in all the Glory of a young Bride her Hair and Stomacher full of Diamonds that gave a Lustre all dazling to her brighter Face and Eyes He was surpriz'd at her amazing Beauty and question'd whether he saw a Woman or an Angel at his Feet Her Hands which were elevated as if in Prayer seem'd to be form'd of polish'd Alabaster and he confess'd he had never seen any thing in Nature so perfect and so admirable He had some pain to compose himself to hear her Confession and was oblig'd to turn away his Eyes that his Mind might not be perplex'd with an Object so diverting when Miranda opening the finest Mouth in the World and discovering new Charms began her Confession Holy Father said she amongst the Number of my vile Offences that which afflicts me to the greatest Degree is that I am in Love Not continu'd she that I believe simple and vertuous Love a Sin when 't is plac'd on an Object proper and suitable but my dear Father said she and wept I love with a Violence which cannot be contain'd within the Bounds of Reason Moderation or Vertue I love a Man whom I cannot possess without a Crime and a Man who cannot make me happy without become perjur'd Is he marry'd reply'd the Father No answer'd Miranda Are you so continu'd he Neither said she Is he too near ally'd to you said Francisco a Brother or Relation Neither of these said she He is unenjoy'd unpromis'd and so am I Nothing opposes our Happiness or makes my Love a Vice but You 'T is you deny me Life 'T is you that forbids my Flame 'T is you will have me die and seek my Remedy in my Grave when I complain of Tortures Wounds and Flames O cruel Charmer 't is for you I languish and here at your Feet implore that Pity which all my Addresses have fail'd of procuring me With that perceiving he was about to rise from his Seat she held him by his Habit and vow'd she wou'd in that posture follow him where-ever he flew from her She elevated her Voice so loud he was afraid she might be heard and therefore suffer'd her to force him into his Chair again where being seated he began in the most passionate Terms imaginable to dissuade her but finding she but the more persisted in Eagerness of Passion he us'd all the tender Assurance that he cou'd force from himself that he wou'd have for her all the Respect Esteem and Friendship that he was capable of paying that he had a real Compassion for her and at last she prevail'd so far with him by her Sighs and Tears as to own he had a Tenderness for her and that he cou'd not behold so many Charms without being sensibly touch'd by them and finding all those Effects that a Maid so young and fair causes in the Souls of Men of Youth and Sense But that as he was assured he cou'd never be so happy to marry her and as certain he cou'd not grant any thing but honourable Passion he humbly besought her not to expect more from him than such and then began to tell her how short Life was and transitory its Joys how soon she wou'd grow weary of Vice and how often change to find real Repose in it but never arrive to it He made an End by new Assurance of his eternal Friendship but utterly forbad her to hope Behold her now deny'd refus'd and defeated with all her pleading Youth Beauty Tears and Knees imploring as she lay holding fast his Scapular and embracing his Feet What shall she do She swells with Pride Love Indignation and Desire her burning Heart is bursting with Despair her Eyes grow fierce and from Grief she rises to a Storm and in her Agony of Passion which looks all disdainful haughty and full of Rage she began to revile him as the poorest of Animals Tells him his Soul was dwindled to the Meanness of his Habit and his Vows of Poverty were suited to his degenerate Mind And said she since all my nobler Ways have fail'd me and that for a little hypocritical Devotion you resolve to lose the greatest Blessings of Life and to sacrifice me to your Religious Pride and Vanity I will either force you to abandon that dull Dissimulation or you shall die to prove your Sanctity real Therefore answer me immediately answer my Flame my raging Fire which your Eyes have kindled or here in this very Moment I will ruine thee and make no Scruple of revenging the Pains I suffer by that which shall take away your Life and Honour The trembling young Man who all this while with extream Anguish of Mind and Fear of the dire Result had listen'd to her Ravings full of Dread demanded what she wou'd have him do When she reply'd Do that which thy Youth and Beauty were ordain'd to do This place is private a Sacred Silence reigns here and no one dares to pry into the Secrets of this holy Place We are as secure from Fears of Interruption as in Desarts uninhabited or Caves forsaken by wild Beasts The Tapers too shall veil their Lights and only that glimmering Lamp shall be witness of our dear Stealths of Love Come to my Arms my trembling longing Arms and curse the Folly of thy Bigottry that has made thee so long lose a Blessing for which so many Princes sigh in vain At these Words she rose from his Feet and snatching him in her Arms he cou'd not defend himself from receiving a thousand Kisses from the lovely Mouth of the charming Wanton after which she ran herself and in an instant put out the Candles But he cry'd to her In vain O too indiscreet Fair Onè in vain you put out the Light for Heaven still has Eyes and will look down upon my broken Vows I own your Power I own I have all the Sense in the World of your charming Touches I am frail Flesh and Blood but yet yet yet I can resist and I prefer my Vows to all your powerful Temptations I will be deaf and blind and guard my Heart with Walls of Ice and make you know that when the Flames of true Devotion are kindled in a Heart it puts out all other Fires which are as ineffectual as Candles lighted in the Face of the Sun Go vain Wanton and repent and mortifie that Blood which has so shamefully betray'd thee and which will one Day ruine both thy Soul and Body At these Words Miranda more enrag'd the nearer she imagin'd herself to Happiness made no Reply but throwing herself in that instant into the Confessing-Chair and violently pulling the young Friar into her Lap she elevated her Voice to such a degree in crying out Help help A Rape Help help that she was heard all over the Church which was full of People at the Evening's Devotion who flock'd about the Door of the Sacristi which was shut with a Spring-lock on the inside but they durst not open the Door 'T is easily to be imagin'd in what
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
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
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
the King loved his Son he was so prepossess'd against his Passion that he could not pardon him what he had done and condemn'd him as much for this last Act of Justice in delivering Agnes as if it had been the greatest of Crimes Elvira whom the sweetness of Hope flatter'd some moments saw the return of Agnes with a sensible Displeasure which suffer'd her to think of nothing but irritating her Brother In fine the Prince saw the King but instead of being receiv'd by him with a Joy due to the success of his Journey he appear'd all sullen and out of Humour After having paid him his first Respects and gave him an exact account of what he had done he spoke to him about the Violence committed against the Person of Agnes de Castro and complain'd to him of it in the Name of the Princess and of his own You ought to be silent in this Affair replied the King and the Motive which makes you speak is so shameful for you that I sigh and blush at it What is it to you if this Maid whose Presence is troublesome to me be remov'd hence since 't is I that desire it But Sir interrupted the Prince what necessity is there of employing Force Artifice and the Night when the least of your Orders had been sufficient Agnes would willingly have obey'd you and if she continue at Coimbra 't is perhaps against her will but be it as it will Sir Constantia is offended and if it were not for fear of displeasing you the only thing that retains me the Ravisher should not have gone unpunish'd How happy are you replied the