to his Heart while his Brother saw nothing so fair as her Cousin Don Miguel and Don Lopez as they were in Love so they were too accomplish'd to be unsuccessful and there remained no Obstacle to their Happiness but their Father's Avarice which wou'd never be brought to any Reason in allowing them what was fit for Persons of their Rank They coming therefore to a Consultation what Measures to take to cure their Father of so ungenerous Distemper of the Mind and by that Means accomplish what they both longed for more than Glory They found their Father's Avarice had not so engross'd his Soul as to beat off all Sentiments of Religion on the contrary he was extreamly credulous of all the superstitious parts of religion and particularly of all Narrations of Spectres Witches Apparitions c. they therefore concluded to attack him on that side that cou'd make the least Defence He constantly spent part of the Morning in telling his Money and counting his Bags His Sons therefore having procur'd a Pick-lock to his Closet took Care to place in it a Figure that was very dreadful so that the old Gentleman shou'd find him counting his Bags and Money when he came in which happen'd accordingly He was not a little frighted and hastily retir'd nor came thither again in three or four Days but on his next coming he was extreamly surpriz'd to find the Number of his Bags increas'd which for some time had been lessen'd e'ery Morning so that he concluded it was a Reward of his Abstinence from a Sight that pleas'd him too much Yet was so well pleas'd with this Increase that he repeated his Visits for three or four Mornings together and found his Bags decrease on that He was very much troubled in Mind and consulting his Confessour on all that had happen'd he assur'd him it cou'd be none but the Devil he had seen and that he was to fear the Consequence of taking Possession of any of the Money so left there by that evil Spirit and it was much to be doubted whether he had not exchang'd the whole So concluding with some wholsome Advice against Avarice he dismiss'd his Penitent who again for some time forbore his Closet and on his next Visit finding all he had ever loss'd returned and abundance more added a Fit of Avarice coming on him he resolv'd to try if he cou'd out-wit the Devil and by removing it from that Place which he suppos'd taken Possession of by the foul Fiend secure both the Money and his own Peace of Mind Accordingly in the Night he digs a
was then if I may say so in real Agonies for your Departure 'T is a wonder a Woman so violent in all her Passions as I did not forgetting all Prudence all Considerations fly out into absolute Commands or at least Entreaties that you would give me a Moment's time longer I burst to speak with you to know a thousand things but particularly how you came to be so barbarous as to carry away all that cou'd make my Satisfaction You carry'd away my Letter and you carry'd away Lycidas I will not call him mine because he has so unkindly taken himself back 'T was with that Design you came for I saw all night with what reluctancy you spoke how coldly you entertain'd me and with what pain and uneasiness you gave me the only Conversation I value in the World I am asham'd to tell you this I know your peevish Vertue will mis-interpret me But take it how you will think of it as you please I am undone and will be free I will tell you you did not use me well I am ruin'd and will rail at you Come then I conjure you this Evening that after it I may shut those Eyes that have been too long waking I have committed a thousand Madnesses in this but you must pardon the Faults you have created Come and do so for I must see you to Night and that in a better Humour than you were last Night No more obey me as you have that Friendship for me you profess and assure your self to find a very welcome Reception from Lycidas Your Astrea LETTER III. WHEN shall we understand one another For I thought dear Lycidas you had been a Man of your Parole I will as soon believe you will forget me as that you have not remember'd the Promise you made me Confess you are the teazingest Creature in the World rather than suffer me to think you neglect me or wou'd put a slight upon me that have chosen you from all the whole Creation to give my entire Esteem to This I had assur'd you Yesterday but that I dreaded the Effects of your Censure to Day and though I scorn to guard my Tongue as hoping 't will never offend willingly yet I can with much adoe hold it when I have a great mind to say a thousand things I know will be taken in an ill sence Possibly you will wonder what compells me to write what moves me to send where I find so little Welcome nay where I meet with such Returns it may be I wonder too You say I am chang'd I had rather almost justifie an Ill than Repent maintain false Arguments than yield I am i' th' Wrong In fine Charming Friend Lycidas whatever I was since you knew me believe I am still the same in Soul and Thought but that is what shall never hurt you what shall never be but to serve you Why then did you say you wou'd not sit near me Was that my Friend was that the Esteem you profess Who grows cold first Who is chang'd and Who the Aggressor 'T is I was first in Friendship and shall be last in Constancy You by Inclination and not for want of Friends have I plac'd highest in my Esteem and for that Reason your Conversation is the most acceptable and agreeable of any in the World and for this Reason you shun mine Take your course be a Friend like a Foe and continue to impose upon me that you esteem me when you flie me Renounce your false Friendship or let me see you give it entire to Astrea LETTER IV. I Had rather dear Lycidas set my self to write to any Man on Earth than you for I fear your severe Prudence and Discretion so nice may make an ill Judgment of what I say Yet you bid me not dissemble and you need not have caution'd me who so naturally hate those little Arts of my Sex that I often run on freedoms that may well enough bear a Censure from People so scrupulous as Lycidas Nor dare I follow all my Inclinations neither nor tell all the little Secrets of my Soul Why I write them I can give no account 't is but fooling my self perhaps into an Undoing I do but by this soft Entertainment rook in my Heart like a young Gamester to make it venture its last Stake This I say may be the Danger I may come off unhurt but cannot be a Winner Why then shou'd I throw an uncertain Cast where I hazard all and you nothing Your stanch Prudence is Proof against Love and all the Bank's on my side You are so unreasonable you wou'd have me pay where I have contracted no Debt you wou'd have me give and you like a Miser wou'd distribute nothing Greedy Lycidas Unconscionable and Ungenerous You wou'd not be in Love for all the World yet wish I were so Uncharitable Wou'd my Fever Cure you or a Curse on me make you Bless'd Say Lycidas Will it I have heard when two Souls kindly meet 't is a vast Pleasure as vast as the Curse must be when Kindness is not equal and why shou'd you believe that necessary for me that will be so very incommode for you Will you Dear Lycidas allow then that you have less Good-nature than I Pray be Just till you can give such Proofs of the contrary as I shall be Judge of or give me a Reason for your Ill-nature So much for Loving Now as you are my Friend I conjure you to consider what Resolution I took up when I saw you last which methinks is a long time of seeing no Man till I saw your Face again and when you remember that you will possibly be so kind as to make what haste you can to see me again Till then have Thoughts as much in favour of me as you can for when you know me better you will believe I merit all May you be impatient and uneasie till you see me again and bating that may all the Blessings of Heaven and Earth light on you is the continued Prayers of Dear Lycidas Your True Astrea LETTER V. THough it be very late I cannot go to bed but I must tell thee I have been very Good ever since I saw thee and have been a writing and have seen no Face of Man or other Body save my own People I am mightily pleas'd with your Kindness to me to Night and 't was I hope and believe very innocent and undisturbing on both sides My Lycidas says He can be soft and dear when he please to put off his haughty Pride which is only assum'd to see how far I dare love him ununited Since then my Soul's Delight you are and may ever be assur'd I am and ever will be yours befall me what will and that all the Devils of Hell shall not prevail against thee Shew then I say my dearest Love thy native sweet Temper Shew me all the Love thou hast undissembl'd then and never till then shall I believe you love and deserve my Heart for
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
vent his Groans where he fell down on a Carpet and lay struggling a long time and only breathing now and then Oh Imoinda When Onahal had finisht her necessary Affair within shutting the Door she came forth to wait till the King call'd and hearing some one sighing in the other Room she past on and found the Prince in that deplorable Condition which she thought needed her Aid She gave him Cordials but all in vain till finding the nature of his Disease by his Sighs and naming Imoinda she told him he had not so much cause as he imagin'd to afflict himself for if he knew the King so well as she did he wou'd not lose a moment in Jealousie and that she was confident that Imoinda bore at this minute part in his Affliction Aboan was of the same opinion and both together persuaded him to re-assume his Courage and all sitting down on the Carpet the Prince said so many obliging things to Onahal that he half-persuaded her to be of his Party And she promis'd him she wou'd thus far comply with his just Desires that she wou'd let Imoinda know how faithful he was what he suffer'd and what he said This Discourse lasted till the King call'd which gave Oroonoko a certain Satisfaction and with the Hope Onahal had made him conceive he assum'd a Look as gay as 't was possible a Man in his circumstances cou'd do and presently after he was call'd in with the rest who waited without The King commanded Musick to be brought and several of his young Wives and Mistresses came all together by his Command to dance before him where Imoinda perform'd her part with an Air and Grace so passing all the rest as her Beauty was above 'em and receiv'd the Present ordain'd as a Prize The Prince was every moment more charm'd with the new Beauties and Graces he beheld in this Fair One And while he gaz'd and she danc'd Onahal was retir'd to a Window with Aboan This Onahal as I said was one of the Cast-Mistresses of the old King and 't was these now past their Beauty that were made Guardians or Governantee's to the new and the young ones and whose Business it was to teach them all those wanton Arts of Love with which they prevail'd and charm'd heretofore in their Turn and who now treated the triumphing happy Ones with all the Severity as to Liberty and Freedom that was possible in revenge of their Honours they rob them of envying them those Satisfactions those Gallantries and Presents that were once made to themselves while Youth and Beauty lasted and which they now saw pass as it were regardless by and paid only to the Bloomings And certainly nothing is more afflicting to a decay'd Beauty than to behold in it self declining Charms that were once ador'd and to find those Caresses paid to new Beauties to which once she laid a claim to hear 'em whisper as she passes by That once was a delicate Woman These abandon'd Ladies therefore endeavour to revenge all the Despights and Decays of Time on these flourishing happy Ones And 't was this