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You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Love-Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister + +Author: Aphra Behn + +Release Date: July, 2005 [EBook #8409] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on July 8, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LOVE-LETTERS *** + + + + +Produced by Curtis A. Weyant +and The Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + + +Love-Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister + +by + +Aphra Behn + + + + +The Argument + + + +In the time of the rebellion of the true Protestant _Huguenot_ in +_Paris_, under the conduct of the Prince of _Conde_ (whom we will call +_Cesario_) many illustrious persons were drawn into the association, +amongst which there was one, whose quality and fortune (joined with +his youth and beauty) rendered him more elevated in the esteem of the +gay part of the world than most of that age. In his tender years +(unhappily enough) he chanced to fall in love with a lady, whom we +will call _Myrtilla_, who had charms enough to engage any heart; she +had all the advantages of youth and nature; a shape excellent; a most +agreeable stature, not too tall, and far from low, delicately +proportioned; her face a little inclined round, soft, smooth and +white; her eyes were blue, a little languishing, and full of love and +wit; a mouth curiously made, dimpled, and full of sweetness; lips +round, soft, plump and red; white teeth, firm and even; her nose a +little _Roman_, and which gave a noble grace to her lovely face, her +hair light brown; a neck and bosom delicately turned, white and +rising; her arms and hands exactly shaped; to this a vivacity of youth +engaging; a wit quick and flowing; a humour gay, and an air +irresistibly charming; and nothing was wanting to complete the joys of +the young _Philander_, (so we call our amorous hero) but _Myrtilla_'s +heart, which the illustrious _Cesario_ had before possessed; however, +consulting her honour and her interest, and knowing all the arts as +women do to feign a tenderness; she yields to marry him: while +_Philander_, who scorned to owe his happiness to the commands of +parents, or to chaffer for a beauty, with her consent steals her away, +and marries her. But see how transitory is a violent passion; after +being satiated, he slights the prize he had so dearly conquered; some +say, the change was occasioned by her too visibly continued love to +_Cesario_; but whatever it was, this was most certain, _Philander_ +cast his eyes upon a young maid, sister to _Myrtilla_, a beauty, whose +early bloom promised wonders when come to perfection; but I will spare +her picture here, _Philander_ in the following epistles will often +enough present it to your view: He loved and languished, long before +he durst discover his pain; her being sister to his wife, nobly born, +and of undoubted fame, rendered his passion too criminal to hope for a +return, while the young lovely _Sylvia_ (so we shall call the noble +maid) sighed out her hours in the same pain and languishment for +_Philander_, and knew not that it was love, till she betraying it +innocently to the overjoyed lover and brother, he soon taught her to +understand it was love--he pursues it, she permits it, and at last +yields, when being discovered in the criminal intrigue, she flies with +him; he absolutely quits _Myrtilla_, lives some time in a village near +_Paris_, called St _Denis_, with this betrayed unfortunate, till being +found out, and like to be apprehended, (one for the rape, the other +for the flight) she is forced to marry a cadet, a creature of +_Philander_'s, to bear the name of husband only to her, while +_Philander_ had the entire possession of her soul and body: still the +_League_ went forward, and all things were ready for a war in _Paris_; +but it is not my business here to mix the rough relation of a war, +with the soft affairs of love; let it suffice, the _Huguenots_ were +defeated, and the King got the day, and every rebel lay at the mercy +of his sovereign. _Philander_ was taken prisoner, made his escape to a +little cottage near his own palace, not far from _Paris_, writes to +_Sylvia_ to come to him, which she does, and in spite of all the +industry to re-seize him, he got away with _Sylvia_. + +After their flight these letters were found in their cabinets, at +their house at St _Denis_, where they both lived together, for the +space of a year; and they are as exactly as possible placed in the +order they were sent, and were those supposed to be written towards +the latter end of their amours. + +Love-Letters + + + + +Part I. + + + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +Though I parted from you resolved to obey your impossible commands, +yet know, oh charming _Sylvia_! that after a thousand conflicts +between love and honour, I found the god (too mighty for the idol) +reign absolute monarch in my soul, and soon banished that tyrant +thence. That cruel counsellor that would suggest to you a thousand +fond arguments to hinder my noble pursuit; _Sylvia_ came in view! her +irresistible _Idea_! With all the charms of blooming youth, with all +the attractions of heavenly beauty! Loose, wanton, gay, all flowing +her bright hair, and languishing her lovely eyes, her dress all +negligent as when I saw her last, discovering a thousand ravishing +graces, round, white, small breasts, delicate neck, and rising bosom, +heaved with sighs she would in vain conceal; and all besides, that +nicest fancy can imagine surprising--Oh I dare not think on, lest my +desires grow mad and raving; let it suffice, oh adorable _Sylvia_! I +think and know enough to justify that flame in me, which our weak +alliance of brother and sister has rendered so criminal; but he that +adores _Sylvia_, should do it at an uncommon rate; 'tis not enough to +sacrifice a single heart, to give you a simple passion, your beauty +should, like itself, produce wondrous effects; it should force all +obligations, all laws, all ties even of nature's self: you, my lovely +maid, were not born to be obtained by the dull methods of ordinary +loving; and 'tis in vain to prescribe me measures; and oh much more in +vain to urge the nearness of our relation. What kin, my charming +_Sylvia_, are you to me? No ties of blood forbid my passion; and +what's a ceremony imposed on man by custom? What is it to my divine +_Sylvia_, that the priest took my hand and gave it to your sister? +What alliance can that create? Why should a trick devised by the wary +old, only to make provision for posterity, tie me to an eternal +slavery? No, no, my charming maid, 'tis nonsense all; let us, (born +for mightier joys) scorn the dull _beaten road_, but let us love like +the first race of men, nearest allied to God, promiscuously they +loved, and possessed, father and daughter, brother and sister met, and +reaped the joys of love without control, and counted it religious +coupling, and 'twas encouraged too by heaven itself: therefore start +not (too nice and lovely maid) at shadows of things that can but +frighten fools. Put me not off with these delays; rather say you but +dissembled love all this while, than now 'tis born, to die again with +a poor fright of nonsense. A fit of honour! a phantom imaginary, and +no more; no, no, represent me to your soul more favourably, think you +see me languishing at your feet, breathing out my last in sighs and +kind reproaches, on the pitiless _Sylvia_; reflect when I am dead, +which will be the more afflicting object, the ghost (as you are +pleased to call it) of your murdered honour, or the pale and bleeding +one of + +_The lost_ PHILANDER. + +_I have lived a whole day, +and yet no letter from_ Sylvia. + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +OH why will you make me own (oh too importunate _Philander_!) with +what regret I made you promise to prefer my honour before your love? + +I confess with blushes, which you might then see kindling in my face, +that I was not at all pleased with the vows you made me, to endeavour +to obey me, and I then even wished you would obstinately have denied +obedience to my just commands; have pursued your criminal flame, and +have left me raving on my undoing: for when you were gone, and I had +leisure to look into my heart, alas! I found, whether you obliged or +not, whether love or honour were preferred, I, unhappy I, was either +way inevitably lost. Oh! what pitiless god, fond of his wondrous +power, made us the objects of his almighty vanity? Oh why were we two +made the first precedents of his new found revenge? For sure no +brother ever loved a sister with so criminal a flame before: at least +my inexperienced innocence never met with so fatal a story: and it is +in vain (my too charming brother) to make me insensible of our +alliance; to persuade me I am a stranger to all but your eyes and +soul. + +Alas, your fatally kind industry is all in vain. You grew up a brother +with me; the title was fixed in my heart, when I was too young to +understand your subtle distinctions, and there it thrived and spread; +and it is now too late to transplant it, or alter its native property: +who can graft a flower on a contrary stalk? The rose will bear no +tulips, nor the hyacinth the poppy, no more will the brother the name +of lover. Oh! spoil not the natural sweetness and innocence we now +retain, by an endeavour fruitless and destructive; no, no, +_Philander_, dress yourself in what charms you will, be powerful as +love can make you in your soft argument--yet, oh yet, you are my +brother still.--But why, oh cruel and eternal powers, was not +_Philander_ my lover before you destined him a brother? Or why, being +a brother, did you, malicious and spiteful powers, destine him a +lover? Oh, take either title from him, or from me a life, which can +render me no satisfaction, since your cruel laws permit it not for +_Philander_, nor his to bless the now + +_Unfortunate_ SYLVIA. + +_Wednesday morning_. + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +After I had dismissed my page this morning with my letter, I walked +(filled with sad soft thoughts of my brother _Philander_) into the +grove, and commanding _Melinda_ to retire, who only attended me, I +threw myself down on that bank of grass where we last disputed the +dear, but fatal business of our souls: where our prints (that invited +me) still remain on the pressed greens: there with ten thousand sighs, +with remembrance of the tender minutes we passed then, I drew your +last letter from my bosom, and often kissed, and often read it over; +but oh! who can conceive my torment, when I came to that fatal part of +it, where you say you gave your hand to my sister? I found my soul +agitated with a thousand different passions, but all insupportable, +all mad and raving; sometimes I threw myself with fury on the ground, +and pressed my panting heart to the earth; then rise in rage, and tear +my heart, and hardly spare that face that taught you first to love; +then fold my wretched arms to keep down rising sighs that almost rend +my breast, I traverse swiftly the conscious grove; with my distracted +show'ring eyes directed in vain to pitiless heaven, the lovely silent +shade favouring my complaints, I cry aloud, Oh God! _Philander_'s, +married, the lovely charming thing for whom I languish is +married!--That fatal word's enough, I need not add to whom. Married is +enough to make me curse my birth, my youth, my beauty, and my eyes +that first betrayed me to the undoing object: curse on the charms you +have flattered, for every fancied grace has helped my ruin on; now, +like flowers that wither unseen and unpossessed in shades, they must +die and be no more, they were to no end created, since _Philander_ is +married: married! Oh fate, oh hell, oh torture and confusion! Tell me +not it is to my sister, that addition is needless and vain: to make me +eternally wretched, there needs no more than that _Philander_ is +married! Than that the priest gave your hand away from me; to another, +and not to me; tired out with life, I need no other pass-port than +this repetition, _Philander_ is married! 'Tis that alone is sufficient +to lay in her cold tomb + +_The wretched and despairing Wednesday night, Bellfont._ SYLVIA. + + * * * * * + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +Twice last night, oh unfaithful and unloving _Sylvia_! I sent the page +to the old place for letters, but he returned the object of my rage, +because without the least remembrance from my fickle maid: in this +torment, unable to hide my disorder, I suffered myself to be laid in +bed; where the restless torments of the night exceeded those of the +day, and are not even by the languisher himself to be expressed; but +the returning light brought a short slumber on its wings; which was +interrupted by my atoning boy, who brought two letters from my +adorable _Sylvia_: he waked me from dreams more agreeable than all my +watchful hours could bring; for they are all tortured.----And even the +softest mixed with a thousand despairs, difficulties and +disappointments, but these were all love, which gave a loose to joys +undenied by honour! And this way, my charming _Sylvia_, you shall be +mine, in spite of all the tyrannies of that cruel hinderer; honour +appears not, my _Sylvia_, within the close-drawn curtains; in shades +and gloomy light the phantom frights not, but when one beholds its +blushes, when it is attended and adorned, and the sun sees its false +beauties; in silent groves and grottoes, dark alcoves, and lonely +recesses, all its formalities are laid aside; it was then and there +methought my _Sylvia_ yielded, with a faint struggle and a soft +resistance; I heard her broken sighs, her tender whispering voice, +that trembling cried,--'Oh! Can you be so cruel?--Have you the +heart--Will you undo a maid, because she loves you? Oh! Will you ruin +me, because you may?----My faithless----My unkind----' then sighed and +yielded, and made me happier than a triumphing god! But this was still +a dream, I waked and sighed, and found it vanished all! But oh, my +_Sylvia_, your letters were substantial pleasure, and pardon your +adorer, if he tell you, even the disorder you express is infinitely +dear to him, since he knows it all the effects of love; love, my soul! +Which you in vain oppose; pursue it, dear, and call it not undoing, or +else explain your fear, and tell me what your soft, your trembling +heart gives that cruel title to? Is it undoing to love? And love the +man you say has youth and beauty to justify that love? A man, that +adores you with so submissive and perfect a resignation; a man, that +did not only love first, but is resolved to die in that agreeable +flame; in my creation I was formed for love, and destined for my +_Sylvia_, and she for her _Philander_: and shall we, can we disappoint +our fate? No, my soft charmer, our souls were touched with the same +shafts of love before they had a being in our bodies, and can we +contradict divine decree? + +Or is it undoing, dear, to bless _Philander_ with what you must some +time or other sacrifice to some hated, loathed object, (for _Sylvia_ +can never love again;) and are those treasures for the dull conjugal +lover to rifle? Was the beauty of divine shape created for the cold +matrimonial embrace? And shall the eternal joys that _Sylvia_ can +dispense, be returned by the clumsy husband's careless, forced, +insipid duties? Oh, my _Sylvia_, shall a husband (whose insensibility +will call those raptures of joy! Those heavenly blisses! The drudgery +of life) shall he I say receive them? While your _Philander_, with the +very thought of the excess of pleasure the least possession would +afford, faints over the paper that brings here his eternal vows. + +Oh! Where, my _Sylvia_, lies the undoing then? My quality and fortune +are of the highest rank amongst men, my youth gay and fond, my soul +all soft, all love; and all _Sylvia_'s! I adore her, I am sick of +love, and sick of life, till she yields, till she is all mine! + +You say, my _Sylvia_, I am married, and there my happiness is +shipwrecked; but _Sylvia_, I deny it, and will not have you think it: +no, my soul was married to yours in its first creation; and only +_Sylvia_ is the wife of my sacred, my everlasting vows; of my solemn +considerate thoughts, of my ripened judgement, my mature +considerations. The rest are all repented and forgot, like the hasty +follies of unsteady youth, like vows breathed in anger, and die +perjured as soon as vented, and unregarded either of heaven or man. +Oh! why should my soul suffer for ever, why eternal pain for the +unheedy, short-lived sin of my unwilling lips? Besides, this fatal +thing called wife, this unlucky sister, this _Myrtilla_, this stop to +all my heaven, that breeds such fatal differences in our affairs, this +_Myrtilla_, I say, first broke her marriage-vows to me; I blame her +not, nor is it reasonable I should; she saw the young _Cesario_, and +loved him. _Cesario_, whom the envying world in spite of prejudice +must own, has irresistible charms, that godlike form, that sweetness +in his face, that softness in his eyes and delicate mouth; and every +beauty besides, that women dote on, and men envy: that lovely +composition of man and angel! with the addition of his eternal youth +and illustrious birth, was formed by heaven and nature for universal +conquest! And who can love the charming hero at a cheaper rate than +being undone? And she that would not venture fame, honour, and a +marriage-vow for the glory of the young _Cesario_'s heart, merits not +the noble victim; oh! would I could say so much for the young +_Philander_, who would run a thousand times more hazards of life and +fortune for the adorable _Sylvia_, than that amorous hero ever did for +_Myrtilla_, though from that prince I learned some of my disguises for +my thefts of love; for he, like _Jove_, courted in several shapes; I +saw them all, and suffered the delusion to pass upon me; for I had +seen the lovely _Sylvia_; yes, I had seen her, and loved her too: but +honour kept me yet master of my vows; but when I knew her false, when +I was once confirmed,--when by my own soul I found the dissembled +passion of hers, when she could no longer hide the blushes, or the +paleness that seized at the approaches of my disordered rival, when I +saw love dancing in her eyes, and her false heart beat with nimble +motions, and soft trembling seized every limb, at the approach or +touch of the royal lover, then I thought myself no longer obliged to +conceal my flame for _Sylvia_; nay, ere I broke silence, ere I +discovered the hidden treasure of my heart, I made her falsehood +plainer yet: even the time and place of the dear assignations I +discovered; certainty, happy certainty! broke the dull heavy chain, +and I with joy submitted to my shameful freedom, and caressed my +generous rival; nay, and by heaven I loved him for it, pleased at the +resemblance of our souls; for we were secret lovers both, but more +pleased that he loved _Myrtilla_; for that made way to my passion for +the adorable _Sylvia_! + +Let the dull, hot-brained, jealous fool upbraid me with cold patience: +let the fond coxcomb, whose honour depends on the frail marriage-vow, +reproach me, or tell me that my reputation depends on the feeble +constancy of a wife, persuade me it is honour to fight for an +irretrievable and unvalued prize, and that because my rival has taken +leave to cuckold me, I shall give him leave to kill me too; +unreasonable nonsense grown to custom. No, by heaven! I had gather +_Myrtilla_ should be false, (as she is) than wish and languish for the +happy occasion; the sin is the same, only the act is more generous: +believe me, my _Sylvia_, we have all false notions of virtue and +honour, and surely this was taken up by some despairing husband in +love with a fair jilting wife, and then I pardon him; I should have +done as much: for only she that has my soul can engage my sword; she +that I love, and myself, only commands and keeps my stock of honour: +for _Sylvia_! the charming, the distracting _Sylvia_! I could fight +for a glance or smile, expose my heart for her dearer fame, and wish +no recompense, but breathing out my last gasp into her soft, white, +delicate bosom. But for a wife! that stranger to my soul, and whom we +wed for interest and necessity,--a wife, light, loose, unregarding +property, who for a momentary appetite will expose her fame, without +the noble end of loving on; she that will abuse my bed, and yet return +again to the loathed conjugal embrace, back to the arms so hated, and +even strong fancy of the absent youth beloved, cannot so much as +render supportable. Curse on her, and yet she kisses, fawns and +dissembles on, hangs on his neck, and makes the sot believe:--damn +her, brute; I'll whistle her off, and let her down the wind, as +_Othello_ says. No, I adore the wife, that, when the heart is gone, +boldy and nobly pursues the conqueror, and generously owns the +whore;--not poorly adds the nauseous sin of jilting to it: that I +could have borne, at least commended; but this can never pardon; at +worst then the world had said her passion had undone her, she loved, +and love at worst is worthy of pity. No, no, _Myrtilla_, I forgive +your love, but never can your poor dissimulation. One drives you but +from the heart you value not, but the other to my eternal contempt. +One deprives me but of thee, _Myrtilla_, but the other entitles me to +a beauty more surprising, renders thee no part of me; and so leaves +the lover free to _Sylvia_, without the brother. + +Thus, my excellent maid, I have sent you the sense and truth of my +soul, in an affair you have often hinted to me, and I take no pleasure +to remember: I hope you will at least think my aversion reasonable; +and that being thus indisputably free from all obligations to +_Myrtilla_ as a husband, I may be permitted to lay claim to _Sylvia_, +as a lover, and marry myself more effectually by my everlasting vows, +than the priest by his common method could do to any other woman less +beloved; there being no other way at present left by heaven, to render +me _Sylvia_'s. + +_Eternal happy lover and I die to see you_. + +PHILANDER. + + * * * * * + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +When I had sealed the enclosed, _Brilliard_ told me you were this +morning come from _Bellfont_, and with infinite impatience have +expected seeing you here; which deferred my sending this to the old +place; and I am so vain (oh adorable _Sylvia_) as to believe my +fancied silence has given you disquiets; but sure, my _Sylvia_ could +not charge me with neglect; no, she knows my soul, and lays it all on +chance, or some strange accident, she knows no business could divert +me. No, were the nation sinking, the great senate of the world +confounded, our glorious designs betrayed and ruined, and the vast +city all in flames; like _Nero_, unconcerned, I would sing my +everlasting song of love to _Sylvia_; which no time or fortune shall +untune. I know my soul, and all its strength, and how it is fortified, +the charming _Idea_ of my young _Sylvia_ will for ever remain there; +the original may fade; time may render it less fair, less blooming in +my arms, but never in my soul; I shall find thee there the same gay +glorious creature that first surprised and enslaved me, believe me +ravishing maid, I shall. Why then, oh why, my cruel _Sylvia_ are my +joys delayed? Why am I by your rigorous commands kept from the sight +of my heaven, my eternal bliss? An age, my fair tormentor, is past; +four tedious live-long days are numbered over, since I beheld the +object of my lasting vows, my eternal wishes; how can you think, oh +unreasonable _Sylvia_! that I could live so long without you? And yet +I am alive; I find it by my pain, by torments of fears and jealousies +insupportable; I languish and go downward to the earth; where you will +shortly see me laid without your recalling mercy. It is true, I move +about this unregarded world, appear every day in the great +senate-house, at clubs, cabals, and private consultations; (for +_Sylvia_ knows all the business of my soul, even in politics of State +as well as love) I say I appear indeed, and give my voice in public +business; but oh my heart more kindly is employed; that and my +thoughts are _Sylvia_'s! Ten thousand times a day I breathe that name, +my busy fingers are eternally tracing out those six mystic letters; a +thousand ways on every thing I touch, form words, and make them speak +a thousand things, and all are _Sylvia_ still; my melancholy change is +evident to all that see me, which they interpret many mistaken ways; +our party fancy I repent my league with them, and doubting I'll betray +the cause, grow jealous of me, till by new oaths, new arguments, I +confirm them; then they smile all, and cry I am in love; and this they +would believe, but that they see all women that I meet or converse +with are indifferent to me, and so can fix it no where; for none can +guess it _Sylvia_; thus while I dare not tell my soul, no not even to +_Cesario_, the stifled flame burns inward, and torments me so, that +(unlike the thing I was) I fear _Sylvia_ will lose her love, and lover +too; for those few charms she said I had, will fade, and this fatal +distance will destroy both soul and body too; my very reason will +abandon me, and I shall rave to see thee; restore me, oh restore me +then to _Bellfont_, happy _Bellfont_, still blest with _Sylvia_'s +presence! permit me, oh permit me into those sacred shades, where I +have been so often (too innocently) blest! Let me survey again the +dear character of _Sylvia_ on the smooth birch; oh when shall I sit +beneath those boughs, gazing on the young goddess of the grove, +hearing her sigh for love, touching her glowing small white hands, +beholding her killing eyes languish, and her charming bosom rise and +fall with short-breath'd uncertain breath; breath as soft and sweet as +the restoring breeze that glides o'er the new-blown flowers: But oh +what is it? What heaven of perfumes, when it inclines to the ravish'd +_Philander_, and whispers love it dares not name aloud? + +What power with-holds me then from rushing on thee, from pressing thee +with kisses; folding thee in my transported arms, and following all +the dictates of love without respect or awe! What is it, oh my +_Sylvia_, can detain a love so violent and raving, and so wild; admit +me, sacred maid, admit me again to those soft delights, that I may +find, if possible, what divinity (envious of my bliss) checks my eager +joys, my raging flame; while you too make an experiment (worth the +trial) what 'tis makes _Sylvia_ deny her + +_Impatient adorer_, + +PHILANDER. + +_My page is ill, and I am oblig'd to trust_ Brilliard _with these to +the dear cottage of their rendezvous; send me your opinion of his +fidelity: and ah! remember I die to see you_. + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +Not yet?--not yet? oh ye dull tedious hours, when will you glide away? +and bring that happy moment on, in which I shall at least hear from my +_Philander_; eight and forty tedious ones are past, and I am here +forgotten still; forlorn, impatient, restless every where; not one of +all your little moments (ye undiverting hours) can afford me repose; I +drag ye on, a heavy load; I count ye all, and bless ye when you are +gone; but tremble at the approaching ones, and with a dread expect +you; and nothing will divert me now; my couch is tiresome, my glass is +vain; my books are dull, and conversation insupportable; the grove +affords me no relief; nor even those birds to whom I have so often +breath'd _Philander_'s, name, they sing it on their perching boughs; +no, nor the reviewing of his dear letters, can bring me any ease. Oh +what fate is reserved for me! For thus I cannot live; nor surely thus +I shall not die. Perhaps _Philander_'s making a trial of virtue by +this silence. Pursue it, call up all your reason, my lovely brother, +to your aid, let us be wise and silent, let us try what that will do +towards the cure of this too infectious flame; let us, oh let us, my +brother, sit down here, and pursue the crime of loving on no farther. +Call me sister--swear I am so, and nothing but your sister: and +forbear, oh forbear, my charming brother, to pursue me farther with +your soft bewitching passion; let me alone, let me be ruin'd with +honour, if I must be ruin'd.--For oh! 'twere much happier I were no +more, than that I should be more than _Philander_'s sister; or he than +_Sylvia_'s brother: oh let me ever call you by that cold name, 'till +that of lover be forgotten:--ha!--Methinks on the sudden, a fit of +virtue informs my soul, and bids me ask you for what sin of mine, my +charming brother, you still pursue a maid that cannot fly: ungenerous +and unkind! Why did you take advantage of those freedoms I gave you as +a brother? I smil'd on you; and sometimes kiss'd you too;--but for my +sister's sake, I play'd with you, suffer'd your hands and lips to +wander where I dare not now; all which I thought a sister might allow +a brother, and knew not all the while the treachery of love: oh none, +but under that intimate title of a brother, could have had the +opportunity to have ruin'd me; that, that betray'd me; I play'd away +my heart at a game I did not understand; nor knew I when 'twas lost, +by degrees so subtle, and an authority so lawful, you won me out of +all. Nay then too, even when all was lost, I would not think it love. +I wonder'd what my sleepless nights, my waking eternal thoughts, and +slumbering visions of my lovely brother meant: I wonder'd why my soul +was continually fill'd with wishes and new desires; and still +concluded 'twas for my sister all, 'till I discover'd the cheat by +jealousy; for when my sister hung upon your neck, kiss'd, and caress'd +that face that I ador'd, oh how I found my colour change, my limbs all +trembled, and my blood enrag'd, and I could scarce forbear reproaching +you; or crying out, 'Oh why this fondness, brother? Sometimes you +perceiv'd my concern, at which you'd smile; for you who had been +before in love, (a curse upon the fatal time) could guess at my +disorder; then would you turn the wanton play on me: when sullen with +my jealousy and the cause, I fly your soft embrace, yet wish you would +pursue and overtake me, which you ne'er fail'd to do, where after a +kind quarrel all was pardon'd, and all was well again: while the poor +injur'd innocent, my sister, made herself sport at our delusive wars; +still I was ignorant, 'till you in a most fatal hour inform'd me I was +a lover. Thus was it with my heart in those blest days of innocence; +thus it was won and lost; nor can all my stars in heav'n prevent, I +doubt, prevent my ruin. Now you are sure of the fatal conquest, you +scorn the trifling glory, you are silent now; oh I am inevitably lost, +or with you, or without you: and I find by this little silence and +absence of yours, that 'tis most certain I must either die, or be +_Philander_'s + +SYLVIA. + +_If_ Dorillus _come not with a letter, or that my page, whom I have +sent to this cottage for one, bring it not, I cannot support my life: +for oh_, Philander, _I have a thousand wild distracting fears, knowing +how you are involv'd in the interest you have espoused with the young_ +Cesario: _how danger surrounds you, how your life and glory depend on +the frail sacrifice of villains and rebels: oh give me leave to fear +eternally your fame and life, if not your love; If_ Sylvia _could +command_, Philander _should be loyal as he's noble; and what generous +maid would not suspect his vows to a mistress, who breaks 'em with his +prince and master! Heaven preserve you and your glory_. + + * * * * * + +_To_ Philander. + +Another night, oh heavens, and yet no letter come! Where are you, my +_Philander_? What happy place contains you? If in heaven, why does not +some posting angel bid me haste after you? If on earth, why does not +some little god of love bring the grateful tidings on his painted +wings? If sick, why does not my own fond heart by sympathy inform me? +But that is all active, vigorous, wishing, impatient of delaying, +silent, and busy in imagination. If you are false, if you have +forgotten your poor believing and distracted _Sylvia_, why does not +that kind tyrant death, that meagre welcome vision of the despairing, +old and wretched, approach in dead of night, approach my restless bed, +and toll the dismal tidings in my frighted listening ears, and strike +me for ever silent, lay me for ever quiet, lost to the world, lost to +my faithless charmer! But if a sense of honour in you has made you +resolve to prefer mine before your love, made you take up a noble +fatal resolution, never to tell me more of your passion; this were a +trial, I fear my fond heart wants courage to bear; or is it a trick, a +cold fit, only assum'd to try how much I love you? I have no arts, +heaven knows, no guile or double meaning in my soul, 'tis all plain +native simplicity, fearful and timorous as children in the night, +trembling as doves pursu'd; born soft by nature, and made tender by +love; what, oh! what will become of me then? Yet would I were +confirm'd in all my fears: for as I am, my condition is more +deplorable; for I'm in doubt, and doubt is the worst torment of the +mind: oh _Philander_, be merciful, and let me know the worst; do not +be cruel while you kill, do it with pity to the wretched _Sylvia_; oh +let me quickly know whether you are at all, or are the most impatient +and unfortunate + +SYLVIA's. + +_I rave, I die for some relief._ + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +As I was going to send away this enclos'd, _Dorillus_ came with two +letters; oh, you cannot think, _Philander_, with how much reason you +call me fickle maid; for could you but imagine how I am tormentingly +divided, how unresolved between violent love and cruel honour, you +would say 'twere impossible to fix me any where; or be the same thing +for a moment together: there is not a short hour pass'd through the +swift hand of time, since I was all despairing, raging love, jealous, +fearful, and impatient; and now, now that your fond letters have +dispers'd those demons, those tormenting counsellors, and given a +little respite, a little tranquillity to my soul; like states +luxurious grown with ease, it ungratefully rebels against the +sovereign power that made it great and happy; and now that traitor +honour heads the mutineers within; honour, whom my late mighty fears +had almost famish'd and brought to nothing, warm'd and reviv'd by thy +new-protested flames, makes war against almighty love! and I, who but +now nobly resolv'd for love, by an inconstancy natural to my sex, or +rather my fears, am turn'd over to honour's side: so the despairing +man stands on the river's bank, design'd to plunge into the rapid +stream, 'till coward-fear seizing his timorous soul, he views around +once more the flowery plains, and looks with wishing eyes back to the +groves, then sighing stops, and cries, I was too rash, forsakes the +dangerous shore, and hastes away. Thus indiscreet was I, was all for +love, fond and undoing love! But when I saw it with full tide flow in +upon me, one glance of glorious honour makes me again retreat. I +will----I am resolv'd----and must be brave! I cannot forget I am +daughter to the great _Beralti_, and sister to _Myrtilla_, a yet +unspotted maid, fit to produce a race of glorious heroes! And can +_Philander_'s love set no higher value on me than base poor +prostitution? Is that the price of his heart?--Oh how I hate thee now! +or would to heaven I could.--Tell me not, thou charming beguiler, that +_Myrtilla_ was to blame; was it a fault in her, and will it be virtue +in me? And can I believe the crime that made her lose your heart, will +make me mistress of it? No, if by any action of hers the noble house +of the _Beralti_ be dishonour'd, by all the actions of my life it +shall receive additions and lustre and glory! Nor will I think +_Myrtilla_'s virtue lessen'd for your mistaken opinion of it, and she +may be as much in vain pursu'd, perhaps, by the Prince _Cesario_, as +_Sylvia_ shall be by the young _Philander_: the envying world talks +loud, 'tis true; but oh, if all were true that busy babbler says, what +lady has her fame? What husband is not a cuckold? Nay, and a friend to +him that made him so? And it is in vain, my too subtle brother, you +think to build the trophies of your conquests on the ruin of both +_Myrtilla_'s fame and mine: oh how dear would your inglorious passion +cost the great unfortunate house of the _Beralti_, while you poorly +ruin the fame of _Myrtilla_, to make way to the heart of _Sylvia_! +Remember, oh remember once your passion was as violent for _Myrtilla_, +and all the vows, oaths, protestations, tears and prayers you make and +pay at my feet, are but the faint repetitions, the feeble echoes of +what you sigh'd out at hers. Nay, like young _Paris_ fled with the +fair prize, your fond, your eager passion made it a rape. Oh +perfidious!--Let me not call it back to my remembrance.--Oh let me +die, rather than call to mind a time so fatal; when the lovely false +_Philander_ vow'd his heart, his faithless heart away to any maid but +_Sylvia_:--oh let it not be possible for me to imagine his dear arms +ever grasping any body with joy but _Sylvia_! And yet they did, with +transports of love! Yes, yes, you lov'd! by heaven you lov'd this +false, this perfidious _Myrtilla_; for false she is; you lov'd her, +and I'll have it so; nor shall the sister in me plead her cause. She +is false beyond all pardon; for you are beautiful as heaven itself can +render you, a shape exactly form'd, not too low, nor too tall, but +made to beget soft desire and everlasting wishes in all that look on +you; but your face! your lovely face, inclining to round, large +piercing languishing black eyes, delicate proportion'd nose, charming +dimpled mouth, plump red lips, inviting and swelling, white teeth, +small and even, fine complexion, and a beautiful turn! All which you +had an art to order in so engaging a manner, that it charm'd all the +beholders, both sexes were undone with looking on you; and I have +heard a witty man of your party swear, your face gain'd more to the +League and association than the cause, and has curs'd a thousand times +the false _Myrtilla_, for preferring _Cesario_! (less beautiful) to +the adorable _Philander_; to add to this, heaven! how you spoke, when +ere you spoke of love! in that you far surpass'd the young _Cesario_! +as young as he, almost as great and glorious; oh perfidious +_Myrtilla_, oh false, oh foolish and ingrate!--That you abandon'd her +was just, she was not worth retaining in your heart, nor could be +worth defending with your sword:--but grant her false; oh +_Philander_!--How does her perfidy entitle you to me? False as she +is, you still are married to her; inconstant as she is, she is still +your wife; and no breach of the nuptial vow can untie the fatal knot; +and that is a mystery to common sense: sure she was born for mischief; +and fortune, when she gave her you, designed the ruin of us all; but +most particularly _The unfortunate_ Sylvia. + + * * * * * + +_To_ Sylvia. + +My soul's eternal joy, my _Sylvia_! what have you done, and oh how +durst you, knowing my fond heart, try it with so fatal a stroke? What +means this severe letter? and why so eagerly at this time? Oh the day! +Is _Myrtilla's_ virtue so defended? Is it a question now whether she +is false or not? Oh poor, oh frivolous excuse! You love me not; by all +that's good, you love me not; to try your power you have flatter'd and +feign'd, oh woman! false charming woman! you have undone me, I rave +and shall commit such extravagance that will ruin both: I must upbraid +you, fickle and inconstant, I must, and this distance will not serve, +'tis too great; my reproaches lose their force; I burst with +resentment, with injur'd love; and you are either the most faithless +of your sex, or the most malicious and tormenting: oh I am past +tricks, my _Sylvia_, your little arts might do well in a beginning +flame, but to a settled fire that is arriv'd to the highest degree, it +does but damp its fierceness, and instead of drawing me on, would +lessen my esteem, if any such deceit were capable to harbour in the +heart of _Sylvia_; but she is all divine, and I am mistaken in the +meaning of what she says. Oh my adorable, think no more on that dull +false thing a wife; let her be banish'd thy thoughts, as she is my +soul; let her never appear, though but in a dream, to fright our solid +joys, or true happiness; no, let us look forward to pleasures vast and +unconfin'd, to coming transports, and leave all behind us that +contributes not to that heaven of bliss: remember, oh _Sylvia_, that +five tedious days are past since I sigh'd at your dear feet; and five +days, to a man so madly in love as your _Philander_, is a tedious age: +'tis now six o'clock in the morning, _Brilliard_ will be with you by +eight, and by ten I may have your permission to see you, and then I +need not say how soon I will present myself before you at _Bellfont_; +for heaven's sake, my eternal blessing, if you design me this +happiness, contrive it so, that I may see no body that belongs to +_Bellfont_, but the fair, the lovely _Sylvia_; for I must be more +moments with you, than will be convenient to be taken notice of, lest +they suspect our business to be love, and that discovery yet may ruin +us. Oh! I will delay no longer, my soul is impatient to see you, I +cannot live another night without it; I die, by heaven, I languish for +the appointed hour; you will believe, when you see my languid face, +and dying eyes, how much and greater a sufferer in love I am. + +My soul's delight, you may perhaps deny me from your fear; but oh, do +not, though I ask a mighty blessing; _Sylvia_'s company alone, silent, +and perhaps by dark:--oh, though I faint with the thought only of so +bless'd an opportunity, yet you shall secure me, by what vows, what +imprecations or ties you please; bind my busy hands, blind my ravish'd +eyes, command my tongue, do what you will; but let me hear your +angel's voice, and have the transported joy of throwing my self at +your feet; and if you please, give me leave (a man condemned eternally +to love) to plead a little for my life and passion; let me remove your +fears; and though that mighty task never make me entirely happy, at +least it will be a great satisfaction to me to know, that 'tis not +through my own fault that I am the + +_Most wretched_ + +PHILANDER. + +_I have order'd_ Brilliard _to wait your commands at_ Dorillus_'s +cottage, that he may not be seen at_ Bellfont: _resolve to see me +to-night, or I shall come without order, and injure both: my dear, +damn'd wife is dispos'd of at a ball_ Cesario _makes to-night; the +opportunity will be lucky, not that I fear her jealousy, but the +effects of it._ + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +I tremble with the apprehension of what you ask: how shall I comply +with your fond desires? My soul bodes some dire effect of this bold +enterprise, for I must own (and blush while I do own it) that my soul +yields obedience to your soft request, and even whilst I read your +letter, was diverted with the contrivance of seeing you: for though, +as my brother, you have all the freedoms imaginable at _Bellfont_, to +entertain and walk with me, yet it would be difficult and prejudicial +to my honour, to receive you alone any where without my sister, and +cause a suspicion, which all about me now are very far from +conceiving, except _Melinda_, my faithful confidante, and too fatal +counsellor; and but for this fear, I know, my charming brother, three +little leagues should not five long days separate _Philander_ from his +_Sylvia_: but, my lovely brother, since you beg it so earnestly, and +my heart consents so easily, I must pronounce my own doom, and say, +come, my _Philander_, whether love or soft desire invites you; and +take this direction in the management of this mighty affair. I would +have you, as soon as this comes to your hands, to haste to +_Dorillus_'s cottage, without your equipage, only _Brilliard_, whom I +believe you may trust, both from his own discretion, and your vast +bounties to him; wait there 'till you receive my commands, and I will +retire betimes to my apartment, pretending not to be well; and as soon +as the evening's obscurity will permit, _Melinda_ shall let you in at +the _garden-gate_, that is next the _grove_, unseen and unsuspected; +but oh, thou powerful charmer, have a care, I trust you with my all: +my dear, dear, my precious honour, guard it well; for oh I fear my +forces are too weak to stand your shock of beauties; you have charms +enough to justify my yielding; but yet, by heaven I would not for an +empire: but what is dull empire to almighty love? The god subdues the +monarch; 'tis to your strength I trust, for I am a feeble woman, a +virgin quite disarm'd by two fair eyes, an angel's voice and form; but +yet I'll die before I'll yield my honour; no, though our unhappy +family have met reproach from the imagined levity of my sister, 'tis +I'll redeem the bleeding honour of our family, and my great parents' +virtues shall shine in me; I know it, for if it passes this test, if I +can stand this temptation, I am proof against all the world; but I +conjure you aid me if I need it: if I incline but in a languishing +look, if but a wish appear in my eyes, or I betray consent but in a +sigh; take not, oh take not the opportunity, lest when you have done I +grow raging mad, and discover all in the wild fit. Oh who would +venture on an enemy with such unequal force? What hardy fool would +hazard all at sea, that sees the rising storm come rolling on? Who but +fond woman, giddy heedless woman, would thus expose her virtue to +temptation? I see, I know my danger, yet I must permit it: love, soft +bewitching love will have it so, that cannot deny what my feebler +honour forbids; and though I tremble with fear, yet love suggests, it +will be an age to night: I long for my undoing; for oh I cannot stand +the batteries of your eyes and tongue; these fears, these conflicts I +have a thousand times a-day; it is pitiful sometimes to see me; on one +hand a thousand _Cupids_ all gay and smiling present _Philander_ with +all the beauties of his sex, with all the softness in his looks and +language those gods of love can inspire, with all the charms of youth +adorn'd, bewitching all, and all transporting; on the other hand, a +poor lost virgin languishing and undone, sighing her willing rape to +the deaf shades and fountains, filling the woods with cries, swelling +the murmuring rivulets with tears, her noble parents with a generous +rage reviling her, and her betray'd sister loading her bow'd head with +curses and reproaches, and all about her looking forlorn and sad. +Judge, oh judge, my adorable brother, of the vastness of my courage +and passion, when even this deplorable prospect cannot defend me from +the resolution of giving you admittance into my apartment this night, +nor shall ever drive you from the soul of your + +SYLVIA. + + * * * * * + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +I have obey'd my _Sylvia_'s dear commands, and the dictates of my own +impatient soul; as soon as I receiv'd them, I immediately took horse +for _Bellfont_, though I knew I should not see my adorable _Sylvia_ +'till eight or nine at night; but oh 'tis wondrous pleasure to be so +much more near my eternal joy; I wait at _Dorillus_'s cottage the +tedious approaching night that must shelter me in its kind shades, and +conduct me to a pleasure I faint but with imagining; 'tis now, my +lovely charmer, three o'clock, and oh how many tedious hours I am to +languish here before the blessed one arrive! I know you love, my +_Sylvia_, and therefore must guess at some part of my torment, which +yet is mix'd with a certain trembling joy, not to be imagin'd by any +but _Sylvia_, who surely loves _Philander_; if there be truth in +beauty, faith in youth, she surely loves him much; and much more above +her sex she is capable of love, by how much more her soul is form'd of +a softer and more delicate composition; by how much more her wit's +refin'd and elevated above her duller sex, and by how much more she is +oblig'd; if passion can claim passion in return, sure no beauty was +ever so much indebted to a slave, as _Sylvia_ to _Philander_; none +ever lov'd like me: judge then my pains of love, my joys, my fears, my +impatience and desires; and call me to your sacred presence with all +the speed of love, and as soon as it is duskish, imagine me in the +meadow behind the grove, 'till when think me employed in eternal +thoughts of _Sylvia_, restless, and talking to the trees of _Sylvia_, +sighing her charming name, circling with folded arms my panting heart, +(that beats and trembles the more, the nearer it approaches the happy +_Bellfont_) and fortifying the feeble trembler against a sight so +ravishing and surprising; I fear to be sustain'd with life; but if I +faint in _Sylvia_'s arms, it will be happier far than all the glories +of life without her. + +Send, my angel, something from you to make the hours less tedious: +consider me, love me, and be as impatient as I, that you may the +sooner find at your feet your everlasting lover, PHILANDER. + +_From _Dorillus_'s cottage._ + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +I have at last recover'd sense enough to tell you, I have receiv'd +your letter by _Dorillus_, and which had like to have been discover'd; +for he prudently enough put it under the strawberries he brought me in +a basket, fearing he should get no other opportunity to have given it +me; and my mother seeing them look so fair and fresh, snatch'd the +basket with a greediness I have not seen in her before; whilst she was +calling to her page for a porcelain dish to put them out, _Dorillus_ +had an opportunity to hint to me what lay at the bottom: heavens! had +you seen my disorder and confusion; what should I do? Love had not one +invention in store, and here it was that all the subtlety of women +abandon'd me. Oh heavens, how cold and pale I grew, lest the most +important business of my life should be betray'd and ruin'd! but not +to terrify you longer with fears of my danger, the dish came, and out +the strawberries were pour'd, and the basket thrown aside on the bank +where my mother sat, (for we were in the garden when we met +accidentally _Dorillus_ first with the basket) there were some leaves +of fern put at the bottom between the basket and letter, which by good +fortune came not out with the strawberries, and after a minute or two +I took up the basket, and walking carelessly up and down the garden, +gather'd here and there a flower, pinks and jessamine, and filling my +basket, sat down again 'till my mother had eat her fill of the fruit, +and gave me an opportunity to retire to my apartment, where opening +the letter, and finding you so near, and waiting to see me, I had +certainly sunk down on the floor, had not _Melinda_ supported me, who +only was by; something so new, and 'till now so strange, seiz'd me at +the thought of so secret an interview, that I lost all my senses, and +life wholly departing, I rested on _Melinda_ without breath or motion; +the violent effects of love and honour, the impetuous meeting tides of +the extremes of joy and fear, rushing on too suddenly, overwhelm'd my +senses; and it was a pretty while before I recover'd strength to get +to my cabinet, where a second time I open'd your letter, and read it +again with a thousand changes of countenance, my whole mass of blood +was in that moment so discompos'd, that I chang'd from an ague to a +fever several times in a minute: oh what will all this bring me to? +And where will the raging fit end? I die with that thought, my guilty +pen slackens in my trembling hand, and I languish and fall over the +un-employ'd paper;----oh help me, some divinity,----or if you did,--I +fear I should be angry: oh _Philander_! a thousand passions and +distracted thoughts crowd to get out, and make their soft complaints +to thee; but oh they lose themselves with mixing; they are blended in +a confusion together, and love nor art can divide them, to deal them +out in order; sometimes I would tell you of my joy at your arrival, +and my unspeaking transports at the thought of seeing you so soon, +that I shall hear your charming voice, and find you at my feet making +soft vows anew, with all the passion of an impatient lover, with all +the eloquence that sighs and cries, and tears from those lovely eyes +can express; and sure that is enough to conquer any where, and to +which coarse vulgar words are dull. The rhetoric of love is +half-breath'd, interrupted words, languishing eyes, flattering +speeches, broken sighs, pressing the hand, and falling tears: ah how +do they not persuade, how do they not charm and conquer; 'twas thus, +with these soft easy arts, that _Sylvia_ first was won; for sure no +arts of speaking could have talked my heart away, though you can speak +like any god: oh whither am I driven? What do I say? 'Twas not my +purpose, not my business here, to give a character of _Philander_, no +nor to speak of love; but oh! like _Cowley_'s lute, my soul will sound +to nothing but to love: talk what you will, begin what discourse you +please, I end it all in love, because my soul is ever fix'd on +_Philander_, and insensibly its biass leads to that subject; no, I did +not when I began to write, think of speaking one word of my own +weakness; but to have told you with what resolv'd courage, honour and +virtue, I expect your coming; and sure so sacred a thing as love was +not made to ruin these, and therefore in vain, my lovely brother, you +will attempt it; and yet, oh heavens! I gave a private assignation, in +my apartment, alone and at night; where silence, love and shades, are +all your friends, where opportunity obliges your passion, while, +heaven knows, not one of all these, nor any kind of power, is friend +to me; I shall be left to you and all these tyrants expos'd, without +other guards than this boasted virtue; which had need be wondrous to +resist all these powerful enemies of its purity and repose. Alas I +know not its strength, I never tried it yet; and this will be the +first time it has ever been expos'd to your power; the first time I +ever had courage to meet you as a lover, and let you in by stealth, +and put myself unguarded into your hands: oh I die with the +apprehension of approaching danger! and yet I have not power to +retreat; I must on, love compels me, love holds me fast; the smiling +flatterer promises a thousand joys, a thousand ravishing minutes of +delight; all innocent and harmless as his mother's doves; but oh they +bill and kiss, and do a thousand things I must forbid _Philander_; for +I have often heard him say with sighs, that his complexion render'd +him less capable of the soft play of love, than any other lover: I +have seen him fly my very touches, yet swear they were the greatest +joy on earth; I tempt him even with my looks from virtue: and when I +ask the cause, or cry he is cold, he vows 'tis because he dares not +endure my temptations; says his blood runs hotter and fiercer in his +veins than any other's does; nor have the oft repeated joys reaped in +the marriage bed, any thing abated that which he wish'd, but he fear'd +would ruin me: thus, thus whole days we have sat and gaz'd, and +sigh'd; but durst not trust our virtues with fond dalliance. + +My page is come to tell me that Madam the Duchess of ---- is come to +_Bellfont_, and I am oblig'd to quit my cabinet, but with infinite +regret, being at present much more to my soul's content employ'd; but +love must sometimes give place to _devoir_ and respect. _Dorillus_ too +waits, and tells _Melinda_ he will not depart without something for +his lord, to entertain him till the happy hour. The rustic pleas'd me +with the concern he had for my _Philander_; oh my charming brother, +you have an art to tame even savages, a tongue that would charm and +engage wildness itself, to softness and gentleness, and give the rough +unthinking, love; 'tis a tedious time to-night, how shall I pass the +hours? + + * * * * * + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +Say, fond love, whither wilt thou lead me? Thou hast brought me from +the noisy hurries of the town, to charming solitude; from crowded +cabals, where mighty things are resolving, to lonely groves; to thy +own abodes where thou dwell'st; gay and pleas'd among the rural swains +in shady homely cottages; thou hast brought me to a grove of flowers, +to the brink of purling streams, where thou hast laid me down to +contemplate on _Sylvia_, to think my tedious hours away in the softest +imagination a soul inspir'd by love can conceive, to increase my +passion by every thing I behold; for every sound that meets the sense +is thy proper music, oh love, and every thing inspires thy dictates; +the winds around me blow soft, and mixing with wanton boughs, +continually play and kiss; while those, like a coy maid in love, +resist, and comply by turns; they, like a ravish'd vigorous lover, +rush on with a transported violence, rudely embracing their +spring-dress'd mistress, ruffling her native order; while the pretty +birds on the dancing branches incessantly make love; upbraiding duller +man with his defective want of fire: man, the lord of all! He to be +stinted in the most valuable joy of life; is it not pity? Here is no +troublesome honour, amongst the pretty inhabitants of the woods and +streams, fondly to give laws to nature, but uncontrolled they play, +and sing, and love; no parents checking their dear delights, no +slavish matrimonial ties to restrain their nobler flame. No spies to +interrupt their blest appointments; but every little nest is free and +open to receive the young fledg'd lover; every bough is conscious of +their passion, nor do the generous pair languish in tedious ceremony; +but meeting look, and like, and love, embrace with their wingy arms, +and salute with their little opening bills; this is their courtship, +this the amorous compliment, and this only the introduction to all +their following happiness; and thus it is with the flocks and herds; +while scanted man, born alone for the fatigues of love, with +industrious toil, and all his boasting arts of eloquence, his god-like +image, and his noble form, may labour on a tedious term of years, with +pain, expense, and hazard, before he can arrive at happiness, and then +too perhaps his vows are unregarded, and all his sighs and tears are +vain. Tell me, oh you fellow-lovers, ye amorous dear brutes, tell me, +when ever you lay languishing beneath your coverts, thus for your fair +she, and durst not approach for fear of honour? Tell me, by a gentle +bleat, ye little butting rams, do you sigh thus for your soft, white +ewes? Do you lie thus conceal'd, to wait the coming shades of night, +'till all the cursed spies are folded? No, no, even you are much more +blest than man, who is bound up to rules, fetter'd by the nice +decencies of honour. + +My divine maid, thus were my thoughts employ'd, when from the farthest +end of the grove, where I now remain, I saw _Dorillus_ approach with +thy welcome letter; he tells, you had like to have been surpris'd in +making it up; and he receiv'd it with much difficulty: ah _Sylvia_, +should any accident happen to prevent my seeing you to-night, I were +undone for ever, and you must expect to find me stretch'd out, dead +and cold under this oak, where now I lie writing on its knotty root. +Thy letter, I confess, is dear; it contains thy soul, and my +happiness; by this after-story of the surprise I long to be inform'd +of, for from thence I may gather part of my fortune. I rave and die +with fear of a disappointment; not but I would undergo a thousand +torments and deaths for _Sylvia_; but oh consider me, and let me not +suffer if possible; for know, my charming angel, my impatient heart is +almost broke, and will not contain itself without being nearer my +adorable maid, without taking in at my eyes a little comfort; no, I am +resolv'd; put me not off with tricks, which foolish honour invents to +jilt mankind with; for if you do, by heaven I will forget all +considerations and respect, and force myself with all the violence of +raging love into the presence of my cruel _Sylvia_; own her mine, and +ravish my delight; nor shall the happy walls of _Bellfont_ be of +strength sufficient to secure her; nay, persuade me not, for if you +make me mad and raving, this will be the effects on't.----Oh pardon +me, my sacred maid, pardon the wildness of my frantic love--I paused, +took a turn or two in the lone path, consider'd what I had said, and +found it was too much, too bold, too rude to approach my soft, my +tender maid: I am calm, my soul, as thy bewitching smiles; hush, as +thy secret sighs, and will resolve to die rather than offend my +adorable virgin; only send me word what you think of my fate, while I +expect it here on this kind mossy bed where now I lie; which I would +not quit for a throne, since here I may hope the news may soonest +arrive to make me happier than a god! which that nothing on my part +may prevent, I here vow in the face of heaven, I will not abuse the +freedom my _Sylvia_ blesses me with; nor shall my love go beyond the +limits of honour. _Sylvia_ shall command with a frown, and fetter me +with a smile; prescribe rules to my longing, ravish'd eyes, and pinion +my busy, fond, roving hands, and lay at her feet, like a tame slave, +her adoring + +PHILANDER. + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +Approach, approach, you sacred Queen of Night, and bring _Philander_ +veil'd from all eyes but mine; approach at a fond lover's call, behold +how I lie panting with expectation, tir'd out with your tedious +ceremony to the God of Day; be kind, oh lovely night, and let the +deity descend to his beloved _Thetis_'s arms, and I to my +_Philander_'s; the sun and I must snatch our joys in the same happy +hours; favour'd by thee, oh sacred, silent Night! See, see, the +enamour'd sun is hasting on apace to his expecting mistress, while +thou dull Night art slowly lingering yet. Advance, my friend! my +goddess! and my confidante! hide all my blushes, all my soft +confusions, my tremblings, transports, and eyes all languishing. + +Oh _Philander_! a thousand things I have done to divert the tedious +hours, but nothing can; all things are dull without thee. I am tir'd +with every thing, impatient to end, as soon as I begin them; even the +shades and solitary walks afford me now no ease, no satisfaction, and +thought but afflicts me more, that us'd to relieve. And I at last have +recourse to my kind pen: for while I write, methinks I am talking to +thee; I tell thee thus my soul, while thou, methinks, art all the +while smiling and listening by; this is much easier than silent +thought, and my soul is never weary of this converse; and thus I would +speak a thousand things, but that still, methinks, words do not enough +express my soul; to understand that right, there requires looks; there +is a rhetoric in looks; in sighs and silent touches that surpasses +all; there is an accent in the sound of words too, that gives a sense +and soft meaning to little things, which of themselves are of trivial +value, and insignificant; and by the cadence of the utterance may +express a tenderness which their own meaning does not bear; by this I +wou'd insinuate, that the story of the heart cannot be so well told by +this way, as by presence and conversation; sure _Philander_ +understands what I mean by this, which possibly is nonsense to all but +a lover, who apprehends all the little fond prattle of the thing +belov'd, and finds an eloquence in it, that to a sense unconcern'd +would appear even approaching to folly: but _Philander_, who has the +true notions of love in him, apprehends all that can be said on that +dear subject; to him I venture to say any thing, whose kind and soft +imaginations can supply all my wants in the description of the soul: +will it not, _Philander_? Answer me:--But oh, where art thou? I see +thee not, I touch thee not; but when I haste with transport to embrace +thee, 'tis shadow all, and my poor arms return empty to my bosom: why, +oh why com'st thou not? Why art thou cautious, and prudently waitest +the slow-pac'd night: oh cold, oh unreasonable lover, why?--But I grow +wild, and know not what I say: impatient love betrays me to a thousand +follies, a thousand rashnesses: I die with shame; but I must be +undone, and it is no matter how, whether by my own weakness, +_Philander_'s charms, or both, I know not; but so it is destin'd,--oh +_Philander_, it is two tedious hours love has counted since you writ +to me, yet are but a quarter of a mile distant; what have you been +doing all that live-long while? Are you not unkind? Does not _Sylvia_ +lie neglected and unregarded in your thoughts? Huddled up confusedly +with your graver business of State, and almost lost in the ambitious +crowd? Say, say, my lovely charmer, is she not? Does not this fatal +interest you espouse, rival your _Sylvia_? Is she not too often +remov'd thence to let in that haughty tyrant mistress? Alas, +_Philander_, I more than fear she is: and oh, my adorable lover, when +I look forward on our coming happiness, whenever I lay by the thoughts +of honour, and give a loose to love; I run not far in the pleasing +career, before that dreadful thought stopp'd me on my way: I have a +fatal prophetic fear, that gives a check to my soft pursuit, and tells +me that thy unhappy engagement in this League, this accursed +association, will one day undo us both, and part for ever thee and thy +unlucky _Sylvia_; yes, yes, my dear lord, my soul does presage an +unfortunate event from this dire engagement; nor can your false +reasoning, your fancied advantages, reconcile it to my honest, +good-natur'd heart; and surely the design is inconsistent with love, +for two such mighty contradictions and enemies, as love and ambition, +or revenge, can never sure abide in one soul together, at least love +can but share _Philander_'s heart; when blood and revenge (which he +miscalls glory) rivals it, and has possibly the greater part in it: +methinks, this notion enlarges in me, and every word I speak, and +every minute's thought of it, strengthens its reason to me; and give +me leave (while I am full of the jealousy of it) to express my +sentiments, and lay before you those reasons, that love and I think +most substantial ones; what you have hitherto desired of me, oh +unreasonable _Philander_, and what I (out of modesty and honour) +denied, I have reason to fear (from the absolute conquest you have +made of my heart) that some time or other the charming thief may break +in and rob me of; for fame and virtue love begins to laugh at. My dear +unfortunate condition being thus, it is not impossible, oh +_Philander_, but I may one day, in some unlucky hour, in some soft +bewitching moment, in some spiteful, critical, ravishing minute, yield +all to the charming _Philander_; and if so, where, oh where is my +security, that I shall not be abandon'd by the lovely victor? For it +is not your vows which you call sacred (and I alas believe so) that +can secure me, though I, heaven knows, believe them all, and am +undone; you may keep them all too, and I believe you will; but oh +_Philander_, in these fatal circumstances you have engag'd yourself, +can you secure me my lover? Your protestations you may, but not the +dear protestor. Is it not enough, oh _Philander_, for my eternal +unquiet, and undoing, to know that you are married and cannot +therefore be entirely mine; is not this enough, oh cruel _Philander_? +But you must espouse a fatal cause too, more pernicious than that of +matrimony, and more destructive to my repose: oh give me leave to +reason with you, and since you have been pleas'd to trust and afflict +me with the secret, which, honest as I am, I will never betray; yet, +yet give me leave to urge the danger of it to you, and consequently to +me, if you pursue it; when you are with me, we can think, and talk, +and argue nothing but the mightier business of love; and it is fit +that I, so fondly, and fatally lov'd by you, should warn you of the +danger. Consider, my lord, you are born noble, from parents of +untainted loyalty; blest with a fortune few princes beneath +sovereignty are masters of; blest with all-gaining youth, commanding +beauty, wit, courage, bravery of mind, and all that renders men +esteem'd and ador'd: what would you more? What is it, oh my charming +brother then, that you set up for? Is it glory? Oh mistaken, lovely +youth, that glory is but a glittering light, that flashes for a +moment, and then disappears; it is a false bravery, that will bring an +eternal blemish upon your honest fame and house; render your +honourable name hated, detested and abominable in story to after ages; +a traitor! the worst of titles, the most inglorious and shameful; what +has the King, our good, our gracious monarch, done to _Philander_? How +disoblig'd him? Or indeed, what injury to mankind? Who has he +oppress'd? Where play'd the tyrant or the ravisher? What one cruel or +angry thing has he committed in all the time of his fortunate and +peaceable reign over us? Whose ox or whose ass has he unjustly taken? +What orphan wrong'd, or widow's tears neglected? But all his life has +been one continued miracle; all good, all gracious, calm and merciful: +and this good, this god-like King, is mark'd out for slaughter, +design'd a sacrifice to the private revenge of a few ambitious knaves +and rebels, whose pretence is the public good, and doomed to be basely +murdered. A murder! even on the worst of criminals, carries with it a +cowardice so black and infamous, as the most abject wretches, the +meanest spirited creature has an abhorrence for. What! to murder a man +unthinking, unwarn'd, unprepar'd and undefended! oh barbarous! oh poor +and most unbrave! What villain is there lost to all humanity, to be +found upon the face of the earth, that, when done, dare own so hellish +a deed as the murder of the meanest of his fellow subjects, much less +the sacred person of the king; the Lord's anointed; on whose awful +face 'tis impossible to look without that reverence wherewith one +would behold a god! For 'tis most certain, that every glance from his +piercing, wondrous eyes, begets a trembling adoration; for my part, I +swear to you, _Philander_, I never approach his sacred person, but my +heart beats, my blood runs cold about me, and my eyes overflow with +tears of joy, while an awful confusion seizes me all over; and I am +certain should the most harden'd of your bloody rebels look him in the +face, the devilish instrument of death would drop from his +sacrilegious hand, and leave him confounded at the feet of the royal +forgiving sufferer; his eyes have in them something so fierce, so +majestic, commanding, and yet so good and merciful, as would soften +rebellion itself into repenting loyalty; and like _Caius Marius_, seem +to say,--'Who is it dares hurt the King?'--They alone, like his +guardian angels, defend his sacred person: oh! what pity it is, +unhappy young man, thy education was not near the King. + +'Tis plain, 'tis reasonable, 'tis honest, great and glorious to +believe, what thy own sense (if thou wilt but think and consider) will +instruct thee in, that treason, rebellion and murder, are far from the +paths that lead to glory, which are as distant as hell from heaven. +What is it then to advance? (Since I say 'tis plain, glory is never +this way to be achiev'd.) Is it to add more thousands to those fortune +has already so lavishly bestow'd on you? Oh my _Philander_, that's to +double the vast crime, which reaches already to damnation: would your +honour, your conscience, your Christianity, or common humanity, suffer +you to enlarge your fortunes at the price of another's ruin; and make +the spoils of some honest, noble, unfortunate family, the rewards of +your treachery? Would you build your fame on such a foundation? +Perhaps on the destruction of some friend or kinsman. Oh barbarous and +mistaken greatness; thieves and robbers would scorn such outrages, +that had but souls and sense. + +Is it for addition of titles? What elevation can you have much greater +than where you now stand fix'd? If you do not grow giddy with your +fancied false hopes, and fall from that glorious height you are +already arrived to, and which, with the honest addition of loyalty, is +of far more value and lustre, than to arrive at crowns by blood and +treason. This will last; to ages last: while t'other will be ridicul'd +to all posterity, short liv'd and reproachful here, infamous and +accursed to all eternity. + +Is it to make _Cesario_ king? Oh what is _Cesario_ to my _Philander_? +If a monarchy you design, then why not this king, this great, this +good, this royal forgiver? This, who was born a king, and born your +king; and holds his crown by right of nature, by right of law, by +right of heaven itself; heaven who has preserved him, and confirmed +him ours, by a thousand miraculous escapes and sufferings, and +indulged him ours by ten thousand acts of mercy, and endeared him to +us by his wondrous care and conduct, by securing of peace, plenty, +ease and luxurious happiness, over all the fortunate limits of his +blessed kingdoms: and will you? Would you destroy this wondrous gift +of heaven? This god-like king, this real good we now possess, for a +most uncertain one; and with it the repose of all the happy nation? To +establish a king without law, without right, without consent, without +title, and indeed without even competent parts for so vast a trust, or +so glorious a rule? One who never oblig'd the nation by one single act +of goodness or valour, in all the course of his life; and who never +signaliz'd himself to the advantage of one man of all the kingdom: a +prince unfortunate in his principles and morals; and whose sole, +single ingratitude to His Majesty, for so many royal bounties, +honours, and glories heap'd upon him, is of itself enough to set any +honest generous heart against him. What is it bewitches you so? Is it +his beauty? Then _Philander_ has a greater title than _Cesario_; and +not one other merit has he, since in piety, chastity, sobriety, +charity and honour, he as little excels, as in gratitude, obedience +and loyalty. What then, my dear _Philander_? Is it his weakness? Ah, +there's the argument: you all propose, and think to govern so soft a +king: but believe me, oh unhappy _Philander_! Nothing is more +ungovernable than a fool; nothing more obstinate, wilful, conceited, +and cunning; and for his gratitude, let the world judge what he must +prove to his servants, who has dealt so ill with his lord and master; +how he must reward those that present him with a crown, who deals so +ungraciously with him who gave him life, and who set him up an happier +object than a monarch: no, no, _Philander_; he that can cabal, and +contrive to dethrone a father, will find it easy to discard the wicked +and hated instruments, that assisted him to mount it; decline him +then, oh fond and deluded _Philander_, decline him early; for you of +all the rest ought to do so, and not to set a helping hand to load him +with honours, that chose you out from all the world to load with +infamy: remember that; remember _Myrtilla_, and then renounce him; do +not you contribute to the adorning of his unfit head with a diadem, +the most glorious of ornaments, who unadorned yours with the most +inglorious of all reproaches. Think of this, oh thou unconsidering +noble youth; lay thy hand upon thy generous heart, and tell it all the +fears, all the reasonings of her that loves thee more than life. A +thousand arguments I could bring, but these few unstudied (falling in +amongst my softer thoughts) I beg you will accept of, till I can more +at large deliver the glorious argument to your soul; let this suffice +to tell thee, that, like _Cassandra_, I rave and prophesy in vain; +this association will be the eternal ruin of _Philander_; for let it +succeed or not, either way thou art undone; if thou pursuest it, I +must infallibly fall with thee, if I resolve to follow thy good or ill +fortune; for you cannot intend love and ambition, _Sylvia_ and +_Cesario_ at once: no, persuade me not; the title to one or t'other +must be laid down, _Sylvia_ or _Cesario_ must be abandon'd: this is my +fix'd resolve, if thy too powerful arguments convince not in spite of +reason, for they can do it; thou hast the tongue of an angel, and the +eloquence of a god, and while I listen to thy voice, I take all thou +say'st for wondrous sense.--Farewell; about two hours hence I shall +expect you at the gate that leads into the garden grove--adieu! +Remember + +SYLVIA. + + * * * * * + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +How comes my charming _Sylvia_ so skilled in the mysteries of State? +Where learnt her tender heart the notions of rigid business? Where her +soft tongue, formed only for the dear language of love, to talk of the +concerns of nations and kingdoms? 'Tis true, when I gave my soul away +to my dear counsellor, I reserved nothing to myself, not even that +secret that so concerned my life, but laid all at her mercy; my +generous heart could not love at a less rate, than to lavish all and +be undone for _Sylvia_; 'tis glorious ruin, and it pleases me, if it +advance one single joy, or add one demonstration of my love to +_Sylvia_; 'tis not enough that we tell those we love all they love to +hear, but one ought to tell them too, every secret that we know, and +conceal no part of that heart one has made a present of to the person +one loves; 'tis a treason in love not to be pardoned: I am sensible, +that when my story is told (and this happy one of my love shall make +up the greatest part of my history) those that love not like me will +be apt to blame me, and charge me with weakness, for revealing so +great a trust to a woman, and amongst all that I shall do to arrive at +glory, that will brand me with feebleness; but _Sylvia_, when lovers +shall read it, the men will excuse me, and the maids bless me! I shall +be a fond admired precedent for them to point out to their remiss +reserving lovers, who will be reproached for not pursuing my example. +I know not what opinion men generally have of the weakness of women; +but 'tis sure a vulgar error, for were they like my adorable _Sylvia_, +had they had her wit, her vivacity of spirit, her courage, her +generous fortitude, her command in every graceful look and action, +they were most certainly fit to rule and reign; and man was only born +robust and strong, to secure them on those thrones they are formed (by +beauty, softness, and a thousand charms which men want) to possess. +Glorious woman was born for command and dominion; and though custom +has usurped us the name of rule over all; we from the beginning found +ourselves (in spite of all our boasted prerogative) slaves and vassals +to the almighty sex. Take then my share of empire, ye gods; and give +me love! Let me toil to gain, but let _Sylvia_ triumph and reign; I +ask no more than the led slave at her chariot wheels, to gaze on my +charming conqueress, and wear with joy her fetters! Oh how proud I +should be to see the dear victor of my soul so elevated, so adorn'd +with crowns and sceptres at her feet, which I had won; to see her +smiling on the adoring crowd, distributing her glories to young +waiting princes; there dealing provinces, and there a coronet. +Heavens! methinks I see the lovely virgin in this state, her chariot +slowly driving through the multitude that press to gaze upon her, she +dress'd like _Venus_, richly gay and loose, her hair and robe blown by +the flying winds, discovering a thousand charms to view; thus the +young goddess looked, then when she drove her chariot down descending +clouds, to meet the love-sick gods in cooling shades; and so would +look my _Sylvia_! Ah, my soft, lovely maid; such thoughts as these +fir'd me with ambition: for me, I swear by every power that made me +love, and made thee wondrous fair, I design no more by this great +enterprise than to make thee some glorious thing, elevated above what +we have seen yet on earth; to raise thee above fate or fortune, beyond +that pity of thy duller sex, who understand not thy soul, nor can ever +reach the flights of thy generous love! No, my soul's joy, I must not +leave thee liable to their little natural malice and scorn, to the +impertinence of their reproaches. No, my _Sylvia_, I must on, the +great design must move forward; though I abandon it, 'twill advance; +it is already too far to put a stop to it; and now I am entered, it is +in vain to retreat; if we are prosperous, it will to all ages be +called a glorious enterprise; but if we fail, it will be base, horrid +and infamous; for the world judges of nothing but by the success; that +cause is always good that is prosperous, that is ill which is +unsuccessful. Should I now retreat, I run many hazards; but to go on I +run but one; by the first I shall alarm the whole cabal with a +jealousy of my discovering, and those are persons of too great sense +and courage, not to take some private way of revenge, to secure their +own stakes; and to make myself uncertainly safe by a discovery, +indeed, were to gain a refuge so ignoble, as a man of honour would +scorn to purchase life at; nor would that baseness secure me. But in +going on, oh _Sylvia_! when three kingdoms shall lie unpossess'd, and +be exposed, as it were, amongst the raffling crowd, who knows but the +chance may be mine, as well as any other's, who has but the same +hazard, and throw for it? If the strongest sword must do it, (as that +must do it) why not mine still? Why may not mine be that fortunate +one? _Cesario_ has no more right to it than _Philander_; 'tis true, a +few of the rabble will pretend he has a better title to it, but they +are a sort of easy fools, lavish in nothing but noise and nonsense; +true to change and inconstancy, and will abandon him to their own fury +for the next that cries Haloo: neither is there one part of fifty (of +the fools that cry him up) for his interest, though they use him for a +tool to work with, he being the only great man that wants sense enough +to find out the cheat which they dare impose upon. Can any body of +reason believe, if they had design'd him good, they would let him +bare-fac'd have own'd a party so opposite to all laws of nature, +religion, humanity, and common gratitude? When his interest, if +design'd, might have been carried on better, if he had still +dissembled and stay'd in Court: no, believe me, _Sylvia_, the +politicians shew him, to render him odious to all men of tolerable +sense of the party; for what reason soever they have who are +disoblig'd (or at least think themselves so) to set up for liberty, +the world knows _Cesario_ renders himself the worst of criminals by +it, and has abandon'd an interest more glorious and easy than empire, +to side with and aid people that never did, or ever can oblige him; +and he is so dull as to imagine that for his sake, who never did us +service or good, (unless cuckolding us be good) we should venture life +and fame to pull down a true monarch, to set up his bastard over us. +_Cesario_ must pardon me, if I think his politics are shallow as his +parts, and that his own interest has undone him; for of what advantage +soever the design may be to us, it really shocks one's nature to find +a son engag'd against a father, and to him such a father. Nor, when +time comes, shall I forget the ruin of _Myrtilla_. But let him hope +on--and so will I, as do a thousand more, for ought I know; I set out +as fair as they, and will start as eagerly; if I miss it now, I have +youth and vigour sufficient for another race; and while I stand on +fortune's wheel as she rolls it round, it may be my turn to be o'th' +top; for when 'tis set in motion, believe me, _Sylvia_, it is not +easily fix'd: however let it suffice, I am now in, past a retreat, and +to urge it now to me, is but to put me into inevitable danger; at best +it can but set me where I was; that is worse than death. When every +fool is aiming at a kingdom, what man of tolerable pride and ambition +can be unconcerned, and not put himself into a posture of catching, +when a diadem shall be thrown among the crowd? It were insensibility, +stupid dullness, not to lift a hand, or make an effort to snatch it as +it flies: though the glorious falling weight should crush me, it is +great to attempt; and if fortune do not favour fools, I have as fair a +grasp for it as any other adventurer. + +This, my _Sylvia_, is my sense of a business you so much dread; I may +rise, but I cannot fall; therefore, my _Sylvia_, urge it no more; love +gave me ambition, and do not divert the glorious effects of your +wondrous charms, but let them grow, and spread, and see what they will +produce for my lovely _Sylvia_, the advantages will most certainly be +hers:--But no more: how came my love so dull to entertain thee so many +minutes thus with reasons for an affair, which one soft hour with +_Sylvia_ will convince to what she would have it; believe me, it will, +I will sacrifice all to her repose, nay, to her least command, even +the life of + +_(My eternal pleasure) Your_ PHILANDER. + +_I have no longer patience, I must be coming towards the grove, though +it will do me no good, more than knowing I am so much nearer to my +adorable creature._ + +_I conjure you burn this, for writing in haste I have not +counterfeited my hand._ + + * * * * * + +_To_ SYLVIA. _Writ in a pair of tablets._ + +My charmer, I wait your commands in the meadow behind the grove, where +I saw _Dorinda_, _Dorillus_ his daughter, entering with a basket of +cowslips for _Sylvia_, unnecessarily offering sweets to the Goddess of +the Groves, from whence they (with all the rest of their gaudy fellows +of the spring) assume their ravishing odours. I take every opportunity +of telling my _Sylvia_ what I have so often repeated, and shall be +ever repeating with the same joy while I live, that I love my _Sylvia_ +to death and madness; that my soul is on the rack, till she send me +the happy advancing word. And yet believe me, lovely maid, I could +grow old with waiting here the blessed moment, though set at any +distance (within the compass of life, and impossible to be 'till then +arriv'd to) but when I am so near approach'd it, love from all parts +rallies and hastens to my heart for the mighty encounter ,'till the +poor panting over-loaded victim dies with the pressing weight. No +more,--You know it, for it is, and will be eternally _Sylvia_'s. + +POSTSCRIPT. + +_Remember, my adorable, it is now seven o'clock: I have my watch in my +hand, waiting and looking on the slow pac'd minutes. Eight will +quickly arrive, I hope, and then it is dark enough to hide me; think +where I am, and who I am, waiting near_ Sylvia, and her Philander. + +_I think, my dear angel, you have the other key of these tablets, if +not, they are easily broke open: you have an hour good to write in,_ +Sylvia _and I shall wait unemployed by any thing but thought. Send me +word how you were like to have been surpris'd; it may possibly be of +advantage to me in this night's dear adventure. I wonder'd at the +superscription of my letter indeed, of which_ Dorillus _could give me +no other account, than that you were surpris'd, and he receiv'd it +with difficulty; give me the story now, do it in charity my angel. +Besides, I would employ all thy moments, for I am jealous of every one +that is not dedicated to_ Sylvia's Philander. + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +I have received your tablets, of which I have the key, and heaven only +knows (for lovers cannot, unless they loved like _Sylvia_, and her +_Philander_) what pains and pantings my heart sustain'd at every +thought they brought me of thy near approach; every moment I start, +and am ready to faint with joy, fear, and something not to be +express'd that seizes me. To add to this, I have busied myself with +dressing my apartment up with flowers, so that I fancy the ceremonious +business of the light looks like the preparations for the dear joy of +the nuptial bed; that too is so adorn'd and deck'd with all that's +sweet and gay; all which possesses me with so ravishing and solemn a +confusion, that it is even approaching to the most profound sadness +itself. Oh _Philander_, I find I am fond of being undone; and unless +you take a more than mortal care of me, I know this night some fatal +mischief will befall me; what it is I know not, either the loss of +_Philander_, my life, or my honour, or all together, which a discovery +only of your being alone in my apartment, and at such an hour, will +most certainly draw upon us: death is the least we must expect, by +some surprise or other, my father being rash, and extremely jealous, +and the more so of me, by how much more he is fond of me, and nothing +would enrage him like the discovery of an interview like this; though +you have liberty to range the house of _Bellfont_ as a son, and are +indeed at home there; but when you come by stealth, when he shall find +his son and virgin daughter, the brother and the sister so retired, so +entertained,--What but death can ensue? Or what is worse, eternal +shame? Eternal confusion on my honour? What excuse, what evasions, +vows and protestations will convince him, or appease _Myrtilla_'s +jealousy; _Myrtilla_, my sister, and _Philander_'s wife? Oh God! that +cruel thought will put me into ravings; I have a thousand streams of +killing reflections which flow from that original fountain! Curse on +the alliance, that gave you a welcome to _Bellfont_. Ah _Philander_, +could you not have stay'd ten short years longer? Alas, you thought +that was an age in youth, but it is but a day in love: Ah, could not +your eager youth have led you to a thousand diversions, a thousand +times have baited in the long journey of life, without hurrying on to +the last stage, to the last retreat, but the grave; and to me seem as +irrecoverable, as impossible to retrieve thee!--Could no kind beauty +stop thee on thy way, in charity or pity; _Philander_ saw me then. And +though _Myrtilla_ was more fit for his caresses, and I but capable to +please with childish prattle; oh could he not have seen a promising +bloom in my face, that might have foretold the future conquests I was +born to make? Oh! was there no prophetic charm that could bespeak your +heart, engage it, and prevent that fatal marriage? You say, my +adorable brother, we were destined from our creation for one another; +that the decrees of heaven, or fate, or both, design'd us for this +mutual passion: why then, oh why did not heaven, fate or destiny, do +the mighty work, when first you saw my infant charms? But oh, +_Philander_, why do I vainly rave? Why call in vain on time that's +fled and gone? Why idly wish for ten years' retribution? That will not +yield a day, an hour, a minute: no, no, 'tis past, 'tis past and flown +for ever, as distant as a thousand years to me, as irrecoverable. Oh +_Philander_, what hast thou thrown away? Ten glorious years of +ravishing youth, of unmatch'd heavenly beauty, on one that knew not +half the value of it! _Sylvia_ was only born to set a rate upon it, +was only capable of love, such love as might deserve it: oh why was +that charming face ever laid on any bosom that knew not how to sigh, +and pant, and heave at every touch of so much distracting beauty? Oh +why were those dear arms, whose soft pressings ravish where they +circle, destin'd for a body cold and dull, that could sleep insensibly +there, and not so much as dream the while what the transporting +pleasure signified; but unconcerned receive the wondrous blessing, and +never knew its price, or thank'd her stars? She has thee all the day +to gaze upon, and yet she lets thee pass her careless sight, as if +there were no miracles in view: she does not see the little gods of +love that play eternally in thy eyes; and since she never received a +dart from thence, believes there's no artillery there. She plays not +with thy hair, nor weaves her snowy fingers in the curls of jet, sets +it in order, and adores its beauty: the fool with flaxen-wig had done +as well for her; a dull, white coxcomb had made as good a property; a +husband is no more, at best no more. Oh thou charming object of my +eternal wishes, why wert thou thus dispos'd? Oh save my life, and tell +me what indifferent impulse obliged thee to these nuptials: had +_Myrtilla_ been recommended or forc'd by the tyranny of a father into +thy arms, or for base lucre thou hadst chosen her, this had excus'd +thy youth and crime; obedience or vanity I could have pardon'd,--but +oh--'twas love; love, my _Philander_! thy raving love, and that which +has undone thee was a rape rather than marriage; you fled with her. Oh +heavens, mad to possess, you stole the unloving prize!--Yes, you lov'd +her, false as you are, you did; perjur'd and faithless. Lov'd +her?--Hell and confusion on the word; it was so--Oh _Philander_, I am +lost-- + +_This letter was found torn in pieces._ + + * * * * * + +_To_ Monsieur, the Count of-- + +_My Lord_, These pieces of paper, which I have put together as well as +I could, were writ by my lady to have been sent by _Dorinda_, when on +a sudden she rose in rage from her seat, tore first the paper, and +then her robes and hair, and indeed nothing has escaped the violence +of her passion; nor could my prayers or tears retrieve them, or calm +her: 'tis however chang'd at last to mighty passions of weeping, in +which employment I have left her on her repose, being commanded away. +I thought it my duty to give your lordship this account, and to send +the pieces of paper, that your lordship may guess at the occasion of +the sudden storm which ever rises in that fatal quarter; but in +putting them in order, I had like to have been surprised by my lady's +father; for my Lord, the Count, having long solicited me for favours, +and taking all opportunities of entertaining me, found me alone in my +chamber, employ'd in serving your lordship; I had only time to hide +the papers, and to get rid of him, having given him an assignation +to-night in the garden grove, to give him the hearing to what he says +he has to propose to me: pray heaven all things go right to your +lordship's wish this evening, for many ominous things happen'd to-day. +Madam, the Countess, had like to have taken a letter writ for your +lordship to-day; for the Duchess of ---- coming to make her a visit, +came on a sudden with her into my lady's apartment, and surpris'd her +writing in her dressing room, giving her only time to slip the paper +into her combbox. The first ceremonies being pass'd, as Madam, the +Duchess, uses not much, she fell to commend my lady's dressing-plate, +and taking up the box, and opening it, found the letter, and laughing, +cried, 'Oh, have I found you making love;' at which my lady, with an +infinite confusion, would have retrieved it,--but the Duchess not +quitting her hold, cried--'Nay, I am resolved to see in what manner +you write to a lover, and whether you have a heart tender or cruel?' +At which she began to read aloud, my lady to blush and change colour a +hundred times in a minute: I ready to die with fear; Madam the +Countess, in infinite amazement, my lady interrupting every word the +Duchess read, by prayers and entreaties, which heightened her +curiosity, and being young and airy, regarded not the indecency to +which she preferr'd her curiosity, who still laughing, cried she was +resolv'd to read it out, and know the constitution of her heart; when +my lady, whose wit never fail'd her, cried, 'I beseech you, madam, let +us have so much complaisance for _Melinda_ as to ask her consent in +this affair, and then I am pleas'd you should see what love I can make +upon occasion:' I took the hint, and with a real confusion, cried--'I +implore you, madam, not to discover my weakness to Madam, the Duchess; +I would not for the world--be thought to love so passionately, as your +ladyship, in favour of _Alexis_, has made me profess, under the name +of _Sylvia_ to _Philander_'. This encouraged my lady, who began to say +a thousand pleasant things of _Alexis_, _Dorillus_ his son, and my +lover, as your lordship knows, and who is no inconsiderable fortune +for a maid, enrich'd only by your lordship's bounty. My lady, after +this, took the letter, and all being resolv'd it should be read, she +herself did it, and turned it so prettily into burlesque love by her +manner of reading it, that made Madam, the Duchess, laugh extremely; +who at the end of it, cried to my lady--'Well, madam, I am satisfied +you have not a heart wholly insensible of love, that could so express +it for another.' Thus they rallied on, till careful of my lover's +repose, the Duchess urg'd the letter might be immediately sent away; +at which my lady readily folding up the letter, writ '_For the +Constant_ Alexis', on the outside: I took it, and begg'd I might have +leave to retire to write it over in my own hand; they permitted me, +and I carried it, after sealing it, to _Dorillus_, who waited for it, +and wondering to find his son's name on it, cried 'Mistress, +_Melinda_, I doubt you have mistook my present business; I wait for a +letter from my lady to my lord, and you give me one from yourself to +my son _Alexis_; 'twill be very welcome to _Alexis_ I confess, but at +this time I had rather oblige my lord than my son:' I laughing +replied, he was mistaken, that _Alexis_, at this time, meant no other +than my lord, which pleas'd the good man extremely, who thought it a +good omen for his son, and so went his way satisfied; as every body +was, except the Countess, who fancied something more in it than my +lady's inditing for me; and after Madam the Duchess was gone, she went +ruminating and pensive to her chamber, from whence I am confident she +will not depart to-night, and will possibly set spies in every corner; +at least 'tis good to fear the worst, that we may prevent all things +that would hinder this night's assignation: as soon as the coast is +clear, I'll wait on your lordship, and be your conductor, and in all +things else am ready to shew myself, + +_My Lord,_ + +_Your lordship's most humble +and most obedient servant,_ + +MELINDA. + +Sylvia _has given orders to wait on your lordship as soon as all is +clear._ + + * * * * * + +_To_ MELINDA. + +Oh _Melinda_, what have you told me? Stay me with an immediate account +of the recovery and calmness of my adorable weeping _Sylvia_, or I +shall enter _Bellfont_ with my sword drawn, bearing down all before +me, 'till I make my way to my charming mourner: O God! _Sylvia_ in a +rage! _Sylvia_ in any passion but that of love? I cannot bear it, no, +by heaven I cannot; I shall do some outrage either on myself or at +_Bellfont_. Oh thou dear advocate of my tenderest wishes, thou +confidante of my never dying flame, thou kind administering maid, send +some relief to my breaking heart--haste and tell me, _Sylvia_ is calm, +that her bright eyes sparkle with smiles, or if they languish, say +'tis with love, with expecting joys; that her dear hands are no more +employed in exercises too rough and unbecoming their native softness. +O eternal God! tearing perhaps her divine hair, brighter than the +sun's reflecting beams, injuring the heavenly beauty of her charming +face and bosom, the joy and wish of all mankind that look upon her: oh +charm her with prayers and tears, stop her dear fingers from the rude +assaults; bind her fair hands; repeat _Philander_ to her, tell her +he's fainting with the news of her unkindness and outrage on her +lovely self; but tell her too, I die adoring her; tell her I rave, I +tear, I curse myself,--for so I do; tell her I would break out into a +violence that should set all _Bellfont_ in a flame, but for my care of +her. Heaven and earth should not restrain me,--no, they should +not,----But her least frown should still me, tame me, and make me a +calm coward: say this, say all, say any thing to charm her rage and +tears. Oh I am mad, stark-mad, and ready to run on business I die to +think her guilty of: tell her how it would grieve her to see me torn +and mangled; to see that hair she loves ruffled and diminish'd by +rage, violated by my insupportable grief, myself quite bereft of all +sense but that of love, but that of adoration for my charming, cruel +insensible, who is possessed with every thought, with every +imagination that can render me unhappy, borne away with every fancy +that is in disfavour of the wretched _Philander_. Oh _Melinda_, write +immediately, or you will behold me enter a most deplorable object of +pity. + +When I receiv'd yours, I fell into such a passion that I forc'd myself +back to _Dorillus_ his house, left my transports and hurried me to +_Bellfont_, where I should have undone all: but as I can now rest no +where, I am now returning to the meadow again, where I will expect +your aid, or die. + +_From_ Dorillus _his cottage, almost nine o'clock._ + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +I must own, my charming _Philander_, that my love is now arrived to +that excess, that every thought which before but discompos'd me, now +puts me into a violence of rage unbecoming my sex; or any thing but +the mighty occasion of it, love, and which only had power to calm what +it had before ruffled into a destructive storm: but like the anger'd +sea, which pants and heaves, and retains still an uneasy motion long +after the rude winds are appeas'd and hush'd to silence; my heart +beats still, and heaves with the sensible remains of the late +dangerous tempest of my mind, and nothing can absolutely calm me but +the approach of the all-powerful _Philander_; though that thought +possesses me with ten thousand fears, which I know will vanish all at +thy appearance, and assume no more their dreadful shapes till thou art +gone again: bring me then that kind cessation, bring me my +_Philander_, and set me above the thoughts of cares, frights, or any +other thoughts but those of tender love; haste then, thou charming +object of my eternal wishes, and of my new desires; haste to my arms, +my eyes, my soul,--but oh, be wondrous careful there, do not betray +the easy maid that trusts thee amidst all her sacred store. + +'Tis almost dark, and my mother is retired to her chamber, my father +to his cabinet, and has left all that apartment next the garden wholly +without spies. I have, by trusty _Dorillus_, sent you a key _Melinda_ +got made to the door, which leads from the garden to the black-stairs +to my apartment, so carefully locked, and the original key so closely +guarded by my jealous father: that way I beg you to come; a way but +too well known to _Philander_, and by which he has made many an escape +to and from _Myrtilla_. Oh damn that thought, what makes it torturing +me,----let me change it for those of _Philander_, the advantage will +be as great as bartering hell for heaven; haste then, _Philander_: but +what need I bid thee, love will lend thee his wings; thou who +commandest all his artillery, put them on, and fly to thy languishing + +SYLVIA. + +_Oh I faint with the dear thought of thy approach._ + + * * * * * + +_To the Charming_ SYLVIA. + +With much ado, with many a sigh, a panting heart, and many a +languishing look back towards happy _Bellfont_, I have recovered +_Dorillus_ his farm, where I threw me on a bed, and lay without +motion, and almost without life for two hours; till at last, through +all my sighs, my great concern, my torment, my love and rage broke +silence, and burst into all the different complaints both soft and mad +by turns, that ever possessed a soul extravagantly seized with frantic +love; ah, _Sylvia_, what did not I say? How did I not curse, and who +except my charming maid? For yet my _Sylvia_ is a maid: yes, yes, ye +envying powers, she is, and yet the sacred and inestimable treasure +was offered a trembling victim to the overjoyed and fancied deity, for +then and there I thought myself happier than a triumphing god; but +having overcome all difficulties, all the fatigues and toils of love's +long sieges, vanquish'd the mighty phantom of the fair, the giant +honour, and routed all the numerous host of women's little reasonings, +passed all the bounds of peevish modesty; nay, even all the loose and +silken counterscarps that fenced the sacred fort, and nothing stopped +my glorious pursuit: then, then, ye gods, just then, by an +over-transport, to fall just fainting before the surrendering gates, +unable to receive the yielding treasure! Oh _Sylvia_! What _demon_, +malicious at my glory, seized my vigour? What god, envious of my +mighty joy, rendered me a shameful object of his raillery? Snatched my +(till then) never failing power, and left me dying on thy charming +bosom. Heavens, how I lay! Silent with wonder, rage and ecstasy of +love, unable to complain, or rail, or storm, or seek for ease, but +with my sighs alone, which made up all my breath; my mad desires +remained, but all inactive, as age or death itself, as cold and +feeble, as unfit for joy, as if my youthful fire had long been past, +or _Sylvia_ had never been blest with charms. Tell me, thou wondrous +perfect creature, tell me, where lay the hidden witchcraft? Was +_Sylvia_'s beauty too divine to mix with mortal joys? Ah no, 'twas +ravishing, but human all. Yet sure 'twas so approaching to divinity, +as changed my fire to awful adoration, and all my wanton heat to +reverent contemplation.--But this is nonsense all, it was something +more that gave me rage, despair and torments insupportable: no, it was +no dull devotion, tame divinity, but mortal killing agony, unlucky +disappointment, unnatural impotence. Oh! I am lost, enchanted by some +magic spell: oh, what can _Sylvia_ say? What can she think of my fond +passion; she'll swear it is all a cheat, I had it not. No, it could +not be; such tales I've often heard, as often laughed at too, of +disappointed lovers; would _Sylvia_ believe (as sure she may) mine was +excess of passion: what! My _Sylvia_! being arrived to all the joy of +love, just come to reap the glorious recompense, the full reward, the +heaven for all my sufferings, do I lie gazing only, and no more? A +dull, a feeble unconcerned admirer! Oh my eternal shame!--Curse on my +youth; give me, ye powers, old age, for that has some excuse, but +youth has none: 'tis dullness, stupid insensibility: where shall I +hide my head when this lewd story's told? When it shall be confirmed, +_Philander_ the young, the brisk and gay _Philander_, who never failed +the woman he scarce wished for, never baulked the amorous conceited +old, nor the ill-favoured young, yet when he had extended in his arms +the young, the charming fair and longing _Sylvia_, the untouched, +unspotted, and till then, unwishing lovely maid, yielded, defenceless, +and unguarded all, he wanted power to seize the trembling prey: defend +me, heaven, from madness. Oh _Sylvia_, I have reflected on all the +little circumstances that might occasion this disaster, and damn me to +this degree of coldness, but I can fix on none: I had, it is true, for +_Sylvia_'s sake, some apprehensions of fear of being surprised; for +coming through the garden, I saw at the farther end a man, at least I +fancied by that light it was a man; who perceiving the glimpse of +something approach from the grove, made softly towards me, but with +such caution, as if he feared to be mistaken in the person, as much as +I was to approach him: and reminding what _Melinda_ told me, of an +assignation she had made to _Monsieur_ the Count--imagined it him; nor +was I mistaken when I heard his voice calling in low tone--'_Melinda_' +--at which I mended my pace, and ere he got half way the garden +recovered the door, and softly unlocking it, got in unperceived, and +fastened it after me, well enough assured that he saw not which way I +vanished: however, it failed not to alarm me with some fears on your +dear account, that disturbed my repose, and which I thought then not +necessary to impart to you, and which indeed all vanished at the sight +of my adorable maid: when entering thy apartment, I beheld thee +extended on a bed of roses, in garments, which, if possible, by their +wanton loose negligence and gaiety, augmented thy natural charms: I +trembling fell on my knees by your bed-side and gazed a while, unable +to speak for transports of joy and love: you too were silent, and +remained so, so long that I ventured to press your lips with mine, +which all their eager kisses could not put in motion, so that I feared +you fainted; a sudden fright, that in a moment changed my fever of +love into a cold ague fit; but you revived me with a sigh again, and +fired me anew, by pressing my hand, and from that silent soft +encouragement, I, by degrees, ravished a thousand blisses; yet still +between your tempting charming kisses, you would cry--'Oh, my +_Philander_, do not injure me,--be sure you press me not to the last +joys of love,--Oh have a care, or I am undone for ever: restrain your +roving hands,----Oh whither would they wander?----My soul, my joy, my +everlasting charmer, oh whither would you go?'--Thus with a thousand +cautions more, which did but raise what you designed to calm, you +made me but the madder to possess: not all the vows you bid me call +to mind, could now restrain my wild and headstrong passion; my raving, +raging (but my soft) desire: no, _Sylvia_, no, it was not in the power +of feeble flesh and blood to find resistance against so many charms; +yet still you made me swear, still I protested, but still burnt on +with the same torturing flame, till the vast pleasure even became a +pain: to add to this, I saw, (yes, _Sylvia_, not all your art and +modesty could hide it) I saw the ravishing maid as much inflamed as I; +she burnt with equal fire, with equal languishment: not all her care +could keep the sparks concealed, but it broke out in every word and +look; her trembling tongue, her feeble fainting voice betrayed it all; +sighs interrupting every syllable; a languishment I never saw till +then dwelt in her charming eyes, that contradicted all her little +vows; her short and double breathings heaved her breast, her swelling +snowy breast, her hands that grasped me trembling as they closed, +while she permitted mine unknown, unheeded to traverse all her +beauties, till quite forgetting all I had faintly promised, and wholly +abandoning my soul to joy, I rushed upon her, who, all fainting, lay +beneath my useless weight, for on a sudden all my power was fled, +swifter than lightning hurried through my enfeebled veins, and +vanished all: not the dear lovely beauty which I pressed, the dying +charms of that fair face and eyes, the clasps of those soft arms, nor +the bewitching accent of her voice, that murmured love half smothered +in her sighs, nor all my love, my vast, my mighty passion, could call +my fugitive vigour back again: oh no, the more I looked--the more I +touched and saw, the more I was undone. Oh pity me, my too I too +lovely maid, do not revile the faults which you alone create. Consider +all your charms at once exposed, consider every sense about me +ravished, overcome with joys too mighty to be supported, no wonder if +I fell a shameful sacrifice to the fond deity: consider how I waited, +how I strove, and still I burnt on, and every tender touch still +added fuel to the vigorous fire, which by your delay consumed itself +in burning. I want philosophy to make this out, or faith to fix my +unhappiness on any chance or natural accident; but this, my charming +_Sylvia_, I am sure, that had I loved you less, I'd been less +wretched: nor had we parted, _Sylvia_, on so ill terms, nor had I left +you with an opinion so disadvantageous for _Philander_, but for that +unhappy noise at your chamber-door, which alarming your fear, +occasioned your recovery from that dear trance, to which love and soft +desire had reduced you, and me from the most tormenting silent agony +that disappointed joy ever possessed a fond expecting heart with. Oh +heavens! to have my _Sylvia_ in my power, favoured by silence, night +and safe retreat! then, then, to lie a tame cold sigher only, as if my +_Sylvia_ gave that assignation alone by stealth, undressed, all loose +and languishing, fit for the mighty business of the night, only to +hear me prattle, see me gaze, or tell her what a pretty sight it was +to see the moon shine through the dancing boughs. Oh damn my hardened +dullness!--But no more,--I am all fire and madness at the thought,-- +but I was saying, _Sylvia_, we both recovered then when the noise +alarmed us. I long to know whether you think we were betrayed, for on +that knowledge rests a mighty part of my destiny: I hope we are not, +by an accident that befell me at my going away, which (but for my +untimely force of leaving my lovely _Sylvia_, which gave me pains +insupportable) would have given me great diversion. You know our fear +of being discovered occasioned my disguise, for you found it +necessary I should depart, your fear had so prevailed, and that in +_Melinda_'s night-gown and head-dress: thus attired, with much ado, I +went and left my soul behind me, and finding no body all along the +gallery, nor in my passage from your apartment into the garden, I was +a thousand times about to return to all my joys; when in the midst of +this almost ended dispute, I saw by the light of the moon (which was +by good fortune under a cloud, and could not distinctly direct the +sight) a man making towards me with cautious speed, which made me +advance with the more haste to recover the grove, believing to have +escaped him under the covert of the trees; for retreat I could not, +without betraying which way I went; but just at the entrance of the +thicket, he turning short made up to me, and I perceived it _Monsieur_ +the Count, who taking me for _Melinda_, whom it seems he expected, +caught hold of my gown as I would have passed him, and cried, 'Now +_Melinda_, I see you are a maid of honour,--come, retire with me into +the grove, where I have a present of a heart and something else to +make you, that will be of more advantage to you than that of _Alexis_, +though something younger.'--I all confounded knew not what to reply, +nor how, lest he should find his mistake, at least, if he discovered +not who I was: which silence gave him occasion to go on, which he did +in this manner: 'What not a word, _Melinda_, or do you design I shall +take your silence for consent? If so, come my pretty creature, let us +not lose the hour love has given us;' at this he would have advanced, +leading me by the hand, which he pressed and kissed very amorously: +judge, my adorable _Sylvia_, in what a fine condition your _Philander_ +then was in. What should I do? To go had disappointed him worse than I +was with thee before; not to go, betrayed me: I had much ado to hold +my countenance, and unwilling to speak. While I was thus employed in +thought, _Monsieur_----pulling me (eager of joys to come,) and I +holding back, he stopped and cried, 'Sure, _Melinda_, you came not +hither to bring me a denial.' I then replied, whispering,--'Softly, +sir, for heaven's sake' (sweetening my voice as much as possible) +'consider I am a maid, and would not be discovered for the world.' +'Who can discover us?' replied my lover, 'what I take from thee shall +never be missed, not by _Alexis_ himself upon thy wedding +night;--Come--sweet child, come:--'--'With that I pulled back and +whispered--'Heavens! Would you make a mistress of me?'--Says he--'A +mistress, what would'st thou be a cherubin?' Then I replied as +before--'I am no whore, sir,'--'No,' cries he, 'but I can quickly make +thee one, I have my tools about me, sweet-heart; therefore let us lose +no time, but fall to work:' this last raillery from the brisk old +gentleman, had in spite of resolution almost made me burst out into a +loud laughter, when he took more gravity upon him, and cried--'Come, +come, _Melinda_, why all this foolish argument at this hour in this +place, and after so much serious courtship; believe me, I'll be kind +to thee for ever;' with that he clapped fifty guineas in a purse into +one hand, and something else that shall be nameless into the other, +presents that had been both worth _Melinda_'s acceptance: all this +while was I studying an evasion; at last, to shorten my pleasant +adventure, looking round, I cried softly, 'Are you sure, sir, we are +safe--for heaven's sake step towards the garden door and see, for I +would not be discovered for the world.'