King smiling with Disdain in making use of the Name of Constantia to uphold the Interest of your Heart you think I am ignorant of it and that this unhappy Princess looks on the Injury you do her with Indifference Never speak to me more of Agnes with a Tone very severe Content your self that I pardon what 's past and think maturely of the Considerations I have for Don Alvaro when you would design any thing against him Yes Sir reply'd the Prince with fierceness I will speak to you no more of Agnes but Constantia and I will never suffer that she should be any more expos'd to the Insolence of your Favourite The King had like to have broke out into Rage at this Discourse but he had yet a Rest of Prudence left that hinder'd him Retire said he to Don Pedro and go make Reflections on what my Power can do and what you owe me During this Conversation Agnes was receiving from the Princess and from all the Ladies of the Court great Expressions of Joy and Friendship Constantia saw again her Husband with a great deal of satisfaction and far from being sorry at what he had lately done for Agnes she privately return'd him Thanks for it and still was the same towards him notwithstanding all the Jealousie which was endeavour'd to be inspir'd in her Don Alvaro who found in his Sister a Maliciousness worthy of his Trust did not conceal his Fury from her After she had made vain Attempts to moderate it in blotting Agnes out of his Heart seeing that his Disease was incurable she made him understand that so long as Constantio should not be Jealous there was no Hopes That if Agnes should once be suspected by her she would not fail of abandoning her and that then it would be easie to get Satisfaction the Prince being now so proud of Constantia's Indulgency In giving this Advice to her Brother she promis'd to serve him effectually and having no need of any Body but herself to perform Ill Things she recommended Don Alvaro to manage well the King Four Years were pass'd in that melancholy Station and the Princess besides her first dead Child and Ferdinand who was still living had brought two Daughters into the World Some Days after Pedro's Return Elvira who was most dextrous in the Art of Well-governing any wicked Design did gain one of the Servants which belong'd to Constantia's Chamber She first spoke her fair then overwhelm'd her with Presents and Gifts and finding in her as ill a Disposition as in herself she readily resolv'd to employ her After she was sure of her she compos'd a Letter which was after writ over again in an unknown Hand which she deposited in that Maid's Hands that she might deliver to Constantia with the first Opportunity telling her that Agnes had drop'd it This was the Substance of it I Employ not my own Hand to write to you for Reasons that I shall acquaint you with How happy am I to have overcome all your Scruples And what Happiness shall I find in the Progress of our Intrigue The whole Course of my Life shall continually represent to you the Sincerity of my Affections pray think on the Secret Conversation that I require of you I dare not speak to you in publick therefore let me conjure you here by all that I have suffer'd to come to Night to the Place appointed and speak to me no more of Constantia for she must be content with my Esteem since my Heart can be only Yours The unfaithful Portuguese serv'd Elvira exactly to her Desires and the very next Day seeing Agnes go out from the Princess she carry'd Constantia the Letter which she took and found there what she was far from imagining Tenderness never produc'd an Effect more full of Grief than what it made her suffer Alas they are both culpable said she sighing and in spight of the Defence my Heart wou'd make for 'em my Reason Condemns ' em Vnhappy Princess the sad Subject of the Capriciousness of Fortune Why dost not thou die since thou hast not a Heart of Honour to revenge itself O Don Pedro Why did you give me your Hand without your Heart And thou Fair and Vngrateful Wert thou born to be the Misfortune of my Life and perhaps the only Cause of my Death After having given some Moments to the Violence of her Grief she call'd the Maid who brought her the Letter commanding her to speak of it tono Body and to suffer no one to enter into her Chamber She consider'd then of that Prince with more liberty whose Soul she was not able to touch with the least Tenderness and of the cruel fair One that had betray'd her Yet even while her Soul was upon the Rack she was willing to excuse 'em and ready to do all she could for Don Pedro at least she made a firm Resolution not to complain of him Elvira was not long without being inform'd of what had pass'd nor of the Melancholly of the Princess from whom she hop'd all she desir'd Agnes far from foreseeing this Tempest return'd to Constantia and hearing of her Indisposition pass'd the rest of the day at her Chamber-door that she might from time to time learn News of her Health for she was not suffer'd to come in at which Agnes was both surpriz'd and troubled The Prince had the
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
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
more modest in that Point than naturally we are being too apt to have a favourable Opinion of ourselves And 't is rather the Effects of a Fear that we are flatter'd than our own ill Opinion of the Beauty flatter'd and that the Praiser does not think so well of it as we do our selves or as at least he wish she shou'd Not but there are Grains of Allowance for the Temper of him that speaks One Man's Humour is to talk much and he may be permitted to enlarge upon the Praise he gives the Person he pretends to without being accus'd of much Guilt Another hates to be Wordy from such an one I have known one soft Expression one tender Thing go as far as whole Days everlasting Protestations urg'd with Vows and mighty Eloquence And both the one and the other indeed must be allow'd in good Manners to stretch the Complement beyond the Bounds of nice Truth and we must not wonder to hear a Man call a Woman a Beauty when she is not Ugly or another a Great Wit if she have but common Sence above the Vulgar well Bred when well Drest and good Natur'd when Civil And as I shou'd be very ridiculous if I took all you said for absolute Truth so I should be very unjust not to allow you very sincere in almost all you said besides and those Things the most material to Love Honour and Friendship And for the rest Damon be it true or false this believe You speak with such a Grace that I cannot chuse but Credit you and find an infinite Pleasure in that Faith because I lovu you And if I cannot find the Cheat I am contented you shou'd deceive me on because yoe do it so agreeably Six a Clock Walk without Design YOU yet have Time to Walk and my Watch foresaw you cou'd not refuse your Friends You must to the Park or to the Mall for the Season is fair and inviting and all the young Beauties love those Places too well not to be there 'T is there that a Thousand Intrigues are carried on and as many more design'd 'T is there that every one is set out for Conquest and who aim at nothing less than Hearts Guard yours well my Damon and be not always admiring what you see Do not in passing by sigh 'em silent Praises Suffer not so much as a guilty Wish to approach your Thoughts nor a heedful Glance to steal from your fine Eyes Those are Regards you ought only to have for her you Love But oh above all have a Care of what you say You are not reproachable if you should remain silent all the Time of your Walk nor wou'd those that know you believe it the Effects of Dulness but Melancholy And if any of your Friends ask you Why you are so I will give you leave to sigh and say The Mall-Content Ah? Wonder not if I appear Regardless of the Pleasures here Or that my Thoughts are thus confin'd To the just Limits of my Mind My Eyes take no Delight to rove O've all the smiling Charmers of the Grove Since she is absent whom they love Ask me not Why the flow'ry Spring Or the gay little Birds that sing Or the young Streams no more delight Or Shades and Arbours can't invite Why the soft Murmurs of the Wind