Severity that gave Oroonoko a thousand fears he should never prevail with Onahal to see Imoinda But as I said she was now retir'd to a Window with Aboan This Young Man was not only one of the best Quality but a Man extremely well made and beautiful and coming often to attend the King to the Otan he had subdu'd the Heart of the antiquated Onahal which had not forgot how pleasant it was to be in Love And though she had some Decays in her Face she had none in her Sence and Wit she was there agreeable still even to Aboan's Youth so that he took pleasure in entertaining her with Discourses of Love He knew also that to make his Court to these She-Favourites was the way to be great these being the Persons that do all Affairs and Business at Court He had also observ'd that she had given him Glances more tender and inviting than she had done to others of his Quality And now when he saw that her Favour cou'd so absolutely oblige the Prince he fail'd not to sigh in her Ear and to look with Eyes all soft upon her and give her Hope that she had made some Impressions on his Heart He found her pleas'd at this and making a thousand advances to him but the Ceremony ending and the King departing broke up the Company for that Day and his Conversation Aboan fail'd not that night to tell the Prince of his Success and how advantageous the Service of Onahal might be to his Amour with Imoinda The Prince was over-joy'd with this good News and besought him if it were possible to caress her so as to engage her entirely which he cou'd not fail to do if he comply'd with her Desires For then said the Prince her Life lying at your Mercy she must grant you the Request you make in my behalf Aboan understood him and assur'd him he would make love so effectually that he would defie the most expert Mistress of the Art to find out whether he dissembl'd it or had it really And 't was with impatience they waited the next Opportunity of going to the Otan The Wars came on the Time of taking the Field approach'd and 't was impossible for the Prince to delay his going at the Head of his Army to encounter the Enemy so that every Day seem'd a tedious Year till he saw his Imoinda for he believ'd he cou'd not live if he were forc'd away without being so happy 'T was with impatience therefore that he expected the next Visit the King wou'd make and according to his wish it was not long The Parley of the Eyes of these two Lovers had not pass'd so secretly but an old jealous Lover could spy it or rather he wanted not Flatterers who told him they observ'd it so that the Prince was hasten'd to the Camp and this was the last Visit he found he shou'd make to the Otan he therefore urg'd Aboan to make the best of this last Effort and to explain himself so to Onahal that she deferring her Enjoyment of her young Lover no longer might make way for the Prince to speak to Imoinda The whole Affair being agreed on between the Prince and Aboan they attended the King as the custom was to the Otan where while the whole Company was taken up in beholding the Dancing and Antick Postures the Women-Royal made to divert the King Onahal singl'd out Aboan whom she found most plyable to her wish When she had him where she believ'd she cou'd not be heard she sigh'd to him and softly cry'd Ah Aboan when will you be sensible of my Passion I confess it with my Mouth because I wou'd not give my Eyes the Lye and you have too much already perceiv'd they have confess'd my Flame Nor wou'd I have you believe that because I am the abandon'd Mistress of a King I esteem my self altogether divested of Charms No
Aboan I have still a Rest of Beauty enough engaging and have learn'd to please too well not to be desirable I can have Lovers still but will have none but Aboan Madam reply'd the half-feigning Youth you have already by my Eyes found you can still conquer and I believe 't is in pity of me you condescend to this kind Confession But Madam Words are us'd to be so small a part of our Country-Courtship that 't is rare one can get so happy an Opportunity as to tell one's Heart and those few Minutes we have are forc'd to be snatcht for more certain Proofs of Love than Speaking and Sighing and such I languish for He spoke this with such a Tone that she hop'd it true and cou'd not forbear believing it and being wholly transported with Joy for having subdu'd the finest of all the King's Subjects to her Desires she took from her Ears two large Pearls and commanded him to wear 'em in his He wou'd have refus'd em crying Madam these are not the Proofs of your Love that I expect 't is Opportunity 't is a Lone-hour only that can make me happy But forcing the Pearls into his Hand she whisper'd softly to him Oh! Do not fear a Woman's Invention when Love sets her a-thinking And pressing his Hand she cry'd This Night you shall be happy Come to the Gate of the Orange-Grove behind the Otan and I will be ready about Mid-night to receive you 'T was thus agreed and she left him that no notice might be taken of their speaking together The Ladies were still dancing and the King laid on a Carpet with a great deal of pleasure was beholding them especially Imoinda who that day appear'd more lovely than ever being enliven'd with the good Tidings Onahal had brought her of the constant Passion the Prince had for her The Prince was laid on another Carpet at the other end of the Room with his Eyes fix'd on the Object of his Soul and as she turn'd or mov'd so did they and she alone gave his Eyes and Soul their Motions Nor did Imoinda employ her Eyes to any other use than in beholding with infinite Pleasure the Joy she produc'd in those of the Prince But while she was more regarding Him than the Steps she took she chanced to fall and so near him as that leaping with extreme force from the Carpet he caught her in his Arms as she fell And 't was visible to the whole Presence the Joy wherewith he receiv'd her he clasp'd her close to his Bosom and quite forgot that Reverence that was due to the Mistress of a King and that Punishment that is the Reward of a Boldness of this nature and had not the Presence of Mind of Imoinda fonder of his safety than her own befriended him in making her spring from his Arms and fall into her Dance again he had at that instant met his Death for the old King jealous to the last degree rose up in Rage broke all the Diversion and led Imoinda to her Apartment and sent out word to the Prince to go immediately to the Camp and that if he were found another Night in Court he shou'd suffer the Death ordain'd for disobedient Offenders You may imagine how welcome this News was to Oroonoko whose unseasonable Transport and Caress of Imoinda was blam'd by all Men that lov'd him and now he perceiv'd his fault yet cry'd That for such another Moment he wou'd be content to die All the Otan was in disorder about this Accident and Onahal was particularly concern'd because on the Prince's Stay depended her Happiness for she cou'd no longer expect that of Aboan So that e're they departed they contriv'd it so that the Prince and he shou'd come both that Night to the Grove of the Otan which was all of Oranges and Citrons and that there they wou'd wait her Orders They parted thus with Grief enough till Night leaving the King in possession of the lovely Maid But nothing could appease the Jealousie of the old Lover he wou'd not be impos'd on but wou'd have it that Imoinda made a false Step on purpose to fall into Oroonoko's Bosom and that all things look'd like a Design on both sides and 't was in vain she protested her Innocence he was old and obstinate and left her more than half assur'd that his Fear was true The King going to his Apartment sent to know where the Prince was and if he intended to obey his Command The Messenger return'd and told him he found the Prince pensive and altogether unprepared for the Campaign that he lay negligently on the ground and answer'd very little This confirm'd the Jealousie of the King and he commanded that they shou'd very narrowly and privately watch his Motions and that he shou'd not stir from his Apartment but one Spy or other shou'd be employ'd to watch him So that the hour approaching wherein he was to go to the Citron-Grove and taking only Aboan along with him he leaves his Apartment and was watch'd to the very Gate of the Otan where he was seen to enter and where they left him to carry back the Tidings to the King Oroonoko and Aboan were no sooner enter'd but Onahal led the Prince to the Apartment of Imoinda who not knowing any thing of her Happiness was laid in Bed But Onahal only left him in her Chamber to make the best of his Opportunity and took her dear Aboan to her own where he shew'd the height of Complaisance for his Prince when to give him an Opportunity he suffer'd himself to be caress'd in Bed by Onahal The Prince softly waken'd Imoinda who was not a little surpriz'd with Joy to find him there and yet she trembl'd with a thousand Fears I believe he omitted saying nothing to this young Maid that might persuade her to suffer him to seize his own and take the Rights of Love and I believe she was not long resisting those Arms where she so long'd to be and having Opportunity Night and Silence Youth Love and Desire he soon prevail'd and ravisht in a Moment what his old Grand-father had been endeavouring for so many Months 'T is not to be imagin'd the Satisfaction of these two young Lovers nor the Vows she made him that she remain'd a spotless Maid till that Night and that what she did with his Grand-father had robb'd him of no part of her Virgin-Honour the Gods in Mercy and Justice having reserv'd that for her plighted Lord to whom of Right it belong'd And 't is impossible to express the Transports he suffer'd while he listen'd to a Discourse so charming from her lov'd Lips and clasp'd that Body in his Arms for whom he had so long languisht and nothing now afflicted him but his sudden Departure from her for he told her the Necessity and his Commands but should depart satisfy'd in this That since the old King had hitherto not been able to deprive him of those Enloyments which only belong'd to him he believ'd
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