--'Nor I,' cried he--'but do +not fear, all is safe:'--'However see' (whispered I) 'that my fear may +not disturb your joys.' With that he went toward the house, and I +slipping into the grove, got immediately into the meadow, where +_Alexis_ waited my coming with _Brilliard_; so I, left the expecting +lover, I suppose, ranging the grove for his fled nymph, and I doubt +will fall heavy on poor _Melinda_, who shall have the guineas, either +to restore or keep, as she and the angry Count can agree: I leave the +management of it to her wit and conduct. + +This account I thought necessary to give my charmer, that she might +prepare _Melinda_ for the assault, who understanding all that passed +between us, may so dispose of matters, that no discovery may happen by +mistake, and I know my _Sylvia_ and she can find a thousand excuses +for the supposed _Melinda_'s flight. But, my adorable maid, my +business here was not to give an account of my adventure only, nor of +my ravings, but to tell my _Sylvia_, on what my life depends; which +is, in a permission to wait on her again this ensuing night; make no +excuse, for if you do, by all I adore in heaven and earth I'll end my +life here where I received it. I will say no more, nor give your love +instructions, but wait impatiently here the life or death of your +PHILANDER. + +_'Tis six o'clock, and yet my eyes have not closed themselves to +sleep:_ Alexis _and_ Brilliard _give me hopes of a kind return to +this, and have brought their flute and violin to charm me into a +slumber: if_ Sylvia _love, as I am sure she does, she will wake me +with a dear consent to see me; if not, I only wake to sleep for ever_. + + * * * * * + +_To My Fair_ CHARMER. + +When I had sealed the enclosed, my page, whom I had ordered to come to +me with an account of any business extraordinary, is this morning +arrived with a letter from _Cesario_, which I have sent here enclosed, +that my _Sylvia_ may see how little I regard the world, or the mighty +revolution in hand, when set in competition with the least hope of +beholding her adorable face, or hearing her charming tongue when it +whispers the soft dictates of her tender heart into my ravished soul; +one moment's joy like that surmounts an age of dull empire. No, let +the busy unregarded rout perish, the cause fall or stand alone for me: +give me but love, love and my _Sylvia_; I ask no more of heaven; to +which vast joy could you but imagine (O wondrous miracle of beauty!) +how poor and little I esteem the valued trifles of the world, you +would in return contemn your part of it, and live with me in silent +shades for ever. Oh! _Sylvia_, what hast thou this night to add to the +soul of thy + +PHILANDER. + + * * * * * + +_To_ the Count of---- + +I'll allow you, my dear, to be very fond of so much beauty as the +world must own adorns the lovely _Sylvia_: I'll permit love too to +rival me in your heart, but not out-rival glory; haste then, my dear, +to the advance of that, make no delay, but with the morning's dawn let +me find you in my arms, where I have something that will surprise you +to relate to you: you were last night expected at----It behoves you to +give no umbrage to persons whose interest renders them enough jealous. +We have two new advancers come in of youth and money, teach them not +negligence; be careful, and let nothing hinder you from taking horse +immediately, as you value the repose and fortune of, + +_My dear_, +_Your_ CESARIO. + +_I called last night on you, and your page following me to my coach, +whispered me--if I had any earnest business with you, he knew where to +find you; I soon imagined where, and bid him call within an hour for +this, and post with it immediately, though dark._ + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +Ah! What have I done, _Philander_, and where shall I hide my guilty +blushing face? Thou hast undone my eternal quiet: oh, thou hast ruin'd +my everlasting repose, and I must never, never look abroad again: +curse on my face that first debauched my virtue, and taught thee how +to love; curse on my tempting youth, my shape, my air, my eyes, my +voice, my hands, and every charm that did contribute to my fatal love, +a lasting curse on all--but those of the adorable _Philander_, and +those----even in this raging minute, my furious passion dares not +approach with an indecent thought: no, they are sacred all, madness +itself would spare them, and shouldst thou now behold me as I sit, my +hair dishevelled, ruffled and disordered, my eyes bedewing every word +I write, when for each letter I let fall a tear; then (pressed with +thought) starting, I dropped my pen, and fell to rave anew, and tear +those garments whose loose negligence helped to betray me to my +shameful ruin, wounding my breast, but want the resolution to wound it +as I ought; which when I but propose, love stays the thought, raging +and wild as it is, the conqueror checks it, with whispering only +_Philander_ to my soul; the dear name calms me to an easiness, gives +me the pen into my trembling hand, and I pursue my silent soft +complaint: oh! shouldst thou see me thus, in all these sudden +different changes of passion, thou wouldst say, _Philander_, I were +mad indeed, madness itself can find no stranger motions: and I would +calmly ask thee, for I am calm again, how comes it, my adorable +_Philander_, that thou canst possess a maid with so much madness? Who +art thyself a miracle of softness, all sweet and all serene, the most +of angel in thy composition that ever mingled with humanity; the very +words fall so gently from thy tongue,--are uttered with a voice so +ravishingly soft, a tone so tender and so full of love, it would charm +even frenzy, calm rude distraction, and wildness would become a silent +listener; there's such a sweet serenity in thy face, such innocence +and softness in thy eyes, should desert savages but gaze on thee, sure +they would forget their native forest wildness, and be inspired with +easy gentleness: most certainly this god-like power thou hast. Why +then? Oh tell me in the agony of my soul, why must those charms that +bring tranquillity and peace to all, make me alone a wild, unseemly +raver? Why has it contrary effects on me? Oh! all I act and say is +perfect madness: yet this is the least unaccountable part of my most +wretched story;--oh! I must never behold thy lovely face again, for if +I should, sure I should blush my soul away; no, no, I must not, nor +ever more believe thy dear deluding vows; never thy charming perjured +oaths, after a violation like to this. Oh heaven, what have I done? +Yet by heaven I swear, I dare not ask my soul, lest it inform me how I +was to blame, unless that fatal minute would instruct me how to +revenge my wrongs upon my heart,----my fond betraying heart, despair +and madness seize me, darkness and horror hide me from human sight, +after an easiness like this;----what to yield,--to yield my honour? +Betray the secrets of my virgin wishes?--My new desires, my unknown +shameful flame.--Hell and Death! Where got I so much confidence? Where +learned I the hardened and unblushing folly? To wish was such a fault, +as is a crime unpardonable to own; to shew desire is such a sin in +virtue as must deserve reproach from all the world; but I, unlucky I, +have not only betrayed all these, but with a transport void of sense +and shame, I yield to thy arms----I'll not endure the thought----by +heaven! I cannot; there is something more than rage that animates that +thought: some magic spell, that in the midst of all my sense of shame +keeps me from true repentance; this angers me, and makes me know my +honour but a phantom: now I could curse again my youth and love; but +oh! When I have done, alas, _Philander_, I find myself as guilty as +before; I cannot make one firm resolve against thee, or if I do, when +I consider thee, they weigh not all one lovely hair of thine. It is +all in vain, the charming cause remains, _Philander's_ still as lovely +as before; it is him I must remove from my fond eyes and heart, him I +must banish from my touch, my smell, and every other sense; by heaven +I cannot bear the mighty pressure, I cannot see his eyes, and touch +his hands, smell the perfume every pore of his breathes forth, taste +thy soft kisses, hear thy charming voice, but I am all on a flame: no, +it is these I must exclaim on, not my youth, it is they debauch my +soul, no natural propensity in me to yield, or to admit of such +destructive fires. Fain I would put it off, but it will not do, I am +the aggressor still; else why is not every living maid undone that +does but touch or see thee? Tell me why? No, the fault is in me, and +thou art innocent.--Were but my soul less delicate, were it less +sensible of what it loves and likes in thee, I yet were dully happy; +but oh, there is a nicety there so charmed, so apprehensive of thy +beauties, as has betrayed me to unrest for ever:----yet something I +will do to tame this lewd betrayer of my right, and it shall plead no +more in thy behalf; no more, no more disperse the joys which it +conceives through every vein (cold and insensible by nature) to kindle +new desires there.--No more shall fill me with unknown curiosity; no, +I will in spite of all the perfumes that dwell about thee, in spite of +all the arts thou hast of looking, of speaking, and of touching, I +will, I say, assume my native temper, I will be calm, be cold and +unconcerned, as I have been to all the World,--but to _Philander_.-- +The almighty power he has is unaccountable:--by yonder breaking day +that opens in the east, opens to see my shame--I swear--by that great +ruler of the day, the sun, by that Almighty Power that rules them +both, I swear--I swear, _Philander_, charming lovely youth! Thou art +the first e'er kindled soft desires about my soul, thou art the first +that ever did inform me that there was such a sort of wish about me. +I thought the vanity of being beloved made up the greatest part of the +satisfaction; it was joy to see my lovers sigh about me, adore and +praise me, and increase my pride by every look, by every word and +action; and him I fancied best I favoured most, and he past for the +happy fortune; him I have suffered too to kiss and press me, to tell +me all his tale of love, and sigh, which I would listen to with pride +and pleasure, permitted it, and smiled him kind returns; nay, by my +life, then thought I loved him too, thought I could have been content +to have passed my life at this gay rate, with this fond hoping lover, +and thought no farther than of being great, having rich coaches, +shewing equipage, to pass my hours in dressing, in going to the operas +and the tower, make visits where I list, be seen at balls; and having +still the vanity to think the men would gaze and languish where I +came, and all the women envy me; I thought no farther on--but thou, +_Philander_, hast made me take new measures, I now can think +of nothing but of thee, I loathe the sound of love from any other +voice, and conversation makes my soul impatient, and does not only +dull me into melancholy, but perplexes me out of all humour, out of +all patient sufferance, and I am never so well pleased when from +_Philander_, as when I am retired, and curse my character and figure +in the world, because it permits me not to prevent being visited; one +thought of thee is worth the world's enjoyment, I hate to dress, I +hate to be agreeable to any eyes but thine; I hate the noise of +equipage and crowds, and would be more content to live with thee in +some lone shaded cottage, than be a queen, and hindered by that +grandeur one moment's conversation with _Philander_: may'st thou +despise and loathe me, a curse the greatest that I can invent, if this +be any thing but real honest truth. No, no, _Philander_, I find I +never lov'd till now, I understood it not, nor knew what those sighs +and pressings meant which others gave me; yet every speaking glance +thy eyes put on, inform my soul what it is they plead and languish +for: if you but touch my hand, my breath grows faint and short, my +blood glows in my face, and runs with an unusual warmth through every +vein, and tells my heart what it is _Philander_ ails, when he falls +sighing on my bosom; oh then, I fear, I answer every look, and every +sigh and touch, in the same silent but intelligible language, and +understood, I fear, too well by thee: till now I never feared love as +a criminal. Oh tell me not, mistaken foolish maids, true love is +innocent, ye cold, ye dull, ye unconsidering lovers; though I have +often heard it from the grave and wise, and preached myself that +doctrine: I now renounce it all, it is false, by heaven! it is false, +for now I love, and know it all a fiction; yes, and love so, as never +any woman can equal me in love, my soul being all composed (as I have +often said) of softer materials. Nor is it fancy sets my rates on +beauty, there is an intrinsic value in thy charms, who surely none but +I am able to understand, and to those that view thee not with my +judging eyes, ugliness fancied would appear the same, and please as +well. If all could love or judge like me, why does _Philander_ pass so +unregarded by a thousand women, who never sighed for him? What makes +_Myrtilla_, who possesses all, looks on thee, feels thy kisses, hears +thee speak, and yet wants sense to know how blessed she is, it is want +of judgement all; and how, and how can she that judges ill, love well? + +Granting my passion equal to its object, you must allow it infinite, +and more in me than any other woman, by how much more my soul is +composed of tenderness; and yet I say I own, for I may own it, now +heaven and you are witness of my shame, I own with all this love, with +all this passion, so vast, so true, and so unchangeable, that I have +wishes, new, unwonted wishes, at every thought of thee I find a +strange disorder in my blood, that pants and burns in every vein, and +makes me blush, and sigh, and grow impatient, ashamed and angry; but +when I know it the effects of love, I am reconciled, and wish and sigh +anew; for when I sit and gaze upon thy eyes, thy languishing, thy +lovely dying eyes, play with thy soft white hand, and lay my glowing +cheeks to thine----Oh God! What language can express my transport! All +that is tender, all that is soft desire, seizes every trembling limb, +and it is with pain concealed.--Yes, yes, _Philander_, it is the fatal +truth, since thou hast found it, I confess it too, and yet I love thee +dearly; long, long it was that I essayed to hide the guilty flame, if +love be guilt; for I confess I did dissemble a coldness which I was +not mistress of: there lies a woman's art, there all her boasted +virtue, it is but well dissembling, and no more--but mine, alas, is +gone, for ever fled; this, this feeble guard that should secure my +honour, thou hast betrayed, and left it quite defenceless. Ah, what's +a woman's honour when it is so poorly guarded! No wonder that you +conquer with such ease, when we are only safe by the mean arts of base +dissimulation, an ill as shameful as that to which we fall. Oh silly +refuge! What foolish nonsense fond custom can persuade: Yet so it is; +and she that breaks her laws, loses her fame, her honour and esteem. +Oh heavens! How quickly lost it is! Give me, ye powers, my fame, and +let me be a fool; let me retain my virtue and my honour, and be a dull +insensible--But, oh! Where is it? I have lost it all; it is +irrecoverably lost: yes, yes, ye charming perjured man, it is gone, +and thou hast quite undone me.-- + +What though I lay extended on my bed, undressed, unapprehensive of my +fate, my bosom loose and easy of access, my garments ready, thin and +wantonly put on, as if they would with little force submit to the fond +straying hand: what then, _Philander_, must you take the advantage? +Must you be perjured because I was tempting? It is true, I let you in +by stealth by night, whose silent darkness favoured your treachery; +but oh, _Philander_, were not your vows as binding by a glimmering +taper, as if the sun with all his awful light had been a looker on? I +urged your vows as you pressed on,--but oh, I fear it was in such a +way, so faintly and so feebly I upbraided you, as did but more advance +your perjuries. Your strength increas'd, but mine alas declin'd;'till +I quite fainted in your arms, left you triumphant lord of all: no more +my faint denials do persuade, no more my trembling hands resist your +force, unregarded lay the treasure which you toil'd for, betrayed and +yielded to the lovely conqueror--but oh tormenting,----when you saw +the store, and found the prize no richer, with what contempt, (yes +false, dear man) with what contempt you view'd the unvalu'd trophy: +what, despised! Was all you call a heaven of joy and beauty exposed to +view, and then neglected? Were all your prayers heard, your wishes +granted, and your toils rewarded, the trembling victim ready for the +sacrifice, and did you want devotion to perform it? And did you thus +receive the expected blessing?----Oh--by heaven I'll never see thee +more, and it will be charity to thee, for thou hast no excuse in store +that can convince my opinion that I am hated, loathed,--I cannot bear +that thought--or if I do, it shall only serve to fortify my fixed +resolve never to see thee more.--And yet I long to hear thy false +excuse, let it be quickly then; it is my disdain invites thee--to +strengthen which, there needs no more than that you let me hear your +poor defence.----But it is a tedious time to that slow hour wherein I +dare permit thee, but hope not to incline my soul to love: no, I am +yet safe if I can stop but here, but here be wise, resolve and be +myself. + +SYLVIA. + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +As my page was coming with the enclosed, he met _Alexis_ at the gate +with yours, and who would not depart without an answer to it;--to go +or stay is the question. Ah, Philander! Why do you press a heart too +ready to yield to love and you! Alas, I fear you guess too well my +answer, and your own soul might save me the blushing trouble of a +reply. I am plunged in, past hope of a retreat; and since my fate has +pointed me out for ruin, I cannot fall more gloriously. Take then, +_Philander_, to your dear arms, a maid that can no longer resist, who +is disarmed of all defensive power: she yields, she yields, and does +confess it too; and sure she must be more than mortal, that can hold +out against thy charms and vows. Since I must be undone, and give all +away; I'll do it generously, and scorn all mean reserves: I will be +brave in love, and lavish all; nor shall _Philander_ think I love him +well, unless I do. Take, charming victor, then, what your own merits, +and what love has given you; take, take, at last, the dear reward of +all your sighs and tears, your vows and sufferings. But since, +_Philander_, it is an age to night, and till the approach of those +dear silent hours, thou knowest I dare not give thee admittance; I do +conjure thee, go to _Cesario_, whom I find too pressing, not to +believe the concerns great; and so jealous I am of thy dear safety, +that every thing alarms my fears: oh! satisfy them then and go, it is +early yet, and if you take horse immediately, you will be there by +eight this morning; go, I conjure you; for though it is an unspeakable +satisfaction to know you are so near me, yet I prefer your safety and +honour to all considerations else. You may soon dispatch your affair, +and render yourself time enough on the place appointed, which is where +you last night waited, and it will be at least eight at night before +it is possible to bring you to my arms. Come in your chariot, and do +not heat yourself with riding; have a care of me and my life, in the +preservation of all I love. Be sure you go, and do not, my +_Philander_, out of a punctilio of love, neglect your dear +safety----go then, _Philander_, and all the gods of love preserve and +attend thee on thy way, and bring thee safely back to + +SYLVIA. + + * * * * * + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +Oh thou most charming of thy sex! Thou lovely dear delight of my +transported soul! thou everlasting treasure of my heart! What hast +thou done? Given me an over-joy, that fails but very little of +performing what grief's excess had almost finished before: eternal +blessings on thee, for a goodness so divine, oh, thou most excellent, +and dearest of thy sex! I know not what to do, or what to say. I am +not what I was, I do not speak, nor walk, nor think as I was wont to +do; sure the excess of joy is far above dull sense, or formal +thinking, it cannot stay for ceremonious method. I rave with pleasure, +rage with the dear thought of coming ecstasy. Oh _Sylvia_, _Sylvia_, +_Sylvia_! My soul, my vital blood, and without which I could as well +subsist--oh, my adorable, my _Sylvia_! Methinks I press thee, kiss +thee, hear thee sigh, behold thy eyes, and all the wondrous beauty of +thy face; a solemn joy has spread itself through every vein, sensibly +through every artery of my heart, and I can think of nothing but of +_Sylvia_, the lovely _Sylvia_, the blooming flowing _Sylvta_! And +shall I see thee? Shall I touch thy hands, and press thy dear, thy +charming body in my arms, and taste a thousand joys, a thousand +ravishments? Oh God! shall I? Oh _Sylvia_, say; but thou hast said +enough to make me mad, and I, forgetful of thy safety and my own, +shall bring thy wild adoring slave to _Bellfont_, and throw him at thy +feet, to pay his humble gratitude for this great condescension, this +vast bounty. + +Ah, _Sylvia_! How shall I live till night? And you impose too cruelly +upon me, in conjuring me to go to _Cesario_; alas! Does _Sylvia_ know +to what she exposes her _Philander_? Whose joy is so transporting, +great, that when he comes into the grave cabal, he must betray the +story of his heart, and, in lieu of the mighty business there in hand, +be raving still on _Sylvia_, telling his joy to all the amazed +listeners, and answering questions that concern our great affair, with +something of my love; all which will pass for madness, and undo me: +no, give me leave to rave in silence, and unseen among the trees, +they'll humour my disease, answer my murmuring joy, and echoes flatter +it, repeat thy name, repeat that _Sylvia_'s mine! and never hurt her +fame; while the cabals, business and noisy town will add confusion to +my present transport, and make me mad indeed: no, let me alone, thou +sacred lovely creature, let me be calm and quiet here, and tell all +the insensibles I meet in the woods what _Sylvia_ has this happy +minute destined me: oh, let me record it on every bark, on every oak +and beech, that all the world may wonder at my fortune, and bless the +generous maid; let it grow up to ages that shall come, that they may +know the story of our loves, and how a happy youth, they called +_Philander_, was once so blest by heaven as to possess the charming, +the adored and loved by all, the glorious _Sylvia_! a maid, the most +divine that ever graced a story; and when the nymphs would look for an +example of love and constancy, let them point out _Philander_ to their +doubted swains, and cry, 'Ah! love but as the young _Philander_ did, +and then be fortunate, and then reap all your wishes:' and when the +shepherd would upbraid his nymph, let him but cry,--'See here what +_Sylvia_ did to save the young _Philander_;' but oh! There never will +be such another nymph as _Sylvia_; heaven formed but one to shew the +world what angels are, and she was formed for me, yes she was--in whom +I would not quit my glorious interest to reign a monarch here, or any +boasted gilded thing above! Take all, take all, ye gods, and give me +but this happy coming night! Oh, _Sylvia, Sylvia_! By all thy promised +joys I am undone if any accident should ravish this night from me: +this night! No not for a lease of years to all eternity would I throw +thee away: oh! I am all flame, all joyful fire and softness; methinks +it is heaven where-ever I look round me, air where I tread, and +ravishing music when I speak, because it is all of _Sylvia_----let me +alone, oh let me cool a little, or I shall by an excess of joyful +thought lose all my hoped for bliss. Remove a little from me; go, my +_Sylvia_, you are so excessive sweet, so wondrous dazzling, you press +my senses even to pain--away--let me take air--let me recover breath: +oh let me lay me down beneath some cooling shade, near some refreshing +crystal murmuring spring, and fan the gentle air about me. I +suffocate, I faint with this close loving, I must allay my joy or be +undone--I will read thy cruel letters, or I will think of some sad +melancholy hour wherein thou hast dismissed me despairing from thy +presence: or while you press me now to be gone with so much +earnestness, you have some lover to receive and entertain; perhaps it +is only for the vanity to hear him tell his nauseous passion to you, +breathe on your lovely face, and daub your garments with his fulsome +embrace; but oh, by heaven, I cannot think that thought! And thou hast +sworn thou canst not suffer it--if I should find thee false--but it is +impossible.--Oh! Should I find _Foscario_ visit thee, him whom thy +parents favour, I should undo you all, by heaven I should--but thou +hast sworn, what need _Philander_ more? Yes, _Sylvia_, thou hast sworn +and called heaven's vengeance down whenever thou gavest a look, or a +dear smile in love to that pretending fop: yet from his mighty fortune +there is danger in him--What makes that thought torment me now?--Be +gone, for _Sylvia_ loves me, and will preserve my life---- + +I am not able, my adorable charmer, to obey your commands in going +from the sight of happy _Bellfont_; no, let the great wheel of the +vast design roll on----or for ever stand still, for I will not aid its +motion to leave the mightier business of my love unfinished; no, let +fortune and the duller fools toil on----for I'll not bate a minute of +my joys with thee to save the world, much less so poor a parcel of it; +and sure there is more solid pleasure even in these expecting hours I +wait to snatch my bliss, than to be lord of all the universe without +it: then let me wait, my _Sylvia_, in those melancholy shades that +part _Bellfont_ from _Dorillus_'s farm; perhaps my _Sylvia_ may walk +that way so unattended, that we might meet and lose ourselves for a +few moments in those intricate retreats: ah _Sylvia_! I am dying with +that thought----oh heavens! What cruel destiny is mine? Whose fatal +circumstances do not permit me to own my passion, and lay claim to +_Sylvia_, to take her without control to shades and palaces, to live +for ever with her, to gaze for ever on her, to eat, to loll, to rise, +to play, to sleep, to act over all the pleasures and the joys of life +with her--but it is in vain I rave, in vain employ myself in the +fool's barren business, wishing--this thought has made me sad as +death: oh, _Sylvia_! I can never be truly happy--adieu, employ thyself +in writing to me, and remember my life bears date but only with thy +faith and love. + +PHILANDER. + +_Try, my adorable, what you can do to meet me in the wood this +afternoon, for there I will live to-day._ + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +Obstinate _Philander_, I conjure you by all your vows, by all your +sacred love, by those dear hours this happy night designed in favour +of you, to go without delay to _Cesario_; 'twill be unsafe to disobey +a prince in his jealous circumstances. The fatigue of the journey +cannot be great, and you well know the torment of my fears! Oh! I +shall never be happy, or think you safe, till you have quitted this +fatal interest: go, my _Philander_----and remember whatever toils you +take will be rewarded at night in the arms of + +SYLVIA. + + * * * * * + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +Whatever toils you take shall be rewarded in the arms of +_Sylvia_----by heaven, I am inspired to act wonders: yes, _Sylvia_, +yes, my adorable maid, I am gone, I fly as swift as lightning, or the +soft darts of love shot from thy charming eyes, and I can hardly stay +to say----adieu---- + + * * * * * + +_To_ the Lady---- + +_Dear Child_, + +Long foreseeing the misery whereto you must arrive, by this fatal +correspondence with my unhappy lord, I have often, with tears and +prayers, implored you to decline so dangerous a passion: I have never +yet acquainted our parents with your misfortunes, but I fear I must at +last make use of their authority for the prevention of your ruin. It +is not my dearest child, that part of this unhappy story that relates +to me, that grieves me, but purely that of thine. + +Consider, oh young noble maid, the infamy of being a prostitute! And +yet the act itself in this fatal amour is not the greatest sin, but +the manner, which carries an unusual horror with it; for it is a +brother too, my child, as well as a lover, one that has lain by thy +unhappy sister's side so many tender years, by whom he has a dear and +lovely off-spring, by which he has more fixed himself to thee by +relation and blood: consider this, oh fond heedless girl! And suffer +not a momentary joy to rob thee of thy eternal fame, me of my eternal +repose, and fix a brand upon our noble house, and so undo us +all.----Alas, consider, after an action so shameful, thou must obscure +thyself in some remote corner of the world, where honesty and honour +never are heard of: no, thou canst not shew thy face, but it will be +pointed at for something monstrous; for a hundred ages may not produce +a story so lewdly infamous and loose as thine. Perhaps (fond as you +are) you imagine the sole joy of being beloved by him, will atone for +those affronts and reproaches you will meet with in the censuring +world: but, child, remember and believe me, there is no lasting faith +in sin; he that has broke his vows with heaven and me, will be again +perjured to heaven and thee, and all the world!----He once thought me +as lovely, lay at my feet, and sighed away his soul, and told such +piteous stories of his sufferings, such sad, such mournful tales of +his departed rest, his broken heart and everlasting love, that sure I +thought it had been a sin not to have credited his charming perjuries; +in such a way he swore, with such a grace he sighed, so artfully he +moved, so tenderly he looked. Alas, dear child, then all he said was +new, unusual with him, never told before, now it is a beaten road, it +is learned by heart, and easily addressed to any fond believing woman, +the tattered, worn out fragments of my trophies, the dregs of what I +long since drained from off his fickle heart; then it was fine, then +it was brisk and new, now palled and dull by being repeated often. +Think, my child, what your victorious beauty merits, the victim of a +heart unconquered by any but your eyes: alas, he has been my captive, +my humble whining slave, disdain to put him on your fetters now; alas, +he can say no new thing of his heart to thee, it is love at second +hand, worn out, and all its gaudy lustre tarnished; besides, my child, +if thou hadst no religion binding enough, no honour that could stay +thy fatal course, yet nature should oblige thee, and give a check to +the unreasonable enterprise. The griefs and dishonour of our noble +parents, who have been eminent for virtue and piety, oh suffer them +not to be regarded in this censuring world as the most unhappy of all +the race of old nobility; thou art the darling child, the joy of all, +the last hope left, the refuge of their sorrow, for they, alas, have +had but unkind stars to influence their unadvised off-spring; no want +of virtue in their education, but this last blow of fate must strike +them dead; think, think of this, my child, and yet retire from ruin; +haste, fly from destruction which pursues thee fast; haste, haste and +save thy parents and a sister, or what is more dear, thy fame; mine +has already received but too many desperate wounds, and all through my +unkind lord's growing passion for thee, which was most fatally founded +on my ruin, and nothing but my ruin could advance it; and when, my +sister, thou hast run thy race, made thyself loathed, undone and +infamous as hell, despis'd, scorn'd and abandon'd by all, lampoon'd, +perhaps diseas'd; this faithless man, this cause of all will leave +thee too, grow weary of thee, nauseated by use; he may perhaps +consider what sins, what evils, and what inconveniencies and shames +thou'st brought him to, and will not be the last shall loathe and hate +thee: for though youth fancy it have a mighty race to run of pleasing +vice and vanity, the course will end, the goal will be arrived to at +the last, where they will sighing stand, look back, and view the +length of precious time they've fool'd away; when traversed over with +honour and discretion, how glorious were the journey, and with what +joy the wearied traveller lies down and basks beneath the shades that +end the happy course. + +Forgive, dear child, this advice, and pursue it; it is the effect of +my pity, not anger; nor could the name of rival ever yet have power to +banish that of sister from my soul----farewell, remember me; pray +heaven thou hast not this night made a forfeit of thy honour, and that +this which comes from a tender bleeding heart may have the fortune to +inspire thee with grace to avoid all temptations for the future, since +they must end in sorrows which is the eternal prayer of, + +_Dearest child,_ + +_Your affectionate Sister._ + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +Ask me not, my dearest brother, the reason of this sudden change, ask +me no more from whence proceeds this strange coldness, or why this +alteration; it is enough my destiny has not decreed me for +_Philander_: alas, I see my error, and looking round about me, find +nothing but approaching horror and confusion in my pursuit of love: oh +whither was I going, to what dark paths, to what everlasting shades +had smiling love betray'd me, had I pursued him farther? But I at last +have subdued his force, and the fond charmer shall no more renew his +arts and flatteries; for I'm resolv'd as heaven, as fix'd as fate and +death, and I conjure you trouble my repose no more; for if you do +(regardless of my honour, which if you loved you would preserve) I +will do a deed shall free me from your importunities, that shall amaze +and cool your vicious flame. No more--remember you have a noble wife, +companion of your vows, and I have honour, both which are worth +preserving, and for which, though you want generous love, you will +find neither that nor courage wanting in _Sylvia_. + + * * * * * + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +Yes, my adorable _Sylvia_, I will pursue you no farther; only for all +my pains, for all my sufferings, for my tormenting sleepless nights, +and thoughtful anxious days; for all my faithless hopes, my fears, my +sighs, my prayers and my tears, for my unequalled and unbounded +passion, and my unwearied pursuits in love, my never-dying flame, and +lastly, for my death; I only beg, in recompense for all, this last +favour from your pity; That you will deign to view the bleeding wound +that pierced the truest heart that ever fell a sacrifice to love; you +will find my body lying beneath that spreading oak, so sacred to +_Philander_, since it was there he first took into his greedy ravished +soul, the dear, the soft confession of thy passion, though now +forgotten and neglected all--make what haste you can, you will find +there stretched out the mangled carcase of the lost + +PHILANDER. + +_Ah_ Sylvia! _Was it for this that I was sent in such haste away this +morning to_ Cesario_? Did I for this neglect the world, our great +affair, and all that Prince's interest, and fly back to_ Bellfont _on +the wings of love? Where in lieu of receiving a dear blessing from thy +hand, do I find----never see me more--good heaven--but, with my life, +all my complaints are ended; only it would be, some ease, even in +death, to know what happy rival it is has armed thy cruel hand +against_ Philander's _heart_. + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +Stay, I conjure thee, stay thy sacrilegious hand; for the least wound +it gives the lord of all my wishes, I'll double on my breast a +thousand fold; stay then, by all thy vows, thy love, and all thy +hopes, I swear thou hast this night a full recompense of all thy pains +from yielding _Sylvia_; I do conjure thee stay----for when the news +arrives thou art no more, this poor, this lost, abandoned heart of +mine shall fall a victim to thy cruelty: no, live, my _Philander_, I +conjure thee, and receive all thou canst ask, and all that can be +given by + +SYLVIA. + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +Oh, my charming _Philander_! How very ill have you recompensed my last +lost commands? Which were that you should live; and yet at the same +moment, while you are reading of the dear obligation, and while my +page was waiting your kind return, you desperately exposed your life +to the mercy of this innocent rival, betraying unadvisedly at the same +time my honour, and the secret of your love, and where to kill or to +be killed, had been almost equally unhappy: it was well my page told +me you disarmed him in this rencounter; yet you, he says, are wounded, +some sacred drops of blood are fallen to the earth and lost, the least +of which is precious enough to ransom captive queens: oh! Haste +_Philander_, to my arms for cure, I die with fear there may be +danger----haste, and let me bathe, the dear, the wounded part in +floods of tears, lay to my warm lips, and bind it with my torn hair: +oh! _Philander_, I rave with my concern for thee, and am ready to +break all laws of decency and duty, and fly without considering, to +thy succour, but that I fear to injure thee much more by the +discovery, which such an unadvised absence would make. Pray heaven the +unlucky adventure reach not _Bellfont; Foscario_ has no reason to +proclaim it, and thou art too generous to boast the conquest, and my +page was the only witness, and he is as silent and as secret as the +grave: but why, _Philander_, was he sent me back without reply? What +meant that cruel silence----say, my _Philander_, will you not obey +me?----Will you abandon me? Can that dear tongue be perjured? And can +you this night disappoint your _Sylvia_? What have I done, oh +obstinately cruel, irreconcileable----what, for my first offence? A +little poor resentment and no more? A little faint care of my gasping +honour, could that displease so much? Besides I had a cause, which you +shall see; a letter that would cool love's hottest fires, and turn it +to devotion; by heaven it was such a check----such a surprise----but +you yourself shall judge, if after that I could say less, than bid +eternally farewell to love--at least to thee--but I recanted soon; one +sad dear word, one soft resenting line from thee, gained love the day +again, and I despised the censures of the duller world: yes, yes, and +I confessed you had overcome, and did this merit no reply? I asked the +boy a thousand times what you said, how and in what manner you +received it, chid him, and laid your silent fault on him, till he with +tears convinced me, and said he found you hastening to the grove,--and +when he gave you my commands----you looked upon him with such a wild +and fixed regard, surveying him all over while you were opening +it----as argued some unusual motion in you; then cried, 'Be gone--I +cannot answer flattery'----Good heaven, what can you mean? But 'ere he +got to the farther end of the grove, where still you walked a solemn +death-like pace, he saw _Foscario_ pass him unattended, and looking +back saw your rencounter, saw all that happened between you, then ran +to your assistance just as you parted; still you were roughly sullen, +and neither took notice of his proffered service, nor that you needed +it, although you bled apace; he offered you his aid to tie your wounds +up----but you replied--'Be gone, and do not trouble me'----Oh, could +you imagine I could live with this neglect? Could you, my _Philander_? +Oh what would you have me do! If nothing but my death or ruin can +suffice for my atonement, I will sacrifice either with joy; yes, I'll +proclaim my passion aloud, proclaim it at _Bellfont_, own the dear +criminal flame, fly to my Philander's aid and be undone; for thus I +cannot, no, I will not live, I rave, I languish, faint and die with +pain; say that you live, oh, say but that you live, say you are coming +to the meadow behind the garden-grove, in order to your approach to my +arms: oh, swear that all your vows are true; oh, swear that you are +_Sylvia's_; and in return, I will swear that I am yours without +reserve, whatever fate is destined for your + +SYLVIA. + +_I die with impatience, either to see or hear from you; I fear it is +yet too soon for the first----oh therefore save me with the last, or I +shall rave, and wildly betray all by coming to_ Dorillus _his farm, or +seeking you where-ever you cruelly have hid yourself from_ + +SYLVIA. + + * * * * * + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +Ah, _Sylvia_, how have you in one day destroyed that repose I have +been designing so many years! Oh, thou false----but wondrous fair +creature! Why did heaven ordain so much beauty, and so much perfidy, +so much excellent wit, and so much cunning, (things inconsistent in +any but in _Sylvia_) in one divine frame, but to undo mankind: yes, +_Sylvia_, thou wert born to murder more believing men than the unhappy +and undone _Philander_. Tell me, thou charming hypocrite, why hast +thou thus deluded me? Why? oh, why was I made the miserable object of +thy fatal vow-breach? What have I done, thou lovely, fickle maid, that +thou shouldst be my murderer? And why dost thou call me from the grave +with such dear soft commands as would awake the very quiet dead, to +torture me anew, after my eyes (curse on their fatal sense) were too +sure witnesses of thy infidelity? Oh, fickle maid, how much more kind +it had been to have sent me down to earth, with plain heart-breaking +truth, than a mean subtle falsehood, that has undone thy credit in my +soul? Truth, though it were cruel, had been generous in thee; though +thou wert perjured, false, forsworn----thou shouldst not have added to +it that yet baser sin of treachery: you might have been provoked to +have killed your friend, but it were base to stab him unawares, +defenceless and unwarned; smile in my face, and strike me to the +heart; soothe me with all the tenderest marks of my passion----nay, +with an invitation too, that would have gained a credit in one that +had been jilted over the world, flattered and ruined by all thy +cozening sex, and all to send me vain and pleased away, only to gain a +day to entertain another lover in. Oh, fantastic woman! destructive +glorious thing, what needed this deceit? Hadst thou not with unwonted +industry persuaded me to have hasted to _Cesario_, by heaven, I had +dully lived the tedious day in traversing the flowery meads and silent +groves, laid by some murmuring spring, had sigh'd away the often +counted hours, and thought on _Sylvia_, till the blessed minute of my +ravishing approach to her; had been a fond, believing and imposed on +coxcomb, and never had dreamt the treachery, never seen the snake that +basked beneath the gay, the smiling flowers; securely thou hadst +cozened me, reaped the new joys, and made my rival sport at the +expense of all my happiness: yes, yes, your hasty importunity first +gave me jealousy, made me impatient with _Cesario_, and excuse myself +to him by a hundred inventions; neglected all to hasten back, where +all my joys, where all my killing fears and torments resided--but when +I came----how was I welcomed? With your confirming billet; yes, +_Sylvia_, how! Let _Dorillus_ inform you, between whose arms I fell +dead, shame on me, dead--and the first thought my soul conceived when +it returned, was, not to die in jest. I answered your commands, and +hastened to the grove, where----by all that is sacred, by thyself I +swear (a dearer oath than heaven and earth can furnish me with) I did +resolve to die; but oh, how soon my soft, my silent passion turned to +loud rage, rage easier to be borne, to dire despair, to fury and +revenge; for there I saw, _Foscario_, my young, my fair, my rich and +powerful rival, he hasted through the grove, all warm and glowing from +the fair false one's arms; the blushes which thy eyes had kindled were +fresh upon his cheeks, his looks were sparkling with the new-blown +fire, his heart so briskly burnt with a glad, peaceful smile dressed +all his face, tricked like a bridegroom, while he perfum'd the air as +he passed through it----none but the man that loves and dotes like me +is able to express my sense of rage: I quickly turned the sword from +my own heart to send it to his elevated one, giving him only time +to----draw--that was the word, and I confess your spark was wondrous +ready, brisk with success, vain with your new-given favours, he only +cried--'If _Sylvia_ be the quarrel--I am prepared----' And he +maintained your cause with admirable courage I confess, though chance +or fortune luckily gave me his sword, which I would fain have rendered +back, and that way would have died; but he refused to arm his hand +anew against the man that had not took advantage of him, and thus we +parted: then it was that malice supported me with life, and told me I +should scorn to die for so perfidious and so ruinous a creature; but +charming and bewitching still, it was then I borrowed so much calmness +of my lessening anger to read the billet over, your page had brought +me, which melted all the rough remaining part of rage away into tame +languishment: ah, _Sylvia_! This heart of mine was never formed by +nature to hold out long in stubborn sullenness; I am already on the +excusing part, and fain would think thee innocent and just; deceive me +prettily, I know thou canst soothe my fond heart, and ask how it could +harbour a faithless thought of _Sylvia_--do--flatter me, protest a +little, swear my rival saw thee not, say he was there by chance----say +any thing; or if thou sawest him, say with how cold a look he was +received----Oh, _Sylvia_, calm my soul, deceive it flatter it, and I +shall still believe and love thee on----yet shouldest thou tell me +truth, that thou art false, by heaven I do adore thee so, I still +should love thee on; should I have seen thee clasp him in thy arms, +print kisses on his cheeks and lips, and more----so fondly and so +dotingly I love, I think I should forgive thee; for I swear by all the +powers that pity frail mortality, there is no joy, no life, no heaven +without thee! Be false! Be cruel, perjured, infamous, yet still I must +adore thee; my soul was formed of nothing but of love, and all that +love, and all that soul is _Sylvia_'s; but yet, since thou hast framed +me an excuse, be kind and carry it on;----to be deluded well, as thou +canst do it, will be the same to innocence, as loving: I shall not +find the cheat: I will come then----and lay myself at thy feet, and +seek there that repose, that dear content, which is not to be found in +this vast world besides; though much of my heart's joy thou hast +abated; and fixed a sadness in my soul that will not easily +vanish----oh _Sylvia_, take care of me, for I am in thy power, my +life, my fame, my soul are all in thy hands, be tender of the victims, +and remember if any action of thy life should shew a fading love, that +very moment I perceive the change, you shall find dead at your feet +the abandoned + +PHILANDER. + +_Sad as death, I am going towards the meadow, in order to my approach +towards_ Sylvia, _the world affording no repose to me, but when I am +where the dear charmer is_. + + * * * * * + +_To_ Philander _in the Meadow_. + +And can you be jealous of me, _Philander_? I mean so poorly jealous as +to believe me capable of falsehood, of vow-breach, and what is worse, +of loving any thing but the adorable _Philander_? I could not once +believe so cruel a thought could have entered into the imaginations of +a soul so entirely possessed with _Sylvia_, and so great a judge of +love. Abandon me, reproach me, hate me, scorn me, whenever I harbour +any thing in mind so destructive to my repose and thine. Can I +_Philander_, give you a greater proof of my passion; of my faithful, +never-dying passion, than being undone for you? Have I any other +prospect in all this soft adventure, but shame, dishonour, reproach, +eternal infamy and ever-lasting destruction, even of soul and body? I +tremble with fear of future punishment; but oh, love will have no +devotion (mixed with his ceremonies) to any other deity; and yet, +alas, I might have loved another, and have been saved, or any maid but +_Sylvia_ might have possessed without damnation. But it is a brother I +pursue, it is a sister gives her honour up, and none but _Canace_, +that ever I read in story, was ever found so wretched as to love a +brother with so criminal a flame, and possibly I may meet her fate. I +have a father too as great as _Aeolus_, as angry and revengeful where +his honour is concerned; and you found, my dearest brother, how near +you were last night to a discovery in the garden. I have some reason +too to fear this night's adventure, for as ill fate would have it +(loaded with other thoughts) I told not _Melinda_ of your adventure +last night with _Monsieur_ the Count, who meeting her early this +morning, had like to have made a discovery, if he have not really so +already; she strove to shun him, but he cried out--'_Melinda_, you +cannot fly me by light, as you did last night in the dark--'She turned +and begged his pardon, for neither coming nor designing to come, since +she had resolved never to violate her vows to _Alexis_: 'Not coming?' +cried he, 'not returning again, you meant, _Melinda_; secure of my +heart and my purse, you fled with both.' _Melinda_, whose honour was +now concerned, and not reminding your escape in her likeness, +blushing, she sharply denied the fact, and with a disdain that had +laid aside all respect, left him; nor can it be doubted, but he +fancied (if she spoke truth) there was some other intrigue of love +carried on at _Bellfont_. Judge, my charming _Philander_, if I have +not reason to be fearful of thy safety, and my fame; and to be jealous +that so wise a man as _Monsieur_ did not take that parly to be held +with a spirit last night, or that it was an apparition he courted: but +if there be no boldness like that of love, nor courage like that of a +lover; sure there never was so great a heroine as _Sylvia_. Undaunted, +I resolve to stand the shock of all, since it is impossible for me to +leave _Philander_ any doubt or jealousy that I can dissipate, and +heaven knows how far I was from any thought of seeing _Foscario_, when +I urged _Philander_ to depart. I have to clear my innocence, sent thee +the letter I received two hours after thy absence, which falling into +my mother's hands, whose favourite he is, he had permission to make +his visit, which within an hour he did; but how received by me, be +thou the judge, whenever it is thy fate to be obliged to entertain +some woman to whom thy soul has an entire aversion. I forced a +complaisance against my nature, endured his racking courtship with a +fortitude that became the great heart that bears thy sacred image; as +martyrs do, I suffered without murmuring, or the least sign of the +pain I endured--it is below the dignity of my mighty passion to +justify it farther, let it plead its own cause, it has a thousand ways +to do it, and those all such as cannot be resisted, cannot be doubted, +especially this last proof of sacrificing to your repose the never +more to be doubted + +SYLVIA. + +_About an hour hence I shall expect you to advance._ + + * * * * * + +_To_ the Lady---- + +_Madam,_ + +'Tis not always the divine graces wherewith heaven has adorned your +resplendent beauties, that can maintain the innumerable conquests they +gain, without a noble goodness; which may make you sensibly +compassionate the poor and forlorn captives you have undone: but, most +fair of your sex, it is I alone that have a destiny more cruel and +severe, and find myself wounded from your very frowns, and secured a +slave as well as made one; the very scorn from those triumphant stars, +your eyes, have the same effects, as if they shined with the continual +splendour of ravishing smiles; and I can no more shun their killing +influence, than their all-saving aspects: and I shall expire +contentedly, since I fall by so glorious a fate, if you will vouchsafe +to pronounce my doom from that store-house of perfection, your mouth, +from lips that open like the blushing rose, strow'd over with morning +dew, and from a breath sweeter than holy incense; in order to which, I +approach you, most excellent beauty, with this most humble petition, +that you will deign to permit me to throw my unworthy self before the +throne of your mercy, there to receive the sentence of my life or +death; a happiness, though incomparably too great for so mean a +vassal, yet with that reverence and awe I shall receive it, as I would +the sentence of the gods, and which I will no more resist than I would +the thunderbolts of _Jove_, or the revenge of angry _Juno_: for, +madam, my immense passion knows no medium between life | and death, +and as I never had the presumption to aspire to the glory of the +first, I am not so abject as to fear I am wholly deprived of the glory +of the last: I have too long lain convicted, extend your mercy, and +put me now out of pain: you have often wrecked me to confess my +promethean sin; spare the cruel vulture of despair, take him from my +heart in pity, and either by killing words, or blasting lightning from +those refulgent eyes, pronounce the death of, + +_Madam,_ + +_Your admiring slave_, + +FOSCARIO. + + * * * * * + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +_My Everlasting Charmer_, + +I am convinc'd and pleas'd, my fears are vanish'd, and a heaven of +solid joy is opened to my view, and I have nothing now in prospect but +angel-brightness, glittering youth, dazzling beauty, charming sounds, +and ravishing touches, and all around me ecstasies of pleasure, +inconceivable transports without conclusion; _Mahomet_ never fancied +such a heaven, not all his paradise promised such lasting felicity, or +ever provided there the recompense of such a maid as _Sylvia_, such a +bewitching form, such soft, such glorious eyes, where the soul speaks +and dances, and betrays love's secrets in every killing glance, a +face, where every motion, every feature sweetly languishes, a neck all +tempting--and her lovely breast inviting presses from the eager lips; +such hands, such clasping arms, so white, so soft and slender! No, nor +one of all his heavenly enjoyments, though promised years of fainting +in one continued ecstasy, can make one moment's joy with charming +_Sylvia_. Oh, I am wrapt (with bare imagination) with a much vaster +pleasure than any other dull appointment can dispense--oh, thou +blessing sent from heaven to ease my toils of life! Thou sacred dear +delight of my fond doting heart, oh, whither wilt thou lead me, to +what vast heights of love? Into extremes as fatal and as dangerous as +those excesses were that rendered me so cold in your opinion. Oh, +_Sylvia, Sylvia_, have a care of me, manage my overjoyed soul, and all +its eager passions, chide my fond heart, be angry if I faint upon thy +bosom, and do not with thy tender voice recall me, a voice that kills +out-right, and calls my fleeting soul out of its habitation: lay not +such charming lips to my cold cheeks, but let me lie extended at thy +feet untouched, unsighed upon, unpressed with kisses: oh, change those +tender, trembling words of love into rough sounds and noises +unconcerned, and when you see me dying, do not call my soul to mingle +with thy sighs; yet shouldst thou abate one word, one look or tear, by +heaven I should be mad; oh, never let me live to see declension in thy +love! No, no, my charmer, I cannot bear the least supposed decay in +those dear fondnesses of thine; and sure none ever became a maid so +well, nor ever were received with adorations, like to mine! + +Pardon, my adorable _Sylvia_, the rashness of my passion in this +rencounter with _Foscario_; I am satisfied he is too unhappy in your +disfavour to merit the being so in mine; but it was sufficient I then +saw a joy in his face, a pleased gaiety in his ooks to make me think +my rage reasonable, and my quarrel ust; by the style he writes, I +dread his sense less than his person; but you, my lovely maid, have +said enough to quit me of my fears for both----the night comes on--I +cannot call it envious, though it rob me of the light that should +assist me to finish this, since it will more gloriously repay me in a +happier place--come on then, thou blest retreat of lovers, I forgive +by interruptions here, since thou wilt conduct to the arms of +_Sylvia_,--the adoring + +PHILANDER. + +_If you have any commands for me, this weeder of the gardens, whom I +met in going in thither, will bring it back; I wait in the meadow, and +date this from the dear primrose-bank, where I have sat with_ Sylvia. + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +_After the happy night._ + +'Tis done, yes, _Philander_, it is done, and after that, what will not +love and grief oblige me to own to you? Oh, by what insensible degrees +a maid in love may arrive to say any thing to her lover without +blushing! I have known the time, the blest innocent time, when but to +think I loved _Philander_ would have covered my face with shame, and +to have spoke it would have filled me with confusion--have made me +tremble, blush, and bend my guilty eyes to earth, not daring to behold +my charming conqueror, while I made that bashful confession--though +now I am grown bold in love, yet I have known the time, when being at +Court, and coming from the Presence, being offered some officious hand +to lead me to my coach, I have shrunk back with my aversion to your +sex, and have concealed my hands in my pockets to prevent their being +touched;-a kiss would turn my stomach, and amorous looks (though they +would make me vain) gave me a hate to him that sent them, and never +any maid resolved so much as I to tread the paths of honour, and I had +many precedents before me to make me careful: thus I was armed with +resolution, pride and scorn, against all mankind; but alas, I made no +defence against a brother, but innocently lay exposed to all his +attacks of love, and never thought it criminal till it kindled a new +desire about me, oh, that I should not die with shame to own it----yet +see (I say) how from one soft degree to another, I do not onlyconfess +the shameful truth, but act it too; what with a brother--oh heavens! a +crime so monstrous and so new----but by all thy love, by those +surprising joys so lately experienced----I never will----no, no, I +never can----repent it: oh incorrigible passion! oh harden'd love! At +least I might have some remorse, some sighing after my poor departed +honour; but why should I dissemble with the powers divine; that know +the secrets of a soul doomed to eternal love? Yet I am mad, I rave and +tear myself, traverse my guilty chamber in a disordered, but a soft +confusion; and often opening the conscious curtains, survey the print +where thou and I were last night laid, surveying it with a thousand +tender sighs, and kiss and press thy dear forsaken side, imagine over +all our solemn joys, every dear transport, all our ravishing repeated +blisses; then almost fainting, languishing, cry--_Philander_, oh, my +charming little god! Then lay me down in the dear place you pressed, +still warm and fragrant with the sweet remains that thou hast left +behind thee on the pillow. Oh, my soul's joy! My dear, eternal +pleasure! What softness hast thou added to my heart within a few +hours! But oh, _Philander_--if (as I've oft been told) possession, +which makes women fond and doting, should make thee cold and grow +indifferent--if nauseated with repeated joy, and having made a full +discovery of all that was but once imaginary, when fancy rendered +every thing much finer than experience, oh, how were I undone! For me, +by all the inhabitants of heaven I swear, by thy dear charming self, +and by thy vows----thou so transcendest all fancy, all dull +imagination, all wondering ideas of what man was to me, that I believe +thee more than human! Some charm divine dwells in thy touches; besides +all these, thy charming look, thy love, the beauties that adorn thee, +and thy wit, I swear there is a secret in nature that renders thee +more dear, and fits thee to my soul; do not ask it me, let it suffice, +it is so, and is not to be told; yes, by it I know thou art the man +created for my soul, and he alone that has the power to touch it; my +eyes and fancy might have been diverted, I might have favoured this +above the other, preferred that face, that wit, or shape, or +air----but to concern my soul, to make that capable of something more +than love, it was only necessary that _Philander_ should be formed, +and formed just as he is; that shape, that face, that height, that +dear proportion; I would not have a feature, not a look, not a hair +altered, just as thou art, thou art an angel to me, and I, without +considering what I am, what I might be, or ought, without considering +the fatal circumstances of thy being married (a thought that shocks my +soul whenever it enters) or whatever other thought that does concern +my happiness or quiet, have fixed my soul to love and my _Philander_, +to love thee with all thy disadvantages, and glory in my ruin; these +are my firm resolves--these are my thoughts. But thou art gone, with +all the trophies of my love and honour, gay with the spoils, which now +perhaps are unregarded: the mystery is now revealed, the mighty secret +is known, and now will be no wonder or surprise: But hear my vows: by +all on which my life depends I swear----if ever I perceive the least +decay of love in thee, if ever thou breakest an oath, a vow, a word, +if ever I see repentance in thy face, a coldness in thy eyes (which +heaven divert) by that bright heaven I will die; you may believe me, +since I had the courage and durst love thee, and after that durst +sacrifice my fame, lose all to justify that love, will, when a change +so fatal shall arrive, find courage too to die; yes, die _Philander_, +assure thyself I will, and therefore have a care of + +SYLVIA. + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +OH, where shall I find repose, where seek a silent quiet, but in my +last retreat, the grave! I say not this, my dearest _Philander_, that +I do or ever can repent my love, though the fatal source of all: for +already we are betrayed, our race of joys, our course of stolen +delight is ended 'ere begun. I chid, alas, at morning's dawn, I chid +you to be gone, and yet, heaven knows, I grasped you fast, and rather +would have died than parted with you; I saw the day come on, and +cursed its busy light, and still you cried, one blessed minute more, +before I part with all the joys of life! And hours were minutes then, +and day grew old upon us unawares, it was all abroad, and had called +up all the household spies to pry into the secrets of our loves, and +thou, by some tale-bearing flatterer, were seen in passing through the +garden; the news was carried to my father, and a mighty consult has +been held in my mother's apartment, who now refuses to see me; while +I, possessed with love, and full of wonder at my new change, lulled +with dear contemplation, (for I am altered much since yesterday, +however thou hast charmed me) imagining none knew our theft of love, +but only heaven and _Melinda_. But oh, alas, I had no sooner finished +this enclosed, but my father entered my cabinet, but it was with such +a look----as soon informed me all was betrayed to him; a while he +gazed on me with fierceness in his eyes, which so surprised and +frighted me, that I, all pale and trembling, threw myself at his feet; +he, seeing my disorder, took me up, and fixed so steadfast and so sad +a look upon me, as would have broken any heart but mine, supported +with _Philander_'s, image; I sighed and wept--and silently attended +when the storm should fall, which turned into a shower so soft and +piercing, I almost died to see it; at last delivering me a +paper--'Here,' (cried he, with a sigh and trembling-interrupted voice) +'read what I cannot tell thee. Oh, _Sylvia_,' cried he, '--thou joy +and hope of all my aged years, thou object of my dotage, how hast thou +brought me to my grave with sorrow!' So left me with the paper in my +hand: speechless, unmov'd a while I stood, till he awaked me by new +sighs and cries; for passing through my chamber, by chance, or by +design, he cast his melancholy eyes towards my bed, and saw the dear +disorder there, unusual--then cried--'Oh, wretched _Sylvia_, thou art +lost!' And left me almost fainting. The letter, I soon found, was one +you'd sent from _Dorillus_ his farm this morning, after you had parted +from me, which has betrayed us all, but how it came into their hands I +since have understood: for, as I said, you were seen passing through +the garden, from thence (to be confirmed) they dogged you to the farm, +and waiting there your motions, saw _Dorillus_ come forth with a +letter in his hand, which though he soon concealed, yet not so soon +but it was taken notice of, when hastening to _Bellfont_ the nearest +way, they gave an account to _Monsieur_, my father, who going out to +_Dorillus_, commanded him to deliver him the letter; his vassal durst +not disobey, but yielded it with such dispute and reluctancy, as he +durst maintain with a man so great and powerful; before _Dorillus_ +returned you had taken horse, so that you are a stranger to our +misfortune--What shall I do? Where shall I seek a refuge from the +danger that threatens us? A sad and silent grief appears throughout +_Bellfont_, and the face of all things is changed, yet none knows the +unhappy cause but _Monsieur_ my father, and _Madam_ my mother, +_Melinda_ and myself. _Melinda_ and my page are both dismissed from +waiting on me, as supposed confidants of this dear secret, and +strangers, creatures of _Madam_ the Countess, put about me. Oh +_Philander_, what can I do? Thy advice, or I am lost: but how, alas, +shall I either convey these to thee, or receive any thing from thee, +unless some god of love, in pity of our miseries, should offer us his +aid? I will try to corrupt my new boy, I see good nature, pity and +generosity in his looks, he is well born too, and may be honest. + +Thus far, _Philander_, I had writ when supper was brought me, for yet +my parents have not deigned to let me come into their presence; those +that serve me tell me _Myrtilla_ is this afternoon arrived at +_Bellfont_; all is mighty close carried in the Countess's apartment. I +tremble with the thought of what will be the result of the great +consultation: I have been tempting of the boy, but I perceive they +have strictly charged him not to obey me; he says, against his will he +shall betray me, for they will have him searched; but he has promised +me to see one of the weeders, who working in the garden, into which my +window opens, may from thence receive what I shall let down; if it be +true, I shall get this fatal knowledge to you, that you may not only +prepare for the worst, but contrive to set at liberty + +_The unfortunate_ SYLVIA. + +_My heart is ready to break, and my eyes are drowned in tears: oh_ +Philander, _how much unlike the last will this fatal night prove! +Farewell, and think of_ Sylvia. + + * * * * * + +_This was writ in the cover to both the foregoing letters to_ +Philander. + +Philander, all that I dreaded, all that I feared is fallen upon me: I +have been arraigned, and convicted, three judges, severe as the three +infernal ones, sat in condemnation on me, a father, a mother, and a +sister; the fact, alas, was too clearly proved, and too many +circumstantial truths appeared against me, for me to plead not guilty. +But, oh heavens! Had you seen the tears, and heard the prayers, +threats, reproaches and upbraidings--these from an injured sister, +those my heartbroken parents; a tender mother here, a railing and +reviling sister there--an angry father, and a guilty conscience--thou +wouldst have wondered at my fortitude, my courage, and my resolution, +and all from love! For surely I had died, had not thy love, thy +powerful love supported me; through all the accidents of life and +fate, that can and will support me; in the midst of all their +clamours and their railings I had from that a secret and soft repose +within, that whispered me, _Philander_ loves me still; discarded and +renounced by my fond parents; love still replies, _Philander_ still +will own thee; thrown from thy mother's and thy sister's arms, +_Philander_'s still are open to receive thee: and though I rave and +almost die to see them grieve, to think that I am the fatal cause who +makes so sad confusion in our family; (for, oh, 'tis piteous to behold +my sister's sighs and tears, my mother's sad despair, my father's +raging and his weeping, by melancholy turns;) yet even these +deplorable objects, that would move the most obdurate, stubborn heart +to pity and repentance, render not mine relenting; and yet I am +wondrous pitiful by nature, and I can weep and faint to see the sad +effects of my loose, wanton love, yet cannot find repentance for the +dear charming sin; and yet, should'st thou behold my mother's +languishment, no bitter words proceeding from her lips, no tears fall +from her downcast eyes, but silent and sad as death she sits, and will +not view the light; should'st thou, I say, behold it, thou would'st, +if not repent, yet grieve that thou hadst loved me: sure love has +quite confounded nature in me, I could not else behold this fatal ruin +without revenging it upon my stubborn heart; a thousand times a day I +make new vows against the god of love, but it is too late, and I am as +often perjured----oh, should the gods revenge the broken vows of +lovers, what love-sick man, what maid betrayed like me, but would be +damned a thousand times? For every little love-quarrel, every kind +resentment makes us swear to love no more; and every smile, and every +flattering softness from the dear injurer, makes us perjured: let all +the force of virtue, honour, interest join with my suffering parents +to persuade me to cease to love _Philander_, yet let him but appear, +let him but look on me with those dear charming eyes, let him but +sigh, or press me to his fragrant cheek, fold me--and cry--'Ah, +_Sylvia_, can you quit me?--nay, you must not, you shall not, nay, I +know you cannot, remember you are mine--There is such eloquence in +those dear words, when uttered with a voice so tender and so +passionate, that I believe them irresistible--alas, I find them +so--and easily break all the feebler vows I make against thee; yes, I +must be undone, perjured, forsworn, incorrigible, unnatural, +disobedient, and any thing, rather than not _Philander_'s--Turn +then, my soul, from these domestic, melancholy objects, and look +abroad, look forward for a while on charming prospects; look on +_Philander_, the dear, the young, the amorous _Philander_, whose very +looks infuse a tender joy throughout the soul, and chase all cares, +all sorrows and anxious thoughts from thence, whose wanton play is +softer I than that of young-fledged angels, and when he looks, and +sighs, and speaks, and touches, he is a very god: where art thou, oh +miracle of youth, thou charming dear undoer! Now thou hast gained the +glory of the conquest, thou slightest the rifled captive: what, not a +line? Two tedious days are past, and no kind power relieves me with a +word, or any tidings of _Philander_--and yet thou mayest have +sent--but I shall never see it, till they raise up fresh witnesses +against me--I cannot think thee wavering or forgetful; for if I did, +surely thou knowest my heart so well, thou canst not think it would +live to think another thought. Confirm my kind belief, and send to +me---- + +There is a gate well known to thee through which thou passest to +_Bellfont_, it is in the road about half a league from hence, an old +man opens it, his daughter weeds in the garden, and will convey this +to thee as I have ordered her; by the same messenger thou mayest +return thine, and early as she comes I'll let her down a string, by +which way unperceived I shall receive them from her: I will say no +more, nor instruct you how you shall preserve your + +SYLVIA. + + * * * * * + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +_That which was left in her hands by_ Monsieur, _her father, in her +cabinet._ + +_My adorable_ Sylvia, + +I can no more describe to thee the torment with which I part from +_Bellfont_, than I can that heaven of joy I was raised to last night +by the transporting effects of thy wondrous love; both are to excess, +and both killing, but in different kinds. Oh, _Sylvia_, by all my +unspeakable raptures in thy arms, by all thy charms of beauty, too +numerous and too ravishing for fancy to imagine--I swear----by this +last night, by this dear new discovery, thou hast increased my love to +that vast height, it has undone my peace--all my repose is gone--this +dear, dear night has ruined me, it has confirmed me now I must have +_Sylvia_, and cannot live without her, no not a day, an hour----to +save the world, unless I had the entire possession of my lovely maid: +ah, _Sylvia_, I am not that indifferent dull lover that can be raised +by one beauty to an appetite, and satisfy it with another; I cannot +carry the dear flame you kindle to quench it in the embraces of +_Myrtilla_; no, by the eternal powers, he that pretends to love, and +loves at that coarse rate, needs fear no danger from that passion, he +never was born to love, or die for love; _Sylvia_, _Myrtilla_ and a +thousand more were all the same to such a dull insensible; no, +_Sylvia_, when you find I can return back to the once left matrimonial +bed, despise me, scorn me: swear (as then thou justly may'st) I love +not _Sylvia_: let the hot brute drudge on (he who is fired by nature, +not by love, whom any body's kisses can inspire) and ease the +necessary heats of youth; love is a nobler fire, which nothing can +allay but the dear she that raised it; no, no, my purer stream shall +never run back to the fountain, whence it is parted, nay it cannot, it +were as possible to love again, where one has ceased to love, as carry +the desire and wishes back; by heaven, to me there is nothing so +unnatural; no, _Sylvia_, it is you I must possess, you have completed +my undoing now, and I must die unless you give me all----but oh, I am +going from thee----when are we like to meet----oh, how shall I support +my absent hours! Thought will destroy me, for it will be all on thee, +and those at such a distance will be insupportable.----What shall I do +without thee? If after all the toils of dull insipid life I could +return and lay me down by thee, _Herculean_ labours would be soft and +easy----the harsh fatigues of war, the dangerous hurries of affairs of +State, the business and the noise of life, I could support with +pleasure, with wondrous satisfaction, could treat _Myrtilla_ too with +that respect, that generous care, as would become a husband. I could +be easy every where, and every one should be at ease with me; now I +shall go and find no _Sylvia_ there, but sigh and wander like an +unknown thing, on some strange foreign shore; I shall grow peevish as +a new wean'd child, no toys, no bauble of the gaudy world will please +my wayward fancy: I shall be out of humour, rail at every thing, in +anger shall demand, and sullenly reply to every question asked and +answered, and when I think to ease my soul by a retreat, a thousand +soft desires, a thousand wishes wreck me, pain me to raving, till +beating the senseless floor with my feet----I cried aloud--'My +_Sylvia_!'--thus, thus, my charming dear, the poor _Philander_ is +employed when banished from his heaven! If thus it used to be when +only that bright outside was adored, judge now my pain, now thou hast +made known a thousand graces more--oh, pity me----for it is not in thy +power to guess what I shall now endure in absence of thee; for thou +hast charmed my soul to an excess too mighty for a patient suffering: +alas, I die already---- + +I am yet at _Dorillus_ his farm, lingering on from one swift minute to +the other, and have not power to go; a thousand looks all languishing +I've cast from eyes all drowned in tears towards _Bellfont_, have +sighed a thousand wishes to my angel, from a sad breaking heart--love +will not let me go--and honour calls me--alas, I must away; when shall +we meet again? Ah, when my _Sylvia_?--Oh charming maid--thou'lt see me +shortly dead, for thus I cannot live; thou must be mine, or I must be +no more--I must away--farewell--may all the softest joys of heaven +attend thee--adieu--fail not to send a hundred times a day, if +possible; I've ordered _Alexis_ to do nothing but wait for all that +comes, and post away with what thou sendest to me----again adieu, +think on me----and till thou callest me to thee, imagine nothing upon +earth so wretched as _Sylvia_'s own + +PHILANDER. + +_Know, my angel, that passing through the garden this morning, I met_ +Erasto----_I fear he saw me near enough to know me, and will give an +account of it; let me know what happens----adieu half dead, just +taking horse to go from_ Sylvia. + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +_Written in a leaf of a table-book_. + +I have only time to say, on Thursday I am destined a sacrifice to +_Foscario_, which day finishes the life of + +SYLVIA. + + * * * * * + +_To SYLVIA_. + +_From_ Dorillus _his farm_. + +Raving and mad at the news your billet brought me, I (without +considering the effects that would follow) am arrived at _Bellfont_; I +have yet so much patience about me, to suffer myself to be concealed +at _Dorillus_ his cottage; but if I see thee not to-night, or find no +hopes of it----by heaven I'll set Bellfont all in a flame but I will +have my _Sylvia_; be sure I'll do it--What? To be married--Sylvia to +be married--and given from _Philander_--Oh, never think it, forsworn +fair creature--What? Give _Foscario_ that dear charming body? Shall he +be grasped in those dear naked arms? Taste all thy kisses, press thy +snowy breasts, command thy joys, and rifle all thy heaven? Furies and +hell environ me if he do----Oh, Sylvia, faithless, perjured, charming +_Sylvia_--and canst thou suffer it--Hear my vows, oh fickle +angel--hear me, thou faithless ravisher! That fatal moment that the +daring priest offers to join your hands, and give thee from me, I will +sacrifice your lover; by heaven I will, before the altar, stab him at +your feet; the holy place, nor the numbers that attend ye, nor all +your prayers nor tears, shall save his heart; look to it, and be not +false----yet I'll trust not thy faith; no, she that can think but +falsely, and she that can so easily be perjured----for, but to suffer +it is such a sin--such an undoing sin--that thou art surely damned! +And yet, by heaven, that is not all the ruin shall attend thee; no, +lovely mischief, no----you shall not escape till the damnation day; +for I will rack thee, torture thee and plague thee, those few hours I +have to live, (if spiteful fate prevent my just revenge upon +_Foscario_) and when I am dead--as I shall quickly be killed by thy +cruelty--know, thou fair murderer, I will haunt thy sight, be ever +with thee, and surround thy bed, and fright thee from the ravisher; +fright all thy loose delights, and check thy joys----Oh, I am +mad!----I cannot think that thought, no, thou shalt never advance so +far in wickedness, I will save thee, if I can----Oh, my adorable, why +dost thou torture me? How hast thou sworn so often and so loud that +heaven I am sure has heard thee, and will punish thee? How didst thou +swear that happy blessed night, in which I saw thee last, clasped in +my arms, weeping with eager love, with melting softness on my +bosom----remember how thou swor'st----oh, that dear night,--let me +recover strength--and then I will tell thee more--I must repeat the +story of that night, which thou perhaps (oh faithless!) hast +forgot--that glorious night, when all the heavens were gay, and every +favouring power looked down and smiled upon our thefts of love, that +gloomy night, the first of all my joys, the blessedest of my +life--trembling and fainting I approach your chamber, and while you +met and grasped me at the door, taking my trembling body in your +arms-remember how I fainted at your feet, and what dear arts you used +to call me back to life--remember how you kissed and pressed my +face--Remember what dear charming words you spoke--and when I did +recover, how I asked you with a feeble doubtful voice--'Ah, _Sylvia_, +will you still continue thus, thus wondrous soft and fond? Will you be +ever mine, and ever true?'--What did you then reply, when kneeling on +the carpet where I lay, what _Sylvia_, did you vow? How invoke heaven? +How call its vengeance down if ever you loved another man again, if +ever you touched or smiled on any other, if ever you suffered words or +acts of love but from _Philander_? Both heaven and hell thou didst +awaken with thy oaths, one was an angry listener to what it knew +thou'dst break, the other laughed to know thou would'st be perjured, +while only I, poor I, was all the while a silent fond believer; your +vows stopped all my language, as your kisses did my lips, you swore +and kissed, and vowed and clasped my neck--Oh charming flatterer! Oh +artful, dear beguiler! Thus into life, and peace, and fond security, +you charmed my willing soul! It was then, my _Sylvia_, (certain of +your heart, and that it never could be given away to any other) I +pressed my eager joys, but with such tender caution--such fear and +fondness, such an awful passion, as overcame your faint resistance; my +reasons and my arguments were strong, for you were mine by love, by +sacred vows, and who could lay a better claim to _Sylvia_? How oft I +cried--'Why this resistance, _Sylvia_? My charming dear, whose are +you? Not _Philander_'s? And shall _Philander_ not command his +own----you must----ah cruel----' then a soft struggle followed, with +half-breathed words, with sighs and trembling hearts, and now and +then--'Ah cruel and unreasonable'--was softly said on both sides; thus +strove, thus argued--till both lay panting in each other's arms, not +with the toil, but rapture; I need not say what followed after +this--what tender showers of strange endearing mixtures 'twixt joy and +shame, 'twixt love and new surprise, and ever when I dried your eyes +with kisses, unable to repeat any other language than--'Oh my +_Sylvia_! Oh my charming angel!' While sighs of joy, and close +grasping thee--spoke all the rest--while every tender word, and every +sigh was echoed back by thee; you pressed me--and you vowed you loved +me more than ever yet you did; then swore anew, and in my bosom, hid +your charming blushing face, then with excess of love would call on +heaven, 'Be witness, oh ye powers' (a thousand times ye cried) 'if +ever maid e'er loved like _Sylvia_--punish me strangely, oh eternal +powers, if ever I leave _Philander_, if ever I cease to love him; no +force, no art, not interest, honour, wealth, convenience, duty, or +what other necessary cause--shall ever be of force to make me leave +thee----' Thus hast thou sworn, oh charming, faithless flatterer, thus +betwixt each ravishing minute thou would'st swear--and I as fast +believed--and loved thee more----Hast thou forgot it all, oh fickle +charmer, hast thou? Hast thou forgot between each awful ceremony of +love, how you cried out 'Farewell the world and mortal cares, give me +_Philander_, heaven, I ask no more'--Hast thou forgot all this? Did +all the live-long night hear any other sound but those our mutual +vows, of invocations, broken sighs, and soft and trembling whispers? +Say, had we any other business for the tender hours? Oh, all ye host +of heaven, ye stars that shone, and all ye powers the faithless lovely +maid has sworn by, be witness how she is perjur'd; revenge it all, ye +injured powers, revenge it, since by it she has undone the +faithfullest youth, and broke the tenderest heart--that ever fell a +sacrifice to love; and all ye little weeping gods of love, revenge +your murdered victim--your + +PHILANDER. + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +_In the leaves of a table-book_. + +On, my _Philander_, how dearly welcome, and how needless were thy kind +reproaches! Which I will not endeavour to convince by argument, but +such a deed as shall at once secure thy fears now and for the future. +I have not a minute to write in; place, my dear _Philander_, your +chariot in St _Vincent's_ Wood, and since I am not able to fix the +hour of my flight, let it wait there my coming; it is but a little +mile from _Bellfont_, _Dorillus_ is suspected there, remove thyself to +the high-way-gate cottage--there I'll call on thee----'twas lucky, +that thy fears, or love, or jealousy brought thee so near me, since +I'd resolv'd before upon my flight. Parents and honour, interest and +fame, farewell--I leave you all to follow my _Philander_--Haste the +chariot to the thickest part of the wood, for I am impatient to be +gone, and shall take the first opportunity to fly to my +_Philander_----Oh, love me, love me, love me! + +_Under pretence of reaching the jessamine which shades my window, I +unperceived let down and receive what letters you send by the honest +weeder; by her send your sense of my flight, or rather your direction, +for it is resolved already._ + + * * * * * + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +_My lovely Angel_, + +So careful I will be of this dear mighty secret, that I will only say, +_Sylvia_ shall be obeyed; no more----nay, I'll not dare to think of +it, lest in my rapture I should name my joy aloud, and busy winds +should bear it to some officious listener, and undo me; no more, no +more, my _Sylvia_, extremes of joy (as grief) are ever dumb: let it +suffice, this blessing which you proffer I had designed to ask, as +soon as you'd convinced me of your faith; yes, _Sylvia_, I had asked +it though it was a bounty too great for any mortal to conceive heaven +should bestow upon him; but if it do, that very moment I'll resign the +world, and barter all for love and charming _Sylvia_. Haste, haste, my +life; my arms, my bosom and my soul are open to receive the lovely +fugitive; haste, for this moment I am going to plant myself where you +directed. _Adieu_. + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +_After her flight_. + +Ah, _Philander_, how have you undone a harmless poor unfortunate? +Alas, where are you? Why would you thus abandon me? Is this the soul, +the bosom, these the arms that should receive me? I'll not upbraid +thee with my love, or charge thee with my undoing; it was all my own, +and were it yet to do, I should again be ruined for _Philander_, and +never find repentance, no not for a thought, a word or deed of love, +to the dear false forsworn; but I can die, yes, hopeless, +friendless--left by all, even by _Philander_--all but resolution has +abandoned me, and that can lay me down, whenever I please, in safe +repose and peace: but oh, thou art not false, or if thou be'st, oh, +let me hear it from thy mouth, see thy repented love, that I may know +there is no such thing on earth, as faith, as honesty, as love or +truth; however, be thou true, or be thou false, be bold and let me +know it, for thus to doubt is torture worse than death. What accident, +thou dear, dear man, has happened to prevent thee from pursuing my +directions, and staying for me at the gate? Where have I missed thee, +thou joy of my soul? By what dire mistake have I lost thee? And where, +oh, where art thou, my charming lover? I sought thee every where, but +like the languishing abandoned mistress in the _Canticles_ I sought +thee, but I found thee not, no bed of roses would discover thee: I saw +no print of thy dear shape, nor heard no amorous sigh that could +direct me--I asked the wood and springs, complained and called on thee +through all the groves, but they confessed thee not; nothing but +echoes answered me, and when I cried _'Philander'_--cried-- +_'Philander'_; thus searched I till the coming night, and my +increasing fears made me resolve for flight, which soon we did, and +soon arrived at _Paris_, but whither then to go, heaven knows, I +could not tell, for I was almost naked, friendless and forlorn; at +last, consulting _Brilliard_ what to do, after a thousand revolutions, +he concluded to trust me with a sister he had, who was married to a +_Guidon_ of the _Guard de Corps_; he changed my name, and made me +pass for a fortune he had stolen; but oh, no welcomes, nor my +safe retreat were sufficient to repose me all the ensuing night, for I +had no news of _Philander_, no, not a dream informed me; a thousand +fears and jealousies have kept me waking, and _Brilliard_, who has +been all night in pursuit of thee, is now returned successless and +distracted as thy _Sylvia_, for duty and generosity have almost the +same effects in him, with love and tenderness and jealousy in me; and +since _Paris_ affords no news of thee, (which sure it would if thou +wert in it, for oh, the sun might hide himself with as much ease as +great _Philander_) he is resolved to search St _Vincent_'s Wood, and +all the adjacent cottages and groves; he thinks that you, not knowing +of my escape, may yet be waiting thereabouts; since quitting the +chariot for fear of being seen, you might be so far advanced into the +wood, as not to find the way back to the thicket where the chariot +waited: it is thus he feeds my hope, and flatters my poor heart, that +fain would think thee true--or if thou be'st not--but cursed be all +such thoughts, and far from _Sylvia_'s soul; no, no, thou art not +false, it cannot be, thou art a god, and art unchangeable: I know, by +some mistake, thou art attending me, as wild and impatient as I; +perhaps you thinkest me false, and thinkest I have not courage to +pursue my love, and fly; and, thou perhaps art waiting for the hour +wherein thou thinkest I will give myself away to _Foscario_: oh cruel +and unkind! To think I loved so lightly, to think I would attend that +fatal hour; no, _Philander_, no faithless, dear enchanter: last night, +the eve to my intended wedding-day, having reposed my soul by my +resolves for flight, and only waiting the lucky minute for escape, I +set a willing hand to every thing that was preparing for the ceremony +of the ensuing morning; with that pretence I got me early to my +chamber, tried on a thousand dresses, and asked a thousand questions, +all impertinent, which would do best, which looked most gay and rich, +then dressed my gown with jewels, decked my apartment up, and left +nothing undone that might secure 'em both of my being pleased, and of +my stay; nay, and to give the less suspicion, I undressed myself even +to my under-petticoat and night-gown; I would not take a jewel, not a +pistole, but left my women finishing my work, and carelessly and thus +undressed, walked towards the garden, and while every one was busy in +their office, getting myself out of sight, posted over the meadow to +the wood as swift as _Daphne_ from the god of day, till I arrived most +luckily where I found the chariot waiting; attended by _Brilliard_; of +whom, when I (all fainting and breathless with my swift flight) +demanded his lord, he lifted me into the chariot, and cried, 'a little +farther, _Madam_, you will find him; for he, for fear of making a +discovery, took yonder shaded path'--towards which we went, but no +dear vision of my love appeared--And thus, my charming lover, you have +my kind adventure; send me some tidings back that you are found, that +you are well, and lastly that you are mine, or this, that should have +been my wedding-day, will see itself that of the death of + +SYLVIA. + +Paris, _Thursday, from my bed, for want of clothes, or rather news +from_ Philander. + + * * * * * + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +My life, my _Sylvia_, my eternal joy, art thou then safe! And art thou +reserved for _Philander_? Am I so blest by heaven, by love, and my +dear charming maid? Then let me die in peace, since I have lived to +see all that my soul desires in _Sylvia_'s being mine; perplex not thy +soft heart with fears or jealousies, nor think so basely, so poorly of +my love, to need more oaths or vows; yet to confirm thee, I would +swear my breath away; but oh, it needs not here;----take then no care, +my lovely dear, turn not thy charming eyes or thoughts on afflicting +objects; oh think not on what thou hast abandoned, but what thou art +arrived to; look forward on the joys of love and youth, for I will +dedicate all my remaining life to render thine serene and glad; and +yet, my _Sylvia_, thou art so dear to me, so wondrous precious to my +soul, that in my extravagance of love, I fear I shall grow a +troublesome and wearying coxcomb, shall dread every look thou givest +away from me--a smile will make me rave, a sigh or touch make me +commit a murder on the happy slave, or my own jealous heart, but all +the world besides is _Sylvia_'s, all but another lover; but I rave and +run too fast away; ages must pass a tedious term of years before I can +be jealous, or conceive thou can'st be weary of _Philander_--I will be +so fond, so doting, and so playing, thou shalt not have an idle minute +to throw away a look in, or a thought on any other; no, no, I have +thee now, and will maintain my right by dint and force of love--oh, I +am wild to see thee--but, _Sylvia_, I am wounded--do not be frighted +though, for it is not much or dangerous, but very troublesome, since +it permits me not to fly to _Sylvia_, but she must come to me in order +to it. _Brilliard_ has a bill on my goldsmith in _Paris_ for a +thousand pistoles to buy thee something to put on; any thing that is +ready, and he will conduct thee to me, for I shall rave myself into a +fever if I see thee not to-day--I cannot live without thee now, for +thou art my life, my everlasting charmer: I have ordered _Brilliard_ +to get a chariot and some unknown livery for thee, and I think the +continuance of passing for what he has already rendered thee will do +very well, till I have taken farther care of thy dear safety, which +will be as soon as I am able to rise; for most unfortunately, my dear +_Sylvia_, quitting the chariot in the thicket for fear of being seen +with it, and walking down a shaded path that suited with the +melancholy and fears of unsuccess in thy adventure; I went so far, as +ere I could return to the place where I left the chariot it was +gone--it seems with thee; I know not how you missed me--but +possessed myself with a thousand false fears, sometimes that in thy +flight thou mightest be pursued and overtaken, seized in the chariot +and returned back to _Bellfont_; or that the chariot was found seized +on upon suspicion, though the coachman and _Brilliard_ were disguised +past knowledge----or if thou wert gone, alas I knew not whither; but +that was a thought my doubts and fears would not suffer me to ease my +soul with; no, I (as jealous lovers do) imagined the most tormenting +things for my own repose. I imagined the chariot taken, or at least so +discovered as to be forced away without thee: I imagined that thou +wert false----heaven forgive me, false, my _Sylvia_, and hadst changed +thy mind; mad with this thought (which I fancied most reasonable, and +fixt it in my soul) I raved about the wood, making a thousand vows to +be revenged on all; in order to it I left the thicket, and betook +myself to the high road of the wood, where I laid me down among the +fern, close hid, with sword ready, waiting for the happy bridegroom, +who I knew (it being the wedding eve) would that way pass that +evening; pleased with revenge, which now had got even the place of +love, I waited there not above a little hour but heard the trampling +of a horse, and looking up with mighty joy, I found it _Foscario_'s; +alone he was, and unattended, for he'd outstripped his equipage, and +with a lover's haste, and full of joy, was making towards _Bellfont_; +but I (now fired with rage) leaped from my cover, cried, 'Stay, +_Foscario_, ere you arrive to _Sylvia_, we must adjust an odd account +between us'----at which he stopping, as nimbly alighted;--in fine, we +fought, and many wounds were given and received on both sides, till +his people coming up, parted us, just as we were fainting with loss of +blood in each other's arms; his coach and chariot were amongst his +equipage; into the first his servants lifted him, when he cried out +with a feeble voice, to have me, who now lay bleeding on the ground, +put into the chariot, and to be safely conveyed where-ever I +commanded, and so in haste they drove him towards _Bellfont_, and me, +who was resolved not to stir far from it, to a village within a mile +of it; from whence I sent to _Paris_ for a surgeon, and dismissed the +chariot, ordering, in the hearing of the coachman, a litter to be +brought me immediately, to convey me that night to _Paris_; but the +surgeon coming, found it not safe for me to be removed, and I am now +willing to live, since _Sylvia_ is mine; haste to me then, my lovely +maid, and fear not being discovered, for I have given order here in +the _cabaret_ where I am, if any inquiry is made after me, to say, I +went last night to _Paris_. Haste, my love, haste to my arms, as +feeble as they are, they'll grasp thee a dear welcome: I will say no +more, nor prescribe rules to thy love, that can inform thee best what +thou must do to save the life of thy most passionate adorer, + +PHILANDER. + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +I have sent _Brilliard_ to see if the coast be clear, that we may come +with safety; he brings you, instead of _Sylvia_, a young cavalier that +will be altogether as welcome to _Philander_, and who impatiently +waits his return at a little cottage at the end of the village. + + * * * * * + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +_From the_ Bastille. + +I know my _Sylvia_ expected me at home with her at dinner to-day, and +wonders how I could live so long as since morning without the eternal +joy of my soul; but know, my _Sylvia_, that a trivial misfortune is +now fallen upon me, which in the midst of all our heaven of joys, our +softest hours of life, has so often changed thy smiles into fears and +sighings, and ruffled thy calm soul with cares: nor let it now seem +strange or afflicting, since every day for these three months we have +been alarmed with new fears that have made thee uneasy even in +_Philander_'s arms; we knew some time or other the storm would fall on +us, though we had for three happy months sheltered ourselves from its +threatening rage; but love, I hope, has armed us both; for me--let me +be deprived of all joys, (but those my charmer can dispense) all the +false world's respect, the dull esteem of fools and formal coxcombs, +the grave advice of the censorious wise, the kind opinion of +ill-judging women, no matter, so my _Sylvia_ remain but mine. + +I am, my _Sylvia_, arrested at the suit of _Monsieur_ the Count, your +father, for a rape on my lovely maid: I desire, my soul, you will +immediately take coach and go to the Prince _Cesario_, and he will +bail me out. I fear not a fair trial; and, _Sylvia_, thefts of mutual +love were never counted felony; I may die for love, my _Sylvia_, but +not for loving--go, haste, my _Sylvia_, that I may be no longer +detained from the solid pleasure and business of my soul--haste, my +loved dear--haste and relieve + +PHILANDER. + +_Come not to me, lest there should be an order to detain my dear_. + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +I am not at all surprised, my _Philander_, at the accident that has +befallen thee, because so long expected, and love has so well +fortified my heart, that I support our misfortunes with a courage +worthy of her that loves and is beloved by the glorious _Philander_; I +am armed for the worst that can befall me, and that is my being +rendered a public shame, who have been so in the private whispers of +all the Court for near these happy three months, in which I have had +the wondrous satisfaction of being retired from the world with the +charming _Philander_; my father too knew it long since, at least he +could not hinder himself from guessing it, though his fond indulgence +suffered his justice and his anger to sleep, and possibly had still +slept, had not _Myrtilla_'s spite and rage (I should say just +resentment, but I cannot) roused up his drowsy vengeance: I know she +has plied him with her softening eloquence, her prayers and tears, to +win him to consent to make a public business of it; but I am entered, +love has armed my soul, and I'll pursue my fortune with that height of +fortitude as shall surprise the world; yes, _Philander_, since I have +lost my honour, fame and friends, my interest and my parents, and all +for mightier love, I'll stop at nothing now; if there be any hazards +more to run, I will thank the spiteful Fates that bring them on, and +will even tire them out with my unwearied passion. Love on, +_Philander_, if thou darest, like me; let 'em pursue me with their +hate and vengeance, let prisons, poverty and tortures seize me, it +shall not take one grain of love away from my resolved heart, nor make +me shed a tear of penitence for loving thee; no, _Philander_, since I +know what a ravishing pleasure it is to live thine, I will never quit +the glory of dying also thy + +SYLVIA. + +Cesario, _my dear, is coming to be your bail; with_ Monsieur _the +Count of----I die to see you after your suffering for_ Sylvia. + + * * * * * + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +BELIEVE me, charming _Sylvia_, I live not those hours I am absent from +thee, thou art my life, my soul, and my eternal felicity; while you +believe this truth, my _Sylvia_, you will not entertain a thousand +fears, if I but stay a moment beyond my appointed hour; especially +when _Philander_, who is not able to support the thought that any +thing should afflict his lovely baby, takes care from hour to hour to +satisfy her tender doubting heart. My dearest, I am gone into the city +to my advocate's, my trial with _Monsieur_ the Count, your father, +coming on to-morrow, and it will be at least two tedious hours ere I +can bring my adorable her + +PHILANDER. + + * * * * * + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +I was called on, my dearest child, at my advocate's by _Cesario_; +there is some great business this evening debated in the cabal, which +is at _Monsieur----_ in the city; _Cesario_ tells me there is a very +diligent search made by _Monsieur_ the Count, your father, for my +_Sylvia_; I die if you are taken, lest the fright should hurt thee; if +possible, I would have thee remove this evening from those lodgings, +lest the people, who are of the royal party, should be induced through +malice or gain to discover thee; I dare not come myself to wait on +thee, lest my being seen should betray thee, but I have sent +_Brilliard_ (whose zeal for thee shall be rewarded) to conduct thee to +a little house in the _Faubourg St Germain_, where lives a pretty +woman, and mistress to _Chevalier Tomaso_, called _Belinda_, a woman +of wit, and discreet enough to understand what ought to be paid to a +maid of the quality and character of _Sylvia_; she already knows the +stories of our loves; thither I'll come to thee, and bring _Cesario_ +to supper, as soon as the cabal breaks up. Oh, my _Sylvia_, I shall +one day recompense all thy goodness, all thy bravery, thy love and thy +suffering for thy eternal lover and slave, + +PHILANDER. + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +So hasty I was to obey _Philander_'s commands, that by the unwearied +care and industry of the faithful _Brilliard_, I went before three +o'clock disguised away to the place whither you ordered us, and was +well received by the very pretty young woman of the house, who has +sense and breeding as well as beauty: but oh, _Philander_, this flight +pleases me not; alas, what have I done? my fault is only love, and +that sure I should boast, as the most divine passion of the soul; no, +no, _Philander_, it is not my love's the criminal, no, not the placing +it on _Philander_ the crime, but it is thy most unhappy circumstances, +thy being married, and that was no crime to heaven till man made laws, +and can laws reach to damnation? If so, curse on the fatal hour that +thou wert married, curse on the priest that joined ye, and curst be +all that did contribute to the undoing ceremony----except +_Philander_'s tongue, that answered yes--oh, heavens! Was there but +one dear man of all your whole creation that could charm the soul of +_Sylvia_! And could ye--oh, ye wise all-seeing powers that knew my +soul, could ye give him away? How had my innocence offended ye? Our +hearts you did create for mutual love, how came the dire mistake? + +Another would have pleased the indifferent _Myrtilla_'s soul as well, +but mine was fitted for no other man; only _Philander_, the adored +_Philander_, with that dear form, that shape, that charming face, that +hair, those lovely speaking eyes, that wounding softness in his tender +voice, had power to conquer _Sylvia_; and can this be a sin? Oh, +heavens, can it? Must laws, which man contrived for mere conveniency, +have power to alter the divine decrees at our creation?--Perhaps they +argue to-morrow at the bar, that _Myrtilla_ was ordained by heaven for +_Philander_; no, no, he mistook the sister, it was pretty near he +came, but by a fatal error was mistaken; his hasty youth made him too +negligently stop before his time at the wrong woman, he should have +gazed a little farther on--and then it had been _Sylvia_'s lot----It +is fine divinity they teach, that cry marriages are made in +heaven--folly and madness grown into grave custom; should an unheedy +youth in heat of blood take up with the first convenient she that +offers, though he be an heir to some grave politician, great and rich, +and she the outcast of the common stews, coupled in height of wine, +and sudden lust, which once allayed, and that the sober morning wakes +him to see his error, he quits with shame the jilt, and owns no more +the folly; shall this be called a heavenly conjunction? Were I in +height of youth, as now I am, forced by my parents, obliged by +interest and honour, to marry the old, deformed, diseased, decrepit +Count _Anthonio_, whose person, qualities and principles I loathe, and +rather than suffer him to consummate his nuptials, suppose I should +(as sure I should) kill myself, it were blasphemy to lay this fatal +marriage to heaven's charge----curse on your nonsense, ye imposing +gownmen, curse on your holy cant; you may as well call rapes and +murders, treason and robbery, the acts of heaven; because heaven +suffers them to be committed. Is it heaven's pleasure therefore, +heaven's decree? A trick, a wise device of priests, no more----to make +the nauseated, tired-out pair drag on the careful business of life, +drudge for the dull-got family with greater satisfaction, because they +are taught to think marriage was made in heaven; a mighty comfort +that, when all the joys of life are lost by it: were it not nobler far +that honour kept him just, and that good nature made him reasonable +provision? Daily experience proves to us, no couple live with less +content, less ease, than those who cry heaven joins? Who is it loves +less than those that marry? And where love is not, there is hate and +loathing at best, disgust, disquiet, noise and repentance: no, +_Philander_, that's a heavenly match when two souls touched with equal +passion meet, (which is but rarely seen)--when willing vows, with +serious considerations, are weighed and made, when a true view is +taken of the soul, when no base interest makes the hasty bargain, when +no conveniency or design, or drudge, or slave, shall find it +necessary, when equal judgements meet that can esteem the blessings +they possess, and distinguish the good of either's love, and set a +value on each other's merits, and where both understand to take and +pay; who find the beauty of each other's minds and rate them as they +ought; whom not a formal ceremony binds, (with which I've nought to +do, but dully give a cold consenting affirmative) but well considered +vows from soft inclining hearts, uttered with love, with joy, with +dear delight, when heaven is called to witness; she is thy wife, +_Philander_ he is my husband; this is the match, this heaven designs +and means; how then, oh how came I to miss _Philander_? Or he his + +SYLVIA. + +_Since I writ this, which I designed not an invective against +marriage, when I began, but to inform thee of my being where you +directed; but since I write this, I say, the house where I am is +broken open with warrants and officers for me, but being all undressed +and ill, the officer has taken my word for my appearance to-morrow, it +seems they saw me when I went from my lodgings, and pursued me; haste +to me, for I shall need your counsel_. + + * * * * * + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +My eternal joy, my affliction is inexpressible at the news you send me +of your being surprised; I am not able to wait on thee yet--not being +suffered to leave the cabal, I only borrow this minute to tell thee +the sense of my advocate in this case; which was, if thou should be +taken, there was no way, no law to save thee from being ravished from +my arms, but that of marrying thee to some body whom I can trust; this +we have often discoursed, and thou hast often vowed thou'lt do any +thing rather than kill me with a separation; resolve then, oh thou +charmer of my soul, to do a deed, that though the name would fright +thee, only can preserve both thee and me; it is--and though it have no +other terror in it than the name, I faint to speak it--to marry, +_Sylvia_; yes, thou must marry; though thou art mine as fast as heaven +can make us, yet thou must marry; I have pitched upon the property, it +is _Brilliard_, him I can only trust in this affair; it is but joining +hands--no more, my _Sylvia_,--_Brilliard_ is a gentleman, though a +_cadet_, and may be supposed to pretend to so great a happiness, and +whose only crime is want of fortune; he is handsome too, well made, +well bred, and so much real esteem he has for me, and I have so +obliged him, that I am confident he will pretend no farther than to +the honour of owning thee in Court; I'll time him from it, nay, he +dares not do it, I will trust him with my life--but oh, _Sylvia_ is +more--think of it, and this night we will perform it, there being no +other way to keep _Sylvia_ eternally + +PHILANDER's. + + * * * * * + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +Now, my adorable _Sylvia_, you have truly need of all that heroic +bravery of mind I ever thought thee mistress of; for _Sylvia_, coming +from thee this morning, and riding full speed for _Paris_, I was met, +stopped, and seized for high-treason by the King's messengers, and +possibly may fall a sacrifice to the anger of an incensed monarch. My +_Sylvia_, bear this last shock of fate with a courage worthy thy great +and glorious soul; 'tis but a little separation, _Sylvia_, and we +shall one day meet again; by heaven, I find no other sting in death +but parting with my _Sylvia_, and every parting would have been the +same; I might have died by thy disdain, thou might'st have grown weary +of thy _Philander_, have loved another, and have broke thy vows, and +tortured me to death these crueller ways: but fate is kinder to me, +and I go blest with my _Sylvia_'s, love, for which heaven may do +much, for her dear sake, to recompense her faith, a maid so innocent +and true to sacred love; expect the best, my lovely dear, the worst +has this comfort in it, that I shall die my charming _Sylvia_'s + +PHILANDER. + + * * * * * + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +I'LL, only say, thou dear supporter of my soul, that if _Philander_ +dies, he shall not go to heaven without his _Sylvia_--by heaven and +earth I swear it, I cannot live without thee, nor shall thou die +without thy + +SYLVIA. + + * * * * * + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +SEE, see my adorable angel, what care the powers above take of divine +innocence, true love and beauty; oh, see what they have done for their +darling _Sylvia_; could they do less? + +Know, my dear maid, that after being examined before the King, I was +found guilty enough to be committed to the _Bastille_, (from whence, +if I had gone, I had never returned, but to my death;) but the +messenger, into whose hands I was committed, refusing other guards, +being alone with me in my own coach, I resolved to kill, if I could no +other way oblige him to favour my escape; I tried with gold before I +shewed my dagger, and that prevailed, a way less criminal, and I have +taken sanctuary in a small cottage near the sea-shore, where I wait +for _Sylvia_; and though my life depend upon my flight, nay, more, the +life of _Sylvia_, I cannot go without her; dress yourself then, my +dearest, in your boy's clothes, and haste with _Brilliant_, whither +this seaman will conduct thee, whom I have hired to set us on some +shore of safety; bring what news you can learn of _Cesario_; I would +not have him die poorly after all his mighty hopes, nor be conducted +to a scaffold with shouts of joys, by that uncertain beast the rabble, +who used to stop his chariot-wheels with fickle adorations whenever he +looked abroad--by heaven, I pity him; but _Sylvia_'s presence will +chase away all thoughts, but those of love, from + +PHILANDER. + +_I need not bid thee haste._ + + +_The End of the first Part._ + + + + + +Love-Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister + + + + +Part II. + + + +At the end of the first part of these letters, we left _Philander_ +impatiently waiting on the sea-shore for the approach of the lovely +_Sylvia_; who accordingly came to him dressed like a youth, to secure +herself from a discovery. They stayed not long to caress each other, +but he taking the welcome maid in his arms, with a transported joy +bore her to a small vessel, that lay ready near the beach; where, with +only _Brilliard_ and two men servants, they put to sea, and passed +into _Holland_, landing at the nearest port; where, after having +refreshed themselves for two or three days, they passed forwards +towards the _Brill_, _Sylvia_ still remaining under that amiable +disguise: but in their passage from town to town, which is sometimes +by coach, and other times by boat, they chanced one day to encounter a +young _Hollander_ of a more than ordinary gallantry for that country, +so degenerate from good manners, and almost common civility, and so +far short of all the good qualities that made themselves appear in +this young nobleman. He was very handsome, well made, well dressed, +and very well attended; and whom we will call _Octavio_, and who, +young as he was, was one of the _States_ of _Holland_; he spoke +admirable good _French_, and had a vivacity and quickness of wit +unusual with the natives of that part of the world, and almost above +all the rest of his sex: _Philander_ and _Sylvia_ having already +agreed for the cabin of the vessel that was to carry them to the next +stage, _Octavio_ came too late to have any place there but amongst the +common crowd; which the master of the vessel, who knew him, was much +troubled at, and addressed himself as civilly as he could to +_Philander_, to beg permission for one stranger of quality to dispose +of himself in the cabin for that day: _Philander_ being well enough +pleased, so to make an acquaintance with some of power of that +country, readily consented; and _Octavio_ entered with an address so +graceful and obliging, that at first sight he inclined _Philander_'s, +heart to a friendship with him; and on the other side the lovely +person of _Philander_, the quality that appeared in his face and mien, +obliged _Octavio_ to become no less his admirer. But when he saluted +_Sylvia_, who appeared to him a youth of quality, he was extremely +charmed with her pretty gaiety, and an unusual air and life in her +address and motion; he felt a secret joy and pleasure play about his +soul, he knew not why, and was almost angry, that he felt such an +emotion for a youth, though the most lovely that he ever saw. After +the first compliments, they fell into discourse of a thousand +indifferent things, and if he were pleased at first sight with the two +lovers, he was wholly charmed by their conversation, especially that +of the amiable youth; who well enough pleased with the young stranger, +or else hitherto having met nothing so accomplished in her short +travels; and indeed despairing to meet any such; she put on all her +gaiety and charms of wit, and made as absolute a conquest as it was +possible for her supposed sex to do over a man, who was a great +admirer of the other; and surely the lovely maid never appeared so +charming and desirable as that day; they dined together in the cabin; +and after dinner reposed on little mattresses by each other's side, +where every motion, every limb, as carelessly she lay, discovered a +thousand graces, and more and more enflamed the now beginning lover; +she could not move, nor smile, nor speak, nor order any charm about +her, but had some peculiar grace that began to make him uneasy; and +from a thousand little modesties, both in her blushes and motions, he +had a secret hope she was not what she seemed, but of that sex whereof +she discovered so many softnesses and beauties; though to what +advantage that hope would amount to his repose, was yet a disquiet he +had not considered nor felt: nor could he by any fondness between +them, or indiscretion of love, conceive how the lovely strangers were +allied; he only hoped, and had no thoughts of fear, or any thing that +could check his new beginning flame. While thus they passed the +afternoon, they asked a thousand questions, of lovers, of the country +and manners, and their security and civility to strangers; to all +which _Octavio_ answered as a man, who would recommend the place and +persons purely to oblige their stay; for now self-interest makes him +say all things in favour of it; and of his own friendship, offers them +all the service of a man in power, and who could make an interest in +those that had more than himself; much he protested, much he offered, +and yet no more than he designed to make good on all occasions, which +they received with an acknowledgement that plainly discovered a +generosity and quality above the common rate of men; so that finding +in each other occasions for love and friendship, they mutually +professed it, and nobly entertained it. _Octavio_ told his name and +quality, left nothing unsaid that might confirm the lovers of his +sincerity. This begot a confidence in _Philander_, who in return told +him so much of his circumstances, as sufficed to let him know he was a +person so unfortunate to have occasioned the displeasure of his king +against him, and that he could not continue with any repose in that +kingdom, whose monarch thought him no longer fit for those honours he +had before received: _Octavio_ renewed his protestations of serving +him with his interest and fortune, which the other receiving with all +the gallant modesty of an unfortunate man, they came ashore, where +_Octavio_'s coaches and equipage waiting his coming to conduct him to +his house, he offered his new friends the best of them to carry them +to their lodging, which he had often pressed might be his own palace; +but that being refused as too great an honour, he would himself see +them placed in some one, which he thought might be most suitable to +their quality; they excused the trouble, but he pressed too eagerly to +be denied, and he conducted them to a merchant's house not far from +his own, so love had contrived for the better management of this new +affair of his heart, which he resolved to pursue, be the fair object +of what sex soever: but after having well enough recommended them to +the care of the merchant, he thought it justice to leave them to their +rest, though with abundance of reluctancy; so took his leave of both +the lovely strangers, and went to his own home. And after a hasty +supper got himself up to bed: not to sleep; for now he had other +business: love took him now to task, and asked his heart a thousand +questions. Then it was he found the idea of that fair unknown had +absolute possession there: nor was he at all displeased to find he was +a captive; his youth and quality promise his hopes a thousand +advantages above all other men: but when he reflected on the beauty of +Philander, on his charming youth and conversation, and every grace +that adorns a conqueror, he grew inflamed, disordered, restless, +angry, and out of love with his own attractions; considered every +beauty of his own person, and found them, or at least thought them +infinitely short of those of his now fancied rival; yet it was a rival +that he could not hate, nor did his passion abate one thought of his +friendship for Philander, but rather more increased it, insomuch that +he once resolved it should surmount his love if possible, at least he +left it on the upper-hand, till time should make a better discovery. +When tired with thought we'll suppose him asleep, and see how our +lovers fared; who being lodged all on one stair-case (that is, +Philander, Sylvia, and Brilliard) it was not hard for the lover to +steal into the longing arms of the expecting _Sylvia_; no fatigues of +tedious journeys, and little voyages, had abated her fondness, or his +vigour; the night was like the first, all joy! All transport! +_Brilliard_ lay so near as to be a witness to all their sighs of love, +and little soft murmurs, who now began from a servant to be permitted +as an humble companion; since he had had the honour of being married +to _Sylvia_, though yet he durst not lift his eyes or thoughts that +way; yet it might be perceived he was melancholy and sullen whenever +he saw their dalliances; nor could he know the joys his lord nightly +stole, without an impatience, which, if but minded or known, perhaps +had cost him his life. He began, from the thoughts she was his wife, +to fancy fine enjoyment, to fancy authority which he durst not assume, +and often wished his lord would grow cold, as possessing lovers do, +that then he might advance his hope, when he should even abandon or +slight her: he could not see her kissed without blushing with +resentment; but if he has assisted to undress him for her bed, he was +ready to die with anger, and would grow sick, and leave the office to +himself: he could not see her naked charms, her arms stretched out to +receive a lover, with impatient joy, without madness; to see her clasp +him fast, when he threw himself into her soft, white bosom, and +smother him with kisses: no, he could not bear it now, and almost lost +his respect when he beheld it, and grew saucy unperceived. And it was +in vain that he looked back upon the reward he had to stand for that +necessary cypher a husband. In vain he considered the reasons why, and +the occasion wherefore; he now seeks precedents of usurped dominion, +and thinks she is his wife, and has forgot that he is her creature, +and _Philander_'s vassal. These thoughts disturbed him all the night, +and a certain jealousy, or rather curiosity to listen to every motion +of the lovers, while they were employed after a different manner. + +Next day it was debated what was best to be done, as to their conduct +in that place; or whether _Sylvia_ should yet own her sex or not; but +she, pleased with the cavalier in herself, begged she might live under +that disguise, which indeed gave her a thousand charms to those which +nature had already bestowed on her sex; and Philander was well enough +pleased she should continue in that agreeable dress, which did not +only add to her beauty, but gave her a thousand little privileges, +which otherwise would have been denied to women, though in a country +of much freedom. Every day she appeared in the Tour, she failed not to +make a conquest on some unguarded heart of the fair sex: not was it +long ere she received _billets-doux_ from many of the most +accomplished who could speak and write _French_. This gave them a +pleasure in the midst of her unlucky exile, and she failed not to +boast her conquests to Octavio, who every day gave all his hours to +love, under the disguise of friendship, and every day received new +wounds, both from her conversation and beauty, and every day confirmed +him more in his first belief, that she was a woman; and that confirmed +his love. But still he took care to hide his passion with a gallantry, +that was natural to him, and to very few besides; and he managed his +eyes, which were always full of love, so equally to both, that when he +was soft and fond it appeared more his natural humour, than from any +particular cause. And that you may believe that all the arts of +gallantry, and graces of good management were more peculiarly his than +another's, his race was illustrious, being descended from that of the +Princes of _Orange_, and great birth will shine through, and shew +itself in spite of education and obscurity: but _Octavio_ had all +those additions that render a man truly great and brave; and this is +the character of him that was next undone by our unfortunate and fatal +beauty. At this rate for some time they lived thus disguised under +feigned names, _Octavio_ omitting nothing that might oblige them in +the highest degree, and hardly any thing was talked of but the new and +beautiful strangers, whose conquests in all places over the ladies are +well worthy, both for their rarity and comedy, to be related entirely +by themselves in a novel. _Octavio_ saw every day with abundance of +pleasure the little revenges of love, on those women's hearts who had +made before little conquests over him, and strove by all the gay +presents he made a young _Fillmond_ (for so they called _Sylvia_,) to +make him appear unresistible to the ladies; and while _Sylvia_ gave +them new wounds, _Octavio_ failed not to receive them too among the +crowd, till at last he became a confirmed slave, to the lovely +unknown; and that which was yet more strange, she captivated the men +no less than the women, who often gave her _serenades_ under her +window, with songs fitted to the courtship of a boy, all which added +to their diversion: but fortune had smiled long enough, and now grew +weary of obliging, she was resolved to undeceive both sexes, and let +them see the errors of their love; for _Sylvia_ fell into a fever so +violent, that _Philander_ no longer hoped for her recovery, insomuch +that she was obliged to own her sex, and take women servants out of +decency. This made the first discovery of who and what they were, and +for which every body languished under a secret grief. But _Octavio_, +who now was not only confirmed she was a woman, but that she was +neither wife to _Philander_, nor could in almost all possibility ever +be so; that she was his mistress, gave him hope that she might one day +as well be conquered by him; and he found her youth, her beauty, and +her quality, merited all his pains of lavish courtship. And now there +remains no more than the fear of her dying to oblige him immediately +to a discovery of his passion, too violent now by his new hope to be +longer concealed, but decency forbids he should now pursue the dear +design; he waited and made vows for her recovery; visited her, and +found _Philander_ the most deplorable object that despair and love +could render him, who lay eternally weeping on her bed, and no counsel +or persuasion could remove him thence; but if by chance they made him +sensible it was for her repose, he would depart to ease his mind by +new torments, he would rave and tear his delicate hair, sigh and weep +upon _Octavio_'s bosom, and a thousand times begin to unfold the +story, already known to the generous rival; despair, and hopes of pity +from him, made him utter all: and one day, when by the advice of the +physician he was forced to quit the chamber to give her rest, he +carried _Octavio_ to his own, and told him from the beginning, all the +story of his love with the charming _Sylvia_, and with it all the +story of his fate: _Octavio_ sighing (though glad of the opportunity) +told him his affairs were already but too well known, and that he +feared his safety from that discovery, since the States had obliged +themselves to harbour no declared enemy to the _French_ King. At this +news our young unfortunate shewed a resentment that was so moving, +that even _Octavio_, who felt a secret joy at the thoughts of his +departure, could no longer refrain from pity and tenderness, even to a +wish that he were less unhappy, and never to part from _Sylvia_: but +love soon grew again triumphant in his heart, and all he could say +was, that he would afford him the aids of all his power in this +encounter; which, with the acknowledgements of a lover, whose life +depended on it, he received, and parted with him, who went to learn +what was decreed in Council concerning him. While _Philander_ returned +to _Sylvia_, the most dejected lover that ever fate produced, when he +had not sighed away above an hour, but received a billet by +_Octavio_'s page from his lord; he went to his own apartment to read +it, fearing it might contain something too sad for him to be able to +hold his temper at the reading of, and which would infallibly have +disturbed the repose of _Sylvia_, who shared in every cruel thought of +_Philander_'s: when he was alone he opened it, and read this. + +OCTAVIO _to_ PHILANDER. + +_My Lord_, + +I had rather die than be the ungrateful messenger of news, which I am +sensible will prove too fatal to you, and which will be best expressed +in fewest words: it is decreed that you must retire from the United +Provinces in four and twenty hours, if you will save a life that is +dear to me and _Sylvia_, there being no other security against your +being rendered up to the King of _France_. Support it well, and hope +all things from the assistance of your + +OCTAVIO. + +_From the Council, Wednesday_. + +_Philander_ having finished the reading of this, remained a while +wholly without life or motion, when coming to himself, he sighed and +cried,--'Why--farewell trifling life--if of the two extremes one must +be chosen, rather than I'll abandon _Sylvia_, I'll stay and be +delivered up a victim to incensed _France_--It is but a life--at best +I never valued thee--and now I scorn to preserve thee at the price of +_Sylvia_'s tears!' Then taking a hasty turn or two about his chamber, +he pausing cried,--'But by my stay I ruin both _Sylvia_ and myself, +her life depends on mine; and it is impossible hers can be preserved +when mine is in danger: by retiring I shall shortly again be blessed +with her sight in a more safe security, by staying I resign myself +poorly to be made a public scorn to _France_, and the cruel murderer +of _Sylvia_.' Now, it was after an hundred turns and pauses, +intermixed with sighs and ravings, that he resolved for both their +safeties to retire; and having a while longer debated within himself +how, and where, and a little time ruminated on his hard pursuing fate, +grown to a calm of grief, (less easy to be borne than rage) he hastes +to _Sylvia_, whom he found something more cheerful than before, but +dares not acquaint her with the commands he had to depart----But +silently he views her, while tears of love and grief glide +unperceivably from his fine eyes, his soul grows tenderer at every +look, and pity and compassion joining to his love and his despair, set +him on the wreck of life; and now believing it less pain to die than +to leave _Sylvia_, resolves to disobey, and dare the worst that shall +befall him; he had some glimmering hope, as lovers have, that some +kind chance will prevent his going, or being delivered up; he trusts +much to the friendship of _Octavio_, whose power joined with that of +his uncle, (who was one of the _States_ also, and whom he had an +ascendant over, as his nephew and his heir) might serve him; he +therefore ventures to move him to compassion by this following letter. + +PHILANDER _to_ OCTAVIO. + +I know, my lord, that the exercise of virtue and justice is so innate +to your soul, and fixed to the very principle of a generous +commonwealth's man, that where those are in competition, it is neither +birth, wealth, or glorious merit, that can render the unfortunate +condemned by you, worthy of your pity or pardon: your very sons and +fathers fall before your justice, and it is crime enough to offend +(though innocently) the least of your wholesome laws, to fall under +the extremity of their rigour. I am not ignorant neither how +flourishing this necessary tyranny, this lawful oppression renders +your State; how safe and glorious, how secure from enemies at home, +(those worst of foes) and how feared by those abroad: pursue then, +sir, your justifiable method, and still be high and mighty, retain +your ancient Roman virtue, and still be great as _Rome_ herself in her +height of glorious commonwealths; rule your stubborn natives by her +excellent examples, and let the height of your ambition be only to be +as severely just, as rigidly good as you please; but like her too, be +pitiful to strangers, and dispense a noble charity to the distressed, +compassionate a poor wandering young man, who flies to you for refuge, +lost to his native home, lost to his fame, his fortune, and his +friends; and has only left him the knowledge of his innocence to +support him from falling on his own sword, to end an unfortunate life, +pursued every where, and safe no where; a life whose only refuge is +_Octavio_'s goodness; nor is it barely to preserve this life that I +have recourse to that only as my sanctuary, and like an humble slave +implore your pity: oh, _Octavio_, pity my youth, and intercede for my +stay yet a little longer: yourself makes one of the illustrious number +of the grave, the wise and mighty Council, your uncle and relations +make up another considerable part of it, and you are too dear to all, +to find a refusal of your just and compassionate application. Oh! What +fault have I committed against you, that I should not find a safety +here; as well as those charged with the same crime with me, though of +less quality? Many I have encountered here of our unlucky party, who +find a safety among you: is my birth a crime? Or does the greatness of +that augment my guilt? Have I broken any of your laws, committed any +outrage? Do they suspect me for a spy to _France_! Or do I hold any +correspondence with that ungrateful nation? Does my religion, +principle, or opinion differ from yours? Can I design the subversion +of your glorious State? Can I plot, cabal, or mutiny alone? Oh charge +me with some offence, or yourselves of injustice. Say, why am I denied +my length of earth amongst you, if I die? Or why to breathe the open +air, if I live, since I shall neither oppress the one, nor infect the +other? But on the contrary am ready with my sword, my youth and blood +to serve you, and bring my little aids on all occasions to yours: and +should be proud of the glory to die for you in battle, who would +deliver me up a sacrifice to _France_. Oh! where, _Octavio_, is the +glory or virtue of this _punctilio_? For it is no other: there are no +laws that bind you to it, no obligatory article of Nations, but an +unnecessary compliment made a _nemine contradicente_ of your senate, +that argues nothing but ill nature, and cannot redound to any one's +advantage; an ill nature that's levelled at me alone; for many I found +here, and many shall leave under the same circumstances with me; it is +only me whom you have marked out the victim to atone for all: well +then, my lord, if nothing can move you to a safety for this +unfortunate, at least be so merciful to suspend your cruelty a little, +yet a little, and possibly I shall render you the body of _Philander_, +though dead, to send into _France_, as the trophy of your fidelity to +that Crown: oh yet a little stay your cruel sentence, till my lovely +sister, who pursued my hard fortunes, declare my fate by her life or +death: oh, my lord, if ever the soft passion of love have touched your +soul, if you have felt the unresistible force of young charms about +your heart, if ever you have known a pain and pleasure from fair eyes, +or the transporting joys of beauty, pity a youth undone by love and +ambition, those powerful conquerors of the young----pity, oh pity a +youth that dies, and will ere long no more complain upon your rigours. +Yes, my lord, he dies without the force of a terrifying sentence, +without the grim reproaches of an angry judge, without the soon +consulted arbitrary----guilty of a severe and hasty jury, without the +ceremony of the scaffold, axe, and hangman, and the clamours of +inconsidering crowds; all which melancholy ceremonies render death so +terrible, which else would fall like gentle slumbers upon the +eye-lids, and which in field I would encounter with that joy I would +the sacred thing I love! But oh, I fear my fate is in the lovely +_Sylvia_, and in her dying eyes you may read it, in her languishing +face you will see how near it is approached. Ah, will you not suffer +me to attend it there? By her dear side I shall fall as calmly as +flowers from their stalks, without regret or pain: will you, by +forcing me to die from her, run me to a madness? To wild distraction? +Oh think it sufficient that I die here before half my race of youth be +run, before the light be half burnt out, that might have conducted me +to a world of glory! Alas, she dies=-the lovely _Sylvia_ dies; she is +sighing out a soul to which mine is so entirely fixed, that they must +go upward together; yes, yes, she breathes it sick into my bosom, and +kindly gives mine its disease of death: let us at least then die in +silence quietly; and if it please heaven to restore the languished +charmer, I will resign myself up to all your rigorous honour; only let +me bear my treasure with me, while we wander over the world to seek us +out a safety in some part of it, where pity and compassion is no +crime, where men have tender hearts, and have heard of the god of +love; where politics are not all the business of the powerful, but +where civility and good nature reign. + +Perhaps, my lord, you will wonder I plead no weightier argument for my +stay than love, or the griefs and tears of a languishing maid: but, +oh! they are such tears as every drop would ransom lives, and nothing +that proceeds from her charming eyes can be valued at a less rate! In +pity to her, to me, and your amorous youths, let me bear her hence: +for should she look abroad as her own sex, should she appear in her +natural and proper beauty, alas they were undone. Reproach not (my +lord) the weakness of this confession, and which I make with more +glory than could I boast myself lord of all the universe: if it appear +a fault to the more grave and wise, I hope my youth will plead +something for my excuse. Oh say, at least, it was pity that love had +the ascendant over _Philander_'s soul, say it was his destiny, but say +withal, that it put no stop to his advance to glory; rather it set an +edge upon his sword, and gave wings to his ambition!