Within the thick grown Groves confin'd No more my Soul transport or cheer Since all that 's charming Iris is not here Nothing seems glorious nothing fair Then suffer me to wander thus With down-cast Eyes and Arms a-cross Let Beauty unregarded go The Trees and Flowers unheeded strow Let purling Streams neglected glide With all the Spring 's adorning Pride 'T is Iris only Soul can give To the dull Shades and Plains and make 'em thrive Nature and my lost Joys retrieve I do not for all this wholly confine your Eyes You may look indifferently on all but with a particular Regard on none You may praise all the Beauties in general but no single one too much I will not exact from you neither an entire Silence There are a thousand Civilities you ought to pay to all your Friends and Acquaintance and while I caution you of Actions that may get you the Reputation of a Lover of some of the Fair that haunt those Places I wou'd not have you by an unnecessary and uncomplaisant Sullenness gain that of a Person too negligent or morose I wou'd have you remiss in no one Punctilio of Good Manners I wou'd have you very just and pay all you owe but in these Affairs be not over generous and give away too much In fine You may Look Speak and Walk but Damon do it all without Design And while you do so remember that Iris sent you this Advice The Warning Take heed my Damon in the Grove Where Beauties with Design do walk Take heed my Damon how you look and talk For there are Ambuscades of Love The very Winds that softly blow Will help betray your easie Heart And all the Flowers that blushing grow The Shades above and Rivulets below Will take the Victor's part Remember Damon all my Safety lies In the just Conduct of your Eyes The Heart by Nature good and brave Is to those treacherous Guards a Slave If they let in the fair destructive Foe Scarce Honour can defend her Noble Seat Ev'n she will be corrupted too Or driv'n to a Retreat The Soul is but the Cully to the Sight And must be pleas'd in what that takes delight Therefore examine your self well and conduct your Eyes during this Walk like a Lover that seeks nothing And do not stay too long in these places Seven a Clock Voluntary Retreat T IS time to be weary 't is Night Take Leave of your Friends and retire Home 'T is in this Retreat that you ought to recollect in your Thoughts all the Actions of the Day and all those Things that you ought to give me an Account of in your Letter You cannot hide the least Secret from me without Treason against Sacred Love For all the World agrees that Confidence is one of the greatest Proofs of the Passion of Love and that Lover who refuses this Confidence to the Person he loves is to be suspected to love but very indifferently and to think very poorly of the Sence and Generosity of his Mistress But that you may acquit your self like a Man and a Lover of Honour and leave me no doubt upon my Soul think of all you have done this Day that I may have all the Story of it in your next Letter to me But deal faithfully and neither add nor diminish in your Relation the Truth and Sincerity of your Confession will attone even for little Faults that you shall commit against me in some of those Things you shall tell me For if you have fail'd in any Point or Circumstance of Love I had much rather hear it from you than another For 't is a sort of Repentance to accuse yourself and wou'd be a Crime
unpardonable if you suffer me to hear it from any other And be assur'd while you confess it I shall be indulgent enough to forgive you The noblest Quality of Man is Sincerity and Damon one ought to have as much of it in Love as in any other Business of one's Life notwithstanding the most part of Men make no Account of it there but will believe there ought to be double Dealing and an Art practis'd in Love as well as in War â—ut Oh! beware of that Notion Sincerity Sincerity Thou greatest Good Thou Vertue which so many boast And art so nicely understood And often in the Searching lost For when we do approach thee near The fine Idea fram'd of thee Appears not now so charming fair As the most useful Flattery Thou hast no Glitt'ring to invite Nor tak'st the Lover at first Sight The modest Vertue shuns the Croud And lives like Vestals in a Cell In Cities 't will not be allow'd Nor takes Delight in Courts to dwell 'T is Nonsence with the Man of Wit And ev'n a Scandal to the Great For all the Young and Fair unfit And scorn'd by wiser Fops of State 〈…〉 as never known To the false 〈◊〉 or the falsâ—r Gown And Damon tho' thy Noble Blood Be most Illustr'ous and Refin'd Tho' ev'ry Grace and ev'ry Good Adorn thy Person and thy Mind 〈◊〉 if this Vertue shine not there This God-like Vertue which alone Wer't thou less Witty Brave or Fair Wou'd for all these less priz'd attone My tender Folly I 'd controul 〈◊〉 scorn the Conquest of thy Soul Eight a Clock Impatient Demands AFter you have sufficiently recollected your self of all the past Actions of the Day call your Page into your Cabinet or him whom you trusted with your last Letter to me where you ought to enquire of him a thousand things and all of me Ask impatiently and be angry if he answers not your Curiosity soon enough Think that he has a Dreaming in his Voice in these Moments more than at other times and reproach him with Dulness For 't is most certain that when one loves tenderly we wou'd know in a Minute what cannot be related in an Hour Ask him How I did How I receiv'd his Letter And if he examin'd the Air of my Face when I took it If I blush'd or look'd pale If my Hand trembled or I spoke to him with short interrupting Sighs If I ask'd him any Questions about you while I was opening the Seal Or if I cou'd not well speak and was silent If I read it attentively and with Joy And all this before you open the Answer I have sent you by him Which because you are impatient to read you with the more Haste 〈◊〉 Earnestness demand all you expect from him and that you may the better know what Humour I was in when I writ that to you For Oh! A Lover has a thousand little Fears and Dreads he knows not why In fine make him recount to you all that past while he was with me And then you ought to read that which I have sent that you may inform your self of all that passes in my Heart for you may assure your self all that I say to you that way proceeds from thence The Assurance How shall a Lover come to know Whether he 's belov'd or no What dear Things must she impart To assure him of her Heart Is it when her Blushes rise And she languish in her Eyes Tremble when he does approach Look pale and faint at every touch Is it when a thousand ways She does his Wit and Beauty praise 〈◊〉 venture to explain 〈◊〉 moving Words a Pain 〈◊〉 so indiscreet she grows To confirm it with her Vows These some short-liv'd Passion moves 〈…〉 Object 's by she loves 〈…〉 and sudden Fire 〈…〉 by some fond Desire 〈◊〉 Goldness will ensue When the Lover's out of View Then she reflects with Scandal o'er 〈◊〉 Scene that past before 〈◊〉 with Blushes wou'd recal 〈◊〉 unconsid'ring Criminal 〈…〉 thousand Faults she 'll find 〈◊〉 bide the Errors of her Mind 〈…〉 weight is found in words As no substantial Faith affords Deceiv'd and briff'd all may be 〈◊〉 that frail Security But a well-digested Flame That will always be the same And that does from Merit grow Establish'd by our Reason too By a better way will prove 'T is th' unerring Fire of Love Lasting Records it will give And that all she says may live Sacred and Authentick stand Her Heart confirms it by her Hand If this a Maid well born allow Damon believe her just and true Nine a Clock Melancholy Reflections YOU will not have much trouble 〈…〉 what my Watch designs here 〈…〉 be no Thought more afflicting than that 〈…〉 Absence of a Mistress and which the 〈…〉 of the Heart will soon make you finde◠〈◊〉 Thousand Fears oppress him he is jealous of every Body and envies those Eyes and 〈◊〉 that are charm'd by being near the 〈…〉 dor'd He grows impatient and makes a 〈◊〉 sand Resolutions and as soon abandâ—â—◠〈◊〉 He gives himself wholly up to the 〈…〉 Incertainty and by degrees from 〈…〉 Thought to another winds himself 〈…〉 supportable Chagrin Take this 