or of his Love to Imoinda to imagine we cou'd flatter him to Life again but the Chirurgeon assur'd him he cou'd not live and therefore he need not fear We were all but Caesar afflicted at this News and the Sight was gastly His Discourse was sad and the earthly Smell about him so strong that I was persuaded to leave the place for some time being my self but sickly and very apt to fall into Fits of dangerous Illness upon any extraordinary Melancholy The Servants and Trefry and the Chirurgeons promis'd all to take what possible care they cou'd of the Life of Caesar and I taking Boat went with other Company to Colonel Martin's about three Days Journey down the River but I was no sooner gone but the Governor taking Trefry about some pretended earnest Business a Day 's Journey up the River having communicated his Design to one Banister a Wild Irish Man and one of the Council a Fellow of absolute Barbarity and fit to execute any Villany but was Rich He came up to Parham and forcibly took Caesar and had him carried to the same Post where he was whip'd and causing him to be ty'd to it and a great Fire made before him he told him he shou'd die like a Dog as he was Caesar replied this was the first piece of Bravery that ever Banister did and he never spoke Sence till he pronounc'd that Word and if he wou'd keep it he wou'd declare in the other World that he was the only Man of all the Whites that ever he heard speak Truth And turning to the Men that bound him he said My Friends am I to Die or to be Whipt And they cry'd Whipt No you shall not escape so well And then he reply'd smiling A Blessing on thee and assur'd them they need not tie him for he wou'd stand fix'd like a Rock and endure Death so as shou'd encourage them to Die But if you Whip me said he be sure you tie me fast He had learn'd to take Tobacco and when he was assur'd he shou'd Die he desir'd they wou'd give him a Pipe in his Mouth ready lighted which they did and the Executioner came and first out off his Members and threw them into the Fire after that with an ill-favour'd Knife they cut off his Ears and his Nose and burn'd them he still Smoak'd on as if nothing had touch'd him then they hack'd off one of his Arms and still he bore up and held his Pipe but at the cutting off the other Arm his Head sunk and his Pipe dropt and he gave up the Ghost without a Groan or a Reproach My Mother and Sister were by him all the while but not suffer'd to save him so rude and wild were the Rabble and so inhumane were the Justices who stood by to see the Execution who after paid dearly enough for their Insolence They cut Caesar in Quarters and sent them to several of the chief Plantations One Quarter was sent to Colonel Martin who refus'd it and swore he had rather see the Quarters of Banister and the Governor himself than those of Caesar on his Plantations and that he cou'd govern his Negroes without Terrifying and Grieving them with frightful Spectacles of a mangl'd King Thus Died this Great Man worthy of a better Fate and a more sublime Wit than mine to write his Praise yet I hope the Reputation of my Pen is considerable enough to make his Glorious Name to survive to all Ages with that of the Brave the Beautiful and the Constant Imoinda FINIS THE Fair Jilt OR THE AMOURS OF Prince TARQUIN AND MIRANDA Written by Mrs A. BEHN LONDON Printed by W. Onley for S. Briscoe 1697. The Fair JILT OR THE AMOURS OF Prince Tarquin and Miranda AS Love is the most Noble and Divine Passion of the Soul so it is that to which we may justly attribute all the real Satisfactions of Life and without it Man is unfinish'd and unhappy There are a thousand things to be said of the Advantages this generous Passion brings to those whose Hearts are capable of receiving its soft Impressions for 't is not every one that can be sensible of its tender Touches How many Examples from History and Observation cou'd I give of its wondrous Power nay even to a degree of Transmigration How many Ideots has it made wise How many Fools eloquent How many Home-bred ' Squires accomplish'd How many Câ—wards brave And there is no sort or species of Mankind on whom it cannot work some Change and Miracle if it be a noble well-grounded Passion except on the Fop in Fashion the harden'd incorrigible Fop so often wounded but never reclaim'd For still by a dire Mistake conducted by vast Opinionatreism and a greater Portion of Self-love than the rest of the Race of Man he believes that Affectation in his Mien and Dress that Mathematical-movement that Formality in every Action that Face manag'd with Care and soften'd into Ridicule the languishing Turn the Toss and the Back-shake of the Perriwig is the direct Way to the Heart of the fine Person he Adores and instead of curing Love in his Soul serves only to advance his Folly and the more he is enamour'd the more industriously he assumes every Hour the Coxcomb These are Love's Play-things a sort of Animals with whom he sports and whom he never wounds but when he is in good humour and always shoots laughing 'T is the Diversion of the Little God to see what a fluttering and bustle one of these Sparks new-wounded makes to what fantastick Fooleries he has recourse The Glass is every moment call'd to counsel the Valet consulted and plagu'd for new Invention of Dress the Foot-man and Scrutore perpetually employ'd Billet-doux and Madrigals take up all his Mornings till Play-time in Dressing till Night in Gazing still like a Sun-flower turn'd towards the Beams of the fair Eyes of his Caelia adjusting himself in the most Amarous Posture he can assume his Hat under his Arm while the other Hand is put carelesly into his Bosom as if laid upon his panting Heart his Head a little bent to one side supported with a world of Crevat-string which he takes mighty care not to put into disorder as one may guess by a never-failing and horrid Stiffness in his Neck and if he have an occasion to look aside his whole Body turns at the same time for fear the Motion of the Head alone should incommode the Crevat or Perriwig And sometimes the Glove is well manag'd and the white Hand display'd Thus with a thousand other little Motions and Formalities all in the common Place or Road of Foppery he takes infinite pains to shew himself to the Pit and Boxes a most accomplish'd Ass This is he of all Humane Kind on whom Love can do no Miracle and who can no where and upon no occasion quit one Grain of his refin'd Foppery unless in a Duel or a Battle if ever his Stars shou'd be so severe and ill-manner'd to reduce
Hot-headed vain-conceited of his Beauty and greater Quality as elder Brother he doubts not his Success and resolv'd to sacrifice all to the Violence of his new-born Passion In short he speaks of his Design to his Mother who promis'd him her Assistance and accordingly proposing it first to the Prince her Husband urging the Languishment of her Son she soon wrought so on him that a Match being concluded between the Parents of this young Beauty and Henrick's Brother the Hour was appointed before she knew of the Sacrifice she was to be made And while this was in Agitation Henrick was sent on some great Affairs up into Germany far out of the way not but his boding Heart with perpetual Sighs and Throbs eternally foretold him his Fate All the Letters he writ were intercepted as well as those she writ to him She finds herself every Day perplex'd with the Addresses of the Prince she hated he was ever sighing at her Feet In vain were all her Reproaches and all her Coldness he was on the surer side for what he found Love wou'd not do Force of Parents wou'd She complains in her Heart on young Henrick from whom she cou'd never receive one Letter and at last cou'd not forbear bursting into Tears in spite of all her Force and feign'd Courage when on a Day the Prince told her that Henrick was withdrawn to give him time to Court her to whom he said He confess'd he had made some Vows but did repent of 'em knowing himself too young to make 'em good That it was for that Reason he brought him first to see her and for that Reason that after that he never saw her more nor so much as took Leave of her when indeed his Death lay upon the next Visit his Brother having sworn to murther him and to that End put a Guard upon him 'till he was sent into Germany All this he utter'd with so many passionate Asseverations Vows and seeming Pity for her being so inhumanely abandon'd that she almost gave Credit to all he had said and had much adoe to keep herself within the Bounds of Moderation and silent Grief Her Heart was breaking her Eyes languish'd and her Cheeks grew pale and she had like to have fallen dead into the treacherous Arms of him that had reduc'd her to this Discovery but she did what she cou'd to assume her Courage and to shew as little Resentment as possible for a Heart like hers oppress'd with Love and now abandon'd by the dear Subject of its Joys and Pains But Madam not to tire you with this Adventure the Day arriv'd wherein our still weeping fair Unfortunate was to be sacrific'd to the Capriciousness of Love and she was carry'd to Court by her Parents without knowing to what End where she was almost compell'd to marry the Prince Henrick who all this while knew no more of his Unhappiness than what his Fears suggested returns and passes even to the Presence of his Father before he knew any thing of his Fortune where he beheld his Mistress and his Brother with his Father in such a Familiarity as he no longer doubted his Destiny 'T is hard to judge whether the Lady or himself was most surpriz'd she was all pale and unmovable in her Chair and Henrick fix'd like a Statue at last Grief and Rage took place of Amazement and he could not forbear crying out Ah Traytor Is it thus you have treated a Friend and Brother And you O perjur'd Charmer Is it thus you have rewarded all my Vows He cou'd say no more but reeling against the Door had fall'n in a Swoon upon the Floor had not his Page caught him in his Arms who was entring with him The good old Prince the Father who knew not what all this meant was soon inform'd by the young weeping Princess who in relating the Story of her Amour with Henrick told her Tale in so moving a manner as brought Tears to the Old Man's Eyes and Rage to those of her Husband he immediately grew jealous to the last Degree He finds himself in Possession 't is true of the Beauty he ador'd but the Beauty adoring another a Prince young and charming as the Light soft witty and raging with an equal Passion He finds this dreaded Rival in the same House with him with an Authority equal to his own and fancies where two Hearts are so entirely agreed and have so good an Understanding it would not be impossible to find Opportunities to satisfie and ease that mutual Flame that burnt so equally in both he therefore resolv'd to send him out of the World and to establish his own Repose by a Deed wicked cruel and unnatural to have him assassinated the first Opportunity he cou'd find This Resolution set him a little at ease and he strove to dissemble Kindness to Henrick with all the Art he was capable of suffering him to come often to the Apartment of the Princess and to entertain her oftentimes with Discourse when he was not near enough to hear what he spoke but still watching their Eyes he found those of Henrick full of Tears ready to flow but restrain'd looking all dying and yet reproaching while those of the Princess were ever bent to the Earth and she as much as possible shunning his Conversation Yet this did not satisfie the jealous Husband 't was not her Complaisance that cou'd appease him he found her Heart was panting within when ever Henrick approach'd her and every Visit more and more confirm'd his Death The Father often found the Disorders of the Sons the Softness and Address of the one gave him as much Fear as the angry Blushings the fierce Looks and broken Replies of the other when ever he beheld Henrick approach his Wife So that the Father fearing some ill Consequence of this besought Henrick to withdraw to some other Country or travel into Italy he being now of an Age that requir'd a View of the World He told his Father That he wou'd obey his Commands though he was certain that Moment he was to be separated from the sight of the fair Princess his Sister wou'd be the last of his Life and in fine made so pitiful a Story of his suffering Love as almost mov'd the old Prince to compassionate him so far as to permit him to stay but he saw inevitable Danger in that and therefore bid him prepare for his Journey That which pass'd between the Father and Henrick being a Secret none talk'd of his departing from Court so that the Design the Brother had went on and making an Hunting-match one Day where most young People of Quality were he order'd some whom he had hir'd to follow his Brother so as if he chanc'd to go out of the way to dispatch him and accordingly Fortune gave 'em an Opportunity for he lagg'd behind the Company and turn'd aside into a pleasant Thicket of Hazles where alighting he walk'd on Foot in the most pleasant part of it full of Thought how to
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