--Yes, try me in +your Councils, prove me in your camps, place me in any hazard--but +give me love! And leave me to wait the life or death of _Sylvia_, and +then dispose as you please, my lord, of your unfortunate + +PHILANDER. + + * * * * * + +OCTAVIO _to_ PHILANDER. + +_My Lord_, + +I am much concerned, that a request so reasonable as you have made, +will be of so little force with these arbitrary tyrants of State; and +though you have addressed and appealed to me as one of that grave and +rigid number, (though without one grain of their formalities, and I +hope age, which renders us less gallant, and more envious of the joys +and liberties of youth, will never reduce me to so dull and +thoughtless a Member of State) yet I have so small and single a +portion of their power, that I am ashamed of my incapacity of serving +you in this great affair. I bear the honour and the name, it is true, +of glorious sway; but I can boast but of the worst and most impotent +part of it, the title only; but the busy, absolute, mischievous +politician finds no room in my soul, my humour, or constitution; and +plodding restless power I have made so little the business of my gayer +and more careless youth, that I have even lost my right of rule, my +share of empire amongst them. That little power (whose unregarded loss +I never bemoaned till it rendered me incapable of serving _Philander_) +I have stretched to the utmost bound for your stay; insomuch that I +have received many reproaches from the wiser coxcombs, have made my +youth's little debauches hinted on, and judgements made of you +(disadvantageous) from my friendship to you; a friendship, which, my +lord, at first sight of you found a being in my soul, and which your +wit, your goodness, your greatness, and your misfortunes have improved +to all the degrees of it: though I am infinitely unhappy that it +proves of no use to you here, and that the greatest testimony I can +now render of it, is to warn you of your approaching danger, and +hasten your departure, for there is no safety in your stay. I just now +heard what was decreed against you in Council, which no pleading, nor +eloquence of friendship had force enough to evade. Alas, I had but one +single voice in the number, which I sullenly and singly gave, and +which unregarded passed. Go then, my lord, haste to some place where +good breeding and humanity reigns: go and preserve _Sylvia_, in +providing for your own safety; and believe me, till she be in a +condition to pursue your fortunes, I will take such care that nothing +shall be wanting to her recovery here, in order to her following after +you. I am, alas, but too sensible of all the pains you must endure by +such a separation; for I am neither insensible, nor incapable of love, +or any of its violent effects: go then, my lord, and preserve the +lovely maid in your flight, since your stay and danger will serve but +to hasten on her death: go and be satisfied she shall find a +protection suitable to her sex, her innocence, her beauty, and her +quality; and that wherever you fix your stay, she shall be resigned to +your arms by, my lord, your eternal friend and humble servant, + +OCTAVIO. + +_Lest in this sudden remove you should want money, I have sent you +several Bills of Exchange to what place soever you arrive, and what +you want more (make no scruple to use me as a friend and) command._ + +After this letter finding no hopes, but on the contrary a dire +necessity of departing, he told _Brilliard_ his misfortune, and asked +his counsel in this extremity of affairs. _Brilliard_, (who of a +servant was become a rival) you may believe, gave him such advice as +might remove him from the object he adored. But after a great deal of +dissembled trouble, the better to hide his joy, he gave his advice for +his going, with all the arguments that appeared reasonable enough to +_Philander_; and at every period urged, that his life being dear to +_Sylvia_, and on which hers so immediately depended, he ought no +longer to debate, but hasten his flight: to all which counsel our +amorous hero, with a soul ready to make its way through his trembling +body, gave a sighing unwilling assent. It was now no longer a dispute, +but was concluded he must go; but how was the only question. How +should he take his farewell? How he should bid adieu, and leave the +dear object of his soul in an estate so hazardous? He formed a +thousand sad ideas to torment himself with fancying he should never +see her more, that he should hear that she was dead, though now she +appeared on this side the grave, and had all the signs of a declining +disease. He fancied absence might make her cold, and abate her passion +to him; that her powerful beauty might attract adorers, and she being +but a woman, and no part angel but her form,'twas not expected she +should want her sex's frailties. Now he could consider how he had won +her, how by importunity and opportunity she had at last yielded to +him, and therefore might to some new gamester, when he was not by to +keep her heart in continual play: then it was that all the despair of +jealous love, the throbs and piercing of a violent passion seized his +timorous and tender heart, he fancied her already in some new lover's +arms, and ran over all these soft enjoyments he had with her; and +fancied with tormenting thought, that so another would possess her; +till racked with tortures, he almost fainted on the repose on which he +was set: but _Brilliard_ roused and endeavoured to convince him, told +him he hoped his fear was needless, and that he would take all the +watchful care imaginable of her conduct, be a spy upon her virtue, and +from time to time give him notice of all that should pass! Bid him +consider her quality, and that she was no common mistress whom hire +could lead astray; and that if from the violence of her passion, or +her most severe fate, she had yielded to the most charming of men, he +ought as little to imagine she could be again a lover, as that she +could find an object of equal beauty with that of _Philander_. In +fine, he soothed and flattered him into so much ease, that he resolves +to take his leave for a day or two, under pretence of meeting and +consulting with some of the rebel party; and that he would return +again to her by that time it might be imagined her fever might be +abated, and _Sylvia_ in a condition to receive the news of his being +gone for a longer time, and to know all his affairs. While _Brilliard_ +prepared all things necessary for his departure, _Philander_ went to +_Sylvia_; from whom, having been absent two tedious hours, she caught +him in her arms with a transport of joy, reproached him with want of +love, for being absent so long: but still the more she spoke soft +sighing words of love, the more his soul was seized with melancholy, +his sighs redoubled, and he could not refrain from letting fall some +tears upon her bosom----which _Sylvia_ perceiving, with a look and a +trembling in her voice, that spoke her fears, she cried, 'Oh +_Philander_! These are unusual marks of your tenderness; oh tell me, +tell me quickly what they mean.' He answered with a sigh, and she went +on--'It is so, I am undone, it is your lost vows, your broken faith +you weep; yes, _Philander_, you find the flower of my beauty faded, +and what you loved before, you pity now, and these be the effects of +it.' Then sighing, as if his soul had been departing on her neck, he +cried, 'By heaven, by all the powers of love, thou art the same dear +charmer that thou wert;' then pressing her body to his bosom, he +sighed anew as if his heart were breaking--'I know' (says she) +'_Philander_, there is some hidden cause that gives these sighs their +way, and that dear face a paleness. Oh tell me all; for she that could +abandon all for thee, can dare the worst of fate: if thou must quit +me----oh _Philander_, if it must be so, I need not stay the lingering +death of a feeble fever; I know a way more noble and more sudden.' +Pleased at her resolution, which almost destroyed his jealousy and +fears, a thousand times he kissed her, mixing his grateful words and +thanks with sighs; and finding her fair hands (which he put often to +his mouth) to increase their fires, and her pulse to be more high and +quick, fearing to relapse her into her (abating) fever, he forced a +smile, and told her, he had no griefs, but what she made him feel, no +torments but her sickness, nor sighs but for her pain, and left +nothing unsaid that might confirm her he was still more and more her +slave; and concealing his design in favour of her health, he ceased +not vowing and protesting, till he had settled her in all the +tranquillity of a recovering beauty. And as since her first illness he +had never departed from her bed, so now this night he strove to appear +in her arms with all that usual gaiety of love that her condition +would permit, or his circumstances could feign, and leaving her asleep +at day-break (with a force upon his soul that cannot be conceived but +by parting lovers) he stole from her arms, and retiring to his +chamber, he soon got himself ready for his flight, and departed. We +will leave _Sylvia_'s ravings to be expressed by none but herself, and +tell you that after about fourteen days' absence, _Octavio_ received +this letter from _Philander_. + +PHILANDER _to_ OCTAVIO. + +Being safely arrived at _Cologne_, and by a very pretty and lucky +adventure lodged in the house of the best quality in the town, I find +myself much more at ease than I thought it possible to be without +_Sylvia_, from whom I am nevertheless impatient to hear; I hope +absence appears not so great a bugbear to her as it was imagined: for +I know not what effects it would have on me to hear her griefs +exceeded a few sighs and tears: those my kind absence has taught me to +allow and bear without much pain, but should her love transport her to +extremes of rage and despair, I fear I should quit my safety here, and +give her the last proof of my love and my compassion, throw myself at +her feet, and expose my life to preserve hers. Honour would oblige me +to it. I conjure you, my dear _Octavio_, by all the friendship you +have vowed me, (and which I no longer doubt) let me speedily know how +she bears my absence, for on that knowledge depends a great deal of +the satisfaction of my life; carry her this enclosed which I have writ +her, and soften my silent departure, which possibly may appear rude +and unkind, plead my pardon, and give her the story of my necessity of +offending, which none can so well relate as yourself; and from a mouth +so eloquent to a maid so full of love, will soon reconcile me to her +heart. With her letter I send you a bill to pay her 2000 patacons, +which I have paid _Vander Hanskin_ here, as his letter will inform +you, as also those bills I received of you at my departure, having +been supplied by an _English_ merchant here, who gave me credit. It +will be an age, till I hear from you, and receive the news of the +health of _Sylvia_, than which two blessings nothing will be more +welcome to, generous _Octavio_, your + +PHILANDER. + +_Direct your letters for me to your merchant_ Vander Hanskin. + + * * * * * + +PHILANDER _to_ SYLVIA. + +There is no way left to gain my _Sylvia_'s pardon for leaving her, and +leaving her in such circumstances, but to tell her it was to preserve +a life which I believed entirely dear to her; but that unhappy crime +is too severely punished by the cruelties of my absence: believe me, +lovely _Sylvia_, I have felt all your pains, I have burnt with your +fever, and sighed with your oppressions; say, has my pain abated +yours? Tell me, and hasten my health by the assurance of your +recovery, or I have fled in vain from those dear arms to save my life, +of which I know not what account to give you, till I receive from you +the knowledge of your perfect health, the true state of mine. I can +only say I sigh, and have a sort of a being in _Cologne_, where I have +some more assurance of protection than I could hope I from those +interested brutes, who sent me from you; yet brutish as they are, I +know thou art safe from their clownish outrages. For were they +senseless as their fellow-monsters of the sea, they durst not profane +so pure an excellence as thine; the sullen boars would jouder out a +welcome to thee, and gape, I and wonder at thy awful beauty, though +they want the tender sense to know to what use it was made. Or if I +doubted their humanity, I cannot the friendship of _Octavio_, since he +has given me too good a proof of it, to leave me any fear that he +has not in my absence pursued those generous sentiments for _Sylvia_, +which he vowed to _Philander_, and of which this first proof must be +his relating the necessity of my absence, to set me well with my +adorable maid, who, better than I, can inform her; and that I rather +chose to quit you only for a short space, than reduce myself to the +necessity of losing you eternally. Let the satisfaction this ought to +give you retrieve your health and beauty, and put you into a condition +of restoring to me all my joys; that by pursuing the dictates of your +love, you may again bring the greatest happiness on earth to the arms +of your + +PHILANDER. + +POSTSCRIPT. + +_My affairs here are yet so unsettled, that I can take no order for +your coming to me; but as soon as I know where I can fix with safety, +I shall make it my business and my happiness: adieu. Trust_ Octavio_, +with your letters only._ + +This letter _Octavio_ would not carry himself to her, who had omitted +no day, scarce an hour, wherein he saw not or sent not to the charming +_Sylvia_; but he found in that which _Philander_ had writ to him an +air of coldness altogether unusual with that passionate lover, and +infinitely short in point of tenderness to those he had formerly seen +of his, and from what he had heard him speak; so that he no longer +doubted (and the rather because he hoped it) but that _Philander_ +found an abatement of that heat, which was wont to inspire at a more +amorous rate: this appearing declension he could not conceal from +_Sylvia_, at least to let her know he took notice of it; for he knew +her love was too quick-sighted and sensible to pass it unregarded; but +he with reason thought, that when she should find others observe the +little slight she had put on her, her pride (which is natural to women +in such cases) would decline and lessen her love for his rival. He +therefore sent his page with the letters enclosed in this from +himself. + +OCTAVIO _to_ SYLVIA. + +_Madam_, + +From a little necessary debauch I made last night with the Prince, I +am forced to employ my page in those duties I ought to have performed +myself: he brings you, madam, a letter from _Philander_, as mine, +which I have also sent you, informs me; I should else have doubted it; +it is, I think, his character, and all he says of _Octavio_ confesses +the friend, but where he speaks of _Sylvia_ sure he disguises the +lover: I wonder the mask should be put on now to me, to whom before he +so frankly discovered the secrets of his amorous heart. It is a +mystery I would fain persuade myself he finds absolutely necessary to +his interest, and I hope you will make the same favourable +constructions of it, and not impute the lessened zeal wherewith he +treats the charming _Sylvia_ to any possible change or coldness, since +I am but too fatally sensible, that no man can arrive at the glory of +being beloved by you, that had ever power to shorten one link of that +dear chain that holds him, and you need but survey that adorable face, +to confirm your tranquillity; set a just value on your charms, and you +need no arguments to secure your everlasting empire, or to establish +it in what heart you please. This fatal truth I learned from your fair +eyes, ere they discovered to me your sex, and you may as soon change +to what I then believed you, as I from adoring what I now find you: if +all then, madam, that do but look on you become your slaves, and +languish for you, love on, even without hope, and die, what must +_Philander_ pay you, who has the mighty blessing of your love, your +vows, and all that renders the hours of amorous youth, sacred, glad, +and triumphant? But you know the conquering power of your charms too +well to need either this daring confession, or a defence of +_Philander_'s virtue from, madam, your obedient slave, + +OCTAVIO. + +_Sylvia_ had no sooner read this with blushes, and a thousand fears, +and trembling of what was to follow in _Philander_'s letters both to +_Octavio_ and to herself, but with an indignation agreeable to her +haughty soul, she cried--'How--slighted! And must _Octavio_ see it +too! By heaven, if I should find it true, he shall not dare to think +it.' Then with a generous rage she broke open _Philander_'s, letter; +and which she soon perceived did but too well prove the truth of +_Octavio_'s suspicion, and her own fears. She repeated it again and +again, and still she found more cause of grief and anger; love +occasioned the first, and pride the last; and, to a soul perfectly +haughty, as was that of _Sylvia_, it was hard to guess which had the +ascendant: she considered _Octavio_ to all the advantages that thought +could conceive in one, who was not a lover of him; she knew he +merited a heart, though she had none to give him; she found him +charming without having a tenderness for him; she found him young +and amorous without desire towards him; she found him great, +rich, powerful and generous without designing on him; and though she +knew her soul free from all passion, but that for _Philander_, +nevertheless she blushed and was angry, that he had thoughts no more +advantageous to the power of those charms, which she wish'd might +appear to him above her sex, it being natural to women to desire +conquests, though they hate the conquered; to glory in the triumph, +though they despise the slave: and she believed, while _Octavio_ had +so poor a sense of her beauty as to believe it could be forsaken, he +would adore it less: and first, to satisfy her pride, she left the +softer business of her heart to the next tormenting hour, and sent him +this careless answer by his page, believing, if she valued his +opinion; and therefore dissembled her thoughts, as women in those +cases ever do, who when most angry seem the most galliard, especially +when they have need of the friendship of those they flatter. + +SYLVIA _to_ OCTAVIO. + +Is it indeed, _Octavio_, that you believe _Philander_ cold, or would +you make that a pretext to the declaration of your own passion? We +_French_ ladies are not so nicely tied up to the formalities of +virtue, but we can hear love at both ears: and if we receive not the +addresses of both, at least we are perhaps vain enough not to be +displeased to find we make new conquests. But you have made your +attack with so ill conduct, that I shall find force enough without +more aids to repulse you. Alas, my lord, did you believe my heart was +left unguarded when _Philander_ departed? No, the careful charming +lover left a thousand little gods to defend it, of no less power than +himself; young deities, who laugh at all your little arts and +treacheries, and scorn to resign their empire to any feeble _Cupids_ +you can draw up against them: your thick foggy air breeds love too +dull and heavy for noble flights, nor can I stoop to them. The +_Flemish_ boy wants arrows keen enough for hearts like mine, and is a +bungler in his art, too lazy and remiss, rather a heavy _Bacchus_ than +a _Cupid_, a bottle sends him to his bed of moss, where he sleeps +hard, and never dreams of _Venus_. + +How poorly have you paid yourself, my lord, (by this pursuit of your +discovered love) for all the little friendship you have rendered me! +How well you have explained, you can be no more a lover than a friend, +if one may judge the first by the last! Had you been thus obstinate in +your passion before _Philander_ went, or you had believed me +abandoned, I should perhaps have thought that you had loved indeed, +because I should have seen you durst, and should have believed it +true, because it ran some hazards for me, the resolution of it would +have reconciled me then to the temerity of it, and the greatest +demonstration you could have given of it, would have been the danger +you would have ran and contemned, and the preference of your passion +above any other consideration. This, my lord, had been generous and +like a lover; but poorly thus to set upon a single woman in the +disguise of a friend, in the dark silent melancholy hour of absence +from _Philander_, then to surprise me, then to bid me deliver! to pad +for hearts! It is not like _Octavio_, _Octavio_ that _Philander_ made +his friend, and for whose dear sake, my lord, I will no farther +reproach you, but from a goodness, which, I hope, you will merit, I +will forgive an offence, which your ill-timing has rendered almost +inexcusable, and expect you will for the future consider better how +you ought to treat + +SYLVIA. + +As soon as she had dismissed the page, she hasted to her business of +love, and again read over _Philander_'s, letter, and finding still new +occasion for fear, she had recourse to pen and paper for a relief of +that heart which no other way could find; and after having wiped the +tears from her eyes, she writ this following letter. + +SYLVIA _to_ PHILANDER. + +Yes, _Philander_, I have received your letter, and but I found my name +there, should have hoped it was not meant for _Sylvia_! Oh! It is all +cold--short--short and cold as a dead winter's day. It chilled my +blood, it shivered every vein. Where, oh where hast thou lavished out +all those soft words so natural to thy soul, with which thou usedst to +charm; so tuned to the dear music of thy voice? What is become of all +the tender things, which, as I used to read, made little nimble +pantings in my heart, my blushes rise, and tremblings in my blood, +adding new fire to the poor burning victim! Oh where are all thy +pretty flatteries of love, that made me fond and vain, and set a value +on this trifling beauty? Hast thou forgot thy wondrous art of loving? +Thy pretty cunnings, and thy soft deceivings? Hast thou forgot them +all? Or hast thou forgot indeed to love at all? Has thy industrious +passion gathered all the sweets, and left the rifled flower to hang +its withered head, and die in I shades neglected? For who will prize +it now, now when all its I perfumes are fled? Oh my _Philander_, oh my +charming fugitive! Was it not enough you left me, like false +_Theseus_, on the shore, on the forsaken shore, departed from my fond, +my clasping arms; where I believed you safe, secure and pleased, when +sleep and night, that favoured you and ruined me, had rendered them +incapable of their dear loss! Oh was it not enough, that when I found +them empty and abandoned, and the place cold where you had lain, and +my poor trembling bosom unpossessed of that dear load it bore, that I +almost expired with my first fears? Oh, if _Philander_ loved, he would +have thought that cruelty enough, without the sad addition of a +growing coldness: I awaked, I missed thee, and I called aloud, +'_Philander_! my _Philander_!' But no Philander heard; then drew the +close-drawn curtains, and with a hasty and busy view surveyed the +chamber over; but oh! In vain I viewed, and called yet louder, but +none appeared to my assistance but _Antonet_ and _Brilliard_, to +torture me with dull excuses, urging a thousand feigned and frivolous +reasons to satisfy my fears: but I, who loved, who doted even to +madness, by nature soft, and timorous as a dove, and fearful as a +criminal escaped, that dreads each little noise, fancied their eyes +and guilty looks confessed the treasons of their hearts and tongues, +while they, more kind than true, strove to convince my killing doubts, +protested that you would return by night, and feigned a likely story +to deceive. Thus between hope and fear I languished out a day; oh +heavens! A tedious day without _Philander_: who would have thought +that such a dismal day should not, with the end of its reign, have +finished that of my life! But then _Octavio_ came to visit me, and who +till then I never wished to see, but now I was impatient for his +coming, who by degrees told me that you were gone--I never asked him +where, or how, or why; that you were gone was enough to possess me of +all I feared, your being apprehended and sent into _France_, your +delivering yourself up, your abandoning me; all, all I had an easy +faith for, without consulting more than that thou wert gone--that very +word yet strikes a terror to my soul, disables my trembling hand, and +I must wait for reinforcements from some kinder thoughts. But, oh! +From whence should they arrive? From what dear present felicity, or +prospect of a future, though never so distant, and all those past ones +serve but to increase my pain; they favour me no more, they charm and +please no more, and only present themselves to my memory to complete +the number of my sighs and tears, and make me wish that they had never +been, though even with _Philander_? Oh! say, thou monarch of my +panting soul, how hast thou treated _Sylvia_, to make her wish that +she had never known a tender joy with thee? Is it possible she should +repent her loving thee, and thou shouldst give her cause! Say, dear +false charmer, is it? But oh, there is no lasting faith in +sin!----Ah--What have I done? How dreadful is the scene of my first +debauch, and how glorious that never to be regained prospect of my +virgin innocence, where I sat enthroned in awful virtue, crowned with +shining honour, and adorned with unsullied reputation, till thou, O +tyrant _Love_, with a charming usurpation invaded all my glories; and +which I resigned with greater pride and joy than a young monarch puts +them on. Oh! Why then do I repent? As if the vast, the dear expense of +pleasures past were not enough to recompense for all the pains of love +to come? But why, oh why do I treat thee as a lover lost already? Thou +art not, canst not; no, I will not believe it, till thou thyself +confess it: nor shall the omission of a tender word or two make me +believe thou hast forgot thy vows. Alas, it may be I mistake thy +cares, thy hard fatigues of life, thy present ill circumstances (and +all the melancholy effects of thine and my misfortunes) for coldness +and declining love. Alas, I had forgot my poor my dear _Philander_ is +now obliged to contrive for life as well as love, thou perhaps +(fearing the worst) are preparing eloquence for a council table; and +in thy busy and guilty imaginations haranguing it to the grave judges, +defending thy innocence, or evading thy guilt: feeing advocates, +excepting juries, and confronting witnesses, when thou shouldst be +giving satisfaction to my fainting love-sick heart: sometimes in thy +labouring fancy the horror of a dreadful sentence for an ignominious +death, strikes upon thy tender soul with a force that frights the +little god from thence, and I am persuaded there are some moments of +this melancholy nature, wherein your _Sylvia_ is even quite forgotten, +and this too she can think just and reasonable, without reproaching +thy heart with a declining passion, especially when I am not by to +call thy fondness up, and divert thy more tormenting hours: but oh, +for those soft minutes thou hast designed for love, and hast dedicated +to _Sylvia, Philander_ should dismiss the dull formalities of rigid +business, the pressing cares of dangers, and have given a loose to +softness. Could my _Philander_ imagine this short and unloving letter +sufficient to atone for such an absence? And has _Philander_ then +forgotten the pain with which I languished, when but absent from him +an hour? How then can he imagine I can live, when distant from him so +many leagues, and so many days? While all the scanty comfort I have +for life is, that one day we might meet again; but where, or when, or +how-thou hast not love enough so much as to divine; but poorly leavest +me to be satisfied by _Octavio_, committing the business of thy heart, +the once great importance of thy soul, the most necessary devoirs of +thy life, to be supplied by another. Oh _Philander_, I have known a +blessed time in our reign of love, when thou wouldst have thought even +all thy own power of too little force to satisfy the doubting soul of +_Sylvia_: tell me, _Philander_, hast thou forgot that time? I dare not +think thou hast, and yet (O God) I find an alteration, but heaven +divert the omen: yet something whispers to my soul, I am undone! Oh, +where art thou, my _Philander_? Where is thy heart? And what has it +been doing since it begun my fate? How can it justify thy coldness, +and thou this cruel absence, without accounting with me for every +parting hour? My charming dear was wont to find me business for all my +lonely absent ones; and writ the softest letters--loading the paper +with fond vows and wishes, which ere I had read over another would +arrive, to keep eternal warmth about my soul; nor wert thou ever +wearied more with writing, than I with reading, or with sighing after +thee; but now--oh! There is some mystery in it I dare not understand. +Be kind at least and satisfy my fears, for it is a wondrous pain to +live in doubt; if thou still lovest me, swear it over anew! And curse +me if I do not credit thee. But if thou art declining--or shouldst be +sent a shameful victim into _France_--oh thou deceiving charmer, yet +be just, and let me know my doom: by heaven this last will find a +welcome to me, for it will end the torment of my doubts and fears of +losing thee another way, and I shall have the joy to die with thee, +die beloved, and die + +Thy SYLVIA. + +Having read over this letter, she feared she had said too much of her +doubts and apprehensions of a change in him; for now she flies to all +the little stratagems and artifices of lovers, she begins to consider +the worst, and to make the best of that; but quite abandoned she could +not believe herself, without flying into all the rage that +disappointed woman could be possessed with. She calls _Brilliard_, +shews him his lord's letters, and told him, (while he read) her doubts +and fears; he being thus instructed by herself in the way how to +deceive her on, like fortune-tellers, who gather people's fortune from +themselves, and then return it back for their own divinity; tells her +he saw indeed a change! Glad to improve her fear, and feigns a sorrow +almost equal to hers: 'It is evident,' says he, 'it is evident, that +he is the most ungrateful of his sex! Pardon, madam,' (continued he, +bowing) 'if my zeal for the most charming creature on earth, make me +forget my duty to the best of masters and friends.' 'Ah, _Brilliard_,' +cried she, with an air of languishment that more enflamed him, 'have a +care, lest that mistaken zeal for me should make you profane virtue, +which has not, but on this occasion, shewed that it wanted angels for +its guard. Oh, _Brilliard_, if he be false--if the dear man be +perjured, take, take, kind heaven, the life you have preserved but for +a greater proof of your revenge'----and at that word she sunk into his +arms, which he hastily extended as she was falling, both to save her +from harm, and to give himself the pleasure of grasping the loveliest +body in the world to his bosom, on which her fair face declined, cold, +dead, and pale; but so transporting was the pleasure of that dear +burden, that he forgot to call for, or to use any aid to bring her +back to life, but trembling with his love and eager passion, he took a +thousand joys, he kissed a thousand times her lukewarm lips, sucked +her short sighs, and ravished all the sweets, her bosom (which was but +guarded with a loose night-gown) yielded his impatient touches. Oh +heaven, who can express the pleasures he received, because no other +way he ever could arrive to so much daring? It was all beyond his +hope; loose were her robes, insensible the maid, and love had made him +insolent, he roved, he kissed, he gazed, without control, forgetting +all respect of persons, or of place, and quite despairing by fair +means to win her, resolves to take this lucky opportunity; the door he +knew was fast, for the counsel she had to ask him admitted of no +lookers-on, so that at his entrance she had secured the pass for him +herself, and being near her bed, when she fell into his arms, at this +last daring thought he lifts her thither, and lays her gently down, +and while he did so, in one minute ran over all the killing joys he +had been witness to, which she had given _Philander_; on which he +never paus'd, but urged by a _Cupid_ altogether malicious and wicked, +he resolves his cowardly conquest, when some kinder god awakened +_Sylvia_, and brought _Octavio_ to the chamber door; who having been +used to a freedom, which was permitted to none but himself, with +_Antonet_ her woman, waiting for admittance, after having knocked +twice softly, _Brittiard_ heard it, and redoubled his disorder, which +from that of love, grew to that of surprise; he knew not what to do, +whether to refuse answering, or to re-establish the reviving sense of +_Sylvia_; in this moment of perplexing thought he failed not however +to set his hair in order, and adjust him, though there were no need of +it, and stepping to the door (after having raised _Sylvia_, leaning +her head on her hand on the bed-side,) he gave admittance to +_Octavio_; but, oh heaven, how was he surprised when he saw it was +_Octavio_? His heart with more force than before redoubled its beats, +that one might easily perceive every stroke by the motion of his +cravat; he blushed, which, to a complexion perfectly fair, as that of +_Brilliard_ (who wants no beauty, either in face or person) was the +more discoverable, add to this his trembling, and you may easily +imagine what a figure he represented himself to _Octavio_; who almost +as much surprised as himself to find the goddess of his vows and +devotions with a young _Endymion_ alone, a door shut to, her gown +loose, which (from the late fit she was in, and _Brilliard_'s rape +upon her bosom) was still open, and discovered a world of unguarded +beauty, which she knew not was in view, with some other disorders of +her headcloths, gave him in a moment a thousand false apprehensions: +_Antonet_ was no less surprised; so that all had their part of +amazement but the innocent _Sylvia_, whose eyes were beautified with a +melancholy calm, which almost set the generous lover at ease, and took +away his new fears; however, he could not choose but ask _Brilliard_ +what the matter was with him, he looked so out of countenance, and +trembled so? He told him how _Sylvia_ had been, and what extreme +frights she had possessed him with, and told him the occasion, which +the lovely _Sylvia_ with her eyes and sighs assented to, and +_Brilliard_ departed; how well pleased you may imagine, or with what +gusto he left her to be with the lovely _Octavio_, whom he perceived +too well was a lover in the disguise of a friend. But there are in +love those wonderful lovers who can quench the fire one beauty kindles +with some other object, and as much in love as _Brilliard_ was, he +found _Antonet_ an antidote that dispelled the grosser part of it; for +she was in love with our amorous friend, and courted him with that +passion those of that country do almost all handsome strangers; and +one convenient principle of the religion of that country is, to think +it no sin to be kind while they are single women, though otherwise +(when wives) they are just enough, nor does a woman that manages her +affairs thus discreetly meet with any reproach; of this humour was our +_Antonet_, who pursued her lover out, half jealous there might be some +amorous intrigue between her lady and him, which she sought in vain by +all the feeble arts of her country's sex to get from him; while on the +other side he believing she might be of use in the farther discovery +he desired to make between _Octavio_ and _Sylvia_, not only told her +she herself was the object of his wishes, but gave her substantial +proofs on it, and told her his design, after having her honour for +security that she would be secret, the best pledge a man can take of a +woman: after she had promised to betray all things to him, she +departed to her affairs, and he to giving his lord an account of +_Sylvia_, as he desired, in a letter which came to him with that of +_Sylvia_; and which was thus: + +PHILANDER _to_ BRILLIARD. + +I doubt not but you will wonder that all this time you have not heard +of me, nor indeed can well excuse it, since I have been in a place +whence with ease I could have sent every post; but a new affair of +gallantry has engaged my thoughtful hours, not that I find any passion +here that has abated one sigh for _Sylvia_; but a man's hours are very +dull, when undiverted by an intrigue of some kind or other, especially +to a heart young and gay as mine is, and which would not, if possible, +bend under the fatigues of more serious thought and business; I should +not tell you this, but that I would have you say all the dilatory +excuses that possibly you can to hinder _Sylvia_'s coming to me, while +I remain in this town, where I design to make my abode but a short +time, and had not stayed at all, but for this stop to my journey, and +I scorn to be vanquished without taking my revenge; it is a sally of +youth, no more--a flash, that blazes for a while, and will go out +without enjoyment. I need not bid you keep this knowledge to yourself, +for I have had too good a confirmation of your faith and friendship to +doubt you now, and believe you have too much respect for _Sylvia_ to +occasion her any disquiet. I long to know how she takes my absence, +send me at large of all that passes, and give your letters to +_Octavio_, for none else shall know where I am, or how to send to me: +be careful of _Sylvia_, and observe her with diligence, for possibly I +should not be extravagantly afflicted to find she was inclined to love +me less for her own ease and mine, since love is troublesome when the +height of it carries it to jealousies, little quarrels, and eternal +discontents; all which beginning lovers prize, and pride themselves on +every distrust of the fond mistress, since it is not only a +demonstration of love in them, but of power and charms in us that +occasion it. But when we no longer find the mistress so desirable, as +our first wishes form her, we value less their opinion of our persons, +and only endeavour to render it agreeable to new beauties, and adorn +it for new conquests; but you, _Brilliard_, have been a lover, and +understand already this philosophy. I need say no more then to a man +who knows so well my soul, but to tell him I am his constant friend. + +PHILANDER. + +This came as _Brilliard_'s soul could wish, and had he sent him word +he had been chosen King of _Poland_, he could not have received the +news with so great joy, and so perfect a welcome. How to manage this +to his best advantage was the business he was next to consult, after +returning an answer; now he fancied himself sure of the lovely prize, +in spite of all other oppositions: 'For' (says he, in reasoning the +case) 'if she can by degrees arrive to a coldness to _Philander_, and +consider him no longer as a lover, she may perhaps consider me as a +husband; or should she receive _Octavio_'s addresses, when once I have +found her feeble, I will make her pay me for keeping of every secret.' +So either way he entertained a hope, though never so distant from +reason and probability; but all things seem possible to longing +lovers, who can on the least hope resolve to out-wait even eternity +(if possible) in expectation of a promised blessing; and now with more +than usual care he resolved to dress, and set out all his youth and +beauty to the best advantage; and being a gentleman well born, he +wanted no arts of dressing, nor any advantage of shape or mien, to +make it appear well: pleased with this hope, his art was now how to +make his advances without appearing to have designed doing so. And +first to act the hypocrite with his lord was his business; for he +considered rightly, if he should not represent _Sylvia_'s sorrows to +the life, and appear to make him sensible of them, he should not be +after credited if he related any thing to her disadvantage; for to be +the greater enemy, you ought to seem to be the greatest friend. This +was the policy of his heart, who in all things was inspired with +fanatical notions. In order to this, being alone in his chamber, after +the defeat he had in that of _Sylvia_'s, he writ this letter. + +BRILLIARD _to_ PHILANDER. + +_My Lord,_ + +You have done me the honour to make me your confidant in an affair +that does not a little surprise me; since I believed, after _Sylvia_, +no mortal beauty could have touched your heart, and nothing but your +own excuses could have sufficed to have made it reasonable; and I only +wish, that when the fatal news shall arrive to _Sylvia_'s ear (as for +me it never shall) that she may think it as pardonable as I do; but I +doubt it will add abundance of grief to what she is already possessed +of, if but such a fear should enter in her tender thoughts. But since +it is not my business, my lord, to advise or counsel, but to obey, I +leave you to all the success of happy love, and will only give you an +account how affairs stand here, since your departure. + +That morning you left the _Brill_, and _Sylvia_ in bed, I must disturb +your more serene thoughts with telling you, that her first surprise +and griefs at the news of your departure were most deplorable, where +raging madness and the softer passion of love, complaints of grief, +and anger, sighs, tears and cries were so mixed together, and by turns +so violently seized her, that all about her wept and pitied her: it +was sad, it was wondrous sad, my lord, to see it: nor could we hope +her life, or that she would preserve it if she could; for by many ways +she attempted to have released herself from pain by a violent death, +and those that strove to preserve that, could not hope she would ever +have returned to sense again: sometimes a wild extravagant raving +would require all our aid, and then again she would talk and rail so +tenderly----and express her resentment in the kindest softest words +that ever madness uttered, and all of her _Philander_, till she has +set us all a weeping round her; sometimes she'd sit as calm and still +as death, and we have perceived she lived only by sighs and silent +tears that fell into her bosom; then on a sudden wildly gaze upon us +with eyes that even then had wondrous charms, and frantically survey +us all, then cry aloud, 'Where is my Lord _Philander_!----Oh, bring me +my _Philander_, _Brilliard_: Oh, _Antonet_, where have you hid the +treasure of my soul?' Then, weeping floods of tears, would sink all +fainting in our arms. Anon with trembling words and sighs she'd +cry----'But oh, my dear _Philander_ is no more, you have surrendered +him to _France_----Yes, yes, you have given him up, and he must die, +publicly die, be led a sad victim through the joyful crowd--reproached, +and fall ingloriously----' Then rave again, and tear her lovely hair, +and act such wildness,--so moving and so sad, as even infected the +pitying beholders, and all we could do, was gently to persuade her +grief, and soothe her raving fits; but so we swore, so heartily we +vowed that you were safe, that with the aid of _Octavio_, who came +that day to visit her, we made her capable of hearing a little reason +from us. _Octavio_ kneeled, and begged she would but calmly hear him +speak, he pawned his soul, his honour, and his life, _Philander_ was +as safe from any injury, either from _France_, or any other enemy, as +he, as she, or heaven itself. In fine, my lord, he vowed, he swore, +and pleaded, till she with patience heard him tell his story, and the +necessity of your absence; this brought her temper back, and dried +her eyes, then sighing, answered him----that if for your safety you +were fled, she would forgive your cruelty and your absence, and +endeavour to be herself again: but then she would a thousand times +conjure him not to deceive her faith, by all the friendship that he +bore _Philander_, not to possess her with false hopes; then would he +swear anew; and as he swore, she would behold him with such charming +sadness in her eyes that he almost forgot what he would say, to gaze +upon her, and to pass his pity. But, if with all his power of beauty +and of rhetoric he left her calm, he was no sooner gone, but she +returned to all the tempests of despairing love, to all the unbelief +of faithless passion, would neither sleep, nor eat, nor suffer day +to enter; but all was sad and gloomy as the vault that held the +_Ephesian_ matron, nor suffered she any to approach her but her +page, and Count _Octavio_, and he in the midst of all was well +received: not that I think, my lord, she feigned any part of that +close retirement to entertain him with any freedom, that did not +become a woman of perfect love and honour; though I must own, my lord, +I believe it impossible for him to behold the lovely _Sylvia_, without +having a passion for her. What restraint his friendship to you may put +upon his heart or tongue I know not, but I conclude him a lover, +though without success; what effects that may have upon the heart of +_Sylvia_, only time can render an account of: and whose conduct I +shall the more particularly observe from a curiosity natural to me, to +see if it may be possible for _Sylvia_ to love again, after the +adorable _Philander_, which levity in one so perfect would cure me of +the disease of love, while I lived amongst the fickle sex: but since +no such thought can yet get possession of my belief, I humbly beg your +lordship will entertain no jealousy, that may be so fatal to your +repose, and to that of _Sylvia_; doubt not but my fears proceed +perfectly from the zeal I have for your lordship, for whose honour and +tranquillity none shall venture so far as, my lord, your lordship's +most humble and obedient servant, + +BRILLIARD. + +POSTSCRIPT. + +_My lord, the groom shall set forward with your coach horses tomorrow +morning, according to your order_. + +Having writ this, he read it over; not to see whether it were witty or +eloquent, or writ up to the sense of so good a judge as _Philander_, +but to see whether he had cast it for his purpose; for there his +masterpiece was to be shewn; and having read it, he doubted whether +the relation of _Sylvia_'s griefs were not too moving, and whether +they might not serve to revive his fading love, which were intended +only as a demonstration of his own pity and compassion, that from +thence the deceived lover might with the more ease entertain a belief +in what he hinted of her levity, when he was to make that out, as he +now had but touched upon it, for he would not have it thought the +business of malice to _Sylvia_, but duty and respect to _Philander_: +that thought reconciled him to the first part without alteration; and +he fancied he had said enough in the latter, to give any man of love +and sense a jealousy which might inspire a young lover in pursuit of a +new mistress, with a revenge that might wholly turn to his advantage; +for now every ray gave him light enough to conduct him to hope, and he +believed nothing too difficult for his love, nor what his invention +could not conquer: he fancied himself a very _Machiavel_ already, and +almost promised himself the charming _Sylvia_. With these thoughts he +seals up his letters, and hastes to _Sylvia_'s chamber for her farther +commands, having in his politic transports forgotten he had left +_Octavio_ with her. _Octavio_, who no sooner had seen _Brilliard_ quit +the chamber all trembling and disordered, after having given him +entrance, but the next step was to the feet of the new recovered +languishing beauty, who not knowing any thing of the freedom the +daring husband lover had taken, was not at all surprised to hear +_Octavio_ cry (kneeling before her) 'Ah madam, I no longer wonder you +use _Octavio_ with such rigour;' then sighing declined his melancholy +eyes, where love and jealousy made themselves too apparent; while she +believing he had only reproached her want of ceremony at his entrance, +checking herself, she started from the bed, and taking him by the hand +to raise him, she cried, 'Rise, my lord, and pardon the omission of +that respect which was not wanting but with even life itself.' +_Octavio_ answered, 'Yes, madam, but you took care, not to make the +world absolutely unhappy in your eternal loss, and therefore made +choice of such a time to die in, when you were sure of a skilful +person at hand to bring you back to life'--'My lord----' said she +(with an innocent wonder in her eyes, and an ignorance that did not +apprehend him) 'I mean, _Brilliard_,' said he, 'whom I found +sufficiently disordered to make me believe he took no little pains to +restore you to the world again.' This he spoke with such an air, as +easily made her imagine he was a lover to the degree of jealousy, and +therefore (beholding him with a look that told him her disdain before +she spoke) she replied hastily, 'My lord, if _Brilliard_ have +expressed, by any disorder or concern, his kind sense of my +sufferings, I am more obliged to him for it, than I am to you for your +opinion of my virtue; and I shall hereafter know how to set a value +both on the one and the other, since what he wants in quality and +ability to serve me, he sufficiently makes good with his respect and +duty.' At that she would have quitted him, but he (still kneeling) +held her train of her gown, and besought her, with all the eloquence +of moving and petitioning love, that she would pardon the effect of a +passion that could not run into less extravagancy at a sight so new +and strange, as that she should in a morning, with only her night-gown +thrown loosely about her lovely body, and which left a thousand charms +to view, alone receive a man into her chamber, and make fast the door +upon them, which when (from his importunity) it was opened he found +her all ruffled, and almost fainting on her bed, and a young blushing +youth start from her arms, with trembling limbs, and a heart that beat +time to the tune of active love, faltering in his speech, as if scarce +yet he had recruited the sense he had so happily lost in the amorous +encounter: with that, surveying of herself, as she stood, in a great +glass, which she could not hinder herself from doing, she found indeed +her night-linen, her gown, and the bosom of her shift in such +disorder, as, if at least she had yet any doubt remaining that +_Brilliard_ had not treated her well, she however found cause enough +to excuse _Octavio_'s opinion: weighing all the circumstances +together, and adjusting her linen and gown with blushes that almost +appeared criminal, she turned to _Octavio_, who still held her, and +still begged her pardon, assuring him, upon her honour, her love to +_Philander_, and her friendship for him, that she was perfectly +innocent, and that _Brilliard_, though he should have quality and all +other advantages which he wanted to render him acceptable, yet there +was in nature something which compelled her to a sort of coldness and +disgust to his person; for she had so much the more abhorrence to him +as he was a husband, but that was a secret to _Octavio_; but she +continued speaking--and cried, 'No, could I be brought to yield to any +but _Philander_, I own I find charms enough in _Octavio_ to make a +conquest; but since the possession of that dear man is all I ask of +heaven, I charge my soul with a crime, when I but hear love from any +other, therefore I conjure you, if you have any satisfaction in my +conversation, never to speak of love more to me, for if you do, honour +will oblige me to make vows against seeing you: all the freedoms of +friendship I will allow, give you the liberties of a brother, admit +you alone by night, or any way but that of love; but that is a reserve +of my soul which is only for _Philander_, and the only one that ever +shall be kept from _Octavio_.' She ended speaking, and raised him with +a smile; and he with a sigh told her, she must command: then she fell +to telling him how she had sent for _Brilliard_, and all the discourse +that passed; with the reason of her falling into a swoon, in which she +continued a moment or two; and while she told it she blushed with a +secret fear, that in that trance some freedoms might be taken which +she durst not confess: but while she spoke, our still more passionate +lover devoured her with his eyes, fixed his very soul upon her charms +of speaking and looking, and was a thousand times (urged by +transporting passion) ready to break all her dictates, and vow himself +her eternal slave; but he feared the result, and therefore kept +himself within the bounds of seeming friendship; so that after a +thousand things she said of _Philander_, he took his leave to go to +dinner; but as he was going out he saw _Brilliard_ enter, who, as I +said, had forgot he left _Octavio_ with her; but in a moment +recollecting himself, he blushed at the apprehension, that they might +make his disorder the subject of their discourse; so what with that, +and the sight of the dear object of his late disappointed pleasures, +he had much ado to assume an assurance to approach; but _Octavio_ +passed out, and gave him a little release. _Sylvia_'s confusion was +almost equal to his, for she looked on him as a ravisher; but how to +find that truth which she was very curious to know, she called up all +the arts of women to instruct her in; by threats she knew it was in +vain, therefore she assumed an artifice, which indeed was almost a +stranger to her heart, that of jilting him out of a secret which she +knew he wanted generosity to give handsomely; and meeting him with a +smile, which she forced, she cried, 'How now, _Brilliard_, are you so +faint-hearted a soldier, you cannot see a lady die without being +terrified?' 'Rather, madam,' (replied he blushing anew) 'so +soft-hearted, I cannot see the loveliest person in the world fainting +in my arms, without being disordered with grief and fear, beyond the +power of many days to resettle again.' At which she approached him, +who stood near the door, and shutting it, she took him by the hand, +and smiling, cried, 'And had you no other business for your heart but +grief and fear, when a fair lady throws herself into your arms? It +ought to have had some kinder effect on a person of _Brilliard_'s +youth and complexion.' And while she spoke this she held him by the +wrist, and found on the sudden his pulse to beat more high, and his +heart to heave his bosom with sighs, which now he no longer took care +to hide, but with a transported joy, he cried, 'Oh madam, do not urge +me to a confession that must undo me, without making it criminal by my +discovery of it; you know I am your slave----' when she with a pretty +wondering smile, cried--'What, a lover too, and yet so dull!' 'Oh +charming _Sylvia_,' (says he, and falling on his knees) 'give my +profound respect a kinder name:' to which she answered,--'You that +know your sentiments may best instruct me by what name to call them, +and you _Brilliard_ may do it without fear----You saw I did not +struggle in your arms, nor strove I to defend the kisses which you +gave----' 'Oh heavens,' cried he, transported with what she said, 'is +it possible that you could know of my presumption, and favour it too? +I will no longer then curse those unlucky stars that sent _Octavio_ +just in the blessed minute to snatch me from my heaven, the lovely +victim lay ready for the sacrifice, all prepared to offer; my hands, +my eyes, my lips were tired with pleasure, but yet they were not +satisfied; oh there was joy beyond those ravishments, of which one +kind minute more had made me absolute lord:' 'Yes, and the next,' said +she, 'had sent this to your heart'----snatching a penknife that lay on +her toilet, where she had been writing, which she offered so near to +his bosom, that he believed himself already pierced, so sensibly +killing her words, her motion, and her look; he started from her, and +she threw away the knife, and walked a turn or two about the chamber, +while he stood immovable, with his eyes fixed on the earth, and his +thoughts on nothing but a wild confusion, which he vowed afterwards he +could give no account of. But as she turned she beheld him with some +compassion, and remembering how he had it in his power to expose her +in a strange country, and own her for a wife, she believed it +necessary to hide her resentments; and cried, '_Brilliard_, for the +friendship your lord has for you I forgive you; but have a care you +never raise your thoughts to a presumption of that nature more: do not +hope I will ever fall below _Philander_'s love; go and repent your +crime----and expect all things else from my favour----' At this he +left her with a bow that had some malice in it, and she returned into +her dressing-room.--After dinner _Octavio_ writes her this letter, +which his page brought. + +OCTAVIO _to_ SYLVIA. + +_Madam_, + +'Tis true, that in obedience to your commands, I begged your pardon +for the confession I made you of my passion: but since you could not +but see the contradiction of my tongue in my eyes, and hear it but too +well confirmed by my sighs, why will you confine me to the formalities +of a silent languishment, unless to increase my flame with my pain? + +You conjure me to see you often, and at the same time forbid me +speaking my passion, and this bold intruder comes to tell you now, it +is impossible to obey the first, without disobliging the last; and +since the crime of adoring you exceeds my disobedience in not waiting +on you, be pleased at least to pardon that fault, which my profound +respect to the lovely _Sylvia_ makes me commit; for it is impossible +to see you, and not give you an occasion of reproaching me: if I could +make a truce with my eyes, and, like a mortified capuchin, look always +downwards, not daring to behold the glorious temptations of your +beauty, yet you wound a thousand ways besides; your touches inflame +me, and your voice has music in it, that strikes upon my soul with +ravishing tenderness; your wit is unresistible and piercing; your very +sorrows and complaints have charms that make me soft without the aid +of love: but pity joined with passion raises a flame too mighty for my +conduct! And I in transports every way confess it: yes, yes, upbraid +me, call me traitor and ungrateful, tell me my friendship is false; +but, _Sylvia_, yet be just, and say my love was true, say only he had +seen the charming _Sylvia_; and who is he that after that would not +excuse the rest in one so absolutely born to be undone by love, as is +her destined slave, + +OCTAVIO. + +POSTSCRIPT. + +_Madam, among some rarities I this morning saw, I found these trifles_ +Florio _brings you, which because uncommon I presume to send you._ + +_Sylvia_, notwithstanding the seeming severity of her commands, was +well enough pleased to be disobeyed; and women never pardon any fault +more willingly than one of this nature, where the crime gives so +infallible a demonstration of their power and beauty; nor can any of +their sex be angry in their hearts for being thought desirable; and it +was not with pain that she saw him obstinate in his passion, as you +may believe by her answering his letters, nor ought any lover to +despair when he receives denial under his mistress's own hand, which +she sent in this to _Octavio_. + +SYLVIA _to_ OCTAVIO. + +You but ill judge of my wit, or humour, _Octavio_, when you send me +such a present, and such a billet, if you believe I either receive the +one, or the other, as you designed: in obedience to me you will no +more tell me of your love, and yet at the same time you are breaking +your word from one end of the paper to the other. Out of respect to me +you will see me no more, and yet are bribing me with presents, +believing you have found out the surest way to a woman's heart. I must +needs confess, _Octavio_, there is great eloquence in a pair of +bracelets of five thousand crowns: it is an argument to prove your +passion, that has more prevailing reason in it, than either _Seneca_ +or _Tully_ could have urged; nor can a lover write or speak in any +language so significant, and very well to be understood, as in that +silent one of presenting. The malicious world has a long time agreed +to reproach poor women with cruel, unkind, insensible, and dull; when +indeed it is those men that are in fault who want the right way of +addressing, the true and secret arts of moving, that sovereign remedy +against disdain. It is you alone, my lord, like a young _Columbus_, +that have found the direct, unpractised way to that little and so much +desired world, the favour of the fair; nor could love himself have +pointed his arrows with any thing more successful for his conquest of +hearts: but mine, my lord, like _Scaeva_'s shield, is already so full +of arrows, shot from _Philander_'s eyes, it has no room for any other +darts: take back your presents then, my lord, and when you make them +next be sure you first consider the receiver: for know, _Octavio_, +maids of my quality ought to find themselves secure from addresses of +this nature, unless they first invite. You ought to have seen advances +in my freedoms, consenting in my eyes, or (that usual vanity of my +sex) a thousand little trifling arts of affectation to furnish out a +conquest, a forward complaisance to every gaudy coxcomb, to fill my +train with amorous cringing captives, this might have justified your +pretensions; but on the contrary, my eyes and thoughts, which never +strayed from the dear man I love, were always bent to earth when gazed +upon by you; and when I did but fear you looked with love, I +entertained you with _Philander_'s, praise, his wondrous beauty, and +his wondrous love, and left nothing untold that might confirm you how +much impossible it was, I ever should love again, that I might leave +you no room for hope; and since my story has been so unfortunate to +alarm the whole world with a conduct so fatal, I made no scruple of +telling you with what joy and pride I was undone; if this encourage +you, if _Octavio_ have sentiments so meanly poor of me, to think, +because I yielded to _Philander_, his hopes should be advanced, I +banish him for ever from my sight, and after that disdain the little +service he can render the never to be altered + +SYLVIA. + +This letter she sent him back by his page, but not the bracelets, +which were indeed very fine, and very considerable: at the same time +she threatened him with banishment, she so absolutely expected to be +disobeyed in all things of that kind, that she dressed herself that +day to advantage, which since her arrival she had never done in her +own habits: what with her illness, and _Philander_'s absence, a +careless negligence had seized her, till roused and weakened to the +thoughts of beauty by _Octavio_'s love, she began to try its force, +and that day dressed. While she was so employed, the page hastes with +the letter to his lord, who changed colour at the sight of it ere he +received it; not that he hoped it brought love, it was enough she +would but answer, though she railed: 'Let her' (said he opening it) +'vow she hates me: let her call me traitor, and unjust, so she take +the pains to tell it this way;' for he knew well those that argue will +yield, and only she that sends him back his own letters without +reading them can give despair. He read therefore without a sigh, nor +complained he on her rigours; and because it was too early yet to make +his visit, to shew the impatience of his love, as much as the reality +and resolution of it, he bid his page wait, and sent her back this +answer. + +OCTAVIO _to_ SYLVIA. + +Fair angry _Sylvia_, how has my love offended? Has its excess betrayed +the least part of that respect due to your birth and beauty? Though I +am young as the gay ruddy morning, and vigorous as the gilded sun at +noon, and amorous as that god, when with such haste he chased young +_Daphne_ over the flowery plain, it never made me guilty of a thought +that _Sylvia_ might not pity and allow. Nor came that trifling present +to plead for any wish, or mend my eloquence, which you with such +disdain upbraid me with; the bracelets came not to be raffled for your +love, nor pimp to my desires: youth scorns those common aids; no, let +dull age pursue those ways of merchandise, who only buy up hearts at +that vain price, and never make a barter, but a purchase. Youth has a +better way of trading in love's markets, and you have taught me too +well to judge of, and to value beauty, to dare to bid so cheaply for +it: I found the toy was gay, the work was neat, and fancy new; and +know not any thing they would so well adorn as _Sylvia_'s lovely +hands: I say, if after this I should have been the mercenary fool to +have dunned you for return, you might have used me thus----Condemn me +ere you find me sin in thought! That part of it was yet so far behind +it was scarce arrived in wish. You should have stayed till it +approached more near, before you damned it to eternal silence. To +love, to sigh, to weep, to pray, and to complain; why one may be +allowed it in devotion; but you, nicer than heaven itself, make that a +crime, which all the powers divine have never decreed one. I will not +plead, nor ask you leave to love; love is my right, my business, and +my province; the empire of the young, the vigorous, and the bold; and +I will claim my share; the air, the groves, the shades are mine to +sigh in, as well as your _Philander_'s; the echoes answer me as +willingly, when I complain, or name the cruel _Sylvia_; fountains +receive my tears, and the kind spring's reflection agreeably flatters +me to hope, and makes me vain enough to think it just and reasonable I +should pursue the dictates of my soul----love on in spite of +opposition, because I will not lose my privileges; you may forbid me +naming it to you, in that I can obey, because I can; but not to love! +Not to adore the fair! And not to languish for you, were as impossible +as for you not to be lovely, not to be the most charming of your sex. +But I am so far from a pretending fool, because you have been +possessed, that often that thought comes cross my soul, and checks my +advancing love; and I would buy that thought off with almost all my +share of future bliss! Were I a god, the first great miracle should be +to form you a maid again: for oh, whatever reasons flattering love can +bring to make it look like just, the world! The world, fair _Sylvia_, +still will censure, and say----you were to blame; but it was that +fault alone that made you mortal, we else should have adored you as a +deity, and so have lost a generous race of young succeeding heroes +that may be born of you! Yet had _Philander_ loved but half so well as +I, he would have kept your glorious fame entire; but since alone for +_Sylvia_ I love _Sylvia_, let her be false to honour, false to love, +wanton and proud, ill-natured, vain, fantastic, or what is worse--let +her pursue her love, be constant, and still dote upon _Philander_--yet +still she will be the _Sylvia_ I adore, that _Sylvia_ born eternally +to enslave + +OCTAVIO. + +This he sent by _Florio_ his page, at the same time that she expected +the visit of his lord, and blushed with a little anger and concern at +the disappointment; however she hasted to read the letter, and was +pleased with the haughty resolution he made in spite of her, to love +on as his right by birth; and she was glad to find from these positive +resolves that she might the more safely disdain, or at least assume a +tyranny which might render her virtue glorious, and yet at the same +time keep him her slave on all occasions when she might have need of +his service, which, in the circumstances she was in, she did not know +of what great use it might be to her, she having no other design on +him, bating the little vanity of her sex, which is an ingredient so +intermixed with the greatest virtues of women-kind, that those who +endeavour to cure them of that disease rob them of a very considerable +pleasure, and in most it is incurable: give _Sylvia_ then leave to +share it with her sex, since she was so much the more excusable, by +how much a greater portion of beauty she had than any other, and had +sense enough to know it too; as indeed whatever other knowledge they +want, they have still enough to set a price on beauty, though they do +not always rate it; for had _Sylvia_ done that, she had been the +happiest of her sex: but as she was she waited the coming of +_Octavio_, but not so as to make her quit one sad thought for +_Philanders_ love and vanity, though they both reigned in her soul; +yet the first surmounted the last, and she grew to impatient ravings +whenever she cast a thought upon her fear that _Philander_ grew cold; +and possibly pride and vanity had as great a share in that concern of +hers as love itself, for she would oft survey herself in her glass, +and cry, 'Gods! Can this beauty be despised? This shape! This face! +This youth! This air! And what's more obliging yet, a heart that +adores the fugitive, that languishes and sighs after the dear runaway. +Is it possible he can find a beauty,' added she, 'of greater +perfection----But oh, it is fancy sets the rate on beauty, and he may +as well love a third time as he has a second. For in love, those that +once break the rules and laws of that deity, set no bounds to their +treasons and disobedience. Yes, yes,----' would she cry, 'He that +could leave _Myrtilla_, the fair, the young, the noble, chaste and +fond _Myrtilla_, what after that may he not do to _Sylvia_, on whom he +has less ties, less obligations? Oh wretched maid----what has thy +fondness done, he is satiated now with thee, as before with +_Myrtilla_, and carries all those dear, those charming joys, to some +new beauty, whom his looks have conquered, and whom his soft +bewitching vows will ruin.' With that she raved and stamped, and cried +aloud, 'Hell----fires----tortures----daggers----racks and +poison----come all to my relief! Revenge me on the perjured lovely +devil----But I will be brave----I will be brave and hate him----' This +she spoke in a tone less fierce, and with great pride, and had not +paused and walked above a hasty turn or two, but _Octavio_, as +impatient as love could make him, entered the chamber, so dressed, so +set out for conquest, that I wonder at nothing more than that _Sylvia_ +did not find him altogether charming, and fit for her revenge, who was +formed by nature for love, and had all that could render him the +dotage of women: but where a heart is prepossessed, all that is +beautiful in any other man serves but as an ill comparison to what it +loves, and even _Philander_'s likeness, that was not indeed +_Philander_, wanted the secret to charm. At _Octavio_'s entrance she +was so fixed on her revenge of love, that she did not see him, who +presented himself as so proper an instrument, till he first sighing +spoke, 'Ah, _Sylvia_, shall I never see that beauty easy more? Shall I +never see it reconciled to content, and a soft calmness fixed upon +those eyes, which were formed for looks all tender and serene; or are +they resolved' (continued he, sighing) 'never to appear but in storms +when I approach?' 'Yes,' replied she, 'when there is a calm of love in +yours that raises it.' 'Will you confine my eyes,' said he, 'that are +by nature soft? May not their silent language tell you my heart's sad +story?' But she replied with a sigh, 'It is not generously done, +_Octavio_, thus to pursue a poor unguarded maid, left to your care, +your promises of friendship. Ah, will you use _Philander_ with such +treachery?' 'Sylvia,' said he,'my flame is so just and reasonable, +that I dare even to him pronounce I love you; and after that dare love +you on----' 'And would you' (said she) 'to satisfy a little short +lived passion, forfeit those vows you have made of friendship to +_Philander_? 'That heart that loves you, Sylvia,' (he replied) 'cannot +be guilty of so base a thought; _Philander_ is my friend, and as he is +so, shall know the dearest secrets of my soul. I should believe myself +indeed ungrateful' (continued he) 'wherever I loved, should I not tell +_Philander_; he told me frankly all his soul, his loves, his griefs, +his treasons, and escapes, and in return I will pay him back with +mine.' 'And do you imagine' (said she) 'that he would permit your +love?' 'How should he hinder me?' (replied he.) 'I do believe' (said +she) 'he'd forget all his safety and his friendship, and fight you.' +'Then I'd defend myself,' (said he) 'if he were so ungrateful.' While +they thus argued, _Sylvia_ had her thoughts apart, on the little +stratagems that women in love sometimes make use of; and _Octavio_ no +sooner told her he would send _Philander_ word of his love, but she +imagined that such a knowledge might retrieve the heart of her lover, +if indeed it were on the wing, and revive the dying embers in his +soul, as usually it does from such occasions; and on the other side, +she thought that she might more allowably receive _Octavio_'s +addresses, when they were with the permission of _Philander_, if he +could love so well to permit it; and if he could not, she should have +the joy to undeceive her fears of his inconstancy, though she banished +for ever the agreeable _Octavio_; so that on _Octavio_'s farther +urging the necessity of his giving _Philander_ that sure mark of his +friendship she permitted him to write, which he immediately did on her +table, where there stood a little silver escritoire which contained +all things for this purpose. + +OCTAVIO _to_ PHILANDER. + +_My Lord_, + +Since I have vowed you my eternal friendship, and that I absolutely +believe myself honoured with that of yours, I think myself obliged by +those powerful ties to let you know my heart, not only now as that +friend from whom I ought to conceal nothing, but as a rival too, whom +in honour I ought to treat as a generous one: perhaps you will be so +unkind as to say I cannot be a friend and a rival at the same time, +and that almighty love, that sets the world at odds, chases all things +from the heart where that reigns, to establish itself the more +absolutely there; but, my lord, I avow mine a love of that good +nature, that can endure the equal sway of friendship, where like two +perfect friends they support each other's empire there; nor can the +glory of one eclipse that of the other, but both, like the notion we +have of the deity, though two distinct passions, make but one in my +soul; and though friendship first entered, 'twas in vain, I called it +to my aid, at the first soft invasion of _Sylvia_'s power; and you my +charming friend, are the most oblig'd to pity me, who already know so +well the force of her beauty. I would fain have you think, I strove at +first with all my reason against the irresistible lustre of her eyes: +and at the first assaults of love, I gave him not a welcome to my +bosom, but like slaves unused to fetters, I grew sullen with my +chains, and wore them for your sake uneasily. I thought it base to +look upon the mistress of my friend with wishing eyes; but softer love +soon furnished me with arguments to justify my claim, since love is +not the choice but the face of the soul, who seldom regards the object +lov'd as it is, but as it wishes to have it be, and then kind fancy +makes it soon the same. Love, that almighty creator of something from +nothing, forms a wit, a hero, or a beauty, virtue, good humour, +honour, any excellence, when oftentimes there is neither in the +object, but where the agreeing world has fixed all these; and since it +is by all resolved, (whether they love or not) that this is she, you +ought no more, _Philander_, to upbraid my flame, than to wonder at it: +it is enough I tell you that it is _Sylvia_ to justify my passion; nor +is it a crime that I confess I love, since it can never rob +_Philander_ of the least part of what I have vowed him: or if his mere +honour will believe me guilty of a fault, let this atone for all, that +if I wrong my friend in loving _Sylvia_, I right him in despairing; +for oh, I am repulsed with all the rigour of the coy and fair, with +all the little malice of the witty sex, and all the love of _Sylvia_ +to _Philander_----There, there is the stop to all my hopes and +happiness, and yet by heaven I love thee, oh thou favoured rival! + +After this frank confession, my _Philander_, I should be glad to hear +your sentiment, since yet, in spite of love, in spite of beauty, I am +resolved to die _Philander_'s constant friend, + +OCTAVIO. + +After he had writ this, he gave it to _Sylvia_: 'See charming +creature' (said he in delivering it) 'if after this you either doubt +my love, or what I dare for _Sylvia_.' 'I neither receive it' (said +she) 'as a proof of the one or the other; but rather that you believe, +by this frank confession, to render it as a piece of gallantry and +diversion to _Philander_; for no man of sense will imagine that love +true, or arrived to any height, that makes a public confession of it +to his rival.' 'Ah, _Sylvia_,' answered he, 'how malicious is your +wit, and how active to turn its pointed mischief on me! Had I not +writ, you would have said I durst not; and when I make a declaration +of it, you call it only a slight piece of gallantry: but, _Sylvia_, +you have wit enough to try it a thousand ways, and power enough to +make me obey; use the extremity of both, so you recompense me at last +with a confession that I was at least found worthy to be numbered in +the crowd of your adorers.' _Sylvia_ replied, 'He were a dull lover +indeed, that would need instructions from the wit of his mistress to +give her proofs of his passion; whatever opinion you have of my sense, +I have too good a one of _Octavio_'s to believe, that when he is a +lover he will want aids to make it appear; till then we will let that +argument alone, and consider his address to _Philander_.' She then +read over the letter he had writ, which she liked very well for her +purpose; for at this time our young _Dutch hero_ was made a property +of in order to her revenge on _Philander_: she told him, he had said +too much both for himself and her. He told her, he had declared +nothing with his pen, that he would not make good with his sword. +'Hold, sir,' said she, 'and do not imagine from the freedom you have +taken in owning your passion to _Philander_, that I shall allow it +here: what you declare to the world is your own crime; but when I hear +it, it is no longer yours but mine; I therefore conjure you, my lord, +not to charge my soul with so great a sin against _Philander_, and I +confess to you, I shall be infinitely troubled to be obliged to banish +you my sight for ever.' He heard her, and answered with a sigh; for +she went from him to the table, and sealed her letter, and gave it him +to be enclosed to _Philander_, and left him to consider on her last +words, which he did not lay to heart, because he fancied she spoke +this as women do that will be won with industry: he, in standing up as +she went from him, saw himself in the great glass, and bid his person +answer his heart, which from every view he took was reinforced with +new hope, for he was too good a judge of beauty not to find it in +every part of his own amiable person, nor could he imagine from +_Sylvia_'s eyes, which were naturally soft and languishing, (and now +the more so from her fears and jealousies) that she meant from her +heart the rigours she expressed: much he allowed for his short time of +courtship, much to her sex's modesty, much from her quality, and very +much from her love, and imagined it must be only time and assiduity, +opportunity and obstinate passion, that were capable of reducing her +to break her faith with _Philander_; he therefore endeavour'd by all +the good dressing, the advantage of lavish gaiety, to render his +person agreeable, and by all the arts of gallantry to charm her with +his conversation, and when he could handsomely bring in love, he +failed not to touch upon it as far as it would be permitted, and every +day had the vanity to fancy he made some advances; for indeed every +day more and more she found she might have use for so considerable a +person, so that one may very well say, never any passed their time +better than _Sylvia_ and _Octavio_, though with different ends. All he +had now to fear was from the answer _Philander_'s letter should bring, +for whom he had, in spite of love, so entire a friendship, that he +even doubted whether (if _Philander_ could urge reasons potent enough) +he should not choose to die and quit Sylvia, rather than be false to +friendship; one post passed, and another, and so eight successive +ones, before they received one word of answer to what they sent; so +that _Sylvia_, who was the most impatient of her sex, and the most in +love, was raving and acting all the extravagance of despair, and even +_Octavio_ now became less pleasing, yet he failed not to visit her +every day, to send her rich presents, and to say all that a fond +lover, or a faithful friend might urge for her relief: at last +_Octavio_ received this following letter. + +PHILANDER _to_ OCTAVIO. + +You have shewed, _Octavio_, a freedom so generous, and so beyond the +usual measures of a rival, that it were almost injustice in me not to +permit you to love on; if _Sylvia_ can be false to me, and all her +vows, she is not worth preserving; if she prefer _Octavio_ to +_Philander_, then he has greater merit, and deserves her best: but if +on the contrary she be just, if she be true, and constant, I cannot +fear his love will injure me, so either way _Octavio_ has my leave to +love the charming _Sylvia_; alas, I know her power, and do not wonder +at thy fate! For it is as natural for her to conquer, as 'tis for +youth to yield; oh, she has fascination in her eyes! A spell upon her +tongue, her wit's a philtre, and her air and motion all snares for +heedless hearts; her very faults have charms, her pride, her +peevishness, and her disdain, have unresisted power. Alas, you find it +every day--and every night she sweeps the tour along and shews the +beauty, she enslaves the men, and rivals all the women! How oft with +pride and anger I have seen it; and was the unconsidering coxcomb then +to rave and rail at her, to curse her charms, her fair inviting and +perplexing charms, and bullied every gazer: by heaven I could not +spare a smile, a look, and she has such a lavish freedom in her +humour, that if you chance to love as I have done--it will surely make +thee mad; if she but talked aloud, or put her little affectation on, +to show the force of beauty, oh God! How lost in rage! How mad with +jealousy, was my fond breaking heart! My eyes grew fierce, and +clamorous my tongue! And I have scarce contained myself from hurting +what I so much adored; but then the subtle charmer had such arts to +flatter me to peace again--to clasp her lovely arms about my neck--to +sigh a thousand dear confirming vows into my bosom, and kiss, and +smile, and swear--and take away my rage,--and then--oh my _Octavio_, +no human fancy can present the joy of the dear reconciling moment, +where little quarrels raised the rapture higher, and she was always +new. These are the wondrous pains, and wondrous pleasures that love by +turns inspires, till it grows wise by time and repetition, and then +the god assumes a serious gravity, enjoyment takes off the uneasy +keenness of the passion, the little jealous quarrels rise no more; +quarrels, the very feathers of love's darts, that send them with more +swiftness to the heart; and when they cease, your transports lessen +too, then we grow reasonable, and consider; we love with prudence +then, as fencers fight with foils; a sullen brush perhaps sometimes or +so; but nothing that can touch the heart, and when we are arrived to +love at that dull, easy rate, we never die of that disease; then we +have recourse to all the little arts, the aids of flatterers, and dear +dissimulation, (that help-meet to the lukewarm lover) to keep up a +good character of constancy, and a right understanding. + +Thus, _Octavio_, I have ran through both the degrees of love; which I +have taken so often, that I am grown most learned and able in the art; +my easy heart is of the constitution of those, whom frequent sickness +renders apt to take relapses from every little cause, or wind that +blows too fiercely on them; it renders itself to the first effects of +new surprising beauty, and finds such pleasure in beginning passion, +such dear delight of fancying new enjoyment, that all past loves, past +vows and obligations, have power to bind no more; no pity, no remorse, +no threatening danger invades my amorous course; I scour along the +flow'ry plains of love, view all the charming prospect at a distance, +which represents itself all gay and glorious! And long to lay me down, +to stretch and bask in those dear joys that fancy makes so ravishing: +nor am I one of those dull whining slaves, whom quality or my respect +can awe into a silent cringer, and no more; no, love, youth, and oft +success has taught me boldness and art, desire and cunning to attack, +to search the feeble side of female weakness, and there to play love's +engines; for women will be won, they will, _Octavio_, if love and wit +find any opportunity. + +Perhaps, my friend, you are wondering now, what this discourse, this +odd discovery of my own inconstancy tends to? Then since I cannot +better pay you back the secret you had told me of your love, than by +another of my own; take this confession from thy friend----I +love!----languish! And am dying,----for a new beauty. To you, +_Octavio_, you that have lived twenty dull tedious years, and never +understood the mystery of love, till _Sylvia_ taught you to adore, +this change may seem a wonder; you that have lazily run more than half +your youth's gay course of life away, without the pleasure of one +nobler hour of mine; who, like a miser, hoard your sacred store, or +scantily have dealt it but to one, think me a lavish prodigal in love, +and gravely will reproach me with inconstancy----but use me like a +friend, and hear my story. + +It happened in my last day's journey on the road I overtook a man of +quality, for so his equipage confessed; we joined and fell into +discourse of many things indifferent, till, from a chain of one thing +to another, we chanced to talk of _France_, and of the factions there, +and I soon found him a _Cesarian_; for he grew hot with his concern +for that prince, and fiercely owned his interest: this pleased me, and +I grew familiar with him; and I pleased him so well in my devotion for +_Cesario_, that being arrived at _Cologne_ he invites me home to his +palace, which he begged I would make use of as my own during my stay +at _Cologne_. Glad of the opportunity I obeyed, and soon informed +myself by a _Spanish_ page (that waited on him) to whom I was obliged; +he told me it was the Count of _Clarinau_, a _Spaniard_ born, and of +quality, who for some disgust at Court retired hither; that he was a +person of much gravity, a great politician, and very rich; and though +well in years was lately married to a very beautiful young lady, and +that very much against her consent; a lady whom he had taken out of a +monastery, where she had been pensioned from a child, and of whom he +was so fond and jealous, he never would permit her to see or be seen +by any man: and if she took the air in her coach, or went to church, +he obliged her to wear a veil. Having learned thus much of the boy, I +dismissed him with a present; for he had already inspired me with +curiosity, that prologue to love, and I knew not of what use he might +be hereafter; a curiosity that I was resolved to satisfy, though I +broke all the laws of hospitality, and even that first night I felt an +impatience that gave me some wonder. In fine, three days I languished +out in a disorder that was very nearly allied to that of love. I found +myself magnificently lodged; attended with a formal ceremony; and +indeed all things were as well as I could imagine, bating a kind +opportunity to get a sight of this young beauty: now half a lover +grown, I sighed and grew oppressed with thought, and had recourse to +groves, to shady walks and fountains, of which the delicate gardens +afforded variety, the most resembling nature that ever art produced, +and of the most melancholy recesses, fancying there, in some lucky +hour, I might encounter what I already so much adored in _Idea_, which +still I formed just as my fancy wished; there, for the first two days +I walked and sighed, and told my new-born passion to every gentle wind +that played among the boughs; for yet no lady bright appeared beneath +them, no visionary nymph the groves afforded; but on the third day, +all full of love and stratagem, in the cool of the evening, I passed +into a thicket near a little rivulet, that purled and murmured through +the glade, and passed into the meads; this pleased and fed my present +amorous humour, and down I laid myself on the shady brink, and +listened to its melancholy glidings, when from behind me I heard a +sound more ravishing, a voice that sung these words: + + Alas, in vain, you pow'rs above, + You gave me youth, you gave me charms, + And ev'ry tender sense of love; + To destine me to old _Phileno_'s arms. + Ah how can youth's gay spring allow + The chilling kisses of the winter's snow! + + All night I languish by his side, + And fancy joys I never taste; + As men in dreams a feast provide, + + And waking find, with grief they fast. + Either, ye gods, my youthful fires allay, + Or make the old _Phileno_ young and gay. + + Like a fair flower in shades obscurity, + Though every sweet adorns my head, + Ungather'd, unadmired I lie, + And wither on my silent gloomy bed, + While no kind aids to my relief appear, + And no kind bosom makes me triumph there. + +By this you may easily guess, as I soon did, that the song was sung by +Madam the Countess of _Clarinau_, as indeed it was; at the very +beginning of her song my joyful soul divined it so! I rose, and +advanced by such slow degrees, as neither alarmed the fair singer, nor +hindered me the pleasure of hearing any part of the song, till I +approached so near as (behind the shelter of some jessamine that +divided us) I, unseen, completed those wounds at my eyes, which I had +received before at my ears. Yes, _Ociavio_, I saw the lovely +_Clarinau_ leaning on a pillow made of some of those jessamines which +favoured me, and served her for a canopy. But, oh my friend! How shall +I present her to thee in that angel form she then appeared to me? All +young! All ravishing as new-born light to lost benighted travellers; +her face, the fairest in the world, was adorned with curls of shining +jet, tied up--I know not how, all carelessly with scarlet ribbon mixed +with pearls; her robe was gay and rich, such as young royal brides put +on when they undress for joys; her eyes were black, the softest heaven +ever made; her mouth was sweet, and formed for all delight; so red her +lips, so round, so graced with dimples, that without one other charm, +that was enough to kindle warm desires about a frozen heart; a +sprightly air of wit completed all, increased my flame, and made me +mad with love: endless it were to tell thee all her beauties: nature +all over was lavish and profuse, let it suffice, her face, her shape, +her mien, had more of angel in them than humanity! I saw her thus all +charming! Thus she lay! A smiling melancholy dressed her eyes, which +she had fixed upon the rivulet, near which I found her lying; just +such I fancied famed _Lucretia_ was, when _Tarquin_ first beheld her; +nor was that royal ravisher more inflamed than I, or readier for the +encounter. Alone she was, which heightened my desires; oh gods! Alone +lay the young lovely charmer, with wishing eyes, and all prepared for +love! The shade was gloomy, and the tell-tale leaves combined so +close, they must have given us warning if any had approached from +either side! All favoured my design, and I advanced; but with such +caution as not to inspire her with a fear, instead of that of love! A +slow, uneasy pace, with folded arms, love in my eyes, and burning in +my heart----at my approach she scarce contained her cries, and rose +surprised and blushing, discovering to me such a proportioned +height--so lovely and majestic--that I stood gazing on her, all lost +in wonder, and gave her time to dart her eyes at me, and every look +pierced deeper to my soul, and I had no sense but love, silent +admiring love! Immovable I stood, and had no other motion but that of +a heart all panting, which lent a feeble trembling to my tongue, and +even when I would have spoke to her, it sent a sigh up to prevent my +boldness; and oh, _Octavio_, though I have been bred in all the saucy +daring of a forward lover, yet now I wanted a convenient impudence; +awed with a haughty sweetness in her look, like a Fauxbrave after a +vigorous onset, finding the danger fly so thick around him, sheers +off, and dares not face the pressing foe, struck with too fierce a +lightning from her eyes, whence the gods sent a thousand winged darts, +I veiled my own, and durst not play with fire: while thus she hotly +did pursue her conquest, and I stood fixed on the defensive part, I +heard a rustling among the thick-grown leaves, and through their +mystic windings soon perceived the good old Count of _Clarinau_ +approaching, muttering and mumbling to old _Dormina_, the dragon +appointed to guard this lovely treasure, and which she having left +alone in the thicket, and had retired but at an awful distance, had +most extremely disobliged her lord. I only had time enough in this +little moment to look with eyes that asked a thousand pities, and told +her in their silent language how loath they were to leave the charming +object, and with a sigh----I vanished from the wondering fair one, +nimble as lightning, silent as a shade, to my first post behind the +jessamines; that was the utmost that I could persuade my heart to do. +You may believe, my dear _Octavio_, I did not bless the minute that +brought old _Clarinau_ to that dear recess, nor him, nor my own fate; +and to complete my torment, I saw him (after having gravely reproached +her for being alone without her woman) yes, I saw him fall on her +neck, her lovely snowy neck, and loll and kiss, and hang his tawny +withered arms on her fair shoulders, and press his nauseous load upon +_Calista_'s body, (for so I heard him name her) while she was gazing +still upon the empty place, whence she had seen me vanish; which he +perceiving, cried--'My little fool, what is it thou gazest on, turn to +thy known old man, and buss him soundly----' When putting him by with +a disdain, that half made amends for the injury he had done me by +coming, 'Ah, my lord,' cried she, 'even now, just there I saw a lovely +vision, I never beheld so excellent a thing:' 'How,' cried he, 'a +vision, a thing,--What vision? What thing? Where? How? And when----' +'Why there,' said she, 'with my eyes, and just now is vanished behind +yon jessamines.' With that I drew my sword--for I despaired to get off +unknown; and being well enough acquainted with the jealous nature of +the Spaniards, which is no more than see and stab, I prepared to stand +on my defence till I could reconcile him, if possible, to reason; yet +even in that moment I was more afraid of the injury he might do the +innocent fair one, than of what he could do to me: but he not so much +as dreaming she meant a man by her lovely vision, fell a kissing her +anew, and beckoning _Dormina_ off to pimp at distance, told her, 'The +grove was so sweet, the river's murmurs so delicate, and she was so +curiously dressed, that all together had inspired him with a +love-fit;' and then assaulting her anew with a sneer, which you have +seen a satyr make in pictures, he fell to act the little tricks of +youth, that looked so goatish in him--instead of kindling it would +have damped a flame; which she resisted with a scorn so charming gave +me new hope and fire, when to oblige me more, with pride, disdain, and +loathing in her eyes, she fled like _Daphne_ from the ravisher; he +being bent on love pursued her with a feeble pace, like an old +wood-god chasing some coy nymph, who winged with fear out-strips the +flying wind, and though a god he cannot overtake her; and left me +fainting with new love, new hope, new jealousy, impatience, sighs and +wishes, in the abandoned grove. Nor could I go without another view of +that dear place in which I saw her lie. I went--and laid me down just +on the print which her fair body made, and pressed, and kissed it over +a thousand times with eager transports, and even fancied fair +_Calista_ there; there 'twas I found the paper with the song which I +have sent you; there I ran over a thousand stratagems to gain another +view; no little statesman had more plots and arts than I to gain this +object I adored, the soft idea of my burning heart, now raging wild, +abandoned all to love and loose desire; but hitherto my industry is +vain; each day I haunt the thickest groves and springs, the flowery +walks, close arbours; all the day my busy eyes and heart are searching +her, but no intelligence they bring me in: in fine, _Octavio_, all +that I can since learn is, that the bright _Calista_ had seen a vision +in the garden, and ever since was so possessed with melancholy, that +she had not since quitted her chamber; she is daily pressing the Count +to permit her to go into the garden, to see if she can again encounter +the lovely _phantom_, but whether, from any description she hath made +of it, (or from any other cause) he imagines how it was, I know not; +but he endeavours all he can to hinder her, and tells her it is not +lawful to tempt heaven by invoking an apparition; so that till a +second view eases the torments of my mind, there is nothing in nature +to be conceived so raving mad as I; as if my despair of finding her +again increased my impatient flame, instead of lessening it. + +After this declaration, judge, _Octavio_, who has given the greatest +proofs of his friendship, you or I; you being my rival, trust me with +the secret of loving my mistress, which can no way redound to your +disadvantage; but I, by telling you the secrets of my soul, put it +into your power to ruin me with _Sylvia_, and to establish yourself in +her heart; a thought I yet am not willing to bear, for I have an +ambition in my love, that would not, while I am toiling for empire +here, lose my dominion in another place: but since I can no more rule +a woman's heart, than a lover's fate, both you and _Sylvia_ may +deceive my opinion in that, but shall never have power to make me +believe you less my friend, than I am your + +PHILANDER. + +POSTSCRIPT. + +_The enclosed I need not oblige you to deliver; you see I give you +opportunity._ + +_Octavio_ no sooner arrived to that part of the letter which named the +Count of _Clarinau_, but he stopped, and was scarce able to proceed, +for the charming _Calista_ was his sister, the only one he had, who +having been bred in a nunnery, was taken then to be married to this +old rich count, who had a great fortune: before he proceeded, his soul +divined this was the new amour that had engaged the heart of his +friend; he was afraid to be farther convinced, and yet a curiosity to +know how far he had proceeded, made him read it out with all the +disorder of a man jealous of his honour, and nicely careful of his +fame; he considered her young, about eighteen, married to an old, +ill-favoured, jealous husband, no parents but himself to right her +wrongs, or revenge her levity; he knew, though she wanted no wit, she +did art, for being bred without the conversation of men, she had not +learnt the little cunnings of her sex; he guessed by his own soul that +hers was soft and apt for impression; he judged from her confession to +her husband of the vision, that she had a simple innocence, that might +betray a young beauty under such circumstances; to all this he +considered the charms of _Philander_ unresistible, his unwearied +industry in love, and concludes his sister lost. At first he upbraids +_Philander_, and calls him ungrateful, but soon thought it +unreasonable to accuse himself of an injustice, and excused the +frailty of _Philander_, since he knew not that she whom he adored was +sister to his friend; however, it failed not to possess him with +inquietude that exercised all his wit, to consider how he might +prevent an irreparable injury to his honour, and an intrigue that +possibly might cost his sister her life, as well as fame. In the midst +of all these torments he forgot not the more important business of his +love: for to a lover, who has his soul perfectly fixed on the fair +object of its adoration, whatever other thoughts fatigue and cloud his +mind, that, like a soft gleam of new sprung light, darts in and +spreads a glory all around, and like the god of day, cheers every +drooping vital; yet even these dearer thoughts wanted not their +torments. At first he strove to atone for the fears of _Calista_, with +those of imagining _Philander_ false to _Sylvia_: 'Well,' cried +he----'If thou be'st lost, _Calista_, at least thy ruin has laid a +foundation for my happiness, and every triumph _Philander_ makes of +thy virtue, it the more secures my empire over _Sylvia_; and since the +brother cannot be happy, but by the sister's being undone, yield thou, +O faithless fair one, yield to _Philander_, and make me blest in +_Sylvia_! And thou' (continued he) 'oh perjured lover and inconstant +friend, glut thy insatiate flame----rifle _Calista_ of every virtue +heaven and nature gave her, so I may but revenge it on thy _Sylvia_!' +Pleased with this joyful hope he traverses his chamber; glowing and +blushing with new kindling fire, his heart that was all gay, diffused +a gladness, that expressed itself in every feature of his lovely face; +his eyes, that were by nature languishing, shone now with an unusual +air of briskness, smiles graced his mouth, and dimples dressed his +face, insensibly his busy fingers trick and dress, and set his hair, +and without designing it, his feet are bearing him to _Sylvia_, till +he stopped short and wondered whither he was going, for yet it was not +time to make his visit--'Whither, fond heart,' (said he) 'O whither +wouldst thou hurry this slave to thy soft fires!' And now returning +back he paused and fell to thought--He remembered how impatiently +_Sylvia_ waited the return of the answer he writ to him, wherein he +owned his passion for that beauty. He knew she permitted him to write +it, more to raise the little brisk fires of jealousy in _Philander_, +and to set an edge on his blunted love, than from any favours she +designed _Octavio_; and that on this answer depended all her +happiness, or the confirmation of her doubts, and that she would +measure _Philander_'s love by the effects she found there of it: so +that never lover had so hard a game to play, as our new one. He knew +he had it now in his power to ruin his rival, and to make almost his +own terms with his fair conqueress, but he considered the secret was +not rendered him for so base an end, nor could his love advance itself +by ways so false, dull and criminal--Between each thought he paused, +and now resolves she must know he sent an answer to his letter; for +should she know he had, and that he should refuse her the sight of it, +he believed with reason she ought to banish him for ever her presence, +as the most disobedient of her slaves. He walks and pauses on--but no +kind thought presents itself to save him; either way he finds himself +undone, and from the most gay, and most triumphing lover on the earth, +he now, with one desirous thought of right reasoning, finds he is the +most miserable of all the creation! He reads the superscription of +that _Philander_ writ to _Sylvia_, which was enclosed in his, and +finds it was directed only--'For _Sylvia_', which would plainly +demonstrate it came not so into _Holland_, but that some other cover +secured it; so that never any but _Octavio_, the most nice in honour, +had ever so great a contest with love and friendship: for his noble +temper was not one of those that could sacrifice his friend to his +little lusts, or his more solid passion, but truly brave, resolves now +rather to die than to confess _Philander_'s secret; to evade which he +sent her letter by his page, with one from himself, and commanded him +to tell her, that he was going to receive some commands from the +Prince of _Orange_, and that he would wait on her himself in the +evening. The page obeys, and _Octavio_ sent him with a sigh, and eyes +that languishingly told him he did it with regret. + +The page hastening to _Sylvia_, finds her in all the disquiet of an +expecting lover; and snatching the papers from his hand, the first she +saw was that from _Philander_, at which she trembled with fear and +joy, for hope, love and despair, at once seized her, and hardly able +to make a sign with her hand, for the boy to withdraw, she sank down +into her chair, all pale, and almost fainting; but re-assuming her +courage, she opened it, and read this. + +PHILANDER _to_ SYLVIA. + +Ah, _Sylvia_! Why all these doubts and fears? why at this distance do +you accuse your lover, when he is incapable to fall before you, and +undeceive your little jealousies. Oh, _Sylvia_, I fear this first +reproaching me, is rather the effects of your own guilt, than any that +love can make you think of mine. Yes, yes, my _Sylvia_, it is the +waves that roll and glide away, and not the steady shore. 