〈…〉 think on your Misfortunes which 〈…〉 small to a Soul that is wholly sensible of Love And every one knows that a Love◠〈◊〉 of the Object of his Heart is depriv'd of 〈…〉 World and Inconsolable For though 〈…〉 wishes without ceasing for the dear 〈…〉 one loves and though you speak of her every Minute though you are writing to her every Day and though you are infinitely pleas'd with the dear and tender Answers yet to speak sincerely it must be confess'd that the Felicity of a true Lover is to be always near his Mistress And you may tell me O Damon what you please and say that Absence inspires the Flame which perpetual Presence would fatiate I love too well to be of that Mind and when I am I shall believe my Passion is declining I know not whether it advances your Love but surely it must ruine your Repose And is it impossible to be at once an absent Lover and happy too For my part I can meet with nothing that can please in the absence of Damon but on the contrary I see all things with Disgust I will flatter my self that 't is so with you and that the least Evils appear great Misfortunes and that all those who speak to you of any thing but of what you love increase your Pain by a new remembrance of her Absence I will believe that these are your Sentiments you are assur'd not to see me in some Weeks and if your Heart do not betray your Words all those Days will be tedious to you I would not however have your Melancholy too extream and to lessen it you may perswade yourself that I partake it with you for I remember in your last you told me you would wish we should be both griev'd at the same time and both at the same
of Envy and a thousand Accidents that endeavour to change it Nothing can disoblige it but a known Falseness or Contempt Nothing can remove it 〈◊〉 for a short Moment it may lie sullen and 〈◊〉 it recovers and returns with greater Force and Joy I therefore with very good Reason Crown this Cypher of Constant Love with a Wreath of Laurel since such Love always triumphs over Time and Fortune though it be not her Property to besiege for she cannot overcome but in defending herself but the Victories she gains are never the less glorious For far less Conquest we have known The Victor wear the Laurel Crown The Triumph with more Pride let him receive While those of Love at least more Pleasures give The Fourth CYPHER PErhaps my lovely Maid you will not find out what I mean by the S and the L in this last Cypher that is crown'd with Roses I will therefore tell you I mean Secret Love There are very few People who know the Nature of that Pleasure which so Divine a Love creates And let me say what I will of it they must feel it themselves who wou'd rightly understand it and all its ravishing Sweets But this there is a great deal of Reason to believe the Secrecy in Love doubles the Pleasures of it And I am so absolutely perswaded of this that I believe all those Favours that are not kept â—â—cret are dull and paul'd very insipid and 〈◊〉 Pleasures And let the Favours be never â—â— innocent that a Lover receives from a Mistreâ—â— she ought to value 'em set a Price upon ' â—â— and make the Lover pay dear while he receiâ—â— 'em with Difficulty and sometimes with Hazard A Lover that is not secret but suffers every one to count his Sighs has at most but a feeble Passion such as produces sudden and transitory Desires which die as soon as born A true Love has not this Character for whensoever 't is made Publick it ceases to be a Pleasure and is only the Result of Vanity Not that I expect our Loves shou'd always remain a Secret No I shou'd never at that Rate arrive to a Blessing which above all the Glories of the Earth I aspire to but even then there are a thousand Joys a thousand Pleasures that I shall be as careful to conceal from the foolish World as if the whole Preservation of that Pleasure depended on my Silence as indeed â—â— does in a great Measure To this Cypher I put a Crown of Roses which are not Flowers of a very lasting Date And 't is to let you see that 't is impossible Love â—â— be long hid We see every Day with what fine Dissimulation and Pains People conceal a thousand Hates and Malices Disgusts Disobligations and Resentments without being able to conceal the least part of their Love but Reputation has an Ardour as well as Roses and a Lover ought to esteem that as the dearest and tenderest Thing not only that of his own which is indeed the least part but that of his Mistress more valuable to him than Life He ought to endeavour to give People no occasion to make false Judgments of his Actions or to give their Censures which most certainly are never in the Favour of the fair Person for likely those false Censures are of the busie Female Sex the Coquets of that number whose little Spights and Railleries joyn'd to that fancy'd Wit they boast of sets 'em at Odds with all the Beautiful and Innocent And how very little of that kind serves to give the World a Faith when a thousand Vertues told of the same Persons by more credible Witnesses and Judges shall pass unregarded so willing and inclin'd is all the World to credit the Ill and condemn the Good And yet Oh! what pity 't is we are compell'd to live in Pain to oblige this foolish scandalous World And tho' we know each others Vertue and Honour we are oblig'd to observe that Caution to humour the Talking Town which takes away so great a part of the Pleasure of Life 'T is therefore that among these Roses you will find some Thorns by which you may imagine that in Love Precaution is necessary to its Secrecy And we must restrain our selves upon a thousand Occasions with so much Care that O Iris 't is impossible to be Discreet without Pain but 't is a Pain that creates a thousand Pleasures Where shou'd a Lover hide his Joys Free from Malice free from Noise Where no Envy can intrude Where no busie Rival's Spy Made by Disappointment made May inform his Jealousie The Heart will their best Refuge prove Which Nature meant the Cabinet of Love What wou'd a Lover not endure His Mistress Fame and Honour to secure Iris the Care we take to be discreet Is the dear Toyl that makes the Pleasure sweet The Thorn that does the We althinc lose That with less sawcy Freedom we may touch the Rose The CLASP of the WATCH AH charming Iris Ah my lovely Maid 'T is now in a more peculiar Manner that I require your Aid in the finishing of my Design and compleating the whole Peice to the utmost Perfection and without your Aid it cannot be perform'd It is about the Clasp of the Watch a Material in all appearance the most trivial of any part of it But that it may be safe for ever I design it the Image or Figure of Two Hands that fair One of the adorable Iris joyn'd to mine with this Motto Inviolable Faith For this Case this Heart ought to be shut up by this eternal Clasp Oh there is nothing so necessary as this Nothing can secure Love but Faith That Vertue ought to be a Guard to all the Heart thinks and all the Mouth utters Nor can Love say he triumphs without it And when that remains not in the Heart all the rest deserves no Regard Oh! I have not lov'd so ill to leave one Doubt upon your Soul Why then will you want that Faith O unkind Charmer that my Passion and my Services so justly merit When two Hearts entirely love And in one Sphere of Honour move Each maintains the other's Fire With a Faith that is entire For what heedless Youth bestows On a faithless Maid his Vows Faith without Love bears Vertue 's Price But Love without her Mixture is a Vice Love like Religion still shou'd be In the Foundation firm and true In Points of Faith shou'd still agree Tho' Innovations vain and new Love's little Quarrels may arise In Fundamentals still they 're just and wise Then charming Maid be sure of this Allow me Faith as well as Love Since that alone affords no Bliss Vnless your Faith your Love improve Either resolve to let me die By fairer Play your Cruelty Than not your Love with Faith impart And with your Vows to give your Heart In mad Despair I 'd rather fall Than lose my glorious Hopes of conqu'ring all So certain it is that Love without Faith is of no value In