all means to do it The Gallantry which Coimbra seem'd to have forgotten began now to be awaken'd The King to please Don Alvaro under pretence of diverting Constantia order'd some Publick Sports and commanded that every thing should be magnificent Since the Adventure of the Verses Don Pedro endeavour'd to lay a Constraint on himself and to appear less troubled But in his Heart he suffer'd always alike and it was not but with great Uneasiness he prepar'd himself for the Turnament And since he could not appear with the Colours of Agnes he took those of his Wife without Device or any great Magnificence Don Alvaro adorn'd himself with the Liv'ries of Agnes de Castro and this fair Maid who had yet found no Consolation from what the Princess had told her had this new Cause of being displeas'd Don Pedro appear'd in the List with an admirable Grace and Don Alvaro who look'd on this Day as his own appear'd there all shining with Gold mix'd with Stones of Blew which were the Colours of Agnes and there was embroider'd all over his Equipage flaming Hearts of Gold on blew Velvet and Nets for the Snares of Love with abundance of double A's his Device was a Love coming out of a Cloud with these Verses written underneath Love from a Cloud breaks like the God of Day And to the World his Glories does display To gaze on charming Eyes and make 'em know What to soft Hearts and to his Power they owe. The Pride of Don Alvaro was soon humbled at the Feet of the Prince of Portugal who threw him against the Ground with twenty others and carry'd alone the Glory of the Day There was in the Evening a Noble Assembly at Constantia's where Agnes would not have been unless expresly commanded by the Princess She appear'd there all negligent and careless in her Dress but yet she appear'd all beautiful and charming She saw with disdain her Name and her Colours worn by Don Alvaro at a Publick Triumph and if her Heart were capable of any tender Motions it was not for such a Man as he for whom her Delicacy destin'd them She lookd on him with a Contempt which did not hinder him from pressing so near that there was a necessity for her to hear and what he had to declare to her She treated him not uncivily but her Coldness would have rebated the Courage of any but Alvaro Madam said he when he could be heard of none but herself I have hitherto concealed the Passion you have inspir'd me with fearing it should displease you but it has committed a Violence on my Respect and I could no longer conceal it from you I never reflected on your Actions answer'd Agnes with all the Indifference of which she was capable and if you think you offend me you are in the wrong to make me perceive it This Coldness is but an ill Omen for me reply'd Don Alvaro and if you have not found me out to be your Lover to Day I fear you will never approve my Passion Oh! what a time you have chosen to make it appear to me pursu'd Agnes is it so great an Honour for me that you must take such Care to shew it to the World And do you think that I am so desirous of Glory that I must aspire to it by your Actions If I must you have very ill maintain'd it in the Turnament and if it be that Vanity that you depend upon you 'll make no great Progress on a Soul that is not fond of Shame If you were possest of all the Advantages which the Prince has this Day carried away you yet ought to consider what you are going about and it is not a Maid like me who is touch'd with Enterprizes without respect or permission The Favourite of the King was too proud to hear Agnes without Indignation But as he was willing to conceal it and not offend her he made not his Resentment appear and considering the Observation she made on the Triumphs of Don Pedro which encreased his Jealousies If I have not overcome at the Turnament reply'd he I am not the less in Love for being vanquish'd nor less capable of success on occasions They were interrupted here but from that Day Don Alvaro who had open'd the first Difficulties kept no more his wonted Distance but perpetually persecuted Agnes yet tho' he were protected by the King that inspir'd in her never the more Consideration for him Don Pedro was always ignorant by what Means the Verses he had lost in the Garden fell into the Hands of Constantia As the Princess appeared to him Indulgent he was only concerned for Agnes and the Love of Don Alvaro which was then so well known increas'd the Pain and had he been possest of the Authority he would not have suffer'd her to have been expos'd to the Persecutions of so unworthy a Rival He was also afraid of the King 's being advertised of his Passion but he thought not at all of Elvira's nor apprehended any Malice from her Resentment While she burnt with a Desire of destroying Agnes against whom she vented all her Venom and she was never weary of making new Reports to her Brother assuring him that tho' they could not prove that Agnes made any returns to the Tenderness of the Prince yet that was the Cause of Constantia's Grief And that if this Princess should die of it Don Pedro might marry Agnes In fine she so incens'd the jealous Alvaro's Jealousie that he could not hinder himself from running immediately to the King with the Discovery of all he knew and all he guest and whom he had the Pleasure to find was infinitely inrag'd at the News My dear Alvaro said the King you shall instantly marry this dangerous Beauty And let Possession assure your Repose and mine If I have protected you in other Occasions judge what a Service of so great an Importance for me would make me undertake and without any reserve the Forces of this State are in your Power and almost any thing that I can give shall be assured you so you render your self Master of the Destiny of Agnes Don Alvaro pleas'd and vain with his Master's Bounty made use of all the Authority he gave him He passionately lov'd Agnes and would not on the sudden make use of Violence but resolv'd with himself to employ all possible Means to win her fairly but if that fail'd to have recourse to force if she continued always insensible While Agnes de Castro importun'd by his Assiduities despairing at the Grief of Constantia and perhaps made tender by those she had caus'd in the Prince of Portugal took a Resolution worthy of her Vertue yet amiable as Don Pedro was she found nothing in him but his being Husband to Constantia that was dear to her And far from encouraging the Power she had got over his Heart she thought of nothing but removing from Coimbra the Passion of Don Alvaro which she had no inclination to favour serv'd her
as a Pretext and press'd with the fear of causing in the End a cruel Divorce between the Prince and his Princess she went to find Constantia with a Trouble which all her Care was not able to hide from her The Princess easily found it out and their common Misfortune having not chang'd their Friendship What ails you Agnes said the Princess to her in a soft Tone and her ordinary Sweetness And what new Misfortune causes that Sadness in thy Looks Madam reply'd Agnes shedding a Rivulet of Tears the Obligations and Tyes I have to you put me upon a cruel Tryal I had bounded the Felicity of my Life in hope of passing it near your Highness yet I must carry to some other part of the World this unlucky Face of mine which renders me nothing but ill Offices And itis to obtain that Liberty that I am come to throw myself at your Feet looking upon you as my Sovereign Constantia was so surpriz'd and touch'd with the Proposition of Agnes that she lost her Speech for some Moments Tears which were sincere express'd her first Sentiments And after having shed abundance to give a new Mark of her Tenderness to the Fair afflicted Agnes she with a sad and melancholy Look fix'd her Eyes upon her and holding out her Hand to her in a most obliging manner sighing cry'd You will then my dear Agnes leave me and expose me to the Griefs of seeing you no more Alas Madam interrupted this lovely Maid hide from the unhappy Agnes a Bounty which does but increase her Misfortunes It is not I Madam that would leave you it is my Duty and my Reason that orders my Fate And those Days which I shall pass far from you promise me nothing to oblige me to this Design if I did not see myself absolutely forc'd to it I am not ignorant of what passes at Coimbra and I shall be an Accomplice of the Injustice there committed if I should stay there any longer Ah I I know your Vertue cry'd Constantia and you may remain here in all safety while I am your Protectress and let what will happen I will accuse you of nothing There 's no answering for what 's to come reply'd Agnes sadly and I shall be sufficiently Guilty if my Presence cause Sentiments which cannot be innocent Beside Madam the Importunities of Don Alvaro are insupportable to me and though I find nothing but Aversion for him since the King protects his Insolence and he 's in a Condition of undertaking any thing my Flight is absolutely necessary But Madam though he has nothing but what seems odious to me I caâ— Heaven to witness that if I could cure the Prince by marrying Don Alvaro I would not consider of it a Moment and finding in my Punishment the Consolation of sacrificing my self to my Princess I would support it without murmuring But if I were the Wife of Don Alvaro Don Pedro would always look upon me with the same Eyes So that I find nothing more reasonable for me than to hide myself in some Corner of the World where though I shall most certainly live without Pleasure yet I shall preserve the Repose of my dearest Mistress All the Reason you find in this Design answered the Princess cannot oblige me to approve of your Absence Will it restore me the Heart of Don Pedro And will he not fly away with you his Grief is mine and my Life is ty'd to his do not make him despair then if you love me I know ye I tell you so once more and let your Power be never so great over the Heart of the Prince I will not suffer you to abandon us Though Agnes thought she had perfectly known Constantia yet she did not expect to find so intire a Vertue in her which made her think herself more happy and the Prince more criminal Oh Wisdom Oh Bounty without Example cry'd she Why is it that the cruel Destinies do not give you all you deserve You are the Disposer of my Actions continu'd she in kissing the Hand of Constantia I 'll do nothing but what you 'll have me But consider weigh well the Reasons that ought to counsel you in the Measures you oblige me to take Don Pedro who had not seen the Princess all that Day came in then and finding 'em both extreamly troubled with a fierce Impatience demanded the Cause Sir answered Constantia Agnes too wise and too scrupulous fears the Effects of her Beauty and will live no longer at Coimbra and it was on this Subject which cannot be agreeable to me that she ask'd my Advice The Prince grew pale at this Discourse and snatching the Words from her Mouth with more concern than possest either of them cry'd with a Voice very feeble Agnes cannot fail if she follow your Councel Madam and I leave you full liberty to give it her He then immediately went out and the Princess whose Heart he perfectly possest not being able to hide her Displeasure said My dear Agnes if my Satisfaction did not only depend on your Conversation I should desire it of you for Pedro's sake it is the only Advantage that his unfortunate Love can hope And would not the World have reason to call me Barbarous if I contributed to deprive him of that But the sight of me will prove a Poyson to him reply'd Agnes And what should I do my Princess if after the Reserve he has hitherto kept his Mouth should add any thing to the Torments I have already felt by speaking to me of his Flame You would hear him sure without causing him to despair reply'd Constantia and I should put this Obligation to the Account of the rest you have done Would you then have me expect those Events which I fear Madam reply'd Agnes Well I will obey but just Heavens pursued she if they prove fatal do not punish an innocent Heart for it Thus this Conversation ended Agnes withdrew into her Chamber but it was not to be more at ease What Don Pedro had learn'd of the Design of Agnes caus'd a cruel Agitation in his Soul he wish'd he had never lov'd her and desir'd a thousand times to die But it was not for him to make Vows against a thing which Fate had design'd him and whatever Resolutions he made to bear the Absence of Agnes his Tenderness had not force enough to consent to it After having for a long time combated with himself he determin'd to do what was impossible for him to let Agnes do His Courage reproach'd him with the Idleness in which he past the most Youthful and Vigorous of his Days and making it appear to the King that his Allies and even the Prince Don John Emanuel his Father-in-Law had Concerns in the World which demanded his Presence on the Frontiers he easily obtain'd Liberty to make this Journey to which the Princess would put no Obstacle Agnes saw him part without any Concern but it was not upon the Account of any Aversion she had for