'Tis you +begin to unfasten from the vows that hold you, and float along the +flattering tide of vanity. It is you, whose pride and beauty scorning +to be confined, give way to the admiring crowd, that sigh for you. +Yes, yes, you, like the rest of your fair glorious sex, love the +admirer though you hate the coxcomb. It is vain! it is great! And +shews your beauty's power----Is it possible, that for the safety of my +life I cannot retire, but you must think I am fled from love and +_Sylvia_? Or is it possible that pitying tenderness that made me +incapable of taking leave of her should be interpreted as false--and +base--and that an absence of thirty days, so forc'd, and so compelled, +must render me inconstant--lost--ungrateful----as if that after +_Sylvia_ heaven ever made a beauty that could charm me? + +You charge my letter with a thousand faults, it is short, it is cold, +and wants those usual softnesses that gave them all their welcome, and +their graces. I fear my _Sylvia_ loves the flatterer, and not the man, +the lover only, not _Philander_: and she considers him not for +himself, but the gay, glorious thing he makes of her! Ah! too +self-interested! Is that your justice? You never allow for my unhappy +circumstances; you never think how care oppresses me, nor what my love +contributes to that care. How business, danger, and a thousand ills, +take up my harrassed mind: by every power! I love thee still, my +_Sylvia_, but time has made us more familiar now, and we begin to +leave off ceremony, and come to closer joys to join our interests now, +as people fixed, resolved to live and die together; to weave our +thoughts and be united stronger. At first we shew the gayest side of +love, dress and be nice in every word and look, set out for conquest +all; spread every art, use every stratagem--But when the toil is past, +and the dear victory gained, we then propose a little idle rest, a +little easy slumber: we then embrace, lay by the gaudy shew, the +plumes and gilded equipage of love, the trappings of the conqueror, +and bring the naked lover to your arms; we shew him then uncased with +all his little disadvantages; perhaps the flowing hair, (those ebony +curls you have so often combed and dressed, and kissed) are then put +up, and shew a fiercer air, more like an antique _Roman_ than +_Philander_: and shall I then, because I want a grace, be thought to +love you less? Because the embroidered coat, the point and garniture's +laid by, must I put off my passion with my dress? No, _Sylvia_, love +allows a thousand little freedoms, allows me to unbosom all my +secrets; tell thee my wants, my fears, complaints and dangers, and +think it great relief if thou but sigh and pity me: and oft thy +charming wit has aided me, but now I find thee adding to my pain. O +where shall I unload my weight of cares, when _Sylvia_, who was wont +to sigh and weep, and suffer me to ease the heavy burden, now grows +displeased and peevish with my moans, and calls them the effects of +dying love! Instead of those dear smiles, that fond bewitching +prattle, that used to calm my roughest storm of grief, she now +reproaches me with coldness, want of concern, and lover's rhetoric: +and when I seem to beg relief and shew my soul's resentment, it is +then I'm false; it is my aversion, or the effects of some new kindling +flame: is this fair dealing, _Sylvia_? Can I not spare a little sigh +from love, but you must think I rob you of your due? If I omit a +tender name, by which I used to call you, must I be thought to lose +that passion that taught me such endearments? And must I never reflect +upon the ruin both of my fame and fortune, but I must run the risk of +losing _Sylvia_ too? Oh cruelty of love! Oh too, too fond and jealous +maid, what crimes thy innocent passion can create, when it extends +beyond the bounds of reason! Ah too, too nicely tender _Sylvia_, that +will not give me leave to cast a thought back on my former glory; yet +even that loss I could support with tameness and content, if I +believed my suffering reached only to my heart; but _Sylvia_, if she +love, must feel my torments too, must share my loss, and want a +thousand ornaments, my sinking fortune cannot purchase her: believe +me, charming creature, if I should love you less, I have a sense so +just of what you have suffered for _Philander_, I'd be content to be a +galley-slave, to give thy beauty, birth and love their due; but as I +am thy faithful lover still, depend upon that fortune heaven has left +me; which if thou canst (as thou hast often sworn) then thou would'st +submit to be cheerful still, be gay and confident, and do not judge my +heart by little words; my heart--too great and fond for such poor +demonstrations. + +You ask me, _Sylvia_, where I am, and what I do; and all I can say is, +that at present I am safe from any fears of being delivered up to +_France_, and what I do is sighing, dying, grieving; I want my +_Sylvia_; but my circumstances yet have nothing to encourage that +hope; when I resolve where to settle, you shall see what haste I will +make to have you brought to me: I am impatient to hear from you, and +to know how that dear pledge of our soft hours advances. I mean, what +I believe I left thee possessed of, a young _Philander_: cherish it, +_Sylvia_, for that is a certain obligation to keep a dying fire alive; +be sure you do it no hurt by your unnecessary grief, though there +needs no other tie but that of love to make me more entirely + +_Your_ PHILANDER. + +If _Sylvia_'s fears were great before she opened the letter, what were +her pains when all those fears were confirmed from that never-failing +mark of a declining love, the coldness and alteration of the style of +letters, that first symptom of a dying flame! 'O where,' said she, +'where, oh perjured charmer, is all that ardency that used to warm the +reader? Where is all that natural innocence of love that could not, +even to discover and express a grace in eloquence, force one soft +word, or one passion? Oh,' continued she, 'he is lost and gone from +_Sylvia_ and his vows; some other has him all, clasps that dear body, +hangs upon that face, gazes upon his eyes, and listens to his voice, +when he is looking, sighing, swearing, dying, lying and damning of +himself for some new beauty--He is, I will not endure it; aid me, +_Antonet_! Oh, where is the perjured traitor!' _Antonet_, who was +waiting on her, seeing her rise on the sudden in so great a fury, +would have stayed her hasty turns and ravings, beseeching her to tell +her what was the occasion, and by a discovery to ease her heart; but +she with all the fury imaginable flung from her arms, and ran to the +table, and snatching up a penknife, had certainly sent it to her +heart, had not _Antonet_ stepped to her and caught her hand, which she +resisted not, and blushing resigned, with telling her, she was ashamed +of her own cowardice; 'For,' said she, 'if it had designed to have +been brave, I had sent you off, and by a noble resolution have freed +this slave within' (striking her breast) 'from a tyranny which it +should disdain to suffer under:' with that she raged about the chamber +with broken words and imperfect threatenings, unconsidered +imprecations, and unheeded vows and oaths; at which _Antonet_ +redoubled her petition to know the cause; and she replied--'_Philander_! +The dear, the soft, the fond and charming _Philander_ is now no more +the same. O, _Antonet_,' said she, 'didst thou but see this letter +compared to those of heretofore, when love was gay and young, when +new desire dressed his soft eyes in tears, and taught his tongue the +harmony of angels; when every tender word had more of passion, than +volumes of this forced, this trifling business; Oh thou wouldst say +I were the wretchedest thing that ever nature made--Oh, thou wouldst +curse as I do--not the dear murderer, but thy frantic self, thy mad, +deceived, believing, easy self; if thou wert so undone--' Then +while she wept she gave _Antonet_ liberty to speak, which was to +persuade her, her fears were vain; she urged every argument of love +she had been witness to, and could not think it possible he could +be false. To all which the still weeping _Sylvia_ lent a willing +ear; for lovers are much inclined to believe every thing they wish. +_Antonet_, having a little calmed her, continued telling her, that +to be better convinced of his love, or his perfidy, she ought to +have patience till _Octavio_ should come to visit her; 'For you +have forgotten, madam,' said she, 'that the generous rival has +sent him word he is your lover:' for _Antonet_ was waiting at the +reading of that letter, nor was there any thing the open-hearted +_Sylvia_ concealed from that servant; and women who have made a breach +in their honour, are seldom so careful of their rest of fame, as those +who have a stock entire; and _Sylvia_ believed after she had entrusted +the secret of one amour to her discretion, she might conceal none. +'See, madam,' says _Antonet_, 'here is a letter yet unread:' _Sylvia_, +who had been a great while impatient for the return of _Octavio_'s +answer from _Philander_, expecting from thence the confirmation of all +her doubts, hastily snatched the letter out of _Antonet_'s hand, and +read it, hoping to have found something there to have eased her soul +one way or other; a soul the most raging and haughty by nature that +ever possessed a body: the words were these. + +OCTAVIO _to_ SYLVIA. + +At least you will pity me, oh charming _Sylvia_, when you shall call +to mind the cruel services I am obliged to render you, to be the +messenger of love from him, whom beauty and that god plead so strongly +for already in your heart. + +If, after this, you can propose a torture that yet may speak my +passion and obedience in any higher measure, command and try my +fortitude; for I too well divine, O rigorous beauty, the business of +your love-sick slave will be only to give you proofs how much he does +adore you, and never to taste a joy, even in a distant hope; like +lamps in urns my lasting fire must burn, without one kind material to +supply it. Ah _Sylvia_, if ever it be thy wretched fate to see the +lord of all your vows given to another's arms----when you shall see in +those soft eyes that you adore, a languishment and joy if you but name +another beauty to him;----when you behold his blushes fade and rise at +the approaches of another mistress,----hear broken sighs and unassured +replies, whenever he answers some new conqueress; tremblings, and +pantings seizing every part at the warm touch as of a second charmer: +ah, _Sylvia_, do but do me justice then, and sighing say--I pity poor +_Octavio_. + +Take here a letter from the blest _Philander_, which I had brought +myself, but cannot bear the torment of that joy that I shall see +advancing in your eyes when you shall read it over--no--it is too much +that I imagine all! Yet bless that patient fondness of my passion that +makes me still your slave, and your adorer, + +OCTAVIO. + + * * * * * + +At finishing this, the jealous fair one redoubled her tears with such +violence, that it was in vain her woman strove to abate the flowing +tide by all the reasonable arguments she could bring to her aid; and +_Sylvia_, to increase it, read again the latter part of the ominous +letter; which she wet with the tears that streamed from her bright +eyes. 'Yes, yes,' (cried she, laying the letter down) 'I know, +_Octavio_, this is no prophecy of yours, but a known truth: alas, you +know too well the fatal time is already come, when I shall find these +changes in _Philander_!' 'Ah madam,' replied _Antonet_, 'how curious +are you to search out torment for your own heart, and as much a lover +as you are, how little do you understand the arts and politics of +love! Alas, madam,' continued she, 'you yourself have armed my Lord +_Octavio_ with these weapons that wound you: the last time he writ to +my lord _Philander_, he found you possessed with a thousand fears and +jealousies; of these he took advantage to attack his rival: for what +man is there so dull, that would not assault his enemy in that part +where the most considerable mischief may be done him? It is now +_Octavio_'s interest, and his business, to render _Philander_ false, +to give you all the umbrage that is possible of so powerful a rival, +and to say any thing that may render him hateful to you, or at least +to make him love you less.' 'Away,' (replied _Sylvia_ with an uneasy +smile) 'how foolish are thy reasonings; for were it possible I could +love _Philander_ less, is it to be imagined that should make way for +_Octavio_ in my heart, or any after that dear deceiver?' 'No doubt of +it,' replied _Antonet_, 'but that very effect it would have on your +heart; for love in the soul of a witty person is like a skein of silk; +to unwind it from the bottom, you must wind it on another, or it runs +into confusion, and becomes of no use, and then of course, as one +lessens the other increases, and what _Philander_ loses in love, +_Octavio_, or some one industrious lover, will most certainly gain.' +'Oh,' replied _Sylvia_, 'you are a great philosopher in love.' 'I +should, madam,' cried _Antonet_, 'had I but had a good memory, for I +had a young churchman once in love with me, who has read many a +philosophical lecture to me upon love; among the rest, he used to say +the soul was all composed of love. I used to ask him then, if it were +formed of so soft materials, how it came to pass that we were no +oftener in love, or why so many were so long before they loved, and +others who never loved at all?' 'No question but he answered you +wisely,' said _Sylvia_ carelessly, and sighing, with her thoughts but +half attentive. 'Marry, and so he did,' cried _Antonet_, 'at least I +thought so then, because I loved a little. He said, love of itself was +inactive, but it was informed by object; and then too that object must +depend on fancy; (for souls, though all love, are not to love all.) +Now fancy, he said, was sometimes nice, humorous, and fantastic, which +is the reason we so often love those of no merit, and despise those +that are most excellent; and sometimes fancy guides us to like +neither; he used to say, women were like misers, though they had +always love in store, they seldom cared to part with it, but on very +good interest and security, _cent per cent_ most commonly, heart for +heart at least; and for security, he said, we were most times too +unconscionable, we asked vows at least, at worst matrimony--' Half +angry, _Sylvia_ cried--'And what is all this to my loving again?' 'Oh +madam,' replied _Antonet_, 'he said a woman was like a gamester, if on +the winning hand, hope, interest, and vanity made him play on, besides +the pleasure of the play itself; if on the losing, then he continued +throwing at all to save a stake at last, if not to recover all; so +either way they find occasion to continue the game.' 'But oh,' said +_Sylvia_ sighing, 'what shall that gamester set, who has already +played for all he had, and lost it at a cast?' 'O, madam,' replied +_Antonet_,'the young and fair find credit every where, there is still +a prospect of a return, and that gamester that plays thus upon the +tick is sure to lose but little; and if they win it is all clear +gains.' 'I find,' said _Sylvia_, 'you are a good manager in love; you +are for the frugal part of it.' 'Faith, madam,' said _Antonet_, 'I am +indeed of that opinion, that love and interest always do best +together, as two most excellent ingredients in that rare art of +preserving of beauty. Love makes us put on all our charms, and +interest gives us all the advantage of dress, without which beauty is +lost, and of little use. Love would have us appear always new, always +gay, and magnificent, and money alone can render us so; and we find no +women want lovers so much as those who want petticoats, jewels, and +all the necessary trifles of gallantry. Of this last opinion I find +you yourself to be; for even when _Octavio_ comes, on whose heart you +have no design, I see you dress to the best advantage, and put on +many, to like one: why is this, but that even unknown to yourself, you +have a secret joy and pleasure in gaining conquests, and of being +adored, and thought the most charming of your sex?' 'That is not from +the inconstancy of my heart,' cried _Sylvia_, 'but from the little +vanity of our natures.' 'Oh, madam,' replied _Antonet_, 'there is no +friend to love like vanity; it is the falsest betrayer of a woman's +heart of any passion, not love itself betrays her sooner to love than +vanity or pride; and madam, I would I might have the pleasure of my +next wish, when I find you not only listening to the love of +_Octavio_, but even approving it too.' 'Away,' replied _Sylvia_, in +frowning, 'your mirth grows rude and troublesome--Go bid the page wait +while I return an answer to what his lord has sent me.' So sitting at +the table she dismissed _Antonet_, and writ this following letter. + +SYLVIA _to_ OCTAVIO. + +I find, _Octavio_, this little gallantry of yours, of shewing me the +lover, stands you in very great stead, and serves you upon all +occasions for abundance of uses; amongst the rest, it is no small +obligation you have to it, for furnishing you with handsome pretences +to keep from those who importune you, and from giving them that +satisfaction by your counsel and conversation, which possibly the +unfortunate may have need of sometimes; and when you are pressed and +obliged to render me the friendship of your visits, this necessary +ready love of yours is the only evasion you have for the answering a +thousand little questions I ask you of _Philander_; whose heart I am +afraid you know much better than _Sylvia_ does. I could almost wish, +_Octavio_, that all you tell me of your passion were true, that my +commands might be of force sufficient to compel you to resolve my +heart in some doubts that oppress it. And indeed if you would have me +believe the one, you must obey me in the other; to which end I conjure +you to hasten to me, for something of an unusual coldness in +_Philander_'s letter, and some ominous divinations in yours, have put +me on a rack of thought; from which nothing but confirmation can +relieve me; this you dare not deny, if you value the repose of SYLVIA. + +She read it over; and was often about to tear it, fancying it was too +kind: but when she considered it was from no other inclination of her +heart than that of getting the secrets out of his, she pardoned +herself the little levity she found it guilty of; all which, +considering as the effects of the violent passion she had for +_Philander_, she found it easy to do; and sealing it she gave it to +_Antonet_ to deliver to the page, and set herself down to ease her +soul of its heavy weight of grief by her complaints to the dear author +of her pain; for when a lover is insupportably afflicted, there is no +ease like that of writing to the person loved; and that, all that +comes uppermost in the soul: for true love is all unthinking artless +speaking, incorrect disorder, and without method, as 'tis without +bounds or rules; such were _Sylvia_'s unstudied thoughts, and such her +following letter. + +SYLVIA _to_ PHILANDER. + +Oh my _Philander_, how hard it is to bring my soul to doubt, when I +consider all thy past tender vows, when I reflect how thou hast loved +and sworn. Methinks I hear the music of thy voice still whispering in +my bosom; methinks the charming softness of thy words remains like +lessening echoes of my soul, whose distant voices by degrees decay, +till they be heard no more! Alas, I've read thy letter over and over, +and turned the sense a thousand several ways, and all to make it speak +and look like love--Oh I have flattered it with all my heart. +Sometimes I fancied my ill reading spoiled it, and then I tuned my +voice to softer notes, and read it over again; but still the words +appeared too rough and harsh for any moving air; I which way soever I +changed, which way soever I questioned it of love, it answered in such +language--as others would perhaps interpret love, or something like +it; but I, who've heard the very god himself speak from thy wondrous +lips, and known him guide thy pen, when all the eloquence of moving +angels flowed from thy charming tongue! When I have seen thee fainting +at my feet, (whilst all heaven opened in thy glorious face) and now +and then sigh out a trembling word, in which there was contained more +love, more soul, than all the arts of speaking ever found; what sense? +Oh what reflections must I make on this decay, this strange--this +sudden alteration in thee? But that the cause is fled, and the effect +is ceased, the god retired, and all the oracles silenced! Confess--oh +thou eternal conqueror of my soul, whom every hour, and every tender +joy, renders more dear and lovely--tell me why (if thou still lovest +me, and lovest as well) does love not dictate to thee as before? Dost +thou want words? Oh then begin again, I repeat the old ones over ten +thousand times; such repetitions are love's rhetoric! How often have I +asked thee in an hour, when my fond soul was doting on thy eyes, when +with my arms clasping thy yielding neck, my lips imprinting kisses on +thy cheeks, and taking in the breath that sighed from thine? How often +have I asked this little but important question of thee? 'Does my +_Philander_ love me?' Then kiss thee for thy 'Yes' and sighs, and ask +again; and still my soul was ravished with new joy, when thou wouldst +answer, 'Yes, I love thee dearly!' And if I thought you spoke it with +a tone that seemed less soft and fervent than I wished, I asked so +often, till I made thee answer in such a voice as I would wish to hear +it; all this had been impertinent and foolish in any thing but love, +to any but a lover: but oh--give me the impertinence of love! Talk +little nonsense to me all the day, and be as wanton as a playing +_Cupid_, and that will please and charm my love-sick heart better than +all fine sense and reasoning. + +Tell me, _Philander_, what new accident, what powerful misfortune has +befallen thee, greater than what we have experienced yet, to drive the +little god out of thy heart, and make thee so unlike my soft +_Philander_? What place contains thee, or what pleasures ease thee, +that thou art now contented to live a tedious day without thy +_Sylvia_? How then the long long age of forty more, and yet thou +livest, art patient, tame and well; thou talkest not now of ravings, +or of dying, but look'st about thee like a well pleased conqueror +after the toils of battle--oh, I have known a time--but let me never +think upon it more! It cannot be remembered without madness! What, +think thee fallen from love! To think, that I must never hear thee +more pouring thy soul out in soft sighs of love? A thousand dear +expressions by which I knew the story of thy heart, and while you tell +it, bid me feel it panting--never to see thy eyes fixed on my +face--till the soft showers of joy would gently fall and hang their +shining dew upon thy looks, then in a transport snatch me to thy +bosom, and sigh a thousand times ere thou couldst utter--'Ah _Sylvia_, +how I love thee'--oh the dear eloquence those few short words contain, +when they are sent with lovers' accents to a soul all languishing! But +now--alas, thy love is more familiar grown--oh take the other part of +the proverb too, and say it has bred contempt, for nothing less than +that your letter shews, but more it does, and that is indifference, +less to be borne than hate, or any thing-- + +At least be just, and let me know my doom: do not deceive the heart +that trusted all thy vows, if thou be'st generous--if thou lettest me +know--thy date of love--is out (for love perhaps as life has dates) +and equally uncertain, and thou no more canst stay the one than the +other; yet if thou art so kind for all my honour lost, my youth +undone, my beauty tarnished, and my lasting vows, to let me fairly +know thou art departing, my worthless life will be the only loss: but +if thou still continuest to impose upon my easy faith, and I should +any other way learn my approaching fate--look to it _Philander_,--she +that had the courage to abandon all for love and faithless thee, can, +when she finds herself betrayed and lost, nobly revenge the ruin of +her fame, and send thee to the other world with SYLVIA. + +She having writ this, read it over, and fancied she had not spoke half +the sense of her soul--fancied if she were again to begin, she could +express herself much more to the purpose she designed, than she had +done. She began again, and writ two or three new ones, but they were +either too kind or too rough; the first she feared would shew a +weakness of spirit, since he had given her occasion of jealousy; the +last she feared would disoblige if all those jealousies were false; +she therefore tore those last she had writ, and before she sealed up +the first she read _Philander_'s, letter again, but still ended it +with fears that did not lessen those she had first conceived; still +she thought she had more to say, as lovers do, who are never weary of +speaking or writing to the dear object of their vows; and having +already forgotten what she had just said before--and her heart being +by this time as full as ere she began, she took up her complaining +pen, and made it say this in the covert of the letter. + +Oh _Philander_! Oh thou eternal charmer of my soul, how fain I would +repent me of the cruel thoughts I have of thee! When I had finished +this enclosed I read again thy chilling letter, and strove with all +the force of love and soft imagination, to find a dear occasion of +asking pardon for those fears which press my breaking heart: but oh, +the more I read, the more they strike upon my tenderest +part,--something so very cold, so careless and indifferent you end +your letter with--I will not think of it--by heaven it makes me +rave--and hate my little power, that could no longer keep thee soft +and kind. Oh if those killing fears (bred by excess of love) are +vainly taken up, in pity, my adorable--in pity to my tortured soul +convince them, redress the torment of my jealous doubts, and either +way confirm me; be kind to her that dies and languishes for thee, +return me all the softness that first charmed me, or frankly tell me +my approaching fate. Be generous or be kind to the unfortunate and +undone + +SYLVIA. + +She thought she had ended here, but here again she read _Philander_'s +letter, as if on purpose to find new torments out for a heart too much +pressed already; a sour that is always mixed with the sweets of love, +a pain that ever accompanies the pleasure. Love else were not to be +numbered among the passions of men, and was at first ordained in +heaven for some divine motion of the soul, till _Adam_, with his loss +of _Paradise_, debauched it with jealousies, fears and curiosities, +and mixed it with all that was afflicting; but you'll say he had +reason to be jealous, whose woman, for want of other seducers, +listened to the serpent, and for the love of change, would give way +even to a devil; this little love of novelty and knowledge has been +entailed upon her daughters ever since, and I have known more women +rendered unhappy and miserable from this torment of curiosity, which +they bring upon themselves, than have ever been undone by less +villainous men. One of this humour was our haughty and charming +_Sylvia_, whose pride and beauty possessing her with a belief that all +men were born to die her slaves, made her uneasy at every action of +the lover (whether beloved or not) that did but seem to slight her +empire: but where indeed she loved and doted, as now in _Philander_, +this humour put her on the rack at every thought or fancy that he +might break his chains, and having laid the last obligation upon him, +she expected him to be her slave for ever, and treated him with all +the haughty tyranny of her sex, in all those moments when softness was +not predominant in her soul. She was chagrin at every thing, if but +displeased with one thing; and while she gave torments to others, she +failed not to feel them the most sensibly herself; so that still +searching for new occasion of quarrel with _Philander_, she drew on +herself most intolerable pains, such as doubting lovers feel after +long hopes and confirmed joy; she reads and weeps, and when she came +to that part of it that inquired of the health and being of the pledge +of love--she grew so tender that she was almost fainting in her chair, +but recovering from the soft reflection, and finding she had said +nothing of it already, she took her pen again and writ. + +You ask me, oh charming _Philander_, how the pledge of our soft hours +thrives: alas, as if it meant to brave the worst of fate! It does +advance my sorrows, and all your cruelties have not destroyed that: +but I still bear about me the destiny of many a sighing maid, that +this (who will, I am sure, be like _Philander_) will ruin with his +looks. + +Thou sacred treasure of my soul, forgive me, if I have wronged thy +love, _adieu_. + +She made an end of writing this, just when _Antonet_ arrived, and told +her _Octavio_ was alighted at the gate, and coming to visit her, which +gave her occasion to say this of him to _Philander_. + +I think I had not ended here, but that _Octavio_, the bravest and the +best of friends, is come to visit me. The only satisfaction I have to +support my life in _Philander_'s absence. Pay him those thanks that +are due to him from me; pay him for all the generous cares he has +taken of me; beyond a friend! Almost _Philander_ in his blooming +passion, when it was all new and young, and full of duty, could not +have rendered me his service with a more awful industry: sure he was +made for love and glorious friendship. Cherish him then, preserve him +next your soul, for he is a jewel fit for such a cabinet: his form, +his parts, and every noble action, shews us the royal race from whence +he sprung, and the victorious _Orange_ confesses him his own in every +virtue, and in every grace; nor can the illegitimacy eclipse him: sure +he was got in the first heat of love, which formed him so a +_hero_--but no more. _Philander_ is as kind a judge as + +SYLVIA. + +She had no sooner finished this and sealed it, but _Octavio_ came into +the chamber, and with such an air, with such a grace and mien he +approached her--with all the languishment of soft trembling love in +his face, which with the addition of the dress he was that day in, +(which was extremely rich and advantageous, and altogether such as +pleases the vanity of women,) I have since heard the charming _Sylvia_ +say, in spite of her tenderness for _Philander_, she found a soft +emotion in her soul, a kind of pleasure at his approach, which made +her blush with some kind of anger at her own easiness. Nor could she +have blushed in a more happy season; for _Octavio_ saw it, and it +served at once to add a lustre to her paler beauty, and to betray some +little kind sentiment, which possessed him with a joy that had the +same effects on him: _Sylvia_ saw it; and the care she took to hide +her own, served but to increase her blushes, which put her into a +confusion she had much ado to reclaim: she cast her eyes to earth, and +leaning her cheek on her hand, she continued on her seat without +paying him that usual ceremony she was wont to do; while he stood +speechless for a moment, gazing on her with infinite satisfaction: +when she, to assume a formality as well as she could, rose up and +cried, (fearing he had seen too much) '_Octavio_, I have been +considering after what manner I ought to receive you? And while I was +so, I left those civilities unpaid, which your quality and my good +manners ought to have rendered you.' 'Ah, madam,' replied he sighing, +'if you would receive me as I merited, and you ought, at least you +would receive me as the most passionate lover that ever adored you.' +'I was rather believing,' said _Sylvia_, 'that I ought to have +received you as my foe; since you conceal from me so long what you +cannot but believe I am extremely impatient of hearing, and what so +nearly concerns my repose.' At this, he only answering with a sigh, +she pursued, 'Sure, _Octavio_, you understand me: _Philander_'s answer +to the letter of your confessing passion, has not so long been the +subject of our discourse and expectation, but you guess at what I +mean?' _Octavio_, who on all occasions wanted not wit, or reply, was +here at a loss what to answer; notwithstanding he had considered +before what he would say: but let those in love fancy, and make what +fine speeches they please, and believe themselves furnished with +abundance of eloquent harangues, at the sight of the dear object they +lose them all, and love teaches them a dialect much more prevailing, +without the expense of duller thought: and they leave unsaid all they +had so floridly formed before, a sigh a thousand things with more +success: love, like poetry, cannot be taught, but uninstructed flows +without painful study, if it be true; it is born in the soul, a noble +inspiration, not a science! Such was _Octavio_'s, he thought it +dishonourable to be guilty of the meanness of a lie; and say he had no +answer: he thought it rude to say he had one and would not shew it +_Sylvia_; and he believed it the height of ungenerous baseness to shew +it. While he remained this moment silent, _Sylvia_, whose love, +jealousy, and impatience endured no delay, with a malicious half +smile, and a tone all angry, scorn in her eyes, and passion on her +tongue, she cried--'It is well, _Octavio_, that you so early let me +know, you can be false, unjust, and faithless; you knew your power, +and in pity to that youth and easiness you found in me, have given a +civil warning to my heart. In this I must confess,' continued she, +'you have given a much greater testimony of your friendship for +_Philander_, than your passion for _Sylvia_, and I suppose you came +not here to resolve yourself which you should prefer; that was decided +ere you arrived, and this visit I imagine was only to put me out of +doubt: a piece of charity you might have spared.' She ended this with +a scorn, that had a thousand charms, because it gave him a little +hope; and he answered with a sigh, 'Ah, madam, how very easy you find +it to entertain thoughts disadvantageous of me: and how small a fault +your wit and cruelty can improve to a crime! You are not offended at +my friendship for _Philander_. I know you do not value my life, and my +repose so much, as to be concerned who, or what shares this heart that +adores you! No, it has not merited that glory; nor dare I presume to +hope, you should so much as wish my passion for _Sylvia_, should +surmount my friendship to _Philander_.' 'If I did,' replied she with a +scorn, 'I perceive I might wish in vain.' 'Madam,' answered he, 'I +have too divine an opinion of the justice of the charming _Sylvia_ to +believe I ought, or could make my approaches to her heart, by ways so +base and ungenerous, the result of even tolerated treason is to hate +the traitor.' 'Oh, you are very nice, _Octavio_,' replied _Sylvia_, +'in your punctilio to _Philander_; but I perceive you are not so +tender in those you ought to have for _Sylvia_: I find honour in you +men, is only what you please to make it; for at the same time you +think it ungenerous to betray _Philander_, you believe it no breach of +honour to betray the eternal repose of _Sylvia_. You have promised +_Philander_ your friendship; you have avowed yourself my lover, my +slave, my friend, my every thing; and yet not one of these has any tie +to oblige you to my interest: pray tell me,' continued she, 'when you +last writ to him; was it not in order to receive an answer from him? +And was not I to see that answer? And here you think it no dishonour +to break your word or promise; by which I find your false notions of +virtue and honour, with which you serve yourselves, when interest, +design, or self-love makes you think it necessary.' 'Madam,' replied +_Octavio_, 'you are pleased to pursue your anger, as if indeed I had +disobeyed your command, or refused to shew you what you imagine I have +from _Philander_:' 'Yes, I do,' replied she hastily; 'and wonder why +you should have a greater friendship for _Philander_, than for +_Sylvia_; especially if it be true that you say, you have joined love +to friendship: or are you of the opinion of those that cry, they +cannot be a lover and a friend of the same object.' 'Ah, madam,' cried +our perplexed lover, 'I beg you to believe, I think it so much more my +duty and inclination to serve and obey _Sylvia_, than I do +_Philander_, that I swear to you, oh charming conqueress of my soul, +if _Philander_ have betrayed _Sylvia_, he has at the same time +betrayed _Octavio_, and that I would revenge it with the loss of my +life: in injuring the adorable _Sylvia_, believe me, lovely maid, he +injures so much more than a friend, as honour is above the +inclinations; if he wrong you, by heaven he cancels all! He wrongs my +soul, my honour, mistress, and my sister:' fearing he had said too +much, he stopped and sighed at the word sister, and casting down his +eyes, blushing with shame and anger, he continued. 'Oh give me leave +to say a sister, madam, lest mistress had been too daring and +presumptuous, and a title that would not justify my quarrel half so +well, since it would take the honour from my just resentment, and +blast it with the scandal of self-interest or jealous revenge.' 'What +you say,' replied she, 'deserves abundance of acknowledgement; but if +you would have me believe you, you ought to hide nothing from me; and +he, methinks, that was so daring to confess his passion to +_Philander_, may after that, venture on any discovery: in short, +_Octavio_, I demand to see the return you have from _Philander_, for +possibly--' said she, sweetening her charming face into a smile +designed, 'I should not be displeased to find I might with more +freedom receive your addresses, and on the coldness of _Philander_'s +reasoning may depend a great part of your fate, or fortune: come, +come, produce your credentials, they may recommend your heart more +effectually than all the fine things you can say; you know how the +least appearance of a slight from a lover may advance the pride of a +mistress; and pride in this affair will be your best advocate.' Thus +she insinuated with all her female arts, and put on all her charms of +looks and smiles, sweetened her mouth, softened her voice and eyes, +assuming all the tenderness and little affectations her subtle sex was +capable of, while he lay all ravished and almost expiring at her feet; +sometimes transported with imagined joys in the possession of the dear +flattering charmer, he was ready to unravel all the secrets of +_Philander_'s letter; but honour yet was even above his passion, and +made him blush at his first hasty thought; and now he strove to put +her off with all the art he could, who had so very little in his +nature, and whose real love and perfect honour had set him above the +little evasions of truth, who scorned in all other cases the baseness +and cowardice of a lie; and so unsuccessful now was the little honest +cheat, which he knew not how to manage well, that it was soon +discovered to the witty, jealous, and angry _Sylvia_: so that after +all the rage a passionate woman could express, who believed herself +injured by the only two persons in the world from whom she expected +most adoration; she had recourse to that natural and softening aid of +her sex, her tears; and having already reproached _Octavio_ with all +the malice of a defeated woman, she now continued it in so moving a +manner, that our _hero_ could no longer remain unconquered by that +powerful way of charming, but unfixed to all he had resolved, gave up, +at least, a part of the secret, and owned he had a letter from +_Philander_; and after this confession knowing very well he could not +keep her from the sight of it; no, though an empire were rendered her +to buy it off; his wit was next employed how he should defend the +sense of it, that she might not think _Philander_ false. In order to +this, he, forcing a smile, told her, that _Philander_ was the most +malicious of his sex, and had contrived the best stratagem in the +world to find whether _Sylvia_ still loved, or _Octavio_ retained his +friendship for him: 'And but that,' continued he, 'I know the nature +of your curious sex to be such, that if I should persuade you not to +see it, it would but the more inflame your desire of seeing it; I +would ask no more of the charming _Sylvia_, than that she would not +oblige me to shew what would turn so greatly to my own advantage: if I +were not too sensible, it is but to entrap me, that _Philander_ has +taken this method in his answer. Believe me, adorable _Sylvia_, I +plead against my own life, while I beg you not to put my honour to the +test, by commanding me to shew this letter, and that I join against +the interest of my own eternal repose while I plead thus.' She hears +him with a hundred changes of countenance. Love, rage, and jealousy +swell in her fierce eyes, her breath beats short, and she was ready to +burst into speaking before he had finished what he had to say; she +called up all the little discretion and reason love had left her to +manage herself as she ought in this great occasion; she bit her lips, +and swallowed her rising sighs; but he soon saw the storm he had +raised, and knew not how to stand the shock of its fury; he sighs, he +pleads in vain, and the more he endeavours to excuse the levity of +_Philander_, the more he rends her heart, and sets her on the rack; +and concluding him false, she could no longer contain her rage, but +broke out into all the fury that madness can inspire, and from one +degree to another wrought her passion to the height of lunacy: she +tore her hair, and bit his hands that endeavoured to restrain hers +from violence; she rent the ornaments from her fair body, and +discovered a thousand charms and beauties; and finding now that both +his strength and reason were too weak to prevent the mischiefs he +found he had brought on her, he calls for help: when _Brilliard_ was +but too ready at hand, with _Antonet_, and some others who came to his +assistance. _Brilliard_, who knew nothing of the occasion of all this, +believed it the second part of his own late adventure, and fancied +that _Octavio_ had used some violence to her; upon this he assumes the +authority of his lord, and secretly that of a husband or lover, and +upbraiding the innocent _Octavio_ with his brutality, they fell to +such words as ended in a challenge the next morning, for _Brilliard_ +appeared a gentleman, companion to his lord; and one whom _Octavio_ +could not well refuse: this was not carried so silently but _Antonet_, +busy as she was about her raving lady, heard the appointment, and +_Octavio_ quitted the chamber almost as much disturbed as _Sylvia_, +whom, with much ado they persuaded him to leave; but before he did so, +he on his knees offered her the letter, and implored her to receive +it; so absolutely his love had vanquished his nobler part, that of +honour. But she attending no motions but those of her own rage, had no +regard either to _Octavio_'s proffer, or his arguments of excuse; so +that he went away with the letter in all the extremity of disorder. +This last part of his submission was not seen by _Brilliard_; who +immediately left the chamber, upon receiving _Octavio_'s answer to his +challenge; so that _Sylvia_ was now left with her woman only; who by +degrees brought her to more calmness; and _Brilliard_, impatient to +hear the reproaches he hoped she would give _Octavio_ when she was +returned to reason, being curious of any thing that might redound to +his disadvantage, whom he took to be a powerful rival, returned again +into her chamber: but in lieu of hearing what he wished, _Sylvia_ +being recovered from her passion of madness, and her soul in a state +of thinking a little with reason, she misses _Octavio_ in the crowd, +and with a voice her rage had enfeebled to a languishment, she +cried--surveying carefully those about her, 'Oh where is _Octavio_? +Where is that angel man: he who of all his kind can give me comfort?' +'Madam,' replied _Antonet_, 'he is gone; while he was here, he kneeled +and prayed in vain, but for a word, or look; his tears are yet +remaining wet upon your feet, and all for one sensible reply, but rage +had deafened you; what has he done to merit this?' 'Oh _Antonet_,' +cried _Sylvia_----'It was what he would not do, that makes me rave; +run, haste and fetch him back----but let him leave his honour all +behind: tell him he has too much consideration for _Philander_, and +none for my repose. Oh, _Brilliard_,----Have I no friend in view dares +carry a message from me to _Octavio_? Bid him return, oh instantly +return----I die, I languish for a sight of him----descending angels +would not be so welcome----Why stand ye still----have I no power with +you----Will none obey----' Then running hastily to the chamber door, +she called her page to whom she cried----'Haste, haste, dear youth, +and find _Octavio_ out, and bring him to me instantly: tell him I die +to see him.' The boy, glad of so kind a message to so liberal a lover, +runs on his errand, while she returns to her chamber, and endeavours +to recollect her senses against _Octavio_'s coming as much as possibly +she could: she dismisses her attendant with different apprehensions; +sometimes _Brilliard_ believed this was the second part of her first +raving, and having never seen her thus, but for _Philander_, concludes +it the height of tenderness and passion for _Octavio_; but because she +made so public a declaration of it, he believed he had given her a +philtre, which had raised her flame so much above the bounds of +modesty and discretion; concluding it so, he knew the usual effects of +things of that nature, and that nothing could allay the heat of such a +love but possession; and easily deluded with every fancy that +flattered his love, mad, stark-mad, by any way to obtain the last +blessing with _Sylvia_, he consults with _Antonet_ how to get one of +_Octavio_'s letters out of her lady's cabinet, and feigning many +frivolous reasons, which deluded the amorous maid, he persuaded her to +get him one, which she did in half an hour after; for by this time +_Sylvia_ being in as much tranquillity as it was possible a lover +could be in, who had the hopes of knowing all the secrets of the false +betrayer, she had called _Antonet_ to dress her; which she resolved +should be in all the careless magnificence that art or nature could +put on; to charm _Octavio_ wholly to obedience, whom she had sent for, +and whom she expected! But she was no sooner set to her toilet, but +_Octavio_'s page arrived with a letter from his master, which she +greedily snatched, and read this: + +OCTAVIO _to_ SYLVIA. + +By this time, oh charming _Sylvia_, give me leave to hope your rage is +abated, and your reason returned, and that you will hear a little from +the most unfortunate of men, whom you have reduced to this miserable +extremity of losing either the adorable object of his soul, or his +honour: if you can prefer a little curiosity that will serve but to +afflict you, before either that or my repose, what esteem ought I to +believe you have for the unfortunate _Octavio_: and if you hate me, as +it is evident, if you compel me to the extremity of losing my repose +or honour, what reason or argument have I to prefer so careless a fair +one above the last? It is certain you neither do nor can love me now; +and how much below that hope shall the exposed and abandoned _Octavio_ +be, when he shall pretend to that glory without his honour? Believe +me, charming maid, I would sacrifice my life, and my entire fortune at +your least command to serve you; but to render you a devoir that must +point me out the basest of my sex, is what my temper must resist in +spite of all the violence of my love; and I thank my happier stars, +that they have given me resolution enough, rather to fall a sacrifice +to the last, than be guilty of the breach of the first: this is the +last and present thought and pleasure of my soul; and lest it should, +by the force of those divine ideas which eternally surround it, be +soothed and flattered from its noble principles, I will to-morrow put +myself out of the hazard of temptation, and divert if possible, by +absence, to the campaign, those soft importunate betrayers of my +liberty, that perpetually solicit in favour of you: I dare not so much +as bid you adieu, one sight of that bright angel's face would undo me, +unfix my nobler resolution, and leave me a despicable slave, sighing +my unrewarded treason at your insensible feet: my fortune I leave to +be disposed by you; but the more useless necessary I will for ever +take from those lovely eyes, you can look on nothing with joy, but the +happy _Philander_: if I have denied you one satisfaction, at least I +have given you this other, of securing you eternally from the trouble +and importunity of, madam, your faithful + +OCTAVIO. + +This letter to any other less secure of her power than was our fair +subject, would have made them impatient and angry; but she found that +there was something yet in her power, the dispensation of which could +soon recall him from any resolution he was able to make of absenting +himself. Her glass stood before her, and every glance that way was an +assurance and security to her heart; she could not see that beauty, +and doubt its power of persuasion. She therefore took her pen, and +writ him this answer, being in a moment furnished with all the art and +subtlety that was necessary on this occasion. + +SYLVIA _to_ Octavio. + +_My Lord_, + +Though I have not beauty enough to command your heart; at least allow +me sense enough to oblige your belief, that I fancy and resent all +that the letter contains which you have denied me, and that I am not +of that sort of women, whose want of youth or beauty renders so +constant to pursue the ghost of a departed love: it is enough to +justify my honour, that I was not the first aggressor. I find myself +pursued by too many charms of wit, youth, and gallantry, to bury +myself beneath the willows, or to whine away my youth by murmuring +rivers, or betake me to the last refuge of a declining beauty, a +monastery: no, my lord, when I have revenged and recompensed myself +for the injuries of one inconstant, with the joys a thousand imploring +lovers offer, it will be time to be weary of a world, which yet every +day presents me new joys; and I swear to you, _Octavio_, that it was +more to recompense what I owed your passion, that I desired a +convincing proof of _Philander_'s falsehood, than for any other +reason, and you have too much wit not to know it; for what other use +could I make of the secret? If he be false he is gone, unworthy of me, +and impossible to be retrieved; and I would as soon dye my sullied +garments, and wear them over again, as take to my embraces a reformed +lover, the native first lustre of whose passion is quite extinct, and +is no more the same; no, my lord, she must be poor in beauty, that has +recourse to shifts so mean; if I would know the secret, by all that is +good it were to hate him heartily, and to dispose of my person to the +best advantage; which in honour I cannot do, while I am unconvinced of +the falseness of him with whom I exchanged a thousand vows of +fidelity; but if he unlink the chain, I am at perfect liberty; and why +by this delay you should make me lose my time, I am not able to +conceive, unless you fear I should then take you at your word, and +expect the performance of all the vows of love you have made me----If +that be it--my pride shall be your security, or if other recompense +you expect, set the price upon your secret, and see at what rate I +shall purchase the liberty it will procure me; possibly it may be such +as may at once enfranchise me, and revenge me on the perjured ingrate, +than which nothing can be a greater satisfaction to + +SYLVIA. + +She seals this letter with a wafer, and giving it to _Antonet_ to give +the page, believing she had writ what would not be in vain to the +quick-sighted _Octavio_; _Antonet_ takes both that and the other which +_Octavio_ had sent, and left her lady busy in dressing her head, and +went to _Brilliard_'s chamber, who thought every moment an age till +she came, so vigorous he was on his new design. That which was sent to +_Octavio_, being sealed with a wet wafer, he neatly opens, as it was +easy to do, and read, and sealed again, and _Antonet_ delivered it to +the page. After receiving what pay _Brilliard_ could force himself to +bestow upon her, some flatteries of dissembled love, and some cold +kisses, which even imagination could not render better, she returned +to her lady, and he to his stratagem, which was to counterfeit a +letter from _Octavio_; she having in hers given him a hint, by bidding +him set a price upon the secret, which he had heard was that of a +letter from _Philander_, with all the circumstances of it, from the +faithless _Antonet_, whom love had betrayed; and after blotting much +paper to try every letter through the alphabet, and to produce them +like those of _Octavio_, which was not hard for a lover of ingenuity, +he fell to the business of what he would write; and having finished it +to his liking, his next trouble was how to convey it to her; for +_Octavio_ always sent his by his page, whom he could trust. He now was +certain of love between them; for though he often had persuaded +_Antonet_ to bring him letters, yet she could not be wrought on till +now to betray her trust; and what he long apprehended, he found too +true on both sides, and now he waited but for an opportunity to send +it seasonably, and in a lucky minute. In the mean time _Sylvia_ adorns +herself for an absolute conquest, and disposing herself in the most +charming, careless, and tempting manner she could devise, she lay +expecting her coming lover, on a repose of rich embroidery of gold on +blue satin, hung within-side with little amorous pictures of _Venus_ +descending in her chariot naked to _Adonis_, she embracing, while the +youth, more eager of his rural sports, turns half from her in a +posture of pursuing his dogs, who are on their chase: another of +_Armida_, who is dressing the sleeping warrior up in wreaths of +flowers, while a hundred little Loves are playing with his gilded +armour; this puts on his helmet too big for his little head, that +hides his whole face; another makes a hobby-horse of his sword and +lance; another fits on his breast-piece, while three or four little +_Cupids_ are seeming to heave and help him to hold it an end, and all +turned the emblems of the hero into ridicule. These, and some either +of the like nature, adorned the pavilion of the languishing fair one, +who lay carelessly on her side, her arm leaning on little pillows of +point of _Venice_, and a book of amours in her other hand. Every noise +alarmed her with trembling hope that her lover was come, and I have +heard she said, she verily believed, that acting and feigning the +lover possessed her with a tenderness against her knowledge and will; +and she found something more in her soul than a bare curiosity of +seeing _Octavio_ for the letter's sake: but in lieu of her lover, she +found herself once more approached with a billet from him, which +brought this. + +OCTAVIO _to_ SYLVIA. + +Ah, _Sylvia_, he must be more than human that can withstand your +charms; I confess my frailty, and fall before you the weakest of my +sex, and own I am ready to believe all your dear letter contains, and +have vanity enough to wrest every hopeful word to my own interest, and +in favour of my own heart: what will become of me, if my easy faith +should only flatter me, and I with shame should find it was not meant +to me, or if it were, it was only to draw me from a virtue which has +been hitherto the pride and beauty of my youth, the glory of my name, +and my comfort and refuge in all extremes of fortune; the eternal +companion, guide and counsellor of all my actions: yet this good you +only have power to rob me of, and leave me exposed to the scorn of all +the laughing world; yet give me love! Give me but hope in lieu of it, +and I am content to divest myself of all besides. + +Perhaps you will say I ask too mighty a rate for so poor a secret. But +even in that there lies one of my own, that will more expose the +feebleness of my blood and name, than the discovery will me in +particular, so that I know not what I do, when I give you up the +knowledge you desire. Still you will say all this is to enhance its +value, and raise the price: and oh, I fear you have taught my soul +every quality it fears and dreads in yours, and learnt it to chaffer +for every thought, if I could fix upon the rate to sell it at: and I +with shame confess I would be mercenary, could we but agree upon the +price; but my respect forbids me all things but silent hope, and that, +in spite of me and all my reason, will predominate; for the rest I +will wholly resign myself, and all the faculties of my soul, to the +charming arbitrator of my peace, the powerful judge of love, the +adorable _Sylvia_; and at her feet render all she demands; yes, she +shall find me there to justify all the weakness this proclaims; for I +confess, oh too too powerful maid, that you have absolutely subdued + +_Your_ OCTAVIO. + +She had no sooner read this letter, but _Antonet_, instead of laying +it by, carried it to _Brilliard_, and departed the chamber to make way +for _Octavio_, who she imagined was coming to make his visit, and left +_Sylvia_ considering how she should manage him to the best advantage, +and with most honour acquit herself of what she had made him hope; but +instead of his coming to wait on her, an unexpected accident arrived +to prevent him; for a messenger from the Prince came with commands +that he should forthwith come to His Highness, the messenger having +command to bring him along with him: so that not able to disobey, he +only begged time to write a note of business, which was a billet to +_Sylvia_ to excuse himself till the next day; for it being five +leagues to the village where the Prince waited his coming, he could +not return that night; which was the business of the note, with which +his page hasted to _Sylvia_. _Brilliard_, who was now a vigilant +lover, and waiting for every opportunity that might favour his design, +saw the page arrive with the note; and, as it was usual, he took it to +carry to his conqueress; but meeting _Antonet_ on the stairs, he gave +her what he had before counterfeited with such art, after he had +opened what _Octavio_ had sent, and found fortune was wholly on his +side, he having learned from the page besides, that his lord had taken +coach with Monsieur----to go to His Highness, and would not return +that night: _Antonet_, not knowing the deceit, carried her lady the +forged letter, who opened it with eager haste, and read this. + +_To the Charming_ SYLVIA. + +_Madam_, + +Since I have a secret, which none but I can unfold, and that you have +offered at any rate to buy it of me, give me leave to say, that you, +fair creature, have another secret, a joy to dispense, which none but +you can give the languishing _Octavio_: if you dare purchase this of +mine, with that infinitely more valuable one of yours, I will be as +secret as death, and think myself happier than a fancied god! Take +what methods you please for the payment, and what time, order me, +command me, conjure me, I will wait, watch, and pay my duty at all +hours, to snatch the most convenient one to reap so ravishing a +blessing. I know you will accuse me with all the confidence and +rudeness in the world: but oh! consider, lovely _Sylvia_, that that +passion which could change my soul from all the course of honour, has +power to make me forget that nice respect your beauty awes me with, +and my passion is now arrived at such a height, it obeys no laws but +its own; and I am obstinately bent on the pursuit of that vast +pleasure I fancy to find in the dear, the ravishing arms of the +adorable _Sylvia_: impatient of your answer, I am, as love compels me, +madam, your slave, + +OCTAVIO. + +The page, who waited no answer, was departed: but _Sylvia_, who +believed he attended, was in a thousand minds what to say or do: she +blushed, as she read, and then looked pale with anger and disdain, +and, but that she had already given her honour up, it would have been +something more surprising: but she was used to questions of that +nature, and therefore received this with so much the less concern; +nevertheless, it was sufficient to fill her soul with a thousand +agitations; but when she would be angry, the consideration of what she +had writ to him, to encourage him to this boldness, stopped her rage: +when she would take it ill, she considered his knowledge of her lost +fame, and that took off a great part of her resentment on that side; +and in midst of all she was raving for the knowledge of _Philander_'s +secret. She rose from the bed, and walked about the room in much +disorder, full of thought and no conclusion; she is ashamed to consult +of this affair with _Antonet_, and knows not what to fix on: the only +thing she was certain of, and which was fully and undisputably +resolved in her soul, was never to consent to so false an action, +never to buy the secret at so dear a rate; she abhors _Octavio_, whom +she regards no more as that fine thing which before she thought him; +and a thousand times she was about to write her despite and contempt, +but still the dear secret stayed her hand, and she was fond of the +torment: at last _Antonet_, who was afflicted to know the cause of +this disorder, asked her lady if _Octavio_ would not come; 'No,' +replied _Sylvia_, blushing at the name, 'nor never shall the +ungrateful man dare to behold my face any more.' 'Jesu,' replied +_Antonet_, 'what has he done, madam, to deserve this severity?' For he +was a great benefactor to _Antonet_, and had already by his gifts and +presents made her a fortune for a burgomaster. 'He has,' said +_Sylvia_, 'committed such an impudence as deserves death from my +hand:' this she spoke in rage, and walked away cross the chamber. +'Why, madam,' cried _Antonet_,'does he deny to give you the letter?' +'No,' replied _Sylvia_, 'but asks me such a price for it, as makes me +hate myself, that am reduced by my ill conduct to addresses of that +nature:' 'Heavens, madam, what can he ask you to afflict you so!' 'The +presumptuous man,' said she, (in rage) 'has the impudence to ask what +never man, but _Philander_, was ever possessed of----' At this, +_Antonet_ laughed--'Good lord, madam,' said she, 'and are you angry at +such desires in men towards you? I believe you are the first lady in +the world that was ever offended for being desirable: can any thing +proclaim your beauty more, or your youth, or wit? Marry, madam, I wish +I were worthy to be asked the question by all the fine dancing, +dressing, song-making fops in town.' 'And you would yield,' replied +_Sylvia_. 'Not so neither,' replied _Antonet_, 'but I would spark +myself, and value myself the more upon it.' 'Oh,' said _Sylvia_, 'she +that is so fond of hearing of love, no doubt but will find some one to +practise it with.' 'That is as I should find myself inclined,' replied +_Antonet_. _Sylvia_ was not so intent on _Antonet_'s raillery, but she +employed all her thought the while on what she had to do: and those +last words of _Antonet_'s jogged a thought that ran on to one very +advantageous, at least her present and first apprehension of it was +such: and she turned to _Antonet_, with a face more gay than it was +the last minute, and cried, 'Prithee, good wench, tell me what sort of +man would soonest incline you to a yielding:' 'If you command me, +madam, to be free with your ladyship,' replied _Antonet_, 'I must +confess there are two sorts of men that would most villainously +incline me: the first is he that would make my fortune best; the next, +he that would make my pleasure; the young, the handsome, or rather the +well-bred and good-humoured; but above all, the man of wit.' 'But what +would you say, _Antonet_,' replied _Sylvia_, 'if all these made up in +one man should make his addresses to you?' 'Why then most certainly, +madam,' replied _Antonet_, 'I should yield him my honour, after a +reasonable siege.' This though the wanton young maid spoke possibly at +first more to put her lady in good humour, than from any inclination +she had to what she said; yet after many arguments upon that subject, +_Sylvia_, cunning enough to pursue her design, brought the business +more home, and told her in plain terms, that _Octavio_ was the man who +had been so presumptuous as to ask so great a reward as the possession +of herself for the secret she desired; and, after a thousand little +subtleties, having made the forward girl confess with blushes she was +not a maid, she insinuated into her an opinion, that what she had done +already (without any other motive than that of love, as she confessed, +in which interest had no part) would make the trick the easier to do +again, especially if she brought to her arms a person of youth, wit, +gallantry, beauty, and all the charming qualities that adorn a man, +and that besides she should find it turn to good account; and for her +secrecy she might depend upon it, since the person to whose embraces +she should submit herself, should not know but that she herself was +the woman: 'So that,' says _Sylvia_, 'I will have all the infamy, and +you the reward every way with unblemished honour.' While she spoke, +the willing maid gave an inward pleasing attention, though at first +she made a few faint modest scruples: nor was she less joyed to hear +it should be _Octavio_, whom she knew to be rich, and very handsome; +and she immediately found the humour of inconstancy seize her; and +_Brilliard_ appeared a very husband lover in comparison of this new +brisker man of quality; so that after some pros and cons the whole +matter was thus concluded on between these two young persons, who +neither wanted wit nor beauty; and both crowed over the little +contrivance, as a most diverting piece of little malice, that should +serve their present turn, and make them sport for the future. The next +thing that was considered was a letter which was to be sent in answer, +and that _Sylvia_ being to write with her own hand begot a new doubt, +insomuch as the whole business was at a stand: for when it came to +that point that she herself was to consent, she found the project look +with a face so foul, that she a hundred times resolved and unresolved. +But _Philander_ filled her soul, revenge was in her view, and that one +thought put her on new resolves to pursue the design, let it be never +so base and dishonourable: 'Yes,' cried she at last, 'I can commit no +action that is not more just, excusable and honourable, than that +which _Octavio_ has done to me, who uses me like a common mistress of +the town, and dares ask me that which he knows he durst not do, if he +had not mean and abject thoughts of me; his baseness deserves death at +my hand, if I had courage to give it him, and the least I can do is to +deceive the deceiver. Well then, give me my escritoire,' says she; so, +sitting down, she writ this, not without abundance of guilt and +confusion; for yet a certain honour, which she had by birth, checked +the cheat of her pen. + + * * * * * + +SYLVIA _to_ OCTAVIO. + +The price, _Octavio_, which you have set upon your secret, I (more +generous than you) will give your merit, to which alone it is due: if +I should pay so high a price for the first, you would believe I had +the less esteem for the last, and I would not have you think me so +poor in spirit to yield on any other terms. If I valued _Philander_ +yet--after his confirmed inconstancy, I would have you think I scorn +to yield a body where I do not give a soul, and am yet to be persuaded +there are any such brutes amongst my sex; but as I never had a wish +but where I loved, so I never extended one till now to any but +_Philander_; yet so much my sense of shame is above my growing +tenderness, that I could wish you would be so generous to think no +more of what you seem to pursue with such earnestness and haste. But +lest I should retain any sort of former love for _Philander_, whom I +am impatient to rase wholly from my soul, I grant you all you ask, +provided you will be discreet in the management: _Antonet_ therefore +shall only be trusted with the secret; the outward gate you shall find +at twelve only shut to, and _Antonet_ wait you at the stairs-foot to +conduct you to me; come alone. I blush and gild the paper with their +reflections, at the thought of an encounter like this, before I am +half enough secured of your heart. And that you may be made more +absolutely the master of mine, send me immediately _Philander_'s +letter enclosed, that if any remains of chagrin possess me, they may +be totally vanquished by twelve o'clock. + +SYLVIA. + +She having, with much difficulty, writ this, read it to her trusty +confidante; for this was the only secret of her lady's she was +resolved never to discover to _Brilliard_, and to the end he might +know nothing of it she sealed the letter with wax: but before she +sealed it, she told her lady, she thought she might have spared +abundance of her blushes, and have writ a less kind letter; for a word +of invitation or consent would have served as well. To which _Sylvia_ +replied, her anger against him was too high not to give him all the +defeat imaginable, and the greater the love appeared, the greater +would be the revenge when he should come to know (as in time he +should) how like a false friend she had treated him. This reason, or +any at that time would have served _Antonet_, whose heart was set upon +a new adventure, and in such haste she was (the night coming on +a-pace) to know how she should dress, and what more was to be done, +that she only went out to call the page, and meeting _Brilliard_ (who +watched every body's motion) on the stair-case, he asked her what that +was; and she said, to send by _Octavio_'s page: 'You need not look in +it,' said she (when he snatched it hastily out of her hand:) 'For I +can tell you the contents, and it is sealed so, it must be known if +you unrip it.' 'Well, well,' said he, 'if you tell it me, it will +satisfy my curiosity as well; therefore I'll give it the page.' She +returns in again to her lady, and he to his own chamber to read what +answer the dear object of his desire had sent to his forged one: so +opening it, he found it such as his soul wished, and was all joy and +ecstasy; he views himself a hundred times in the glass, and set +himself in order with all the opinion and pride, as if his own good +parts had gained him the blessing; he enlarged himself as he walked, +and knew not what to do, so extremely was he ravished with his coming +joy; he blessed himself, his wit, his stars, his fortune; then read +the dear obliging letter, and kissed it all over, as if it had been +meant to him; and after he had forced himself to a little more serious +consideration, he bethought himself of what he had to do in order to +this dear appointment: he finds in her letter, that in the first place +he was to send her the letter from _Philander_: I told you before he +took _Octavio_'s letter from the page, when he understood his lord was +going five leagues out of town to the prince. _Octavio_ could not +avoid his going, and wrote to _Sylvia_; in which he sent her the +letter _Philander_ writ, wherein was the first part of the confession +of his love to Madam the Countess of _Clarinau_: generously _Octavio_ +sent it without terms; but _Brilliard_ slid his own forged one into +_Antonet_'s hand in lieu of it, and now he read that from _Philander_, +and wondered at his lord's inconstancy; yet glad of the opportunity to +take _Sylvia_'s heart a little more off from him, he soon resolved she +should have the letter, but being wholly mercenary, and fearing that +either when once she had it, it might make her go back from her +promised assignation, or at least put her out of humour, so as to +spoil a great part of the entertainment he designed: he took the pains +to counterfeit another billet to her, which was this. + + * * * * * + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +_Madam_, + +Since we have begun to chaffer, you must give me leave to make the +best of the advantage I find I have upon you; and having violated my +honour to _Philander_, allow the breach of it in some degree on other +occasions; not but I have all the obedience and adoration for you that +ever possessed the soul of a most passionate and languishing lover: +but, fair _Sylvia_, I know not whether, when you have seen the secret +of the false _Philander_, you may not think it less valuable than you +before did, and so defraud me of my due. Give me leave, oh wondrous +creature! to suspect even the most perfect of your sex; and to tell +you, that I will no sooner approach your presence, but I will resign +the paper you so much wish. If you send me no answer, I will come +according to your directions: if you do, I must obey and wait, though +with that impatience that never attended a suffering lover, or any +but, divine creature, your OCTAVIO. + +This he sealed, and after a convenient distance of time carried as +from the page to _Antonet_, who was yet contriving with her lady, to +whom she gives it, who read it with abundance of impatience, being +extremely angry at the rudeness of the style, which she fancied much +altered from what it was; and had not her rage blinded her, she might +easily have perceived the difference too of the character, though it +came as near to the like as possible so short a practice could +produce; she took it with the other, and tore it in pieces with rage, +and swore she would be revenged; but, after calmer thoughts, she took +up the pieces to keep to upbraid him with, and fell to weeping for +anger, defeat and shame; but the _April_ shower being past, she +returned to her former resentment, and had some pleasure amidst all +her torment of fears, jealousies, and sense of _Octavio_'s disrespect +in the thoughts of revenge; in order to which she contrives how +_Antonet_ shall manage herself, and commanding her to bring out some +fine point linen, she dressed up _Antonet_'s head with them, and put +her on a shift, laced with the same; for though she intended no light +should be in the chamber when _Octavio_ should enter, she knew he +understood by his touch the difference of fine things from other. In +fine, having dressed her exactly as she herself used to be when she +received _Octavio_'s visits in bed, she embraced her, and fancied she +was much of her own shape and bigness, and that it was impossible to +find the deceit: and now she made _Antonet_ dress her up in her +clothes, and mobbing her sarsenet hood about her head, she appeared so +like _Antonet_ (all but the face) that it was not easy to distinguish +them: and night coming on they both long for the hour of twelve, +though with different designs; and having before given notice that +_Sylvia_ was gone to bed, and would receive no visit that night, they +were alone to finish all their business: this while _Brilliard_ was +not idle, but having a fine bath made, he washed and perfumed his +body, and after dressed himself in the finest linen perfumed that he +had, and made himself as fit as possible for his design; nor was his +shape, which was very good, or his stature, unlike to that of +_Octavio_: and ready for the approach, he conveys himself out of the +house, telling his footman he would put himself to bed after his +bathing, and, locking his chamber door, stole out; and it being dark, +many a longing turn he walked, impatient till all the candles were out +in every room of the house: in the mean time, he employed his thoughts +on a thousand things, but all relating to _Sylvia_; sometimes the +treachery he shewed in this action to his lord, caused short-lived +blushes in his face, which vanished as soon, when he considered his +lord false to the most beautiful of her sex: sometimes he accused and +cursed the levity of _Sylvia_ that could yield to _Octavio_, and was +as jealous as if she had indeed been to have received that charming +lover; but when his thought directed him to his own happiness, his +pulse beat high, his blood flushed apace in his cheeks, his eyes +languished with love, and his body with a feverish fit! In these +extremes, by turns, he passed at least three tedious hours, with a +striking watch in his hand; and when it told it was twelve, he +advanced near the door, but finding it shut walked yet with greater +impatience, every half minute going to the door; at last he found it +yield to his hand that pushed it: but oh, what mortal can express his +joy! His heart beats double, his knees tremble, and a feebleness +seizes every limb; he breathes nothing but short sighs, and is ready +in the dark hall to fall on the floor, and was forced to lean on the +rail that begins the stairs to take a little courage: while he was +there recruiting himself, intent on nothing but his vast joy; +_Octavio_, who going to meet the Prince, being met halfway by that +young _hero_, was dispatched back again without advancing to the end +of his five leagues, and impatient to see _Sylvia_, after +_Philander_'s letter that he had sent her, or at least impatient to +hear how she took it, and in what condition she was, he, as soon as he +alighted, went towards her house in order to have met _Antonet_, or +her page, or some that could inform him of her welfare; though it was +usual for _Sylvia_ to sit up very late, and he had often made her +visits at that hour: and _Brilliard_, wholly intent on his adventure, +had left the door open; so that _Octavio_ perceiving it, believed they +were all up in the back rooms where _Sylvia_'s apartment was towards a +garden, for he saw no light forward. But he was no sooner entered +(which he did without noise) but he heard a soft breathing, which made +him stand in the hall: and by and by he heard the soft tread of some +body descending the stairs: at this he approaches near, and the hall +being a marble floor, his tread was not heard; when he heard one cry +with a sigh--'Who is there?' And another replied, 'It is I! Who are +you?' The first replied, 'A faithful and an impatient lover.' 'Give me +your hand then,' replied the female voice, 'I will conduct you to your +happiness.' You may imagine in what surprise _Octavio_ was at so +unexpected an adventure, and, like a jealous lover, did not at all +doubt but the happiness expected was _Sylvia_, and the impatient lover +some one, whom he could not imagine, but raved within to know, and in +a moment ran over in his thoughts all the men of quality, or +celebrated beauty, or fortune in the town, but was at as great a loss +as at first thinking: 'But be thou who thou wilt,' cried he to +himself; 'traitor as thou art, I will by thy death revenge myself on +the faithless fair one.' And taking out his sword, he had advanced +towards the stairs-foot, when he heard them both softly ascend; but +being a man of perfect good nature, as all the brave and witty are, he +reflected on the severe usage he had from _Sylvia_, notwithstanding +all his industry, his vast expense, and all the advantages of nature. +This thought made him, in the midst of all his jealousy and haste, +pause a little moment; and fain he would have persuaded himself, that +what he heard was the errors of his sense; or that he dreamed, or that +it was at least not to _Sylvia_, to whom this ascending lover was +advancing: but to undeceive him of that favourable imagination, they +were no sooner on the top of the stairs, but he not being many steps +behind could both hear and see, by the ill light of a great +sash-window on the stair-case, the happy lover enter the chamber-door +of _Sylvia_, which he knew too well to be mistaken, not that he could +perceive who, or what they were, but two persons not to be +distinguished. Oh what human fancy, (but that of a lover to that +degree that was our young hero,) can imagine the amazement and torture +of his soul, wherein a thousand other passions reigned at once, and, +maugre all his courage and resolution, forced him to sink beneath +their weight? He stood holding himself up by the rails of the +stair-case, without having the power to ascend farther, or to shew any +other signs of life, but that of sighing; had he been a favoured +lover, had he been a known declared lover to all the world, had he but +hoped he had had so much interest with the false beauty, as but to +have been designed upon for a future love or use, he would have rushed +in, and have made the guilty night a covert to a scene of blood; but +even yet he had an awe upon his soul for the perjured fair one, though +at the same time he resolved she should be the object of his hate; for +the nature of his honest soul abhorred an action so treacherous and +base: he begins in a moment from all his good thoughts of her to think +her the most jilting of her sex; he knew, if interest could oblige +her, no man in _Holland_ had a better pretence to her than himself; +who had already, without any return, even so much as hope, presented +her the value of eight or ten thousand pounds in fine plate and +jewels: if it were looser desire, he fancied himself to have appeared +as capable to have served her as any man; but oh! he considers there +is a fate in things, a destiny in love that elevates and advances the +most mean, deformed or abject, and debases and condemns the most +worthy and magnificent: then he wonders at her excellent art of +dissembling for _Philander_; he runs in a minute over all her passions +of rage, jealousy, tears and softness; and now he hates the whole sex, +and thinks them all like _Sylvia_, than whom nothing could appear more +despicable to his present thought, and with a smile, while yet his +heart was insensibly breaking, he fancies himself a very coxcomb, a +cully, an imposed on fool, and a conceited fop; values _Sylvia_ as a +common fair jilt, whose whole design was to deceive the world, and +make herself a fortune at the price of her honour; one that receives +all kind bidders, and that he being too lavish, and too modest, was +reserved the cully on purpose to be undone and jilted out of all his +fortune! This thought was so perfectly fixed in him, that he recovered +out of his excess of pain, and fancied himself perfectly cured of his +blind passion, resolves to leave her to her beastly entertainment, and +to depart; but before he did so, _Sylvia_, (who had conducted the +amorous spark to the bed, where the expecting lady lay dressed rich +and sweet to receive him) returned out of the chamber, and the light +being a little more favourable to his eyes, by his being so long in +the dark, he perceived it _Antonet_, at least such a sort of figure as +he fancied her, and to confirm him saw her go into that chamber where +he knew she lay; he saw her perfect dress, and all confirmed him; this +brought him back almost to his former confusion; but yet he commands +his passion, and descended the stairs, and got himself out of the hall +into the street; and _Sylvia_, remembering the street-door was open, +went and shut it, and returned to _Antonet_'s chamber with the letter +which _Brilliard_ had given to _Antonet_, as she lay in the bed, +believing it _Sylvia_: for that trembling lover was no sooner entered +the chamber, and approached the bed-side, but he kneeled before it, +and offered the price of his happiness, this letter, which she +immediately gave to _Sylvia_, unperceived, who quitted the room: and +now with all the eager haste of impatient love she strikes a light, +and falls to reading the sad contents; but as she read, she many times +fainted over the paper, and as she has since said, it was a wonder she +ever recovered, having no body with her. By that time she had finished +it, she was so ill she was not able to get herself into bed, but threw +herself down on the place where she sat, which was the side of it, in +such agony of grief and despair, as never any soul was possessed of, +but _Sylvia_'s, wholly abandoned to the violence of love and despair: +it is impossible to paint a torment to express hers by; and though she +had vowed to _Antonet_ it should not at all affect her, being so +prepossessed before; yet when she had the confirmation of her fears, +and heard his own dear soft words addressed to another object, saw his +transports, his impatience, his languishing industry and endeavour to +obtain the new desire of his soul, she found her resentment above +rage, and given over to a more silent and less supportable torment, +brought herself into a high fever, where she lay without so much as +calling for aid in her extremity; not that she was afraid the cheat +she had put on _Octavio_ would be discovered; for she had lost the +remembrance that any such prank was played; and in this multitude of +thoughts of more concern, had forgot all the rest of that night's +action. + +_Octavio_ this while was traversing the street, wrapped in his cloak, +just as if he had come from horse; for he was no sooner gone from the +door, but his resenting passion returned, and he resolved to go up +again, and disturb the lovers, though it cost him his life and fame: +but returning hastily to the door, he found it shut; at which being +enraged, he was often about to break it open, but still some +unperceivable respect for _Sylvia_ prevented him; but he resolved not +to stir from the door, till he saw the fortunate rogue come out, who +had given him all this torment. At first he cursed himself for being +so much concerned for _Sylvia_ or her actions to waste a minute, but +flattering himself that it was not love to her, but pure curiosity to +know the man who was made the next fool to himself, though the more +happy one, he waited all night; and when he began to see the day +break, which he thought a thousand years; his eye was never off from +the door, and wondered at their confidence, who would let the day +break upon them; 'but the close-drawn curtains there,' cried he, +'favour the happy villainy.' Still he walked on, and still he might +for any rival that was to appear, for a most unlucky accident +prevented _Brilliard_'s coming out, as he doubly intended to do; +first, for the better carrying on of his cheat of being _Octavio_; and +next that he had challenged _Octavio_ to fight; and when he knew his +error, designed to have gone this morning, and asked him pardon, if he +had been returned; but the amorous lover over night, ordering himself +for the encounter to the best advantage, had sent a note to a doctor, +for something that would encourage his spirits; the doctor came, and +opening a little box, wherein was a powerful medicine, he told him +that a dose of those little flies would make him come off with +wondrous honour in the battle of love; and the doctor being gone to +call for a glass of sack, the doctor having laid out of the box what +he thought requisite on a piece of paper, and leaving the box open, +our spark thought if such a dose would encourage him so, a greater +would yet make him do greater wonders; and taking twice the quantity +out of the box, puts them into his pocket, and having drank the first +with full directions, the doctor leaves him; who was no sooner gone, +but he takes those out of his pocket, and in a glass of sack drinks +them down; after this he bathes and dresses, and believes himself a +very _Hercules_, that could have got at least twelve sons that happy +night; but he was no sooner laid in bed with the charming _Sylvia_, as +he thought, but he was taken with intolerable gripes and pains, such +as he had never felt before, insomuch that he was not able to lie in +the bed: this enrages him; he grows mad and ashamed; sometimes he had +little intermissions for a moment of ease, and then he would plead +softly by her bed-side, and ask ten thousand pardons; which being +easily granted he would go into bed again, but then the pain would +seize him anew, so that after two or three hours of distraction he was +forced to dress and retire: but, instead of going down he went softly +up to his own chamber, where he sat him down, and cursed the world, +himself and his hard fate; and in this extremity of pain, shame and +grief, he remained till break of day: by which time _Antonet_, who was +almost as violently afflicted, got her coats on, and went to her own +chamber, where she found her lady more dead than alive. She +immediately shifted her bed-linen, and made her bed, and conducted her +to it, without endeavouring to divert her with the history of her own +misfortune; and only asked her many questions concerning her being +thus ill: to which the wretched _Sylvia_ only answered with sighs; so +that _Antonet_ perceived it was the letter that had disordered her, +and begged she might be permitted to see it; she gave her leave, and +_Antonet_ read it; but no sooner was she come to that part of it which +named the Countess of _Clarinau_, but she asked her lady if she +understood who that person was, with great amazement: at this _Sylvia_ +was content to speak, pleased a little that she should have an account +of her rival. 'No,' said she, 'dost thou know her?' 'Yes, madam,' +replied _Antonet_, 'particularly well; for I have served her ever +since I was a girl of five years old, she being of the same age with +me, and sent at six years old both to a monastery; for she being fond +of my play her father sent me at that age with her, both to serve and +to divert her with babies and baubles; there we lived seven years +together, when an old rich _Spaniard_, the Count of _Clarinau_, fell +in love with my lady, and married her from the monastery, before she +had seen any part of the world beyond those sanctified walls. She +cried bitterly to have had me to _Cologne_ with her, but he said I was +too young now for her service, and so sent me away back to my own +town, which is this; and here my lady was born too, and is sister +to----' Here she stopped, fearing to tell; which _Sylvia_ perceiving, +with a briskness (which her indisposition one would have thought could +not have allowed) sat up in bed, and cried, 'Ha! sister to whom? Oh, +how thou wouldst please me to say to _Octavio_.' 'Why, madam, would it +please you?' said the blushing maid. 'Because,' said _Sylvia_, 'it +would in part revenge me on his bold addresses to me, and he would +also be obliged, in honour to his family, to revenge himself on +_Philander_.' 'Ah, madam,' said she, 'as to his presumption towards +you, fortune has sufficiently revenged it;' at this she hung down her +head, and looked very foolishly. 'How,' said _Sylvia_, smiling and +rearing herself yet more in her bed, 'is any misfortune arrived to +_Octavio_? Oh, how I will triumph and upbraid the daring man!----tell +me quickly what it is; for nothing would rejoice me more than to hear +he were punished a little.' Upon this _Antonet_ told her what an +unlucky night she had, how _Octavio_ was seized, and how he departed; +by which _Sylvia_ believed he had made some discovery of the cheat +that was put upon him; and that he only feigned illness to get himself +loose from her embraces; and now she falls to considering how she +shall be revenged on both her lovers: and the best she can pitch upon +is that of setting them both at odds, and making them fight and +revenge themselves on one another; but she, like a right woman, could +not dissemble her resentment of jealousy, whatever art she had to do +so in any other point; but mad to ease her soul that was full, and to +upbraid _Philander_, she writes him a letter; but not till she had +once more, to make her stark-mad, read his over again, which he sent +_Octavio_. + +SYLVIA _to_ PHILANDER. + +Yes, perjured villain, at last all thy perfidy is arrived to my +knowledge; and thou hadst better have been damned, or have fallen, +like an ungrateful traitor, as thou art, under the public shame of +dying by the common executioner, than have fallen under the grasp of +my revenge; insatiate as thy lust, false as thy treasons to thy +prince, fatal as thy destiny, loud as thy infamy, and bloody as thy +party. Villain, villain, where got you the courage to use me thus, +knowing my injuries and my spirit? Thou seest, base traitor, I do not +fall on thee with treachery, as thou hast with thy king and mistress; +to which thou hast broken thy holy vows of allegiance and eternal +love! But thou that hast broken the laws of God and nature! What could +I expect, when neither religion, honour, common justice nor law could +bind thee to humanity? Thou that betrayest thy prince, abandonest thy +wife, renouncest thy child, killest thy mother, ravishest thy sister, +and art in open rebellion against thy native country, and very kindred +and brothers. Oh after this, what must the wretch expect who has +believed thee, and followed thy abject fortunes, the miserable +out-cast slave, and contempt of the world? What could she expect but +that the villain is still potent in the unrepented, and all the lover +dead and gone, the vice remains, and all the virtue vanished! Oh, what +could I expect from such a devil, so lost in sin and wickedness, that +even those for whom he ventured all his fame, and lost his fortune, +lent like a state-cully upon the public faith, on the security of +rogues, knaves and traitors; even those, I say, turned him out of +their councils for a reprobate too lewd for the villainous society? Oh +cursed that I was, by heaven and fate, to be blind and deaf to all thy +infamy, and suffer thy adorable bewitching face and tongue to charm me +to madness and undoing, when that was all thou hadst left thee, thy +false person, to cheat the silly, easy, fond, believing world into any +sort of opinion of thee; for not one good principle was left, not one +poor virtue to guard thee from damnation, thou hadst but one friend +left thee, one true, on real friend, and that was wretched _Sylvia_; +she, when all abandoned thee but the executioner, fled with thee, +suffered with thee, starved with thee, lost her fame and honour with +thee, lost her friends, her parents, and all her beauty's hopes for +thee; and, in lieu of all, found only the accusation of all the good, +the hate of all the virtuous, the reproaches of her kindred, the scorn +of all chaste maids, and curses of all honest wives; and in requital +had only thy false vows, thy empty love, thy faithless embraces, and +cold dissembling kisses. My only comfort was, (ah miserable comfort,) +to fancy they were true; now that it is departed too, and I have +nothing but a brave revenge left in the room of all! In which I will +be as merciless and irreligious as even thou hast been in all thy +actions; and there remains about me only this sense of honour yet, +that I dare tell thee of my bold design, a bravery thou hast never +shewed to me, who takest me unawares, stabb'st me without a warning of +the blow; so would'st thou serve thy king hadst thou but power; and so +thou servest thy mistress. When I look back even to thy infancy, thy +life has been but one continued race of treachery, and I, (destined +thy evil genius) was born for thy tormentor; for thou hast made a very +fiend of me, and I have hell within; all rage, all torment, fire, +distraction, madness; I rave, I burn, I tear myself and faint, am +still a dying, but can never fall till I have grasped thee with me: +oh, I should laugh in flames to see thee howling by: I scorn thee, +hate thee, loathe thee more than ever I have loved thee; and hate +myself so much for ever loving thee, (to be revenged upon the filthy +criminal) I will expose myself to all the world, cheat, jilt and +flatter all as thou hast done, and having not one sense or grain of +honour left, will yield the abandoned body thou hast rifled to every +asking fop: nor is that all, for they that purchase this shall buy it +at the price of being my _bravoes_. And all shall aid in my revenge on +thee; all merciless and as resolved as I; as I! The injured + +SYLVIA. + +Having shot this flash of the lightning of her soul, and finished her +rant, she found herself much easier in the resolves on revenge she had +fixed there: she scorned by any vain endeavour to recall him from his +passion; she had wit enough to have made those eternal observations, +that love once gone is never to be retrieved, and that it was +impossible to cease loving, and then again to love the same person; +one may believe for some time one's love is abated, but when it comes +to a trial, it shews itself as vigorous as in its first shine, and +finds its own error; but when once one comes to love a new object, it +can never return with more than pity, compassion, or civility for the +first: this is a most certain truth which all lovers will find, as +most wives may experience, and which our _Sylvia_ now took for +granted, and gave him over for dead to all but her revenge. Though +fits of softness, weeping, raving, and tearing, would by turns seize +the distracted abandoned beauty, in which extremities she has recourse +to scorn and pride, too feeble to aid her too often: the first thing +she resolved on, by the advice of her reasonable counsellor, was to +hear love at both ears, no matter whether she regard it or not, but to +hear all, as a remedy against loving one in particular; for it is most +certain, that the use of hearing love, or of making love (though at +first without design) either in women or men, shall at last unfix the +most confirmed and constant resolution. 'And since you are assured,' +continued _Antonet_, 'that sighs nor tears bring back the wandering +lover, and that dying for him will be no revenge on him, but rather a +kind assurance that you will no more trouble the man who is already +weary of you, you ought, with all your power, industry and reason, +rather to seek the preservation of that beauty, of that fine humour, +to serve you on all occasions, either of revenge or love, than by a +foolish and insignificant concern and sorrow reduce yourself to the +condition of being scorned by all, or at best but pitied.' 'How +pitied!' cried the haughty _Sylvia_. 'Is there any thing so +insupportable to our sex as pity!' 'No surely,' replied the servant, +'when 'tis accompanied by love: oh what blessed comfort 'tis to hear +people cry--"she was once charming, once a beauty." Is any thing more +grating, madam?' At this rate she ran on, and left nothing unsaid that +might animate the angry _Sylvia_ to love anew, or at least to receive +and admit of love; for in that climate the air naturally breeds +spirits avaricious, and much inclines them to the love of money, which +they will gain at any price or hazard; and all this discourse to +_Sylvia_, was but to incline the revengeful listening beauty to admit +of the addresses of _Octavio_, because she knew he would make her +fortune. Thus was the unhappy maid left by her own unfortunate +conduct, encompassed in on every side with distraction; and she was +pointed out by fate to be made the most wretched of all her sex; nor +had she left one faithful friend to advise or stay her youth in its +hasty advance to ruin; she hears the persuading eloquence of the +flattering maid, and finds now nothing so prevalent on her soul as +revenge, and nothing soothes it more; and among all her lovers, or +those at least that she knew adored her, none was found so proper an +instrument as the noble _Octavio_, his youth, his wit, his gallantry, +but above all his fortune pleads most powerfully with her; so that she +resolves upon the revenge, and fixes him the man; whom she now knew by +so many obligations was obliged to serve her turn on _Philander_: thus +_Sylvia_ found a little tranquillity, such as it was, in hope of +revenge, while the passionate _Octavio_ was wrecked with a thousand +pains and torments, such as none but jilted lovers can imagine; and +having a thousand times resolved to hate her, and as often to love on, +in spite of all----after a thousand arguments against her, and as many +in favour of her, he arrived only to this knowledge, that his love was +extreme, and that he had no power over his heart; that honour, fame, +interest, and whatever else might oppose his violent flame, were all +too weak to extinguish the least spark of it, and all the conquest he +could get of himself was, that he suffered all his torment, all the +hell of raging jealousy grown to confirmation, and all the pangs of +absence for that whole day, and had the courage to live on the rack +without easing one moment of his agony by a letter or billet, which in +such cases discharges the burden and pressures of the love-sick heart; +and _Sylvia_, who dressed, and suffered herself wholly to be carried +away by her vengeance, expected him with as much impatience as ever +she did the coming of the once adorable _Philander_, though with a +different passion; but all the live-long day passed in expectation of +him, and no lover appeared; no not so much as a billet, nor page at +her up-rising to ask her health; so that believing he had been very +ill indeed, from what _Antonet_ told her of his being so all night, +and fearing now that it was no discovery of the cheat put upon him by +the exchange of the maid for the mistress, but real sickness, she +resolved to send to him, and the rather because _Antonet_ assured her +he was really sick, and in a cold damp sweat all over his face and +hands which she touched, and that from his infinite concern at the +defeat, the extreme respect he shewed her in midst of all the rage at +his own disappointment, and every circumstance, she knew it was no +feigned thing for any discovery he had made: on this confirmation, +from a maid cunning enough to distinguish truth from flattery, she +writ _Octavio_ this letter at night. + +SYLVIA _to_ OCTAVIO. + +After such a parting from a maid so entirely kind to you, she might at +least have hoped the favour of a billet from you, to have informed her +of your health; unless you think that after we have surrendered all, +we are of the humour of most of your sex, who despise the obliger; but +I believed you a man above the little crimes and levities of your +race; and I am yet so hard to be drawn from that opinion, I am willing +to flatter myself, that 'tis yet some other reason that has hindered +you from visiting me since, or sending me an account of your recovery, +which I am too sensible of to believe was feigned, and which indeed +has made me so tender, that I easily forgive all the disappointment I +received from it, and beg you will not afflict yourself at any loss +you sustained by it, since I am still so much the same I was, to be as +sensible as before of all the obligations I have to you; send me word +immediately how you do, for on that depends a great part of the +happiness of + +SYLVIA. + +You may easily see by this letter she was not in a humour of either +writing love or much flattery; for yet she knew not how she ought to +resent this absence in all kinds from _Octavio_, and therefore with +what force she could put upon a soul, too wholly taken up with the +thoughts of another, more dear and more afflicting, she only writ this +to fetch one from him, that by it she might learn part of his +sentiment of her last action, and sent her page with it to him; who, +as was usual, was carried directly up to _Octavio_, whom he found in a +gallery, walking in a most dejected posture, without a band, unbraced, +his arms a-cross his open breast, and his eyes bent to the floor; and +not taking any notice when the pages entered, his own was forced to +pull him by the sleeve before he would look up, and starting from a +thousand thoughts that oppressed him almost to death, he gazed wildly +about him, and asked their business: when the page delivered him the +letter, he took it, but with such confusion as he had much ado to +support himself; but resolving not to shew his feebleness to her page, +he made a shift to get a wax-light that was on the table, and read it; +and was not much amazed at the contents, believing she was pursuing +the business of her sex and life, and jilting him on; (for such was +his opinion of all women now); he forced a smile of scorn, though his +soul were bursting, and turning to the page gave him a liberal reward, +as was his daily use when he came, and mustered up so much courage as +to force himself to say--'Child, tell your lady it requires no answer; +you may tell her too, that I am in perfect good health--' He was +oppressed to speak more, but sighs stopped him, and his former +resolution, wholly to abandon all correspondence with her, checked his +forward tongue, and he walked away to prevent himself from saying +more: while the page, who wondered at this turn of love, after a +little waiting, departed; and when _Octavio_ had ended his walk, and +turned, and saw him gone, his heart felt a thousand pangs not to be +borne or supported; he was often ready to recall him, and was angry +the boy did not urge him for an answer. He read the letter again, and +wonders at nothing now after her last night's action, though all was +riddle to him: he found it was writ to some happier man than himself, +however he chanced to have it by mistake; and turning to the outside, +viewed the superscription, where there happened to be none at all, for +_Sylvia_ writ in haste, and when she did it, it was the least of her +thoughts: and now he believed he had found out the real mystery, that +it was not meant to him; he therefore calls his page, whom he sent +immediately after that of _Sylvia_, who being yet below (for the lads +were laughing together for a moment) he brought him to his distracted +lord; who nevertheless assumed a mildness to the innocent boy, and +cried, 'My child, thou hast mistaken the person to whom thou shouldst +have carried the letter, and I am sorry I opened it; pray return it to +the happy man it was meant to,' giving him the letter. 