fine my adorable Iris this Case shall be as near as I can like those delicate ones of Filligrin Work which do not hinder the Sight from taking a View of all within You may therefore see through this Heart all your Watch. Nor is my Desire of preserving this inestimable Piece more than to make it the whole Rule of my Life and Actions And my chiefest Design in these Cyphers is to comprehend in them the principal Vertues that are most necessary to Love Do not we know that Reciprocal Love is Justice Constant Love Fortitude Secret Love Prudence Though 't is true that Extream Love that is Excess of Love in one Sense appears not to be Temperance yet you must know my Iris that in Matters of Love Excess is a Vertue and that all other Degrees of Love are worthy Scorn alone 'T is this alone that can make good the glorious Title 'T is this alone that can bear the true Name of Love and this alone that can bear the true Name of Love and this alone that renders the Lovers truly happy in spight of all the Storms of Fate and Shocks of Fortune This is an Antidote against all other Griefs This bears up the Soul in all Calamity and is the very Heaven of Life the last Refuge of all Worldly Pain and Care and may well bear the Title of Divine The Art of Loving well That Love may all Perfection be Sweet Charming to the last Degree The Heart where the bright Flame does dwell In Faith and Softness shou'd excel Excess of Love shou'd fill each Vein And all its sacred Rites maintain The tend'rest Thoughts Heav'n can inspire Shou'd be the Fuel to its Fire And that like Incense burn as pure Or that in Vrns shou'd still endure No fond Desire shou'd fill the Soul But such as Honour may controul Jealousie I will allow Not the amorous Winds that blow Shou'd wanton in my Iris Hair Or ravish Kisses from my Fair. Not the Flowers that grow beneath Shou'd borrow Sweetness of her Breath If her Bird she do caress How I grudge its Happiness When upon her Snowy Hand The Wanton does triumphing stand Or upon her Brest she skips And lays her Beak to Iris Lips Fainting at my ravisht Joy I cou'd the Innocent destroy If I can no Bliss afford To a little harmless Bird Tell me O thou dear lov'd Maid What Reason cou'd my Rage perswade If a Rival shou'd invade If thy charming Eyes shou'd dart Looks that sally from the Heart If you sent a Smile or Glance To another tho' by Chance Still thou giv'st what 's not thy own They belong to me alone All Submission I wou'd pay Man was born the Fair t' obey Your very Look I 'd understand And thence receive your least Command Never your Justice will dispute But like a Lover execute I wou'd no Vsurper be But in claiming sacred thee I wou'd have all and every part No Thought shou'd hide within thy Heart Mine a Cabinet was made Where Iris Secrets shou'd be laid In the rest without Controul She shou'd triumph o're the Soul Prostrate at her feet I 'd lie Despising Power and Liberty Glorying more by Love to fall Than rule the Vniversal Ball. Hear me O you sawcy Youth And from my Maxims learn this Truth Wou'd you great and powerful prove Be an humble Slave to Love 'T is nobler far a Joy to give Than any Blessing to receive THE LADYs ' Looking Glass TO DRESS Herself by OR THE Whole ART OF CHARMING By Mrs. BEHN LONDON Printed by W. Onley for S. Briscoe 1697. THE Lady's Looking-Glass TO DRESS Herself by OR THE ART of Charming HOW long O charming Iris shall I speak in vain of your adorable Beauty You have been just and believe I love you with a Passion perfectly tender and extream and yet you will not allow your Charms to be infinite You must either accuse my Flames to be unreasonable and that my Eyes and Heart are false Judges of Wit and Beauty or allow that you are the most perfect of your Sex But instead of that you always accuse of me Flattery when I speak of your infinite Merit and when I refer you to your Glass you tell me that flatters as well as Damon though one wou'd imagine that shou'd be a good Witness for the Truth of what I say and undeceive you of the Opinion of my Injustice Look and confirm yourself that nothing can equal your Perfections All the World says it and you must doubt it no longer O Iris Will you dispute against the whole World But since you have so long distrusted your own Glass I have here presented you with one which I know is very true and having been made for you only can serve only you All other Glasses present all Objects but this reflects only Iris whenever you consult it it will convince you and tell you how much Right I have done you when I told you you were the fairest Person that ever Nature made When other Beauties look into it it will speak to all the fair Ones but let 'em do what they will 't will say nothing to their Advantage Iris to spare what you call flattery Consult your Glass each Hour of the Day 'T will tell you where your Charms and Beauties lie And where your little wanton Graces play Where Love does revel in your Face and Eyes What Look invites your Slaves and what denies Where all the Loves adorn you with such Care Where dress your Smiles where arm your lovely Eyes Where deck the flowing Tresses of your Hair How cause your Snowy Breasts to fall and rise How this severe Glance makes the Lover die How that more soft gives Immortality Where you shall see what 't is enslaves the Soul Where e'ry Feature e'ry Look combines When the adorning Air o're all the whole To so much Wit and so nice Vertue joyns Where the Belle Taille and Motion still afford Graces to be eternally ador'd But I will be silent now and let your Glass speak THE Lady's Looking-Glass DAmon O charming Iris has given me to you that you may sometimes give your self the Trouble and me the Honour of Consulting me in the great and weighty Affairs of Beauty I am my adorable Mistress a faithful Glass and you ought to believe all I say to you The Shape of IRIS I Must begin with your Shape and tell you without Flattery 't is the finest in the World and gives Love and Admiration to all that see you Pray observe how free and easie it is without Constraint Stiffness or Affectation those mistaken Graces of the Fantastick and the Formal who give themselves Pain to shew their Will to please and whose Dressing makes the greatest part of its Fineness when they are more oblig'd to the Taylor than to Nature who add or diminish as occasion serves to form a Grace where Heaven never gave it And while they remain on this Wreck of Pride they are eternally uneasie without pleasing
as blest as I. Extravagant with my Joys I have stray'd beyond my Limits for I was telling you of the wondrous Fineness of your Eyes which no Mortal can resist nor any Heart stand the force of their Charms and the most difficult Conquests they gain scarce cost 'em the Expence of a Look They are modest and tender chaste and languishing There you may take a View of the whole Soul and see Wit and Good Nature those two inseparable Vertues of the Mind in an extraordinary Measure In fine you see all that fair Eyes can produce to make themselves ador'd And when they are angry they strike an unresistable Awe upon the Soul And those Severities Damon wishes may perpetually accompany them during their Absence from him for 't is with such Eyes he wou'd have you receive all his Rivals Keep lovely Maid the Softness in your Eyes To flatter Damon with another Day When at your Feet the ravish'd Lover lies Then put on all that 's tender all that 's gay And for the Griefs your Absence makes him prove Give him the softest dearest Looks of Love His trembling Heart with sweetest Smiles caress And in your Eyes soft Wishes let him find That your Regret of Absence may confess In which no Sense of Pleasure you cou'd find And to restore him let your faithful Eyes Declare that all his Rivals you despise The Mouth of IRIS I Perceive your Modesty wou'd impose Silence on me But O fair Iris Do not think to present yourself before a Glass if you wou'd not have it tell you all your Beauties Content yourself that I only speak of 'em En Passant for shou'd I speak what I wou'd I shou'd dwell all Day upon each particular and still say something new Give me Liberty then to speak of your fine Mouth You need only open it a little and you