Youth continu'd she with a tender Tone to the Cruelty of Don Alvaro Live Sir live and let the unhappy Agnes be the only Sacrifice Alas cruel Maid interrupted Don Pedro why do you command me to live if I cannot live with you Is it an effect of your Hatred No Sir replyed Agnes I do not hate you and I wish to God that I cou'd be indifferent that I might be able to defend myself against the Weakness with which I find myself possess'd Oblige me to say no more Sir You see my Blushes interpret them as you please but consider yet that the less Aversion I find I have for you the more culpable I am and that I ought no more to see or speak to you In fine Sir if you oppose my Retreat I declare to you that Don Alvaro as odious as he is to me shall serve for a Defence against you and that I will sooner consent to marry a Man I abhor than to favour a Passion that cost Constantia her Life Well then Agnes reply'd the Prince with looks all languishing and dying follow the Motions which barbarous Vertue inspires you with take those Measures you judge necessary against an unfortunate Lover and enjoy the Glory of having cruelly refus'd me At these Words he went away and as troubled as Agnes was she would not stay him Her Courage combated with her Grief and she thought now more than ever of departing 'T was difficult for her to go out of Coimbra and not to defer what appear'd to her so necessary she went immediately to the Apartment of the King notwithstanding the interest of Don Alvaro the King receiv'd her with a Countenance severe not being able to consent to what she demanded You shall not go hence said he and if you are wise you shall enjoy here with Don Alvaro both my Friendship and my Favour I have taken another Resolution answer'd Agnes and the World has no part in it You will accept Don Pedro reply'd the King his Fortune is sufficient to satisfie an Ambitious Maid But you will not succeed Constantia who lov'd you so tenderly and Spain has Princesses enough to fill up part of the Throne which I shall leave him Sir reply'd Agnes piqu'd at this Discourse If I had a disposition to Love and a design to Marry perhaps the Prince might be the only Person on whom I would fix 'em And you know if my Ancestors did not possess Crowns yet they were worthy to wear ' em But let it be how it will I am resolv'd to depart and to remain no longer a Slave in a place to which I came Free This bold Answer which shew'd the Character of Agnes anger'd and astonish'd the King You shall go when we think fit reply'd he and without being a Slave at Coimbra you shall attend our Orders Agnes saw she must stay and was so griev'd at it that she kept her Chamber several days without daring to inform herself of the Prince and this Retirement spar'd her the Affliction of being visited by Don Alvaro During this Don Pedro fell sick and was in so great Danger that there was a general Apprehension of his Death Agnes did not in the least doubt but it was an Effect of his Discontent she thought at first she had strength and resolution enough to see him die rather than to favour him but had she reflected a little she had soon been convinc'd to the contrary She found not in her Heart that cruel Constancy she thought there so well establish'd she felt Pains and Inquietude shed Tears made Wishes and in fine discover'd that she Lov'd 'T was impossible to see the Heir of the Crown a Prince that deserv'd so well even at the point of Death without a general Affliction The People who lov'd him pass'd whole days at the Palace-gate to hear News of him The Court was all overwhelm'd with Grief Don Alvaro knew very well how to conceal a malicious Joy under an Appearance of Sadness Elvira full of Tenderness and perhaps of Remorse suffer'd also on her side The King altho' he condemn'd the Love of his Son yet still had a Tenderness for him and cou'd not resolve to lose him Agnes de Castro who knew the Cause of his Distemper expected the end of it with strange Anxieties In fine after a Month had pass'd away in Fears they began to have a little Hopes of his Recovery The Prince and Don Alvaro were the only Persons that were not glad of it But Agnes rejoyc'd enough for all the rest Don Pedro seeing that he must live whether he wou'd or no thought of nothing but passing his days in Melancholly and Discontent As soon as he was in a condition to walk he sought out the most solitary Places and gain'd so much upon his own Weakness to go every-where where Agnes was not but her Idea follow'd him always and his Memory faithful to represent her to him with all her Charms render'd her always dangerous One day when they had carry'd him into the Garden he sought out a Labyrinth which was at the farthest part of it to hide his Melancholly during some hours there he found the sad Agnes whom Grief little different from his had brought thither the sight of her whom he expected not made him tremble She saw by his pale and meagre Face the remains of his Distemper his Eyes full of Languishment troubled her and tho' her desire was so great to have fled from him an unknown Power stopt her and 't was impossible for her to go After some Moments of Silence which many Sighs interrupted Don Pedro rais'd himself from the place where his Weakness had forc'd him to sit he made Agnes see as he approached her the sad Marks of his Sufferings and not content with the Pity he saw in her Eyes 〈◊〉 have resolv'd my Death then Cruel Agnes said he my desire was the same with yours but Heaven has thought fit to reserve me for other Misfortunes and I see you again as unhappy but more in love than ever There was no need of these Words to move Agnes to Compassion the Languishment of the Prince spoke enough And the Heart of this fair Maid was but too much dispos'd to yield itself She thought then that Constantia ought to be satisfied Love which combated for Don Pedro triumphed over Friendship and found that happy Moment for which the Prince of Portugal had so long sighed Do not reproach me for that which has cost me more than you Sir reply'd she and do not accuse a 〈◊〉 which is neither Ingrateful nor Barbarous and I must tell you that I love you But now I have made you that Confession what is it farther that you require of me Don Pedro who expected not a Change so favourable felt a double Satisfaction and falling at the Feet of Agnes he express'd more by the Silence his Passion created than he could have done by the most eloquent Words After having known all his good Fortune
every Hour you will find written what you ought to do during its Course and every Half-hour is marked with a Sigh since the quality of a Lover is to sigh day and night Sighs are the Children of Lovers that are born every hour And that my Watch may always be just Love himself ought to conduct it and your Heart should keep Time with the Movement My Present's delicate and new If by your Heart the Motion 's set According as that 's false or true You 'll find my Watch will answer it Every hour is tedious to a Lover separated from his Mistress and to shew you how good I am I will have my Watch instruct you to pass some of them without Inquietude that the force of your Imagination may sometimes charm the Trouble you have for my Absence Perhaps I am mistaken here My Heart may too much Credit give But Damon you can charm my Fear And soon my Error undeceive But I will not disturb my Repose at this time with a Jealousie which I hope is altogether frivolous and vain but begin to instruct you in the Mysteries of my Watch Cast then your Eyes upon the Eighth Hour in the Morning which is the Hour I would have you begin to wake You will find there written Eight a Clock Agreeable Reverie DO not rise yet you may find Thoughts agreeable enough when you awake to entertain you longer in Bed And 't is in that hour you ought to recollect all the Dreams you had in the Night If you have dream'd any thing to my Advantage confirm yourself in that thought but if to my Disadvantage renounce it and disown the injurious Dream 'T is in this Hour also that I give you leave to reflection all that I have ever said and done that has been most obliging to you and that gives you the most tender Sentiments The Reflection Remember Damon while your mind Reflects on things that charm and please You give me Proofs that you are kind And set my doubting Soul at ease For when your Heart receives with Joy The thoughts of Favours which I give My Smiles in vain I not imploy And on the Square we love and live Think then on all I ever did That e're was charming e're was dear Let nothing from that Soul be hid Whose Griefs and Joys I feel and share All that your Love and Faith have sought All that your Vows aad Sighs have bought Now render present to your Thought And for what 's to come I give you leave Damon to flatter your self and to expect I shall still pursue those Methods whose remembrance charms so well But if it be possible conceive these kind Thoughts between Sleeping and Waking that all my too forward Complaisance my Goodness and my Tenderness which I confess to have for you may pass for half Dreams for 't is most certain That though the Favours of the Fair Are ever to the Lover dear Yet lest he should reproach that easie Flame That buys its Satisfaction with its Shame She ought but rarely to confess How much she finds of Tenderness Nicely to guard the yielding part And hide the hard-kept Secret in her Heart For let me tell you Damon though the Passion of a Woman of Honour be never so innocent and the Lover never so discreet and honest her Heart feels I know not what of Reproach within at the Reflection of any Favours she has allow'd him For my part I never call to mind the least soft or kind Word I have spoken to Damon without finding at the same instant my Face cover'd over with Blushes and my Heart with sensible Pain I sigh at the Remembrance of every Touch I have stol'n from his Hand and have upbraided my Soul which confesses so much guilty Love as that secret desire of Touching him made appear I am angry at the Discovery though I am pleas'd at the same time with the Satisfaction I take in doing so and ever disorder'd at the remembrance of such Arguments of too much Love And these unquiet Sentiments alone are sufficient to perswade me that our Sex cannot be reserv'd too much And I have often on these occasions said to my self The Reserve Though Damon every Vertue have With all that pleases in his Form That can adorn the Just and Brave That can the coldest Bosom warm Though Wit and Honour there abound Yet the Pursuer's ne'r pursu'd