'My lord,' +replied the boy, 'I do not use to carry letters to any but your +lordship: it is the footmen's business to do that to other persons.' +'It is a mistake, where ever it lies,' cried _Octavio_, sighing, +'whether in thee, or thy lady----' So turning from the wondering boy +he left him to return with his letter to his lady, who grew mad at the +relation of what she heard from the page, and notwithstanding the +torment she had upon her soul, occasioned by _Philander_, she now +found she had more to endure, and that in spite of all her love-vows +and resentments, she had something for _Octavio_ to which she could +not give a name; she fancies it all pride, and concern for the +indignity put on her beauty: but whatever it was, this slight of his +so wholly took up her soul, that she had for some time quite forgot +_Philander_, or when she did think on him it was with less resentment +than of this affront; she considers _Philander_ with some excuse now; +as having long been possessed of a happiness he might grow weary of; +but a new lover, who had for six months incessantly lain at her feet, +imploring, dying, vowing, weeping, sighing, giving and acting all +things the most passionate of men was capable of, or that love could +inspire, for him to be at last admitted to the possession of the +ravishing object of his vows and soul, to be laid in her bed, nay in +her very arms (as she imagined he thought) and then, even before +gathering the roses he came to pluck, before he had begun to compose +or finished his nosegay, to depart the happy paradise with a disgust, +and such a disgust, as first to oblige him to dissemble sickness, and +next fall even from all his civilities, was a contempt she was not +able to bear; especially from him, of whom all men living, she +designed to make the greatest property of, as most fit for her revenge +of all degrees and sorts: but when she reflected with reason, (which +she seldom did, for either love or rage blinded that) she could not +conceive it possible that _Octavio_ could be fallen so suddenly from +all his vows and professions, but on some very great provocation: +sometimes she thinks he tempted her to try her virtue to _Philander_, +and being a perfect honourable friend, hates her for her levity; but +she considers his presents, and his unwearied industry, and believes +he would not at that expense have bought a knowledge which could +profit neither himself nor _Philander_; then she believes some +disgusted scent, or something about _Antonet_, might disoblige him; +but having called the maid, conjuring her to tell her whether any +thing passed between her and _Octavio_; she again told her lady the +whole truth, in which there could be no discovery of infirmity there; +she embraced her, she kissed her bosom, and found her touches soft, +her breath and bosom sweet as any thing in nature could be; and now +lost almost in a confusion of thought, she could not tell what to +imagine; at last she being wholly possessed that all the fault was not +in _Octavio_, (for too often we believe as we hope) she concludes that +_Antonet_ has told him all the cheat she put upon him: this last +thought pleased her, because it seemed the most probable, and was the +most favourable to herself; and a thought that, if true, could not do +her any injury with him. This set her heart a little to rights, and +she grew calm with a belief, that if so it was, as now she doubted +not, a sight of her, or a future hope from her, would calm all his +discontent, and beget a right understanding; she therefore resolves to +write to him, and own her little fallacy: but before she did so, +_Octavio_, whose passion was violent as ever in his soul, though it +was oppressed with a thousand torments, and languished under as many +feeble resolutions, burst at last into all its former softness, and he +resolves to write to the false fair one, and upbraid her with her last +night's infidelity; nor could he sleep till he had that way charmed +his senses, and eased his sick afflicted soul. It being now ten at +night, and he retired to his chamber, he set himself down and writ +this. + +OCTAVIO _to_ SYLVIA. + +_Madam_, + +You have at last taught me a perfect knowledge of myself; and in one +unhappy night made me see all the follies and vanities of my soul, +which self-love and fond imagination had too long rendered that way +guilty; long long! I have played the fop as others do, and shewed the +gaudy monsieur, and set a value on my worthless person for being well +dressed, as I believed, and furnished out for conquest, by being the +gayest coxcomb in the town, where, even as I passed, perhaps, I +fancied I made advances on some wishing hearts, and vain, with but +imaginary victory, I still fooled on----and was at last undone; for I +saw _Sylvia_, the charming faithless _Sylvia_, a beauty that one would +have thought had had the power to have cured the fond disease of +self-conceit and foppery, since love, they say, is a remedy against +those faults of youth; but still my vanity was powerful in me, and +even this beauty too I thought it not impossible to vanquish, and +still dressed on, and took a mighty care to shew myself--a blockhead, +curse upon me, while you were laughing at my industry, and turned the +fancying fool to ridicule, oh, he deserved it well, most wondrous +well, for but believing any thing about him could merit but a serious +thought from _Sylvia_. _Sylvia_! whose business is to laugh at all; +yet love, that is my sin and punishment, reigns still as absolutely in +my soul, as when I wished and hoped and longed for mighty blessings +you could give; yes, I still love! Only this wretchedness is fixed to +it, to see those errors which I cannot shun; my love is as high, but +all my wishes gone; my passion still remains entire and raving, but no +desire; I burn, I die, but do not wish to hope; I would be all +despair, and, like a martyr, am vain and proud even in suffering. Yes, +_Sylvia_--when you made me wise, you made me wretched too: before, +like a false worshipper, I only saw the gay, the gilded side of the +deceiving idol; but now it is fallen----discovers all the cheat, and +shews a god no more; and it is in love as in religion too, there is +nothing makes their votaries truly happy but being well deceived: for +even in love itself, harmless and innocent, as it is by nature, there +needs a little art to hide the daily discontents and torments, that +fears, distrusts and jealousies create; a little soft dissimulation is +needful; for where the lover is easy, he is most constant. But oh, +when love itself is defective too, and managed by design and little +interest, what cunning, oh what cautions ought the fair designer then +to call to her defence; yet I confess your plot----still charming +_Sylvia_, was subtly enough contrived, discreetly carried on----the +shades of night, the happy lover's refuge, favoured you too; it was +only fate was cruel, fate that conducted me in an unlucky hour; dark +as it was, and silent too the night, I saw----Yes, faithless fair, I +saw I was betrayed; by too much faith, by too much love undone, I saw +my fatal ruin and your perfidy; and, like a tame ignoble sufferer, +left you without revenge! + +I must confess, oh thou deceiving fair one, I never could pretend to +what I wished, and yet methinks, because I know my heart, and the +entire devotion, that is paid you, I merited at least not to have been +imposed upon; but after so dishonourable an action, as the betraying +the secret of my friend, it was but just that I should be betrayed, +and you have paid me well, deservedly well, and that shall make me +silent, and whatsoever I suffer, however I die, however I languish out +my wretched life, I'll bear my sighs where you shall never hear them, +nor the reproaches my complaints express: live thou a punishment to +vain, fantastic, hoping youth, live, and advance in cunning and +deceit, to make the fond believing men more wise, and teach the women +new arts of falsehood, till they deceive so long, that man may hate, +and set as vast a distance between sex and sex, as I have resolved (oh +_Sylvia_) thou shalt be for ever from OCTAVIO. + +This letter came just as _Sylvia_ was going to write to him, of which +she was extremely glad; for all along there was nothing expressed that +could make her think he meant any other than the cheat she put upon +him in _Antonet_ instead of herself: and it was some ease to her mind +to be assured of the cause of his anger and absence, and to find her +own thought confirmed, that he had indeed discovered the truth of the +matter: she knew, since that was all, she could easily reconcile him +by a plain confession, and giving him new hopes; she therefore writes +this answer to him, which she sent by his page, who waited for it. + +SYLVIA _to_ OCTAVIO. + +I own, too angry, and too nice _Octavio_, the crime you charge me +with; and did believe a person of your gallantry, wit and gaiety, +would have passed over so little a fault, with only reproaching me +pleasantly; I did not expect so grave a reproof, or rather so serious +an accusation. Youth has a thousand follies to answer for, and cannot +_Octavio_ pardon one sally of it in _Sylvia_? I rather expected to +have seen you early here this morning, pleasantly rallying my little +perfidy, than to find you railing at a distance at it; calling it by a +thousand names that does not merit half this malice: and sure you do +not think me so poor in good nature, but I could, some other coming +hour, have made you amends for those you lost last night, possibly I +could have wished myself with you at the same time; and had I, +perhaps, followed my inclination, I had made you happy as you wished; +but there were powerful reasons that prevented me. I conjure you to +let me see you, where I will make a confession of my last night's sin, +and give such arguments to convince you of the necessity of it, as +shall absolutely reconcile you to love, hope, and SYLVIA. + +It being late, she only sent this short billet: and not hoping that +night to see him, she went to bed, after having inquired the health of +_Brilliard_, who she heard was very ill; and that young defeated +lover, finding it impossible to meet _Octavio_ as he had promised, not +to fight him, but to ask his pardon for his mistake, made a shift, +with much ado, to write him a note, which was this: + +_My Lord_, + +I confess my yesterday's rudeness, and beg you will give me a pardon +before I leave the world; for I was last night taken violently ill, +and am unable to wait on your lordship, to beg what this most +earnestly does for your lordship's most devoted servant, + +BRILLIARD. + +This billet, though it signified nothing to _Octavio_, it served +_Sylvia_ afterwards to very good use and purpose, as a little time +shall make appear. And _Octavio_ received these two notes from +_Brilliard_ and _Sylvia_ at the same time; the one he flung by +regardless, the other he read with inifinite pain, scorn, hate, +indignation, all at once stormed in his heart, he felt every passion +there but that of love, which caused them all; if he thought her false +and ungrateful before, he now thinks her fallen to the lowest degree +of lewdness, to own her crime with such impudence; he fancies now he +is cured of love, and hates her absolutely, thinks her below even his +scorn, and puts himself to bed, believing he shall sleep as well as +before he saw the light, the foolish _Sylvia_: but oh he boasts in +vain, the light, the foolish _Sylvia_ was charming still; still all +the beauty appeared; even in his slumbers the angel dawned about him, +and all the fiend was laid: he sees her lovely face, but the false +heart is hid; he hears her charming wit, but all the cunning is +hushed: he views the motions of her delicate body, without regard to +those of her mind; he thinks of all the tender words she has given +him, in which the jilting part is lost, and all forgotten; or, if by +chance it crossed his happier thought, he rolls and tumbles in his +bed, he raves and calls upon her charming name, till he have quite +forgot it, and takes all the pains he can to deceive his own heart: oh +it is a tender part, and can endure no hurt; he soothes it therefore, +and at the worst resolves, since the vast blessing may be purchased, +to revel in delight, and cure himself that way: these flattering +thoughts kept him all night waking, and in the morning he resolves his +visit; but taking up her letter, which lay on the table, he read it +over again, and, by degrees, wrought himself up to madness at the +thought that _Sylvia_ was possessed: _Philander_ he could bear with +little patience, but that, because before he loved or knew her, he +could allow; but this----this wrecks his very soul; and in his height +of fury, he writes this letter without consideration. + +OCTAVIO _to_ SYLVIA. + +Since you profess yourself a common mistress, and set up for the +glorious trade of sin, send me your price, and I perhaps may purchase +damnation at your rate. May be you have a method in your dealing, and +I have mistook you all this while, and dealt not your way; instruct my +youth, great mistress of the art, and I shall be obedient; tell me +which way I may be happy too, and put in for an adventurer; I have a +stock of ready youth and money; pray, name your time and sum for +hours, or nights, or months; I will be in at all, or any, as you shall +find leisure to receive the impatient _Octavio_. + +This in a mad moment he writ, and sent it ere he had considered +farther; and _Sylvia_, who expected not so coarse and rough a return, +grew as mad as he in reading it; and she had much ado to hold her +hands off from beating the innocent page that brought it: to whom she +turned with fire in her eyes, flames in her cheeks, and thunder on her +tongue, and cried, 'Go tell your master that he is a villain; and if +you dare approach me any more from him, I'll have my footmen whip +you:' and with a scorn, that discovered all the indignation in the +world, she turned from him, and, tearing his note, threw it from her, +and walked her way: and the page, thunder-struck, returned to his +lord, who by this time was repenting he had managed his passion no +better, and at what the boy told him was wholly convinced of his +error; he now considered her character and quality, and accused +himself of great indiscretion; and as he was sitting the most dejected +melancholy man on earth, reflecting on his misfortune, the post +arrived with letters from _Philander_, which he opened, and laying by +that which was enclosed for _Sylvia_, he read that from _Philander_ to +himself. + +PHILANDER _to_ OCTAVIO. + +There is no pain, my dear _Octavio_, either in love or friendship, +like that of doubt; and I confess myself guilty of giving it you, in a +great measure, by my silence the last post; but having business of so +much greater concern to my heart than even writing to _Octavio_, I +found myself unable to pursue any other; and I believe you could too +with the less impatience bear with my neglect, having affairs of the +same nature there; our circumstances and the business of our hearts +then being so resembling, methinks I have as great an impatience to be +recounting to you the story of my love and fortune, as I am to receive +that of yours, and to know what advances you have made in the heart of +the still charming _Sylvia_! Though there will be this difference in +the relations; mine, whenever I recount it, will give you a double +satisfaction; first from the share your friendship makes you have in +all the pleasures of _Philander_; and next that it excuses _Sylvia_, +if she can be false to me for _Octavio_; and still advances his design +on her heart: but yours, whenever I receive it, will give me a +thousand pains, which it is however but just I should feel, since I +was the first breaker of the solemn league and covenant made between +us; which yet I do, by all that is sacred, with a regret that makes me +reflect with some repentance in all those moments, wherein I do not +wholly give my soul up to love, and the more beautiful _Calista_; yes +more, because new. + +In my last, my dear _Octavio_, you left me pursuing, like a +knight-errant, a beauty enchanted within some invisible tree, or +castle, or lake, or any thing inaccessible, or rather wandering in a +dream after some glorious disappearing phantom: and for some time +indeed I knew not whether I slept or waked. I saw daily the good old +Count of _Clarinau_, of whom I durst not so much as ask a civil +question towards the satisfaction of my soul; the page was sent into +_Holland_ (with some express to a brother-in-law of the Count's) of +whom before I had the intelligence of a fair young wife to the old +lord his master; and for the rest of the servants they spoke all +_Spanish_, and the devil a word we understood each other; so that it +was impossible to learn any thing farther from them; and I found I was +to owe all my good fortune to my own industry, but how to set it +a-working I could not devise; at last it happened, that being walking +in the garden which had very high walls on three sides, and a fine +large apartment on the other, I concluded that it was in that part of +the house my fair new conqueress resided, but how to be resolved I +could not tell, nor which way the windows looked that were to give the +light, towards that part of the garden there was none; at last I saw +the good old gentleman come trudging through the garden, fumbling out +of his pocket a key; I stepped into an arbour to observe him, and saw +him open a little door, that led him into another garden, and locking +the door after him vanished; and observing how that side of the +apartment lay, I went into the street, and after a large compass found +that which faced the garden, which made the fore-part of the +apartment. I made a story of some occasion I had for some upper rooms, +and went into many houses to find which fronted best the apartment, +and still disliked something, till I met with one so directly to it, +that I could, when I got a story higher, look into the very rooms, +which only a delicate garden parted from this by-street; there it was +I fixed, and learned from a young _Dutch_ woman that spoke good +_French_, that this was the very place I looked for: the apartment of +Madam, the Countess of _Clarinau_; she told me too, that every day +after dinner the old gentleman came thither, and sometimes a-nights; +and bewailed the young beauty, who had no better entertainment than +what an old withered _Spaniard_ of threescore and ten could give her. +I found this young woman apt for my purpose, and having very well +pleased her with my conversation, and some little presents I made her, +I left her in good humour, and resolved to serve me on any design; and +returning to my lodging, I found old _Clarinau_ returned, as brisk and +gay, as if he had been caressed by so fair and young a lady; which +very thought made me rave, and I had abundance of pain to with-hold my +rage from breaking out upon him, so jealous and envious was I of what +now I loved and desired a thousand times more than ever; since the +relation my new, young, female friend had given me, who had wit and +beauty sufficient to make her judgement impartial: however, I +contained my jealousy with the hopes of a sudden revenge; for I +fancied the business half accomplished in my knowledge of her +residence. I feigned some business to the old gentleman, that would +call me out of town for a week to consult with some of our party; and +taking my leave of him, he offered me the compliment of money, or what +else I should need in my affair, which at that time was not unwelcome +to I me; and being well furnished for my enterprise, I took horse +without a page or footman to attend me; because I pretended my +business was a secret, and taking a turn about the town in the +evening, I left my horse without the gates, and went to my secret new +quarters, where my young friend received me with the joy of a +mistress, and with whom indeed I could not forbear entertaining myself +very well, which engaged her more to my service, with the aid of my +liberality; but all this did not allay one spark of the fire kindled +in my soul for the lovely _Calista_; and I was impatient for night, +against which time I was preparing an engine to mount the battlement, +for so it was that divided the garden from the street, rather than a +wall: all things fitted to my purpose, I fixed myself at the window +that looked directly towards her sashes, and had the satisfaction to +see her leaning there, and looking on a fountain, that stood in the +midst of the garden, and cast a thousand little streams into the air, +that made a melancholy noise in falling into a large alabaster cistern +beneath: oh how my heart danced at the dear sight to all the tunes of +love! I had not power to stir or speak, or to remove my eyes, but +languished on the window where I leant half dead with joy and +transport; for she appeared more charming to my view; undressed and +fit for love; oh, my _Octavio_, such are the pangs which I believe +thou feelest at the approach of _Sylvia_, so beats thy heart, so rise +thy sighs and wishes, so trembling and so pale at every view, as I was +in this lucky amorous moment! And thus I fed my soul till night came +on, and left my eyes no object but my heart----a thousand dear ideas. +And now I sallied out, and with good success; for with a long engine +which reached the top of the wall, I fixed the end of my ladder there, +and mounted it, and sitting on the top brought my ladder easily up to +me, and turned over to the other side, and with abundance of ease +descended into the garden, which was the finest I had ever seen; for +now, as good luck would have it, who was designed to favour me, the +moon began to shine so bright, as even to make me distinguish the +colours of the flowers that dressed all the banks in ravishing order; +but these were not the beauty I came to possess, and my new thoughts +of disposing myself, and managing my matters, now took off all that +admiration that was justly due to so delightful a place, which art and +nature had agreed to render charming to every sense; thus much I +considered it, that there was nothing that did not invite to love; a +thousand pretty recesses of arbours, grotts and little artificial +groves; fountains, environed with beds of flowers, and little +rivulets, to whose dear fragrant banks a wishing amorous god would +make his soft retreat. After having ranged about, rather to seek a +covert on occasion, and to know the passes of the garden, which might +serve me in any extremity of surprise that might happen, I returned to +the fountain that faced _Calista_'s window, and leaning upon its +brink, viewed the whole apartment, which appeared very magnificent: +just against me I perceived a door that went into it, which while I +was considering how to get open I heard it unlock, and skulking behind +the large basin of the fountain (yet so as to mark who came out) I saw +to my unspeakable transport, the fair, the charming _Calista_ dressed +just as she was at the window, a loose gown of silver stuff lapped +about her delicate body, her head in fine night-clothes, and all +careless as my soul could wish; she came, and with her the old dragon; +and I heard her say in coming out--'This is too fine a night to sleep +in: prithee, _Dormina_, do not grudge me the pleasure of it, since +there are so very few that entertain _Calista_.' This last she spoke +with a sigh, and a languishment in her voice, that shot new flames of +love into my panting heart, and trilled through all my veins, while +she pursued her walk with the old gentlewoman; and still I kept myself +at such a distance to have them in my sight, but slid along the shady +side of the walk, where I could not be easily seen, while they kept +still on the shiny part: she led me thus through all the walks, +through all the maze of love; and all the way I fed my greedy eyes +upon the melancholy object of my raving desire; her shape, her gait, +her motion, every step, and every movement of her hand and head, had a +peculiar grace; a thousand times I was tempted to approach her, and +discover myself, but I dreaded the fatal consequence, the old woman +being by; nor knew I whether they did not expect the husband there; I +therefore waited with impatience when she would speak, that by that I +might make some discovery of my destiny that night; and after having +tired herself a little with walking, she sat down on a fine seat of +white marble, that was placed at the end of a grassy walk, and only +shadowed with some tall trees that ranked themselves behind it, +against one of which I leaned: there, for a quarter of an hour, they +sat as silent as the night, where only soft-breathed winds were heard +amongst the boughs, and softer sighs from fair _Calista_; at last the +old thing broke silence, who was almost asleep while she spoke. +'Madam, if you are weary, let us retire to bed, and not sit gazing +here at the moon.' 'To bed,' replied _Calista_, 'What should I do +there?' 'Marry sleep,' quoth the old gentlewoman; 'What should you +do?' 'Ah, _Dormina_,' (sighed _Calista_,) 'would age would seize me +too; for then perhaps I should find at least the pleasure of the old; +be dull and lazy, love to eat and sleep, not have my slumbers +disturbed with dreams more insupportable than my waking wishes; for +reason then suppresses rising thoughts, and the impossibility of +obtaining keeps the fond soul in order; but sleep----gives an +unguarded loose to soft desire, it brings the lovely phantom to my +view, and tempts me with a thousand charms to love; I see a face, a +mien, a shape, a look! Such as heaven never made, or any thing but +fond imagination! Oh, it was a wondrous vision!' 'For my part,' +replied the old one, 'I am such a heathen Christian, madam, as I do +not believe there are any such things as visions, or ghosts, or +phantoms: but your head runs of a young man, because you are married +to an old one; such an idea as you framed in your wishes possessed +your fancy, which was so strong (as indeed fancy will be sometimes) +that it persuaded you it was a very phantom or vision.' 'Let it be +fancy or vision, or whatever else you can give a name to,' replied +_Calista_, 'still it is that, that never ceased since to torture me +with a thousand pains; and prithee why, _Dormina_, is not fancy since +as powerful in me as it was before? Fancy has not been since so kind; +yet I have given it room for thought, which before I never did; I sat +whole hours and days, and fixed my soul upon the lovely figure; I know +its stature to an inch, tall and divinely made; I saw his hair, long, +black, and curling to his waist, all loose and flowing; I saw his +eyes, where all the _Cupids_ played, black, large, and sparkling, +piercing, loving, languishing; I saw his lips sweet, dimpled, red, and +soft; a youth complete in all, like early _May_, that looks, and +smells, and cheers above the rest: in fine, I saw him such as nothing +but the nicest fancy can imagine, and nothing can describe; I saw him +such as robs me of my rest, as gives me all the raging pains of love +(love I believe it is) without the joy of any single hope.' 'Oh, +madam,' said _Dormina_, 'that love will quickly die, which is not +nursed with hope, why that is its only food.' 'Pray heaven I find it +so,' replied _Calista_. At that she sighed as if her heart had broken, +and leaned her arm upon a rail of the end of the seat, and laid her +lovely cheek upon her hand, and so continued without speaking; while +I, who was not a little transported with what I heard, with infinite +pain with-held myself from kneeling at her feet, and prostrating +before her that happy phantom of which she had spoke so favourably; +but still I feared my fate, and to give any offence. While I was +amidst a thousand thoughts considering which to pursue, I could hear +_Dormina_ snoring as fast as could be, leaning at her ease on the +other end of the seat, supported by a wide marble rail; which +_Calista_ hearing also, turned and looked on her, then softly rose and +walked away to see how long she would sleep there, if not waked. Judge +now, my dear _Octavio_, whether love and fortune were not absolutely +subdued to my interest, and if all things did not favour my design: +the very thought of being alone with _Calista_, of making myself known +to her, of the opportunity she gave me by going from _Dormina_ into a +by-walk, the very joy of ten thousand hopes, that filled my soul in +that happy moment, which I fancied the most blessed of my life, made +me tremble all over; and with unassured steps I softly pursued the +object of my new desire: sometimes I even overtook her, and fearing to +fright her, and cause her to make some noise that might alarm the +sleeping _Dormina_, I slackened my pace, till in a walk, at the end of +which she was obliged to turn back, I remained, and suffered her to go +on; it was a walk of grass, broad, and at the end of it a little +arbour of greens, into which she went and sat down, looking towards +me; and methought she looked full at me; so that finding she made no +noise, I softly approached the door of the arbour at a convenient +distance; she then stood up in great amaze, as she after said; and I +kneeling down in an humble posture, cried--'Wonder not, oh sacred +charmer of my soul, to see me at your feet at this late hour, and in a +place so inaccessible; for what attempt is there so hazardous +despairing lovers dare not undertake, and what impossibility almost +can they not overcome? Remove your fears, oh conqueress of my soul; +for I am an humble mortal that adores you; I have a thousand wounds, a +thousand pains that prove me flesh and blood, if you would hear my +story: oh give me leave to approach you with that awe you do the +sacred altars; for my devotion is as pure as that which from your +charming lips ascends the heavens----' With such cant and stuff as +this, which lovers serve themselves with on occasion, I lessened the +terrors of the frighted beauty, and she soon saw, with joy in her +eyes, that I both was a mortal, and the same she had before seen in +the outward garden: I rose from my knees then, and with a joy that +wandered all over my body, trembling and panting I approached her, and +took her hand and kissed it with a transport that was almost ready to +lay me fainting at her feet, nor did she answer any thing to what I +had said, but with sighs suffered her hand to remain in mine; her eyes +she cast to earth, her breast heaved with nimble motions, and we both, +unable to support ourselves, sat down together on a green bank in the +arbour, where by the light we had, we gazed at each other, unable to +utter a syllable on either side. I confess, my dear _Octavio_, I have +felt love before, but do not know that ever I was possessed with such +pleasing pain, such agreeable languishment in all my life, as in those +happy moments with the fair _Calista_: and on the other, I dare answer +for the soft fair one; she felt a passion as tender as mine; which, +when she could recover her first transport, she expressed in such a +manner as has wholly charmed me: for with all the eloquence of young +angels, and all their innocence too, she said, she whispered, she +sighed the softest things that ever lover heard. I told you before she +had from her infancy been bred in a monastery, kept from the sight of +men, and knew no one art or subtlety of her sex; but in the very +purity of her innocence she appeared like the first-born maid in +Paradise, generously giving her soul away to the great lord of all, +the new-formed man, and nothing of her heart's dear thoughts she did +reserve, (but such as modest nature should conceal;) yet, if I touched +but on that tender part where honour dwelt, she had a sense too nice, +as it was a wonder to find so vast a store of that mixed with so soft +a passion. Oh what an excellent thing a perfect woman is, ere man has +taught her arts to keep her empire, by being himself inconstant! All I +could ask of love she freely gave, and told me every sentiment of her +heart, but it was in such a way, so innocently she confessed her +passion, that every word added new flames to mine, and made me raging +mad: at last, she suffered me to kiss with caution; but one begat +another,----that a number----and every one was an advance to +happiness; and I who knew my advantage, lost no time, but put each +minute to the properest use; now I embrace, clasp her fair lovely body +close to mine, which nothing parted but her shift and gown; my busy +hands find passage to her breasts, and give and take a thousand +nameless joys; all but the last I reaped; that heaven was still +denied; though she were fainting in my trembling arms, still she had +watching sense to guard that treasure: yet, in spite of all, a +thousand times I brought her to the very point of yielding; but oh she +begs and pleads with all the eloquence of love! tells me, that what +she had to give me she gave, but would not violate her marriage-vow; +no, not to save that life she found in danger with too much love, and +too extreme desire: she told me, that I had undone her quite; she +sighed, and wished that she had seen me sooner, ere fate had rendered +her a sacrifice to the embraces of old _Clarinau_; she wept with love, +and answered with a sob to every vow I made: thus by degrees she +wrought me to undoing, and made me mad in love. It was thus we passed +the night; we told the hasty hours, and cursed their coming: we told +from ten to three, and all that time seemed but a little minute: nor +would I let her go, who was as loath to part, till she had given me +leave to see her often there; I told her all my story of her conquest, +and how I came into the garden: she asked me pleasantly, if I were not +afraid of old _Clarinau_; I told her no, of nothing but of his being +happy with her, which thought I could not bear: she assured me I had +so little reason to envy him, that he rather deserved my compassion; +for that, her aversion was so extreme to him; his person, years, his +temper, and his diseases were so disagreeable to her, that she could +not dissemble her disgust, but gave him most evident proofs of it too +frequently ever since she had the misfortune of being his wife; but +that since she had seen the charming _Philander_, (for so we must let +her call him too) his company and conversation was wholly +insupportable to her; and but that he had ever used to let her have +four nights in the week her own, wherein he never disturbed her +repose, she should have been dead with his nasty entertainment: she +vowed she never knew a soft desire but for _Philander_, she never had +the least concern for any of his sex besides, and till she felt his +touches----took in his kisses, and suffered his dear embraces, she +never knew that woman was ordained for any joy with man, but fancied +it designed in its creation for a poor slave to be oppressed at +pleasure by the husband, dully to yield obedience and no more: but I +had taught her now, she said, to her eternal ruin, that there was more +in nature than she knew, or ever should, had she not seen _Philander_; +she knew not what dear name to call it by, but something in her blood, +something that panted in her heart, glowed in her cheeks, and +languished in her looks, told her she was not born for _Clarinau_, or +love would do her wrong: I soothed the thought, and urged the laws of +nature, the power of love, necessity of youth----and the wonder that +was yet behind, that ravishing something, which not love or kisses +could make her guess at; so beyond all soft imagination, that nothing +but a trial could convince her; but she resisted still, and still I +pleaded with all the subtlest arguments of love, words mixed with +kisses, sighing mixed with vows, but all in vain; religion was my foe, +and tyrant honour guarded all her charms: thus did we pass the night, +till the young morn advancing in the East forced us to bid adieu: +which oft we did, and oft we sighed and kissed, oft parted and +returned, and sighed again, and as she went away, she weeping, +cried,--wringing my hand in hers, 'Pray heaven, _Philander_, this dear +interview do not prove fatal to me; for oh, I find frail nature weak +about me, and one dear minute more would forfeit all my honour.' At +this she started from my trembling hand, and swept the walk like wind +so swift and sudden, and left me panting, sighing, wishing, dying, +with mighty love and hope: and after a little time I scaled my wall, +and returned unseen to my new lodging. It was four days after before I +could get any other happiness, but that of seeing her at her window, +which was just against mine, from which I never stirred, hardly to eat +or sleep, and that she saw with joy; for every morning I had a billet +from her, which we contrived that happy night should be conveyed me +thus--It was a by-street where I lodged, and the other side was only +the dead wall of her garden, where early in the morning she used to +walk; and having the billet ready, she put it with a stone into a +little leathern-purse, and tossed it over the wall, where either +myself from the window, or my young friend below waited for it, and +that way every morning and every evening she received one from me; but +'tis impossible to tell you the innocent passion she expressed in +them, innocent in that there was no art, no feigned nice folly to +express a virtue that was not in the soul; but all she spoke confessed +her heart's soft wishes. At last, (for I am tedious in a relation of +what gave me so much pleasure in the entertainment) at last, I say, I +received the happy invitation to come into the garden as before; and +night advancing for my purpose, I need not say that I delivered myself +upon the place appointed, which was by the fountain-side beneath her +chamber-window; towards which I cast, you may believe, many a longing +look: the clock struck ten, eleven, and then twelve, but no dear star +appeared to conduct me to my happiness; at last I heard the little +garden-door (against the fountain) open, and saw _Calista_ there +wrapped in her night-gown only: I ran like lightning to her arms, with +all the transports of an eager lover, and almost smothered myself in +her warm rising breast; for she taking me in her arms let go her gown, +which falling open, left nothing but her shift between me and all her +charming body. But she bid me hear what she had to say before I +proceeded farther; she told me she was forced to wait till _Dormina_ +was asleep, who lay in her chamber, and then stealing the key, she +came softly down to let me in. 'But,' said she, 'since I am all +undressed, and cannot walk in the garden with you, will you promise +me, on love and honour, to be obedient to all my commands, if I carry +you to my chamber? for _Dormina_'s sleep is like death itself; +however, lest she chance to awake, and should take an occasion to +speak to me, it were absolutely necessary that I were there; for since +I served her such a trick the other night, and let her sleep so long, +she will not let me walk late.' A very little argument persuaded me to +yield to any thing to be with _Calista_ any where; so that both +returning softly to her chamber, she put herself into bed, and left me +kneeling on the carpet: but it was not long that I remained so; from +the dear touches of her hands and breast we came to kisses, and so +equally to a forgetfulness of all we had promised and agreed on +before, and broke all rules and articles that were not in the favour +of love; so that stripping myself by degrees, while she with an +unwilling force made some feeble resistance, I got into the arms of +the most charming woman that ever nature made; she was all over +perfection; I dare not tell you more; let it suffice she was all that +luxurious man could wish, and all that renders woman fine and +ravishing. About two hours thus was my soul in rapture, while +sometimes she reproached me, but so gently, that it was to bid me +still be false and perjured, if these were the effects of it; 'If +disobedience have such wondrous charms, may I,' said she, 'be still +commanding thee, and thou still disobeying.' While thus we lay with +equal ravishment, we heard a murmuring noise at a distance, which we +knew not what to make of, but it grew still louder and louder, but +still at a distance too; this first alarmed us, and I was no sooner +persuaded to rise, but I heard a door unlock at the side of the bed, +which was not that by which I entered; for that was at the other end +of the chamber towards the window. 'Oh heavens,' said the fair +frighted trembler, 'here is the Count of _Clarinau_.' For he always +came up that way, and those stairs by which I ascended were the +back-stairs; so that I had just time to grope my way towards the door, +without so much as taking my clothes with me; never was any amorous +adventurer in so lamentable a condition, I would fain have turned upon +him, and at once have hindered him from entering with my sword in my +hand, and secured him from ever disturbing my pleasure any more; but +she implored I would not, and in this minute's dispute he came so near +me, that he touched me as I glided from him; but not being acquainted +very well with the chamber, having never seen my way, I lighted in my +passage on _Dormina_'s pallet-bed, and threw myself quite over her to +the chamber-door, which made a damnable clattering, and awaking +_Dormina_ with my catastrophe, she set up such a bawl, as frighted and +alarmed the old Count, who was just taking in a candle from his +footman, who had lighted it at his flambeau: So that hearing the +noise, and knowing it must be some body in the chamber, he let fall +his candle in the fright, and called his footman in with the flambeau, +draws his Toledo, which he had in his hand, and wrapped in his +night-gown, with three or four woollen caps one upon the top of +another, tied under his tawny, leathern chops, he made a very pleasant +figure, and such a one as had like to have betrayed me by laughing at +it; he closely pursued me, though not so close as to see me before +him; yet so as not to give me time to ascend the wall, or to make my +escape up or down any walk, which were straight and long, and not able +to conceal any body from pursuers, approached so near as the Count was +to me: what should I do? I was naked, unarmed, and no defence against +his jealous rage; and now in danger of my life, I knew not what to +resolve on; yet I swear to you, _Octavio_, even in that minute (which +I thought my last) I had no repentance of the dear sin, or any other +fear, but that which possessed me for the fair _Calista_; and calling +upon _Venus_ and her son for my safety (for I had scarce a thought yet +of any other deity) the sea-born queen lent me immediate aid, and ere +I was aware of it, I touched the fountain, and in the same minute +threw myself into the water, which a mighty large basin or cistern of +white marble contained, of a compass that forty men might have hid +themselves in it; they had pursued me so hard, they fancied they heard +me press the gravel near the fountain, and with the torch they +searched round about it, and beat the fringing flowers that grew +pretty high about the bottom of it, while I sometimes dived, and +sometimes peeped up to take a view of my busy coxcomb, who had like to +have made me burst into laughter many times to see his figure; the +dashing of the stream, which continually fell from the little pipes +above in the basin, hindered him from hearing the noise I might +possibly have made by my swimming in it: after he had surveyed it +round without-side, he took the torch in his own hand, and surveyed +the water itself, while I dived, and so long forced to remain so, that +I believed I had escaped his sword to die that foolisher way; but just +as I was like to expire, he departed muttering, that he was sure some +body did go out before him; and now he searched every walk and arbour +of the garden, while like a fish I lay basking in element still, not +daring to adventure out, lest his hasty return should find me on the +wall, or in my passage over: I thanked my stars he had not found the +ladder, so that at last returning to _Calista_'s chamber, after +finding no body, he desired (as I heard the next morning) to know what +the matter was in her chamber: but _Calista_, who till now never knew +an art, had before he came laid her bed in order, and taken up my +clothes, and put them between her bed and quilt; not forgetting any +one thing that belonged to me, she was laid as fast asleep as +innocence itself; so that _Clarinau_ awaking her, she seemed as +surprised and ignorant of all, as if she had indeed been innocent; so +that _Dormina_ now remained the only suspected person; who being asked +what she could say concerning that uproar she made, she only said, as +she thought, that she dreamed His Honour fell out of the bed upon her, +and awaking in a fright she found it was but a dream, and so she fell +asleep again till he awaked her whom she wondered to see there at that +hour; he told them that while they were securely sleeping he was like +to have been burned in his bed, a piece of his apartment being burned +down, which caused him to come thither; but he made them both swear +that there was no body in the chamber of _Calista_, before he would be +undeceived; for he vowed he saw something in the garden, which, to his +thinking, was all white, and it vanished on the sudden behind the +fountain, and we could see no more of it. _Calista_ dissembled +abundance of fear, and said she would never walk after candlelight for +fear of that ghost; and so they passed the rest of the night, while I, +all wet and cold, got me to my lodging unperceived, for my young +friend had left the door open for me. + +Thus, dear _Octavio_, I have sent you a novel, instead of a letter, of +my first most happy adventure, of which I must repeat thus much again, +that of all the enjoyments I ever had, I was never so perfectly well +entertained for two hours, and I am waiting with infinite patience for +a second encounter. I shall be extremely glad to hear what progress +you have made in your amour; for I have lost all for _Sylvia_, but the +affection of a brother, with that natural pity we have for those we +have undone; for my heart, my soul and body are all _Calista_'s, the +bright, the young, the witty, the gay, the fondly-loving _Calista_: +only some reserve I have in all for _Octavio_. Pardon this long +history, for it is a sort of acting all one's joys again, to be +telling them to a friend so dear, as is the gallant _Octavio_ to + +PHILANDER. + +POSTSCRIPT. + +_I should, for some reasons that concern my safety, have quitted Ms +town before, but I am chained to it, and no sense of danger while_ +Calista _compels my stay._ + +If _Octavio_'s trouble was great before, from but his fear of +_Calista_'s yielding, what must it be now, when he found all his fears +confirmed? The pressures of his soul were too extreme before, and the +concern he had for _Sylvia_ had brought it to the highest tide of +grief; so that this addition overwhelmed it quite, and left him no +room for rage; no, it could not discharge itself so happily, but bowed +and yielded to all the extremes of love, grief, and sense of honour; +he threw himself upon his bed, and lay without sense or motion for a +whole hour, confused with thought, and divided in his concern, half +for a mistress false, and half for a sister loose and undone; by turns +the sister and the mistress torture; by turns they break his heart: he +had this comfort left before, that if _Calista_ were undone, her ruin +made way for his love and happiness with _Sylvia_, but now----he had +no prospect left that could afford any ease; he changes from one sad +object to another, from _Sylvia_ to _Calista_, then back to _Sylvia_; +but like to feverish men that toss about here and there, remove for +some relief, he shifts but to new pain, wherever he turns he finds the +madman still: in this distraction of thought he remained till a page +from _Sylvia_ brought him this letter, which in midst of all, he +started from his bed with excess of joy, and read. + +SYLVIA _to_ OCTAVIO. + +_My Lord_, + +After your last affront by your page, I believe it will surprise you +to receive any thing from _Sylvia_ but scorn and disdain: but, my +lord, the interest you have by a thousand ways been so long making in +my heart, cannot so soon be cancelled by a minute's offence; and every +action of your life has been too generous to make me think you writ +what I have received, at least you are not well in your senses: I have +committed a fault against your love, I must confess, and am not +ashamed of the little cheat I put upon you in bringing you to bed to +_Antonet_ instead of _Sylvia_: I was ashamed to be so easily won, and +took it ill your passion was so mercenary to ask so coarsely for the +possession of me; too great a pay I thought for so poor service, as +rendering up a letter which in honour you ought before to have shewed +me: I own I gave you hope, in that too I was criminal; but these are +faults that sure deserved a kinder punishment than what I last +received--a whore--, a common mistress! Death, you are a coward----and +even to a woman dare not say it, when she confronts the +scandaler,----Yet pardon me, I mean not to revile, but gently to +reproach; it was unkind----at least allow me that, and much unlike +_Octavio_. + +I think I had not troubled you, my lord, with the least confession of +my resentment, but I could not leave the town, where for the honour of +your conversation and friendship alone I have remained so long, +without acquitting myself of those obligations I had to you; I send +you therefore the key of my closet and cabinet, where you shall find +not only your letters, but all those presents you have been pleased +once to think me worthy of: but having taken back your friendship, I +render you the less valuable trifles, and will retain no more of +_Octavio_, than the dear memory of that part of his life that was so +agreeable to the unfortunate + +SYLVIA. + +He reading this letter, finished with tears of tender love; but +considering it all over, he fancied she had put great constraint upon +her natural high spirit to write in this calm manner to him, and +through all he found dissembled rage, which yet was visible in that +one breaking out in the middle of the letter: he found she was not +able to contain at the word, common mistress. In fine, however calm it +was, and however designed, he found, and at least he thought he found +the charming jilt all over; he fancies from the hint she gave him of +the change of _Antonet_ for herself in bed, that it was some new cheat +that was to be put upon him, and to bring herself off with credit: +yet, in spite of all this appearing reason, he wishes, and has a +secret hope, that either she is not in fault, or that she will so +cozen him into a belief she is not, that it may serve as well to +soothe his willing heart; and now all he fears is, that she will not +put so neat a cheat upon him, but that he shall be able to see through +it, and still be obliged to retain his ill opinion of her: but love +returned, she had roused the flame anew, and softened all his rougher +thoughts with this dear letter; and now in haste he calls for his +clothes, and suffering himself to be dressed with all the advantage of +his sex, he throws himself into his coach, and goes to _Sylvia_, whom +he finds just dressed _en chevalier_, (and setting her head and +feather in good order before the glass) with a design to depart the +town, at least so far as should have raised a concern in _Octavio_, if +yet he had any for her, to have followed her; he ran up without asking +leave into her chamber; and ere she was aware of him he threw himself +at her feet, and clasping her knees, to which he fixed his mouth, he +remained there for a little space without life or motion, and pressed +her in his arms as fast as a dying man. She was not offended to see +him there, and he appeared more lovely than ever he yet had been. His +grief had added a languishment and paleness to his face, which +sufficiently told her he had not been at ease while absent from her; +and on the other side, _Sylvia_ appeared ten thousand times more +charming than ever, the dress of a boy adding extremely to her beauty: +'Oh you are a pretty lover,' said she, raising him from her knees to +her arms, 'to treat a mistress so for a little innocent +raillery.----Come, sit and tell me how you came to discover the +harmless cheat;' setting him down on the side of her bed. 'Oh name it +no more,' cried he, 'let that damned night be blotted from the year, +deceive me, flatter me, say you are innocent; tell me my senses rave, +my eyes were false, deceitful, and my ears were deaf: say any thing +that may convince my madness, and bring me back to tame adoring love.' +'What means _Octavio_,' replied _Sylvia_, 'sure he is not so nice and +squeamish a lover, but a fair young maid might have been welcome to +him coming so prepared for love; though it was not she whom he +expected, it might have served as well in the dark at least?' 'Well +said,' replied _Octavio_, forcing a smile '----advance, pursue the +dear design, and cheat me still, and to convince my soul, oh swear it +too, for women want no weapons of defence, oaths, vows, and tears, +sighs, imprecations, ravings, are all the tools to fashion mankind +coxcombs: I am an easy fellow, fit for use, and long to be initiated +fool; come, swear I was not here the other night.' 'It is granted, +sir, you were: why all this passion?' This _Sylvia_ spoke, and took +him by the hand, which burnt with raging fire; and though he spoke +with all the heat of love, his looks were soft the while as infant +_Cupids_: still he proceeded; 'Oh charming _Sylvia_, since you are so +unkind to tell me truth, cease, cease to speak at all, and let me only +gaze upon those eyes that can so well deceive: their looks are +innocent, at least they will flatter me, and tell mine they lost their +faculties that other night.' 'No,' replied _Sylvia_, 'I am convinced +they did not, you saw _Antonet_----' 'Conduct a happy man' +(interrupted he) 'to _Sylvia_'s bed. Oh, why by your confession must +my soul be tortured over anew!' At this he hung his head upon his +bosom, and sighed as if each breath would be his last. 'Heavens!' +cried _Sylvia_, 'what is it _Octavio_ says! Conduct a happy lover to +my bed! by all that is sacred I am abused, designed upon to be +betrayed and lost; what said you, sir, a lover to my bed!' When he +replied in a fainting tone, clasping her to his arms, 'Now, _Sylvia_, +you are kind, be perfect woman, and keep to cozening still----Now back +it with a very little oath, and I am as well as before I saw your +falsehood, and never will lose one thought upon it more.' 'Forbear,' +said she, 'you will make me angry. In short, what is it you would say? +Or swear, you rave, and then I will pity what I now despise, if you +can think me false.' He only answered with a sigh, and she pursued, +'Am I not worth an answer? Tell me your soul and thoughts, as ever you +hope for favour from my love, or to preserve my quiet.' 'If you will +promise me to say it is false,' replied he softly, 'I will confess the +errors of my senses. I came the other night at twelve, the door was +open.-----' 'It is true,' said _Sylvia_----'At the stairs-foot I found +a man, and saw him led to you into your chamber, sighing as he went, +and panting with impatience: now, _Sylvia_, if you value my repose, my +life, my reputation, or my services, turn it off handsomely, and I am +happy.' At that, being wholly amazed, she told him the whole story, as +you heard of her dressing _Antonet_, and bringing him to her; at which +he smiled, and begged her to go on----She fetched the pieces of +_Brilliard_'s counterfeit letters, and shewed him; this brought him a +little to his wits, and at first sight he was ready to fancy the +letters came indeed from him; he found the character his, but not his +business; and in great amaze replied, 'Ah, madam, did you know +_Octavio_'s soul so well, and could you imagine it capable of a +thought like this? A presumption so daring to the most awful of her +sex; this was unkind indeed: and did you answer them?' 'Yes,' replied +she, 'with all the kindness I could force my pen to express.' So that +after canvassing the matter, and relating the whole story again with +his being taken ill, they concluded from every circumstance +_Brilliard_ was the man; for _Antonet_ was called to council; who now +recollecting all things in her mind, and knowing _Brilliard_ but too +well, she confessed she verily believed it was he, especially when she +told how she stole a letter of _Octavio_'s for him that day, and how +he was ill of the same disease still. _Octavio_ then called his page, +and sent him home for the note _Brilliard_ had sent him, and all +appeared as clear as day: but _Antonet_ met with a great many +reproaches for shewing her lady's letters, which she excused as well +as she could: but never was man so ravished with joy as _Octavio_ was +at the knowledge of _Sylvia_'s innocence; a thousand times he kneeled +and begged her pardon; and her figure encouraging his caresses, a +thousand times he embraced her, he smiled, and blushed, and sighed +with love and joy, and knew not how to express it most effectually: +and _Sylvia_, who had other business than love in her heart and head, +suffered all the marks of his eager passion and transport out of +design, for she had a farther use to make of _Octavio_; though when +she surveyed his person handsome, young, and adorned with all the +graces and beauties of the sex, not at all inferior to _Philander_, if +not exceeding in every judgement but that of _Sylvia_; when she +considered his soul, where wit, love, and honour equally reigned, when +she consults the excellence of his nature, his generosity, courage, +friendship, and softness, she sighed and cried, it was pity to impose +upon him; and make his love for which she should esteem him, a +property to draw him to his ruin; for so she fancied it must be if +ever he encountered _Philander_; and though good nature was the least +ingredient that formed the soul of this fair charmer, yet now she +found she had a mixture of it, from her concern for _Octavio_; and +that generous lover made her so many soft vows, and tender +protestations of the respect and awfulness of his passion, that she +was wholly convinced he was her slave; nor could she see the constant +languisher pouring out his soul and fortune at her feet, without +suffering some warmth about her heart, which she had never felt but +for _Philander_; and this day she expressed herself more obligingly +than ever she had done, and allows him little freedoms of approaching +her with more softness than hitherto she had; and, absolutely charmed, +he promises, lavishly and without reserve, all she would ask of him; +and in requital she assured him all he could wish or hope, if he would +serve her in her revenge against _Philander_: she recounts to him at +large the story of her undoing, her quality, her fortune, her nice +education, the care and tenderness of her noble parents, and charges +all her fate to the evil conduct of her heedless youth: sometimes the +reflection on her ruin, she looking back upon her former innocence and +tranquillity, forces the tears to flow from her fair eyes, and makes +_Octavio_ sigh, and weep by sympathy: sometimes (arrived at the +amorous part of her relation) she would sigh and languish with the +remembrance of past joys in their beginning love; and sometimes smile +at the little unlucky adventures they met with, and their escapes; so +that different passions seized her soul while she spoke, while that of +all love filled _Octavio_'s: he dotes, he burns, and every word she +utters enflames him still the more; he fixes his very soul upon her +tongue, and darts his very eyes into her face, and every thing she +says raises his vast esteem and passion higher. In fine, having with +the eloquence of sacred wit, and all the charms of every differing +passion, finished her moving tale, they both declined their eyes, +whose falling showers kept equal time and pace, and for a little time +were still as thought: when _Octavio_, oppressed with mighty love, +broke the soft silence, and burst into extravagance of passion, says +all that men (grown mad with love and wishing) could utter to the idol +of his heart; and to oblige her more, recounts his life in short; +wherein, in spite of all his modesty, she found all that was great and +brave; all that was noble, fortunate and honest: and having now +confirmed her, he deserved her, kneeling implored she would accept of +him, not as a lover for a term of passion, for dates of months or +years, but for a long eternity; not as a rifler of her sacred honour, +but to defend it from the censuring world; he vowed he would forget +that ever any part of it was lost, nor by a look or action ever +upbraid her with a misfortune past, but still look forward on nobler +joys to come: and now implores that he may bring a priest to tie the +solemn knot. In spite of all her love for _Philander_, she could not +choose but take this offer kindly; and indeed, it made a very great +impression on her heart; she knew nothing but the height of love could +oblige a man of his quality and vast fortune, with all the advantages +of youth and beauty, to marry her in so ill circumstances; and paying +him first those acknowledgements that were due on so great an +occasion, with all the tenderness in her voice and eyes that she could +put on, she excused herself from receiving the favour, by telling him +she was so unfortunate as to be with child by the ungrateful man; and +falling at that thought into new tears, she moved him to infinite +love, and infinite compassion; insomuch that, wholly abandoning +himself to softness, he assured her, if she would secure him all his +happiness by marrying him now, that he would wait till she were +brought to bed, before he would demand the glorious recompense he +aspired to; so that _Sylvia_, being oppressed with obligation, finding +yet in her soul a violent passion for _Philander_, she knew not how to +take, or how to refuse the blessing offered, since _Octavio_ was a man +whom, in her height of innocence and youth, she might have been vain +and proud of engaging to this degree. He saw her pain and +irresolution, and being absolutely undone with love, delivers her +_Philander_'s last letter to him, with what he had sent her enclosed; +the sight of the very outside of it made her grow pale as death, and a +feebleness seized her all over, that made her unable for a moment to +open it; all which confusion _Octavio_ saw with pain, which she +perceiving recollected her thoughts as well as she could, and opened +it, and read it; that to _Octavio_ first, as being fondest of the +continuation of the history of his falsehood, she read, and often +paused to recover her spirits that were fainting at every period; and +having finished it, she fell down on the bed where they sat. _Octavio_ +caught her in her fall in his arms, where she remained dead some +moments; whilst he, just on the point of being so himself, ravingly +called for help; and _Antonet_ being in the dressing-room ran to them, +and by degrees _Sylvia_ recovered, and asked _Octavio_ a thousand +pardons for exposing a weakness to him, which was but the effects of +the last blaze of love: and taking a cordial which _Antonet_ brought +her, she roused, resolved, and took _Octavio_ by the hand: 'Now,' said +she, 'shew yourself that generous lover you have professed, and give +me your vows of revenge on _Philander_; and after that, by all that is +holy,' kneeling as she spoke, and holding him fast, 'by all my injured +innocence, by all my noble father's wrongs, and my dear mother's +grief; by all my sister's sufferings, I swear, I will marry you, love +you, and give you all!' This she spoke without considering _Antonet_ +was by, and spoke it with all the rage, and blushes in her face, that +injured love and revenge could inspire: and on the other side, the +sense of his sister's honour lost, and that of the tender passion he +had for _Sylvia_, made him swear by all that was sacred, and by all +the vows of eternal love and honour he had made to _Sylvia_, to go and +revenge himself and her on the false friend and lover, and confessed +the second motive, which was his sister's fame, 'For,' cried he,'that +foul adulteress, that false _Calista_, is so allied to me.' But still +he urged that would add to the justness of his cause, if he might +depart her husband as well as lover, and revenge an injured wife as +well as sister; and now he could ask nothing she did not easily grant; +and because it was late in the day, they concluded that the morning +shall consummate all his desires: and now she gives him her letter to +read; 'For,' said she, 'I shall esteem myself henceforth so absolutely +_Octavio_'s, that I will not so much as read a line from that perjured +ruiner of my honour;' he took the letter with smiles and bows of +gratitude, and read it. + +PHILANDER _to_ SYLVIA. + +There are a thousand reasons, dearest _Sylvia_, at this time that +prevent my writing to you, reasons that will be convincing enough to +oblige my pardon, and plead my cause with her that loves me: all which +I will lay before you when I have the happiness to see you; I have met +with some affairs since my arrival to this place, that wholly take up +my time; affairs of State, whose fatigues have put my heart extremely +out of tune, and if not carefully managed may turn to my perpetual +ruin, so that I have not an hour in a day to spare for _Sylvia_; +which, believe me, is the greatest affliction of my life; and I have +no prospect of ease in the endless toils of life, but that of reposing +in the arms of _Sylvia_: some short intervals: pardon my haste, for +you cannot guess the weighty business that at present robs you of + +_Your_ PHILANDER. + +'You lie, false villain-----' replied _Sylvia_ in mighty rage, 'I can +guess your business, and can revenge it too; curse on thee, slave, to +think me grown as poor in sense as honour: to be cajoled with +this--stuff that would never sham a chambermaid: death! am I so +forlorn, so despicable, I am not worth the pains of being well +dissembled with? Confusion overtake him, misery seize him; may I +become his plague while life remains, or public tortures end him!' +This, with all the madness that ever inspired a lunatic, she uttered +with tears and violent actions: when _Octavio_ besought her not to +afflict herself, and almost wished he did not love a temper so +contrary to his own: he told her he was sorry, extremely sorry, to +find she still retained so violent a passion for a man unworthy of her +least concern; when she replied--'Do not mistake my soul, by heaven it +is pride, disdain, despite and hate--to think he should believe this +dull excuse could pass upon my judgement; had the false traitor told +me that he hated me, or that his faithless date of love was out, I had +been tame with all my injuries; but poorly thus to impose upon my +wit--By heaven he shall not bear the affront to hell in triumph! No +more--I have vowed he shall not--my soul has fixed, and now will be at +ease--Forgive me, oh _Octavio_;' and letting herself fall into his +arms, she soon obtained what she asked for; one touch of the fair +charmer could calm him into love and softness. + +Thus, after a thousand transports of passion on his side, and all the +seeming tenderness on hers, the night being far advanced, and new +confirmations given and taken on either side of pursuing the happy +agreement in the morning, which they had again resolved, they +appointed that _Sylvia_ and _Antonet_ should go three miles out of +town to a little village, where there was a church, and that _Octavio_ +should meet them there to be confirmed and secured of all the +happiness he proposed to himself in this world--_Sylvia_ being so +wholly bent upon revenge (for the accomplishment of which alone she +accepted of _Octavio_) that she had lost all remembrance of her former +marriage with _Brilliard_: or if it ever entered into her thought, it +was only considered as a sham, nothing designed but to secure her from +being taken from _Philander_ by her parents; and, without any respect +to the sacred tie, to be regarded no more; nor did she design this +with _Octavio_ from any respect she had to the holy state of +matrimony, but from a lust of vengeance which she would buy at any +price, and which she found no man so well able to satisfy as +_Octavio_. + +But what wretched changes of fortune she met with after this, and what +miserable portion of fate was destined to this unhappy wanderer, the +last part of _Philander_'s life, and the third and last part of this +history, shall most faithfully relate. + + +_The End of the Second Part._ + + + + + +The Amours of Philander and Sylvia + + + + +Part III. + + + +_Octavio_, the brave, the generous, and the amorous, having left +_Sylvia_ absolutely resolved to give herself to that doting fond +lover, or rather to sacrifice herself to her revenge, that +unconsidering unfortunate, whose passion had exposed him to all the +unreasonable effects of it, returned to his own house, wholly +transported with his happy success. He thinks on nothing but vast +coming joys: nor did one kind thought direct him back to the evil +consequences of what he so hastily pursued; he reflects not on her +circumstances but her charms, not on the infamy he should espouse with +_Sylvia_, but on those ravishing pleasures she was capable of giving +him: he regards not the reproaches of his friends; but wholly +abandoned to love and youthful imaginations, gives a loose to young +desire and fancy that deludes him with a thousand soft ideas: he +reflects not, that his gentle and easy temper was most unfit to join +with that of _Sylvia_, which was the most haughty and humorous in +nature; for though she had all the charms of youth and beauty that are +conquering in her sex, all the wit and insinuation that even surpasses +youth and beauty; yet to render her character impartially, she had +also abundance of disagreeing qualities mixed with her perfections. +She was imperious and proud even to insolence; vain and conceited even +to folly; she knew her virtues and her graces too well, and her vices +too little; she was very opinionated and obstinate, hard to be +convinced of the falsest argument, but very positive in her fancied +judgement: abounding in her own sense, and very critical on that of +others: censorious, and too apt to charge others with those crimes to +which she was herself addicted, or had been guilty of: amorously +inclined, and indiscreet in the management of her amours, and constant +rather from pride and shame than inclination; fond of catching at +every trifling conquest, and loving the triumph, though she hated the +slave. Yet she had virtues too that balanced her vices, among which we +must allow her to have loved _Philander_ with a passion, that nothing +but his ingratitude could have decayed in her heart, nor was it +lessened but by a force that gave her a thousand tortures, racks and +pangs, which had almost cost her her less valued life; for being of a +temper nice in love, and very fiery, apt to fly into rages at every +accident that did but touch that tenderest part, her heart, she +suffered a world of violence, and extremity of rage and grief by +turns, at this affront and inconstancy of _Philander_. Nevertheless +she was now so discreet, or rather cunning, to dissemble her +resentment the best she could to her generous lover, for whom she had +more inclination than she yet had leisure to perceive, and which she +now attributes wholly to her revenge; and considering _Octavio_ as the +most proper instrument for that, she fancies what was indeed a growing +tenderness from the sense of his merit, to be the effects of that +revenge she so much thirsted after; and though without she dissembled +a calm, within she was all fury and disorder, all storm and +distraction: she went to bed racked with a thousand thoughts of +despairing love: sometimes all the softness of _Philander_ in their +happy enjoyments came in view, and made her sometimes weep, and +sometimes faint with the dear loved remembrance; sometimes his late +enjoyments with _Calista_, and then she raved and burnt with frantic +rage: but oh! at last she found her hope was gone, and wisely fell to +argue with her soul. She knew love would not long subsist on the thin +diet of despair, and resolving he was never to be retrieved who once +had ceased to love, she strove to bend her soul to useful reason, and +thinks on all _Octavio_'s obligations, his vows, his assiduity, his +beauty, his youth, his fortune, and his generous offer, and with the +aid of pride resolves to unfix her heart, and give it better treatment +in his bosom: to cease at least to love the false _Philander_, if she +could never force her soul to hate him: and though this was not so +soon done as thought on, in a heart so prepossesed as that of +_Sylvia_'s, yet there is some hope of a recovery, when a woman in that +extremity will but think of listening to love from any new adorer, and +having once resolved to pursue the fugitive no more with the natural +artillery of their sighs and tears, reproaches and complaints, they +have recourse to every thing that may soonest chase from the heart +those thoughts that oppress it: for nature is not inclined to hurt +itself; and there are but very few who find it necessary to die of the +disease of love. Of this sort was our _Sylvia_, though to give her her +due, never any person who did not indeed die, ever languished under +the torments of love, as did that charming and afflicted maid. + +While _Sylvia_ remained in these eternal inquietudes, _Antonet_, +having quitted her chamber, takes this opportunity to go to that of +_Brilliard_, whom she had not visited in two days before, being +extremely troubled at his design, which she now found he had on her +lady; she had a mind to vent her spleen, and as the proverb says, +'Call Whore first'. _Brilliard_ longed as much to see her to rail at +her for being privy to _Octavio_'s approach to _Sylvia_'s bed (as he +thought she imagined) and not giving him an account of it, as she used +to do of all the secrets of her lady. She finds him alone in her +chamber, recovered from all but the torments of his unhappy +disappointment. She approached him with all the anger her sort of +passion could inspire (for love in a mean unthinking soul, is not that +glorious thing it is in the brave;) however she had enough to serve +her pleasure; for _Brilliard_ was young and handsome, and both being +bent on railing without knowing each other's intentions, they both +equally flew into high words, he upbraiding her with her infidelity, +and she him with his. 'Are not you,' said he (growing more calm) 'the +falsest of your tribe, to keep a secret from me that so much concerned +me? Is it for this I have refused the addresses of burgomasters' wives +and daughters, where I could have made my fortune and my satisfaction, +to keep myself entirely for a thing that betrays me, and keeps every +secret of her heart from me? False and forsworn, I will be fool no +more.' 'It is well, sir,' (replied _Antonet_) 'that you having been +the most perfidious man alive, should accuse me who am innocent: come, +come sir, you have not carried matters so swimmingly, but I could +easily dive into the other night's intrigue and secret.' 'What secret +thou false one? Thou art all over secret; a very hopeful bawd at +eighteen----go, I hate ye----' At this she wept, and he pursued his +railing to out-noise her, 'You thought, because your deed were done in +darkness, they were concealed from a lover's eye; no, thou young +viper, I saw, I heard, and felt, and satisfied every sense of this thy +falsehood, when _Octavio_ was conducted to _Sylvia_'s bed by thee.' +'But what,' said she, 'if instead of _Octavio_ I conducted the +perfidious traitor to love, _Brilliard_? Who then was false and +perjured?' At this he blushed extremely, which was too visible on his +fair face. She being now confirmed she had the better of him, +continued--'Let thy confusion,' said she with scorn, 'witness the +truth of what I say, and I have been but too well acquainted with that +body of yours,' weeping as she spoke, 'to mistake it for that of +_Octavio_.' 'Softly, dear _Antonet_,' replied he----'nay, now your +tears have calmed me'; and taking her in his arms, sought to appease +her by all the arguments of seeming love and tenderness; while she, +yet wholly unsatisfied in that cheat of his of going to Sylvia's bed, +remained still pouting and very frumpish. But he that had but one +argument left, that on all occasions served to convince her, had at +last recourse to that, which put her in good humour, and hanging on +his neck, she kindly chid him for putting such a trick upon her lady. +He told her, and confirmed it with an oath, that he did it but to try +how far she was just to his friend and lord, and not any desire he had +for a beauty that was too much of his own complexion to charm him; it +was only the brunette and the black, such as herself, that could move +him to desire; thus he shams her into perfect peace. 'And why,' said +she, 'were you not satisfied that she was false, as well from the +assignation, as the trial?' 'Oh no,' said he, 'you women have a +thousand arts of gibing, and no man ought to believe you, but put you +to the trial.' 'Well,' said she, 'when I had brought you to the bed, +when you found her arms stretched out to receive you, why did you not +retire like an honest man, and leave her to herself?' 'Oh fie,' said +he, 'that had not been to have acted _Octavio_ to the life, but would +have made a discovery.' 'Ah,' said she, 'that was your aim to have +acted _Octavio_ to the life, I believe, and not to discover my lady's +constancy to your lord; but I suppose you have been sworn at the Butt +of _Heidleburgh_, never to kiss the maid, when you can kiss the +mistress.' But he renewing his caresses and asseverations of love to +her, she suffered herself to be convinced of all he had a mind to have +her believe. After this she could not contain any secret from him, but +told him she had something to say to him, which if he knew, would +convince him she had all the passion in the world for him: he presses +eagerly to know, and she pursues to tell him, it is as much as her +life is worth to discover it, and that she lies under the obligation +of an oath not to tell it; but kisses and rhetoric prevail, and she +cries--'What will you say now, if my lady may marry one of the +greatest and most considerable persons in all this country?' 'I should +not wonder at her conquest,' (replied _Brilliard_) 'but I should +wonder if she should marry.' 'Then cease your wonder,' replied she, +'for she is to-morrow to be married to Count _Octavio_, whom she is to +meet at nine in the morning to that end, at a little village a league +from this place.' She spoke, and he believes; and finds it true by the +raging of his blood, which he could not conceal from _Antonet_, and +for which he feigns a thousand excuses to the amorous maid, and +charges his concern on that for his lord: at last (after some more +discourse on that subject) he pretends to grow sleepy, and hastens her +to her chamber; and locking the door after her, he began to reflect on +what she had said, and grew to all the torment of rage and jealousy, +and all the despairs of a passionate lover: and though this hope was +not extreme before, yet as lovers do, he found, or fancied a +probability (from his lord's inconstancy, and his own right of +marriage) that the necessity she might chance to be in of his +friendship and assistance in a strange country, might some happy +moment or other render him the blessing he so long had waited for from +_Sylvia_; for he ever designed, when either his lord left her, grew +cold, or should happen to die, to put in his claim of husband. And the +soft familiar way, with which she eternally lived with him, encouraged +this hope and design; nay, she had often made him advances to that +happy expectation. But this fatal blow had driven him from all his +fancied joys, to the most wretched estate of a desperate lover. He +traverses his chamber, wounded with a thousand different thoughts, +mixed with those of preventing this union the next morning. Sometimes +he resolves to fight _Octavio_, for his birth might pretend to it, and +he wanted no courage; but he is afraid of being overcome by that +gallant man, and either losing his hopes with his life, or if he +killed _Octavio_, to be forced from his happiness, or die an +ignominious death: sometimes he resolves to own _Sylvia_ for his wife, +but then he fears the rage of that dear object of his soul, which he +dreads more than death itself: so that tossed from one extreme to +another, from one resolution to a hundred, he was not able to fix upon +any thing. In this perplexity he remained till day appeared, that day +must advance with his undoing, while _Sylvia_ and _Antonet_ were +preparing for the design concluded on the last night. This he heard, +and every minute that approached gave him new torments, so that now he +would have given himself to the Prince of Darkness for a kind +disappointment: he was often ready to go and throw himself at her +feet, and plead against her enterprise in hand, and to urge the +unlawfulness of a double marriage, ready to make vows for the fidelity +of _Philander_, though before so much against his own interest, and to +tell her all those letters from him were forged: he thought on all +things, but nothing remained with him, but despair of every thing. At +last the devil and his own subtlety put him upon a prevention, though +base, yet the most likely to succeed, in his opinion. + +He knew there were many factions in _Holland_, and that the _States_ +themselves were divided in their interests, and a thousand jealousies +and fears were eternally spread amongst the rabble; there were cabals +for every interest, that of the _French_ so prevailing, that of the +_English_, and that of the illustrious _Orange_, and others for the +_States_; so that it was not a difficulty to move any mischief, and +pass it off among the crowd for dangerous consequences. _Brilliard_ +knew each division, and which way they were inclined; he knew +_Octavio_ was not so well with the _States_ as not to be easily +rendered worse; for he was so entirely a creature and favourite of the +Prince, that they conceived abundance of jealousies of him which they +durst not own. _Brilliard_ besides knew a great man, who having a +pique to _Octavio_, might the sooner be brought to receive any ill +character of him: to this sullen magistrate he applies himself, and +deluding the credulous busy old man with a thousand circumstantial +lies, he discovers to him, that _Octavio_ held a correspondence with +the _French_ King to betray the State; and that he caballed to that +end with some who were looked upon as _French_ rebels, but indeed were +no other than spies to _France_. This coming from a man of that party, +and whose lord was a _French_ rebel, gained a perfect credit with the +old Sir _Politic_; so that immediately hasting to the state-house, he +lays this weighty affair before them, who soon found it reasonable, if +not true, at least they feared, and sent out a warrant for the speedy +apprehending him; but coming to his house, though early, they found +him gone, and being informed which way he took, the messenger pursued +him, and found his coach at the door of a _cabaret_, too obscure for +his quality, which made them apprehend this was some place of +rendezvous where he possibly met with his traitorous associators: they +send in, and cunningly inquire who he waited for, or who was with him, +and they understood he stayed for some gentleman of the _French_ +nation; for he had ordered _Sylvia_ to come in man's clothes that she +might not be known; and had given order below, that if two _French_ +gentlemen came they should be brought to him. This information made +the scandal as clear as day, and the messenger no longer doubted of +the reasonableness of his warrant, though he was loath to serve it on +a person whose father he had served so many years. He waits at some +distance from the house unseen, though he could take a view of all; he +saw _Octavio_ come often out into the balcony, and look with longing +eyes towards the road that leads to the town; he saw him all rich and +gay as a young bridegroom, lovely and young as the morning that +flattered him with so fair and happy a day; at last he saw two +gentlemen alight at the door, and giving their horses to a page to +walk the while, they ran up into the chamber where _Octavio_ was +waiting, who had already sent his page to prepare the priest in the +village-church to marry them. You may imagine, with what love and joy +the ravished youth approached the idol of his soul, and she, who +beholds him in more beauty than ever yet she thought he had appeared, +pleased with all things he had on, with the gay morning, the flowery +field, the air, the little journey, and a thousand diverting things, +made no resistance to those fond embraces that pressed her a thousand +times with silent transport, and falling tears of eager love and +pleasure; but even in that moment of content, she forgot _Philander_, +and received all the satisfaction so soft a lover could dispense: +while they were mutually thus exchanging looks, and almost hearts, the +messenger came into the room, and as civilly as possible told +_Octavio_ he had a warrant for him, to secure him as a traitor to the +State, and a spy for _France_. You need not be told the surprise and +astonishment he was in; however he obeyed. The messenger turning to +_Sylvia_, cried, 'Sir, though I can hardly credit this crime that is +charged to my lord, yet the finding him here with two _French_ +gentlemen, gives me some more fears that there may be something in it; +and it would do well if you would deliver yourselves into my hands for +the farther clearing this gentleman.' This foolish grave speech of the +messenger had like to have put _Octavio_ into a loud laughter, he +addressing himself to two women for two men: but _Sylvia_ replied, +'Sir, I hope you do not take us for so little friends to the gallant +_Octavio_, to abandon him in this misfortune; no, we will share it +with him, be it what it will.' To this the generous lover blushing +with kind surprise, bowed, and kissing her hand with transport, called +her his charming friend; and so all three being guarded back in +_Octavio_'s coach they return to the town, and to the house of the +messenger, which made a great noise all over, that _Octavio_ was taken +with two _French_ Jesuits plotting to fire _Amsterdam_, and a thousand +things equally ridiculous. They were all three lodged together in one +house, that of the messenger, which was very fine, and fit to +entertain any persons of quality; while _Brilliard_, who did not like +that part of the project, bethought him of a thousand ways how to free +her from thence; for he designed, as soon as _Octavio_ should be +taken, to have got her to have quitted the town under pretence of +being taken upon suspicion of holding correspondence with him, because +they were _French_; but her delivering herself up had not only undone +all his design, but had made it unsafe for him to stay. While he was +thus bethinking himself what he should do, _Octavio_'s uncle, who was +one of the _States_, extremely affronted at the indignity put upon his +nephew and his sole heir, the darling of his heart and eyes, commands +that this informer may be secured; and accordingly _Brilliard_ was +taken into custody, who giving himself over for a lost man, resolves +to put himself upon _Octavio_'s mercy, by telling him the motives that +induced him to this violent and ungenerous course. It was some days +before the Council thought fit to call for _Octavio_, to hear what he +had to say for himself; in the mean time, he having not had permission +yet to see _Sylvia_; and being extremely desirous of that happiness, +he bethought himself that the messenger, having been in his father's +service, might have so much respect for the son, as to allow him to +speak to that fair charmer, provided he might be a witness to what he +should say: he sends for him, and demanded of him where those two fair +prisoners were lodged who came with him in the morning; he told him, +in a very good apartment on the same floor, and that they were very +well accommodated, and seemed to have no other trouble but what they +suffered for him. 'I hope, my Lord,' added he--'your confinement will +not be long; for I hear there is a person taken up, who has confessed +he did it for a revenge on you.' At this _Octavio_ was very well +pleased, and asked him who it was? And he told him a _French_ +gentleman belonging to the Count _Philander_, who about six months ago +was obliged to quit the town as an enemy to _France_. He soon knew it +to be _Brilliard_, and comparing this action with some others of his +lately committed, he no longer doubts it the effects of his jealousy. +He asked the messenger, if it were impossible to gain so much favour +of him, as to let him visit those two _French_ gentlemen, he being by +while he was with them: the keeper soon granted his request, and +replied--There was no hazard he would not run to serve him; and +immediately putting back the hangings, with one of those keys he had +in his hand, he opened a door in his chamber that led into a gallery +of fine pictures, and from thence they passed into the apartment of +_Sylvia_: as soon as he came in he threw himself at her feet, and she +received him, and took him up into her arms with all the transports of +joy a soul (more than ever possessed with love for him) could +conceive; and though they all appeared of the masculine sex, the +messenger soon perceived his error, and begged a thousand pardons. +_Octavio_ makes haste to tell her his opinion of the cause of all this +trouble to both; and she easily believed, when she heard _Brilliard_ +was taken, that it was as he imagined; for he had been found too often +faulty not to be suspected now. This thought brought a great calm to +both their spirits, and almost reduced them to the first soft +tranquillity, with which they began the day: for he protested his +innocence a thousand times, which was wholly needless, for the +generous maid believed, before he spoke, he could not be guilty of the +sin of treachery. He renews his vows to her of eternal love, and that +he would perform what they were so unluckily prevented from doing this +morning; and that though possibly by this unhappy adventure, his +design might have taken air, and have arrived to the knowledge of his +uncle, yet in spite of all opposition of friends, or the malice of +_Brilliard_, he would pursue his glorious design of marrying her, +though he were forced for it to wander in the farthest parts of the +earth with his lovely prize. He begs she will not disesteem him for +this scandal on his fame; for he was all love, all soft desire, and +had no other design, than that of making himself master of that +greatest treasure in the world; that of the possessing, the most +charming, the all-ravishing _Sylvia_: in return, she paid him all the +vows that could secure an infidel in love, she made him all the +endearing advances a heart could wish, wholly given up to tender +passion, insomuch that he believes, and is the gayest man that ever +was blest by love. And the messenger, who was present all this while, +found that this caballing with the _French_ spies, was only an +innocent design to give himself away to a fine young lady: and +therefore gave them all the freedom they desired, and which they made +use of to the most advantage love could direct or youth inspire. + +This suffering with _Octavio_ begot a pity and compassion in the heart +of _Sylvia_, and that grew up to love; for he had all the charms that +could inspire, and every hour was adding new fire to her heart, which +at last burnt into a flame; such power has mighty obligation on a +heart that has any grateful sentiments! and yet, when she was absent +a-nights from _Octavio_, and thought on _Philander_'s, passion for +_Calista_, she would rage and rave, and find the effects of wondrous +love, and wondrous pride, and be even ready to make vows against +_Octavio_: but those were fits that seldomer seized her now, and every +fit was like a departing ague, still weaker than the former, and at +the sight of _Octavio_ all would vanish, her blushes would rise and +discover the soft thoughts her heart conceived for the approaching +lover; and she soon found that vulgar error, of the impossibility of +loving more than once. It was four days they thus remained without +being called to the Council, and every day brought its new joys along +with it. They were never asunder, never interrupted with any visit, +but one for a few moments in a day by _Octavio_'s uncle, and then he +would go into his own apartment to receive him: he offered to bail him +out; but _Octavio_, who had found more real joy there, than in any +part of the earth besides, evaded the obligation, by telling his +uncle, he would be obliged to nothing but his innocence for his +liberty: so would get rid of the fond old gentleman, who never knew a +passion but for his darling nephew, and returned with as much joy to +the lodgings of _Sylvia_, as if he had been absent a week, which is an +age to a lover; there they sometimes would play at cards, where he +would lose considerable sums to her, or at hazard, or be studying what +they should do next to pass the hours most to her content; not but he +had rather have lain eternally at her feet, gazing, doting, and saying +a thousand fond things, which at every view he took were conceived in +his soul: and though but this last minute he had finished, saying all +that love could dictate, he found his heart oppressed with a vast +store of new softness, which he languished to unload in her ravishing +bosom. But she, who was not arrived to his pitch of loving, diverts +his softer hours with play sometimes, and otherwhile with making him +follow her into the gallery, which was adorned with pleasant pictures, +all of _Hempskerk_'s hand, which afforded great variety of objects +very droll and antique, _Octavio_ finding something to say of every +one that might be of advantage to his own heart; for whatever argument +was in dispute, he would be sure to bring it home to the passion he +had for _Sylvia_; it should end in love, however remotely begun: so +strange an art has love to turn all things to the advantage of a +lover! + +It was thus they passed their time, and nothing was wanting that +lavish experience could procure, and every minute he advances to new +freedoms, and unspeakable delights, but still such as might hitherto +be allowed with honour; he sighs and wishes, he languishes and dies +for more, but dares not utter the meaning of one motion of breath; for +he loved so very much, that every look from those fair eyes charmed +him, awed him to a respect that robbed him of many happy moments, a +bolder lover would have turned to his advantage, and he treated her as +if she had been an unspotted maid; with caution of offending, he had +forgot that general rule, that where the sacred laws of honour are +once invaded, love makes the easier conquest. + +All this while you may imagine _Brilliard_ endured no little torment; +he could not on the one side, determine what the _States_ would do +with him, when once they should find him a false accuser of so great a +man; and on the other side, he suffered a thousand pains and +jealousies from love; he knew too well the charms and power of +_Octavio_, and what effects importunity and opportunity have on the +temper of feeble woman: he found the _States_ did not make so +considerable a matter of his being impeached, as to confine him +strictly, and he dies with the fears of those happy moments he might +possibly enjoy with _Sylvia_, where there might be no spies about her +to give him any kind intelligence; and all that could afford him any +glimpse of consolation, was, that while they were thus confined, he +was out of fear of their being married. _Octavio_'s uncle this while +was not idle, but taking it for a high indignity his nephew should +remain so long without being heard, he moved it to the Council, and +accordingly they sent for him to the state-house the next morning, +where _Brilliard_ was brought to confront him; whom, as soon as +_Octavio_ saw, with a scornful smile, he cried,--'It is well, +_Brilliard_, that you, who durst not fight me fairly, should find out +this nobler way of ridding yourself of a rival: I am glad at least +that I have no more honourable a witness against me.' _Brilliard_, who +never before wanted assurance, at this reproach was wholly confounded; +for it was not from any villainy in his nature, but the absolute +effects of mad and desperate passion, which put him on the only remedy +that could relieve him; and looking on _Octavio_ with modest blushes, +that half pleaded for him, he cried--'Yes, my lord, I am your accuser, +and come to charge your innocence with the greatest of crimes, and you +ought to thank me for my accusation; when you shall know it is regard +to my own honour, violent love for _Sylvia_, and extreme respect to +your lordship, has made me thus saucy with your unspotted fame.' +'How,' replied _Octavio_, 'shall I thank you for accusing me with a +plot upon the State?' 'Yes, my lord,' replied _Brilliard_; 'and yet +you had a plot to betray the State, and by so new a way, as could be +found out by none but so great and brave a man'--'Heavens,' replied +_Octavio_, enraged, 'this is an impudence, that nothing but a traitor +to his own king, and one bred up in plots and mischiefs, could have +invented: I betray my own country?'--'Yes, my lord,' cried he (more +briskly than before, seeing _Octavio_ colour so at him) 'to all the +looseness of unthinking youth, to all the breach of laws both human +and divine; if all the youth should follow your example, you would +betray posterity itself, and only mad confusion would abound. In +short, my lord, that lady who was taken with you by the messenger, was +my wife.' And going towards _Sylvia_, who was struck as with a +thunder-bolt, he seized her hand, and cried,--while all stood gazing +on--This lady, sir, I mean----she is my wife, my lawful married wife.' +At this _Sylvia_ could no longer hold her patience within its bounds, +but with that other hand he had left her, she struck him a box on the +ear, that almost staggered him, coming unawares; and as she struck, +she cried aloud, 'Thou liest, base villain----and I will be revenged;' +and flinging herself out of his hand, she got on the other side of +_Octavio_, while the whole company remained confounded at what they +saw and heard. 'How,' cried out old _Sebastian_, uncle to _Octavio_, +'a woman, this? By my troth, sweet lady, (if you be one) methought you +were a very pretty fellow.' And turning to _Brilliard_, he +cried,--'Why, what sir, then it seems all this noise of betraying the +State was but a cuckold's dream. Hah! and this wonderful and dangerous +plot, was but one upon your wife, sir; hah,----was it so? Marry, sir, +at this rate, I rather think it is you have a design of betraying the +State----you cuckoldy knaves, that bring your handsome wives to seduce +our young senators from their sobriety and wits.' 'Are these the +recompenses,' replied _Brilliard_, 'you give the injured, and in lieu +of restoring me my right, am I reproached with the most scandalous +infamy that can befall a man?' 'Well, sir,' replied _Sebastian_, 'is +this all you have to charge this gentleman with?' At which he bowed, +and was silent----and _Sebastian_ continued--'If your wife, sir, have +a mind to my nephew, or he to her, it should have been your care to +have forbid it, or prevented it, by keeping her under lock and key, if +no other way to be secured; and, sir, we do not sit here to relieve +fools and cuckolds; if your lady will be civil to my nephew, what is +that to us: let her speak for herself: what say you, madam?'--'I say,' +replied _Sylvia_, 'that this fellow is mad and raves, that he is my +vassal, my servant, my slave; but, after this, unworthy of the meanest +of these titles.' This she spoke with a disdain that sufficiently +shewed the pride and anger of her soul----'La you, sir,' replied +_Sebastian_, 'you are discharged your lady's service; it is a plain +case she has more mind to the young Count than the husband, and we +cannot compel people to be honest against their inclinations.' And +coming down from the seat where he sat, he embraced _Octavio_ a +hundred times, and told the board, he was extremely glad they found +the mighty plot, but a vagary of youth, and the spleen of a jealous +husband or lover, or whatsoever other malicious thing; and desired the +angry man might be discharged, since he had so just a provocation as +the loss of a mistress. So all laughing at the jest, that had made so +great a noise among the grave and wise, they freed them all: and +_Sebastian_ advised his nephew, that the next cuckold he made, he +would make a friend of him first, that he might hear of no more +complaints against him. But _Octavio_ very gravely replied; 'Sir, you +have infinitely mistaken the character of this lady, she is a person +of too great quality for this raillery; at more leisure you shall have +her story.' While he was speaking this, and their discharges were +making, _Sylvia_ confounded with shame, indignation, and anger, goes +out, and taking _Octavio_'s coach that stood at the gate, went +directly to his house; for she resolved to go no more where +_Brilliard_ was. After this, _Sebastian_ fell seriously to good +advice, and earnestly besought his darling to leave off those wild +extravagancies that had so long made so great a discourse all the +province over, where nothing but his splendid amours, treats, balls, +and magnificences of love, was the business of the town, and that he +had forborne to tell him of it, and had hitherto justified his +actions, though they had not deserved it; and he doubted this was the +lady to whom for these six or eight months he heard he had so entirely +dedicated himself. He desires him to quit this lady, or if he will +pursue his love, to do it discreetly, to love some unmarried woman, +and not injure his neighbours; to all which he blushed and bowed, and +silently seemed to thank him for his grave counsel. And _Brilliard_ +having received his discharge, and advice how he provoked the +displeasure of the _States_ any more, by accusing of great persons, he +was ordered to ask _Octavio_'s pardon; but, in lieu of that, he came +up to him, and challenged him to fight him for the injustice he had +done him, in taking from him his wife; for he was sure he was undone +in her favour, and that thought made him mad enough to put himself on +this second extravagancy: however, this was not so silently managed +but _Sebastian_ perceived it, and was so enraged at the young fellow +for his second insolence, that he was again confined, and sent back to +prison, where he swore he should suffer the utmost of the law; and the +Council breaking up, every one departed to his own home. But never was +man ravished with excess of joy as _Octavio_ was, to find _Sylvia_ +meet him with extended arms on the stair-case, whom he did not imagine +to have found there, nor knew he how he stood in the heart of the +charmer of his own, since the affront she had received in the court +from those that however did not know her; for they did not imagine +this was that lady, sister to _Philander_, of whose beauty they had +heard so much, and her face being turned from the light, the old +gentleman did not so much consider or see it. _Sylvia_ came into his +house the back way, through the stables and garden, and had the good +fortune to be seen by none of his family but the coachman, who brought +her home, whom she conjured not to speak of it to the rest of his +servants: and unseen of any body she got into his apartment, for often +she had been there at treats and balls with _Philander_. She was +alone; for _Antonet_ stayed to see what became of her false lover, +and, after he was seized again, retired to her lodging the most +disconsolate woman in the world, for having lost her hopes of +_Brilliard_, to whom she had engaged all that honour she had. But when +she missed her lady there, she accused herself with all the falsehood +in the world, and fell to repent her treachery. She sends the page to +inquire at _Ocatvio_'s house, but no body there could give him any +intelligence; so that the poor amorous youth returning without hope, +endured all the pain of a hopeless lover; for _Octavio_ had anew +charmed his coachman: and calling up an ancient woman who was his +house-keeper, who had been his nurse, he acquainted her with the short +history of his passion for _Sylvia_, and ordered her to give her +attendance on the treasure of his life; he bid her prepare all things +as magnificent as she could in that apartment he designed her, which +was very rich and gay, and towards a fine garden. The hangings and +beds all glorious, and fitter for a monarch than a subject; the finest +pictures the world afforded, flowers in-laid with silver and ivory, +gilded roofs, carved wainscot, tables of plate, with all the rest of +the movables in the chambers of the same, all of great value, and all +was perfumed like an altar, or the marriage bed of some young king. +Here _Sylvia_ was designed to lodge, and hither _Octavio_ conducted +her; and setting her on a couch while the supper was getting ready, he +sits himself down by her, and his heart being ready to burst with +grief, at the thought of the claim which was laid to her by +_Brilliard_, he silently views her, while tears were ready to break +from his fixed eyes, and sighs stopped what he would fain have spoke; +while she (wholly confounded with shame, guilt, and disappointment, +for she could not imagine that _Brilliard_ could have had the +impudence to have claimed her for a wife) fixed her fair eyes to the +earth, and durst not behold the languishing _Octavio_. They remained +thus a long time silent, she not daring to defend herself from a +crime, of which she knew too well she was guilty, nor he daring to ask +her a question to which the answer might prove so fatal; he fears to +know what he dies to be satisfied in, and she fears to discover too +late a secret, which was the only one she had concealed from him. +_Octavio_ runs over in his mind a thousand thoughts that perplex him, +of the probability of her being married; he considers how often he had +found her with that happy young man, who more freely entertained her +than servants use to do. He now considers how he had seen them once on +a bed together, when _Sylvia_ was in the disorder of a yielding +mistress, and _Brilliard_ of a ravished lover; he considers how he has +found them alone at cards and dice, and often entertaining her with +freedoms of a husband, and how he wholly managed her affairs, +commanded her servants like their proper master, and was in full +authority of all. These, and a thousand more circumstances, confirm +_Octavio_ in all his fears: a thousand times she is about to speak, +but either fear to lose _Octavio_ by clear confession, or to run +herself into farther error by denying the matter of fact, stops her +words, and she only blushes and sighs at what she dares not tell; and +if by chance their speaking eyes meet, they would both decline them +hastily again, as afraid to find there what their language could not +confess. Sometimes he would press her hand and sigh.--'Ah, _Sylvia_, +you have undone my quiet'; to which she would return no answer, but +sigh, and now rising from the couch, she walked about the chamber as +sad and silent as death, attending when he should have advanced in +speaking to her, though she dreads the voice she wishes to hear, and +he waits for her reply, though the mouth that he adores should deliver +poison and daggers to his heart. While thus they remained in the most +silent and sad entertainment (that ever was between lovers that had so +much to say) the page, which _Octavio_ only trusts to wait, brought +him this letter. + +BRILLIARD _to_ OCTAVIO. + +_My Lord_, + +I am too sensible of my many high offences to your lordship, and have +as much penitence for my sin committed towards you as it is possible +to conceive; but when I implore a pardon from a lover, who by his own +passion may guess at the violent effects of my despairing flame, I am +yet so vain to hope it. _Antonet_ gave me the intelligence of your +design, and raised me up to a madness that hurried me to that +barbarity against your unspotted honour. I own the baseness of the +fact, but lovers are not, my lord, always guided by rules of justice +and reason; or, if I had, I should have killed the fair adulteress +that drew you to your undoing, and who merits more your hate than your +regard; and who having first violated her marriage-vow to me with +_Philander_, would sacrifice us both to you, and at the same time +betray you to a marriage that cannot but prove fatal to you, as it is +most unlawful in her; so that, my lord, if I have injured you, I have +at the same time saved you from a sin and ruin, and humbly implore +that you will suffer the good I have rendered you in the last, to +atone for the ill I did you in the first. If I have accused you of a +design against the State, it was to save you from that of the too +subtle and too charming _Sylvia_, which none but myself could have +snatched you from. It is true, I might have acted something more +worthy of my birth and education; but, my lord, I knew the power of +_Sylvia_; and if I should have sent you the knowledge of this, when I +sent the warrant for the security of your person, the haughty creature +would have prevailed above all my truths with the eloquence of love, +and you had yielded and been betrayed worse by her, than by the most +ungenerous measures I took to prevent it. Suffer this reason, my lord, +to plead for me in that heart where _Sylvia_ reigns, and shews how +powerful she is every where. Pardon all the faults of a most +unfortunate man undone by love, and by your own, guess what his +passion would put him on, who aims or wishes at least for the entire +possession of _Sylvia_, though it was never absolutely hoped by the +most unfortunate + +BRILLIARD. + +At the beginning of this letter _Octavio_ hoped it contained the +confession of his fault in claiming _Sylvia_; he hoped he would have +owned it done in order to his service to his lord, or his love to +_Sylvia_, or any thing but what it really was; but when he read +on--and found that he yet confirmed his claim, he yielded to all the +grief that could sink a heart over-burdened with violent love; he +fell down on the couch where he was sat, and only calling _Sylvia_ +with a dying groan, he held out his hand, in which the letter +remained, and looked on her with eyes that languished with death, +love, and despair; while she, who already feared from whom it came, +received it with disdain, shame, and confusion: and _Octavio_ +recovering a little--cried in a faint voice--'See charming, cruel +fair--see how much my soul adores you, when even this--cannot +extinguish one spark of the flame you have kindled in my soul.' At +this she blushed, and bowed with a graceful modesty that was like to +have given the lie to all the accusations against her: she reads the +letter, while he greedily fixes his eyes upon her face as she reads, +observing with curious search every motion there, all killing and +adorable. He saw her blushes sometimes rise, then sink again to their +proper fountain, her heart; there swell and rise, and beat against her +breast that had no other covering than a thin shirt, for all her bosom +was open, and betrayed the nimble motion of her heart. Her eyes +sometimes would sparkle with disdain, and glow upon the fatal +tell-tale lines, and sometimes languish with excess of grief: but +having concluded the letter, she laid it on the table, and began again +to traverse the room, her head declined, and her arms a-cross her +bosom, _Octavio_ made too true an interpretation of this silence and +calm in _Sylvia_, and no longer doubted his fate. He fixes his eyes +eternally upon her, while she considers what she shall say to that +afflicted lover; she considers _Philander_ lost, or if he ever +returns, it is not to love; to that he was for ever gone; for too well +she knew no arts, obligations, or industry, could retrieve a flying +_Cupid_: she found, if even that could return, his whole fortune was +so exhausted he could not support her; and that she was of a nature so +haughty and impatient of injuries, that she could never forgive him +those affronts he had done her honour first, and now her love; she +resolves no law or force shall submit her to _Brilliard_; she finds +this fallacy she had put on _Octavio_, has ruined her credit in his +esteem, at least she justly fears it; so that believing herself +abandoned by all in a strange country, she fell to weeping her fate, +and the tears wet the floor as she walked: at which sight so melting +_Octavio_ starts from the couch, and catching her in his trembling +arms, he cried, 'Be false, be cruel, and deceitful; yet still I must, +I am compelled to adore you----' This being spoken in so hearty and +resolved a tone, from a man of whose heart she was so sure, and knew +to be generous, gave her a little courage--and like sinking men she +catches at all that presents her any hope of escaping. She resolves by +discovering the whole truth to save that last stake, his heart, though +she could pretend to no more; and taking the fainting lover by the +hand, she leads him to the couch: 'Well,' said she, '_Octavio_, you +are too generous to be imposed on in any thing, and therefore I will +tell you my heart without reserve as absolutely as to heaven itself, +if I were interceding my last peace there.' She begged a thousand +pardons of him for having concealed any part of her story from him, +but she could no longer be guilty of that crime, to a man for whom she +had so perfect a passion; and as she spoke she embraced him with an +irresistible softness that wholly charmed him: she reconciles him with +every touch, and sighs on his bosom a thousand grateful vows and +excuses for her fault, while he weeps his love, and almost expires in +her arms; she is not able to see his passion and his grief, and tells +him she will do all things for his repose. 'Ah, _Sylvia_' sighed +he,'talk not of my repose, when you confess yourself wife to one and +mistress to another, in either of which I have alas no part: ah, what +is reserved for the unfortunate _Octavio_, when two happy lovers +divide the treasure of his soul? Yet tell me truth, because it will +look like love; shew me that excellent virtue so rarely found in all +your fickle sex. O! tell me truth, and let me know how much my heart +can bear before it break with love; and yet, perhaps, to hear thee +speak to me, with that insinuating dear voice of thine, may save me +from the terror of thy words; and though each make a wound, their very +accents have a balm to heal! O quickly pour it then into my listening +soul, and I will be silent as over-ravished lovers, whom joys have +charmed to tender sighs and pantings.' At this, embracing her anew, he +let fall a shower of tears upon her bosom, and sighing, cried--'Now I +attend thy story': she then began anew the repetition of the loves +between herself and _Philander_, which she slightly ran over, because +he had already heard every circumstance of it, both from herself and +_Philander_; till she arrived to that part of it where she left +_Bellfont_, her father's house: 'Thus far,' said she, 'you have had a +faithful relation; and I was no sooner missed by my parents, but you +may imagine the diligent search that would be made, both by +_Foscario_, whom I was to have married the next day, and my tender +parents; but all search, all _hue-and-cries_ were vain; at last, they +put me into the weekly _Gazette_, describing me to the very features +of my face, my hair, my breast, my stature, youth, and beauty, +omitting nothing that might render me apparent to all that should see +me, offering vast sums to any that should give intelligence of such a +lost maid of quality. _Philander_, who understood too well the nature +of the common people, and that they would betray their very fathers +for such a proffered sum, durst trust me no longer to their mercy: his +affairs were so involved with those of _Cesario_, he could not leave +_Paris_; for they every moment expected the people should rise against +their king, and those glorious chiefs of the faction were obliged to +wait and watch the motions of the dirty crowd. Nor durst he trust me +in any place from him; for he could not live a day without me'; (at +that thought she sighed, and then went on); 'so that I was obliged to +remain obscurely lodged in _Paris_, where now I durst no longer trust +myself, though disguised in as many shapes as I was obliged to have +lodgings. At last we were betrayed, and had only the short notice +given us to yield, or secure ourselves from the hand of justice by the +next morning, when they designed to surprise us. To escape we found +almost impossible, and very hazardous to attempt it; so that +_Philander_, who was raving with fears, called myself and this young +gentleman, _Brilliard_ (then Master of his Horse) and one that had +served us faithfully through the whole course of our lives, to +council: many things were in vain debated, but at last this hard shift +was found out of marrying me to _Brilliard_, for to _Philander_ it was +impossible; so that no authority of a father could take me from the +husband. I was at first extremely unwilling, but when _Philander_ told +me it was to be only a mock-marriage, to secure me to himself, I was +reconciled to it, and more when I found the infinite submission of the +young man, who vowed he would never look up to me with the eyes of a +lover or husband, but in obedience to his lord did it to preserve me +entirely for him; nay farther, to secure my future fear, he confessed +to me he was already married to a gentlewoman by whom he had two +children.' 'Oh!----tell me true, my _Sylvia_, was he married to +another!' cried out the overjoyed lover. 'Yes, on my life,' replied +_Sylvia_; 'for when it was proved in court that I was married to +_Brilliard_ (as at last I was, and innocently bedded) this lady came +and brought her children to me, and falling at my feet, wept and +implored I would not own her husband, for only she had right to him; +we all were forced to discover to her the truth of the matter, and +that he had only married me to secure me from the rage of my parents, +that if he were her husband she was still as entirely possessed of him +as ever, and that he had advanced her fortune in what he had done, for +she should have him restored with those advantages that should make +her life, and that of her children more comfortable; and _Philander_ +making both her and the children considerable presents, sent her away +very well satisfied. After this, before people, we used him to a +thousand freedoms, but when alone, he retained his respect entire; +however, this used him to something more familiarity than formerly, +and he grew to be more a companion than a servant, as indeed we +desired he should, and of late have found him more presumptuous than +usual. And thus much more, I must confess, I have reason to believe +him a most passionate lover, and have lately found he had designs upon +me, as you well know. + +'Judge now, oh dear _Octavio_, how unfortunate I am; yet judge too, +whether I ought to esteem this a marriage, or him a husband?' 'No,' +replied _Octavio_, more briskly than before, 'nor can he by the laws +of God or man pretend to such a blessing, and you may be divorced.' +Pleased with this thought, he soon assumed his native temper of joy +and softness, and making a thousand new vows that he would perform all +he had sworn on his part, and imploring and pressing her to renew +those she had made to him, she obeys him; she makes a thousand +grateful returns, and they pass the evening the most happily that ever +lovers did. By this time supper was served up, noble and handsome, and +after supper, he led her to his closet, where he presented her with +jewels and other rarities of great value, and omitted nothing that +might oblige an avaricious designing woman, if _Sylvia_ had been such; +nor any thing that might beget love and gratitude in the most +insensible heart: and all he did, and all he gave, was with a peculiar +grace, in which there lies as great an obligation as in the gift +itself: the handsome way of giving being an art so rarely known, even +to the most generous. In these happy and glorious moments of love, +wherein the lover omitted nothing that could please, _Philander_ was +almost forgotten; for it is natural for love to beget love, and +inconstancy its likeness or disdain: and we must conclude _Sylvia_ a +maid wholly insensible, if she had not been touched with tenderness, +and even love itself, at all these extravagant marks of passion in +_Octavio_; and it must be confessed she was of a nature soft and apt +for impression; she was, in a word, a woman. She had her vanities and +her little foiblesses, and loved to see adorers at her feet, +especially those in whom all things, all graces, charms of youth, wit +and fortune agreed to form for love and conquest: she naturally loved +power and dominion, and it was her maxim, that never any woman was +displeased to find she could beget desire. + +It was thus they lived with uninterrupted joys, no spies to pry upon +their actions, no false friends to censure their real pleasures, no +rivals to poison their true content, no parents to give bounds or +grave rules to the destruction of nobler lavish love; but all the day +was passed in new delights, and every day produced a thousand +pleasures; and even the thoughts of revenge were no more remembered on +either side; it lessened in _Sylvia_'s heart as love advanced there, +and her resentment against _Philander_ was lost in her growing passion +for _Octavio_: and sure if any woman had excuses for loving and +inconstancy, the most wise and prudent must allow them now to +_Sylvia_; and if she had reason for loving it was now, for what she +paid the most deserving of his sex, and whom she managed with that art +of loving (if there be art in love) that she gained every minute upon +his heart, and he became more and more her slave, the more he found he +was beloved: in spite of all _Brilliard_'s pretension he would have +married her, but durst not do it while he remained in _Holland_, +because of the noise _Brilliard_'s claim had made, and he feared the +displeasure of his uncle; but waited for a more happy time, when he +could settle his affairs so as to remove her into _Flanders_, though +he could not tell how to accomplish that without ruining his interest: +these thoughts alone took up his time whenever he was absent from +_Sylvia_, and would often give him abundance of trouble; for he was +given over to his wish of possessing of _Sylvia_, and could not live +without her; he loved too much, and thought and considered too little. +These were his eternal entertainments when from the lovely object of +his desire, which was as seldom as possible; for they were both +unwilling to part, though decency and rest required it, a thousand +soft things would hinder him, and make her willing to retain him, and +though they were to meet again next morning, they grudge themselves +the parting hours, and the repose of nature. He longs and languishes +for the blessed moment that shall give him to the arms of the +ravishing _Sylvia_, and she finds but too much yielding on her part in +some of those silent lone hours, when love was most prevailing, and +feeble mortals most apt to be overcome by that insinuating god; so +that though _Octavio_ could not ask what he sighed and died for, +though for the safety of his life, for any favours; and though, on the +other side, _Sylvia_ resolved she would not grant, no, though mutual +vows had passed, though love within pleaded, and almost irresistible +beauties and inducements without, though all the powers of love, of +silence, night and opportunity, though on the very point a thousand +times of yielding, she had resisted all: but oh! one night; let it not +rise up in judgement against her, ye bashful modest maids, who never +yet tried any powerful minute; nor ye chaste wives, who give no +opportunities; one night----they lost themselves in dalliance, forgot +how very near they were to yielding, and with imperfect transports +found themselves half dead with love, clasped in each other's arms, +betrayed by soft degrees of joy to all they wished. It would be too +amorous to tell you more; to tell you all that night, that happy night +produced; let it suffice that _Sylvia_ yielded all, and made _Octavio_ +happier than a god. At first, he found her weeping in his arms, raving +on what she had inconsiderately done, and with her soft reproaches +chiding her ravished lover, who lay sighing by; unable to reply any +other way, he held her fast in those arms that trembled yet, with love +and new-past joy; he found a pleasure even in her railing, with a +tenderness that spoke more love than any other language love could +speak. Betwixt his sighs he pleads his right of love, and the +authority of his solemn vows; he tells her that the marriage-ceremony +was but contrived to satisfy the ignorant, and to proclaim his title +to the crowd, but vows and contracts were the same to heaven: he +speaks----and she believes; and well she might; for all he spoke was +honourable truth. He knew no guile, but uttered all his soul, and all +that soul was honest, just and brave; thus by degrees he brought her +to a calm. + +In this soft rencounter, he had discovered a thousand new charms in +_Sylvia_, and contrary to those men whose end of love is lust (which +extinguish together) _Octavio_ found increase of tenderness from every +bliss she gave; and grew at last so fond--so doting on the still more +charming maid, that he neglected all his interest, his business in the +State, and what he owed his uncle, and his friends, and became the +common theme over all the United Provinces, for his wantonness and +luxury, as they were pleased to call it, and living so contrary to the +humour of those more sordid and slovenly men of quality, which make up +the nobility of that parcel of the world. For while thus he lived +retired, scarce visiting any one, or permitting any one to visit him, +they charge him with a thousand crimes of having given himself over to +effeminacy; as indeed he grew too lazy in her arms; neglecting glory, +arms, and power, for the more real joys of life; while she even rifles +him with extravagancy; and grows so bold and hardy, that regarding not +the humours of the stingy censorious nation, his interest, or her own +fame, she is seen every day in his coaches, going to take the air out +of town; puts him upon balls, and vast expensive treats; devises new +projects and ways of diversion, till some of the more busy +impertinents of the town made a public complaint to his uncle, and the +rest of the _States_, urging he was a scandal to the reverend and +honourable society. On which it was decreed, that he should either +lose that honour, or take up, and live more according to the gravity +and authority of a senator: this incensed _Sebastian_, both against +the _States_ and his nephew; for though he had often reproved and +counselled him; yet he scorned his darling should be schooled by his +equals in power. So that resolving either to discard him, or draw him +from the love of this woman; he one morning goes to his nephew's +house, and sending him up word by his page he would speak to him, he +was conducted to his chamber, where he found him in his night-gown: he +began to upbraid him, first, with his want of respect and duty to him, +and next, of his affairs, neglecting to give his attendance on the +public: he tells him he is become a scandal to the commonwealth, and +that he lived a lewd life with another man's wife: he tells him he has +all her story, and she was not only a wife, but a scandalous mistress +too to _Philander_. 'She boasts,' says he, 'of honourable birth; but +what is that, when her conduct is infamous? In short, sir,' continued +he, 'your life is obnoxious to the whole province: why what, +sir----cannot honest men's daughters' (cried he more angrily) 'serve +your turn, but you must crack a Commandment? Why, this is flat +adultery: a little fornication in a civil way might have been allowed, +but this is stark naught. In fine, sir, quit me this woman, and quit +her presently; or, in the first place, I renounce thee, cast thee from +me as a stranger, and will leave thee to ruin, and the incensed +_States_. A little pleasure--a little recreation, I can allow: a layer +of love, and a layer of business--But to neglect the nation for a +wench, is flat treason against the State; and I wish there were a law +against all such unreasonable whore-masters--that are statesmen--for +the rest it is no great matter. Therefore, in a word, sir, leave me +off this mistress of yours, or we will secure her yet for a _French_ +spy, that comes to debauch our commonwealth's men----The _States_ can +do it, sir, they can----' Hitherto _Octavio_ received all with a blush +and bow, in sign of obedience; but when his uncle told him the +_States_ would send away his mistress; no longer able to contain his +rage, he broke out into all the violence imaginable against them, and +swore he would not now forgo _Sylvia_ to be monarch over all the nasty +provinces, and it was a greater glory to be a slave at her feet. 