will see the most delicate Teeth that ever you beheld the whitest and the best set Your Lips are the finest in the World so round so soft so plump so dimpled and of the loveliest Colour And when you smile Oh! What Imagination can conceive how sweet it is that has not seen you Smiling I cannot describe what I so admire and 't is in vain to those who have not seen Iris. O Iris boast that one peculiar Charm That has so many Conquests made So innocent yet capable of harm So just itself yet has so oft betray'd Where a thousand Graces dwell And wanton round in e'ery Smile A thousand Loves do listen when you speak And catch each Accent as it flies Rich flowing Wit when e're you Silence break Flows from your Tongue and sparkles in your Eyes Whether you talk or silent are Your Lips immortal Beauties were The Neck of IRIS ALL your Modesty all your nice Care cannot hide the ravishing Beauties of your Neck we must see it Coy as you are and see it the whitest and finest shap'd that ever was form'd Oh! Why will you cover it You know all handsome things wou'd be seen And Oh! how often have you made your Lovers envy your Scarf or any thing that hides so fine an Object from their sight Damon himself complains of your too nice Severity Pray do not hide it so carefully See how perfectly turn'd it is with small blue Veins wandring and ranging here and there like little Rivulets that wanton o'er the flowry Meads See how the round white rising Breasts heave with every Breath as if they disdain'd to be confin'd to a Covering and repel the malicious Cloud that wou'd obscure their Brightness Fain I wou'd have leave to tell The Charms that on your Bosom dwell Describe it like some flow'ry Field That does ten thousand Pleasures yield A thousand gliding Springs and Groves All Receptacles for Loves But Oh! what Iris hides must be Ever sacred kept by me The Arms and Hands of IRIS I Shall not be put to much trouble to shew you your Hands and Arms because you may view them without my help and you are very unjust if you have not admir'd 'em a Thousand times The beautiful Colour and Proportion of your Arm is unimitable and your Hand is dazling fine small and plump long-pointed Fingers delicately turn'd dimpl'd on the Snowy out-side but adorn'd within with Rose all over the soft Palm O Iris Nothing equals your fair Hand that Hand of which Love so often makes such use to draw his Bow when he wou'd send the Arrow home with more success and which irresistibly wounds those who possibly have not yet seen your Eyes And when you have been veil'd that lovely Hand has gain'd you a thousand Adorers And I have heard Damon say Without the Aid of more Beauties that alone had been sufficient to have made an absolute Conquest o'er his Soul And he has often vow'd It never touch'd him but it made his Blood run with little irregular Motions in his Veins his Breath beat short and double his Blushes rise and his very Soul dance Oh! how the Hand the Lover ought to prize 'Bove any one peculiar Grace While he is dying for the Eyes And doting on the lovely Face The Vnconsid'ring little knows How much he to this Beauty owes That when the Lover absent is Informs him of his Mistress Heart 'T is that which gives him all his Bliss When dear Love-Secrets 't will impart That plights the Faith the Maid bestows And that confirms the tim'rous Vows 'T is that betrays the Tenderness Which the too bashful Tongue denies 'T is that that does the Heart confess And spares the Language of the Eyes 'T is that which Treasures gives so vast Ev'n Iris 't will to Damon give at last The Grace and Air of IRIS 'T IS I alone O charming Maid that can shew you that noble part of your Beauty That generous Air that adorns all your lovely Person and renders every Motion and Action perfectly adorable With what a Grace you walk How free how easie and how unaffected See how you move for only here you can see it Damon has told you a thousand times that never any Mortal had so glorious an Air but he cou'd not half describe it nor wou'd you credit even what he said but with a careless Smile pass it off for the Flattery of a Lover But here behold and be convinc'd and know no part of your Beauty can charm more than this O Iris confess Love has adorn'd you with all his Art and Care Your Beauties are the Themes of all the Muses who tell you in daily Songs that the Graces themselves have not more than Iris. And one may truly say that you alone know how to joyn the Ornaments and Dress with Beauty and you are still adorn'd as if that Shape and Air had a peculiar Art to make all things appear gay and fine Oh how well drest you are How every thing becomes you Never singular never gawdy but always suiting with your Quality Oh how that Negligence becomes your Air That careless flowing of
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
Flippant the Lady Harpy the Lady Crocodile Madam Tattlemore Miss Medler Mrs. Gingerly a rich Grocer's Wife and some others besides Knights and Gentlemen of as good humours as the Ladies all whom he invited to a Ball at his own House the Night following his own Lady being then in the Countrey Madam Tattlemore I think was the first he spoke to in Court and whom first he surpriz'd with the happy News of his Advancement to the Title of King of Bantam How wondrous hasty was she to be gone as soon as she heard it 'T was not in her Power because not in her Nature to stay long enough to take a civil Leave of the Company but away she flew big with the Empty Title of a Fantastick King proclaiming it to every one of her Acquaintance as she pass'd through every Room till she came to the Presence-Chamber where she only whisper'd it but her Whispers made above half the Honourable Company quit the Presence of the King of Great Britain to go make their Court to His Majesty of Bantam some cry'd God Bless Your Majesty some Long live the King of Bantam others All Hail to Your Sacred Majesty In short he was Congratulated on all sides Indeed I don't hear that His Majesty King Charles the Second ever sent any Embassador to Complement him though possibly He saluted him by his Title the first time he saw him afterwards For you know He is a wonderful Good-natur'd and a Well-bred Gentleman After he thought the Court of England was universally acquainted with his mighty Honour he was pleas'd to think fit to retire to his own more private Palace with Sir Philip and Goodland whom he Entertain'd that night very handsomly till about Seven a clock when they went together to the Play which was that Night A King and No King His Attendant-Friends cou'd not forbear smiling to think how aptly the Title of the Play suited his Circumstances Nor cou'd he chuse but take notice of it behind the Scenes between Jest and Earnest telling the Players how kind Fortune had been the Night past in disposing the Bean to him and justifying what one of her Prophetesses had foretold some Years since I shall now no more regard said he that old Doating Fellow Pythagoras's Saying Abstineto à Fabis That is added he by way of Construction Abstain from Beans For I find the Excellency of 'em in Cakes and Dishes From the first they inspire the Soul with mighty Thoughts and from the last our Bodies receive a strong and wholsom Nourishment That is said a Wag among those sharp Youths I think 't was my Friend the Count These Puff you up in Mind Sir Those in Body They had some further Discourse among the Nymphs of the Stage e're they went into the Pit where Sir Philip spread the News of his Friend's Accession to the Title tho' not yet to the Throne of Bantam upon which he was there again Complemented on that Occasion Several of the Ladies and Gentlemen who saluted him he invited to the next Night's Ball at his Palace The Play done they took each of 'em a Bottle at the Rose and parted till Seven the Night following which came not sooner than desired for he had taken such care that all things were in readiness before Eight only he was to expect the Musick till the end of the Play About Nine Sir Philip his Lady Goodland Philibella and Lucy came Sir Philip return'd him Rabelais which he had borrow'd of him wherein the Knight had written