And when my Weakness he has found His Love will sink to Gratitude While on the Asking Part he lives 'T is she th' Obliger is who gives And he that at one throw the Stake has won Gives over Play since all the Stock is gone And what dull Gamester ventures certain Store With Losers who can set no more Nine a Clock Design to please no Body I Should continue to accuse you of that Vice I have often done that of Laziness if you remain'd past this Hour in Bed 't is time for you to rise my Watch tells you 't is Nine a Clock Remember that I am absent therefore do not take too much pains in dressing your self and setting your Person off The Question Tell me What can he design Who in his Mistress absence will be fine Why does he Cock and Comb and Dress Why is the Cravat-string in print What does th' Embroyder'd Coat confess Why to the Glass this long Address If there be nothing in 't If no new Conquest is design'd If no Beauty fill his Mind Let Fools and Fops whose Talents lie In being neat in being spruce Be drest in vain and tawdery With Men of Sence 't is out of use The only Folly that Distinction sets Between the noisie flutt'ring Fools and Wits Remember Iris is away And sighing to your Valet cry Spare your Perfumes and Care to day I have no business to be gay Since Iris is not by I 'll be all negligent in Dress And scarce set off for Complaisance Put me on nothing that may please But only such as may give no Offence Say to your self as you are Dressing Would it please Heaven that I mightsee Iris to day But oh 't is impossible Therefore all that I shall see will be but indifferent Objects since 't is Iris only that I wish to see And sighing wisper to your self The Sigh Ah! Charming Object of my wishing Thought Ah! Soft Idea of a distant Bliss That only art in Dreams and Fancy brought To give short Intervals of Happiness But when I waking find thou absent art And with thee all that I adore What Pains what Anguish fills my Heart What Sadness seizes me all o're All entertainments I neglect Since Iris is no longer there Beauty scarce claims my bare Respect Since in the Throng I find not her Ah then How vain it were to dress and show Since all I wish to please is absent now 'T is with these Thoughts Damon that your Mind ought to be employed during your time of Dressing And you are too knowing in Love to be ignorant That
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
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
Lover if not his Heart and thinks it easie to vanquish the Whole if she pleases and triumphs over me in her secret Imaginations Remember Damon that while you act thus in the Company and Conversation of other Beauties that every Look or Word you give in favour of 'em is an Indignity to my Reputation and which you cannot suffer if you love me truly and with Honour And assure yourself so much Vanity as you inspire in her so much Fame you rob me of for whatever Praises you give another Beauty so much you take away from mine Therefore if you Dine in Company do as others do Be generally Civil not applying yourself by Words or Looks to any particular Person Be as gay as you please Talk and laugh with all for this is not the Hour for Chagrin The Permission My Damon tho' I stint your Love I will not stint your Appetite That I would have you still improve By every new and fresh Delight Feast till Apollo hides his Head Or drink the am'rous God to Thetis Bed Be like yourself All witty gay And o're the Bottle bless the Board The listening round will all the Day Be charm'd and pleas'd with every Word Tho' Venus Son inspire your Wit 'T is the Selenian God best utters it Here talk of ev'ry thing but me Since ev'ry Thing you say with Grace If not dispos'd your Humour be And you 'd this Hour in silence pass Since something must the Subject prove Of Damon's Thoughts let it be me and Love But Damon this enfranchis'd Hour No Bounds or Laws will I impose But leave it wholly in your Pow'r What Humour to refuse or chuse I Rules prescribe but to your Flame For I your Mistress not Physician am Three a Clock Visits to Friends DAmon my Watch is juster than you imagine it would not have you live retired and solitary but permits you to go and make Visits I am not one of those that believe Love and Friendship cannot find a Place in one and the same Heart And that Man would be very unhappy who as soon as he had a Mistress should be obliged to renounce the Society of his Friends I must confess I would not that you should have so much Concern for them as you have for me for I have heard a sort of a Proverb that says He cannot be very fervent in Love who is not a little cold in Friendship You are not ignorant that when Love establishes himself in a Heart he reigns a Tyrant there and will not suffer even Friendship if it pretend to share his Empire there Cupid Love is a God whose charming Sway Both Heaven and Earth and Seas obey A Power that will not mingled be With any dull Equality Since first from Heaven which gave him Birth He rul'd the Empire of the Earth Jealous of Sov'raign Power he rules And will be Absolute in Souls I should be very angry if you had any of those Friendships which one ought to desire in a Mistress only for many times it happens that you have Sentiments a little too tender for those Amiable Persons and many times Love and Friendship are so confounded together that one cannot easily discern one from t'other I have seen a Man flatter himself with an Opinion that he had but an Esteem for a Woman when by some Turn of Fortune in her Life as Marrying or Receiving the Addresses of Men he has found by Spight and Jealousies within that that was Love which he before took for Complaisance or Friendship Therefore have a Care for such Amities are dangerous Not but that a Lover may have Fair and Generous Female-Friends whom he ought to visit and perhaps I shou'd esteem you less if I did not believe you were valued by such if I were perfectly assured they were Friends and not Lovers But have a Care you hide not a Mistress under this Veil or that you gain not a Lover by this Pretence For you may begin with Friendship and end with Love and I shou'd be equally afflicted shou'd you give it or receive it And though you charge our Sex with all the Vanity yet I often find Nature to have given you as large a Portion of that Common Crime which you wou'd shuffle off as asham'd to own and are as fond and vain of the Imagination of a Conquest as any Coquet of us all though at the same time you despise the Victim you think it adds a Trophy to your Fame And I have seen a Man dress and trick and adjust his Looks and Mien to make a Visit to a Woman he lov'd nor ever cou'd love not as for those he made to his Mistress and only for the Vanity of making a Conquest upon a Heart even unworthy of the little Pains he has taken about it And what is this but buying Vanity at the Expence of Sence and Ease and with Fatigue purchase the Name of a Conceited Fop besides that of a Dishonest Man For he who takes Pains to make himself Belov'd only to please his curious Humour tho' he should say nothing that tends to it more than by his Looks his Sighs and now and then breaking into Praises and Commendations of the Object by the Care he takes to appear well drest before her and in good order he lyes in his Looks he deceives with his Mien and Fashion and cheats with every Motion and every Grace he puts on He cozens when he Sings or Dances he dissembles when he Sighs and every thing he does that wilfully gains upon her is Malice propense Baseness and Art below a Man of Sence or Vertue And yet these Arts these Coz'nages are the common Practices of the Town What 's this but that damnable Vice of which they so reproach our Sex that of Jilting for Hearts And 't is in vain that my Lover after such foul Play shall think to appease me with saying He did it to try how easie he cou'd Conquer and of how great Force his Charms were And why shou'd I be angry if all the Town lov'd him since he lov'd none but Iris Oh foolish Pleasure How little Sence goes to the making of such a Happiness And how little Love must he have for one particular Person who wou'd wish to inspire it into all the World and yet himself pretend to be insensible But this Damon is rather what is but too much practised by your Sex than any Guilt I charge on you tho' Vanity be an Ingredient that Nature very seldom omits in the Composition of either Sex and you may be allow'd a Tincture of it at least And perhaps I am not wholly exempt from this Leaven in my Nature but accuse myself sometimes of finding a secret Joy of being ador'd tho' I even hate my Worshipper But if any such Pleasure touch my Heart I find it at the same time blushing in my Cheeks with a guilty Shame which soon checks the petty Triumph and I have a Vertue at soberer Thoughts that I find surmounts
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
and who have so good an Opinion of their Talent that way they will let no body edge in a Word or a Reply but will make all the Conversation themselves that they may pass for very Entertaining Persons and pure Company But the Verses The Reformation Philander since you 'll have it so I grant I was impertinent And till this Moment did not know Through all my Life what 't was I meant Your kind Opinion was the flattering Glass In which my Mind found how deform'd it was In your clear Sense which knows no Art I saw the Errors of my Soul And all the Foibless of my Heart With one Reflection you controul Kind as a God and gently you chastise By what you hate you teach me to be wise Impertinence my Sex's Shame That has so long my Life pursu'd You with such Modesty reclaim As all the Women has subdu'd To so Divine a Power what must I owe That renders me so like the perfect You That Conversable thing I hate Already with a just Disdain That prides himself upon his Prate And is of Words that Nonsence vain When in you few appears such Excellence As have reproach'd and charm'd me into Sense For ever may I list'ning sit Tho' but each Hour a Word be born I would attend the coming Wit And bless what can so well inform Let the dull World henceforth to Words be dam'd I 'm into nobler Sense than Talking sham'd I believe you are so good a Lover as to be of my Opinion and that you will neither force yourself against Nature nor find much occasion to lavish out those excellent things that must proceed from you whenever you speak If all Women were like me I should have more reason to fear your Silence than your Talk for you have a thousand waies to charm without speaking and those which to me shew a great deal more Concern But Damon you know the greatest part of my Sex judge the fine Gentleman by the Volubility of his Tongue by his Dexterity in Repartee and cry Oh! he never wants fine things to say He 's eternally talking the most surprizing things But Damon you are well assur'd I hope that Iris is none of these Coquets at least if she had any spark of it once in her Nature she is by the Excellency of your contrary Temper taught to know and scorn the Folly And take heed your Conduct never give me cause to suspect you have deceiv'd me in your Temper Twelve a Clock Complaisance NEvertheless Damon Civility requires a little Complaisance after Supper and I am assur'd you can never want that though I confess you are not accus'd of too general a Complaisance and do not often make use of it to those Persons you have an Indifference for though one is not the less esteemable for having more of this than one ought and though an excess of it be a Fault 't is a very excusable one Have therefore some for those with whom you are You may laugh with 'em drink with 'em dance or sing with 'em yet think of me You may discourse of a thousand