'Go, +tell your _States_,' cried he,--'they are a company of cynical fops, +born to moil on in sordid business, who never were worthy to +understand so great a happiness of life as that of nobler love. Tell +them, I scorn the dull gravity of those asses of the commonwealth, fit +only to bear the dirty load of State-affairs, and die old busy fools.' +The uncle, who little expected such a return from him who used to be +all obedience, began more gently to persuade him with more solid +reason, but could get no other answer from him, than that what he +commanded he should find it difficult to disobey; and so for that time +they parted. Some days after (he never coming so much as near their +Councils) they sent for him to answer the contempt: he came, and +received abundance of hard reproaches, and finding they were resolved +to degrade him, he presently rallied them in answer to all they said; +nor could all the cautions of his friends persuade him to any +submission, after receiving so rough and ill-bred a treatment as they +gave him: and impatient to return to _Sylvia_, where all his joys were +centred, he was with much ado persuaded to stay and hear the +resolution of the Council, which was to take from him those honours he +held amongst them; at which he cocked and smiled, and told them he +received what he was much more proud of, than of those useless trifles +they called honours, and wishes they might treat all that served them +at that ungrateful rate: for he that had received a hundred wounds, +and lost a stream of blood for their security, shall, if he kiss their +wives against their wills, be banished like a coward: so hasting from +the Council, he got into his coach and went to _Sylvia_. + +This incensed the old gentlemen to a high degree, and they carried it +against the younger party (because more in number) that this _French_ +lady, who was for high-treason, as they called it, forced to fly +_France_, should be no longer protected in _Holland_. And in order to +her removal, or rather their revenge on _Octavio_, they sent out their +warrant to apprehend her; and either to send her as an enemy to +_France_, or force her to some other part of the world. For a day or +two _Sebastian_'s interest prevailed for the stopping the warrant, +believing he should be able to bring his nephew to some submission; +which when he found in vain, he betook himself to his chamber, and +refused any visits or diversions: by this time, _Octavio_'s rallying +the _States_ was become the jest of the town, and all the sparks +laughed at them as they passed, and lampooned them to damnable _Dutch_ +tunes, which so highly incensed them, that they sent immediately, and +served the warrant on _Sylvia_, whom they surprised in _Octavio_'s +coach as she was coming from taking the air. You may imagine what an +agony of trouble and grief our generous and surprised lover was in: it +was in vain to make resistance, and he who before would not have +submitted to have saved his life, to the _States_, now for the +preservation of one moment's content to _Sylvia_, was ready to go and +fall at their feet, kiss their shoes, and implore their pity. He first +accompanies her to the house of the messenger, where he only is +permitted to behold her with eyes of dying love, and unable to say any +thing to her, left her with such gifts, and charge to the messenger's +care, as might oblige him to treat her well; while _Sylvia_ less +surprised, bid him, at going from her, not to afflict himself for any +thing she suffered; she found it was the malice of the peevish old +magistrates, and that the most they could do to her, was to send her +from him. This last she spoke with a sigh, that pierced his heart more +sensibly than ever any thing yet had done; and he only replied (with a +sigh) 'No, _Sylvia_, no rigid power on earth shall ever be able to +deprive you of my eternal adoration, or to separate me one moment from +_Sylvia_, after she is compelled to leave this ungrateful place; and +whose departure I will hasten all that I can, since the land is not +worthy of so great a blessing.' So leaving her for a little space, he +hasted to his uncle, whom he found very much discontented: he throws +himself at his feet, and assails him with all the moving eloquence of +sighs and tears; in vain was all, in vain alas he pleads. From this he +flies to rage--and says all a distracted lover could pour forth to +ease a tortured heart; what divinity did he not provoke? Wholly +regardless even of heaven and man, he made a public confession of his +passion, denied her being married to _Brilliard_, and weeps as he +protests her innocence: he kneels again, implores and begs anew, and +made the movingest moan that ever touched a heart, but could receive +no other return but threats and frowns: the old gentleman had never +been in love since he was born, no not enough to marry, but bore an +unaccountable hate to the whole sex, and therefore was pitiless to all +he could say on the score of love; though he endeavours to soften him +by a thousand things more dear to him. 'For my sake, sir,' said he, +'if ever my lost plea were grateful to you, when all your joy was in +the young _Octavio_; release, release the charming _Sylvia_; regard +her tender youth, her blooming beauty, her timorous helpless sex, her +noble quality, and save her from rude assaults of power----Oh save the +lovely maid!' Thus he uttered with interrupting sighs and tears, which +fell upon the floor as he pursued the obdurate on his knees: at last +pity touched his heart, and he said--'Spare, sir, the character of +your enchanting _Circe_; for I have heard too much of her, and what +mischief she has bred in _France_, abandoning her honour, betraying a +virtuous sister, defaming her noble parents, and ruining an +illustrious young nobleman, who was both her brother and her lover. +This, sir, in short, is the character of your beauteous innocent.' +'Alas, sir,' replied _Octavio_, 'you never saw this maid; or if you +had, you would not be so cruel.' 'Go to, sir,' replied the old +gentleman, 'I am not so soon softened at the sight of beauty.' 'But do +but see her, sir,' replied _Octavio_, 'and then perhaps you will be +charmed like me----' 'You are a fop, sir,' replied _Sebastian_, 'and +if you would have me allow any favour to your enchanting lady, you +must promise me first to abandon her, and marry the widow of Monsieur +---- who is vastly rich, and whom I have so often recommended to you; +she loves you too, and though she be not fair, she has the best +fortune of any lady in the _Netherlands_. On these terms, sir, I am +for a reconciliation with you, and will immediately go and deliver the +fair prisoner; and she shall have her liberty to go or stay, or do +what she please--and now, sir, you know my will and pleasure'-- +_Octavio_ found it in vain to pursue him any farther with his +petitions; only replied, it was wondrous hard and cruel. To which +the old one replied; 'It is what must be done; I have resolved it, or +my estate, in value above two hundred thousand pounds, shall be +disposed of to your sister, the Countess of _Clarinau_:' and this he +ended with an execration on himself if he did not do; and he was a man +that always was just to his word. + +Much more to this ungrateful effect he spoke, and _Octavio_ had +recourse to all the dissimulation his generous soul was capable of; +and it was the first base thing, and sure the last that ever he was +guilty of. He promises his uncle to obey all his commands and +injunctions, since he would have it so; and only begged he might be +permitted but one visit, to take his last leave of her. This was at +first refused, but at last, provided he might hear what he said to +her, he would suffer him to go: 'For,' said the crafty old man, (who +knew too well the cunning of youth,) 'I will have no tricks put upon +me; I will not be outwitted by a young knave:' this was the worst part +of all; he knew, if he alone could speak with her, they might have +contrived, by handsome agreeing flattery, to have accomplished their +design; which was, first, by the authority of the old gentleman to +have freed her from confinement; and next, to have settled his affairs +in the best posture he could, and without valuing his uncle's fortune, +his own being greater, he resolved to go with her into _Flanders_ or +_Italy_; but his going with him to visit her would prevent whatever +they might resolve: but since the liberty of _Sylvia_ was first to be +considered, he resolves, since it must be so and leaves the rest to +time and his good fortune. 'Well then, sir,' said _Octavio_, 'since +you have resolved yourself, to be a witness of those melancholy +things, I shall possibly say to her, let us haste to end the great +affair'--'Hang it,' cried _Sebastian_, 'if I go I shall abuse the +young hussy, or commit some indecency that will not be suitable to +good manners----' 'I hope you will, sir'----replied _Octavio_----'Whip +them, whip them,' replied the uncle, 'I hate the young cozening +baggages, that wander about the world undoing young and extravagant +coxcombs; gots so they are naught, stark naught----Be sure dispatch as +soon as you can; and--do you hear--let's have no whining.' _Octavio_, +overjoyed he should have her released to-night, promised lavishly all +he was urged to: and his coach being at the gate, they both went +immediately to the house of the messenger; all the way the old +gentleman did nothing but rail against the vices of the age, and the +sins of villainous youth; the snares of beauty, and the danger of +witty women; and of how ill consequences these were to a commonwealth. +He said, if he were to make laws he would confine all young women to +monasteries, where they should never see man till forty, and then come +out and marry for generation-sake, no more: for his part, he had never +seen the beauty that yet could inspire him with that silly thing +called love; and wondered what the devil ailed all the young fellows +of this age, that they talked of nothing else. At this rate they +discoursed till they arrived at the prison, and calling for the +messenger, he conducted them both to the chamber of the fair prisoner, +who was laid on a couch, near which stood a table with two candles, +which gave a great light to that part of the room, and made _Sylvia_ +appear more fair than ever, if possible. She had not that day been +dressed but in a rich night-gown, and cornets of the most advantageous +fashion. At his approach she blushed (with a secret joy, which never +had possessed her soul for him before) and spread a thousand beauties +round her fair face. She was leaping with a transported pleasure to +his arms, when she perceived an old grave person follow him into the +room; at which she reassumed a strangeness, a melancholy languishment, +which charmed no less than her gaiety. She approaches them with a +modest grace in her beautiful eyes; and by the reception _Octavio_ +gave her, she found that reverend person was his uncle, or at least +somebody of authority; and therefore assuming a gravity unusual, she +received them with all the ceremony due to their quality: and first, +she addressed herself to the old gentleman, who stood gazing at her, +without motion; at which she was a little out of countenance. When +_Octavio_ perceiving it, approached his uncle and cried, 'Sir, this is +the lady----' _Sebastian_, starting as from a dream, cried--'Pardon +me, madam, I am a fellow whom age hath rendered less ceremonious than +youth: I have never yet been so happy as to have been used to a fair +lady. Women never took up one minute of my more precious time, but I +have been a satyr upon the whole sex; and, if my treatment of you be +rougher than your birth and beauty merits, I beseech you----fair +creature, pardon it, since I come in order to do you service.' 'Sir,' +replied _Sylvia_, (blushing with anger at the presence of a man who +had contributed to the having brought her to that place) 'I cannot but +wonder at this sudden change of goodness, in a person to whom I am +indebted for part of my misfortune, and which I shall no longer esteem +as such, since it has occasioned me a happiness, and an honour, to +which I could no other way have arrived.' This last she spoke with her +usual insinuating charms; the little affectation of the voice +sweetened to all the tenderness it was possible to put on, and so easy +and natural to _Sylvia_: and if before the old gentleman were seized +with some unusual pleasure, which before he never felt about his icy +and insensible heart, and which now began to thaw at the fire of her +eyes----l say, if before he were surprised with looking, what was he +when she spoke--with a voice so soft, and an air so bewitching? He was +all eyes and ears, and had use of no other sense but what informed +those. He gazes upon her, as if he waited and listened what she would +farther say, and she stood waiting for his reply, till ashamed, she +turned her eyes into her bosom, and knew not how to proceed. _Octavio_ +views both by turns, and knows not how to begin the discourse again, +it being his uncle's cue to speak: but finding him altogether mute--he +steps to him, and gently pulled him by the sleeve--but finds no motion +in him; he speaks to him, but in vain; for he could hear nothing but +_Sylvia_'s charming voice, nor saw nothing but her lovely face, nor +attended any thing but when she would speak again, and look that way. +At this _Octavio_ smiled, and taking his adorable by the hand, he led +her nearer her admiring adversary; whom she approached with modesty +and sweetness in her eyes, that the old fellow, having never before +beheld the like vision, was wholly vanquished, and his old heart burnt +in the socket, which being his last blaze made the greater fire. 'Fine +lady,' cried he--'or rather fine angel, how is it I shall expiate for +a barbarity that nothing could be guilty of but the brute, who had not +learned humanity from your eyes: what atonement can I make for my sin; +and how shall I be punished?' 'Sir,' replied _Sylvia_, 'if I can merit +your esteem and assistance, to deliver me from this cruel confinement, +I shall think of what is past as a joy, since it renders me worthy of +your pity and compassion.' 'To answer you, madam, were to hold you +under this unworthy roof too long; therefore let me convince you of my +service, by leading you to a place more fit for so fair a person.' And +calling for the messenger, he asked him if he would take his bail for +his fair prisoner? Who replied, 'Your lordship may command all +things:' so throwing him a little purse, about thirty pounds in gold, +he bid him drink the lady's health; and without more ceremony or talk, +led her to the coach; and never so much as asking her whether she +would go, insensibly carries her, where he had a mind to have her, to +his own house. This was a little affliction to _Octavio_, who +nevertheless durst not say any thing to his uncle, nor so much as ask +him the reason why: but being arrived all thither, he conducts her to +a very fair apartment, and bid her there command that world he could +command for her: he gave her there a very magnificent supper, and all +three supped together. _Octavio_ could not imagine that his uncle, who +was a single man, and a grave senator, one famed for a womanhater, a +great railer at the vices of young men, should keep a fair, young, +single woman in his house: but it growing late, and no preparation for +her departing, she took the courage to say--'Sir, I am so extremely +obliged to you, and have received so great a favour from you, that I +cannot flatter myself it is for any virtue in me, or merely out of +compassion to my sex, that you have done this; but for some body's +sake, to whom I am more engaged than I am aware of; and when you +passed your parole for my liberty, I am not so vain to think it was +for my sake; therefore pray inform me, sir, how I can pay this debt, +and to whom; and who it is you require should be bound for me, to save +you harmless.' 'Madam,' cried _Sebastian_, 'though there need no +greater security than your own innocence, yet lest that innocence +should not be sufficient to guard you from the outrage of a people +approaching to savages, I beg, for your own security, not mine, that +you will make this house your sanctuary; my power can save you from +impending harms; and all that I call mine, you shall command.' At this +she blushing bowed, but durst not make reply to contradict him: she +knew, at least, that there she was safe and well, from fear of the +tyranny of the rest, or any other apprehension. It is true, she found, +by the shyness of _Octavio_ towards her before his uncle, that she was +to manage her amour with him by stealth, till they could contrive +matters more to their advantage: she therefore finding she should want +nothing, but as much of _Octavio_'s conversation as she desired, she +begged he would give her leave to write a note to her page, who was a +faithful, sober youth, to bring her jewels and what things she had of +value to her, which he did, and received those and her servants +together; but _Antonet_ had like to have lost her place, but that +_Octavio_ pleaded for her, and she herself confessing it was love to +the false _Brilliard_ that made her do that foolish thing (in which +she vowed she thought no harm, though it was like to have cost her so +dear) she was again received into favour: so that for some days +_Sylvia_ found herself very much at her ease with the old gentleman, +and had no want of any thing but _Octavio_'s company: but she had the +pleasure to find, by his eyes and sighs, he wanted hers more: he died +every day, and his fair face faded like falling roses: still she was +gay; for if she had it not about her, she assumed it to keep him in +heart: she was not displeased to see the old man on fire too, and +fancied some diversion from the intrigue. But he concealed his passion +all he could, both to hide it from his nephew, and because he knew not +what he ailed. A strange change he found, a wondrous disorder in +nature, but could not give a name to it, nor sigh aloud for fear he +should be heard, and lose his reputation; especially for this woman, +on whom he had railed so lavishly. One day therefore, after a night of +torment, very incommode to his age, he takes _Octavio_ into the garden +alone, telling him he had a great secret to impart to him. _Octavio_ +guessing what it might be, put his heart in as good order as he could +to receive it. He at least knew the worst was but for him at last to +steal _Sylvia_ from him, if he should be weak enough to dote on the +young charmer, and therefore resolved to hear with patience. But if he +were prepared to attend, the other was not prepared to begin, and so +both walked many silent turns about the garden. _Sebastian_ had a mind +to ask a thousand questions of his nephew, who he found, maugre all +his vows of deserting _Sylvia_, had no power of doing it: he had a +mind to urge him to marry the widow, but durst not now press it, +though he used to do so, lest he should take it for jealousy in him; +nor durst he now forbid him seeing her, lest he should betray the +secrets of his soul: he began every moment to love him less, as he +loved _Sylvia_ more, and beholds him as an enemy to his repose, nay +his very life. At last the old man (who thought if he brought his +nephew forth under pretence of a secret, and said nothing to him, it +would have looked ill) began to speak. '_Octavto_,' said he, 'I have +hitherto found you so just in all you have said, that it were a sin to +doubt you in what relates to _Sylvia_. You have told me she is nobly +born; and you have with infinite imprecations convinced me she is +virtuous; and lastly, you have sworn she was not married'----At this +he sighed and paused, and left _Octavio_ trembling with fear of the +result: a thousand times he was like to have denied all, but durst not +defame the most sacred idol of his soul: sometimes he thought his +uncle would be generous, and think it fit to give him _Sylvia_; but +that thought was too seraphic to remain a moment in his heart. 'Sir,' +replied _Octavio_, 'I own I said so of _Sylvia_, and hope no action +she has committed since she had a protection under your roof has +contradicted any thing I said. 'No,' said _Sebastian_, sighing--and +pausing, as loath to speak more: 'Sir,' said _Octavio_, 'I suppose +this is not the secret you had to impart to me, for which you separate +me to this lonely walk; fear not to trust me with it, whatever it be; +for I am so entirely your own, that I will grant, submit, prostrate +myself, and give up all my will, power, and faculties to your interest +or designs.' This encouraged the old lover, who replied--'Tell me one +truth, _Octavio_, which I require of you, and I will desire no +more----have not you had the possession of this fair maid? You +apprehend me.' Now it was that he feared what design the amorous old +gentleman had in his head and heart; and was at a loss what to say, +whether to give him some jealousy that he had known and possessed her, +and so prevent his designs on her; or by saying he had not, to leave +her defenceless to his love. But on second thoughts, he could not +resolve to say any thing to the disadvantage of _Sylvia_, though to +save his own life; and therefore assured his uncle, he never durst +assume the boldness to ask so rude a question of a woman of quality: +and much more he spoke to that purpose to convince him: that it is +true, he would have married her, if he could have gained his consent; +maugre all the scandal that the malicious world had thrown upon her. +But since he was positive in his command for the widow, he would bend +his mind to obedience. 'In that,' replied _Sebastian_, 'you are wise, +and I am glad all your youthful fires are blown over; and having once +fixed you in the world as I design, I have resolved on an affair----' +At this again he paused----'I am,' says he, 'in love--I think it is +love, or that which you call so: I cannot eat, nor sleep, nor even +pray, but this fair stranger interposes; or, if by chance I slumber, +all my dreams are of her, I see her, I touch her, I embrace her, and +find a pleasure, even then, that all my waking thoughts could never +procure me. If I go to the state-house, I mind nothing there, my +heart's at home with the young gentlewoman; or the change, or +wheresoever I go, my restless thoughts present her still before me: +and prithee tell me, is not this love, _Octavio_? 'It may arrive to +love,' replied the blushing youth, 'if you would fondly give way to +it: but you are wise and grave, should hate all women, sir, till about +forty, and then for generation only: you are above the follies of vain +youth. And let me tell you, sir, without offending, already you are +charged with a thousand little vanities, unsuitable to your years, and +the character you have had, and the figure you have made in the world. +I heard a lampoon on you the other day,--(Pardon my freedom, sir,) for +keeping a beauty in your house, who they are pleased to say was my +mistress before.' And pulling out a lampoon, which his page had before +given him, he gave it his uncle. But instead of making him resolve to +quit _Sylvia_, it only served to incense him against _Octavio_; he +railed at all wits, and swore there was not a more dangerous enemy to +a civil, sober commonwealth: that a poet was to be banished as a spy, +or hanged as a traitor: that it ought to be as much against the law to +let them live, as to shoot with white powder; and that to write +lampoons should be put into the statute against stabbing. And could he +find the rogue that had the wit to write that, he would make him a +warning to all the race of that damnable vermin; what! to abuse a +magistrate, one of the _States_, a very monarch of the commonwealth!-- +It was abominable, and not to be borne,--and looking on his nephew-- +and considering his face a while, he cried--'I fancy, sir, by your +physiognomy, that you yourself have a hand in this libel:' at which +Octavio blushed, which he taking for guilt, flew out into terrible +anger against him, not suffering him to speak for himself, or clear +his innocence. And as he was going in this rage from him, having +forbidden him ever to set his foot within his doors, he told him,-- +'If,' said he, 'the scandalous town, from your instructions, have +such thoughts of me, I will convince it by marrying this fair +stranger the first thing I do: I cannot doubt but to find a welcome, +since she is a banished woman, without friends or protection; and +especially, when she shall see how civilly you have handled her +here, in your doggerel ballad: I will teach you to be a wit, sir; and +so your humble servant.'--And leaving him almost wild with his +fears, he went directly to _Sylvia_, where he told her his nephew was +going to make up the match between himself and madam the widow of ---- +and that he had made a scandalous lampoon on her fair self. He forgot +nothing that might make her hate the amiable young nobleman, whom she +knew too well to believe that any thing of this was other than the +effects of his own growing passion for her. For though she saw +_Octavio_ every day, in this time she had remained at his uncle's, yet +the old lover so watched their very looks, that it was impossible +almost to tell one another's heart by the glance there. But _Octavio_ +had once in this time conveyed a letter to her, which having +opportunity to do, he put it into her comb-box, when he was with his +uncle one day in her dressing-room; for she durst not trust her page, +and less _Antonet_, who had before betrayed them: and having for +_Sylvia_'s release so solemnly sworn to his uncle, (to which vows he +took religious care to keep him,) he had so perfect an awe upon his +spirits from every look and command of his uncle's, he took infinite +heed how he gave him any umbrage by any action of his; and the rather, +because he hoped when time should serve, to bring about his business +of stealing _Sylvia_ from him; for she was kept and guarded like a +mighty heiress; so that by this prudent management on both sides, they +heightened the growing love in every heart. In that billet, which he +dropped in her comb-box, he did not only make ten thousand vows of +eternal passion and faith, and beg the same assurance of her again; +but told her he was secured (so well he thought of her) from fears of +his uncle's addresses to her, and begged she would not let them +perplex her, but rather serve her for her diversion; that she should +from time to time write him all he said to her, and how he treated her +when alone; and that since the old lover was so watchful, she should +not trust her letters with any body; but as she walked into the +garden, she should in passing through the hall, put her letter in at +the broken glass of an old sedan that stood there, and had stood for +several years; and that his own page, whom he could trust, should, +when he came with him to his uncle's, take it from thence. Thus every +day they writ, and received the dearest returns in the world; where +all the satisfaction that vows oft repeated could give, was rendered +each other; with an account from _Sylvia_ that was very pleasant, of +all the passion of the doting old _Sebastian_, the presents he made +her, the fantastic youth he would assume, and unusual manner of his +love, which was a great diversion to both; and this difficulty of +speaking to _Sylvia_, and entertaining her with love, though it had +its pains, had its infinite pleasure too; it increased their love on +both sides, and all their wishes. But now by this last banishment from +the house where she was, to lose that only pleasure of beholding the +adorable maid, gave him all the pains, without the hope of one +pleasure; and he began to fear he should have a world of difficulty to +secure the dear object of his continual thoughts: he found no way to +send to her, and dreads all his malicious uncle and rival may say to +his disadvantage: he dreads even that infinite tenderness and esteem +he had for the good old man, who had been so fond a parent to him; +lest even that should make him unwilling to use that extremity against +him in regaining _Sylvia_, which he could use to any other man. Oh, +how he curses the fatal hour that ever he implored his aid for her +release; and having overcome all difficulties, even that of his fears +of _Philander_, (from whom they had received no letter in two months) +and that of _Sylvia's_ disdain, and had established himself in her +soul and her arms; he should, by employing his uncle's authority for +_Sylvia's_ service, be so unfortunate to involve them into new dangers +and difficulties, of which he could foresee no other end, than that +which must be fatal to some of them. But he believed half his torture +would be eased, could he but write to _Sylvia_, for see her he could +not hope: he bethought himself of a way at last. + +His uncle had belonging to his house the most fine garden of any in +that province, where those things are not much esteemed; in which the +old gentleman took wonderful delight, and kept a gardener and his +family in a little house at the farther end of the garden, on purpose +to look to it and dress it. This man had a very great veneration for +_Octavio_, whom he called his young lord. Sure of the fidelity of this +gardener, when it was dark enough to conceal him, he wrapped himself +in his cloak, and got him thither by a back way, where with presents, +he soon won those to his interest, who would before have been +commanded by him in any service. He had a little clean room, and some +little _French_ novels which he brought; and there he was as well +concealed as if he had been in the _Indies_; he left word at home, +that he was gone out of the town. He knew well enough that _Sylvia_'s, +lodgings looked that way; and when it was dark enough, he walked under +her window, till he saw a candle lighted in _Sylvia_'s bed-chamber, +which was as great a joy to him as the star that guides the traveller, +or wandering seaman, or the lamp at _Sestos_, that guided the ravished +lover over the _Hellespont_. And by that time he could imagine all in +bed, he made a little noise with a key on the pummel of his sword; but +whether _Sylvia_ heard it or not, I cannot tell, but she anon came to +the window, and putting up the sash, leaned on her arms and looked +into the garden. Oh! Who but he himself that loved so well as +_Octavio_, can express the transports he was in, at the sight? Which, +more from the sight within than that without, he saw was the lovely +_Sylvia_; whom calling softly by her name, answered him, as if she +knew the welcome voice, and cried--'Who is there, _Octavio_? She was +soon answered you may imagine. And they began the most endearing +conversation that ever love could dictate. He complains on his fate +that sets them at that distance, and she pities him. He makes a +thousand doubts, and she undeceives them all. He fears, and she +convinces his error, and is impatient at his suspicions. She will not +endure him to question a heart that has given him so many proofs of +its tenderness and gratitude; she tells him her own wishes, how soft +and fervent they are; and assures him, he is extremely obliged to +her----'Since for you--my charming friend,' said she to _Octavio_, 'I +have refused this night to marry your uncle; have a care,' said she, +smiling, 'how you treat me, lest I revenge myself on you; become your +aunt, and bring heirs to the estate you have a right to: the writings +of all which I have now in my chamber, and which were but just now +laid at my feet, and which I cannot yet get him to receive back. And +to oblige me to a compliance, has told me how you have deceived me, by +giving yourself to another, and exposing me in lampoons.'--To this +_Octavio_ would have replied, but she assured him she needed no +argument to convince her of the falsehood of all. He sighs, and told +her, all she said, though dear and charming, was not sufficient to +ease his heart; for he foresaw a world of hazard to get her from +thence, and mischiefs if she remained; insomuch that he caused the +tears to flow from the fair eyes of _Sylvia_, with her reflections on +her rigid fortune. And she cried, 'Oh, my _Octavio_! What strange fate +or stars ruled my birth, that I should be born to the ruin of what I +love, or those that love me!' At this rate they passed the night, +sometimes more soft, sometimes encouraging one another; but the last +result was to contrive the means of escaping. He fancied she might +easily do it by the garden from the window: but that he was not sure +he could trust the gardener so far, who in all things would serve him, +in which his lord and master was not injured; and he, amongst the rest +of the servants, had orders not to suffer _Sylvia_ out of the garden, +for which reason he kept a guard on that back-door. Some way must be +found out which yet was not, and was left to time. He told her whence +he was, and that he would not stir from thence, till he was secured of +her flight: and day coming on, though loath, yet for fear of eyes and +ears that might spy upon them, he retired to his little lodging, and +_Sylvia_ to bed; after giving and receiving a thousand vows and +farewells. The next night he came to the same place, but instead of +entertaining her--he only saw her softly put up the sash a little, and +throw something white out of the window and retire. He was wondering +at the meaning, but taking up what was thrown down, he found and smelt +it was _Sylvia_'s handkerchief, in which was tied up a billet: he went +to his little lodging, and read it. + +SYLVIA _to_ OCTAVIO. + +Go from my window, my adorable friend, and be not afflicted that I do +not entertain you as I had the joy to do last night; for both our +voices were heard by some one that lodges below; and though your uncle +could not tell me any part of our conversation, yet he heard I talked +to some body: I have persuaded him the fellow dreamed who gave him +this intelligence, and he is almost satisfied he did so; however, +hazard not thy dear-self any more so, but let me lose for a while the +greatest happiness this earth can afford me, (in the circumstances of +our fortunes) rather than expose what is dearer to me than life or +honour: pity the fate I was born to, and expect all things from + +_Your_ SYLVIA. + +_I will wait at the window for your answer, and let you down a +ribband, by which I will draw it up: but as you love me do not speak._ + +He had no sooner read this, but he went to write an answer, which was +this. + +OCTAVIO _to_ SYLVIA. + +Complain not, thou goddess of my vows, on the fate thou wert born to +procure to all mankind; but thank heaven for having received ten +thousand charms that can recompense all the injuries you so +unwillingly do us: and who would not implore his ruin from all the +angry powers, if in return they would give him so glorious a reward? +Who would not be undone to all the trifling honours of the mistaken +world, to find himself, in lieu of all, possessed of the ravishing +_Sylvia_? But oh! Where is that presumptuous man, that can at the +price of all lay claim to so vast a blessing? Alas, my _Sylvia_, even +while I dare call you mine, I am not that hoping slave; no, not after +all the valued dear things you have said and vowed to me last night in +the garden, welcome to my soul as life after a sentence of death, or +heaven after life is ended. But, oh _Sylvia_! all this, even all you +uttered from your dear mouth is not sufficient to support me: alas, I +die for _Sylvia_! I am not able to bear the cruel absence longer, +therefore without delay assist me to contrive your escape, or I shall +die, and leave you to the ravage of his love who holds thee from me; +the very thoughts of that is worse than death. I die, alas, I die, for +an entire possession of thee: oh let me grasp my treasure, let me +engross it all, here in my longing arms. I can no longer languish at +this distance from my cruel joy, my life, my soul! But oh I rave, and +while I should be speaking a thousand useful things, I am telling you +my pain, a pain that you may guess; and confounding myself between +those and their remedies, am able to fix on nothing. Help me to think, +oh my dear charming creature, help me to think how I shall bear thee +off! Take your own measures, flatter him with love, soothe him to +faith and confidence, and then--oh pardon me, if there be baseness in +the action--then--cozen him--deceive him--any thing--for he deserves +it all, that thinks that lovely body was formed for his embraces, whom +age has rendered fitter for a grave. Form any plots, use every +stratagem to save the life of + +_Your_ OCTAVIO. + + * * * * * + +He wrote this in haste and disorder, as you may plainly see by the +style, and went to the window with it, where he found _Sylvia_ leaning +expecting him: the sashes were up, and he tossed it in the +handkerchief into her window: she read it, and wrote an answer back as +soft as love could form, to send him pleased to bed; wherein she +commanded him to hope all things from her wit and industrious love. + +This had partly the effects she wished, and after kissing his hand, +and throwing it up towards _Sylvia_, they parted as silent as the +night from day, which was now just dividing--so long they stayed, +though but to look at each other; so that all the morning was passed +in bed to make the day seem shorter, which was too tedious to both: +this pleasure he had after noon, towards the evening, that when +_Sylvia_ walked, as she always did in the garden, he could see her +through the glass of his window, but durst not open it; for the old +gentleman was ever with her. In this time _Octavio_ failed not however +to essay the good nature of the gardener in order to _Sylvia_'s +flight, but found there was no dealing with him in this affair; and +therefore durst not come right down to the point: the next night he +came under the beloved window again, and found the sacred object of +his wishes leaning in the window expecting him: to whom, as soon as +she heard his tread on the gravel, she threw down a handkerchief +again, which he took up, and tossed his own with a soft complaining +letter to entertain her till his return; for he hasted to read hers, +and swept the garden as he passed as swift as wind; so impatient he +was to see the inside--which he found thus: + +SYLVIA _to_ OCTAVIO. + +I beg, my charming friend, you will be assured of all I have promised +you; and to believe that but for the pleasure of those dear billets I +receive from you, I could as little support this cruel confinement as +you my absence. I have but one game to play, and I beseech you not to +be surprised at it, it is to promise to marry _Sebastian_: he is +eternally at my feet, and either I must give him my vow to become his +wife, or give him hope of other favours. I am so entirely yours, that +I will be guided by you, which I shall flatter him in to gain my +liberty; for if I grant either, he has proposed to carry me to his +country-house, two leagues from the town, and there consummate +whatever I design to bless him with; and this is it that has wrought +my consent, that we being to go alone, only my own servants, you may +easily take me thence by force upon the road, or after our arrival, +where he will not guard me perhaps so strictly as he does here: for +that, I leave it to your conduct, and expect your answer to your +impatient + +SYLVIA. + + * * * * * + +He immediately sat down, and wrote this: + + * * * * * + +OCTAVIO _to_ SYLVIA. + +Have a care, my charming fair, how you play with vows; and however you +are forced, for that religious end of saving your honour, to deceive +the poor old lover, whom, by heaven I pity; yet rather let me die than +know you can be guilty of vow-breach, though made in jest. I am well +pleased at the glimpse of hope you give me, that I shall see you at +his _villa_; and doubt not but to find a way to secure you to myself: +say any thing, promise to sacrifice all to his desire; but oh, do not +give away thy dear, thy precious self by vow, to any but the +languishing + +OCTAVIO. + + * * * * * + +After he had wrote this, he hasted, and throws it into her window, and +returned to bed without seeing her, which was no small affliction to +his soul: he had an ill night of it, and fancied a thousand tormenting +things; that the old gentleman might then be with her; and if alone, +what might he not persuade, by force of rich presents, of which his +uncle was well stored; and so he guessed, and as he guessed it proved, +as by his next night's letter he was informed, that the old lover no +sooner saw _Sylvia_ retire, but having in mind to try his fortune in +some critical minute--for such a minute he had heard there was that +favoured lovers; but he goes to his closet, and taking out some jewels +of great value, to make himself the more welcome, he goes directly to +_Sylvia_'s chamber, and entered just as she had taken up _Octavio_'s +letter, and clapped it in her bosom as she heard some body at the +door; but was not in a little confusion, when she saw who it was, +which she excused, by telling him she was surprised to find herself +with a man in her chamber. That there he fell to pleading his cause of +love, and offered her again to settle his estate upon her, and +implored she would be his wife. After a thousand faint denials, she +told him she could not possibly receive that honour, but if she could, +she would have looked upon it as a great favour from heaven; at that +he was thunder-struck, and looked as ghastly as if his mother's ghost +had frightened him; and after much debate, love and grief on his side, +design and dissimulation on hers, she gave him hopes that atoned for +all she had before said; insomuch that, before they parted, an +absolute bargain was struck up, and he was to settle part of his +estate upon her, as also that _villa_, to which he had resolved in two +days to carry her; in earnest of this, he presents her with a necklace +of pearl of good value, and other jewels, which was the best rhetoric +he had yet spoke to her; and now she had appeared the most complaisant +lady in the world, she suffers him to talk wantonly to her, nay, even +to kiss her, and rub his grizzly beard on her divine face, grasp her +hands, and touch her breast; a blessing he had never before arrived +to, above the quality of his own servant-maid. To all which she makes +the best resistance she can, under the circumstances of one who was to +deceive well; and while she loathes, she seems well pleased, while the +gay jewels sparkled in her eyes, and _Octavio_ in her heart; so fond +is youth of vanities, and to purchase an addition of beauty at any +price. Thus with her pretty flatteries she wrought upon his soul, and +smiled and looked him into faith; loath to depart, she sends him +pleased away, and having her heart the more inclined to _Octavio_, by +being persecuted with his uncle's love, (for by comparison she finds +the mighty difference) she sets herself to write him the account of +what I have related; this night's adventure, and agreement between his +uncle and herself. She tells him that to-morrow, (for now it was +almost day,) she had promised him to go to his _villa_: she tells him +at what rate she has purchased the blessing expected; and lastly, +leaves the management of the rest to him, who needs not to be +instructed. This letter he received the next night at the old place, +and _Sylvia_ with it lets down a velvet night-bag, which contained all +the jewels and things of value she had received of himself, his uncle, +or any other: after which he retired, and was pretty well at ease, +with the imagination he should 'ere long be made happy in the +possession of _Sylvia_: in order to it, the next morning he was early +up, and dressing himself in a great coarse campaign-coat of the +gardener's, putting up his hair as well as he could, under a country +hat, he got on a horse that suited his habit, and rides to the +_villa_, whither they were to come, and which he knew perfectly well +every room of; for there our hero was born. He went to a little +_cabaret_ in the village, from whence he could survey all the great +house, and see every body that passed in and out: he remained fixed at +the window, filled with a thousand agitations; this he had resolved, +not to set upon the old man as a thief, or robber; nor could he find +in his heart or nature, to injure him, though but in a little +affrighting him, who had given him so many anxious hours, and who had +been so unjust to desire that blessing himself he would not allow him; +and to believe that virtue in himself, which he exclaims against as so +great a vice in his nephew; nevertheless he resolved to deceive him, +to save his own life. And he wanted that nice part of generosity, as +to satisfy a little unnecessary lust in an old man, to ruin the +eternal content of a young one, so nearly allied to his soul, as was +his own dear proper person. While he was thus considering, he saw his +uncle's coach coming, and _Sylvia_ with that doting lover in it, who +was that day dressed in all the fopperies of youth, and every thing +was young and gay about him but his person; that was winter itself, +disguised in artificial spring; and he was altogether a mere +contradiction: but who can guess the disorders and pantings of +_Octavio_'s heart at the sight? And though he had resolved before, he +would not to save his life, lay violent hands upon his old parent; yet +at their approach, at their presenting themselves together before his +eyes as two lovers, going to betray him to all the miseries, pangs and +confusions of love; going to possess--her, the dear object and certain +life of his soul, and he the parent of him, to whom she had disposed +of herself, so entirely already, he was provoked to break from all his +resolutions, and with one of those pistols he had in his pockets, to +have sent unerring death to his old amorous heart; but that thought +was no sooner born than stifled in his soul, where it met with all the +sense of gratitude, that ever could present the tender love and dear +care of a parent there; and the coach passing into the gate put him +upon new designs, and before they were finished he saw _Sylvia_'s page +coming from the house, after seeing his lady to her apartment, and +being shewed his own, where he laid his valise and riding things, and +was now come out to look about a country, where he had never been +before. _Octavio_ goes down and meets him, and ventures to make +himself known to him: and so infinitely glad was the youth to have an +opportunity to serve him, that he vowed he would not only do it with +his life, on occasion, but believed he could do it effectually, since +the old gentleman had no sort of jealousy now; especially, since they +had so prudently managed matters in this time of his lady's remaining +at _Sebastian_'s house. 'So that, sir, it will not be difficult,' says +the generous boy, 'for me to convey you to my lodging, when it is +dark.' He told him his lady cast many a longing look out towards the +road, as she passed, 'for you, I am sure, my lord;--for she had told +both myself and _Antonet_ of her design before, lest our surprise or +resistance should prevent any force you might use on the road, to take +her from my lord _Sebastian_: she sighed, and looked on me as she +alighted, with eyes, my lord, that told me her grief, for your +disappointment.' + +You may easily imagine how transported the poor _Octavio_ was; he +kissed and embraced the amiable boy a thousand times; and taking a +ring from his finger of considerable value, gave it the dear reviver +of his hopes. _Octavio_ already knew the strength of the house, which +consisted but of a gardener, whose wife was house-keeper, and their +son who was his father's servant in the garden, and their daughter, +who was a sort of maid-servant: and they had brought only the +coachman, and one footman, who were likely to be merrily employed in +the kitchen at night when all got to supper together. I say, _Octavio_ +already knew this, and there was now nothing that opposed his wishes: +so that dismissing the dear boy, he remained the rest of the tedious +day at the _cabaret_, the most impatient of night of any man on earth; +and when the boy appeared, it was like the approach of an angel. He +told him, his lady was the most melancholy creature that ever eyes +beheld, and that to conceal the cause, she had feigned herself ill, +and had not stirred from her chamber all the day: that the old lover +was perpetually with her, and the most concerned dotard that ever +_Cupid_ enslaved: that he had so wholly taken up his lady with his +disagreeable entertainment, that it was impossible either by a look or +note to inform her of his being so near her, whom she considered as +her present defender, and her future happiness. 'But this evening,' +continued the youth, 'as I was waiting on her at supper, she spied the +ring on my finger, which, my lord, your bounty made me master of this +morning. She blushed a thousand times, and fixed her eyes upon it for +she knew it, and was impatient to have asked me some questions, but +contained her words: and after that, I saw a joy dance in her lovely +eyes, that told me she divined you were not far from thence. Therefore +I beseech your lordship let us haste.' So both went out together, and +the page conducted him into a chamber he better knew than the boy, +while every moment he receives intelligence, how affairs went in that +of _Sylvia_'s by the page, who leaving _Octavio_ there went out as a +spy for him. In fine, with much ado, _Sylvia_ persuaded her old lover +to urge her for no favours that night, for she was indisposed and +unfit for love; yet she persuades with such an air, so smiling, and +insinuating, that she increases the fire, she endeavoured to allay: +but he, who was all obedience, as well as new desire, resolves to +humour her, and shew the perfect gallantry of his love; he promises +her she shall command: and after that never was the old gentleman seen +in so excellent a humour before in the whole course of his life; a +certain lightning against a storm that must be fatal to him. + +He was no sooner gone from her, with a promise to go to bed and sleep, +that he might be the earlier up to shew her the fine gardens, which +she loved, but she sends _Antonet_ to call the page, from whom she +longed to know something of _Octavio_, and was sure he could inform +her. But she was undressing while she spoke, and got into her bed +before she left her: but _Antonet_, instead of bringing the sighing +youth, brought the transported and ravished _Octavio_, who had by this +time pulled his coarse campaign, and put down his hair. He fell +breathless with joy on her bed-side; when _Antonet_, who knew that +love desired no lookers-on, retired, and left _Octavio_ almost dead +with joy, in the clasping arms of the trembling maid, the lovely +_Sylvia_. Oh, who can guess their satisfaction? Who can guess their +sighs and love, their tender words, half stifled in kisses? Lovers! +fond lovers! only can imagine; to all besides, this tale will be +insipid. He now forgets where he is, that not far off lay his amorous +uncle, that to be found there was death, and something worse; but +wholly ravished with the languishing beauty, taking his pistols out of +either pocket, he lays them on a dressing-table, near the bed-side, +and in a moment throws off his clothes, and gives himself up to all +the heaven of love, that lay ready to receive him there, without +thinking of any thing, but the vast power of either's charms. They lay +and forgot the hasty hours, but old _Sebastian_ did not. They were all +counted by him with the impatience of a lover: he burnt, he raged with +fierce desire, and tossed from side to side, and found no ease; +_Sylvia_ was present in imagination, and he like _Tantalus_ reaches at +the food, which, though in view, is not within his reach: he would +have prayed, but he had no devotion for any deity but _Sylvia_; he +rose and walked and went to bed again, and found himself uneasy every +way. A thousand times he was about to go, and try what opportunity +would do, in the dark silent night--but fears her rage--he fears she +will chide at least; then he resolves, and unresolves as fast: unhappy +lover--thus to blow the fire when there was no materials to supply it; +at last, overcome with fierce desire too violent to be withstood, or +rather fate would have it so ordained, he ventures all, and steals to +_Sylvia_'s chamber, believing, when she found him in her arms, she +could not be displeased; or if she were, that was the surest place of +reconciliation: so that only putting his night-gown about him, he went +softly to her chamber for fear of waking her: the unthinking lovers +had left open the door, so that it was hardly put to; and the first +alarm was _Octavio_'s hand being seized, which was clasping his +treasure. He starts from the frighted arms of _Sylvia_, and leaping +from the bed would have escaped; for he knew too well the touch of +that old hand; but _Sebastian_, wholly surprised at so robust a +repulse, took most unfortunately a stronger hold, and laying both his +hands roughly upon him, with a resolution to know who he was, for he +felt his hair; and _Octavio_ struggling at the same minute to get from +him, they both fell against the dressing-table, and threw down the +pistols; in their fall, one of which going off, shot the unfortunate +old lover into the head, so that he never spoke word more: at the +going off of the pistol, _Sylvia_, who had not minded those _Octavio_ +laid on the table, cried out--'Oh my _Octavio_!' 'My dearest charmer,' +replied he, 'I am well----'and feeling on the dead body, which he +wondered had no longer motion, he felt blood flowing round it, and +sighing cried--'Ah _Sylvia_! I am undone--my uncle--oh my +parent----speak, dear sir! what unlucky accident has done this fatal +deed?' _Sylvia_, who was very soft by nature, was extremely surprised, +and frightened at the news of a dead man in her chamber, so that she +was ready to run mad with the apprehension of it: she raved and tore +herself, and expressed her fright in cries and distraction; so that +_Octavio_ was compelled from one charitable grief to another. He goes +to her and comforts her, and tells, since it is by no design of either +of them, their innocence will be their guardian angel. He tells her, +all their fault was love, which made him so heedlessly fond of joys +with her, he stayed to reap those when he should have secured them by +flight. He tells her this is now no place to stay in, and that he +would put on her clothes, and fly with her to some secure part of the +world; 'For who,' said he,'that finds this poor unfortunate here, will +not charge his death on me, or thee?----Haste then, my dearest maid, +haste, haste, and let us fly----' So dressing her, he led her into +_Antonet_'s chamber, while he went to see which way they could get +out. So locking the chamber-door where the dead body lay, which by +this time was stiff and cold, he locked that also of his uncle's +chamber, and calling the page, they all got themselves ready; and +putting two horses in the coach, they unseen and unperceived got +themselves all out: the servants having drank hard at their meeting in +the country last night, were all too sound asleep to understand any +thing of what passed. It being now about the break of day, _Octavio_ +was the coachman, and the page riding by the coach-side, while +_Sylvia_ and _Antonet_ were in it, they in an hour's time reached the +town, where _Octavio_ packed up all that was carriageable; took his +own coach and six horses; left his affairs to the management of a +kinsman, that dwelt with him, took bills to the value of two thousand +pounds, and immediately left the town, after receiving some letters +that came last night by the post, one of which was from _Philander_; +and indeed, this new grief upon _Octavio_'s soul, made him the most +dejected and melancholy man in the world, insomuch that he, who never +wept for any thing but for love, was often found with tears rolling +down his cheeks, at the remembrance of an accident so deplorable, and +of which, he and his unhappy passion was the cause, though innocently: +yet could not the dire reflection of that, nor the loss of so tender a +parent as was _Sebastian_, lessen one spark of that fire for _Sylvia_, +whose unfortunate flame had been so fatal. While they were safe out of +danger, the servants of _Sebastian_ admired when ten, eleven and +twelve o'clock was come, they saw neither the old lord, nor any of the +new guests. But when the coachman missed his coach and horses, he was +in a greater maze, and thought some body had stolen them, and accusing +himself of sluggishness and debauchery, that made him not able to +hear, when the coach went out, he forswore all drinking: but when the +house-keeper and he met, and discoursed about the lady and the rest, +they concluded, that the old gentleman and she were agreed upon the +matter; and being got to bed together had quite forgot themselves; and +made a thousand roguish remarks upon them. They believed the maid and +the page too, were as well employed, since they saw neither. But when +dinner was ready, she went up to the maid's chamber and found it +empty, as also that of the page; her heart then presaging something, +she ventures to knock at her lord's chamber-door, but finding it +locked, and none answer, they broke it open; and after doing the same +by that of _Sylvia_, they found the poor _Sebastian_ stretched on the +floor, and shot in the head, the toilet pulled almost down, and the +lock of the pistol hanging in the point of the toilet entangled, and +the muzzle of it just against the wound. At first, when they saw him, +they fancied _Sylvia_ might kill him, for either offering to come to +bed to her in the night, or some other malicious end. But when they +saw how the pistol lay, they fancied it accident in the dark; 'For,' +said the woman--'I and my daughter have been up ever since day-break, +and I am sure no such thing happened then, nor could they since +escape:' and it being natural in _Holland_ to cry, 'Loop Schellum', +that is, 'Run rogue', to him that is alive, and who has killed +another; and for every man to set a helping hand to bear him out of +danger, thinking it too much that one is already dead: I say, this +being the nature of the people, they never pursued the murderers, or +fled persons, but suffered _Sebastian_ to lie till the coroner sat +upon him, who found it, or at least thought it accident; and there was +all for that time. But this, with all the reasonable circumstances, +did not satisfy the _States_. Here is one of their high and mighties +killed, a fair lady fled, and upon inquiry a fine young fellow too, +the nephew: all knew they were rivals in this fair lady; all knew +there were animosities between them; all knew _Octavio_ was absconded +some days before; so that, upon consideration, they concluded he was +murdered by compact; and the rather, because they wished it so in +spite of _Octavio_; and because both he and _Sylvia_ were fled like +guilty persons. Upon this they made a seizure of both his, and his +uncle's estate, to the use of the _States_. Thus the best and most +glorious man, that ever graced that part of the world, was undone by +love. While _Sylvia_ with sighs and tears would often say that sure +she was born the fate of all that adored her, and no man ever thrived +that had a design upon her, or a pretension to her. + +Thus between excess of grief and excess of love, which indeed lay +veiled in the first, they arrived at _Brussels_; where _Octavio_, +having news of the proceedings of the _States_ against him, resolving +rather to lose his life, than tamely to surrender his right, he went +forth in order to take some care about it: and in these extremes of a +troubled mind, he had forgot to read _Philander_'s letters, but gave +them to _Sylvia_ to peruse, till he returned, beseeching and conjuring +her, by all the charms of love, not to suffer herself to be afflicted, +but now to consider she was wholly his; and she could not, and ought +not to rob him of a sigh, or tear for any other man. For they had +concluded to marry, as soon as _Sylvia_ should be delivered from that +part of _Philander_, of which she was possessed. Therefore beholding +her entirely his own, of whom he was so fondly tender, he could not +endure the wind should blow on her, and kiss her lovely face: jealous +of even the air she breathed, he was ever putting her in mind, of +whose and what she was; and she ever giving him new assurances, that +she was only _Octavio_'s. The last part of his ill news he concealed +from her; that of the usage of the _States_. He was so entirely +careful of her fame, that he had two lodgings, one most magnificent +for her, another for himself; and only visited her all the live-long +day. And being now retired from her, she whose love and curiosity grew +less every day, for the false _Philander_, opened his letter with a +sigh of departed love, and read this. + +Philander _to_ Octavio. + +Sure of your friendship, my dear _Octavio_, I venture to lay before +you the history of my misfortunes, as well as those of my joys, +equally extreme. + +In my last, I gave you an account how triumphing a lover I was, in the +possession of the adorable _Calista_; and how very near I was being +surprised in the fountain, where I had hid myself from the rage of old +_Clarinau_; and escaped wet and cold to my lodging: and though indeed +I escaped, it was not without giving the old husband a jealousy, which +put him upon inquiry, after a stricter manner, as I heard the next day +from _Calista_; but with as ill success as the night before; +notwithstanding it appears, by what after happened, that he still +retained his jealousy, and that of me, from a thousand little +inquiries I had from time to time made, from my being now absent, and +most of all from my being, (as now he fancied) that vision, which +_Calista_ saw in the garden. All these circumstances wrought a +thousand _conundrums_, in his _Spanish_ politic noddle: and he +resolves that _Calista_'s actions should be more narrowly watched. +This I can only guess from what ensued. I am not able to say, by what +good fortune, I escaped several happy nights after the first, but it +is certain I did so; for the old man carrying all things fair to the +lovely Countess, she thought herself secure in her joys hitherto, as +to any discovery: however, I never went on this dear adventure but I +was well armed against any mishaps, of poniard, sword, and pistol, +that garb of a right _Spaniard_. _Calista_ had been married above two +years, before I beheld her, and had never been with child: but it so +chanced, that she conceived the very first night of our happiness; +since which time, not all her flatteries and charms, could prevail for +one night with the old Count: for, whether from her seeming fondness +he imagined the cause, or what other reason he had to withstand her +desire and caresses, I know not: but still he found, or feigned some +excuses to put her off: so that _Calista_'s pleas and love increased +with her growing belly. And though almost every night I had the fair, +young charmer in bed with me, (without the least suspicion on +_Dormina_'s side) or, else in the arbours, or on flowery banks in the +garden; till I am confident there was not a walk, a grove, an arbour, +or bed of sweets, that was not conscious of our stolen delights; nay, +we grew so very bold in love, that we often suffered the day to break +upon us; and still escaped his spies, who by either watching at the +wrong door, or part of the vast garden, or by sleepiness, or +carelessness, still let us pass their view. Four happy months, thus +blessed, and thus secured, we lived, when _Calista_ could no longer +conceal her growing shame, from the jealous _Clarinau_, or _Dormina_. +She feared, with too much reason, that it was jealousy, which made him +refrain her bed, though he dissembled well all day; and one night, +weeping in my bosom, with all the tenderness of love, she said, that +if I loved her, as she hoped I did, I should be shortly very +miserable: 'For oh,' cries she, 'I can no longer hide this----dear +effect of my stolen happiness----and _Clarinau_ will no sooner +perceive my condition, but he will use his utmost rigour against me; I +know his jealous nature, and find I am undone----' With that she told +me how he had killed his first wife; for which he was obliged to fly +from the Court, and country of _Spain_: and that she found from all +his severity, he was not changed from his nature. In fine, she said +and loved so much, that I was wholly charmed, and vowed myself her +slave, or sacrifice, either to follow what she could propose, or fall +a victim with her to my love. After which it was concluded, (neither +having a mind to leave the world, when we both knew so well how to +make ourselves happy in it) that the next night I should bring her a +suit of men's clothes; and she would in that disguise fly with me to +any part of the world. For she vowed, if this unlucky force of flying +had not happened to her, she had not been longer able to endure his +tyranny and slavery; but had resolved to break her chain, and put +herself upon any fortune. So that after the usual endearments on both +sides, I left her, resolved to follow my fortune, and she me, to +sacrifice all to her repose. That night, and all next day, she was not +idle; but put up all her jewels, of which she had the richest of any +lady in all those parts; for in that the old Count was over-lavish: +and the next night I brought her a suit, which I had made that day on +purpose, as gay as could be made in so short a time; and scaling my +wall, well armed, I found her ready at the door to receive me; and +going into an arbour, by the aid of a dark-lanthorn I carried, she +dressed her in a laced shirt of mine, and this suit I had brought her, +of blue velvet, trimmed with rich loops and buttons of gold; a white +hat, and white feather; a fair peruke, and scarlet breeches, the rest +suitable. And I must confess to you, my dear _Octavio_, that never any +thing appeared so ravishing, and yet I have seen _Sylvia_! But even +she a baby to this more noble figure. _Calista_ is tall, and fashioned +the most divinely--the most proper for that dress of any of her sex: +and I own I never saw any thing so beautiful all over, from head to +foot: and viewing her thus, (carrying my lanthorn all about her) but +more especially her face, her wondrous, charming face--(pardon me, if +I say, what does but look like flattery)--I never saw any thing more +resembling my dear _Octavio_, than the lovely _Calista_, Your very +feature, your very smile and air; so that, if possible, that increased +my adoration and esteem for her: thus completed, I armed her, and +buckled on her sword, and she would needs have one of my pistols too, +that stuck in my belt; and now she appeared all lovely man. It was so +late by that time we had done, that the moon, which began to shine +very bright, gave us a thousand little fears, and disposing her jewels +all about us safe, we began our adventure, with a thousand dreadful +apprehensions on _Calista_'s side. And going up the walk, towards the +place where we were to mount the wall, just at the end of it, turning +a corner, we encountered two men, who were too near us to be +prevented. 'Oh,' cried _Calista_ to me, who saw them first,--'My dear +_Philander_, we are undone!' I looked and saw them, and replied, 'My +charmer, do not fear, they are but two to two, whoever they be; for +love and I shall be of force enough to encounter them.' 'No, my +_Philander_,' replied she briskly, 'it is I will be your second in +this rencounter.' At this approaching them more near, (for they hasted +to us, nor could we fly from them,) we soon found by his hobbling, +that old _Clarinau_ was one, and the other a tall _Spaniard_, his +nephew. I clapped my hair under my hat, and both of us making a stand, +we resolved, if they durst not venture on us, to let them pass----but +_Clarinau_, who was on that side which faced _Calista_, cried, 'Ah +villain, have I caught thee!' and at the same instant with a poniard +stabbed her into the arm; for with a sudden turn she evaded it from +her heart, to which it was designed. At which, repaying his +compliment, she shot off her pistol, and down he fell, crying out for +a priest; while I, at the same time, laid my tall boy at his feet. I +caught my dear _virago_ in my arms, and hasted through the garden with +her, and was very hasty in mounting the ladder, putting my fair second +before me, without so much as daring yet to ask her, if she were +wounded, lest it should have hindered our flight, if I had found her +hurt: nor knew I she was so, till I felt her warm precious blood, +streaming on my face, as I lifted her over the wall; but I soon +conveyed her into my new lodgings, yet not soon enough to secure her +from those that pursued us. For with their bawling they alarmed some +of the servants, who looking narrowly for the murderers, tracked us by +_Calista_'s, blood, which they saw with their flambeaus, from the +place where _Clarinau_, and his nephew lay, to the very wall; and +thinking from our wounds we could not escape far, they searching the +houses, found me dressing _Calista_'s wound, which I kissed a thousand +times. But the matchless courage of the fair _virago_! the magnanimity +of _Calista_'s soul! Nothing of foolish woman harboured there, nothing +but softest love; for whilst I was raving mad, tearing my hair and +cursing my fate in vain, she had no concern but for me; no pain but +that of her fear of being taken from me, and being delivered to old +_Clarinau_, whom I feared was not dead; nor could the very seizing +her, daunt her spirits, but with an unmatched fortitude she bore it +all; she only wished she could have escaped without bloodshed. We were +both led to prison, but none knew who we were; for those that seized +us, had by chance never seen me, and _Calista_'s habit secured the +discovery. While we both remained there, we had this comfort of being +well lodged together; for they did not go about to part us, being in +for one crime. And all the satisfaction she had, was, that she should, +she hoped, die concealed, if she must die for the crime; and that was +much a greater joy, than to think she should be rendered back to +_Clarinau_, who in a few days we heard was upon his recovery. This +gave her new fears; but I confess to you, I was not afflicted at it; +nor did I think it hard for me to bribe _Calista_ off; for the master +of the prison was very civil and poor, so that with the help of some +few of _Calista_'s, jewels, he was wrought upon to let her escape, I +offering to remain, and bear all the brunt of the business, and to pay +whatever he could be fined for it. These reasons, with the ready +jewels, mollified the needy rascal; and though loath she were to leave +me, yet she being assured that all they could do was but to fine me, +and her stay she knew was her inevitable ruin, at last submitted, +leaving me sufficient in jewels to satisfy for all that could happen, +which were the value of a hundred thousand crowns. She is fled to +_Brussels_, to a nunnery of _Augustines_, where the Lady Abbess is her +aunt, and where for a little time she is secure, till I can follow +her. + +I beg of you my dear _Octavio_, write to me, and write me a letter of +recommendation to the magistrates here, who all being concerned when +any one of them is a cuckold, are very severe upon criminals in those +cases. I tire you with my melancholy adventure--but it is some ease in +the extremes of grief, to receive the tender pity of a friend, and +that I am sure _Octavio_ will afford his unhappy + +PHILANDER. + +As cold and as unconcerned as _Sylvia_ imagined she had found her +heart to _Philander_'s, memory, at the reading of this letter, in +spite of all the tenderness she had for _Octavio_, she was possessed +with all those pains of love and jealousy, which heretofore tormented +her, when love was young, and _Philander_ appeared with all those +charms, with which he first conquered; she found the fire was but hid +under those embers, which every little blast blows off, and makes it +flame anew. It was now that she, forgetting all the past obligations +of _Octavio_, all his vast presents, his vows, his sufferings, his +passion and his youth, abandoned herself wholly to her tenderness for +_Philander_, and drowns her fair cheeks in a shower of tears: and +having eased her heart a little by this natural relief of her sex, she +opened the letter that was designed for herself, and read this. + +_To_ SYLVIA. + +I know, my lovely _Sylvia_, I am accused of a thousand barbarities for +unkindly detaining your lover, who long ere this ought to have thrown +himself at your feet, imploring a thousand pardons for his tedious six +months' absence, though the affliction of it, is all my own, and I am +afraid all the punishment; but when, my dearest _Sylvia_, I reflect +again, it is in order to our future tranquillity, I depend on your +love and reason for my excuse. I know my absence has procured me a +thousand rivals, and you as many adorers, and fear _Philander_ appears +grown old in love, and worn out with sorrow and care, unfit for the +soft play of the young and delicate _Sylvia_; new lovers have new vows +and new presents, and your fickle sex stoop to the lavish prostrate. +Ill luck--unkind fate has rifled me, and of a shining fortune left me +even to the charity of a stingy world; and I have now no compliment to +maintain the esteem in so great a soul as that of _Sylvia_, but that +old repeated one, of telling her my dull, my trifling heart is still +her own: but, oh! I want the presenting eloquence that so persuades +and charms the fair, and am reduced to that fatal torment of a +generous mind, rather to ask and take, than to bestow. Yet out of my +contemptible stock, I have sent my _Sylvia_ something towards that +dangerous, unavoidable hour, which will declare me, however, a happy +father of what my _Sylvia_ bears about her; it is a bill for a +thousand pattacoons. I am at present under an easy restraint about a +little dispute between a man of quality here and myself; I had also +been at _Brussels_ to have provided all things for your coming +illness, but every day expect my liberty, and then without delay I +will take post, and bring _Philander_ to your arms. I have news that +_Cesario_ is arrived at _Brussels_. I am at present a stranger to all +that passes, and having a double obligation to haste, you need not +fear but I shall do so. + +This letter raised in her a different sentiment, from that of the +story of his misfortune; and that taught her to know, that this he had +writ to her was all false, and dissembled; which made her, in +concluding the letter, cry out with a vehement scorn and +indignation.--'Oh how I hate thee, traitor! who hast the impudence to +continue thus to impose upon me, as if I wanted common sense to see +thy baseness: for what can be more base and cowardly than lies, that +poor plebeian shift, condemned by men of honour or of wit.' + +Thus she spoke, without reminding that this most contemptible quality +she herself was equally guilty of, though infinitely more excusable in +her sex, there being a thousand little actions of their lives, liable +to censure and reproach, which they would willingly excuse and colour +over with little falsities; but in a man, whose most inconstant +actions pass oftentimes for innocent gallantries, and to whom it is no +infamy to own a thousand amours, but rather a glory to his fame and +merit; I say, in him, (whom custom has favoured with an allowance to +commit any vices and boast it) it is not so brave. And this fault of +_Philander_'s cured _Sylvia_ of her disease of love, and chased from +her heart all that softness, which once had so much favoured him. +Nevertheless she was filled with thoughts that failed not to make her +extremely melancholy: and it was in this humour _Octavio_ found her; +who, forgetting all his own griefs to lessen hers, (for his love was +arrived to a degree of madness) he caresses her with all the eloquence +his passion could pour out; he falls at her feet, and pleads with such +a look and voice as could not be resisted; nor ceased he till he had +talked her into ease, till he had looked and loved her into a perfect +calm: it was then he urged her to a new confirmation of her heart to +him, and took hold of every yielding softness in her to improve his +advantage. He pressed her to all he wished, but by such tender +degrees, by arts so fond and endearing, that she could deny nothing. +In this humour, she makes a thousand vows against _Philander_, to hate +him as a man, that had first ruined her honour, and then abandoned her +to all the ills that attend ungovern'd youth, and unguarded beauty: +she makes _Octavio_ swear as often to be revenged on him for the +dishonour of his sister: which being performed, they re-assumed all +the satisfaction which had seemed almost destroyed by adverse fate, +and for a little space lived in great tranquillity; or if _Octavio_ +had sentiments that represented past unhappinesses, and a future +prospect of ill consequences, he strove with all the power of love to +hide them from _Sylvia_. In this time, they often sent to the nunnery +of the _Augustines_, to inquire of the Countess of _Clarinau_; and at +last, hearing she was arrived, no force of persuasion or reason could +hinder _Sylvia_ from going to make her a visit. _Octavio_ pleads in +vain the overthrow of all his revenge, by his sister's knowledge that +her intrigue was found out: but in an undress--for her condition +permitted no other, she is carried to the monastery, and asks for the +Mother Prioress, who came to the grate; where, after the first +compliments over, she tells her she is a relation to that lady, who +such a day came to the house. _Sylvia_, by her habit and equipage, +appearing of quality, was answered, that though the lady were very +much indisposed, and unfit to appear at the grate, she would +nevertheless endeavour to serve her, since she was so earnest; and +commanding one of the nuns to call down Madam the Countess, she +immediately came; but though in a dress all negligent, and a face +where languishment appeared, she at first sight surprised our fair +one, with a certain majesty in her mien and motion, and an air of +greatness in her face, which resembled that of _Octavio_: so that not +being able to sustain herself on her trembling supporters, she was +ready to faint at a sight so charming, and a form so angelic. She saw +her all that _Philander_ had described; nor could the partiality of +his passion render her more lovely than she appeared this instant to +_Sylvia_. She came to reproach her----but she found a majesty in her +looks above all censure, that awed the jealous upbraider, and almost +put her out of countenance; and with a rising blush she seemed ashamed +of her errand. At this silence the lovely _Calista_, a little +surprised, demanded of an attending nun if that lady would speak with +her? This awaked _Sylvia_ into an address, and she replied, 'Yes, +madam, I am the unfortunate, who am compelled by my hard fate to +complain of the most charming woman that ever nature made: I thought, +in my coming hither, I should have had no other business but to have +told you how false, how perjured a lover I had had; but at a sight so +wondrous, I blame him no more, (whom I find now compelled to love) but +you, who have taken from me, by your charms, the only blessing heaven +had lent me.' This she ended with a sigh; and Madam the Countess, who +from the beginning of her speaking, guessed, from a certain trembling +at her heart, who it was she spoke of, resolved to shew no signs of a +womanish fear or jealousy, but with an unalterable air and courage, +replied, 'Madam, if my charms were so powerful, as you are pleased to +tell me they are, they sure have attracted too many lovers for me to +understand which it is I have been so unhappy to rob you of. If he be +a gallant man, I shall neither deny him, nor repent my loving him the +more for his having been a lover before.' To which _Sylvia_, who +expected not so brisk an answer, replied; 'She makes such a confession +with so much generosity, I know she cannot be insensible of the +injuries she does, but will have a consideration and pity for those +wretches at least, who are undone to establish her satisfaction.' +'Madam,' replied the Countess, (a little touched with the tenderness +and sadness with which she spoke) 'you have so just a character of my +soul, that I assure you I would not for any pleasure in the world do +an action should render it less worthy of your good thoughts. Name me +the man--and if I find him such as I may return you with honour, he +shall find my friendship no more.' 'Ah, madam, it is impossible,' +cried _Sylvia_,'that he can ever be mine, that has once had the glory +of being conquered by you; and what is yet more, of having conquered +you.' 'Nay, madam,' replied _Calista_, 'if your loss be irrecoverable, +I have no more to do but to sigh with you, and join our hard fates; +but I am not so vain of my own beauty, nor have so little admiration +for that of yours, to imagine I can retain any thing you have a claim +to; for me, I am not fond of admirers, if heaven be pleased to give me +one, I ask no more. I will leave the world to you, so it allow me my +_Philander_.' This she spoke with a little malice, which called up all +the blushes in the fair face of _Sylvia_; who a little nettled at the +word _Philander_, replied; 'Go, take the perjured man, and see how +long you can maintain your empire over his fickle heart, who has +already betrayed you to all the reproach an incensed rival and an +injured brother can load you with: see where he has exposed you to +_Octavio_; and after that tell me what you can hope from such a +perjured villain----' At these words, she gave her the letter +_Philander_ had writ to _Octavio_, with that he had writ to +herself--and without taking leave, or speaking any more, she left her +thoughtful rival: who after pausing a moment on what should be writ +there, and what the angry lady meant, she silently passed on to her +chamber. But if she were surprised with her visitor, she was much +more, when opening the letters she found one to her brother, filled +with the history of her infamy, and what pressed her soul more +sensibly, the other filled with passion and softness to a mistress. +She had scarcely read them out, but a young nun, her kinswoman, came +into her chamber; whom I have since heard protest, she scarce saw in +that moment any alteration in her, but that she rose and received her, +with her wonted grace and sweetness; and but for some answers that she +made _mal a propos_, and sighs, that against her will broke from her +heart, she should not have found an alteration; but this being +unusual, made her inquisitive; and the faint denial she met with made +her importune, and that so earnestly, and with so many vows of +fidelity and secrecy, that _Calista_'s heart, even breaking within, +poured itself for ease, into the faithful bosom of this young devotee; +and having told her all the story of her misfortune, she began with so +much courage and bravery of mind, to make vows against the charming +betrayer of her fame, and with him all mankind, and this with such +consideration and repentance, as left no room for reproach, or +persuasion; and from this moment resolved never to quit the solitude +of the cloisters. She had all her life, before her marriage, lived in +one, and wished now, she had never seen the world, or departed from a +life so pure and innocent. She looked upon this fatal accident, now a +blessing, to bring her back to a life of devotion and tranquillity: +and indeed is a miracle of piety. Some time after this, she was +brought to bed, but commanded the child should be removed, where she +might never see it, which accordingly was done; after which, in due +time, she took the habit, and remains a rare example of repentance and +holy-living. This new penitent became the news of the whole town; and +it was not without some pleasure, that _Octavio_ heard it, as the only +action she could do, that could reconcile him to her; the knowledge of +which, and some few soft days with _Sylvia_, made him chase away all +those shiverings, that had seized him upon several occasions: but +_Sylvia_ was all sweetness, all love and good humour, and made his +days easy, and his nights entirely happy. While, on the other side, +there was no satisfaction, no pleasure, that the fond lavish lover did +not, at any price, purchase for her repose; for it was the whole +business of his life, to study what would charm and please her: and +being assured by so many vows of her heart, there was nothing rested, +to make him perfectly happy, but her being delivered of what belonged +to his rival, and in which he had no part, he was at perfect ease. +This she wishes with an impatience equal to his; whose love and +fondness for _Octavio_ appeared to be arrived to the highest degree, +and she every minute expected to be free from the only thing, that +hindered her from giving herself entirely to her impatient love. + +In the midst of this serenity of affairs, _Sylvia_'s page one day +brings them news his lord was arrived, and that he saw him in the park +walking with some _French_ gentlemen, and undiscovered to him came to +give her notice, that she might take her measures accordingly. In +spite of all her love to _Octavio_, her blushes flew to her cheeks at +the news, and her heart panted with unusual motion; she wonders at +herself, and fears and doubts her own resolution; she till now +believed him wholly indifferent to her, but she knows not what +construction this new disorder will bear; and what confounded and +perplexed her more, was, that _Octavio_ beheld all these emotions, +with unconceivable resentment; he swells with pride and anger, and +even bursts with grief, and not able longer to contain his complaint, +he reproaches her in the softest language that ever love and grief +invented; while she weeps with shame and divided love, and demands of +him a thousand pardons; she deals thus kindly at least with him, to +confess this truth; that it was impossible, but at the approach of a +man, who taught her first to love, and for which knowledge she had +paid so infinitely dear, she could not but feel unusual motions; that +that tenderness and infant flame, he once inspired, could not but have +left some warmth about her heart, and that _Philander_, the once +charming dear _Philander_, could never be absolutely to her as a +common man, and begged that he would give some grains of allowance to +a maid, so soft by nature, and who had once loved so well, to be +undone by the dear object; and though every kind word she gave his +rival was a dagger at his heart, nevertheless, he found, or would +think he found, some reason in what she said; at least he seemed more +appeased, while she, on the other side, dissembled all the ease, and +repose of mind, that could flatter him to calmness. + +You must know, that for _Sylvia_'s, honour, she had lodgings by +herself, and _Octavio_ had his in another house, at an aunt's of his, +a widow, and a woman of great quality; and _Sylvia_ being near her +lying-in, had provided all things, with the greatest magnificence +imaginable, and passed for a young widow, whose husband died, at the +Siege of----_Octavio_ only visited her daily, and all the nights she +had to herself. For he treated her as one whom he designed to make his +wife, and one whose honour was his own; but that night the news of +_Philander_'s, arrival was told her, she was more than ordinary +impatient to have him gone, pretending illness, and yet seemed loath +to let him go, and lovers (the greatest cullies in nature, and the +aptest to be deceived, though the most quick-sighted)--do the soonest +believe; and finding it the more necessary he should depart, the more +ill she feigned to be, he took his leave, and left her to repose, +after taking all care necessary, for one in her circumstances. But +she, to make his absence more sure, and fearing lest he should suspect +something of her design, being herself guilty, she orders him to be +called back, and caresses him anew, tells him she was never more +unwilling to part with him, and all the while is complaining and +wishing to be in bed; and says he must not stir till he sees her laid. +This obliges and cajoles him anew, and he will not suffer her women to +undress her, but does the grateful business himself, and reaps some +dear recompense by every service, and pleases his eyes and lips, with +the ravishing beauties, of the loose unguarded, suffering fair one. +She permits him any thing to have him gone, which was not till he saw +her laid, as if to her rest: but he was no sooner got into his coach, +but she rose, and slipped on her night-gown, and some other loose +thingss and got into a chair, commanding her page to conduct the +chairmen to all the great _cabarets_, where she believed it most +likely to find _Philander_; which was accordingly done; and the page +entering, inquires for such a _cavalier_, describing his person, his +fine remarkable black hair of his own: but the first he entered into, +he saw _Brilliard_ bespeaking supper: for you must know that, that +husband-lover being left, as I have said, in prison in _Holland_, for +the accusation of _Octavio_; the unhappy young nobleman was no sooner +fled upon the unlucky death of his uncle, but the _States_ set +_Brilliard_ at liberty; who took his journey immediately to +_Philander_, whom he found just released from his troublesome affair, +and designed for _Brussels_, where they arrived that very morning: +where the first thing he did, was to go to the nunnery of St _Austin_, +to inquire for the fair _Calista_; but instead of encountering the +kind, the impatient, the brave _Calista_, he was addressed to, by the +old Lady Abbess, in so rough a manner, that he no longer doubted, upon +what terms he stood there, though he wondered how they should know his +story with _Calista_: when to put him out of doubt, she assured him, +he should never more behold the face of her injured niece; for whose +revenge she left him to heaven. It was in vain he kneeled and +implored; he was confirmed again and again, she should never come from +out the confines of those walls; and that her whole remaining life +spent in penitence, was too little to wash away her sins with him: and +giving him the letter he sent to _Octavio_, (which _Sylvia_ had given +_Calista_, and she the Lady Abbess, with a full confession of her +fault) she cried; 'See there, sir, the treachery you have committed +against a woman of quality--whom your criminal love has rendered the +most miserable of her sex.' At the ending of which, she drew the +curtain over the grate, and left him, wholly amazed and confounded, +finding it to be the same he had writ to _Octavio_, and in it, that he +had writ to _Sylvia_: by the sight of which, he no longer doubted, but +that confidante had betrayed him every way. He rails on his false +friendship, curses the Lady Abbess, himself, his fortune, and his +birth; but finds it all in vain: nor was he so infinitely afflicted +with the thought of the eternal loss of _Calista_, (because he had +possessed her) as he was to find himself betrayed to her, and +doubtless to _Sylvia_, by _Octavio_; and nothing but _Calista_'s being +confined from him, (though she were very dear and charming to his +thought) could have made him rave so extremely for a sight of her: he +loves her the more, by how much the more it was impossible for him to +see her; and that difficulty and his despair increased his flame. In +this humour he went to his lodging, the most undone extravagant that +ever raged with love. He considers her in a place, where no art, or +force of love, or human wit, can retrieve her; no nor so much as send +her a letter. This added to his fury, and in his first wild +imaginations, he resolves nothing less than firing the monastery, that +in that confusion he might seize his right of love, and do a deed, +that would render his name famous as the _Athenian_ youth, who to get +a fame, though an inglorious one, fired the temple of their gods. But +his rage abating by consideration, that impiety dwelt not long with +him: and he ran over a number more, till from one to another, he +reduced himself, to a degree of moderation, which presenting him with +some flattering hope, that give him a little ease: it was then that +_Chevalier Tomaso_, and another _French_ gentleman of _Cesario_'s +faction, (who were newly arrived at _Brussels_) came to pay him their +respects: and after a while carried him into the park to walk, where +_Sylvia_'s page had seen him; and from whence they sent _Brilliard_ to +bespeak supper at this _cabaret_, where _Sylvia_'s chair and herself +waited, and where the page found _Brilliard_, of whom he asked for his +lord; but understanding he could not possibly come in some hours, +being designed for Court that evening, whither he was obliged to go +and kiss the Governor's hands, he went to the lady, who was almost +dead with impatience, and told her, what he had learned: upon which +she ordered her chairmen to carry her back to her lodgings, for she +would not be persuaded to ask any questions of _Brilliard_, for whom +she had a mortal hate: however, she resolved to send her page back +with a billet, to wait _Philander_'s coming, which was not long; for +having sooner dispatched their compliment at Court than they believed +they should, they went all to supper together, where _Brilliard_ had +bespoke it; where being impatient to learn all the adventures of +_Cesario_, since his departure from him, and of which no person could +give so good an account as _Chevalier Tomaso_, _Philander_ gave order +that no body whomsoever should disturb them, and sat himself down to +listen to the fortune of the Prince. + +'You know, my lord,' said _Tomaso_,'the state of things at your +departure; and that all our glorious designs, for the liberty of all +_France_ were discovered, and betrayed by some of those little +rascals, that great men are obliged to make use of in the greatest +designs: upon whose confession you were proscribed, myself, this +gentleman, and several others: it was our good fortunes to escape +untaken, and yours to fall first in the messenger's hands, and carried +to the _Bastille_, even from whence you had the luck to escape: but it +was not so with _Cesario_.' 'Heavens,' cried _Philander_, 'the Prince, +I hope is not taken.' 'Not so neither,' replied _Tomaso_, 'nor should +you wonder you have received no news of him, in a long time, since +forty thousand crowns being offered for his head, or to any thing that +could discover him, it would have exposed him to have written to any +body, he being beset on all sides with spies from the King; so that it +was impossible to venture a letter, without very great hazard of his +life. Besides all these hindrances, _Cesario_, who, you know, was ever +a great admirer of the fair sex, happened in this his retreat to fall +most desperately in love: nor could the fears of death, which alarmed +him on all sides, deter him from his new amour: which, because it has +relation to some part of his adventures, I cannot omit, especially to +your lordship, his friend, to whom every circumstance of that Prince's +fate and fortune will be of concern. + +'You must imagine, my lord, that your seizure and escape was enough to +alarm the whole party; and there was not a man of the League who did +not think it high time to look about him, when one, so considerable as +your lordship, was surprised. Nor did the Prince himself any longer +believe himself safe, but retired himself under the darkness of the +following night: he went only accompanied with his page to a lady's +house, a widow of quality at _Paris_, that populous city being, as he +conceived, the securest place to conceal himself in. This lady was +Madam the Countess of----who had, as you know, my lord, one only +daughter, _Mademoiselle Hermione_, the heiress of her family. The +Prince knew this young lady had a tenderness for him ever since they +were both very young, which first took beginning in a masque at Court, +where she then acted _Mercury_, and danced so exceedingly finely, that +she gave our young hero new desire, if not absolute love, and charmed +him at least into wishes. She was not then old enough to perceive she +conquered, as well as to make a conquest: and she was capable of +receiving impressions as well as to give them: and it was believed by +some who were very near the Prince, and knew all his secrets then, +that this young lady pitied the sighs of the royal lover, and even +then rewarded them: and though this were most credibly whispered, yet +methinks it seems impossible he should then have been happy; and after +so many years, after the possession of so many other beauties, should +return to her again, and find all the passions and pains of a +beginning flame. But there is nothing to be wondered at in the +contradictions and humours of human nature. But however inconstant and +wavering he had been, _Hermione_ retained her first passion for him; +and that I less wonder at, since you know the Prince has the most +charming person in the world, and is the most perfectly beautiful of +all his sex: to this his youth and quality add no little lustre; and I +should not wonder, if all the softer sex should languish for him, nor +that any one should love on--who hath once been touched with love for +him. + +'It was his last assurance the Prince so absolutely depended on, that +(notwithstanding she was far from the opinion of his party) made him +resolve to take sanctuary in those arms he was sure would receive him +in any condition and circumstances. But now he makes her new vows, +which possibly at first his safety obliged him to, while she returned +them with all the passion of love. He made a thousand submissions to +Madam the Countess, who he knew was fond of her daughter to that +degree, that for her repose she was even willing to behold the +sacrifice of her honour to this Prince, whom she knew _Hermione_ loved +even to death; so fond, so blindly fond is nature: and indeed after a +little time that he lay there concealed, he reaped all the +satisfaction that love could give him, or his youth could wish, with +all the freedom imaginable. He only made vows of renouncing all other +women, what ties or obligations soever he had upon him, and to resign +himself entirely up to _Hermione_. I know not what new charms he had +found by frequent conversation with her, and being uninterrupted by +the sight of any other ladies; but it is most certain, my lord, that +he grew to that excess of love, or rather dotage, (if love in one so +young can be called so) that he languished for her, even while he +possessed her all: he died, if obliged by company to retire from her +an hour, at the end of which, being again brought to her, he would +fall at her feet, and sigh, and weep, and make the most piteous moan +that ever love inspired. He would complain upon the cruelty of a +moment's absence, and vow he would not live where she was not. All +that disturbed his happiness he reproached as enemies to his repose, +and at last made her feign an illness, that no visits might be made +her, and that he might possess all her hours. Nor did _Hermione_ +perceive all this without making her advantages of so glorious an +opportunity; but, with the usual cunning of her sex, improved every +minute she gave him: she now found herself sure of the heart of the +finest man in the world; and of one she believed would prove the +greatest, being the head of a most powerful faction, who were +resolved, the first opportunity, to order affairs so as to come to an +open rebellion, and to make him a king. All these things, how unlikely +soever in reason, her love and ambition suggested to her; so that she +believed she had but one game more to play, to establish herself the +greatest and most happy woman in the world. She consults in this +weighty affair, with her mother, who had a share of cunning that could +carry on a design as well as any of her sex. They found but one +obstacle to all _Hermione_'s rising greatness; and that was the +Prince's being married; and that to a lady of so considerable birth +and fortune, so eminent for her virtue, and all perfections of +womankind, and withal so excellent for wit and beauty, that it was +impossible to find any cause of a separation between them. So that +finding it improbable to remove that let to her glories, she grew very +melancholy, which was soon perceived by the too amorous Prince, who +pleads, and sighs, and weeps on her bosom day and night to find the +cause: but she, who found she had a difficult game to play, and that +she had need of all her little aids, pretends a thousand little +frivolous reasons before she discovers the true one; which served but +to oblige him to ask anew, as she designed he should----At last, one +morning, finding him in the softest fit in the world, and ready to +give her whatever she could ask in return for the secret of her +disquiet, she told him with a sigh, how unhappy she was in loving so +violently a man who could never be any thing to her more than the +robber of her honour: and at last, with abundance of sighs and tears, +bewailed his marriage----He taking her with all the joy imaginable in +his arms, thanked her for speaking of the only thing he had a thousand +times been going to offer to her, but durst not for fear she should +reproach him. He told her he looked upon himself as married to no +woman but herself, to whom by a thousand solemn vows he had contracted +himself, and that he would never own any other while he lived, let +fortune do what she pleased with him. _Hermione_, thriving hitherto so +well, urged his easy heart yet farther, and told him, though she had +left no doubt remaining in her of his love and virtue, no suspicion of +his vows, yet the world would still esteem the Princess his wife, and +herself only as a prostitute to his youthful pleasure; and as she +conceived her birth and fortune not to be much inferior to that of the +Princess, she should die with indignation and shame, to bear all the +reproach of his wantonness, while his now wife would live esteemed and +pitied as an injured innocent. To all which he replied, as mad in +love, that the Princess, he confessed, was a lady to whom he had +obligations, but that he esteemed her no more his wife, since he was +married to her at the age of twelve years; an age, wherein he was not +capacitated to choose good or evil, or to answer for himself, or his +inclinations: and though she were a lady of absolute virtue, of youth, +wit and beauty; yet fate had so ordained it, that he had reserved his +heart to this moment entirely for herself; and that he renounced all +pretenders to him except herself; that he had now possessed the +Princess for the space of twenty years; that youth had a long race to +run, and could not take up at those years with one single beauty: that +hitherto ravage and destruction of hearts had been his province and +glory, and that he thought he never lost time but when he was a little +while constant: but now he was fixed to all he would ever possess +whilst he had breath; and that she was both his mistress and his wife; +his eternal happiness, and the end of all his loving. It is there he +said he would remain as in his first state of innocence: that hitherto +his ambition had been above his passion, but that now his heart was so +entirely subdued to this fair charmer (for so he call'd and thought +her) that he could be content to live and die in the glory of being +hers alone, without wishing for liberty or empire, but to render her +more glorious. A thousand things tender and fond he said to this +purpose, and the result of all ended in most solemn vows, that if ever +fortune favoured him with a crown, he would fix it on her head, and +make her in spite of all former ties and obligations, Queen of +_France_. This was sufficient to appease her sighs and tears, and she +remained entirely satisfied of his vows, which were exchanged before +Madam the Countess, and confirmed by all the binding obligations, love +on his side could invent, and ambition and subtlety on hers. When I +came at any time to visit him, which by stealth a-nights sometimes I +did, to take orders from him how I should act in all things, (though I +lay concealed like himself) he would tell me all that had passed +between him and _Hermione_. I suppose, not so much for the reposing +the secret in my breast, as out of a fond pleasure to be repeating +passages of his dotage, and repeating her name, which was ever in his +mouth: I saw she had reduced him to a great degree of slavery, and +could not look tamely on, while a hero so young, so gay, so great, and +so hopeful, lay idling away his precious time, without doing any +thing, either in order for his own safety or ambition. It was, my +lord, a great pity to see how his noble resolution was changed, and +how he was perfectly effeminated into soft woman. I endeavoured at +first to rouse him from this lethargy of love; and argued with him the +little reason, that in my opinion he had to be so charmed. I told him, +_Hermione_, of all the beauties of _France_, was esteemed one of the +meanest, and that if ever she had gained a conquest (as many she was +infamously famed for) it was purely the force of her youth and +quality; but that now that bloom was past, and she was one of those, +which in less quality we called old. At these reproaches of his +judgement, I often perceived him to blush, but more with anger than +shame. Yet because, according to the vogue of the town, he found there +was reason in what I said, and which he could only contradict by +saying, however she was, she appeared all otherwise to him: he blamed +me a little kindly for my hard words against her, and began to swear +to me, that he thought her all over charm. He vowed there was absolute +fascination in her eyes and tongue. "It is confessed," said he, "she +has not much of youth, nor of that which we agree to call beauty: but +she has a grace so masculine, an air so ravishing, a wit and humour so +absolutely made to charm, that they all together sufficiently +recompense for her want of delicacy in complexion and feature: and in +a word, my _Tomaso_," cries he, embracing me, "she is, though I know +not what, or how, a maid that compels me to adore her; she has a +natural power to please above the rest of her dull sex; and I can +abate her a face and shape, and yet vie her for beauty, with any of +the celebrated ones of _France_." + +'I found, by the manner of his saying this, that he was really +charmed, and past all retrieve, bewitched to this lady. I found it +vain therefore to press him to a separation, or to lessen his passion, +but on the contrary told him, there was a time for all things; if fate +had so ordained it that he must love. But I besought him, with all the +eloquence of perfect duty and friendship, not to suffer his passion to +surmount his ambition and his reason, so far as to neglect his +interest and safety; and for a little pleasure with a woman, suffer +all his friends to perish, that had woven their fortunes with his, and +must stand or fall, as he thrived: I implored him not to cast away the +_good cause_, which was so far advanced, and that yet, notwithstanding +this discourse, might all be retrieved by his conduct, and good +management, that I knew however the King appeared in outward shew to +be offended, that it was yet in his power to calm the greatest tempest +this discovery had raised: that it was but casting himself at His +Majesty's feet, and begging his mercy, by a confession of the truth of +some part of the matter; and that it was impossible he could fail of a +pardon, from so indulgent a monarch, as he had offended: that there +was no action could wholly rase out of the King's heart, that +tenderness and passion he had ever expressed towards him; and his +peace might be made with all the facility imaginable. To this he urged +a very great reluctancy, and cried, he would sooner die, than by a +confession expose the lives of his friends, and let the world see +their whole design before they had power to effect it: and not only +so, but put it past all their industry, ever to bring so hopeful a +plot about again. At this I smiled, and asked His Highness's pardon, +told him I was of another opinion, as most of the heads of the +_Huguenots_ were, that what he said to His Majesty in private could +never possibly be made public: that His Majesty would content himself +with the knowledge of the truth, without caring to satisfy the world, +so greatly to the prejudice of a prince of the blood, and a man so +very dear to him as himself. He urged the fears this would give those +of the Reformed Religion, and alarm them with a thousand +apprehensions, that it would discover every man of them, by +unravelling the intrigue. To this I replied, that their fears would be +very short-lived; for as soon as he had, by his submission and +confession, gained his pardon, he had no more to do, but to renounce +all he had said, leave the Court, and put himself into the protection +of his friends, who were ready to receive him. That he need but appear +abroad a little time, and he would see himself addressed to again, by +all the _Huguenot_ party, who would quickly put him into a condition +of fearing nothing. + +'My counsel, with the same persuasion from all of quality of the +party, who came to see him, was at last approved of by him, and he +began to say a thousand things to assure me of his fidelity to his +friends, and the faction, which he vowed never to forsake, for any +other interest, but to stand or fall in its defence, and that he was +resolved to be a king, or nothing; and that he would put in practice +all the arts and stratagems of cunning, as well as force, to attain to +this glorious end, however crooked and indirect they might appear to +fools. However, he conceived the first necessary step to this, was the +getting his pardon, to gain a little time, to manage things anew to +the best advantage: that at present all things were at a stand without +life or motion, wanting the sight of himself, who was the very life +and soul of motion, the axle-tree that could turn the wheel of fortune +round about again. + +'And now he had talked himself in to sense again; he cried--"Oh my +_Tomaso_! I long to be in action, my soul is on the wing, and ready to +take its flight through any hazard----" but sighing on a sudden, again +he cried: "But oh, my friend, my wings are impt by love, I cannot +mount the regions of the air, and thence survey the world; but still, +as I would rise to mightier glory, they flag to humble love, and fix +me there. Here I am charmed to lazy, soft repose, here it is I smile +and play, and love away my hours: but I will rouse, I will, my dear +_Tomaso_; nor shall the winged boy hold me enslaved: believe me, +friend, he shall not." He sent me away pleased with this, and I left +him to his repose.' + +Supper being ready to come upon the table; though _Philander_ were +impatient to hear the story out, yet he would not press _Tomaso_, till +after supper; in which time, they discoursed of nothing but of the +miracles of _Cesario_'s love to _Hermione_. He could not but wonder a +prince so young, so amorous, and so gay, should return again, after +almost fifteen years, to an old mistress, and who had never been in +her youth a celebrated beauty: one, whom it was imagined the King, and +several after him at Court, had made a gallantry with----On this he +paused for some time, and reflected on his passion for _Sylvia_; and +this fantastic intrigue of the Prince's inspired him with a kind of +curiosity to try, whether fleeting love, would carry him back again to +this abandoned maid. In these thoughts, and such discourse, they +passed away the time during supper; which ended, and a fresh bottle +brought to the table, with a new command that none should interrupt +them, the impatient _Philander_ obliged _Tomaso_ to give him a farther +account of the Prince's proceedings; which he did in this manner. + +'My lord, having left the Prince, as I imagined very well resolved, I +spoke of it to as many of our party, as I could conveniently meet +with, to prepare them for the discovery, I believed the Prince would +pretend to make, that they should not by being alarmed at the first +news of it, put themselves into fears, that might indeed discover +them: nor would I suffer _Cesario_ to rest, but daily saw him, or +rather nightly stole to him, to keep up his resolution: and indeed, in +spite of love, to which he had made himself so entire a slave, I +brought him to his own house, to visit Madam his wife, who was very +well at Court, maugre her husband's ill conduct, as they called it; +the King being, as you know, my lord, extremely kind to that deserving +lady, often made her visits, and would without very great impatiency +hear her plead for her husband, the Prince; and possibly it was not +ungrateful to him: all this we daily learned from a page, who secretly +brought intelligence from Madam the Princess: so that we conceived it +wholly necessary for the interest of the Prince, that he should live +in a good understanding with this prudent lady. To this end, he +feigned more respect than usual to her, and as soon as it was dark, +every evening made her his visits. One evening, amongst the rest, he +happened to be there, just as the proclamation came forth, of four +thousand crowns to any that could discover him; and within half an +hour after came the King, to visit the Princess, as every night he +did; her lodging being in the Court: the King came without giving any +notice, and with a very slender train that night; so that he was +almost in the Princess's bed-chamber before any body informed her he +was there; so that the Prince had no time to retire but into Madam the +Princess's cabaret, the door of which she immediately locking, made +such a noise and bustle, that it was heard by His Majesty, who +nevertheless had passed it by, if her confusion and blushes had not +farther betrayed her, with the unusual address she made to the King: +who therefore asked her, who she had concealed in her closet. She +endeavoured to put him off with some feigned replies, but it would not +do; the more her confusion, the more the King was inquisitive, and +urged her to give him the key of her _cabaret_: but she, who knew the +life of the Prince would be in very great danger, should he be taken +so, and knew on the other side, that to deny it, would betray the +truth as much as his discovery would, and cause him either to force +the key, or the door, fell down at his feet, and wetting his shoes +with her tears, and grasping his knees with her trembling arms, +implored that mercy and pity, for the Prince her husband, whom her +virtue had rendered dear to her, however criminal he appeared to His +Majesty: she told him, His Majesty had more peculiarly the attributes +of a god, than any other monarch upon earth, and never heard the +wretched or the innocent plead in vain. She told him, that herself, +and her children, who were dearer to her than life, should all be as +hostages for the good conduct and duty of the Prince's future life and +actions: and they would all be obliged to suffer any death, though +ever so ignominious, upon the least breaking out of her lord: that he +should utterly abandon those of the Reformed Religion, and yield to +what articles His Majesty would graciously be pleased to impose, +quitting all his false and unreasonable pretensions to the crown, +which was only the effects of the flattery of the _Huguenot_ party, +and the _malcontents_. Thus with the virtue and goodness of an angel, +she pleaded with such moving eloquence, mixed with tears from +beautiful eyes, that she failed not to soften the royal heart, who +knew not how to be deaf when beauty pleaded: yet he would not seem to +yield so suddenly, lest it should be imagined he had too light a sense +of his treasons, which, in any other great man, would have been +punished with no less than death: yet, as she pleaded, he grew calmer, +and suffered it without interruption, till she waited for his reply; +and obliged him by her silence to speak. He numbers up the obligations +he had heaped on her husband; how he had, by putting all places of +great command and interest into his hands, made him the greatest +prince, and favourite of a subject, in the world; and infinitely +happier than a monarch: that he had all the glory and power of one, +and wanted but the care: all the sweets of empire, while all that was +disagreeable and toilsome, remained with the title alone. He therefore +upbraided him with infinite ingratitude, and want of honour; with all +the folly of ambitious youth: and left nothing unsaid that might make +the Princess sensible it was too late to hide any of his treasons from +him, since they were all but too apparent to His Majesty. It was +therefore that she urged nothing but his royal mercy, and forgiveness, +without endeavouring to lessen his guilt, or enlarge on his innocency. +In fine, my lord, so well she spoke, that at last, she had the joy to +perceive the happy effects of her wit and goodness, which had moved +tears of pity and compassion from His Majesty's eyes; which was +_Cesario_'s cue to come forth, as immediately he did, (having heard +all that had passed) and threw himself at His Majesty's feet: and this +was the critical minute he was to snatch for the gaining of his point, +and of which he made a most admirable use. He called up all the force +of necessary dissimulation, tenderness to his voice, tears to his +eyes, and trembling to his hands, that stayed the too willing and +melting monarch by his robe, till he had heard him implore, and +granted him his pity: nor did he quit his hold, till the King cried, +with a soft voice--"Rise"--at which he was assured of what he asked. +He refused however to rise, till the pardon was pronounced. He owned +himself the greatest criminal in nature; that he was drawn from his +allegiance by the most subtle artifices of his enemies, who under +false friendships had allured his hopes with gilded promises; and +which he now too plainly saw were designed to propagate their own +private interests, and not his glory. He humbly besought His Majesty +to make some gracious allowances for his vanities of youth, and to +believe now he had so dearly bought discretion, at almost the price of +His Majesty's eternal displeasure, that he would reform, and lead so +good a life, so absolutely free from any appearance of ambition, that +His Majesty should see he had not a more faithful subject than +himself. In fine, he found himself, by this acknowledgement he had +begun with, to advance yet further: nor would His Majesty be satisfied +without the whole scene of the matter; and how they were to have +surprised and seized him; where, and by what numbers. All which he was +forced to give an account of; since now to have fallen back, when he +was in their hands, had been his infallible ruin. All which he +performed with as much tenderness and respect to his friends +concerned, as if his own life had been depending: and though he were +extremely pressed to discover some of the great ones of the party, he +would never give his consent to an action so mean, as to be an +evidence. All that could be got from him farther, was to promise His +Majesty, to give under his hand, what he had in private confessed to +him; with which the King remained very well satisfied, and ordered him +to come to Court the next day. Thus for that night they parted with +infinite caresses on the King's part, and no little joy on his. His +Majesty was no sooner gone, but he gave immediate order to the +Secretaries of State, to draw up his pardon, which was done with so +good speed, that he had it in his hands the next day. When he came to +Court, it is not to be imagined the surprise it was to all, to behold +the man, in the greatest state imaginable, who but yesterday was to +have been crucified at any price: and those who most exclaimed against +him, were the first that paid him homage, and caressed him at the +highest rate; only the most wise and judicious prophesied his glories +were not of long continuation. The King made no visits where the +Prince did not publicly appear: he told all the people, with infinite +joy, that the Prince had confessed the whole plot, and that he would +give it, under his hand and seal, in order to have it published +throughout all _France_, for the satisfaction of all those who had +been deluded and deceived by our specious pretences; and for the +terror of those, who had any ways adhered to so pernicious a villainy: +so that he met with nothing but reproaches from those of our own party +at Court: for there were many, who hitherto were unsuspected, and who +now, out of fear of being betrayed by the Prince, were ready to fall +at the King's feet and confess all: others there were, that left the +Court and town upon it. In fine, the face of things seemed extremely +altered, while the Prince bore himself like a person who had the +misfortune justly to lie beneath the exclamations of a disobliged +multitude, as they at least imagined and bore all, as if their fears +had been true, without so much as offering at his justification, to +confirm His Majesty's good opinion of him: he added to his pardon, a +present of twenty thousand crowns, half of it being paid the next day +after his coming to Court. And in short, my lord, His Majesty grew so +fond of the Prince, he could not endure to suffer him out of his +presence, and was never satisfied with seeing him: he carried him the +next day to the public _theatre_ with him, to shew the world he was +reconciled. But by this time he had all confirmed, and grew impatient +to declare himself to his friends, whom he would not have remain long +in their ill opinion of him. It happened the third day of his coming +to Court, (in returning some of those visits he had received from all +the great persons) he went to wait upon the Duchess of ---- a lady, +who had ever had a tender respect for the Prince: in the time of this +visit, a young lady of quality happened to come in; one whom your +lordship knows, a great wit, and much esteemed at Court, _Mademoiselle +Mariana_: by this lady he found himself welcomed to Court, with all +the demonstrations of joy; as also by the old Duchess, who had divers +times heretofore persuaded the Prince to leave the _Huguenots_, and +return to the King and Court: she used to tell him he was a handsome +youth, and she loved his mother well; that he danced finely, and she +had rather see him in a ball at Court, than in rebellion in the field; +and often to this purpose her love would rally him; and now shewed no +less concern of joy for his reconciliation; and looking on him as a +true convert, fell a railing, with all the malice and wit she could +invent, at those public-spirited knaves who had seduced him. She +railed on, and cursed those politics which had betrayed him to almost +ruin itself. + +'The Prince heard her with all the patience he could for some time, +but when he found her touch him so tenderly, and name his friends as +if he had owned any such ill counsellors, his colour came in his face, +and he could not forbear defending us with all the force of +friendship. He told her, he knew of no such seducers, no villains of +the party, nor of any traitorous design, that either himself, or any +man in _France_, had ever harboured: at which, she going to upbraid +him in a manner too passionate, he thought it decent to end his visit, +and left her very abruptly. At his going out, he met with the Duke of +---- brother to the Duchess, going to visit her: _en passant_, a very +indifferent ceremony passed on both sides, for this Duke never had +entertained a friendship, or scarce a respect for _Cesario_; but going +into his sister's the Duchess, her chamber, he found her all in a rage +at the Prince's so public defence of the _Huguenots_ and their allies; +and the Duke entering, they told him what had passed. This was a very +great pleasure to him, who had a mortal hate at this time to the +Prince. He made his visit very short, hastens to Court, and went +directly to the King, and told him how infinitely he found His Majesty +mistaken in the imagined penitence of the Prince; and then told him +what he had said at the Duchess of ---- lodgings, and had disowned, he +ever confessed any treasonable design against His Majesty, and gave +them the lie, who durst charge him with any such villainy. The King, +who was unwilling to credit what he wished not true, plainly told the +Duke he could not believe it, but that it was the malice of his +enemies, who had forged this: the Duke replied, he would bring those +to His Majesty that heard the words: immediately thereupon dispatched +away his page to beg the Duchess would come to Court, with +_Mademoiselle Mariana_. The Duchess suspecting the truth of the +business, and unwilling to do the Prince an ill office, excused +herself by sending word she was ill of the colic. But _Mariana_, who +loved the King's interest, and found the ingratitude, as she called +it, of the Prince, hastened in her chair to Court, and justified all +the Duke had said; who being a woman of great wit and honour, found +that credit which the Duke failed of, as an open enemy to the Prince. +About an hour after, the Prince appeared at Court, and found the face +of things changed extremely; and those, who before had kissed his +hand, and were proud of every smile from him, now beheld him with +coldness, and scarce made way as he passed. However, he went to the +Presence, and found the King, whose looks were also very much changed; +who taking him into the bed-chamber, shewed him his whole confession, +drawn up ready for him to sign, as he had promised, though he never +intended any such thing; and now resolved to die rather than do it, he +took it in his hand, while the King cried--"Here keep your word, and +sign your narrative--" "Stay, sir," replied the Prince, "I have the +counsel of my friends to ask in so weighty an affair." The King, +confirmed in all he had heard, no longer doubted but he had been too +cunning for him; and going out in a very great discontent, he only +cried--"Sir, if you have any better friends than myself, I leave you +to them;----" and with this left him. The Prince was very glad he had +got the confession-paper, hoping it would never come to light again; +the King was the only person to whom he had made the confession, and +he was but one accuser; and him he thought the party could at any time +be too powerful to oppose, all being easily believed on their side, +and nothing on that of the Court. After this, in the evening, the King +going to visit Madam the Duchess of----for whom he had a very great +esteem, and whither every day the whole Court followed him; the +Prince, with all the assurance imaginable, made his Court there also; +but he was no sooner come into the Presence, but he perceived anger in +the eyes of that monarch, who had indeed a peculiar greatness and +fierceness there, when angry: a minute after, he sent Monsieur----to +the Prince, with a command to leave the Court; and without much +ceremony he accordingly departed, and went directly to _Hermione_, who +with all the impatience of love expected him; nor was much surprised +to find him banished the Court: for he made her acquainted with his +most secret designs; who having made all his interests her own, +espoused whatever related to him, and was capable of retaining all +with great fidelity: nor had he quitted her one night, since his +coming to Court; and he hath often with rapture told me, _Hermione_ +was a friend, as well as a mistress, and one with whom, when the first +play was ended, he could discourse with of useful things of State as +well as love; and improve in both the noble mysteries by her charming +conversation. The night of this second disgrace I went to _Hermione_'s +to visit him, where we discoursed what was next to be done. He did not +think his pardon was sufficient to secure him, and he was not willing +to trust a King who might be convinced, that that tenderness he had +for him, was absolutely against the peace and quiet of all _France_. I +was of this opinion, so that upon farther debate, we thought it +absolutely necessary to quit _France_, till the Court's heat should be +a little abated; and that the King might imagine himself by his +absence, in more tranquillity than he really is. In order to this, he +made me take my flight into _Flanders_, here to provide all things +necessary against his coming, and I received his command to seek you +out, and beg you would attend his coming hither. I expect him every +day. He told me at parting, he longed to consult with you, how next to +play this mighty game, on which so many kingdoms are staked, and which +he is resolved to win, or be nothing.' 