in an old odd sort of Character this Prophecy of his own making with which he surpriz'd the Majesty of Bantam who vow'd he had never taken notice of 'em before but he said he perceiv'd they had been long written by the Character and here it follows as near as I can remember When M. D. C. come L before Three XXXs. two IIs. one I more Then KING tho' now but Name to thee Shall both thy Name and Title be They had hardly made an end of reading 'em e're the whole Company and more than he had invited came in and were receiv'd with a great deal of Formality and Magnificence Lucy was there attended as his Queen and Philibella as the Princess her Sister They Danc'd then till they were weary and afterwards retir'd to another large Room where they found the Tables spread and furnish'd with all the most seasonable Cold Meats which was succeeded by the choicest Fruits and the richest Disert of Sweet-meats that Luxury cou'd think on or at least that this Town cou'd afford The Wines were all most excellent in their kind and their Spirits flew about through every corner of the House There was scarce a Spark sober in the whole Company with drinking repeated Glasses to the Health of the King of Bantam and his Royal Consort with the Princess Philibella's who sate together under a Royal Canopy of State his Majesty between the two Beautiful Sisters only Friendly and Goodland wisely manag'd that Part of the Engagement where they were concern'd and preserv'd themselves from the Heat of the Debauch Between Three and Four most of 'em began to draw off laden with Fruit and Sweet-meats and rich Favours compos'd of Yellow Green Red and White the Colours of his New Majesty of Bantam Before Five they were left to themselves when the Lady Friendly was discompos'd for want of Sleep and her usual Cordial which oblig'd Sir Philip to wait on her home with his two Nieces But his Majesty wou'd by no means part with Goodland whom before Nine that Morning he made as Drunk as a Lord and by consequence one of his Peers for Majesty was then indeed as Great as an Emperor He fancy'd himself Alexander and young Valentine his Hephaestion and did so Be-buss him that the young Gentleman fear'd he was faln into the hands of an Italian However by the kind Persuasions of his Condescending and Dissembling Majesty he ventur'd to go into Bed with him where King Wou'd be fell asleep hand-over-head and not long after Goodland his new made Peer follow'd him to the cool Retreats of Morpheus About Three the next afternoon they both Wak'd as by consent and call'd to Dress And after that bus'ness was over I think they swallow'd each of 'em a Pint of Old-Hook with a little Sugar by the way of Healing Their Coaches were got ready in the mean time but the Peer was forc'd to accept of the Honour of being carry'd in his Majesty 's to Sir Philip's whom they found just risen from Dinner with Philadelphia and his two Nieces They sate down and ask'd for something to relish a Glass of Wine and Sir Philip order'd a cold Chine to be set before 'em of which they eat about an Ounce a-piece but they drank more by the half I dare say After their little Repast Friendly call'd the Wou'd be-Monarch aside and told him that he wou'd have him go the Play that Night which was The London Cuckolds promising
to give him any more He out of a foolish fansie of Generosity or excessive good Opinion of his own Charms and Power over her tells her he has now thought of a way to satisfie her Doubts and by a convincing proof of his Love remove all those Anxieties that gave her so much Pain and robb'd him of his Rest and Satisfaction for to shew her that it was her Person and that alone which he esteem'd he would immediately put her Fortune into her own possession again and keep no other Right he had to any thing of hers but her Person which was the Treasure he only coveted a quiet enjoyment of This was the point she had all this while been lab'ring to gain and you may imagine she lost not the lucky Minute of the Fools ridiculous Fondness The Writings were made and she put in absolute possession of all her Fortune and had therefore no farther need of a longer Dissimulation nay the curb that had been set on her unruly Will for the short time of their Marriage provok'd her to observe no measures with him whom she could not forgive the many Pleasures he had disappointed her of He was first tormented with fresh Proofs ev'ry day of his being a notorious Cuckold to which were added the Affronts of the Servants and the Contempt of the Mistress and when none of these wou'd rid her hands of him whose sight she loath'd having taken particular care to have him well beaten she thrust him out of doors to provide for himself His late treatment made him unwilling to return for fear of a worse reception and since he had found all means ineffectual to reclaim her he concluded to pass on to his own Estate and from thence to London out of the hearing himself the perpetual Discourse of the Countrey He had not been long in Town when one day walking in the Park in a very mean Condition his own Estate being then seiz'd by his Brothers for the repayment of what he had wrong'd 'em of he sees his Wife alone and though masqu'd knows her his Necessities prompted him at least to try if the making himself Master of her Person and playing the Tyrant in his turn would not furnish him with a present Supply if not recover him the Possession of her Estate by cancelling the Deed that put it in her power to abuse him She was very well dress'd and he something shabby he seizes her uses all the Arguments he could to persuade her Reformation and Re-union to a Man that yet had a value for her but all in vain He told her plainly he would keep her Person though he had nothing to do with her Estate 't was in vain for her to struggle so she went with him to the Horse-Guards contriving all the way how to get rid of him and being come there on some occasion there happen'd to be a great concourse of People This gave her a lucky hint and starting from him she sought the Protection of the Mobb assuring them he was a paultry Scoundrel that would needs pretend to seduce her to his Ends but on denial had on his threats prevail'd with her to go quietly to that place where she hop'd her Rescue He assur'd them he was her Husband and that he only meant to reclaim her from her evil courses and carry her home She with all the assurance imaginable laughing at his Assertion desir'd 'em to consider if that Man look'd like her Husband Her Dress and Mien had engag'd a Gentleman of the Guards to espouse her Quarrel and preventing the Decision of the Mobb declar'd his Opinion in the Lady's favour and propos'd the giving him the civility of the Horse-pond which hitting the brutal pleasure of the Mobb prevail'd and so the poor Knight was carry'd to the Enchanted Castle and the Lady set free for more agreeable Encounters for she was not ungrateful to her Deliverer This unlucky Adventure was no small check to his Hopes and unopinion of his own Conduct and Judgment yet about half a year after being now more gay by the recovery of his Estate and walking in the Park again he meets his treacherous Spouse and full of the Injury he had last received from her and out of fear of the like Misfortune his Dress being now answerable to her's he upbraids her with what was past and assures her nothing shall now deliver her from him and so endeavouring to force her out again at the Horse-Guards where she enter'd and near which he met her she by her cunning and seeming sorrow for what had past prevail'd with him to go out at St. James's and being got out of the Gate she makes to the first Coach very peaceably with him where he found three Gentlemen who waited ready for her and on her approach came out deliver'd her from her Husband and without much difficulty carry'd her off Being thus again out-witted by her and seeing no help for his desperate Condition he gave over all thought of her and set his mind on some fresh Amour to wear off the uneasie remembrance of his past Adventures Among the rest that were doom'd to suffer his Addresses it has been my fate of late to share the