indifferent things with 'em and at the same time still think of me If the Subject be any beautiful Lady whom they praise either for her Person Wit or Virtue you may apply it to me And if you dare not say it aloud at least let your Heart answer in this Language Yes the fair Object whom you praise Can give us Love a thousand ways Her Wit and Beauty charming are But still my Iris is more fair No Body ever spoke before me of a faithful Lover but I still sigh'd and thought of Damon And ever when they tell me Tales of Love any soft pleasing Intercourses of an Amour Oh! with what Pleasure do I listen and with Pleasure answer 'em either with my Eyes or Tongue That Lover may his Silvia warm But cannot like my Damon charm If I have not all those excellent Qualities you meet with in those beautiful People I am however very glad that Love prepossesses your Heart to my Advantage And I need not tell you Damon that a true Lover ought to perswade himself that all other Objects ought to give place to her for whom his Heart sighs But see my Cupid tells you 't is One a Clock and that you ought not to be longer from your Apartment where while you are undressing I will give you leave to say to yourself The Regret Alas and must the Sun decline Before it have inform'd my Eyes Of all that 's glorious all that 's fine Of all I sigh for all I prize How joyful were those happy Days When Iris spread her charming Rays Did my unwearied Heart inspire With never-ceasing awful Fire And e'ery Minute gave me new Desire But now alas all dead and pale Like Flow'rs that wither in the Shade Where no kind Sun-beams can prevail To raise its cold and fading Head I sink into my useless Bed I grasp the senceless Pillow as I lie A thousand times in vain I sighing cry Ah! wou'd to Heaven my Iris were as nigh One a Clock Impossibility to Sleep YOU have been up long enough and Cupid who takes care of your Health tells you 't is time for you to go to Bed Perhaps you may not sleep as soon as you are laid and possibly you may pass an Hour in Bed before you shut your Eyes In this impossibility of sleeping I think it very proper for you to imagine what I am doing where I am Let your Fancy take a little Journey then invisible to observe my Actions and my Conduct You will find me sitting alone in my Cabinet for I am one that do not love to go to Bed early and will find me very uneasie and pensive pleas'd with none of those things that so well entertain others I shun all Conversation as far as Civility will allow and find no Satisfaction like being alone where my Soul may without interruption converse with Damon I sigh and sometimes you will see my Cheeks wet with Tears that insensibly glide down at a thousand Thoughts that present themselves soft and afflicting I partake of all your Inquietude On other things I think with Indifference if ever my Thoughts do stray from the more agreeable Object I find however a little Sweetness in his Thought that during my Absence your Heart thinks of me when mine sighs for you Perhaps I am mistaken and that at the same time that you are the Entertainment of all my Thoughts I am no more in yours and perhaps you are thinking of those things that immortalize the Young and Brave either by those Glories the Muses flatter you with or that of Bellona and the God of War and serving now a Monarch whose glorious Acts in Arms has out-gone all the feign'd and real Heroes of any Age who has himself out-done whatever History can produce of Great and Brave and set so illustrious an Example to the Under-World that it is not impossible as much
or in Sport The Plays the Park and Mall afford No more than the dull Basset-board The Beauties in the Drawing-room With all their Sweetness all their Bloom No more my faithful Eyes invite Nor rob my Iris of a Sigh or Glance Vnless soft Thoughts of her incite A Smile or trivial Complaisance Then since my Days so anxious prove Ah Cruel Tyrant give A little Loose to Joys in Love And let your Damon live Let him in Dreams be happy made And let his Sleep some Bliss provide The nicest Maid may yield in Night's dark shade What she so long by Day-light had deny'd There let me think you present are And court my Pillow for my Fair. There let me find you kind and that you give All that a Man of Honour dares receive And may my Eyes Eternal Watches keep Father than want that Pleasure when I sleep Some such Complaint as this I know you will make but Damon if the little Quarrels of Lovers render the reconciling Moments so infinitely Charming you must needs allow that these little Chagrins in capricious Dreams must awaken you to more Joy to find 'em but Dreams than if you had met with no Disorder there 'T is for this Reason that I wou'd have you suffer a little Pain for a coming Pleasure nor indeed is it possible for you to escape the Dreams my Cupid points you out You shall dream that I have a thousand Foiblesses something of the lightness of my Sex that my Soul is employ'd in a thousand Vanities that proud and fond of Lovers I make Advances for the Glory of a Slave without any other Interest or Design than that of being ador'd I will give you leave to think my Heart fickle and that far from resigning it to any one I lend it only for a Day or an Hour and take it back at pleasure that I am a very Coquet even to Impertinence All this I give you leave to think and to offend me but 't is in Sleep only that I permit it for I would never pardon you the least Offence of this nature if in any other kind than in a Dream Nor is it enough Affliction to you to imagine me thus idly vain but you are to pass on to an hundred more capricious Humours as that I exact of you a hundred unjust Things that I pretend you should break off with all your Friends and for the future have none at all that I will myself do those Things which I violently condemn in you and that I will have for others as well as you that tender Friendship that resembles Love or rather that Love which People call Friendship and that I will not after all have you dare complain on me In fine be as ingenious as you please to torment yourself and believe that I am become unjust ungrateful and insensible But were I so indeed O Damon Consider your awaking Heart and tell me Wou'd your Love stand the Proof of all these Faults in me But know that I would have you believe I have none of these Weaknesses though I am not wholly without Faults but those will be excusable to a Lover and this Notion I have of a perfect one Whate'er fantastick Humours rule the Fair She 's still the Lover's Dotage and his Care Four a Clock Jealousie in Dreams DO not think Damon to wake yet for I design you shall yet suffer a little more Jealousie must now possess you that Tyrant over the Heart that compels your very Reason and seduces all your good Nature And in this Dream you must believe that in sleeping which you cou'd not do me the Injustice to do when awake And here you must explain all my Actions to the utmost Disadvantage Nay I will wish that the force of this Jealousie may be so extream that it may make you languish in Grief and be overcome with Anger You shall now imagine that one of your Rivals is with me interrupting all you say or hindring all you wou'd say that I have no attention to what you say aloud to me but that I incline my Ear to hearken to all that he whispers to me You shall repine that he pursues me every-where and is eternally at your Heels if you approach me that I caress him with Sweetness in my Eyes and that Vanity in my Heart that possesses the Humors of almost all the Fair that is to believe it greatly for my Glory to have abundance of Rivals for my Lovers I know you love too well not to be extreamly uneasie in the Company of a Rival and to have one perpetually near me for let him be belov'd or not by the Mistress it must be confess'd a Rival is a very troublesome Person But to afflict you to the utmost I will have you imagine that my Eyes approve of all his Thoughts that they flatter him with Hopes and that I have taken away my Heart from you to make a Present of it to this more lucky Man You shall suffer while possess'd with this Dream all that a cruel Jealousie can make a tender Soul suffer The Torment O Jealousie thou Passion most ingrate Tormenting as Despair envious as Hate Spightful as Witchcraft which th' Invoker harms Worse than the Wretch that suffers by its Charms Thou subtil Poyson in the Fancy bred Diffus'd through every Vein the Heart and Head And over all like wild Contagion spread Thou whose sole Property is to destroy Thou Opposite to Good Antipathy to Joy Whose Attributes are cruel Rage and Fire Reason debauch'd false Sence and mad Desire In fine it is a Passion that ruffles all the Senses and disorders the whole Frame of Nature It makes one hear and see what was never spoke and what never was in view 'T is the Bane of Health and Beauty an unmannerly Intruder and an Evil of Life worse than Death She is a very cruel Tyrant in the Heart she possesses and pierces it with infinite Unquiets and we may lay it down as a certain Maxim She that wou'd wreck a Lover's Heart To the Extent of Cruelty Must his Tranquility subvert To tort'ring Jealousie I speak too sensibly of this Passion not to have lov'd well enough to have been touch'd with it And you shall be this unhappy Lover Damon during this Dream in which nothing shall present itself to your tumultuous Thoughts that shall not bring its Pain You shall here pass and re-pass a hundred Designs that shall confound one another In fine Damon Anger Hatred and Revenge shall surround your Heart There they shall all together reign With mighty Force with mighty Pain In spight of Reason in Contempt of Love Sometimes by turns sometimes united move Five a Clock Quarrels in Dreams I Perceive you are not able to suffer all this Injustice nor can I permit it any longer and though you commit no Crime yourself yet you believe in this Dream that I complain of Injuries you do my Fame and that I am extreamly angry with a Jealousie so
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
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
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