'An imperfect relation,' +replied _Philander_, 'we had of this affair, but I never could learn +by what artifice the Prince brought about his good fortune at Court; +but of your own escape I have heard nothing, pray oblige me with the +relation of it.' 'Sir,' said _Tomaso_, 'there is so little worthy the +trouble you will take in hearing it, that you may spare yourself the +curiosity.' 'Sir,' replied Philander, 'I always had too great a share +in what concerned you, not to be curious of the story.' 'In which,' +replied _Tomaso_, 'though there be nothing novel, I will satisfy you.' + +'Be pleased to know, my lord, that about a week before our design was +fully discovered by some of our own under-rogues, I had taken a great +house in _Faubourg St Germain_, for my mistress, whom you know, my +lord, I had lived with the space of a year. She was gone to drink the +waters of _Bourbon_, for some indisposition, and I had promised her +all things should be fitted against her return, agreeable to her +humour and desire; and indeed, I spared no cost to make her apartment +magnificent: and I believe few women of quality could purchase one so +rich; for I loved the young woman, who had beauty and discretion +enough to charm, though the _Parisians_ of the royal party called her +_Nicky Nacky_, which was given her in derision to me, not to her, for +whom every body, for her own sake, had a considerable esteem. Besides, +my lord, I had taken up money out of the Orphans' and Widows' Bank, +from the Chamber of _Paris_, and could very well afford to be lavish, +when I spent upon the public stock. While I was thus ordering all +things, my valet came running out of breath, to tell me, that being at +the _Louvre_, he saw several persons carried to the secretary's +office, with messengers; and that inquiring who they might be, he +found they were two _Parisians_, who had offered themselves to the +messengers to be carried to be examined about a plot, the Prince +_Cesario_ and those of the Reformed Religion, had to surprise His +Majesty, kill Monsieur his brother, and set all _Paris_ in a flame: +and as to what particularly related to myself, he said, that I was +named as the person designed to seize upon the King's guards, and +dispatch Monsieur. This my own conscience told me was too true, for me +to make any doubt but I was discovered: I therefore left a servant in +the house, and in a hackney-coach took my flight. I drove a little out +of _Paris_ till night, and then returned again, as the surest part of +the world where I could conceal myself: I was not long in studying who +I should trust with my life and safety, but went directly to the +palace of Madam, the Countess of----who you know, my lord, was a +widow, and a woman who had, for a year past, a most violent passion +for me; but she being a lady, who had made many such gallantries, and +past her youth, I had only a very great respect and acknowledgement +for her, and her quality, and being obliged to her, for the effects of +her tenderness, shewn upon several occasions, I could not but acquit +myself like a _cavalier_ to her, whenever I could possibly; and which, +though I have a thousand times feigned great business to prevent, yet +I could not always be ungrateful; and when I paid her my services, it +was ever extremely well received, and because of her quality, and +setting up for a second marriage, she always took care to make my +approaches to her, in as concealed a manner as possible; and only her +porter, one page, and one woman, knew this secret amour; and for the +better carrying it on, I ever went in a hackney-coach, lest my livery +should be seen at her gate: and as it was my custom at other times, +so I now sent the porter, (who, by my bounty, and his lady's, was +entirely my own creature) for the page to come to me, who immediately +did, and I desired him to let his lady know, I waited her commands; +that was the word: he immediately brought me answer, that by good +fortune his lady was all alone, and infinitely wishing she knew +where to send him for me: and I immediately, at that good news, ran +up to her chamber; where I was no sooner come, but desiring me to +sit, she ordered her porter to be called, and gave orders, upon pain +of life, not to tell of my being in the house, whatever inquiry +should be made after me; and having given the same command to her +page, she dismissed them, and came to me with all the fear and +trembling imaginable. "Ah Monsieur," cried she, falling on my +neck, "we are undone--" I, not imagining she had heard the news +already, cried, "Why, is my passion discovered?" "Ah," replied she in +tears, "I would to heaven it were no worse! would all the earth had +discovered that, which I should esteem my glory--But it is, my +charming monsieur," continued she, "your treasons and not amour, whose +discovery will be so fatal to me." At this I seemed amazed, and begged +her, to let me understand her: she told me what I have said before; +and moreover, that the Council had that very evening issued out +warrants for me, and she admired how I escaped. After a little +discourse of this kind, I asked her, what she would advise me to do? +for I was very well assured, the violent hate the King had +particularly for me, would make him never consent I should live on any +terms: and therefore it was determined I should not surrender myself; +and she resolved to run the risk of concealing me; which, in fine, she +did three days, furnishing me with money and necessaries for my +flight. In this time a proclamation came forth, and offered five +hundred crowns for my head, or to seize me alive, or dead. This sum so +wrought with the slavish minds of men, that no art was left unassayed +to take me: they searched all houses, all hackney-coaches that passed +by night; and did all that avarice could inspire to take me, but all +in vain: at last, this glorious sum so dazzled the mind of Madam the +Countess's porter, that he went to a captain of the Musketeers, and +assured him, if the King would give him the aforesaid sum, he would +betray me, and bring him the following night to surprise me, without +any resistance: the captain, who thought, if the porter should have +all the sum, he should get none; and every one hoping to be the happy +man, that should take me, and win the prize, could not endure another +should have the glory of both, and so never told the King of the offer +the porter had made. But however secret, one may imagine an amour to +be kept, yet in so busy a place as _Paris_ and the apartments of the +Court-coquets, this of ours had been discoursed, and the intrigue more +than suspected: whether this, or the captain, before named, imagined +to find me at the house of the Countess, because the porter had made +such an offer; I say, however it was, the next morning, upon a +_Sunday_, the guards broke into several chambers, and missing me, had +the insolence to come to the door of that of the Countess; and she had +only time to slip on her night-gown, and running to the door besought +them to have respect to her sex and quality, while I started from my +bed, which was the same from whence the Countess rose; and not knowing +where to hide, or what to do, concealing my clothes between the +sheets, I mounted from the table to a great silver sconce that was +fastened to the wall by the bed-side, and from thence made but one +spring up to the tester of the bed; which being one of those raised +with strong wood-work and japan, I could easily do; or, rather it was +by miracle I did it; and laid myself along the top, while my back +touched the ceiling of the chamber; by this time, when no entreaties +could prevail, they had burst open the chamber-door, and running +directly to the bed, they could not believe their eyes: they saw no +person there, but the plain print of two, with the pillows for two +persons. This gave them the curiosity to search farther, which they +did, with their swords, under the bed, in every corner, behind every +curtain, up the chimney, felt all about the wainscot and hangings for +false doors or closets; surveyed the floor for a trap-door: at last +they found my fringed gloves at the window, and the sash a little up, +and then they concluded I had made my escape out at that window: this +thought they seemed confirmed in, and therefore ran to the garden, +where they thought I had descended, and with my gloves, which they +bore away as the trophies of their almost gained victory, they +searched every hedge and bush, arbour, grotto, and tree; but not being +able to find what they sought, they concluded me gone, and told all +the town, how very near they were to seizing me. After this, the very +porter and page believed me escaped out of that window, and there was +no farther search made after me: but the Countess was amazed, as much +as any of the soldiers, to find which way I had conveyed myself, when +I came down and undeceived her; but when she saw from whence I came, +she wondered more than before how I could get up so high; when trying +the trick again, I could not do it, if I might have won never so +considerable a wager upon it, without pulling down the sconce, and the +tester also. + +'After this, I remained there undiscovered the whole time the Prince +was at _Hermione_'s, till his coming to Court, when I verily believed +he would have gained me my pardon, with his own; but the King had +sworn my final destruction, if he ever got me in his power; and +proclaiming me a traitor, seized all they could find of mine. It was +then that I believed it high time to take my flight; which, as soon as +I heard the Prince again in disgrace, I did, and got safely into +_Holland_, where I remained about six weeks. But, oh! what is woman! +The first news I heard, and that was while I remained at the +Countess's that my mistress, for whom I had taken such cares and who +had professed to love me above all things, no sooner heard I was fled +and proscribed, but retiring to a friend's house, (for her own was +seized for mine) and the officers imagining me there too, they came to +search; and a young _cavalier_, of a noble aspect, great wit and +courage, and indeed a very fine gentleman, was the officer that +entered her chamber, to search for me; who, being at first sight +surprised with her beauty, and melting with her tears, fell most +desperately in love with her, and after hearing how she had lost all +her money, plate, and jewels, and rich furniture, offered her his +service to retrieve them, and did do it; and from one favour to +another, continued so to oblige the fair fickle creature, that he won, +with that and his handsome mien, a possession of her heart, and she +yielded in a week's time to my most mortal enemy. And the Countess, +who at my going from her, swooned, and bathed me all in tears, making +a thousand vows of fidelity, and never to favour mankind more: this +very woman, sir, as soon as my back was turned, made new advances to a +young lord, who, believing her to be none of the most faithful, would +not trust her under matrimony: he being a man of no great fortune, and +she a mistress of a very considerable one, his standing off on these +terms inflames her the more; and I have advice, that she is very much +in love with him, and it is believed will do what he desires of her: +so that I was no sooner abandoned by fortune, but fickle woman +followed her example, and fled me too. Thus, my lord, you have the +history of my double unhappiness: and I am waiting here a fate which +no human wit can guess at: the arrival of the Prince will give a +little life to our affair; and I yet have hope to see him in _Paris_, +at the head of forty thousand _Huguenots_, to revenge all the +insolences we have suffered.' + +After discoursing of several things, and of the fate of several +persons, it was bed-time; and they taking leave, each man departed to +his chamber. + +_Philander_, while he was undressing, being alone with _Brilliard_, +began to discourse of _Sylvia_, and to take some care of letting her +know, he was arrived at _Brussels_; and for her convoy thither. +_Brilliard_, who even yet retained some unaccountable hope, as lovers +do, of one day being happy with that fair one; and believing he could +not be so, with so much felicity, while she was in the hands of +_Octavio_ as those of _Philander_, would never tell his lord his +sentiments of her conduct, nor of her love to _Octavio_, and those +other passages that had occurred in _Holland_: he only cried, he +believed she might be overcome, being left to herself and by the +merits and good fashion of _Octavio_; but would not give his master an +absolute fear, or any account of truth, that he might live with her +again, if possible, as before; and that she might hold herself so +obliged to him for silence in these affairs, as might one day render +him happy. These were the unweighed reasons he gave for deluding his +lord into a kind opinion to the fickle maid: but ever when he named +_Sylvia_, _Philander_ could perceive his blushes rise, and from them +believed there was something behind in his thought, which he had a +mind to know: he therefore pressed him to the last degree,--and +cried--'Come--confess to me, _Brilliard_, the reason of your blushes: +I know you are a lover, and I was content to suffer you my rival, +knowing your respect to me.' This, though he spoke smiling, raised a +greater confusion in _Brilliard_'s heart. 'I own, my lord,' said he, +'that I have, in spite of that respect, and all the force of my soul, +had the daring to love her whom you loved; but still the consideration +of my obligations to your lordship surmounted that saucy flame, +notwithstanding all the encouragement of your inconstancy, and the +advantage of the rage it put Sylvia in against you.' 'How,' cried +_Philander_, 'does _Sylvia_ know then of my falseness, and is it +certain that _Octavio_ has betrayed me to her?' With that _Brilliard_ +was forced to advance, and with a design of some revenge upon +_Octavio_, (who, he hoped, would be challenged by his lord, where one, +or both might fall in the rencounter, and leave him master of his +hopes) he told him all that had passed between them, all but real +possession, which he only imagined, but laid the whole weight on +_Octavio_, making _Sylvia_ act but as an incensed woman, purely out of +high revenge and resentment of so great an injury as was done her +love. He farther told him, how, in the extravagancy of her rage, she +had resolved to marry _Octavio_, and how he prevented it by making a +public declaration she was his wife already; and for which _Octavio_ +procured the _States_ to put him in prison; but by an accident that +happened to the uncle of _Octavio_, for which he was forced to fly, +the _States_ released him, when he came to his lord: 'How,' cried +_Philander_, 'and is the traitor _Octavio_ fled from _Holland_, and +from the reach of my chastisement?' 'Yes,' replied _Brilliard_; 'and +not to hold you longer from the truth, has forced _Sylvia_ away with +him.' At this _Philander_ grew into a violent rage, sometimes against +_Octavio_ for his treasons against friendship; sometimes he felt the +old flame revive, raised and blown jealousy, and was raving to imagine +any other should possess the lovely _Sylvia_. He now beholds her with +all those charms that first fired him, and thinks, if she be criminal, +it was only the effects of the greatest love, which always hurries +women on to the highest revenges. In vain he seeks to extinguish his +returning flame by the thought of _Calista_; yet, at that thought, he +starts like one awakened from a dream of honour, to fall asleep again, +and dream of love. Before it was rage and pride, but now it was +tenderness and grief, softer passions, and more insupportable. New +wounds smart most, but old ones are most dangerous. While he was thus +raging, walking, pausing, and loving, one knocked at his chamber-door. +It was _Sylvia_'s page, who had waited all the evening to speak to +him, and could not till now be admitted. _Brilliard_ was just going to +tell him he was there before, when he arrived now again: _Philander_ +was all unbuttoned, his stockings down, and his hair under his cap, +when the page, being let in by _Brilliard_, ran to his lord, who knew +him and embraced him: and it was a pretty while they thus caressed +each other, without the power of speaking; he of asking a question, +and the boy of delivering his message; at last, he gave him _Sylvia_'s +billet, which was thus-- + +_To_ PHILANDER. + +False and perjured as you are, I languish for a sight of you, and +conjure you to give it me, as soon as this comes to your hands. +Imagine not, that I have prepared those instruments of revenge that +are so justly due to your perfidy; but rather, that I have yet too +tender sentiments for you, in spite of the outrage you have done my +heart; and that for all the ruin you have made, I still adore you: and +though I know you now another's slave, yet I beg you would vouchsafe +to behold the spoils you have made, and allow me this recompense for +all, to say--Here was the beauty I once esteemed, though now she is no +more _Philander_'s + +SYLVIA. + +'How,' cried he out, 'No more _Philander_'s _Sylvia_! By heaven, I had +rather be no more _Philander_!' And at that word, without considering +whether he were in order for a visit or not, he advancing his joyful +voice, cried out to the page, 'Lead on, my faithful boy, lead on to +_Sylvia_.' In vain _Brilliard_ beseeches him to put himself into a +better equipage; in vain he urges to him, the indecency of making a +visit in that posture; he thought of nothing but _Sylvia_; however he +ran after him with his hat, cloak, and comb, and as he was in the +chair dressed his hair, and suffered the page to conduct him where he +pleased: which being to _Sylvia_'s, lodgings, he ran up stairs, and +into her chamber, as by instinct of love, and found her laid on her +bed, to which he made but one step from the door; and catching her in +his arms, as he kneeled upon the carpet, they both remained unable to +utter any thing but sighs: and surely _Sylvia_ never appeared more +charming; she had for a month or two lived at her ease, and had +besides all the advantage of fine dressing which she had purposely put +on, in the most tempting fashion, on purpose to engage him, or rather +to make him see how fine a creature his perfidy had lost him: she +first broke silence, and with a thousand violent reproaches, seemed as +if she would fain break from those arms, which she wished might be too +strong for her force; while he endeavours to appease her as lovers do, +protesting a thousand times that there was nothing in that history of +his amour with _Calista_, but revenge on _Octavio_, who he knew was +making an interest in her heart, contrary to all the laws of honour +and friendship, (for he had learned, by the reproaches of the Lady +Abbess, that _Calista_ was sister to _Octavio_). 'He has had the +daring to confess to me his passion,' said he, 'for you, and could I +do less in revenge, than to tell him I had one for his sister? I knew +by the violent reproaches I ever met with in your letters, though they +were not plainly confessed, that he had played me foul, and discovered +my feigned intrigue to you; and even this I suffered, to see how far +you could be prevailed with against me. I knew _Octavio_ had charms of +youth and wit, and that you had too much the ascendant over him, to be +denied any secret you had a mind to draw from him; I knew your nature +too curious, and your love too inquisitive, not to press him to a +sight of my letters, which seen must incense you; and this trial I +designedly made of your faith, and as a return to _Octavio_.' Thus he +flatters, and she believes, because she has a mind to believe; and +thus by degrees he softens the listening _Sylvia_; swears his faith +with sighs, and confirms it with his tears, which bedewed her fair +bosom, as they fell from his bright dissembling eyes; and yet so well +he dissembled, that he scarce knew himself that he did so: and such +effects it wrought on _Sylvia_, that in spite of all her honour and +vows engaged to _Octavio_, and horrid protestations never to receive +again the fugitive to her arms, she suffers all he asks, gives herself +up again to love, and is a second time undone. She regards him as one +to whom she had a peculiar right as the first lover: she was married +to his love, to his heart; and _Octavio_ appeared the intruding +gallant, that would, and ought to be content with the gleanings of the +harvest, _Philander_ should give him the opportunity to take up: and +though, if she had at this very time been put to her sober choice, +which she would have abandoned, it would have been _Philander_, as not +in so good circumstances at that time to gratify all her extravagances +of expense; but she would not endure to think of losing either: she +was for two reasons covetous of both, and swore fidelity to both, +protesting each the only man; and she was now contriving in her +thoughts, how to play the jilt most artificially; a help-meet, though +natural enough to her sex, she had not yet much essayed, and never to +this purpose: she knew well she should have need of all her cunning in +this affair; for she had to do with men of quality and honour, and too +much wit to be grossly imposed upon. She knew _Octavio_ loved so well, +it would either make her lose him by death, or resenting pride, if she +should ever be discovered to him to be untrue; and she knew she should +lose _Philander_ to some new mistress, if he once perceived her false. +He asked her a thousand questions concerning _Octavio_, and she seemed +to lavish every secret of her soul to her lover; but like a right +woman, so ordered her discourse, as all that made for her advantage +she declared, and all the rest she concealed. She told him, that those +hopes which her revenge had made her give _Octavio_, had obliged him +to present her with such and such fine jewels, such plate, such sums; +and in fine, made him understand that all her trophies from the +believing lover should be laid at his feet, who had conquered her +heart: and that now, having enriched herself, she would abandon him +wholly to despair. This did not so well satisfy Philander, but that he +needed some greater proofs of her fidelity, fearing all these rich +presents were not for a little hope alone; and she failed not giving +what protestations he desired. + +Thus the night passed away, and in the morning, she knowing he was not +very well furnished with money, gave him the key of her cabinet, where +she bid him furnish himself with all he wanted; which he did, and left +her, to go take orders about his horses, and other affairs, not so +absolutely satisfied of her virtue, but he feared himself put upon, +which the advantage he was likely to reap by the deceit, made him less +consider, than he would perhaps otherwise have done. He had all the +night a full possession of _Sylvia_, and found in the morning he was +not so violently concerned as he was over night: it was but a +repetition of what he had been feasted with before; it was no new +treat, but, like matrimony, went dully down: and now he found his +heart warm a little more for _Calista_, with which little impatience +he left _Sylvia_. + +That morning a lady having sent to _Octavio_, to give her an +assignation in the park; though he were not curious after beauty, yet +believing there might be something more in it than merely a lady, he +dressed himself and went, which was the reason he made not his visit +that morning, as he used to do, to _Sylvia_, and so was yet ignorant +of her ingratitude; while she, on the other side, finding herself more +possessed with vanity than love; for having gained her end, as she +imagined, and a second victory over his heart, in spite of all +_Calista_'s charms, she did not so much consider him as before; nor +was he so dear to her as she fancied he would have been, before she +believed it possible to get him any more to her arms; and she found it +was pride and revenge to _Calista_, that made her so fond of endearing +him, and that she should thereby triumph over that haughty rival, who +pretended to be so sure of the heart of her hero: and having satisfied +her ambition in that point, she was more pleased than she imagined she +should be, and could now turn her thoughts again to _Octavio_, whose +charms, whose endearments, and lavish obligations, came anew to her +memory, and made him appear the most agreeable to her genius and +humour, which now leaned to interest more than love; and now she +fancies she found _Philander_ duller in her arms than _Octavio_; that +he tasted of _Calista_, while _Octavio_ was all her own entirely, +adoring and ever presenting; two excellencies, of which _Philander_ +now had but part of one. She found _Philander_ now in a condition to +be ever taking from her, while _Octavio_'s was still to be giving; +which was a great weight in the scale of love, when a fair woman +guides the balance: and now she begins to distrust all that +_Philander_ had said of his innocence, from what she now remembers she +heard from _Calista_ herself, and reproaches her own weakness for +believing: while her penitent thoughts were thus wandering in favour +of _Octavio_, that lover arrived, and approached her with all the joy +in his soul and eyes that either could express. 'It is now, my fair +charmer,' said he, 'that I am come to offer you what alone can make me +more worthy of you----' And pulling from his pocket the writings and +inventories of all his own and his uncle's estate--'See here,' said +he, 'what those mighty powers that favour love have done for _Sylvia_. +It is not,' continued he, 'the trifle of a million of money, (which +these amount to) that has pleased me, but because I am now able to lay +it without control at your feet.' If she were before inclined to +receive him well, what was she now, when a million of money rendered +him so charming? She embraced his neck with her snowy arms, laid her +cheeks to his ravished face, and kissed him a thousand welcomes; so +well she knew how to make herself mistress of all this vast fortune. +And I suppose he never appeared so fine, as at this moment. While she +thus caressed him, he could not forbear sighing, as if there were yet +something behind to complete his happiness: for though Octavio were +extremely blinded with love, he had abundance of wit, and a great many +doubts, (which were augmented by the arrival of _Philander_) and he +was, too wise and too haughty, to be imposed upon, at least as he +believed: and yet he had so very good an opinion of _Sylvia_'s honour +and vows, which she had engaged to him, that he durst hardly name his +fears, when by his sighs she found them: and willing to leave no +obstacle unremoved, that might hinder her possessing this fortune, she +told him; 'My dear _Octavio_--I am sensible these sighs proceed from +some fears you have of _Philander_'s being in _Brussels_, and +consequently that I will see him, as heretofore; but be assured, that +that false man shall no more dare to pretend to me; but, on the +contrary, I will behold him as my mortal enemy, the murderer of my +fame and innocence, and as the most ungrateful and perfidious man that +ever lived.' This she confirmed with oaths and tears, and a thousand +endearing expressions. So that establishing his heart in a perfect +tranquillity, and he leaving his writings and accounts with her, he +told her he was obliged to dine with the advocates, who had acted for +him in _Holland_, and could not stay to dine with her. + +You must know, that as soon as the noise of old _Sebastian_, +_Octavio_'s uncle's death was noised about, and that he was thereupon +fled, they seized all the estates, both that of the uncle, and that of +_Octavio_, as belonging to him by right of law; but looking upon him +as his uncle's murderer, they were forfeited to the _States_. This +part of ill news _Octavio_ kept from _Sylvia_, but took order, that +such a process might be begun in his name with the _States_ that might +retrieve it; and sent word, if it could not be carried on by attornies +(for he was not, he said, in health) that nevertheless he would come +into _Holland_ himself. But they being not able to prove, by the +witness of any of _Octavio_'s or _Sebastian_'s servants, that +_Octavio_ had any hand in his death; but, on the contrary all +circumstances, and the coroner's verdict, brought it in as a thing +done by accident, and through his own fault, they were obliged to +release to _Octavio_ all his fortune, with that of his uncle, which +was this day brought to him, by those he was obliged to dine, and make +up some accounts withal: he therefore told her, he feared he should be +absent all that afternoon; which she was the more pleased at, because +if _Philander_ should return before she had ordered the method of +their visit, so as not to meet with each other (which was her only +contrivance now) she should be sure he would not see or be seen by +_Octavio_; who had no sooner taken his leave, but _Philander_ returns; +who being now fully bent upon some adventure to see _Calista_, if +possible, and which intrigue would take up his whole time; to excuse +his absence to the jealous _Sylvia_, he feigned that he was sent to by +_Cesario_, to meet him upon the frontiers of _France_, and conduct him +into _Flanders_, and that he should be absent some days. This was as +_Sylvia_ could have wished; and after forcing herself to take as kind +a leave of him as she could, whose head was wholly possessed with a +million of gold, she sent him away, both parties being very well +pleased with the artifices with which they jilted each other. At +_Philander_'s, going into his chair, he was seen by the old Count of +_Clarinau_, who, cured perfectly of his wound, was come thither to +seek _Philander_, in order to take the revenge of a man of honour, as +he called it; which in _Spanish_ is the private stab, for private +injuries; and indeed more reasonable than base _French_ duelling, +where the injured is as likely to suffer as the injurer: but +_Clarinau_ durst not attack him by day-light in the open street, nor +durst he indeed appear in his own figure in the King of _Spain_'s +dominions, standing already there convicted of the murder of his first +wife; but in a disguise came to _Brussels_. The chair with _Philander_ +was no sooner gone from the lodgings, but he inquired of some of the +house, who lodged there that that gentleman came to visit? And they +told him a great-bellied woman, who was a woman of quality, and a +stranger: this was sufficient, you may believe, for him to think it +Madam the Countess of _Clarinau_. With this assurance he repairs to +his lodging, which was but hard by, and sets a footman that attended +him to watch the return of _Philander_ to those lodgings, which he +believed would not be long: the footman, who had not seen _Philander_, +only asked a description of him; he told him, he was a pretty tall +man, in black clothes (for the Court was then in mourning) with long +black hair, fine black eyes, very handsome, and well made; this was +enough for the lad; he thought he should know him from a thousand by +these marks and tokens. Away goes the footman, and waited till the +shutting in of the evening, and then, running to his lord, told him, +that _Philander_ was come to those lodgings; that he saw him alight +out of the chair, and took perfect notice of him; that he was sure it +was that _Philander_ he looked for: _Clarinau_, overjoyed that his +revenge was at hand, took his dagger, sword and pistol, and hasted to +_Sylvia_'s lodgings, where he found the chair still waiting, and the +doors all open; he made no more ado, but goes in and ascends the +stairs, and passes on, without opposition, to the very chamber where +they sat, _Sylvia_ in the arms of her lover, not _Philander_, but +_Octavio_, who being also in black, tall, long, brown hair, and +handsome, and by a sight that might very well deceive; he made no more +to do, not doubting but it was _Philander_ and _Calista_, but steps to +him, and offering to stab him, was prevented by his starting at the +suddenness of his approach; however, the dagger did not absolutely +miss him, but wounded him in the left arm; but _Octavio_'s youth, too +nimble for _Clarinau_'s age, snatching at the dagger as it wounded +him, at once prevented the hurt being much, and returned a home blow +at _Clarinau_, so that he fell at _Sylvia_'s feet, whose shrieks +alarmed the house to their aid, where they found by the light of the +candle that was brought, that the man was not dead, but lay gazing on +_Octavio_, who said to him, 'Tell me, thou unfortunate wretch, what +miserable fate brought thee to this place, to disturb the repose of +those who neither know thee, nor had done thee injury?' 'Ah, sir,' +replied _Clarinau_, 'you have reason for what you say, and I ask +heaven, that unknown lady, and yourself, a thousand pardons for my +mistake and crime: too late I see my error, pity and forgive me; and +let me have a priest, for I believe I am a dead man.' _Octavio_ was +extremely moved with compassion at these words, and immediately sent +his page, who was alarmed up in the crowd, for a Father and a surgeon; +and he declared before the rest, that he forgave that stranger, +meaning _Octavio_, since he had, by a mistake of his footman, pulled +on his own death, and had deserved it: and thereupon, as well as he +could, he told them for whom he had mistaken _Octavio_, who, having +injured his honour, he had vowed revenge upon; and that he took the +fair lady, meaning _Sylvia_, for a faithless wife of his, who had been +the authoress of all this. _Octavio_ soon divined this to be his +brother-in-law, _Clarinau_, whom yet he had never seen; and stooping +down to him, he cried, 'It is I, sir, that ought to demand a thousand +pardons of you, for letting the revenge of _Calista_'s honour alone so +long.' _Clarinau_ wondered who he should be that named _Calista_, and +asking him his name, he told him he was the unhappy brother to that +fair wanton, whose story was but too well known to him. Thus while +_Clarinau_ viewing his face, found him the very picture of that false +charmer; while _Octavio_ went on and assured him, if it were his +unhappiness to die, that he would revenge the honour of him and his +sister, on the betrayer of both. By this time the surgeon came who +found not his wound to be mortal, as was feared, and ventured to +remove him to his own lodgings, whither _Octavio_ would accompany him; +and leaving _Sylvia_ inclined, after her fright, to be reposed, he +took his leave of her for that evening, not daring, out of respect to +her, to visit her any more that night: he was no sooner gone, but +_Philander_, who never used to go without two very good pocket-pistols +about him, having left them under his pillow last night at _Sylvia's_ +lodgings; and being upon love-adventures, he knew not what occasion he +might have for them, returned back to her lodgings: when he came, she +was a little surprised at first to see him, but after reflecting on +what revenge was threatened him, she exposed _Octavio's_ secret to +him, and told him the whole adventure, and how she had got his +writings, which would be all her own, if she might be suffered to +manage the fond believer. But he, whose thought ran on the revenge was +threatened him, cried out--'He has kindly awakened me to my duty by +what he threatens; it is I that ought to be revenged on his perfidy, +of shewing you my letters; and to that end, by heaven, I will defer +all the business in the world to meet him, and pay his courtesy--If I +had enjoyed his sister, he might suppose I knew her not to be so; and +what man of wit or youth, would refuse a lovely woman, that presents a +heart laden with love, and a person all over charms, to his bosom? I +were to be esteemed unworthy the friendship of a man of honour, if I +should: but he has basely betrayed me every way, makes love to my +celebrated mistress, whom he knows I love, and getting secrets, +unravels them to make his court and his access the easier.' + +She foresaw the dangerous consequence of a quarrel of this nature, and +had no sooner blown the fire, (which she did, to the end that +_Philander_ should avoid her lodgings, and all places where he might +meet _Octavio_) but she hinders all her designs; and fixing him there, +he was resolved to expect him at the first place he thought most +likely to find him in: she endeavoured, by a thousand entreaties, to +get him gone, urging it all for his safety; but that made him the more +resolved; and all she could do, could not hinder him from staying +supper, and after that, from going to bed: so that she was forced to +hide a thousand terrors and fears by feigned caresses, the sooner to +get him to meet _Cesario_ in the morning, as he said he was to do; and +though she could not help flattering both, while by; yet she ever +loved the absent best; and now repented a thousand times that she had +told him any thing. + +Early the next morning, as was his custom, _Octavio_ came to inquire +of _Sylvia_'s health; and though he had oftentimes only inquired and +no more, (taking excuse of ill nights, or commands that none should +come to her till she called) and had departed satisfied, and came +again: yet now, when he went into _Antonet_'s chamber, he found she +was in a great consternation, and her looks and flattering excuses +made him know, there was more than usual in his being to-day denied; +he therefore pressed it the more, and she grew to greater confusion by +his pressing her. At last he demanded the key of her lady's chamber, +he having, he said, business of great importance to communicate to +her; she told him she had as great reason not to deliver it,--'That +is,' said she, (fearing she had said too much) 'my lady's commands'; +and finding no persuasion would prevail, and rather venturing +_Sylvia_'s eternal displeasure, than not to be satisfied in the +jealousies she had raised; especially reflecting on _Philander_'s +being in town, he took _Antonet_ in his arms, and forced the key from +her; who was willing to be forced; for she admired _Octavio_'s bounty, +and cared not for _Philander_. _Octavio_ being master of the key, +flies to _Sylvia_'s door like lightning, or a jealous lover, mad to +discover what seen would kill him: he opens the chamber-door, and goes +softly to the bed-side, as if he now feared to find what he sought, +and wished to heaven he might be mistaken; he opened the curtains, and +found _Sylvia_ sleeping with _Philander_ in her arms. I need make no +description of his confusion and surprise; the character I have given +of that gallant honest, generous lover, is sufficient to make you +imagine his heart, when indeed he could believe his eyes: before he +thought--he was about to draw his sword, and run them both through, +and revenge at once his injured honour, his love, and that of his +sister; but that little reason he had left checked that barbarity, and +he was readier, from his own natural sweetness of disposition, to run +himself upon his own sword: and there the Christian pleaded----and yet +found his heart breaking, his whole body trembling, his mind all +agony, his cheeks cold and pale, his eyes languishing, his tongue +refusing to give utterance to his pressure, and his legs to support +his body; and much ado he had to reel into _Antonet_'s, chamber, where +he found the maid dying with grief for her concern for him. He was no +sooner got to her bed-side, but he fell dead upon it; while she, who +was afraid to alarm her lady and _Philander_, lest _Octavio_, being +found there, had accused her with betraying them; but shutting the +door close, (for yet no body had seen him but herself) she endeavoured +all she could to bring him to life again, and it was a great while +before she could do so: as soon as he was recovered, he lay a good +while without speaking, reflecting on his fate; but after appearing as +if he had assumed all his manly spirits together, he rose up, and +conjured _Antonet_ to say nothing of what had happened, and that she +should not repent the service she would do him by it. _Antonet_, who +was his absolute, devoted slave, promised him all he desired; and he +had the courage to go once again, to confirm himself in the lewdness +of this undone fair one, whose perjuries had rendered her even odious +now to him, and he beheld her with scorn and disdain: and that she +might know how indifferently he did so, (when she should come to know +it) he took _Philander_'s sword that lay on her _toilet_, and left his +own in the place, and went out pleased; at least in this, that he had +commanded his passion in the midst of the most powerful occasion for +madness and revenge that ever was. + +They lay thus secured in each other's arms till nine o'clock in the +morning, when _Philander_ received a note from _Brilliard_, who was +managing his lord's design of getting a billet delivered to _Calista_ +by the way of a nun, whom _Brilliard_ had made some address to, to +that end, and sent to beg his lord would come to the grate, and speak +to the young nun, who had undertaken for any innocent message. This +note made him rise and haste to go out, when he received another from +an unknown hand; which was thus: + + * * * * * + +_To_ Philander. + +My Lord, I have important business with you, and beg I may speak with +you at three of the clock; I will wait for you by the fountain in the +park: Yours. + + * * * * * + +_Sylvia_, who was impatient to have him gone, never asked to see +either of these notes, lest it should have deterred him; and she knew +_Octavio_ would visit her early though she knew withal she could +refuse him entrance with any slight excuse, so good an opinion he had +of her virtue, and so absolute an ascendant she had over him.--She had +given orders, if he came, to be refused her chamber; and she was glad +to know he had not yet been at her lodgings. A hundred times she was +about to make use of the lessened love _Philander_ had for her, and to +have proposed to him the suffering _Octavio_ to share her embraces, +for so good an interest, since no returns could be had from _France_, +nor any signs of amendment of their fortunes any other way: but still +she feared he had too much honour to permit such a cheat in love, to +be put even upon an enemy. This fear deferred her speaking of it, or +offering to sacrifice _Octavio_ as a cully to their interest, though +she wished it; nor knew she long how to deceive both; the business was +to put _Philander_ off handsomely, if possible, since she failed of +all other hopes. These were her thoughts while _Philander_ was +dressing, and raised by his asking for some more pistoles from her +cabinet, which she found would quickly be at an end, if one lover +diminished daily, and the other was hindered from increasing: but +_Philander_ was no sooner dressed but he left her to her repose; and +_Octavio_ (who had a _Grison_ attending the motions of _Philander_, +all that morning, and had brought him word he was gone from _Sylvia_) +went to visit her, and entering her chamber, all changed from what he +was before, and death sat in his face and eyes, maugre all his +resolves and art of dissembling. She, not perceiving it as she lay, +stretched out her arms to receive him with her wonted caresses; but he +gently put her off, and sighing, cried--'No, _Sylvia_, I leave those +joys to happier lovers.' She was a little surprised at that--but not +imagining he had known her guilt, replied: 'Then those caresses were +only meant for him; for if _Sylvia_ could make him happy, he was sure +of being the man;' and by force compelled him to suffer her kisses and +embraces, while his heart was bursting, without any sense of the +pleasure of her touches. 'Ah, _Sylvia_,' says he, 'I can never think +myself secure, or happy, while _Philander_ is so near you; every +absent moment alarms me with ten thousand fears; in sleep I dream thou +art false, and givest thy honour up all my absent nights, and all day +thy vows:' and that he was sure, should she again suffer herself to +see _Philander_, he should be abandoned; and she again undone. 'For +since I parted with you,' continued he, 'I heard from _Clarinau_, that +he saw _Philander_ yesterday come out of your lodgings. How can I bear +this, when you have vowed not to see him, with imprecations that must +damn thee, _Sylvia_, without severe repentance?'----At this she +offered to swear again--but he stopped her, and begged her not to +swear till she had well considered; then she confessed he made her a +visit, but that she used him with that pride and scorn, that if he +were a man of honour he could never bear; and she was sure he would +trouble her no more: in fine, she flattered, fawned, and jilted so, as +no woman, common in the trade of sinful love, could be so great a +mistress of the art. He suffered her to go on, in all that could +confirm him she thought him an errant coxcomb; and all that could +render her the most contemptible of her sex. He was pleased, because +it made him despise her; and that was easier than adoring her; yet, +though he heard her with scorn, he heard her with too much love. When +she was even breathless with eager prostitution--he cried, 'Ah, +indiscreet and unadvised _Sylvia_, how I pity thee!' 'Ah,' said +she--observing him speak this with a scornful smile--'Is it possible, +you should indeed be offended for a simple visit! which neither was by +my invitation or wish: can you be angry, if I treat _Philander_ with +the civility of a brother? Or rather, that I suffer him to see me, to +receive my reproaches?'--'Stop here,' said he, 'thou fair deluding +flatterer, or thou art for ever ruined. Do not charge thy soul yet +farther;--do not delude me on--all yet I can forgive as I am dying, +but should I live, I could not promise thee. Add not new crimes by +cozening me anew; for I shall find out truth, though it lie hid even +in the bottom of _Philander_'s, heart.' This he spoke with an air of +fierceness--which seeing her grow pale upon, he sunk again to +compassion, and in a soft voice cried--'Whatever injuries thou hast +done my honour, thy word, and faith to me, and my poor heart, I can +perhaps forgive when you dare utter truth: there is some honesty in +that'--She once more embracing him, fell anew to protesting her ill +treatment of _Philander_, how she gave him back his vows, and assured +him she would never be reconciled to him. 'And did you part so, +_Sylvia_?' replied the dying _Octavio_. 'Upon my honour,' said she, +'just so.'--'Did you not kiss at parting?' said he faintly.--'Just +kissed, as friends, no more, by all thy love.' At this he bursts into +tears, and cried--'Oh! why, when I reposed my heart with thee, and +lavished out my very soul in love, could I not merit this poor +recompense of being fairly dealt with? Behold this sword--I took it +from your _toilet_; view it, it is _Philander_'s; myself this morning +took it from your table: no more--since you may guess the fatal rest: +I am undone, and I am satisfied--I had a thousand warnings of my fate, +but still the beauty charmed, and my too good nature yielded: oft you +have cozened me, and oft I saw it, and still love made me willing to +forgive; the foolish passion hung upon my soul, and soothed me into +peace.' _Sylvia_, quite confounded, (not so much with the knowledge he +had of the unlucky adventure, as at her so earnestly denying and +forswearing any love had passed between them) lay still to consider +how to retrieve this lost game, and gave him leisure to go on--'Now,' +said he, 'thou art silent----would thou hadst still been so: ah, +hapless maid, who hast this fate attending thee, to ruin all that love +thee! Be dumb, be dumb for ever; let the false charm that dwells upon +thy tongue, be ended with my life: let it no more undo believing man, +lest amongst the number some one may conquer thee, and deaf to all thy +wit, and blind to beauty, in some mad passion think of all thy +cozenings, should fall upon thee, and forget thy sex, and by thy death +revenge the lost _Octavio_.' At these words he would have rose from +her arms, but she detained him, and with a piteous voice implored his +pardon; but he calmly replied, 'Yes, _Sylvia_, I will pardon thee, and +wish that heaven may do so; to whom apply thy early rhetoric and +penitence; for it can never, never charm me more: my fortune, if thou +ever wanted support to keep thee chaste and virtuous, shall still be +commanded by thee, with that usual frankness it has hitherto served +thee; but for _Octavio_, he is resolved to go where he will never more +be seen by woman--or hear the name of love to ought but heaven-- +Farewell--one parting kiss, and then a long farewell--' As he bowed to +kiss her, she caught him fast in her arms, while a flood of tears +bathed his face, nor could he prevent his from mixing with hers: while +thus they lay, _Philander_ came into the room, and finding them so +closely entwined, he was as much surprised almost as _Octavio_ was +before; and, drawing his sword, was about to have killed him; but his +honour overcame his passion; and he would not take him at such +disadvantage, but with the flat of his sword striking him on the back +as he lay, he cried, 'Rise, traitor, and turn to thy mortal enemy.' +_Octavio_, not at all surprised, turned his head and his eyes bedewed +in tears towards his rival. 'If thou be'est an enemy,' said he, +'though never couldst have taken me in a better humour of dying. +Finish, _Philander_, that life then, which if you spare, it will +possibly never leave thine in repose; the injuries you have done me +being too great to be forgiven.' 'And is it thus,' replied +_Philander_,--'thus with my mistress, that you would revenge them? Is +it in the arms of _Sylvia_, that you would repay me the favours I did +your sister _Calista_?' 'You have by that word,' said _Octavio_, +'handsomely reproached my sloth.' And leaping briskly from the bed, he +took out his sword, and cried: 'Come then----let us go where we may +repair both our losses, since ladies' chambers are not fit places to +adjust debts of this nature in.' At these words they both went +down stairs; and it was in vain _Sylvia_ called and cried out to +conjure them to come back; her power of commanding she had in one +unlucky day lost over both those gallant lovers. And both left her +with pity; to say no worse of the effect of her ill conduct. + +_Octavio_ went directly to the park, to the place whither he before +had challenged _Philander_, who lost no time but followed him: as soon +as he was come to the fountain he drew, and told _Philander_ that was +the place whither he invited him in his billet that morning; however, +if he liked not the ground, he was ready to remove to any other: +_Philander_ was a little surprised to find that invitation was a +challenge; and that _Octavio_ should be beforehand with him upon the +score of revenge; and replied, 'Sir, if the billet came from you, it +was a favour I thank you for; since it kindly put me in mind of that +revenge I ought so justly to take of you, for betraying the secrets of +friendship I reposed in you, and making base advantages of them, to +recommend yourself to a woman you knew I loved, and who hates you, in +spite of all the ungenerous ways you have taken to gain her.' 'Sir,' +replied _Octavio_, 'I confess with a blush and infinite shame, the +error with which you accuse me, and have nothing to defend so great a +perfidy. To tell you, I was wrought out of it by the greatest cunning +imaginable, and that I must have seen _Sylvia_ die at my feet if I had +refused them, is not excuse enough for the breach of that friendship. +No, though I were exasperated with the relation there of my sister's +dishonour: I must therefore adjust that debt with you as well as I +can; and if I die in the juster quarrel of my sister's honour, I shall +believe it the vengeance of heaven upon me for that one breach of +friendship.' 'Sir,' replied _Philander_, 'you have given me so great a +satisfaction in this confession, and have made so good and gallant an +atonement by this acknowledgement, that it is with relunctancy I go to +punish you for other injuries, of which I am assured you cannot so +well acquit yourself.' 'Though I would not justify a baseness,' +replied _Octavio_, 'for which there ought to be no excuse; yet I will +not accuse myself, or acknowledge other injuries, but leave you +something to maintain the quarrel on--and render it a little just on +your side; nor go to wipe off the outrage you pretend I have done your +love, by adoring the fair person who at least has been dear to you, by +the wrongs you have done my sister.' 'Come, sir, we shall not by +disputing quit scores,' cried _Philander_, a little impatiently; 'what +I have lately seen, has made my rage too brisk for long parly.' At +that they both advanced, and made about twenty passes before either +received any wound; the first that bled was _Octavio_, who received a +wound in his breast, which he returned on _Philander_, and after that +many were given and taken; so that the track their feet made, in +following and advancing as they fought, was marked out by their blood: +in this condition, (still fighting) _Sylvia_, (who had called them +back in vain, and only in her night-gown in a chair pursued them that +minute they quitted her chamber) found them thus employed, and without +any fear she threw herself between them: _Octavio_, out of respect to +her, ceased; but _Philander_, as if he had not regarded her, would +still have been striving for victory, when she stayed his hand, and +begged him to hear her; he then set the point of his sword to the +ground, and breathless and fainting almost, attended what she had to +say: she conjured him to cease the quarrel, and told him if _Octavio_ +had injured him in her heart, he ought to remember he had injured +_Octavio_ as much in that of his sister: she conjured him by all the +friendship both she and himself had received at _Octavio_'s hands; and +concluded with saying so many fine things of that cavalier, that in +lieu of appeasing, it but the more exasperated the jealous _Philander_, +who took new courage with new breath, and passed at _Octavio_. She +then addressed to _Octavio_, and cried: 'Hold, oh hold, or make your +way through me; for here I will defend virtue and honour!' and put +herself before _Octavio_: she spoke with so piteous a voice, and +pleaded with so much tenderness, that _Octavio_, laying his sword at +her feet, bid her dispose--false as she was, of his honour: 'For oh,' +said he, 'my life is already fallen a victim to your perjuries!' He +could say no more, but falling where he had laid his sword, left +_Philander_ master of the field. By this time some gentlemen that had +been walking came up to them, and found a man lie dead, and a lady +imploring another to fly: they looked on _Oclavio_, and found he had +yet life; and immediately sent for surgeons, who carried him to his +lodgings with very little hope: _Philander_, as well as his wounds +would give him leave, got into a chair, telling the gentlemen that +looked on him, he would be responsible for _Octavio_'s life, if he had +had the ill fortune to take it; that his quarrel was too just to +suffer him to fly.--So being carried to the _cabaret_, with an +absolute command to _Sylvia_ not to follow him, or visit him: for fear +of hurting him by disobeying, she suffered herself to be carried to +her lodgings, where she threw herself on her bed, and drowned her fair +eyes in a shower of tears: she advises with _Antonet_ and her page +what to do in this extremity; she fears she has, by her ill +management, lost both her lovers, and she was in a condition of +needing every aid. They, who knew the excellent temper of _Octavio_, +and knew him to be the most considerable lover of the two, besought +her, as the best expedient she could have recourse to, to visit +_Octavio_, who could not but take it kindly; and they did not doubt +but she had so absolute a power over him, that with a very little +complaisance towards him, she would retrieve that heart her ill luck +had this morning forfeited; and which, they protested, they knew +nothing of, nor how he got into her chamber. This advice she took; +but, because _Octavio_ was carried away dead, she feared, (and swooned +with the fear) that he was no longer in the world, or, at least, that +he would not long be so: however, she assumed her courage again at the +thought, that, if he did die, she had an absolute possession of all +his fortune, which was to her the most considerable part of the man, +or at least, what rendered him so very agreeable to her: however, she +thought fit to send her page, which she did in an hour after he was +carried home, to see how he did; who brought her word that he was +revived to life, and had commanded his gentleman to receive no +messages from her. This was all she could learn, and what put her into +the greatest extremity of grief. She after sent to _Philander_, and +found him much the better of the two, but most infinitely incensed +against _Sylvia_: this also added to her despair; yet since she found +she had not a heart that any love, or loss of honour, or fortune could +break; but, on the contrary, a rest of youth and beauty, that might +oblige her, with some reason, to look forward on new lovers, if the +old must depart: the next thing she resolved was, to do her utmost +endeavour to retrieve _Octavio_, which, if unattainable, she would +make the best of her youth. She sent therefore (notwithstanding his +commands to suffer none of her people to come and see him) to inquire +of his health; and in four days (finding he received other visits) she +dressed herself, with all the advantages of her sex, and in a chair +was carried to his aunt's, where he lay. The good lady, not knowing +but she might be that person of quality whom she knew to be extremely +in love with her nephew, and who lived at the Court of _Brussels_, and +was niece to the Governor, carried her to his chamber, where she left +her, as not willing to be a witness of a visit she knew must be +supposed _incognito_: it was evening, and _Octavio_ was in bed, and, +at the first sight of her his blood grew disordered in his veins, +flushed in his pale face, and burnt all over his body, and he was near +to swooning as he lay: she approached his bed with a face all set for +languishment, love, and shame in her eyes, and sighs, that, without +speaking, seemed to tell her grief at his disaster; she sat, or rather +fell, on his bed, as unable to support the sight of him in that +condition; she in a soft manner, seized his burning hand, grasped it +and sighed, then put it to her mouth, and suffered a tear or two to +fall upon it; and when she would have spoke, she made her sobs resist +her words; and left nothing unacted, that might move the +tender-hearted _Octavio_ to that degree of passion she wished. A +hundred times fain he would have spoke, but still his rising passion +choked his words; and still he feared they would prove either too soft +and kind for the injuries he had received, or too rough and cold for +so delicate and charming a creature, and one, whom, in spite of all +those injuries, he still adored: she appeared before him with those +attractions that never failed to conquer him, with that submission and +pleading in her modest bashful eyes, that even gave his the lie, who +had seen her perfidy. Oh! what should he do to keep that fire from +breaking forth with violence, which she had so thoroughly kindled in +his heart? How should that excellent good nature assume an unwonted +sullenness, only to appear what it could not by nature be? He was all +soft and sweet, and if he had pride, he knew also how to make his +pleasure; and his youth loved love above all the other little vanities +that attend it, and was the most proper to it. Fain he would palliate +her crime, and considers, in the condition she was, she could not but +have some tenderness for _Philander_; that it was no more than what +before passed; it was no new lover that came to kindle new passions, +or approach her with a new flame; but a decliner, who came, and was +received with the dregs of love, with all the cold indifference +imaginable: this he would have persuaded himself, but dares not till +he hears her speak; and yet fears she should not speak his sense; and +this fear makes him sighing break silence, and he cried in a soft +tone: 'Ah! why, too lovely fair, why do you come to trouble the repose +of my dying hours? Will you, cruel maid, pursue me to my grave? Shall +I not have one lone hour to ask forgiveness of heaven for my sin of +loving thee? The greatest that ever loaded my youth--and yet, +alas!--the least repented yet. Be kind, and trouble not my solitude, +depart with all the trophies of my ruin, and if they can add any glory +to thy future life, boast them all over the universe, and tell what a +deluded youth thou hast undone. Take, take, fair deceiver, all my +industry, my right of my birth, my thriving parents have been so long +a-getting to make me happy with; take the useless trifle, and lavish +it on pleasure to make thee gay, and fit for luckier lovers: take that +best part of me, and let this worst alone; it was that first won the +dear confession from thee that drew my ruin on--for which I hate +it--and wish myself born a poor cottage boor, where I might never have +seen thy tempting beauty, but lived for ever blessed in ignorance.' At +this the tears ran from his eyes, with which the softened _Sylvia_ +mixed her welcome stream, and as soon as she could speak, she replied +(with half cunning and half love, for still there was too much of the +first mingled with the last), 'Oh, my _Octavio_, to what extremities +are you resolved to drive a poor unfortunate, who, even in the height +of youth, and some small stock of beauty, am reduced to all the +miseries of the wretched? Far from my noble noble parents, lost to +honour, and abandoned by my friends; a helpless wanderer in a strange +land, exposed to want, and perishing, and had no sanctuary but +thyself, thy dear, thy precious self, whom heaven had sent, in mercy, +to my aid; and thou, at last, by a mistaken turn of miserable fate, +hast taken that dear aid away.' At this she fell weeping on his +panting bosom; nevertheless he got the courage to reply once again, +before he yielded himself a shameful victim to her flattery, and said; +'Ah cruel _Sylvia_, is it possible that you can charge the levity on +me? Is it I have taken this poor aid, as you are pleased to call it, +from you? Oh! rather blame your own unhappy easiness, that after +having sworn me faith and love, could violate them both, both where +there was no need. It would have better become thy pride and quality, +to have resented injuries received, than brought again that scorned, +abandoned person (fine as it was and shining still with youth) to his +forgetful arms.' 'Alas,' said she, 'I will not justify my hateful +crime: a crime I loathe to think of, it was a fault beyond a +prostitution; there might have possibly been new joy in such a sin, +but here it was palled and gone--fled to eternity away:--And but for +the dear cause I did commit it, there were no expiation for my fault; +no penitent tears could wash away my crime.' 'Alas,' said he--'if +there were any cause, if there be any possible excuse for such a +breach of love, give it my heart; make me believe it, and I may yet +live; and though I cannot think thee innocent, to be compelled by any +frivolous reason, it would greatly satisfy my longing soul. But, have +a care, do not delude me on--for if thou durst persuade me into +pardon, and to return to all my native fondness, and then again +shouldst play me fast and loose; by heaven--by all my sacred passion +to thee, by all that men call holy, I will pursue thee with my utmost +hate; forsake thee with my fortune and my heart; and leave thee +wretched to the scorning crowd. Pardon these rude expressions of a +love that can hardly forgive the words it utters: I blush with shame +while I pronounce them true.' When she replied, 'May all you have +pronounced, and all your injured love can invent, fall on me when I +ever more deceive you; believe me now, and but forgive what is past, +and trust my love and honour for the future.' At this she told him, +that in the first visit _Philander_ made her, she, using him so +reproachfully, and upbraiding him with his inconstancy, made him +understand, that he was betrayed by _Octavio_, and that the whole +intrigue with _Calista_, confessed by him, was discovered to _Sylvia_; +which, he said, put him into so violent a rage against _Octavio_, that +he vowed that minute to find him out and kill him. Nor could all the +persuasions of reason serve to hinder him; so that she who (as she +said) loved _Octavio_ to death, finding so powerful an enemy, as her +fears made her fancy _Philander_ was, ready to have snatched from her, +in one furious moment, all she adored; she had recourse to all the +flattery of love to with-hold him from an attempt so dangerous: and it +was with much ado, with all those aids, that he was obliged to stay, +which she had forced him to do, to get time to give him notice in the +morning for his approaching danger: not that she feared _Octavio_'s +life, had _Philander_ attacked it fairly; but he looked on himself as +a person injured by close private ways, and would take a like revenge, +and have hurt him when he as little dreamed of it, as _Philander_ did +of the discovery he made of his letter to her. To this she swore, she +wept, she embraced, and still protested it true; adding withal a +thousand protestations of her future detestation of him; and that +since the worst was past, and that they had fought, and he was come +off, though with so many wounds, yet with life, she was resolved +utterly to defy _Philander_, as the most perfidious of his sex; and +assured him, that nothing in the world was so indifferent as she in +his arms. In fine, after having omitted nothing that might gain a +credit, and assure him of her love and heart, and possess him with a +belief, for the future, of her lasting vows: he, wholly convinced and +overcome, snatches her in his arms, and bursting into a shower of +tears, cried--'Take--take all my soul, thou lovely charmer of it, and +dispose of the destiny of _Octavio_.' And smothering her with kisses +and embraces made a perfect reconciliation. When the surgeons, who +came to visit him, finding him in the disorder of a fever, though more +joy was triumphing in his face than before, they imagined this lady +the fair person for whom this quarrel was; for it had made a great +noise you may believe; and finding it hurtful for his wounds, either +to be transported with too much rage, grief, or love, besought him he +would not talk too much, or suffer any visits that might prejudice his +health: and indeed, with what had been past, he found himself after +his transport very ill and feverish, so that _Sylvia_ promised the +doctors she would visit him no more in a day or two, though she knew +not well how to be from him so long; but would content herself with +sending her page to inquire of his health. To this _Octavio_ made very +great opposition, but his aunt, and the rest of the learned, were of +opinion it ought for his health to be so, and he was obliged to be +satisfied with her absence: at parting she came to him, and again +besought him to believe her vows to be well, and that she would depart +somewhere with him far from _Philander_, who she knew was obliged to +attend the motions of _Cesario_ at _Brussels_, whom again she +imprecated never to see more. This satisfied our impatient lover, and +he suffered her to go, and leave him to that rest he could get. She +was no sooner got home, and retired to her chamber, but, finding +herself alone, which now she did not care to be, and being assured she +should not see _Octavio_, instead of triumphing for her new-gained +victory, she sent her page to inquire again of _Philander_'s health, +and to entreat that she might visit him: at first before she sent, she +checked this thought as base, as against all honour, and all her vows +and promises to the brave _Octavio_; but finding an inclination to it, +and proposing a pleasure and satisfaction in it, she was of a nature +not to lose a pleasure for a little punctilio of honour; and without +considering what would be the event of such a folly, she sent her +page, though he had been repulsed before, and forbid coming with any +messages from his lady. The page found no better success than hitherto +he had done: but being with much entreaty brought to _Philander_'s +chamber, he found him sitting in his night-gown, to whom addressing +himself--he had no sooner named his lady--but _Philander_ bid him be +gone, for he would hear nothing from that false woman: the boy would +have replied, but he grew more enraged; and reviling her with all the +railings of incensed lovers, he puts himself into his closet without +speaking any more, or suffering any answer. This message being +delivered to the expecting lady, put her into a very great rage--which +ended in as deep a concern: her great pride, fortified by her +looking-glass, made her highly resent the affront; and she believed it +more to the glory of her beauty to have quitted a hundred lovers, than +to be abandoned by one. It was this that made her rave and tear, and +talk high; and after all, to use her cunning to retrieve what it had +been most happy for her should have been for ever lost; and she ought +to have blessed the occasion. But her malicious star had designed +other fortune for her: she wrote to him several letters, that were +sent back sealed: she railed, she upbraided, and then fell to +submission. At last, he was persuaded to open one, but returned such +answers as gave her no satisfaction, but encouraged her with a little +hope that she should draw him on to a reconciliation: between whiles +she failed not to send _Octavio_ the kindest, impatient letters in the +world, and received the softest replies that the tongue of man could +utter, for he could not write yet. At last, _Philander_ having reduced +_Sylvia_ to the very brink of despair, and finding, by her passionate +importunity, that he could make his peace with her on any terms of +advantage to himself, resolved to draw such articles of agreement as +should wholly subdue her to him, or to stand it out to the last: the +conditions were, that he being a person by no means of a humour to be +imposed upon; if he were dear to her, she should give herself entirely +to his possession, and quit the very conversation of all those he had +but an apprehension would disturb his repose: that she should remove +out of the way of his troublesome rivals, and suffer herself to be +conducted whither he thought good to carry her. These conditions she +liked, all but the going away; she could not tell to what sort of +confinement that might amount. He flies off wholly, and denies all +treaty upon her least scruple, and will not be asked the explanation +of what he has proposed: so that she bends like a slave for a little +empire over him; and to purchase the vanity of retaining him, suffers +herself to be absolutely undone. She submits; and that very day she +had leave from the doctors to visit _Octavio_, and that all-ravished +lover lay panting in expectation of the blessed sight, believing every +minute an age, his apartment dressed and perfumed, and all things +ready to receive the darling of his soul, _Philander_ came in a coach +and six horses (and making her pack up all her jewels and fine things, +and what they could not carry in the coach, put up to come after them) +and hurries her to a little town in _Luke-Land_, a place between +Flanders and Germany, without giving her time to write, or letting her +know whither she was going. While she was putting up her things (I +know she has since confessed) her heart trembled, and foreboded the +ill that was to come; that is, that she was hastening to ruin: but she +had chanced to say so much to him of her passion to retrieve him, that +she was ashamed to own the contrary so soon; but suffered that force +upon her inclinations to do the most dishonourable and disinterested +thing in the world. She had not been there a week, and her trunks of +plate and fine things were arrived, but she fell in labour, and was +brought to bed, though she shewed very little of her condition all the +time she went. This great affair being well over, she considers +herself a new woman, and began, or rather continued, to consider the +advantage she had lost in _Octavio_: she regrets extremely her +conduct, and from one degree to another she looks on herself as lost +to him; she every day saw what she had decayed, her jewels sold one by +one, and at last her necessaries. _Philander_, whose head was running +on _Calista_, grudged every moment he was not about that affair, and +grew as peevish as she; she recovers to new beauty, but he grows +colder and colder by possession; love decayed, and ill humour +increased: they grew uneasy on both sides, and not a day passed +wherein they did not break into open and violent quarrels, upbraiding +each other with those faults, which both wished that either would +again commit, that they might be fairly rid of one another: it grew at +last to that height, that they were never well but when they were +absent from one another; he making a hundred little intrigues and +gallantries with all the pretty women, and those of any quality in the +town or neighbouring _villas_. She saw this with grief, shame, and +disdain, and could not tell which way to relieve herself: she was not +permitted the privilege of visits, unless to some grave ladies, or to +monasteries; a man was a rarity she had hardly seen in two months, +which was the time she had been there; so that she had leisure to +think of her folly, bemoan the effects of her injustice, and contrive, +if she could, to remedy her disagreeable life, which now was reduced, +not only to scurrilous quarrels, and hard words; but, often in her +fury, she flying upon him, and with the courage or indiscretion of her +sex, would provoke him to indecencies that render life insupportable +on both sides. While they lived at this rate, both contriving how +handsomely to get quit of each other, _Brilliard_, who was left in +_Brussels_, to take care of his lord's affairs there, and that as soon +as he had heard of _Cesario_'s arrival he should come with all speed +and give him notice, thought every minute an hour till he could see +again the charmer of his soul, for whom he suffered continual fevers +of love. He studies nothing but how first to get her pardon, and then +to compass his designs of possessing her: he had not seen her, nor +durst pretend to it, since she left _Holland_. He believed she would +have the discretion to conceal some of his faults, lest he should +discover in revenge some of hers; and fancied she would imagine so of +his conduct: he had met with no reproaches yet from his lord, and +believed himself safe. With this imagination, he omitted nothing that +might render him acceptable to her, nor to gain any secrets he +believed might be of use to him: knowing therefore she had not dealt +very generously with _Octavio_, by this flight with _Philander_, and +believing that that exasperated lover, would in revenge declare any +thing to the prejudice of the fair fugitive, he (under pretence of +throwing himself at his feet, and asking his pardon for his ill +treating him in _Holland_) designed before he went into _Luke-Land_ to +pay _Octavio_ a visit, and accordingly went; he met first with his +page, who being very well acquainted with _Brilliard_, discoursed with +him before he carried him to his lord: he told him that his lord that +day that _Sylvia_ departed, being in impatient expectation of her, and +that she came not according to appointment, sent him to her lodgings, +to know if any accident had prevented her coming; but that when he +came, though he had been with her but an hour before, she was gone +away with _Philander_, never more to return. The youth, not being able +to carry this sad news to his lord, when he came home offered at a +hundred things to conceal the right; but the impatient lover would not +be answered, but, all enraged, commanded him to tell that truth, which +he found already but too apparently in his eyes. The lad so commanded, +could no longer defer telling him _Sylvia_ was gone; and being asked, +again and again, what he meant, with a face and voice that every +moment altered to dying; the page assured him she was gone out of +_Brussels_ with _Philander_, never more to return; which was no sooner +told him, but he sunk on the couch where he lay, and fainted: he +farther told him how long it was, and with what difficulty he was +recovered to life; and that after he was so, he refused to speak or +see any visitors; could for a long time be neither persuaded to eat +nor sleep, but that he had spoken to no body ever since, and did now +believe he could not procure him the favour he begged: that +nevertheless he would go, and see what the very name of any that had +but a relation to the family of _Sylvia_ would produce in him, whether +a storm of passion, or a calm of grief: either would be better than a +dullness, all silent and sad, in which there was no understanding what +he meant by it: whoever spoke, he only made a short sign, and turned +away, as much as to say, speak no more to me: but now resolved to try +his temper, he hastened to his lord, and told him that _Brilliard_, +full of penitence for his past fault, and grief for the ill condition +he heard he was in, was come to pay his humble respects to him, and +gain his pardon before he went to his lord and _Sylvia_; without which +he had not, nor could have, any peace of mind, he being too sensible +of the baseness of the injury he had done him. At the name of +_Philander_ and _Sylvia_, _Octavio_ shewed some signs of listening, +but to the rest no regard; and starting from the bed where he was +laid: 'Ah! what hast thou said?' cried he. The page then repeated the +message, and was commanded to bring him up; who, accordingly, with all +the signs of submission, cast himself at his feet and mercy; and, +though he were an enemy, the very thought that he belonged to _Sylvia_ +made _Octavio_ to caress him as the dearest of friends: he kept him +with him two or three days, and would not suffer him to stir from him; +but all their discourse was of the faithless _Sylvia_; of whom, the +deceived lover spoke the softest, unheard, tender things, that ever +passion uttered: he made the amorous _Brilliard_ weep a hundred times +a day; and ever when he would have soothed his heart with hopes of +seeing her, and one day enjoying her entirely to himself, he would +with so much peace of mind renounce her, as Brilliard no longer +doubted but he would indeed no more trust her fickle sex. At last, the +news arrived that Cesario was in Brussels, and Brilliard was obliged +the next morning to take horse, and go to his lord: and to make +himself the more acceptable to Sylvia, he humbly besought Octavio to +write some part of his resentments to her, that he might oblige her to +a reason for what she had so inhumanly done: this flattered him a +little, and he was not long before he was overcome by Brilliard's +entreaties; who, having his ends in every thing, believed this letter +might contain at least something to assist in his design, by giving +him authority over her by so great a secret: the next morning, before +he took horse he waited on Octavio for his letter, and promised him an +answer at his return, which would be in a few days. This letter was +open, and Octavio suffered Brilliard to read it, making him an +absolute confidant in his amour; which having done, he besought him to +add one thing more to it; and that was, to beg her to forgive +Brilliard, which for his sake he knew she would do: he told him, he +was obliged as a good Christian, and a dying man, one resolved for +heaven to do that good office; and accordingly did. Brilliard taking +post immediately, arrived to Philander, where he found every thing as +he wished, all out of humour, still on the fret, and ever peevish. He +had not seen Sylvia, as I said, since she went from Holland, and now +knew not which way to approach her; Philander was abroad on some of +his usual gallantries when Brilliard arrived; and having discoursed a +while of the affairs of his lord and Sylvia, he told Antonet he had a +great desire to speak with that dissatisfied fair one, assuring her, +he believed his visit would be welcome, from what he had to say to her +concerning Octavio: she told him (with infinite joy) that she did not +doubt of his pardon from her lady, if he brought any news from that +gallant injured man; and in all haste, though her lady saw no body, +but refused to rise from her couch, she ran to her, and besought her +to see Brilliard; for he came with a message from Octavio, the person, +who was the subject of their discourse night and day, when alone. She +immediately sent for Brilliard, who approached his goddess with a +trembling devotion; he knelt before her, and humbly besought her +pardon for all that was past: but she, who with the very thought that +he had something to say from Octavio, forgot all but that, hastily bid +him rise, and take all he asked, and hoped for what he wished: in this +transport she embraced his head, and kissed his cheek, and took him +up. 'That, madam,' said _Brilliard_, 'which your divine bounty alone +has given me, without any merit in me, I durst not have had the +confidence to have hoped without my credential from a nobler +hand--this, madam,' said he--and gave her a letter from _Octavio_: the +dear hand she knew, and kissed a hundred times as she opened it; and +having entreated _Brilliard_ to withdraw for a moment, that he might +not see her concern at the reading it, she sat her down, and found it +thus. + +OCTAVIO _to_ SYLVIA. + +I confess, oh faithless _Sylvia_! that I shall appear in writing to +you, to shew a weakness even below that of your infidelity; nor durst +I have trusted myself to have spoken so many sad soft things, as I +shall do in this letter, had I not tried the strength of my heart, and +found I could upbraid you without talking myself out of that +resolution I have taken--but, because I would die in perfect charity +with thee, as with all the world, I should be glad to know I could +forgive thee; for yet thy sins appear too black for mercy. Ah! why, +charming ingrate, have you left me no one excuse for all your ills to +me? Why have you injured me to that degree, that I, with all the +mighty stock of love I had hoarded up together in my heart, must die +reproaching thee to my last gasp of life? which hadst thou been so +merciful to have ended, by all the love that's breaking of my heart, +that yet, even yet, is soft and charming to me, I swear with my last +breath, I had blessed thee, _Sylvia_: but thus to use me; thus to +leave my love, distracted, raving love, and no one hope or prospect of +relief, either from reason, time, or faithless _Sylvia_, was but to +stretch the wretch upon the rack, and screw him up to all degrees of +pain; yet such, as do not end in kinder death. Oh thou unhappy miner +of my repose! Oh fair unfortunate! if yet my agony would give me leave +to argue, I am so miserably lost, to ask thee yet this woeful +satisfaction; to tell me why thou hast undone me thus? Why thou +shouldst choose me out from all the crowd of fond admiring fools, to +make the world's reproach, and turn to ridicule? How couldst thou use +that soft good nature so, that had not one ungrateful sullen humour in +it, for thy revenge and pride to work upon? No baseness in my love, no +dull severity for malice to be busy with; but all was gay and kind, +all lavish fondness, and all that woman, vain with youth and beauty, +could wish in her adorer: what couldst thou ask, but empire, which I +gave not? My love, my soul, my life, my very honour, all was resigned +to thee; that youth that might have gained me fame abroad was +dedicated to thy service, laid at thy feet, and idly passed in love. +Oh charming maid, whom heaven has formed for the punishment of all, +whose flames are criminal! Why couldst not thou have made some kind +distinction between those common passions and my flame? I gave thee +all my vows, my honest vows, before I asked a recompense for love. I +made thee mine before the sacred powers, that witness every sacred +solemn vow, and fix them in the eternal book of fate; if thou hadst +given thy faith to any other, as, oh! too sure thou hadst, what fault +was this in me, who knew it not? Why should I bear that sin? I took +thee to me as a virgin treasure, sent from the gods to charm the ills +of life, to make the tedious journey short and joyful; I came to make +atonement for thy sin, and to redeem thy fame; not add to the detested +number. I came to gild thy stains of honour over; and set so high a +price upon thy name, that all reproaches for thy past offences should +have been lost in future crowds of glory: I came to lead thee from a +world of shame, approaching ills and future miseries; from noisy +flatterers that would sacrifice thee, first to dull lust, and more +unthinking wit; possess thee, then traduce thee. By heaven, I swear it +was not for myself alone I took such pains to gain thee, and set thee +free from all those circumstances, that might perhaps debauch thy +worthier nature, and I believed it was with pain you yielded to every +buying lover: no, it was for thy sake, in pity to thy youth, heaven +had inspired me with religious flame; and when I aimed at _Sylvia_ it +was alone I might attain to heaven the surest way, by such a pious +conquest; why hast thou ruined a design so glorious, as saving both +our souls? Perhaps thou vainly thinkest that while I am pleading +thus--I am arguing still for love; or think this way to move thee into +pity; no, by my hopes of death to ease my pain, love is a passion not +to be compelled by any force of reason's arguments: it is an +unthinking motion of the soul, that comes and goes as unaccountably as +changing moons, or ebbs and flows of rivers, only with far less +certainty. It is not that my soul is all over love, that can beget its +likeness in your heart: had heaven and nature added to that love all +the perfections that adorn our sex, it had availed me nothing in your +soul: there is a chance in love as well as life, and often the most +unworthy are preferred; and from a lottery I might win the prize from +all the venturing throng with as much reason, as think my chance +should favour me with _Sylvia_; it might perhaps have been, but it was +a wondrous odds against me. Beauty is more uncertain than the dice; +and though I ventured like a forward gamester, I was not yet so vain +to hope to win, nor had I once complained upon my fate, if I had never +hoped: but when I had fairly won, to have it basely snatched from my +possession, and like a baffled cully see it seized by a false +gamester, and look tamely on, has given me such _ideas_ of the fool, I +scorn to look into my easy heart, and loathe the figure you made me +there. Oh _Sylvia_! what an angel hadst thou been, hadst thou not +soothed me thus to my undoing! Alas, it had been no crime in thee to +hate me; it was not thy fault I was not amiable; if thy soft eyes +could meet no charms to please them, those soft, those charming eyes +were not in fault; nor that thy sense, too delicate and nice, could +meet no proper subject for thy wit, thy heart, thy tender heart was +not in fault, because it took not in my tale of love, and sent soft +wishes back: oh! no, my _Sylvia_, this, though I had died, had caused +you no reproach; but first to fan my fire by all the arts that ever +subtle beauty could invent; to give me hope; nay, to dissemble love; +yes, and so very well dissemble too, that not one tender sigh was +breathed in vain: all that my love-sick soul was panting for, the +subtle charmer gave; so well, so very well, she could dissemble! Oh, +what more proofs could I expect from love, what greater earnest of +eternal victory? Oh! thou hadst raised me to the height of heaven, to +make my fall to hell the more precipitate. Like a fallen angel now I +howl and roar, and curse that pride that taught me first ambition; it +is a poor satisfaction now, to know (if thou couldst yet tell truth) +what motive first seduced thee to my ruin? Had it been interest--by +heaven, I would have bought my wanton pleasures at as high rates as I +would gratify my real passions; at least when _Sylvia_ set a price on +pleasure: nay, higher yet, for love when it is repaid with equal love, +it saves the chafferer a great expense: or were it wantonness of youth +in thee, alas, you might have made me understood it, and I had met you +with an equal ardour, and never thought of loving, but quenched the +short-lived blaze as soon as kindled; and hoping for no more, had +never let my hasty flame arrive any higher than that powerful minute's +cure. But oh! in vain I seek for reasons from thee; perhaps thy own +fantastic fickle humour cannot inform thee why thou hast betrayed me; +but thou hast done it, _Sylvia_, and may it never rise in judgement on +thee, nor fix a brand upon thy name for ever, greater than all thy +other guilts can load thee with: live, fair deceiver, live, and charm +_Philander_ to all the heights of his beginning flame; mayst thou be +gaining power upon his heart, and bring it repentance for inconstancy; +may all thy beauty still maintain its lustre, and all thy charms of +wit be new and gay; mayst thou be chaste and true; and since it was +thy fate to be undone, let this at least excuse the hapless maid; it +was love alone betrayed her to that ruin, and it was _Philander_ only +had that power. If thou hast sinned with me, as heaven is my witness, +after I had plighted thee my sacred vows, I do not think thou didst: +may all the powers above forgive thee, _Sylvia_; and those thou hast +committed since those vows, will need a world of tears to wash away: +it is I will weep for both; it is I will go and be a sacrifice to +atone for all our sins: it is I will be the pressing penitent, and +watch, and pray, and weep, until heaven have mercy; and may my penance +be accepted for thee;--farewell--I have but one request to make thee, +which is, that thou wilt, for _Octavio_'s sake, forgive the faithful +slave that brings thee this from thy + +OCTAVIO. + +_Sylvia_, whose absence and ill treatment of _Octavio_, had but served +to raise her flame to a much greater degree, had no sooner read this +letter, but she suffered herself to be distracted with all the +different passions that possess despairing lovers; sometimes raving, +and sometimes sighing and weeping: it was a good while she continued +in these disorders, still thinking on what she had to do next that +might redeem all: being a little come to herself, she thought good to +consult with _Brilliard_ in this affair, between whom and _Octavio_ +she found there was a very good understanding: and resolving +absolutely to quit _Philander_, she no longer had any scruples or +doubt what course to take, nor cared she what price she paid for a +reconciliation with _Octavio_, if any price would purchase it: in +order to this resolve, fixed in her heart, she sends for _Brilliard_, +whom she caresses anew, with all the fondness and familiarity of a +woman, who was resolved to make him her confidant, or rather indeed +her next gallant. I have already said he was very handsome, and very +well made, and you may believe he took all the care he could in +dressing, which he understood very well: he had a good deal of wit, +and was very well fashioned and bred:--With all these accomplishments, +and the addition of love and youth, he could not be imagined to appear +wholly indifferent in the eyes of any body, though hitherto he had in +those of _Sylvia_, whose heart was doting on _Philander_; but now, +that that passion was wholly extinguished, and that their eternal +quarrels had made almost a perpetual separation, she being alone, +without the conversation of men, which she loved, and was used to, and +in her inclination naturally addicted to love, she found _Brilliard_ +more agreeable than he used to be; which, together with the designs +she had upon him, made her take such a freedom with him, as wholly +transported this almost hopeless lover: she discourses with him +concerning _Octavio_ and his condition, and he failed not to answer, +so as to please her, right or wrong; she tells him how uneasy she was +with _Philander_, who every day grew more and more insupportable to +her; she tells him she had a very great inclination for _Octavio_, and +more for his fortune that was able to support her, than his person; +she knew she had a great power over him, and however it might seem now +to be diminished by her unlucky flight with _Philander_, she doubted +not but to reduce him to all that love he once professed to her, by +telling him she was forced away, and without her knowledge, being +carried only to take the air was compelled to the fatal place where +she now was. _Brilliard_ soothes and flatters her in all her hope, and +offers her his service in her flight, which he might easily assist, +unknown to _Philander_. It was now about six o'clock at night, and she +commanded a supper to be provided, and brought to her chamber, where +_Brilliard_ and she supped together, and talked of nothing but the new +design; the hope of effecting which put her into so good a humour, +that she frankly drank her bottle, and shewed more signs of mirth than +she had done in many months before: in this good humour, _Brilliard_ +looked more amiable than ever; she smiles upon him, she caresses him +with all the assurance of friendship imaginable; she tells him she +shall behold him as her dearest friend, and speaks so many kind +things, that he was emboldened, and approached her by degrees more +near; he makes advances; and the greatest encouragement was, the +secret he had of her intended flight: he tells her, he hoped she would +be pleased to consider, that while he was serving her in a new amour, +and assisting to render her into the arms of another, he was wounding +his own heart, which languished for her; that he should not have taken +the presumption to have told her this, at such a time as he offered +his life to serve her, but that it was already no secret to her, and +that a man who loved at his rate, and yet would contrive to make his +mistress happy with another, ought in justice to receive some +recompense of a flame so constant and submissive. While he spake, he +found he was not regarded with the looks of scorn or disdain; he knew +her haughty temper, and finding it calm, he pressed on to new +submissions; he fell at her feet, and pleaded so well, where no +opposers were, that _Sylvia_ no longer resisted, or if she did, it was +very feebly, and with a sort of a wish that he would pursue his +boldness yet farther; which at last he did, from one degree of +softness and gentle force to another, and made himself the happiest +man in the world; though she was very much disordered at the +apprehension of what she had suffered from a man of his character, as +she imagined, so infinitely below her; but he redoubled his submission +in so cunning a manner, that he soon brought her to her good humour; +and after that, he used the kind authority of a husband whenever he +had an opportunity, and found her not displeased at his services. She +considered he had a secret from her, which, if revealed, would not +only prevent her design, but ruin her for ever; she found too late she +had discovered too much to him to keep him at the distance of a +servant, and that she had no other way to attach him eternally to her +interest, but by this means. He now every day appeared more fine, and +well dressed, and omitted nothing that might make him, if possible, an +absolute master of her heart, which he vowed he would defend with his +life, from even _Philander_ himself; and that he would pretend to no +other empire over her, nor presume, or pretend to engross that fair +and charming person, which ought to be universally adored. In fine, he +failed not to please both her desire and her vanity, and every day she +loved _Philander_ less, who sometimes in two or three days together +came not to visit her. At this time it so happened, he being in love +with the young daughter of an advocate, about a league from his own +lodgings, and he is always eager on the first address, till he has +completed the conquest; so that she had not only time to please and +revenge her with _Brilliard_, but fully to resolve their affairs, and +to provide all things against their flight, which they had absolutely +done before _Philander's_ return; who, coming home, received +_Brilliard_ very kindly, and the news which he brought, and which made +him understand he should not have any long time to finish his new +amour in; but as he was very conquering both in wit and beauty, he +left not the village without some ruins behind of beauty, which ever +after bewailed his charms; and since his departure was so necessary, +and that in four or five days he was obliged to go, they deferred +their flight till he was gone; which time they had wholly to +themselves, and made as good use of it as they could; at least, she +thought so, and you may be sure, he also, whose love increased with +his possession. But _Sylvia_ longs for liberty, and those necessary +gallantries, which every day diminished; she loved rich clothes, gay +coaches, and to be lavish; and now she was stinted to good +housewifery, a penury she hated. + +The time of _Philander's_, departure being come, he took a very +careless leave of _Sylvia_, telling her he would see what commands the +Prince had for him, and return in ten or twelve days. _Brilliard_ +pretended some little indisposition, and begged he might be permitted +to follow him, which was granted; and the next day, though Erilliard +pleaded infinitely for a continuation of his happiness two or three +days more, she would not grant it, but obliged him, by a thousand kind +promises of it for the future, to get horses ready for her page, and +woman, and her coach for herself; which accordingly was done, and they +left the village, whose name I cannot now call to mind, taking with +her what of value she had left. They were three days on their journey: +_Brilliard_, under pretence of care of her health, the weather being +hot, and for fear of overtaking _Philander_ by some accident on the +road, delayed the time as much as was possible, to be as happy as he +could all the while; and indeed _Sylvia_ was never seen in a humour +more gay. She found this short time of hope and pleasure had brought +all her banished beauties back, that care, sickness, and grief, had +extremely tarnished; only her shape was a little more inclining to be +fat, which did not at all however yet impair her fineness; and she was +indeed too charming without, for the deformity of her indiscretion +within; but she had broke the bounds of honour, and now stuck at +nothing that might carry on an interest, which she resolved should be +the business of her future life. + +She at last arrived at _Brussels_, and caused a lodging to be taken +for her in the remotest part of the town; as soon as she came she +obliged _Brilliard_ to visit _Octavio_; but going to his aunt's, to +inquire for him, he was told that he was no longer in the world; he +stood amazed a-while, believing he had been dead, when madam the aunt +told him he was retired to the monastery of the Order of St _Bernard_, +and would, in a day or two, without the probationary year, take Holy +Orders. This did not so much surprise him as the other, knowing that +he discoursed to him, when he saw him last, as if some such retirement +he meant to resolve upon; with this news, which he was not altogether +displeased at, _Brilliard_ returned to _Sylvia_, which soon changed +all her good humour to tears and melancholy: she inquired at what +place he was, and believed she should have power to withdraw him from +a resolution so fatal to her, and so contradictive to his youth and +fortune; and having consulted the matter with _Brilliard_, he had +promised her to go to him, and use all means possible to withdraw him. +This resolved, she writ a most insinuating letter to him, wherein she +excused her flight by a surprise of _Philander's_, and urged her +condition, as it then was, for the excuse of her long silence; and +that as soon as her health would give her leave, she came to put +herself eternally into his arms, never to depart more from thence. +These arguments and reasons, accompanied with all the endearing +tenderness her artful fancy was capable of framing, she sent with a +full assurance it would prevail to persuade him to the world, and her +fair arms again. While she was preparing this to go, _Philander_, who +had heard at his arrival, what made so much noise, that he had been +the occasion of the world's loss of two of the finest persons in it, +the sister _Calista_ by debauching her, and the brother by ravishing +his mistress from him, both which were entering, without all +possibility of prevention, into Holy Orders; he took so great a +melancholy at it, as made him keep his chamber for two days, maugre +all the urgent affairs that ought to have invited him from thence; he +was consulting by what power to prevent the misfortune; he now ran +back to all the obligations he had to _Octavio_, and pardons him all +the injuries he did him; he loves him more by loving _Sylvia_ less, +and remembered how that generous friend, after he knew he had +dishonoured his sister, had notwithstanding sent him Letters of Credit +to the magistrates of _Cologne_, and Bills of Exchange, to save him +from the murder of his brother-in-law, as he was likely to have been. +He now charges all his little faults to those of love, and hearing +that old _Clarinau_ was dead of the wound _Octavio_ had given him by +mistake, which increased in him new hope of _Calista_, could she be +retrieved from the monastery, he resolved, in order to this, to make +_Octavio_ a visit, to beg his pardon, and beg his friendship, and his +continuation in the world. He came accordingly to the monastery, and +was extremely civilly received by _Octavio_, who yet had not the habit +on. _Philander_ told him, he heard he was leaving the world, and could +not suffer him to do so, without endeavouring to gain his pardon of +him, for all the injuries he had done him; that as to what related to +his sister the Countess, he protested upon his honour, if he had but +imagined she had been so, he would have suffered death sooner than his +passion to have approached her indiscreetly; and that for _Sylvia_, if +he were assured her possession would make him happy, and call him to +the world again, he assured him he would quit her to him, were she ten +times dearer to him than she was. This he confirmed with so many +protestations of friendship, that _Octavio_, obliged to the last +degree, believed and returned him this answer. 