ill luck tho' I have the advantage of a great deal of good Company to atone for the impertinent Moments he taxes me with his Conversation diverting sometimes some of my best Friends and his Letters my self they are so affectedly ridiculous that I will shew you one of them extraordinary in its kind To the incomparable fine hands of the Seraphick Astrea SHou'd I make a Palinode for the Aggressions of my Passion I should disappoint the Justice of your Expectations for without any periodical flourishes you know your Wit has irresistable Charms and that we can no more resist the desire of imparting our Pain when the Paroxism approaches than a sick Man in a Fever the desire of Water The Horoscope of my Love for the bright Astrea rose under a very noxious Influence if its Stars ordain it abortive You Madam that are Mistress of the Encyclopedy of the Sciences who have the whole Galaxy of the Muses to attend you that have the Corruscations of the Night in your Eyes Jove's Bolts and Lightning in your Frowns and the Sheers of the three fatal Sisters in your Anger shou'd also have the commiseration of the Gods in the Tribunal of your Heart to preponderate to the Severity of your Justice The wise Ancients among their other Hieroglyphicks made Justice Blind that she might see and discover the several shares and proportions due to the several Pretenders to her Favour You Madam are the Portraiture the admirable Icon of that Justice whose Name you bear Terras Astraea reliquit that is 'T is full well known That Justice is flown Yet most Serene Fair One she possesses your Breast there she nidificates there she erects her Bower and there I hope to have her declare in the favour of Madam Your most Obsequious
Humble Servant and Non pareil Admirer c. This indeed is the Soul of a meer Academic that is of one whom Learning ill understood has fitted for a publick Coxcomb and of whom there is scarce any one so ignorant as to have a good Opinion You have indeed reply'd I a most extraordinary Lover of him but whose folly is too gross to be so long entertaining as he shall think fit to be impertinent for like common Beggars they are not to be denied and are so far Courtiers to think perpetual Importunities merit so that if you have no way of ridding your hands of him but laughing at him 't will never do for a Fool follows you the more for laughing at him as a Spaniel does for beating of him Why truly reply'd Astrea he is grown so troublesome now that I shall be forced to use him as bad as his Wife has done in my own defence and that I intend to put in execution the more speedily since I find my Lysander grows uneasie at his Addresses which can never move any thing but laughter however I shall easily sacrifice so trifling a Sport to the Quiet of the Man I love in which you must assist me for Lysander shall have no hand in it both to secure him from a Quarrel and my self the pleasure of revenging him on a Fop that could hope where he had possession I promis'd to give her all the Assistance I was capable of to gratifie so reasonable a Revenge for if one Man affronts another by his Rudeness the Person affronted must be look'd upon as a Coward if he take not Satisfaction I can imagine no reason in the world why a Woman of Wit that is affronted with the saucy impertinent Love of a Fool that will not be denied shou'd not punish his Inâ—olence according to her power Wit is the Weapon she had to fight with and that she was to make use of in her Satisfaction to which as a Second I was very willing to contribute though the Part she afterwards engag'd me to play was not so agreeable to me as I at first imagin'd for to give a conceited Coxcomb any reason to believe he has an Ascendant over a Woman and then allow him the least Opportunity is to put her self in a manifest hazard of her Honour and Satisfaction But this I did not much consider being willing to free my Friend from the Importunities of one she cou'd no more suffer than know how to be handsomly rid of And upon her Persuasion I took the opportunity of his next Visit to give him all the reason imaginable to make him think me extremely taken with his Person Which Interview Astrea took care to improve on my departure and to let him know that I was a Person of no less Fortune than Quality which wou'd repair the loss of an unfaithful Wife Flattery as it has some power on the most Sensible so it is of such force with a Fool that no Consideration can withstand it He soon thought the pursuit of me more eligible where he imagin'd his Perfections had made such an impression that I cou'd no more resist the Charm than the barren Passion he had hitherto entertain'd for Astrea In short she came to a perfect understanding and the Assignation was made and some Friends provided to be in readiness to disappoint him when he most thought me his own But the Gentlemen retir'd to the Balcony to see some sudden Hubbub in the Street and my Lover full of himself and the opinion of my being wholly at his devotion press'd so hard for the victory that when nothing else wou'd secure me I was forc'd to cry out On which the Gentlemen approach'd and he believing one of 'em my Husband was in a most dreadful fright and soon discover'd the baseness of his Spirit for in hopes to get clear off himself accus'd me to him he suppos'd my Husband But this not availing he was handsomly toss'd in a Blanket wash'd and turn'd out of doors All which Misfortunes he dissembl'd to Astrea and renew'd his Suit to her till by appointment I and the two Gentlemen enter'd the Room and expos'd the truth of the Story which he cou'd not deny and confounded with the Reproaches of Astrea and the whole Company 's laughing at him he never after troubl'd her with a Visit This was the end of this ridiculous Amour But that which touch'd her Heart cou'd not be so easily dispos'd of I have already mention'd Lysander as a Lover she valu'd and he having contributed her Letters to him to the last Impression I shall say no more of it than what those discover which I have now inserted in their order LOVE-LETTERS To a Gentleman BY Mrs. A. BEHN Printed from the Original Letters LETTER I. YOU bid me write and I wish it were only the Effects of Complaisance that makes me obey you I shou'd be very angry with my self and you if I thought it were any other Motive I hope it is not and will not have you believe otherwise I cannot help however wishing you no Mirth nor any content in your Dancing Design and this unwonted Malice in me I do not like and wou'd have conceal'd it if I cou'd lest you shou'd take it for something which I am not nor will believe my self guilty of May your Women be all Ugly Ill-natur'd Ill-dress'd Ill-fashion'd and Unconversable and for your greater Disappointment may every Moment of your Time there be taken up with Thoughts of Me a sufficient Curse and yet you will be better entertain'd than Me who possibly am and shall be uneasie with Thoughts not so good Perhaps you had eas'd me of some Trouble if you had let me seen you or known you had been well but these are Favours for better Friends and I 'll endeavour not to resent the loss or rather the miss of ' em It may be since I have so easily granted this Desire of yours in writing to you you will fear you have pull'd a Trouble on But do not I do by this send for you You know what you gave your Hand upon the Date of Banishment is already out and I cou'd have wish'd you had been so Good-natur'd as to have disobey'd me Pray take notice therefore I am better Natur'd than you I am profoundly Melancholy since I saw you I know not why and should be glad to see you when your Occasions will permit you to visit Astrea LETTER II. YOU may tell me a Thousand Years my dear Lycidas of your unbounded Friendship but after so unkind a Departure as that last Night give me leave when serious to doubt it nay 't is past doubt I know you rather hate me What else could hurry you from me when you saw me surrounded with all the necessary Impossibilities of speaking to you I made as broad Signs as one could do who durst not speak both for your sake and my own I acted even imprudently to make my Soul be understood that