wish'd to receive But all this did not satisfie our impatient Lover Absence kill'd and he was no longer able to support himself without a sight of this adorable Maid he therefore implores she will give him that Satisfaction And she at last grants it with a better Will than he imagin'd The next Day was the appointed time when she would under pretence of going to Church give him an Assignation And because all Publick Places were dangerous and might make a great Noise and they had no Private Place to trust to Rinaldo under pretence of going up the River in his Pleasure-Boat which he often did sent to have it made ready against the next Day at Ten of the Clock This was accordingly done and he gave Atlante Notice of his Design of going an Hour or two on the River in his Boat which lay near to such a place not far from the Church She and Charlot came thither and because they durst not come out without a Fooâ—man or two they taking one sent him with a How de ye to some young Ladies and told him he should find them at Church So getting rid of their Spy they hastned to the River-side and found a Boat and Rinaldo waiting to carry them on Board his little Vessel which was richly adorn'd and a very handsome Collation ready for them of Cold Meats Sallads and Sweetmeats As soon as they were come into the Pleasure-Boat unseen of any he kneel'd at the Feet of Atlante and there utter'd so many passionate and tender Things to her with a Voice so trembling and soft with Eyes so languishing and a Fervency and Fire so sincere that her young Heart wholly uncapable of Artifice could no longer resist such Language and such Looks of Love she grows tender and he perceives it in her fine Eyes who could not dissemble he reads her Heart in her Looks and found it yielding apace and therefore assaults it anew with fresh Forces of Sighs and Tears He implores she would assure him of her Heart which she could no other way do then by yielding to marry him He would carry her to the next Village there consummate that Happiness without which he was able to live no longer for he had a thousand Fears that some other Lover was or would suddenly be provided for her and therefore he would make sure of her while he had this Opportunity and to that end he answered all the Objections she could make to the contrary But ever when he nam'd Marriage she trembled with fear of doing something that she fancy'd she ought not to do without the Consent of her Father She was sensible of the Advantage but had been so us'd to a strict Obedience that she could not without Horrour think of violating it and therefore besought him as he valu'd her Repose not to urge her to that And told him further That if he fear'd any Rival she would give him what other Assurance and Satisfaction he pleas'd but that of Marriage which she could not consent to 'till she knew such an Alliance would not be fatal to him for she fear'd as passionately as he lov'd her when he should find she had occasion'd him the loss of his Fortune or his Father's Affection he would grow to hate her tho' he answer'd to this all that a fond Lover could urge yet she was resolv'd and he was forc'd to content himself with obliging her by his Prayers and Protestations his Sighs and his Showers of Tears to a Contract which they solemnly made each other vowing on either side that they would never marry any other This being solemnly concluded he assum'd a Look more gay and contented than before He presented her a very rich Ring which she durst not put on her Finger but hid it in her Bosom And beholding each other now as Man and Wife she suffer'd him all the decent Freedoms he could wish to take so that the Hours of this Voyage seem'd the most soft and charming of his Life And doubtless they were so every Touch of Atlante transported him every Look pierced his Soul and he was all Raptures of Joy when he consider'd this charming lovely Maid was his own Charlot all this while was gazing above Deck admiring the Motion of the little Vessel and how easily the Wind and Tide bore her up the River She had never been in any thing of this kind before and was very well pleased and entertain'd when Rinaldo call'd her down to eat where they enjoy'd themselves as well as was possible and Charlot was wondering to see such a Content in their Eyes But now they thought it was high time for them to return they fancy the Foot-man missing them at Church would go home and alarm their Father and the Knight of the Ill-favour'd Countenance as Charlot call'd Count Vernole whose Severity put their Father on a greater Restriction of them than naturally he would do of himself At the Name of this Count Rinaldo chang'd Colour fearing he might be some Rival and ask'd Atlante if this Vernole was a-kin to her She answered No But was a very great Friend to her Father and on who from their Infancy had had a particular Concern for their Breeding and was her Master for Philosophy Ah! replied Rinaldo sighing This Man's Concern must proceed from something more than Friendship for her Father and therefore conjured her to tell him whether he was not a Lover A Lover replied Atlante I assure you he is a perfect Antidote against that Passion and tho' she suffered his ugly Presence now she should loath and hate him should he name but Love to her She said she believ'd she need not fear any such Persecution since he was a Man who was not at all Amorous that he had too much of the Satyr in his Humour to harbour any softness there And Nature had form'd his Body to his Mind wholly unfit for Love and that he might set his Heart absolutely at rest She assur'd him her Father had never yet propos'd any Marriage to her tho' many advantagious ones are offer'd him every day The Sails being turn'd to carry them back from whence they came after having discours'd of a thousand things and all of Love and Contrivance to carry on their Mutual Design they with Sighs parted Rinaldo staying behind in the Pleasure-Boat and they going a Shoar in the Wherry that attended after which he cast many an amorous and sad Look and perhaps was answer'd by those of Atlante It was past Church time two or three Hours when they arriv'd at home wholly unprepared with an Excuse so absolutely was Atlante's Soul possest with softer Business The first Person they met withal was the Footman who open'd the Door and began to cry out how long he had waited in the Church and how in vain without giving them time to reply De Pais came towards 'em and with a frowning Look demanded where they had been Atlante who was not accustomed to Excuses and Untruth was a
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
he then consulted with the Amiable Agnes what was to be fear'd from the King they concluded that the cruel Billet which so troubled the last days of Constantia could come from none but Elvira and Don Alvaro The Prince who knew that his Father had search'd already an Alliance for him and was resolv'd on his Favourite's marrying Agnes 〈◊〉 her so tenderly to prevent these Persecuâ—â— by consenting to a secret Marriage that 〈◊〉 having a long time considered she at 〈◊〉 consented I will do what you will have me saiâ— she though I presage nothing but fatal Events 〈◊〉 it all my Blood turns to Ice when I think of this Marriage and the Image of Constantia 〈◊〉 hinder me from doing it The Amorous Prince surmounted all 〈◊〉 Scruples and separated himself from 〈◊〉 with a Satisfaction which soon redoubled his Forces he saw her afterward with the pleasure of a Mystery and the Day of their Union arriv'd Dom Gill Bishop of Guarda performed the Ceremony of the Marriage in the presence of several Witnesses faithful to Don Pedro who saw him Possessor of all the Chaâ—ms of the Fair Agnes She liv'd not the more peaceable for belonging to the Prince of Portugal her Enemies who continually persecuted her left her not without troubles and the King whom her Refusal inrag'd laid his absolute Commands on her to Marry Don Alvaro with Threats to force her to it if she continued Rebellious The Prince took loudly her part and this joyn'd to the Refusal he made of marrying the Princess of Arragon caus'd Suspicions of the Truth in the King his Father He was seconded by those that were too much interested not to unriddle this Secret Don Alvaro and his Sister acted with so much Care gave so many Gifts and made so many Promises that they discovered the secret Engagements of Don Pedro and Agnes The King wanted but little of breaking out into all the Rage and Fury so great a Disappointment could inspire him with against the Princess Don Alvaro whose Love was chang'd into the most violent Hatred appeas'd the first Transports of the King by making him comprehend that if they could break the Marriage of 'em that would not be a sufficient Revenge and so poysoned the Soul of the King to consent to the Death of Agnes The Barbarous Don Alvaro offered his Arm for this terrible Execution and his Rage was Security for the Sacrifice The King who thought the Glory of his Family disgraced by this Alliance and his own 〈◊〉 particular in the Procedure of his Son gave full Power to this Murder to make the innocent Agnes a Victim to his Rage It was not easie to execute this horrid Design Though the Prince saw Agnes but in secret yet all his Cares were still awake for her and he was married to her above a Year before Don Alvaro could find out an Opportunity so long sought for The Prince delivered himself but little and very rarely went far from Coimbra but on a Day an Unfortunate Day and mark'd out by Heaven for an unheard of and horrid Assassin he made a Party to hunt at a fine House which the King of Portugal had near the City Agnes lov'd every thing that gave the Prince satisfaction but a secret Trouble made her apprehend some Misfortune in this unhappy Journey Sir said she to him alarm'd without knowing the Reason why I tremble seeing you to day as it were design'd the last of my Life Preserve yourself my Dear Prince and though the Exercise you take be not very dangerous beware of the least Hazards and bring me back all that I trust with you Don Pedro who had never found her so Handsome and so Charming before embraced her several times and went out of the Palace with his Followers with a design not to return till the next Day He was no sooner gone but the Cruel Don Alvaro prepared himself for the Execution he had resolv'd on he thought it of that importance that it required more Hands than his Own and so chose for his Companions Diego Lopes Pacheo and Pedro Cuello two Monsters like himself whose Cruelty he was assur'd of by the Presents he had made ' em They waited the coming of the Night and the lovely Agnes was in her first sleep which the last of her Life when these Assassins approach'd her Bed Nothing made resistance to Don Alvaro who could do every thing and whom the blackest Furies introduced to Agnes she wakened and opening her Curtains saw by the Candle burning in her Chamber the Poinard with which Don Alvaro was arm'd he having not his Face covered she easily knew him and forgetting herself to think of nothing but the Prince Just Heaven said she lifting up her fine Eyes if you will revenge Constantia satisfie yourself with my Blood only and spare that of Don Pedro. The Barbarous Man that heard her gave her not time to say more and finding he could never by all he could do by Love touch the Heart of the Fair Agnes he pierc'd it with his Poinard his Accomplices gave her several Wounds tho' there were no Necessity of so many to put an End to an Innocent Life What a sad Spectacle was this for those who approach'd her Bed the next Day And what dismal News was this to the Unfortunate Prince of Portugal He return'd to Coimbra to the first Report of this Adventure and saw what had certainly cost him his Life if Men could die of Grief after having a thousand times embraced the bloody Body of Agnes and said all that a just Despair could inspire him with he ran like a Mad-man into the Palace demanding the Murderers of his Wife of things that could not hear him In fine he saw the King and without observing any Respect he gave a Loose to his Resentment after having rail'd a long time overwhelm'd with Grief he fell into a Swoon which continued all that Day They carried him into his Apartment and the King believing that this Misfortune would prove his Cure repented not of what he had permitted Don Alvaro and the two other Assassins quitted Coimbra This Absence of theirs made 'em appear guilty of the Crime for which the Afflicted Prince vowed a speedy Vengeance to the Ghost of his Lovely Agnes resolving to pursue them to the uttermost part of the Universe He got a considerable number of Men together sufficient to have made Resistance even on the King of Portugal himself if he should yet take the Part of the Murderers with these he ravag'd the whole Country as far as the Duero Waters and carried on a War even till the Death of the King continually mixing Tears with Blood which he gave to the Revenge of his Dearest Agnes Such was the deplorable End of the Unfortunate Love of Don Pedro of Portugal and of the Fair Agnes de Castro whose Remembrance he faithfully preserved in his Heart even upon the Throne to which he mounted by the Right of his Birth after the
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