'Sir, I must confess +you have found out the only way to disarm me of my resentment against +you, if I were not obliged, by those vows I am going to take, to +pardon and be at peace with all the world. However, these vows cannot +hinder me from conserving entirely that friendship in my heart, which +your good qualities and beauties at first sight engaged there, and +from esteeming you more than perhaps I ought to do; the man whom I +must yet own my rival, and the undoer of my sister's honour. But +oh--no more of that; a friend is above a sister, or a mistress.' At +this he hung down his eyes and sighed--_Philander_ told him he was too +much concerned in him, not to be extremely afflicted at the resolution +he had taken, and besought him to quit a design so injurious to his +youth, and the glorious things that heaven had destined him to; he +urged all that could be said to dissuade him, and, after all, could +not believe he would quit the world at this age, when it would be +sufficient forty years hence so to do. _Octavio_ only answered with a +smile; but, when he saw _Philander_ still persist, he endeavoured to +convince him by speaking; and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he vowed, +by all the holy powers there, he never would look down to earth again; +nor more consider fickle, faithless, beauty: 'All the gay vanities of +youth,' said he, 'for ever I renounce, and leave them all to those +that find a pleasure, or a constancy in them; for the fair, faithless, +maid, that has undone me, I leave to you the empire of her heart; but +have a care,' said he (and sighing laid his arms about his neck) 'for +even you, with all that stock of charms, she will at last betray: I +wish her well--so well, as to repent of all her wrongs to me--It is +all I have to say.' What _Philander_ could urge, being impossible to +prevail with him: and begging his pardon and friendship (which was +granted by _Octavio_, and implored on his side from _Philander_) he +took a ring of great value from his finger, and presented it to +_Philander_, and begged him to keep it for his sake; and to remember +him while he did so: they kissed, and sighing parted. + +_Philander_ was no sooner gone, but _Brilliard_ came to wait on +_Octavio_, whom he found at his devotion, and begged his pardon for +disturbing him: he received him with a very good grace, and a cheerful +countenance, embracing him; and after some discourse of the condition +he was going to reduce himself to, and his admiration, that one so +young should think of devoting himself so early to heaven, and things +of that nature, as the time and occasion required, he told him the +extreme affliction _Sylvia_ was seized with, at the news of the +resolution he had taken, and delivered him a letter, which he read +without any emotions in his heart or face, as at other times used to +be visible at the very mention of her name, or approach of her +letters. At the finishing of which, he only smiling cried: 'Alas, I +pity her,' and gave him back the letter. _Brilliard_ asked, if he +would not please to write her some answer, or condescend to see her; +'No,' replied _Octavio_, 'I have done with all the gilded vanities of +life, now I shall think of _Sylvia_ but as some heavenly thing, fit +for diviner contemplations, but never with the youthful thoughts of +love.' What he should send her now, he said, would have a different +style to those she used to receive from him; it would be pious +counsel, grave advice, unfit for ladies so young and gay as _Sylvia_, +and would scarce find a welcome: he wished he could convert her from +the world--and save her from the dangers that pursued her. To this +purpose was all he said of her, and all that could be got from him by +the earnest solicitor of love, who perhaps was glad his negotiation +succeeded no better, and took his leave of him, with a promise to +visit him often; which _Octavio_ besought him to do, and told him he +would take some care, that for the good of _Sylvia_'s better part, she +should not be reduced by want of necessaries for her life, and little +equipage, to prostitute herself to vile inconstant man; he yet had so +much respect for her--and besought _Brilliard_ to come and take care +of it with him, and to entreat _Sylvia_ to accept of it from him; and +if it contributed to her future happiness, he should be more pleased +than to have possessed her entirely. + +You may imagine how this news pleased _Sylvia_; who trembling with +fear every moment, had expected _Brilliard_'s coming, and found no +other benefit by his negotiation, but she must bear what she cannot +avoid; but it was rather with the fury of a bacchanal, than a woman of +common sense and prudence; all about her pleaded some days in vain, +and she hated _Brilliard_ for not doing impossibilities; and it was +some time before he could bring her to permit him to speak to her, or +visit her. + +_Philander_ having left _Octavio_, went immediately to wait on +_Cesario_, who was extremely pleased to meet him there, and they +exchanged their souls to each other, and all the secrets of them. +After they had discoursed of all that they had a mind to hear and know +on both sides, _Cesario_ inquired of him of _Sylvia_'s health; and +_Philander_ gave him an account of the uneasiness of her temper, and +the occasions of their quarrels, in which _Octavio_ had his part, as +being the subject of some of them: from this he falls to give a +character of that rival, and came to this part of it, where he had put +himself into the Orders of the _Bernardines_, resolving to leave the +world, and all its charms and temptations. As they were speaking, some +gentlemen, who came to make their court to the Prince, finding them +speak of _Octavio_, told them that to-morrow he was to be initiated, +without the year's trial; the Prince would needs go and see the +ceremony, having heard so much of the man; and accordingly next day, +accompanied with the Governor, _Philander, Tomaso_, and abundance of +persons of quality and officers, he went to the great church, where +were present all the ladies of the Court, and all that were in the +town. The noise of it was so great, that _Sylvia_, all languishing, +and ill as she was, would not be persuaded from going, but so muffled +in her hoods, as she was not to be known by any. + +Never was any thing so magnificent as this ceremony, the church was on +no occasion so richly adorned; _Sylvia_ chanced to be seated near the +Prince of _Mechlenburgh_, who was then in _Brussels_, and at the +ceremony; sad as she was, while the soft music was playing, she +discoursed to him, though she knew him not, of the business of the +day: he told her, she was to see a sight, that ought to make her sex +less cruel; a man extremely beautiful and young, whose fortune could +command almost all the pleasures of the world; yet for the love of the +most amiable creature in the world, who has treated him with rigour, +he abandons this youth and beauty to all the severity of rigid +devotion: this relation, with a great deal he said of _Octavio_'s +virtues and bravery, had like to have discovered her by putting her +into a swoon; and she had much ado to support herself in her seat. I +myself went among the rest to this ceremony, having, in all the time I +lived in _Flanders_, never been so curious to see any such thing. The +Order of St _Bernard_ is one of the neatest of them, and there is a +monastery of that Order, which are obliged to be all noblemen's sons; +of which I have seen fifteen hundred at a time in one house, all +handsome, and most of them young; their habit adds a grace to their +person, for of all the Religious, that is the most becoming: long +white vests of fine cloth, tied about with white silk sashes, or a +cord of white silk; over this a long cloak without a cape, of the same +fine white broad cloth; their hair of a pretty length, as that of our +persons in _England_, and a white beaver; they have very fine +apartments, fit for their quality, and above all, every one their +library; they have attendance and equipage according to their rank, +and have nothing of the inconveniencies and slovenliness of some of +the Religious, but served in as good order as can be, and they have +nothing of the monastic,--but the name, the vow of chastity, and the +opportunity of gaining heaven, by the sweetest retreat in the world, +fine house, excellent air, and delicate gardens, grottoes and groves. +It was this Order that _Octavio_ had chosen, as too delicate to +undertake the austerity of any other; and in my opinion, it is here a +man may hope to become a saint sooner than in any other, more +perplexed with want, cold, and all the necessaries of life, which +takes the thought too much from heaven, and afflicts it with the cares +of this world, with pain and too much abstinence: and I rather think +it is necessity than choice, that makes a man a _Cordelier_, that may +be a _Jesuit_, or _Bernardine_, to the best of the _Holy Orders_. But, +to return, it was upon a _Thursday_ this ceremony began; and, as I +said, there was never any thing beheld so fine as the church that day +was, and all the Fathers that officiated at the high-altar; behind +which a most magnificent scene of glory was opened, with clouds most +rarely and artificially set off, behind which appeared new ones more +bright and dazzling, till from one degree to another, their lustre was +hardly able to be looked on; and in which sat an hundred little angels +so rarely dressed, such shining robes, such charming faces, such +flowing bright hair, crowned with roses of white and red, with such +artificial wings, as one would have said they had borne the body up in +the splendid sky; and these to soft music, turned their soft voices +with such sweetness of harmony, that, for my part, I confess, I +thought myself no longer on earth; and sure there is nothing gives an +idea of real heaven, like a church all adorned with rare pictures, and +the other ornaments of it, with whatever can charm the eyes; and +music, and voices, to ravish the ear; both which inspire the soul with +unresistible devotion; and I can swear for my own part, in those +moments a thousand times I have wished to die; so absolutely had I +forgot the world, and all its vanities, and fixed my thoughts on +heaven. While this music continued, and the anthems were singing, +fifty boys all in white, bearing silver censers, cast incense all +round, and perfumed the place with the richest and most agreeable +smells, while two hundred silver lamps were burning upon the altar, to +give a greater glory to the opened scene, whilst other boys strewed +flowers upon the inlaid pavement, where the gay victim was to tread; +for no crowd of gazers filled the empty space, but those that were +spectators, were so placed, as rather served to adorn than disorder +the awful ceremony, where all were silent, and as still as death; as +awful, as mourners that attend the hearse of some loved monarch: while +we were thus listening, the soft music playing, and the angels +singing, the whole fraternity of the Order of St _Bernard_ came in, +two by two, in a very graceful order; and going up to the shining +altar, whose furniture that day was embroidered with diamonds, pearls, +and stones of great value, they bowed and retired to their places, +into little gilded stalls, like our Knights of the Garter at +_Windsor_: after them, fifty boys that sang approached in order to the +altar, bowed, and divided on each side; they were dressed in white +cloth of silver, with golden wings and rosy chaplets: after these the +Bishop, in his pontific robes set with diamonds of great price, and +his mitre richly adorned, ascended the altar, where, after a short +anthem, he turned to receive the young devotee, who was just entered +the church, while all eyes were fixed on him: he was led, or rather, +on each side attended with two young noblemen, his relations; and I +never saw any thing more rich in dress, but that of _Octavio_ exceeded +all imagination, for the gaiety and fineness of the work: it was white +cloth of silver embroidered with gold, and buttons of diamonds; lined +with rich cloth of gold and silver flowers, his breeches of the same, +trimmed with a pale pink garniture; rich linen, and a white plume in +his white hat: his hair, which was long and black, was that day in the +finest order that could be imagined; but, for his face and eyes, I am +not able to describe the charms that adorned them; no fancy, no +imagination, can paint the beauties there: he looked indeed, as if he +were made for heaven; no mortal ever had such grace: he looked +methought, as if the gods of love had met in council to dress him up +that day for everlasting conquest; for to his usual beauties he seemed +to have the addition of a thousand more; he bore new lustre in his +face and eyes, smiles on his cheeks, and dimples on his lips: he +moved, he trod with nobler motions, as if some supernatural influence +had took a peculiar care of him: ten thousand sighs, from all sides, +were sent him, as he passed along, which, mixed with the soft music, +made such a murmuring, as gentle breezes moving yielding boughs: I am +assured, he won that day more hearts, without design, than ever he had +gained with all his toils of love and youth before, when industry +assisted him to conquer. In his approach to the altar, he made three +bows; where, at the foot of it on the lower step, he kneeled, and then +High-Mass began; in which were all sorts of different music, and that +so excellent, that wholly ravished with what I saw and heard, I +fancied myself no longer on earth, but absolutely ascended up to the +regions of the sky. All I could see around me, all I heard, was +ravishing and heavenly; the scene of glory, and the dazzling altar; +the noble paintings, and the numerous lamps; the awfulness, the music, +and the order, made me conceive myself above the stars, and I had no +part of mortal thought about me. After the holy ceremony was +performed, the Bishop turned and blessed him; and while an anthem was +singing, _Octavio_, who was still kneeling, submitted his head to the +hands of a Father, who, with a pair of scissors, cut off his delicate +hair; at which a soft murmur of pity and grief filled the place: those +fine locks, with which _Sylvia_ had a thousand times played, and wound +the curls about her snowy fingers, she now had the dying grief, for +her sake, for her infidelity, to behold sacrificed to her cruelty, and +distributed among the ladies, who, at any price, would purchase a +curl: after this they took off his linen, and his coat, under which he +had a white satin waistcoat, and under his breeches drawers of the +same. Then, the Bishop took his robes, which lay consecrated on the +altar, and put them on, and invested him with the holy robe: the +singing continuing to the end of the ceremony; where, after an anthem +was sung (while he prostrated himself before the altar) he arose, and +instead of the two noblemen that attended him to the altar, two +_Bernardines_ approached, and conducted him from it, to the seats of +every one of the Order, whom he kissed and embraced, as they came +forth to welcome him to the Society. It was with abundance of tears +that every one beheld this transformation; but _Sylvia_ swooned +several times during the ceremony, yet would not suffer herself to be +carried out; but _Antonet_ and another young lady of the house where +she lodged, that accompanied her, did what they could to conceal her +from the public view. For my part, I swear I was never so affected in +my life with any thing, as I was at this ceremony; nor ever found my +heart so oppressed with tenderness; and was myself ready to sink where +I sat, when he came near me, to be welcomed by a Father that sat next +to me: after this, he was led by two of the eldest Fathers to his +apartment, and left a thousand sighing hearts behind him. Had he died, +there had not been half that lamentation; so foolish is the mistaken +world to grieve at our happiest fortune; either when we go to heaven +or retreat from this world, which has nothing in it that can really +charm, without a thousand fatigues to attend it: and in this retreat, +I am sure, he himself was the only person that was not infinitely +concerned; who quitted the world with so modest a bravery, so entire a +joy, as no young conqueror ever performed his triumphs with more. + +The ceremony being ended, _Antonet_ got _Sylvia_ to her chair, +concerned even to death; and she vowed afterwards she had much ado to +with-hold herself from running and seizing him at the altar, and +preventing his fortune and design, but that she believed _Philander_ +would have resented it to the last degree, and possibly have made it +fatal to both herself and _Octavio_. It was a great while before she +could recover from the indisposition to which this fatal and +unexpected accident had reduced her: but, as I have said, she was not +of a nature to die for love; and charming and brave as _Octavio_ was, +it was perhaps her interest, and the loss of his considerable fortune +that gave her the greatest cause of grief. Sometimes she vainly +fancied that yet her power was such, that with the expense of one +visit, and some of her usual arts, which rarely fail, she had power to +withdraw his thoughts from heaven, and fix them all on herself again, +and to make him fly those enclosures to her more agreeable arms: but +again she wisely considered, though he might be retrieved, his fortune +was disposed of to holy uses, and could never be so. This last thought +more prevailed upon her, and had more convincing reason in it, than +all that could besides oppose her flame; for she had this wretched +prudence, even in the highest flights and passions of her love, to +have a wise regard to interest; insomuch, that it is most certain, she +refused to give herself up entirely even to _Philander_; him, whom one +would have thought nothing but perfect love, soft irresistible love, +could have compelled her to have transgressed withal, when so many +reasons contradicted her passion: how much more then ought we to +believe, that interest was the greatest motive of all her +after-passions? However, this powerful motive failed not to beget in +her all the pains and melancholies that the most violent of passions +could do: but _Brilliard_, who loved her to a greater degree than +ever, strove all he could to divert the thoughts of a grief, for which +there was no remedy; and believed, if he could get her out of +_Brussels_, retired to the little town, or rather village, where he +was first made happy, and where _Philander_ still believed her to be, +he should again re-assume that power over her heart he had before: in +this melancholy fit of hers he proposed it, urging the danger he +should be in for obeying her, should _Philander_ once come to know +that she was in _Brussels_; and that possibly she would not find so +civil a treatment as he ought to pay her, if he should come to the +knowledge of it: besides these reasons, he said, he had some of +greater importance, which he must not discover till she were withdrawn +from _Brussels_: but there needed not much to persuade her to retire, +in the humour she then was; and with no opposition on her side, she +told him, she was ready to go where he thought fit; and accordingly +the next day they departed the town, and in three more arrived to the +village. In all this journey _Brilliard_ never approached her but with +all the respect imaginable, but withal, with abundance of silent +passion: which manner of carriage obliged _Sylvia_ very often to take +notice of it, with great satisfaction and signs of favour; and as he +saw her melancholy abate, he increased in sighing and lover's +boldnesses: yet with all this, he could not oblige her to those +returns he wished: when, after ten days' stay, _Philander_ writ to him +to inquire of his health, and of _Sylvia_, to whom he sent a very kind +good-natured letter, but no more of the lover, than if there had never +been such a joy between them: he begged her to take care of herself, +and told her, he would be with her in ten or fifteen days; and desired +her to send him _Brilliard_, if he were not wholly necessary to her +service; for he had urgent affairs to employ him in: so that +_Brilliard_, not being able longer with any colour to defend his stay, +writ him word he would wait on him in two days; which short time he +wholly employed in the utmost endeavour to gain _Sylvia_'s favour; but +she, whose thoughts were roving on new designs, which she thought fit +to conceal from a lover, still put him off with pretended illness, and +thoughtfulness on the late melancholy object and loss of _Octavio_: +but assured him, as soon as she was recovered of that pressure, she +would receive him with the same joy she had before, and which his +person and his services merited from her; it was thus she soothed the +hoping lover, who went away with all the satisfaction imaginable, +bearing a letter from _Sylvia_ to _Philander_, written with all the +art of flattery. _Brilliard_ was no sooner gone, but _Sylvia_, whose +head ran on new adventures, resolved to try her chance; and being, +whenever she pleased, of a humour very gay, she resolved upon a +design, in which she could trust no body but her page, who loved his +lady to the last degree of passion, though he never durst shew it even +in his looks or sighs; and yet the cunning _Sylvia_ had by chance +found his flame, and would often take delight to torture the poor +youth, to laugh at him: she knew he would die to serve her, and she +durst trust him with the most important business of her life: she +therefore the next morning sends for him to her chamber, which she +often did, and told him her design; which was, in man's clothes to go +back to _Brussels_, and see if they could find any adventures by the +way that might be worth the journey, and divert them: she told him she +would trust him with all her secrets; and he vowed fidelity. She bid +him bring her a suit of those clothes she used to wear at her first +arrival at _Holland_, and he looked out one very fine, and which she +had worn that day she went to have been married to _Octavio_, when the +_States'_ messengers took her up for a _French_ spy, a suit +_Philander_ had never seen: she equips herself, and leaving in charge +with _Antonet_ what to say in her absence, and telling her she was +going upon a frolic to divert herself a day or two; she, accompanied +by her page only, took horse and made away towards _Brussels_: you +must know, that the half-way stage is a very small village, in which +there is most lamentable accommodation, and may vie with any part of +_Spain_ for bad inns. _Sylvia_, not used much to riding as a man, was +pretty well tired by that time she got to one of those _hotels_; and, +as soon as she alighted, she went to her chamber to refresh and cool +herself; and while the page was gone to the kitchen to see what there +was to eat, she was leaning out of the window, and looking on the +passengers that rode along, many of which took up in the same house. +Among them that alighted, there was a very handsome young gentleman, +appearing of quality, attended only by his page. She considered this +person a little more than the rest, and finding him so unaccompanied, +had a curiosity, natural to her, to know who he was: she ran to +another window that looked into the yard, a kind of balcony, and saw +him alight, and look at her; and saluted her in passing into the +kitchen, seeing her look like a youth of quality: coming in, he saw +her page, and asked if he belonged to that young cavalier in +the gallery; the page told him he did: and being asked who he was, +he told him he was a young nobleman of _France_; a stranger to all +those parts, and had made an escape from his tutors; and said he was +of a humour never to be out of his way; all places being alike to him +in those little adventures. So leaving him (with yet a greater +curiosity) he ran to _Sylvia_, and told her what had passed between +the young stranger and him: while she, who was possessed with the same +inquisitive humour, bid him inquire who he was; when the master of the +_hotel_ coming in the interim up to usher in her supper, she inquired +of him who that young stranger was; he told her, one of the greatest +persons in _Flanders_; that he was nephew to the Governor, and who had +a very great equipage at other times; but that now he was _incognito_, +being on an intrigue: this intrigue gave _Sylvia_ new curiosity; and +hoping the master would tell him again, she fell into great praises of +his beauty and his mien; which for several reasons pleased the man of +the inn, who departed with the good news, and told every word of it to +the young cavalier: the good man having, besides the pleasing him with +the grateful compliments, a farther design in the relation; for his +house being very full of persons of all sorts, he had no lodgings for +the Governor's nephew, unless he could recommend him to our young +cavalier. The gay unknown, extremely pleased with the character he had +given him by so beautiful a gentleman, and one who appeared of so much +quality, being alone, and knowing he was so also, sent a _Spanish_ +page, that spoke very good _French_, and had a handsome address, and +quick wit, to make his compliment to the young _Monsieur_; which was +to beg to be admitted to sup with him; who readily accepted the +honour, as she called it; and the young Governor, whom we must call +_Alonzo_, for a reason or two, immediately after entered her chamber, +with an admirable address, appearing much handsomer near, than at a +distance, though even then he drew _Sylvia_'s eyes with admiration on +him: there were a thousand young graces in his person, sweetnesses in +his face, love and fire in his eyes, and wit on his tongue: his +stature was neither tall nor low, very well made and fashioned; a +light-brown hair, hazel eyes, and a very soft and amorous air; about +twenty years of age: he spoke very good _French_; and after the first +compliments on either side were over, as on such occasions are +necessary; in which on both sides were nothing but great expressions +of esteem, _Sylvia_ began so very well to be pleased with the fair +stranger, that she had like to have forgot the part she was to act, +and have made discoveries of her sex, by addressing herself with the +modesty and blushes of a woman: but _Alonzo_, who had no such +apprehension, though she appeared with much more beauty than he +fancied ever to have seen in a man, nevertheless admired, without +suspecting, and took all those signs of effeminacy to unassured youth, +and first address; and he was absolutely deceived in her. _Alonzo_'s +supper being brought up, which was the best the bad inn afforded, they +sat down, and all the supper time talked of a thousand pleasant +things, and most of love and women, where both expressed abundance of +gallantry for the fair sex. _Alonzo_ related many short and pleasant +accidents and amours he had had with women. + +Though the stranger were by birth a _Spaniard_; yet, while they +discoursed the glass was not idle, but went as briskly about, as if +_Sylvia_ had been an absolute good fellow. _Alonzo_ drinks his and his +mistress's health, and _Sylvia_ returned the civility, and so on, till +three bottles were sacrificed to love and good humour; while she, at +the expense of a little modesty, declared herself so much of the +opinion of _Don Alonzo_, for gay inconstancy, and the blessing of +variety, that he was wholly charmed with a conversation so agreeable +to his own. I have heard her page say, from whom I have had a great +part of the truths of her life, that he never saw _Sylvia_ in so +pleasant a humour all his life before, nor seemed so well pleased, +which gave him, her lover, a jealousy that perplexed him above any +thing he had ever felt from love; though he durst not own it. But +_Alonzo_ finding his young companion altogether so charming (and in +his own way too) could not forbear very often from falling upon his +neck, and kissing the fair disguised, with as hearty an ardour, as +ever he did one of the other sex: he told her he adored her; she was +directly of his principle, all gay, inconstant, galliard and roving, +and with such a gusto, he commended the joys of fickle youth, that +_Sylvia_ would often say, she was then jealous of him, and envious of +those who possessed him, though she knew not whom. The more she looked +on him, and heard him speak, the more she fancied him: and wine that +warmed her head, made her give him a thousand demonstrations of love, +that warmed her heart; which he mistook for friendship, having +mistaken her sex. In this fit of beginning love (which is always the +best) and jealousy, she bethought her to ask him on what adventure he +had now been; for he being without his equipage, she believed, she +said, he was upon some affair of love: he told her there was a lady, +within an hour's riding of that place, of quality, and handsome, very +much courted: amongst those that were of the number of her adorers, he +said, was a young man of quality of _France_, who called himself +_Philander_: this _Philander_ had been about eight days very happy in +her favour, and had happened to boast his good fortune the next night +at the Governor's table, where he dined with the Prince _Cesario_. 'I +told him,' continued _Alonzo_, 'that the person he so boasted of, had +so soon granted him the favour, that I believed she was of a humour to +suffer none to die at her feet: but this,' said he, '_Philander_ +thought an indignity to his good parts, and told me, he believed he +was the only man happy in her favour, and that could be so: on this I +ventured a wager, at which he coloured extremely, and the company +laughed, which incensed him more; the Prince urged the wager, which +was a pair of _Spanish_ horses, the best in the Court, on my side, +against a discretion on his: this odds offered by me incensed him yet +more; but urged to lay, we ended the dispute with the wager, the best +conclusion of all controversies. He would have known what measures I +would take; I refused to satisfy him in that; I only swore him upon +honour, that he should not discover the wager, or the dispute to the +lady. The next day I went to pay her a visit, from my aunt, the +Governor's lady, and she received me with all the civility in the +world. I seemed surprised at her beauty, and could talk of nothing but +the adoration I had for her, and found her extremely pleased, and +vain; of which feeble resistance I made so good advantage, that before +we parted, being all alone, I received from her all the freedoms, that +I could with any good manners be allowed the first time; she firing me +with kisses, and suffering my closest embraces. Having prospered so +well, I left her for that time, and two days after I made my visit +again; she was a married lady, and her husband was a _Dutch_ Count, +and gone to a little government he held under my uncle, so that again +I found a free admittance; I told her, it was my aunt's compliment I +brought before, but that now it was my own I brought, which was that +of an impatient heart, that burnt with a world of fire and flame, and +nonsense. In fine, so eager I was, and so pressing for something more +than dull kissing, that she began to retire as fast as she advanced +before, and told me, after abundance of pressing her to it, that she +had set a price upon her beauty, and unless I understood how to +purchase her, it was not her fault if I were not happy. At first I so +little expected it had been money, that I reiterated my vows, and +fancied it was the assurance of my heart she meant; but she very +frankly replied, "Sir, you may spare your pains, and five hundred +pistoles will ease you of a great deal of trouble, and be the best +argument of your love." This generous conscientious humour of hers, of +suffering none to die that had five hundred pistoles to present for a +cure, was very good news to me, and I found I was not at all obliged +to my youth or beauty, but that a man with half a nose, or a single +eye, or that stunk like an old _Spaniard_ that had dined on rotten +cheese and garlic, should have been equally as welcome for the +aforesaid sum, to this charming insensible. I must confess, I do not +love to chaffer for my pleasure, it takes off the best part of it; and +were I left to my own judgement of its worth, I should hardly have +offered so sneaking a sum; but that sort of bargaining, was her +humour, and to enjoy her mind, though she had strangely palled me by +this management of the matter: all I had now to do, was to appoint my +night, and bring my money; now was a very proper time for it, her +husband being absent: I took my leave of her, infinitely well pleased +to have gained my point on any terms, with a promise to deliver myself +there the next night: but she told me, she had a brother to come +to-morrow, whom she would not have see me, and for that reason (being +however not willing to delay the receiving her pistoles) she desired I +would wait at this very house 'till a footman should give me notice +when to come; accordingly I came, and sent her a billet, that I waited +prepared at all points; and she returned me a billet to this purpose; +that her brother with some relations being arrived, as she expected, +she begged for her honour's sake, that I would wait till she sent, +which should be as soon as they were gone to their chambers; and they, +having rid a long journey, would early retire; that she was impatient +of the blessing, and should be as well prepared as himself, and that +she would leave her woman _Letitia_ to give me admittance.----This +satisfied me very well; and as I attended her, some of my acquaintance +chanced to arrive; with whom I supped, and took so many glasses to her +health as it passed down, that I was arrived at a very handsome pitch, +and to say truth, was as full of _Bacchus_ as of _Venus_. However, as +soon as her footman arrived, I stole away, and took horse, and by that +time it was quite dark arrived at her house, where I was led in by a +young maid, whose habit was very neat and clean, and she herself +appeared to my eyes, then dazzling with wine, the most beautiful young +creature I had ever seen, as in truth she was; she seemed all modesty, +and blushing innocence; so that conducting me into a low parlour, +while she went to tell her lady I was come, who lay ready dressed in +all the magnificences of night-dress to receive me, I sat +contemplating on this fair young maid, and no more thought of her lady +than of _Bethlehem Gaber_. The maid soon returned, and curtseying, +told me, with blushes on her face, that her lady expected me; the +house was still as sleep, and no noise heard, but the little winds +that rushed among the jessamine that grew at the window; now whether +at that moment, the false light in the room, or the true wine deceived +me, I know not; but I beheld this maid as an angel for beauty, and +indeed I think she had all the temptations of nature. I began to kiss +her, and she to tremble and blush; yet not so much out of fear, as +surprise and shame at my address. I found her pleased with my vows, +and melting at my kisses; I sighed in her bosom, which panted me a +welcome there; that bosom whiter than snow, sweeter than the nosegay +she had planted there. She urged me faintly to go to her lady, who +expected me, and I swore it was for her sake I came (whom I never saw) +and that I scorned all other beauties: she kindled at this, and her +cheeks glowed with love. I pressed her to all I wished; but she +replied, she was a maid, and should be undone. I told her, I would +marry her, and swore it with a thousand oaths; she believed, and grew +prettily fond----In fine, at last she yielded to all I asked of her, +which we had scarce recovered when her lady rung. I could not stir, +but she who feared a surprise ran to her, and told her, I was gone +into the garden, and would come immediately; she hastens down again to +me, fires me anew, and pleased me anew; it was thus I taught a longing +maid the first lesson of sin, at the price of fifty pistoles, which I +presented her; nor could I yet part from this young charmer, but +stayed so long, that her lady rung a silver bell again; but my new +prize was so wholly taken up with the pleasure of this new amour, and +the good fortune arrived to her, she heard not the bell, so that the +fair deceived put on her night-gown and slippers, and came softly down +stairs, and found my new love and I closely embracing, with all the +passion and fondness imaginable. I know not what she saw in me in that +kind moment to her woman, or whether the disappointment gave her a +greater desire, but it is most certain she fell most desperately in +love with me, and scorning to take notice of the indignity I put upon +her, she unseen stole to her chamber; where, after a most afflicting +night, she next morning called her woman to her (whom I left towards +morning, better pleased with my fifty pistoles worth of beauty, than I +should have been with that of five hundred): the maid, whose guilt +made her very much unassured, approached her lady with such +tremblings, as she no longer doubted but she was guilty, but durst not +examine her about it, lest she, who had her honour in keeping, should, +by the discovery she found she had made of her levity, expose that of +her lady. She therefore dissembled as well as she could, and examined +her about my stay; to which the maid answered, I had fallen asleep, +and it was impossible to awake me 'till day appeared; when for fear of +discovery I posted away. This, though the lady knew was false, she was +forced to take for current excuse; and more raging with love than +ever, she immediately dispatched away her footman with a letter to me, +upbraiding me extremely; but, at the same time, inviting me with all +the passion imaginable; and, because I should not again see my young +mistress, who was dying in love with me, she appointed me to meet her +at a little house she had, a bow-shot from her own, where was a fine +decoy, and a great number of wild-fowl kept, which her husband took +great delight in; there I was to wait her coming; where lived only a +man and his old wife, her servants: I was very glad of this +invitation, and went; she came adorned with all her charms. + +I considered her a new woman, and one whom I had a wager to win upon, +the conquest of one I had inclination to, till by the discovery of the +jilt in her, I began to despise the beauty; however, as I said, she +was new, and now perhaps easy to be brought to any terms, as indeed it +happened; she caressed me with all imaginable fondness; was ready to +eat my lips instead of kissing them, and much more forward than I +wished, who do not love an over-easy conquest; however, she pleased me +for three days together, in all which time she detained me there, +coming to me early, and staying the latest hour; and I have no reason +to repent my time; for besides that I have passed it very well, she at +my coming away presented me this jewel in my hat, and this ring on my +finger, and I have saved my five hundred pistoles, my heart, and my +credit in the encounter, and am going to _Brussels_ to triumph over +the haughty conceited _Philander_, who set so great a value on his own +beauty, and yet, for all his fine person, has paid the pistoles, +before he could purchase the blessing, as she swore to me, who have +made a convert of her, and reduced her to the thing she never yet was, +a lover; insomuch, that she has promised me to renounce _Philander_: I +have promised to visit her again; but if I do it will be more for the +vanity to please, than to be pleased; for I never repeat any thing +with pleasure.' All the while he spoke, _Sylvia_ fixed her eyes, and +all her soft desires upon him; she envies the happy Countess, but much +more the happy maid, with whom his perfect liking made him happy; she +fancies him in her arms, and wishes him there; she is ready a thousand +times to tell him she is a woman, but, when she reflects on his +inconstancy, she fears. When he had ended his story, she cried, +sighing, 'And you are just come from this fair lady?' He answered her, +he was sound and heart whole: she replied, 'It is very well you are +so, but all the young do not thus escape from beauty, and you may, +some time or other, be entrapped.' 'Oh,' cried he, 'I defy the power +of one, while heaven has distributed variety to all.' 'Were you never +in love?' replied Sylvia. 'Never,' said he, 'that they call love: I +have burnt and raved an hour or two, or so; pursued, and gazed, and +laid sieges, till I had overcome; but, what is this to love? Did I +ever make a second visit, unless upon necessity, or gratitude? And +yet----' and there he sighed; 'and yet,' said he, 'I saw a beauty once +upon the _Tour_, that has ever since given me torment.' 'At +_Brussels_? said _Sylvia_. 'There,' replied he; 'she was the fairest +creature heaven ever made, such white and red by nature, such hair, +such eyes, and such a mouth!----All youth and ravishing sweetness;--I +pursued her to her lodgings, and all I could get, was, that she +belonged to a young nobleman, who since has taken Orders. From the +night I saw her, I never left her window, but had spies of all sorts, +who brought me intelligence, and a little after, I found she had +quitted the place with a new lover, which made me love and rave ten +times more, when I knew assuredly she was a whore--and how fine a one +I had missed.' This called all the blood to _Sylvia_'s face, and so +confounded her she could not answer; she knew it was herself of whom +he spoke; and that coarse word, though innocently spoken, or rather +gaily expressed, put her quite out of countenance; however, she +recovered again, when she considered they were not meant as rudenesses +to her. She loved him, and was easy to pardon: with such discourse +they passed the evening till towards bed-time, and the young +_Spaniard_, who had taken little rest in three nights before, wanted +some repose; and calling for his chamber, the host besought him, since +they had the happiness (the young _French_ gentleman and himself) to +be so good friends, that they would share a bed together: 'For in +truth,' said he, 'sir, you must sit up all night else;' he replied, +with all his soul, it was the most grateful proposal had been ever +made him; and addressing himself to _Sylvia_, asked him if he would +allow him that blessing: she blushed extremely at the question, and +hung down her eyes, and he laughed to see it: 'Sir,' said _Sylvia_, 'I +will give you my bed, for it is all one to me to lie on a bed, or on +the chairs.' 'Why, sir,' said _Alonzo_, 'I am too passionate an adorer +of the female sex, to incommode any of my own with addresses; nor am I +so nice, but I can suffer a man to lie by me, especially so dear a +youth as yourself;' at which he embraced her in his arms, which did +but the more raise _Sylvia_'s blushes, who wished for what she +dreaded: 'With you, sir,' said she, 'I could methinks be content to do +what I do not use to do;' and, fearing to betray her sex, forced a +consent; for either one or the other she was compelled to do; and with +the assurance that he thought her what she seemed, she chose to give +her consent, and they both went to bed together: to add to her deceit +(she being forced in her sickness to cut off her hair) when she put +off her periwig she discovered nothing of the woman; nor feared she +any thing but her breasts, which were the roundest and the whitest in +the world; but she was long in undressing, which to colour the matter, +she suffered her page to do; who, poor lad, was never in so trembling +a condition, as in that manner to be obliged to serve her, where she +discovered so many charms he never before had seen, but all such as +might be seen with modesty: by that time she came to bed, _Alonzo_ was +fast asleep, being so long kept waking, and never so much as dreamt he +had a woman with him; but she, whose fears kept her waking, had a +thousand agitations and wishes; so natural it is, when virtue has +broke the bounds of modesty, to plunge in past all retreat; and, I +believe there are very few who retire after the first sin. She +considers her condition in a strange country, her splendour declining, +her love for _Philander_ quite reduced to friendship, or hardly that; +she was young, and ate and drank well; had a world of vanity, that +food of desire, that fuel to vice: she saw this the beautifullest +youth she imagined ever to have seen, of quality and fortune able to +serve her; all these made her rave with a desire to gain him for a +lover, and she imagined as all the vain and young do, that though no +charms had yet been able to hold him, she alone had those that would; +her glass had a thousand times told her so; she compares him to +_Octavio_, and finds him, in her opinion, handsomer; she was possessed +with some love for _Philander_, when he first addressed to her, and +_Octavio_ shared at best but half a heart; but now, that she had lost +all for _Philander_ and _Octavio_, and had a heart to cast away, or +give a new lover; it was like her money, she hated to keep it, and +lavished it on any trifle, rather than hoard it, or let it lie by: it +was a loss of time her youth could not spare; she, after reflection, +resolved, and when she had resolved, she believed it done. By a candle +she had by her, to read a little novel she had brought, she surveyed +him often, as curiously as _Psyche_ did her _Cupid_, and though he +slept like a mere mortal, he appeared as charming to her eyes as the +winged god himself; and it is believed she wished he would awake and +find by her curiosity, her sex: for this I know, she durst no longer +trust herself a-bed with him, but got up, and all the last part of the +night walked about the room: her page lay in the room with her, by her +order, on the table, with a little valise under his head, which he +carried _Sylvia_'s linen in; she awoke him, and told him all her +fears, in a pleasant manner. In the morning _Alonzo_ awakes, and +wonders to find her up so soon, and reproached her for the unkindness; +new protestations on both sides passing of eternal friendship, they +both resolved for _Brussels_; but, lest she should encounter +_Philander_ on the way, who possibly might be on visiting his _Dutch_ +countess, she desired him to ride on before, and to suffer her to lose +the happiness of his company, till they met in _Brussels_: with much +ado he consents, and taking the ring the countess gave him, from off +his finger, 'Sir,' said he, 'be pleased to wear this, and if ever you +need my fortune, or my sword, send it, and in what part of the world +soever I am, I will fly to your service.' _Sylvia_ returned him a +little ring set round with diamonds, that Philander in his wooing time +had given her, amongst a thousand of finer value: his name and hers +were engraven instead of a posie in it; which was only _Philander_ and +_Sylvia_, and which he took no notice of, and parted from each other +in the tenderest manner, that two young gentlemen could possibly be +imagined to do, though it were more than so on her side; for she was +madly in love with him. + +As soon as _Sylvia_ came to _Brussels_, she sent in the evening to +search out _Brilliard_, for she had discovered, if he should come to +the knowledge of her being in town, and she should not send to him, he +would take it so very ill, that he might prevent all her designs and +rambles, the now joy of her heart; she knew she could make him her +slave, her pimp, her any thing, for love, and the hope of her favour, +and his interest might defend her; and she should know all +_Philander_'s, motions, whom now, though she loved no more, she +feared. She found him, and he took her lodgings, infinitely pleased at +the trust she reposed in him, the only means by which he could arrive +to happiness. She continues her man's habit, and he supplied the place +of _valet_, dressed her and undressed her, shifted her linen every +day; nor did he take all these freedoms, without advancing a little +farther upon occasion and opportunity, which was the hire she gave +him, to serve her in more lucky amours; the fine she paid to live +free, and at ease. She tells him her adventure, which, though it were +daggers to his heart, was, however, the only way to keep her his own; +for he knew her spirit was too violent to be restrained by any means. +At last, she told him her design upon a certain young man of quality, +who she told him, was the same she encountered. She assured him it was +not love or liking, but perfectly interest that made her design upon +him, and that if he would assist her, she would be very kind to him, +as a man that had gained very greatly upon her heart. This flattery +she urged with infinite fondness and art, and he, overjoyed, believed +every word as gospel; so that he promised her the next day to carry a +billet to the young _don_: in the mean time, she caused him to sup +with her, purposely to give him an account of _Philander_, _Cesario_ +and _Hermione_, whom she heard was come to _Brussels_, and lived +publicly with the Prince. He told her, it was very true, and that he +saw them every day, nay, every moment together; for he verily believed +they could not live asunder; that _Philander_ was every evening +caballing there, where all the malcontents of the Reformed Religion +had taken sanctuary, and where the Grand Council was every night held; +for some great things were in agitation, and debating how to trouble +the repose of all _France_ again with new broils; he told her, that +all the world made their court to _Hermione_, that if any body had any +petitions, or addresses to make to the Prince, it was by her sole +interest; she sat in their closest councils, and heard their gravest +debates; and she was the oracle of the board: the Prince paying her +perfect adoration, while she, whose charms of youth were ended, being +turned of thirty, fortified her decays with all the art her wit and +sex were capable of, and kept her illustrious lover as perfectly her +slave, as if she had engaged him by all those ties that fetter the +most circumspect, and totally subdued him to her will, who was, +without exception, the most lovely person upon earth; 'and though, +madam, you know him so perfectly well, yet I must tell you my opinion +of him: he is all the softer sex can wish, and ours admire; he is +formed for love and war; and as he is the most amorous and wanton in +courts, he is also the most fierce and brave in field; his birth the +most elevated, his age arrived to full blown man, adorned with all the +spreading glories that charm the fair, and engage the world; and I +have often heard some of our party say, his person gained him more +numbers to his side, than his cause or quality; for he understood all +the useful arts of popularity, the gracious smile and bow, and all +those cheap favours that so gain upon hearts; and without the expense +of any thing but ceremony, has made the nation mad for his interest, +who never otherwise obliged them; and sure nothing is more necessary +in the great, than affability; nor shews greater marks of grandeur, or +shall more eternize them, than bowing to the crowd. As the maiden +queen I have read of in _England_, who made herself idolized by that +sole piece of politic cunning, understanding well the stubborn, yet +good nature of the people; and gained more upon them by those little +arts, than if she had parted with all the prerogatives of her Crown. +Ah! madam, you cannot imagine what little slights govern the whole +universe, and how easy it is for monarchs to oblige. This _Cesario_ +was made to know, and there is no one so poor an object, who may not +have access to him, and whom he does not send away well pleased, +though he do not grant what they ask. He dispatches quickly, which is +a grateful virtue in great men; and none ever espoused his interest, +that did not find a reward and a protection; it is true, these are all +the tools he is to work with, and he stops at nothing that leads to +his ambition; nor has he done all that lies in the power of man only, +to set all _France_ yet in a flame, but he calls up the very devils +from hell to his aid, and there is no man famed for necromancy, to +whom he does not apply himself; which, indeed, is done by the advice +of _Hermione_, who is very much affected with those sort of people, +and puts a great trust and confidence in them. She sent at great +expense, for a _German_ conjurer, who arrived the other day, and who +is perpetually consulting with another of the same sort, a _Scot_ by +birth, called _Fergusano_. He was once in Holy Orders, and still is +so, but all his practice is the Black Art; and excellent in it he is +reported to be. _Hermione_ undertakes nothing without his advice; and +as he is absolutely her creature, so his art governs her, and she the +Prince: she holds her midnight conferences with him; and as she is +very superstitious, so she is very learned, and studies this art, +taught by this great master _Fergusano_; and so far is this glorious +hero bewitched with these sorcerers, that he puts his whole trust in +these conjurations and charms; and so far they have imposed on him, +that with an enchanted ointment, which they had prepared for him, he +shall be invulnerable, though he should face the mouth of a cannon: +they have, at the earnest request of _Hermione_, calculated his +nativity, and find him born to be a king; and, that before twenty +moons expire, he shall be crowned in _France_: and flattering his easy +youth with all the vanities of ambition, they have made themselves +absolutely useful to him. This _Scot_, being a most inveterate enemy +to _France_, lets the Prince rest neither night nor day, but is still +inspiring him with new hopes of a crown, and laying him down all the +false arguments imaginable, to spur the active spirit: my lord is not +of the opinion, yet seems to comply with them in Council; he laughs at +all the fopperies of charms and incantations; insomuch, that he many +times angers the Prince, and is in eternal little feuds with +_Hermione_. The _German_ would often in these disputes say, he found +by his art, that the stop to the Prince's glory would be his love. +This so incensed _Hermione_, and consequently the Prince, that they +had like to have broke with him, but durst not for fear; he knowing +too much to be disobliged: on the other side, _Fergusano_ is most +wonderfully charmed with the wit and masculine spirit of _Hermione_, +her courage, and the manliness of her mind; and understanding which +way she would be served, resolved to obey her, finding she had an +absolute ascendancy over the Prince, whom, by this means, he knew he +should get into his sole management. _Hermione_, though she seemed to +be possessed so entirely of _Cesario_'s heart, found she had great and +powerful opposers, who believed the Prince lay idling in her arms, and +that possibly she might eclipse his fame, by living at that rate with +a woman he had no other pretensions to but love; and many other +motives were urged daily to him by the admirers of his great actions: +and she feared, with reason, that some time or other, ambition might +get the ascendancy of love: she, therefore, in her midnight +conferences with _Fergusano_, often urged him to shew her that piece +of his art, to make a philtre to retain fleeting love; and not only +keep a passion alive, but even revive it from the dead. She tells him +of her contract with him; she urges his forced marriage, as she was +pleased to call it, in his youth; and that he being so young, she +believed he might find it lawful to marry himself a second time; that +possibly his Princess was for the interest of the King; and men of his +elevated fortune ought not to be tied to those strictnesses of common +men, but for the good of the public, sometimes act beyond the musty +rules of law and equity, those politic bands to confine the _mobile_. +At this unreasonable rate she pleads her right to _Cesario_, and he +hearkens with all attention, and approves so well all she says, that +he resolves, not only to attach the Prince to her by all the force of +the Black Art, but that of necessary marriage also: this pleased her +to the last degree; and she left him, after he had promised her to +bring her the philtre by the morning: for it was that she most urged, +the other requiring time to argue with him, and work him by degrees to +it. Accordingly, the next morning he brings her a tooth-pick-case of +gold, of rare infernal workmanship, wrought with a thousand charms, of +that force, that every time the Prince should touch it, and while he +but wore it about him, his fondness should not only continue, but +increase, and he should hate all womankind besides, at least in the +way of love, and have no power to possess another woman, though she +had all the attractions of nature. He tells her the Prince could never +suspect so familiar a present, and for the fineness of the work, it +was a present for a Prince; 'For,' said he, 'no human art could frame +so rare a piece of workmanship; that nine nights the most delicate of +the Infernals were mixing the metal with the most powerful of charms, +and watched the critical minutes of the stars, in which to form the +mystic figures, every one being a spell upon the heart, of that +unerring magic, no mortal power could ever dissolve, undo, or +conquer.' The only art now was in giving it, so as to oblige him never +to part with it; and she, who had all the cunning of her sex, +undertook for that part; she dismissed her infernal confidant, and +went to her _toilet_ to dress her, knowing well, that the Prince would +not be long before that he came to her: she laid the tooth-pick-case +down, so as he could not avoid seeing it: the Prince came immediately +after in, as he ever used to do night and morning, to see her dress +her; he saw this gay thing on the table, and took it in his hand, +admiring the work of it, as he was the most curious person in the +world: she told him, there was not a finer wrought thing in the world, +and that she had a very great esteem for it, it being made by the +_Sybils_; and bid him mind the antiqueness of the work: the more she +commended it, the more he liked it, and told her, she must let him +call it his: she told him, he would give it away to the next +commender: he vowed he would not: she told him then he should not only +call it his, but it should in reality be so; and he vowed it should be +the last thing he would part with in the world. From that time forward +she found, or thought she found, a more impatient fondness in him than +she had seen before: however it was, she ruled and governed him as she +pleased; and indeed never was so great a slave to beauty, as, in my +opinion, he was to none at all; for she is far from having any natural +charms; yet it was not long since it was absolutely believed by all, +that he had been resolved to give himself wholly up to her arms; to +have sought no other glory, than to have retired to a corner of the +world with her, and changed all his crown of laurel for those of +roses: but some stirring spirits have roused him anew, and awakened +ambition in him, and they are on great designs, which possibly 'ere +long may make all _France_ to tremble; yet still _Hermione_ is +oppressed with love, and the effects of daily increasing passion. He +has perpetual correspondence with the party in _Paris_, and advice of +all things that pass; they let him know they are ready to receive him +whenever he can bring a force into _France_; nor needs he any +considerable number, he having already there, in every place through +which he shall pass, all, or the most part of the hearts and hands at +his devotion; and they want but arms, and they shall gather as they +go: they desire he will land himself in some part of the kingdom, and +it would be encouragement enough to all the joyful people, who will +from all parts flock together. In fine, he is offered all assistance +and money; and lest all the forces of _France_ should be bent against +him, he has friends, of great quality and interest, that are resolved +to rise in several places of the kingdom, in _Languedoc_ and +_Guyenne_, whither the King must be obliged to send his forces, or a +great part of them; so that all this side of _France_ will be left +defenceless. I myself, madam, have some share in this great design, +and possibly you will one day see me a person of a quality sufficient +to merit those favours I am now blessed with.' 'Pray,' replied +_Sylvia_, smiling with a little scorn, 'what part are you to play to +arrive at this good fortune?' 'I am,' said he, 'trusted to provide all +the ammunition and arms, and to hire a vessel to transport them to +some sea-port town in _France_, which the Council shall think most +proper to receive us.' _Sylvia_ laughed, and said, she prophesied +another end of this high design than they imagined; but desperate +fortunes must take their chance. 'What,' continued she, 'does not +_Hermione_ speak of me, and inquire of me?' 'Yes,' replied +_Brilliard_; 'but in such a way, as if she looked on you as a lost +creature, and one of such a reputation, she would not receive a visit +from for all the world.' At this _Sylvia_ laughed extremely, and +cried, '_Hermione_ would be very well content to be so mean a sinner +as myself, to be so young and so handsome a one. However,' said she, +'to be serious, I would be glad to know what real probability there is +in advancing and succeeding in this design, for I would take my +measures accordingly, and keep _Philander_, whose wavering, or rather +lost fortune, is the greatest motive of my resolves to part with him, +and that have made me so uneasy to him.' _Brilliard_ told her, he was +very confident of the design, and that it was almost impossible to +miscarry in the discontent all _France_ was in at this juncture; and +they feared nothing but the Prince's relapsing, who, now, most +certainly preferred love to glory. He farther told her, that as they +were in Council, one deputed from the _Parisians_ arrived with new +offers, and to know the last result of the Prince, whether he would +espouse their interest or not, as they were with life and fortune +ready to espouse his glory. 'They sent him word, it was from him they +expected liberty, and him whom they looked upon as their tutelar +deity. Old _Fergusano_ was then in Council, that _Highland_ wizard +that manages all, and who is ever at hand to awaken mischief, alarmed +the Prince to new glories, reproaching his scandalous life, withal +telling him, there were measures to be taken to reconcile love and +fame; and which he was to discourse to him about in his closet only; +but as things were, he bid him look into the story of _Armida_ and +_Renaldo_, and compare his own with it, and he doubted not, but he +would return blushing at his remissness and sloth: not that he would +exempt his youth from the pleasures of love, but he would not have +love hinder his glory: this bold speech before _Hermione_ had like to +have begot an ill understanding; but she was as much for the Prince's +glory as _Fergusano_, and therefore could not be angry, when she +considered the elevation of the Prince would be her own also: at this +necessary reproach the Prince blushed; the board seconding the wizard, +had this good effect to draw this assurance from him, that they should +see he was not so attached to love, but he could for some time give a +cessation to his heart, and that the envoy from the _Parisians_ might +return assured, that he would, as soon as he could put his affairs in +good order, come to their relief, and bring arms for those that had +none, with such friends as he could get together; he could not promise +numbers, lest by leading so many here, their design should take air, +but would wholly trust to fortune, and their good resolutions: he +demanded a sum of money of them for the buying these arms, and they +have promised him all aids. This is the last result of Council, which +broke immediately up; and the Prince retired to his closet, where he +was no sooner come, but reflecting on the necessity of leaving +_Hermione_, he fell into the most profound melancholy and musing that +could seize a man; while he sat thus, _Hermione_ (who had schooled +_Fergusano_ for his rough speech in Council, and desired he would now +take the opportunity to repair that want of respect, while the Prince +was to be spoken to alone) sent him into the closet to him; where he +found him walking with his arms a-cross, not minding the bard who +stood gazing on him, and at last called to him; and finding no reply, +he advanced, and pulling him gently by the arm, cried,--"Awake royal +young man, awake! and look up to coming greatness"--"I was +reflecting," replied _Cesario_, "on all the various fortunes I have +passed, from the time of my birth to this present hapless day, and +would be glad to know if any supernatural means can tell me what +future events will befall me? If I believed I should not gain a crown +by this great enterprise I am undertaking, here I would lay me down in +silent ease, give up my toils and restless soul to love, and never +think on vain ambition more: ease thou my troubled mind, if thou hast +any friend among the Infernals, and they dare utter truth." "My +gracious Prince," replied the fawning wizard, "this night, if you dare +loose yourself from love, and come unattended to my apartment, I will +undertake to shew you all the future fortune you are to run, the +hazards, dangers, and escapes that attend your mighty race of life; I +will lay the adamantine Book before you, where all the destinies of +princes are hieroglyphick'd. I will shew you more, if hell can furnish +objects, and you dare stand untrembling at the terror of them." +"Enough," replied _Cesario_, "name me the hour." "Betwixt twelve and +one," said he; "for that is the sacred dismal time of night for fiends +to come, tombs to open and let loose their dead.--We shall have use of +both----" "No more," replied _Cesario_, "I will attend them." The +Prince was going out, when _Fergusano_ recalled him, and cried, "One +thing, sir, I must caution you, that from this minute to that, wherein +I shall shew you your destiny, you commit nothing unlawful with +women-kind." "Away," replied the Prince, smiling, "and leave your +canting." The wizard, putting on a more grave countenance, +replied--"By all the Infernals, sir, if you commit unlawful things I +cannot serve you." "If your devils," replied the Prince, laughing, "be +so nice, I doubt I shall find them too honest for my purpose." "Sir," +said the subtle old fiend, "such conscientious devils Your Highness is +to converse with to-night; and if you discover the secret, it will I +not prove so lucky." "Since they are so humorous," cried _Cesario_, "I +will give them way for once." And going out of the room, he went +directly to _Hermione_'s apartment; where, it being late, she is +preparing for bed, and with a thousand kisses, and hanging on his +neck, she asked him why he is so slow, and why he suffers not himself +to be undressed? He feigns a thousand excuses, at which she seems +extremely amazed; she complains, reproaches, and commands----He tells +her, he was to wait on the Governor about his most urgent affairs, and +was (late as it was) to consult with him: she asked him what affairs +he was to negotiate, of which she was not to bear her part? He refuses +to tell her, and she replied she had sense and courage for any +enterprise, and should resent it very ill, if she were not made +acquainted with it: but he swore I to her she should know all the +truth, as soon as he returned. + +'This pacified her in some measure, and at the hour appointed she +suffered him to go; and in a chair was carried to a little house +_Fergusano_ had taken without the town, to which belonged a large +garden, at the farther end of which was a thicket of unordered trees, +that surrounded the grotto, which I passed a good way under the +ground. It had had some rarities of water-work formerly belonging to +it, but now they were decayed; only here and there a broken rock let +out a little stream, that murmured and dashed upon the earth below, +and ran away in a little rivulet, which served to add a melancholy to +the dismal place: into this the Prince was conducted by the old +_German_, who assisted in the charm; they had only one torch to light +the way, which at the entrance of the cave they put out, and within +was only one glimmering lamp, that rather served to add to the horror +of the vault, discovering its hollowness and ruins. At his entrance, +he was saluted with a noise like the rushing of wind, which whizzed +and whistled in the mighty concave. Anon a more silent whispering +surrounded him, without being able to behold any creature save the old +_German_. Anon came in old _Fergusano_, who rolling a great stone, +that lay at one corner of the cave, he desired the Prince to place +himself on it, and not be surprised at any thing he should behold, nor +to stir from that enchanted ground; he, nodding, assented to obey, +while _Fergusano_ and the _German_, with each a wand in their hands, +struck against the unformed rocks that finished the end of the cave, +muttering a thousand incantations, with voices dreadful, and motions +antic; and, after a mighty stroke of thunder that shook the earth, the +rude rock divided, and opened a space that discovered a most +magnificent apartment; in which was presented a young hero, attended +with military officers; his pages dressing him for the field all in +gilded armour. The Prince began to doubt himself, and to swear in his +thought, that the apparition was himself, so very like he was to +himself, as if he had seen his proper figure in a glass. After this, +several persons seemed to address to this great man, of all sorts and +conditions, from the Prince to the peasant, with whom he seemed to +discourse with great confidence and affability; they offered him the +League, which he took and signed, and gave them back; they attend him +to the door with great joy and respect; but as soon as he was gone, +they laughed and pointed at him; at which the Prince infinitely +incensed, rose, and cried out, "What means all this; s'death, am I +become the scorn and mockery of the crowd?" _Fergusano_ besought him +to sit and have patience, and he obeyed, and checked himself. The +scene of the apartment being changed to an arbour of flowers, and the +prospect of a noble and ravishing garden, the hero is presented armed +as he was, only without his plume head-piece, kneeling at the feet of +a fair woman, in loose robes and hair, and attended with abundance of +little Loves, who disarm him by degrees of those ornaments of war. +While she caresses him with all the signs of love, the _Cupids_ made +garlands of flowers, and wreath round his arms and neck, crowning his +head, and fettering him all over in these sweet soft chains. They curl +his hair, and adorn him with all effeminacy while he lies smiling and +pleased,--the wanton boys disposing of his instruments of war as they +think fit, putting them to ridiculous uses, and laughing at them. +While thus he lay, there enter to him a great many statesmen, and +politicians; grave men in furs and chains, attended by the common +crowd; and opening a scene farther off in prospect, shew him crowns, +sceptres, globes, ensigns, arms, and trophies, promiscuously shuffled +together, with heaps of gold, jewels, parchments, records, charters +and seals; at which sight, he starts from the arms of the fair +_Medea_, and strove to have approached those who waited for him; but +she held him fast, and with abundance of tears and sighs of moving +flattery, brought him back to her arms again, and all dissatisfied the +promiscuous crowd depart, some looking back with scorn, others with +signs of rage: and all the scene of glory, of arms and crowns, +disappeared with the crowd. _Cesario_ wholly forgetting, cried out +again, "Ha! lost all for a trifling woman! Lost all those trophies of +thy conquest for a mistress! By heaven I will shake the charmer from +my soul, if both I cannot have." When _Fergusano_ advancing to him, +cried--"See, sir, how supinely the young hero's laid upon her downy +breast," and smiled as he spoke, which angered the Prince, who replied +with scorn, "Now, by my life, a plot upon my love;" but they protested +it was not so, and begged he would be silent. While thus the hero lay, +regardless of his glory, all decked with flowers and bracelets, the +drums beat, and the trumpets were heard, or seemed to be heard to +sound, and a vast opening space was filled with armed warriors, who +offer him their swords, and seem to point at crowns that were borne +behind them; a while they plead in vain, and point to crowns in vain, +at which he only casts a scornful smile, and lays him down in the soft +arms of love. They urge again, but with one amorous look the _Circe_ +more prevails than all their reasonings. At last, by force they +divested him of his rosy garlands, in which there lay a charm, and he +assumes new life, while others bore the enchantress out of his sight; +and then he suffered himself to be conducted where they pleased, who +led him forth, shewing him all the way a prospect of crowns. At this +_Cesario_ sighed, and the ceremony continued. + +'The scene changed, discovering a sea-shore, where the _hero_ is +represented landed, but with a very melancholy air, attended with +several officers and gentlemen; the earth seems to ring with joy and +loud acclamations at his approach; vast multitudes thronging to behold +him, and striving who first should kiss his hand; and bearing him +aloft in the air, carry him out of sight with peals of welcome and +joy. + +'He is represented next in Council and deep debate, and so disappears: +then soft music is heard, and he enters in the royal robe, with a +crown presented him on the knee, which he receives, and bows to all +the rabble and the numbers to give them thanks: he having in his hand +blue garters, with the order of St _Esprit_, which he distributes to +several persons on either hand; throwing ducal crowns and coronets +among the rabble, who scuffle and strive to catch at them: after a +great shout of joy, thunder and lightning again shook the earth; at +which they seemed all amazed, when a thick black cloud descended, and +covered the whole scene, and the rock closed again, and _Fergusano_ +let fall his wand. + +'The Prince, seeing the ceremony end here, rises in a rage, and cries +out, "I charge you to go on----remove the veil, and let the sun +appear; advance your mystic wand, and shew what follows next." "I +cannot, sir," replied the trembling wizard, "the Fates have closed the +everlasting Book, forbidding farther search." "Then damn your scanted +art," replied the Prince, "a petty juggler could have done as much." +"Is it not enough," replied the _German_ rabbi, "that we have shewed +you crowned, and crowned in _France_ itself? I find the Infernals +themselves are bounded here, and can declare no more." "Oh, they are +petty powers that can be bounded," replied the Prince with scorn. They +strove with all their art to reconcile him, laying the fault on some +mistake of theirs, in the ingredients of the charm, which at another +time they would strive to prevent: they soothe him with all the hope +in the world, that what was left unrevealed must needs be as glorious +and fortunate to him, as what he had seen already, which was +absolutely to be depended on: thus they brought him to the open garden +again, where they continued their instructions to him, telling him, +that now was the time to arrive at all the glories he had seen; they +presented to him the state of affairs in _France_, and how much a +greater interest he had in the hearts of the people than their proper +monarch, arguing a thousand fallacies to the deluded hero, who blind +and mad with his dreams of glory, his visions and prospects, listened +with reverence and attention to all their false persuasions. I call +them false, madam, for I never had faith in those sort of people, and +am sorry so many great men and ladies of our time are so bewitched to +their prophecies. They there presented him with a list of all the +considerable of the Reformed Religion in _Paris_, who had assured him +aids of men and money in this expedition; merchants, rich tradesmen, +magistrates and gownmen of the Reformed Church and the law. Next to +this, another of the contribution of pious ladies; all which sums +being named, amounted to a considerable supply; so that they assured +him hell itself could not with these aids obstruct his glory, but on +the contrary, should be compelled to render him assistance, by the +help of charms, to make him invincible; so that wholly overcome by +them, he has given order that all preparations be forthwith made for +the most secret and speedy conveyance of himself and friends to some +sea-port in _France_; he has ordered abundance of letters to be writ +to those of the _Huguenot_ party in all parts of _France_; all which +will be ready to assist him at his landing. _Fergusano_ undertakes for +the management of the whole affair, to write, to speak, and to +persuade; and you know, madam, he is the most subtle and insinuating +of all his non-conforming race, and the most malignant of all our +party, and sainted by them for the most pious and industrious labourer +in the _Cause_; all that he says is oracle to the crowd, and all he +says authentic; and it is he alone is that great engine that sets the +great work a turning.' 'Yes,' replied _Sylvia_, 'and makes the giddy +world mad with his damnable notions.' 'Pernicious as he is,' replied +_Brilliard_, 'he has the sole management of affairs under _Hermione_; +he has power to treat, to advise, to raise money, to make and name +officers, and lastly, to draw out a scene of fair pretences for +_Cesario_ to the Crown of _France_, and the lawfulness of his claim; +for let the conquest be never so sure, the people require it, and the +conqueror is obliged to give some better reason than that of the +strength of his sword, for his dominion over them. This pretension is +a declaration, or rather a most scandalous, pernicious and treasonable +libel, if I may say so, who have so great an interest in it, penned +with all the malice envy can invent; the most unbred, rude piece of +stuff, as makes it apparent the author had neither wit nor common good +manners; besides the hellish principles he has made evident there. My +lord would have no hand in the approbation of this gross piece of +villainous scandal, which has more unfastened him from their interest, +than any other designs, and from which he daily more and more +declines, or seems disgusted with, though he does not wholly intend to +quit the interest; having no other probable means to make good that +fortune, which has been so evidently and wholly destroyed by it.' 'I +am extremely glad,' said _Sylvia_,'that _Philander's_ sentiments are +so generous, and am at nothing so much amazed, as to hear the Prince +could suffer so gross a thing to pass in his name.' 'I must,' said +_Brilliard_,'do the Prince right in this point, to assure you when the +thing was first in the rough draught shewed him, he told _Fergusano_, +that those accusations of a crowned head, were too villainous for the +thoughts of a gentleman; and giving it him again--cried--"No--let it +never be said, that the royal blood that runs in my veins, could +dictate to me no more noble ways for its defence and pretensions, than +the mean cowardice of lies; and that to attain to empire, I should +have recourse to the most detestable of all shifts. No, no, my too +zealous friend," continued he, "I will, with only my sword in my hand, +at the head of my army proclaim my right, and demand a crown, which if +I win is mine; if not, it is his whose sword is better or luckier; and +though the future world may call this unjust, at least they will say +it was brave." At this the wizard smiled, and replied, "Alas, sir, had +we hitherto acted by rules of generosity only, we had not brought so +great advantages to our interest. You tell me, sir, of a speech you +will make, with your sword in your hand, that will do very well at the +head of an army, and a handsome declaration would be proper for men of +sense; but this is not to the wise, but to the fools, on whom nothing +will pass, but what is penned to their capacity, and who will not be +able to hear the speeches you shall make to an army: this is to rouse +them, and find them wherever they are, how far remote soever from you, +that at once they may be incited to assist you, and espouse your +interest: this is the sort of gospel they believe; all other is too +fine: believe me, sir, it is by these gross devices you are to +persuade those sons of earth, whose spirits never mounted above the +dunghill, whence they grew like over-ripe pumpkins. Lies are the +spirit that inspires them, they are the very brandy that makes them +valiant; and you may as soon beat sense into their brains, as the very +appearance of truth; it is the very language of the scarlet beast to +them. They understand no other than their own, and he that does, knows +to what ends we aim. No matter, sir, what tools you work withal, so +the finished piece be fine at last. Look forward to the goal, a crown +attends it! and never mind the dirty road that leads to it." 'With +such false arguments as these, he wrought upon the easy nature of the +Prince, who ordered some thousands of them to be printed for their +being dispersed all over France, as soon as they should be landed: +especially among the _Parisians_, too apt to take any impressions that +bore the stamp and pretence of religion and liberty. + +'While these and all other things necessary were preparing, _Cesario_, +wholly given over to love, being urged by _Hermione_ to know the +occasion of his last night's absence, unravels all the secret, and +told my lord and her, one night at supper, the whole scene of the +_grotto_; so that _Hermione_, more than ever being puffed up with +ambitious thoughts, hastened to have the Prince pressed to marry her; +and consulting with the counsellor of her closest secrets, sets him +anew to work; swearing violently, that if he did not bring that design +about, she should be able, by her ascendancy over _Cesario_, to ruin +all those they had undertaken, and yet turn the Prince from the +enterprise; and that it was more to satisfy her ambition (to which +they were obliged for all the Prince had promised) that he had +undertaken to head an army, and put himself again into the hands of +the _Huguenots_, and forsake all the soft repose of love and life, +than for any inclination or ambition of his own; and that she who had +power to animate him one way, he might be assured had the same power +another. This she ended in very high language, with a look too fierce +and fiery to leave him any doubt of; and he promised all things should +be done as she desired, and that he would overcome the Prince, and +bring him absolutely under her power. "Not," said she, with a scornful +look, "that I need your aid in this affair, or want of power of my own +to command it; but I will not have him look upon it as my act alone, +or a thing of my seeking, but by your advice shall be made to +understand it is for the good of the public; that having to do with a +sort of people of the Reformed Religion, whose pretences were more +nice than wise, more seemingly zealous than reasonable or just, they +might look upon the life she led the Prince as scandalous, that was +not justified by form, though never so unlawful." A thousand things +she urged to him, who needed no instruction how to make that appear +authentic and just, however contrary to religion and sense: but, so +informed, he parted from her, and told her the event should declare +his zeal for her service, and so it did; for he no sooner spoke of it +to the Prince, but he took the hint as a divine voice; his very soul +flushed in his lovely cheeks, and all the fire of love was dancing in +his eyes: yet, as if he had feared what he wished could not handsomely +and lawfully be brought to pass, he asked a thousand questions +concerning it, all which the subtle wizard so well resolved, at least +in his judgement, who easily was convinced of what he wished, that he +no longer deferred his happiness, but that very night, in the visit he +made _Hermione_, fell at her feet, and implored her consent of what he +told her _Fergusano_ had fully convinced him was necessary for his +interest and glory, neither of which he could enjoy or regard, if she +was not the partner of them; and that when he should go to _France_, +and put himself in the field to demand a crown, he should do it with +absolute vigour and resolution, if she were to be seated as queen on +the same throne with him, without whom a cottage would be more +pleasant; and he could relish no joys that were not as entirely and +immediately hers as his own: he pleaded impatiently for what she +longed, and would have made her petition for, and all the while she +makes a thousand doubts and scruples only to be convinced and +confirmed by him; and after seeming fully satisfied, he led her into a +chamber (where _Fergusano_ waited, and only her woman, and his +faithful confidant _Tomaso_) and married her: since which, she has +wholly managed him with greater power than before; takes abundance of +state, is extremely elevated, I will not say insolent; and though they +do not make a public declaration of this, yet she owns it to all her +intimates; and is ever reproaching my lord with his lewd course of +life, wholly forgetting her own; crying out upon infamous women, as if +she had been all the course of her life an innocent.' + +By this time dinner was ended, and _Sylvia_ urged _Brilliard_ to +depart with her letter; but he was extremely surprised to find it to +be to the Governor's nephew _Don Alonzo_, who was his lord's friend, +and who would doubtless give him an account of all, if he did not shew +him the billet: all these reasons could not dissuade this fickle +wanderer, whose heart was at that time set on this young inconstant, +at least her inclinations: he tells her that her life would be really +in danger, if _Philander_ comes to the knowledge of such an intrigue, +which could not possibly be carried on in that town without noise; she +tells him she is resolved to quit that false injurer of her fame and +beauty; who had basely abandoned her for other women of less merit, +even since she had pardoned him the crimes of love he committed at +_Cologne_; that while he was in the country with her during the time +of her lying-in, he had given himself to all that would receive him +there; that, since he came away, he had left no beauty unattempted; +and could he possibly imagine her of a spirit to bow beneath such +injuries? No, she would on to all the revenges her youth and beauty +were capable of taking, and stick at nothing that led to that +interest; and that if he did not join with her in her noble design she +would abandon him, and put herself wholly out of his protection: this +she spoke with a fierceness that made the lover tremble with fear of +losing her: he therefore told her she had reason; and that since she +was resolved, he would confess to her that _Philander_ was the most +perfidious creature in the world; and that _Hermione_, the haughty +_Hermione_, who hated naughty women, invited and treated all the +handsome ladies of the Court to balls, and to the Basset-table, and +made very great entertainments, only to draw to her interest all the +brave and the young men; and that she daily gained abundance by these +arts to _Cesario_, and above all strove by these amusements to engage +_Philander_, whom she perceived to grow cold in the great concern; +daily treating him with variety of beauty; so that there was no +gaiety, no gallantry, or play, but at _Hermione_'s, whither all the +youth of both qualities repaired; and it was there the Governor's +nephew was every evening to be found. 'Possibly, madam, I had not told +you this, if the Prince's bounty had not taken me totally off from +_Philander_; so that I have no other dependence on him, but that of my +respect and duty, out of perfect gratitude.' After this, to gain +_Brilliard_ entirely, she assured him if his fortune were suitable to +her quality, and her way of life, she believed she should devote +herself to him; and though what she said were the least of her +thoughts, it failed not to flatter him agreeably, and he sighed with +grief that he could not engage her; all he could get was little enough +to support him fine, which he was always as any person of quality at +Court, and appeared as graceful, and might have had some happy minutes +with very fine ladies, who thought well of him. To salve this defect +of want of fortune, he told her he had received a command from +_Octavio_ to come to him about settling of a very considerable pension +upon her, and that he had at his investing put money into his aunt's +hands, who was a woman of considerable quality, to be disposed of to +that charitable use; and that if she pleased to maintain her rest of +fame, and live without receiving love-visits from men, she might now +command that, which would be a much better and nobler support than +that from a lover, which would be transitory, and last but as long as +her beauty, or a less time, his love. To this she knew not what to +answer, but ready money being the joy of her heart, and the support of +her vanity, she seems to yield to this, having said so much before; +and she considered she wanted a thousand things to adorn her beauty, +being very expensive; she was impatient till this was performed, and +deferred the sending to _Don Alonzo_, though her thoughts were +perpetually on him. She, by the advice of _Brilliard_, writes a letter +to _Octavio_; which was not like those she had before written, but as +an humble penitent would write to a ghostly Father, treating him with +all the respect that was possible; and if ever she mentioned love, it +was as if her heart had violently, and against her will, burst out +into softness, as still she retained there; and then she would take up +again, and ask pardon for that transgression; she told him it was a +passion, which, though she could never extinguish for him, yet that it +should never warm her for another, but she would leave _Philander_ to +the world, and retire where she was not known, and try to make up her +broken fortunes; with abundance of things to this purpose, which he +carried to _Octavio_: he said he could have wished she would have +retired to a monastery, as all the first part of her letter had given +him hope; and resolved, and retired as he was, he could not read this +without extreme confusion and change of countenance. He asked +_Brilliard_ a thousand times whether he believed he might trust her, +or if she would abandon those ways of shame, that at last lost all: he +answered, he verily believed she would. 'However,' said _Octavio_, 'it +is not my business to capitulate, but to believe and act all things, +for the interest and satisfaction of her whom I yet adore;' and +without further delay, writ to his aunt, to present _Sylvia_ with +those sums he had left for her; and which had been sufficient to have +made her happy all the rest of her life, if her sins of love had not +obstructed it. However, she no sooner found herself mistress of so +considerable a sum, but in lieu of retiring, and ordering her affairs +so as to render it for ever serviceable to her, the first thing she +does, is to furnish herself with new coach and equipage, and to lavish +out in clothes and jewels a great part of it immediately; and was +impatient to be seen on the _Tour_, and in all public places; nor +could _Brilliard_ persuade the contrary, but against all good manners +and reason, she flew into most violent passions with him, till he had +resolved to give her her way; it happened that the first day she +shewed on the _Tour_, neither _Philander_, _Cesario_ nor _Hermione_ +chanced to be there; so that at supper it was all the news, how +glorious a young creature was seen only with one lady, which was +_Antonet_, very well dressed, in the coach with her: every body that +made their court that night to _Hermione_ spoke of this new vision, as +the most extraordinary charmer that had ever been seen; all were that +day undone with love, and none could learn who this fair destroyer +was; for all the time of _Sylvia_'s being at _Brussels_ before, her +being big with child had kept her from appearing in all public places; +so that she was wholly a new face to all that saw her; and it is easy +to be imagined what charms that delicate person appeared with to all, +when dressed to such advantage, who naturally was the most beautiful +creature in the world, with all the bloom of youth that could add to +beauty. Among the rest that day that lost their hearts, was the +Governor's nephew, who came into the Presence that night wholly +transported, and told _Hermione_ he died for the lovely charmer he had +that day seen; so that she, who was the most curious to gain all the +beauties to her side, that the men might be so too, endeavoured all +she could to find out where this beauty dwelt. _Philander_, now grown +the most amorous and gallant in the world, grew passionately in love +with the very description of her, not imagining it had been _Sylvia_, +because of her equipage: he knew she loved him, at least he thought +she loved him too well to conceal herself from him, or be in +_Brussels_, and not let him know it; so that wholly ravished with the +description of the imagined new fair one, he burnt with desire of +seeing her; and all this night was passed in discourse of this +stranger alone; the next day her livery being described to _Hermione_, +she sent two pages all about the town, to see if they could discover a +livery so remarkable; and that if they did, they should inquire of +them who they belonged to, and where that person's lodging was. This +was not a very difficult matter to perform: _Brussels_ is not a large +place, and it was soon surveyed from one end to the other: at last +they met with two of her footmen, whom they saluted, and taking notice +of their livery, asked them who they belonged to? These lads were +strangers to the lady they served, and newly taken; and _Sylvia_ at +first coming, resolved to change her name, and was called Madame +de----, a name very considerable in _France_, which they told the +pages, and that she lived in such a place: this news _Hermione_ no +sooner heard, but she sends a gentleman in the name of the Prince and +herself to compliment her, and tell her she had the honour to know +some great persons of that name in _France_, and did not doubt but she +was related to them: she therefore sent to offer her her friendship, +which possibly in a strange place might not be unserviceable to her, +and that she should be extreme glad to see her at Court, that is, at +_Cesario_'s palace. The gentleman who delivered this message, being +surprised at the dazzling beauty of the fair stranger, was almost +unassured in his address, and the manner of it surprised _Sylvia_ no +less, to be invited as a strange lady by one that hated her; she could +not tell whether it were real, or a plot upon her; however she made +answer, and bid him tell Madam the Princess, which title she gave her, +that she received her compliment as the greatest honour that could +arrive to her, and that she would wait upon Her Highness, and let her +know from her own mouth the sense she had of the obligation. The +gentleman returned and delivered his message to _Hermione_; but so +altered in his look, so sad and unusual, that she took notice of it, +and asked him how he liked the new beauty: he blushed and bowed, and +told her she was a wonder----This made _Hermione_'s colour rise, it +being spoke before _Cesario_; for though she was assured of the hero's +heart, she hated he should believe there was a greater beauty in the +world, and one universally adored. She knew not how so great a miracle +might work upon him, and began to repent she had invited her to Court. + +In the mean time _Sylvia_, after debating what to do in this affair, +whether to visit _Hermione_ and discover herself, or to remove from +_Brussels_, resolved rather upon the last; but she had fixed her +design as to _Don Alonzo_, and would not depart the town. To her +former beginning flame for him was added more fuel; she had seen him +the day before on the _Tour_; she had seen him gaze at her with all +the impatience of love, with madness of passion in his eyes, ready to +fling himself out of the coach every time she passed by: and if he +appeared beautiful before, when in his riding dress, and harassed for +four nights together with love and want of sleep; what did he now +appear to her amorous eyes and heart? She had wholly forgot _Octavio_, +_Philander_ and all, and made a sacrifice of both to this new young +lover: she saw him with all the advantages of dress, magnificent as +youth and fortune could invent; and above all, his beauty and his +quality warmed her heart anew; and what advanced her flame yet +farther, was a vanity she had of fixing the dear wanderer, and making +him find there was a beauty yet in the world, that could put an end to +his inconstancy, and make him languish at her feet as long as she +pleased. Resolved on this new design, she defers it no longer; but as +soon as the persons of quality, who used to walk every evening in the +park, were got together, she accompanied with _Antonet_, and three or +four strange pages and footmen, went into the park, and dressed in +perfect glory. She had not walked long there before she saw _Don +Alonzo_, richer than ever in his habit, and more beautiful to her eyes +than any thing she had ever seen; he was gotten among the young and +fair, caressing, laughing, playing, and acting all the little +wantonnesses of youth. _Sylvia_'s blood grew disordered at this, and +she found she loved by her jealousy, and longs more than ever to have +the glory of vanquishing that heart, that so boasted of never having +yet been conquered. She therefore uses all her art to get him to look +at her; she passed by him often, and as often as she did so he viewed +her with pleasure; her shape, her air, her mien, had something so +charming, as, without the assistance of her face, she gained that +evening a thousand conquests; but those were not the trophies she +aimed at, it was _Alonzo_ was the marked-out victim, that she +destined for the sacrifice of love. She found him so engaged with +women of great quality, she almost despaired to get to speak to +him; her equipage which stood at the entrance of the park, not +being by her, he did not imagine this fine lady to be her he saw +on the _Tour_ last night; yet he looked at her so much, as gave +occasion to those he was with to rally him extremely, and tell him he +was in love with what he had not seen, and who might, notwithstanding +all that delicate appearance, be ugly when her mask was off. _Sylvia_, +however, still passed on with abundance of sighing lovers after her, +some daring to speak, others only languishing; to all she would +vouchsafe no word, but made signs, as if she were a stranger, and +understood them not; at last _Alonzo_, wholly impatient, breaks from +these ralliers, and gets into the crowd that pursued this lovely +unknown: her heart leaped when he approached her, and the first thing +she did was to pull off her glove, and not only shew the fairest hand +that ever nature made, but that ring on her finger _Alonzo_ gave her +when they parted at the village. The hand alone was enough to invite +all eyes with pleasure to look that way; but _Alonzo_ had a double +motive, he saw the hand with love, and the ring with jealousy and +surprise; and as it is natural in such cases, the very first thought +that possessed him was, that the young _Bellumere_ (for so _Sylvia_ +had called herself at the village) was a lover of this lady, and had +presented her this ring. And after his sighings and little pantings, +that seized him at this thought, would give him leave, he bowing and +blushing cried--'Madam, the whole piece must be excellent, when the +pattern is so very fine.' And humbly begging the favour of a nearer +view, he took her hand and kissed it with a passionate eagerness, +which possibly did not so well please _Sylvia_, because she did not +think he took her for the same person, to whom he shewed such signs of +love last night. In taking her hand he surveyed the ring, and +cried,--'Madam, would to heaven I could lay so good a claim to this +fair hand, as I think I once could to this ring, which this hand +adorns and honours.' 'How, sir,' replied _Sylvia_, 'I hope you will +not charge me with felony?' 'I am afraid I shall,' replied he sighing, +'for you have attacked me on the King's high-way, and have robbed me +of a heart:' 'I could never have robbed a person,' said _Sylvia_, 'who +could more easily have parted with that trifle; the next fair object +will redeem it, and it will be very little the worse for my using.' +'Ah Madam,' replied he sighing, 'that will be according as you will +treat it; for I find already you have done it more damage, than it +ever sustained in all the rencounters it has had with love and +beauty.' 'You complain too soon,' replied _Sylvia_, smiling, 'and you +ought to make a trial of my good nature, before you reproach me with +harming you.' 'I know not,' replied _Alonzo_ sighing, 'what I may +venture to hope from that; but I am afraid, from your inclinations, I +ought to hope for nothing, since a thousand reasonable jealousies +already possess me, from the sight of that ring; and I more than doubt +I have a powerful rival, a youth of the most divine form, I ever met +with of his sex; if from him you received it, I guess my fate.' 'I +perceive, stranger,' said _Sylvia_, 'you begin to be inconstant +already, and find excuses to complain on your fate before you have +tried your fortune. I persuade myself that fine person you speak of, +and to whom you gave this ring, has so great a value for you, that to +leave you no excuse, I assure you, he will not be displeased to find +you a rival, provided you prove a very constant lover.' 'I confess,' +said _Alonzo_, 'constancy is an imposition I never yet had the +confidence and ill nature to impose on the fair; and indeed I never +found that woman yet, of youth and beauty, that ever set so small a +value on her own charms, to be much in love with that dull virtue, and +require it of my heart; but, upon occasion, madam, if such an +unreasonable fair one be found'----'I am extremely sorry' (interrupted +_Sylvia_) 'to find you have no better way of recommending yourself; +this will be no great encouragement to a person of my humour to +receive your address.' 'Madam, I do not tell you that I am not in my +nature wondrous constant,' replied he; 'I tell you only what has +hitherto happened to me, not what will; that I have yet never been so, +is no fault of mine, but power or truth in those beauties, to whom I +have given my heart; rather believe they wanted charms to hold me, +than that I, (where wit and beauty engaged me) should prove so false +to my own pleasure. I am very much afraid, madam, if I find my eyes as +agreeably entertained when I shall have the honour to see your face, +as my ears are with your excellent wit, I shall be reduced to that +very whining, sighing coxcomb, you like so well in a lover, and be +ever dying at your feet. I have but one hope left to preserve myself +from this wretched thing you women love; that is, that I shall not +find you so all over charming, as what I have hitherto found presents +itself to be. You have already created love enough in me for any +reasonable woman, but I find you are not to be approached with the +common devotions we pay your sex; but, like your beauty, the passion +too must be great, and you are not content unless you see your lovers +die; this is that fatal proof alone that can satisfy you of their +passion. And though you laugh to see a Sir _Courtly Nice_, a fop in +fashion acted on the stage; in your hearts that foolish thing, that +fine neat pasquil, is your darling, your fine gentleman, your +well-bred person.' + +Thus sometimes in jest, and sometimes in earnest, they recommended +themselves to each other, and to so great a degree, that it was +impossible for them to be more charmed on either side, which lasted +'till it was time to depart; but he besought her not to do so, 'till +she had informed him where he might wait on her, and most passionately +solicit, what she as passionately desired: 'To tell you truth,' said +she, 'I cannot permit you that freedom without you ask it of +_Bellumere_.' He replied, 'Next to waiting on her, he should be the +most overjoyed in the world, to pay his respects to that young +gentleman.' However, to name him, gave him a thousand fears; which +when he would have urged, she bid him trust to the generosity of that +man, who was of quality, and loved him; she then told him his lodgings +(which were her own): _Alonzo_, infinitely overjoyed, resolved to lose +no time, but promised that evening to visit him: and at their parting, +he treated her with so much passionate respect, that she was vexed to +see it paid to one he yet knew not. However, she verily believed her +conquest was certain: he having seen her three times, and all those +times for a several person, and yet was still in love with her; and +she doubted not, when all three were joined in one, he would be much +more in love than yet he had been; with this assurance they parted. + +_Sylvia_ was no sooner got home, but she resolved to receive _Alonzo_, +who she was assured would come: she hasted to dress herself in a very +rich suit of man's clothes, to receive him as the young _French_ +gentleman. She believed _Brilliard_ would not come 'till late, as was +his use, now being at play at _Hermione_'s. She looked extreme pretty +when she was dressed, and had all the charms that heaven could adorn a +face and shape withal: her apartment was very magnificent, and all +looked very great. She was no sooner dressed, but the young lover +came. _Sylvia_ received him on the stair-case with open arms, and all +the signs of joy that could be expressed, and led him to a rich +drawing-room, where she began to entertain him with that happy night's +adventure; when they both lay together at the village; while _Alonzo_ +makes imperfect replies, wholly charmed with the look of the young +cavalier, which so resembled what he had seen the day before in +another garb on the _Tour_. He is wholly ravished with his voice, it +being absolutely the same, that had charmed him that day in the park; +the more he gazed and listened, the more he was confirmed in his +opinion, that he was the same, and he had the music of that dear +accent still in his ears, and could not be deceived. A thousand times +he is about to kneel before her, and ask her pardon, but still is +checked by doubt: he sees, he hears, this is the same lovely youth, +who lay in bed with him at the village _cabaret_; and then no longer +thinks her woman: he hears and sees it is the same face, and voice, +and hands he saw on the _Tour_, and in the park, and then believes her +woman: while he is in these perplexities, _Sylvia_, who with vanity +and pride perceived his disorder, taking him in her arms, cried, +'Come, my _Alonzo_, that you shall no longer doubt but I am perfectly +your friend, I will shew you a sister of mine, whom you will say is a +beauty, or I am too partial, and I will have your judgement of her.' +With that she called to _Antonet_ to beg her lady would permit her to +bring a young stranger to kiss her hand. The maid, instructed, +retires, and _Alonzo_ stood gazing on _Sylvia_ as one confounded and +amazed, not knowing yet how to determine; he now begins to think +himself mistaken in the fair youth, and is ready to ask his pardon for +a fault but imagined, suffering by his silence the little prattler to +discourse and laugh at him at his pleasure. 'Come,' said _Sylvia_ +smiling, 'I find the naming a beauty to you has made you melancholy; +possibly when you see her she will not appear so to you; we do not +always agree in one object.' 'Your judgement,' replied _Alonzo_, 'is +too good to leave me any hope of liberty at the sight of a fine woman; +if she be like yourself I read my destiny in your charming face.' +_Sylvia_ answered only with a smile--and calling again for _Antonet_, +she asked if her sister were in a condition of being seen; she told +her she was not, but all undressed and in her night-clothes; 'Nay +then,' said _Sylvia_, 'I must use my authority with her:' and leaving +_Alonzo_ trembling with expectation, she ran to her dressing-room, +where all things were ready, and slipping off her coat put on a rich +night-gown, and instead of her peruke, fine night-clothes, and came +forth to the charmed _Alonzo_, who was not able to approach her, she +looked with such a majesty, and so much dazzling beauty; he knew her +to be the same he had seen on the _Tour_. She, (seeing he only gazed +without life or motion) approaching him, gave him her hand, and +cried--'Sir, possibly this is a more old acquaintance of yours than my +face.' At which he blushed and bowed, but could not speak: at last +_Sylvia_, laughing out-right, cried--'Here, _Antonet_, bring me again +my peruke, for I find I shall never be acquainted with _Don Alonzo_ in +petticoats.' At this he blushed a thousand times more than before, and +no longer doubted but this charmer, and the lovely youth were one; he +fell at her feet, and told her he was undone, for she had made him +give her so indisputable proofs of his dullness, he could never hope +she should allow him capable of eternally adoring her. 'Rise,' cried +_Sylvia_ smiling, 'and believe you have not committed so great an +error, as you imagine; the mistake has been often made, and persons of +a great deal of wit have been deceived.' 'You may say what you +please,' replied _Alonzo_, 'to put me in countenance; but I shall +never forgive myself the stupidity of that happy night, that laid me +by the most glorious beauty of the world, and yet afforded me no kind +instinct to inform my soul how much I was blest: oh pity a +wretchedness, divine maid, that has no other excuse but that of +infatuation; a thousand times my greedy ravished eyes wandered over +the dazzling brightness of yours; a thousand times I wished that +heaven had made you woman! and when I looked, I burnt; but, when I +kissed those soft, those lovely lips, I durst not trust my heart; for +every touch begot wild thoughts about it; which yet the course of all +my fiery youth, through all the wild debauches I had wandered, had +never yet betrayed me to; and going to bed with all this love and fear +about me, I made a solemn oath not to approach you, lest so much +beauty had overcome my virtue. But by this new discovery, you have +given me a flame, I have no power nor virtue to oppose: it is just, it +is natural to adore you; and not to do it, were a greater than my sin +of dullness; and since you have made me lose a charming friend, it is +but just I find a mistress; give me but your permission to love, and I +will give you all my life in service, and wait the rest: I will watch +and pray for coming happiness; which I will buy at any price of life +or fortune.' 'Well, sir,' replied our easy fair one; 'if you believe +me worth a conquest over you, convince me you can love; for I am no +common beauty to be won with petty sudden services; and could you lay +an empire at my feet, I should despise it where the heart were +wanting.' You may believe the amorous youth left no argument to +convince her in that point unsaid; and it is most certain they came to +so good an understanding, that he was not seen in _Brussels_ for eight +days and nights after, nor this rare beauty, for so long a time, seen +on the _Tour_ or any public place. _Brilliard_ came every day to visit +her, and receive her commands, as he used to do, but was answered +still that _Sylvia_ was ill, and kept her chamber, not suffering even +her domestics to approach her: this did not so well satisfy the +jealous lover, but he soon imagined the cause, and was very much +displeased at the ill treatment; if such a design had been carried on, +he desired to have the management of it, and was angry that _Sylvia_ +had not only deceived him in the promise he had made for her to +_Octavio_, but had done her own business without him: he spoke some +hard words; so that to undeceive him she was forced to oblige _Alonzo_ +to appear at Court again; which she had much ado to incline him to, so +absolutely she had charmed him; however he went, and she suffered +_Brilliard_ to visit her, persuading that easy lover (as all lovers +are easy) that it was only indisposition, that hindered her of the +happiness of seeing him; and after having perfectly reconciled herself +to him, she asked him the news at _Hermione_'s, to whom, I had forgot +to tell you, she sent every day a page with a compliment, and to let +her know she was ill, or she should have waited on her: she every day +received the compliment from her again, as an unknown lady. +_Brilliard_ told her that all things were now prepared, and in a very +short time they should go for _France_; but that whatever the matter +was, _Philander_ almost publicly disowned the Prince's interest, and +to some very considerable of the party has given out, he does not like +the proceedings, and that he verily believed they would find +themselves all mistaken; and that instead of a throne the Prince would +meet a scaffold; 'so bold and open he has been. Something of it has +arrived to the Prince's ear, who was so far from believing it, that he +could hardly be persuaded to speak of it to him; and when he did, it +was with an assurance before-hand, that he did not credit such +reports. So that he gives him not the pain to deny them: for my part I +am infinitely afraid he will disoblige the Prince one day; for last +night, when the Prince desired him to get his equipage ready, and to +make such provision for you as was necessary, he coldly told him he +had a mind to go to _Vienna_, which at that time was besieged by +_Solyman_ the Magnificent, and that he had no inclination of returning +to _France_. This surprised and angered the Prince; but they parted +good friends at last, and he has promised him all things: so that I am +very well assured he will send me where he supposes you still are; and +how shall we manage that affair?' + +_Sylvia_, who had more cunning and subtleness than all the rest of her +sex, thought it best to see _Philander_, and part with him on as good +terms as she could, and that it was better he should think he yet had +the absolute possession of her, than that he should return to _France_ +with an ill opinion of her virtue; as yet he had known no guilt of +that kind, nor did he ever more than fear it with _Octavio_; so that +it would be easy for her to cajole him yet a little longer, and when +he was gone, she should have the world to range in, and possess this +new lover, to whom she had promised all things, and received from him +all assurances imaginable of inviolable love: in order to this then +she consulted with _Brilliard_; and they resolved she should for a few +days leave _Antonet_ with her equipage, at that house where she was, +and retire herself to the village where _Philander_ had left her, and +where he still imagined she was: she desired _Brilliard_ to give her a +day's time for this preparation, and it should be so. He left her, and +going to _Hermione_'s, meets _Philander_, who immediately gave him +orders to go to _Sylvia_ the next morning, and let her know how all +things went, and tell her, he would be with her in two days. In the +mean time _Sylvia_ sent for _Alonzo_, who was but that evening gone +from her. He flies on the wings of love, and she tells him, she is +obliged to go to a place six or seven days' journey off, whither he +could not conduct her, for reasons she would tell him at her return: +whatever he could plead with all the force of love to the contrary, +she gets his consent, with a promise wholly to devote herself to him +at her return, and pleased she sent him from her, when _Brilliard_ +returning told her the commands he had; and it was concluded they +should both depart next morning, accompanied only by her page. I am +well assured she was very kind to _Brilliard_ all that journey, and +which was but too visible to the amorous youth who attended them; so +absolutely had she depraved her reason, from one degree of sin and +shame to another; and he was happy above any imagination, while even +her heart was given to another, and when she could propose no other +interest in this looseness, but security, that _Philander_ should not +know how ill she had treated him. In four days _Philander_ came, and +finding _Sylvia_ more fair than ever, was anew pleased; for she +pretended to receive him with all the joy imaginable, and the deceived +lover believed, and expressed abundance of grief at the being obliged +to part from her; a great many vows and tears were lost on both sides, +and both believed true: but the grief of _Brilliard_ was not to be +conceived; he could not persuade himself he could live, when absent +from her: some bills _Philander_ left her, and was so plain with her, +and open-hearted, he told her that he went indeed with _Cesario_, but +it was in order to serve the King; that he was weary of their actions, +and foresaw nothing but ruin would attend them; that he never repented +him of any thing so much, as his being drawn in to that faction; in +which he found himself so greatly involved, he could not retire with +any credit; but since self-preservation was the first principle of +nature, he had resolved to make that his aim, and rather prove false +to a party, who had no justice and honour on their side, than to a +King, whom all the laws of heaven and earth obliged him to serve; +however, he was so far in the power of these people, that he could not +disengage himself without utter ruin to himself; but that as soon as +he was got into _France_, he would abandon their interest, let the +censuring world say what it would, who never had right notions of +things, or ever made true judgements of men's actions. + +He lived five or six days with _Sylvia_ there; in which time she +failed not to assure him of her constant fidelity a thousand ways, +especially by vows that left no doubt upon his heart; and it was now +that they both indeed found there was a very great friendship still +remaining at the bottom of their hearts for each other, nor did they +part without manifold proofs of it. _Brilliard_ took a sad and +melancholy leave of her, and had not the freedom to tell her aloud, +but obliged to depart with his lord, they left _Sylvia_, and posted to +_Brussels_, where they found the Prince ready to depart, having left +_Hermione_ to her women more than half dead. I have heard there never +was so sad a parting between two lovers; a hundred times they swooned +with the apprehension of the separation in each other's arms, and at +last the Prince was forced from her while he left her dead, and was +little better himself: he would have returned, but the officers and +people about him, who had espoused his quarrel, would by no means +suffer him: and he has a thousand times told a person very near him, +that he had rather have forfeited all his hoped-for glory, than have +left that charmer of his soul. After he had taken all care imaginable +for _Hermione_, for that name so dear to him was scarce ever out of +his mouth, he suffered himself with a heavy heart and pace to be +conducted to the vessel: and I have heard he was hardly seen to smile +all the little voyage, or his whole life after, or do any thing but +sigh, and sometimes weep, which was a very great discouragement to all +that followed him; they were a great while at sea, tossed to and fro +by stress of weather, and often driven back to the shore where they +first took shipping; and not being able to land where they first +designed, they got ashore in a little harbour, where no ship of any +bigness could anchor; so that with much ado, getting all their arms +and men on shore, they sunk the ship, both to secure any from flying, +and that it might not fall into the hands of the _French_. _Cesario_ +was no sooner on the _French_ shore, but numbers came to him of the +_Huguenot_ party, for whom he had arms, and who wanted them he +furnished as far as he could, and immediately proclaimed himself King +of _France_ and _Navarre_, while the dirty crowd rang him peals of +joy. But though the under world came in great crowds to his aid, he +wanted still the main supporters of his cause, the men of substantial +quality: if the ladies could have composed an army, he would not have +wanted one, for his beauty had got them all on his side, and he +charmed the fair wheresoever he rode. + +He marched from town to town without any opposition, proclaiming +himself king in all the places he came to; still gathering as he +marched, till he had composed a very formidable army. He made officers +of the kingdom--_Fergusano_ was to have been a cardinal, and several +lords and dukes were nominated; and he found no opposition in all his +prosperous course.--In the mean time the royal army was not idle, +which was composed of men very well disciplined, and conducted by +several princes and men of great quality and conduct. But as it is not +the business of this little history to treat of war, but altogether +love; leaving those rougher relations to the chronicles and +historiographers of those times, I will only hint on such things in +this enterprise, as are most proper for my purpose, and tell you, that +_Cesario_ omitted nothing for the carrying on his great design; he +dispersed his scandals all over _France_, though they met with an +obstruction at _Paris_, and were immediately suppressed, it being +proclaimed death for any person to keep one in their houses; and if +any should by chance come to their hands, they were on this penalty to +carry them to the Secretary of State; and after the punishment had +passed on two or three offenders, it deterred the rest from meddling +with those edge tools: I must tell you also, that the title of king, +which _Cesario_ had taken so early upon him, was much against his +inclinations; and he desired to see himself at the head of a more +satisfiable army, before he would take on him a title he found (in the +condition he was in) he should not defend; but those about him +insinuated to him, that it was the title that would not only make him +more venerable, but would make his cause appear more just and lawful; +and beget him a perfect adoration with those people who lived remote +from Courts, and had never seen that glorious thing called a king. So +that believing it would give nerves to the cause, he unhappily took +upon him that which ruined him; for he had often sworn to the greatest +part of those of any quality, of his interest, that his design was +liberty only, and that his end was the public good, so infinitely +above his own private interest, that he desired only the honour of +being the champion for the oppressed _Parisians_, and people of +_France_; that if they would allow him to lead their armies, to fight +and spend his dearest blood for them, it was all the glory he aimed +at: it was this pretended humility in a person of his high rank that +cajoled the _mobile_, who looked on him as their god, their deliverer, +and all that was sacred and dear to them; but the wiser sort regarded +him only as one that had most power and pretension to turn the whole +affairs of _France_, which they disliking, were willing at any price, +to reduce to their own conditions, and to what they desired; not +imagining he would have laid a claim to the Crown, which many of them +fancied themselves as capable of as himself, rather that he would +perhaps have set up the King of _Navarre_. This _Cesario_ knew; and +understanding their sentiments, was unwilling to hinder their joining +with him, by such a declaration, which he knew would be a means to +turn abundance of hearts against him, as indeed it fell out; and he +found himself master of some few towns, only with an army of fifteen +or sixteen thousand peasants, ill armed, unused to war, watchings, and +very ill lodging in the field, very badly victualled, and worse paid. +For, from _Paris_ no aids of any kind could be brought him; the roads +all along being so well guarded and secured by the royal forces, and +wanting some great persons to espouse his quarrel, made him not only +despair of success, but highly resent it of those, who had given him +so large promises of aid. Many, as I said, and most were disgusted +with his title of king; but some waited the success of his first +battle; which was every day expected, though _Cesario_ kept himself as +clear of the royal army as he could a long time, marching away as soon +as they drew near, hoping by these means, not only to tire them out, +and watch an advantage when to engage, but gather still more numbers. +So that the greatest mischief he did was teasing the royal army, who +could never tell where to have him, so dexterous he was in marching +off. They often came so near, as to have skirmishes with one another +by small parties, where some few men would fall on both sides: and to +say truth, _Cesario_ in this expedition shewed much more of a soldier +than the politician: his skill was great, his conduct good, expert in +advantages, and indefatigable in toils. And I have heard it from the +mouth of a gentleman, who in all that undertaking never was from him, +that in seven or eight weeks that he was in arms, he never absolutely +undressed himself, and hardly slept an hour in the four and twenty; +and that sometimes he was on his horse's back, in a chariot, or on the +ground, suffering even with the meanest of his soldiers all the +fatigues of the enterprise: this gentleman told me he would, in those +hours he should sleep, and wherein he was not taking measures and +councils, (which were always held in the night) that he would be +eternally speaking to him of _Hermione_; and that with the softest +concern, it was possible for love and tenderest passion to express. +That he being the only friend he could repose so great a weakness in, +and who soothed him to the degree he wished, the Prince was so well +pleased with him, as to establish him a colonel of horse, for no other +merit than that of having once served _Hermione_, and now would +flatter his disease agreeably: and though he did so, he protested he +was ashamed to hear how this poor fond concern rendered this great +man, and he has often pitied what should have been else admired; but +who can tell the force of love, backed by charms supernatural? And who +is it that will not sigh, at the fate of so illustrious a young man, +whom love had rendered the most miserable of all those numbers he led? + +But now the royal army, as if they had purposely suffered him to take +his tour about the country, to ensnare him with the more facility, had +at last, by new forces that came to their assistance daily, so +encompassed him, that it was impossible for him to avoid any longer +giving them battle; however, he had the benefit of posting himself the +most advantageously that he could wish; he had the rising grounds to +place his cannon, and all things concurred to give him success; his +numbers exceeding those of the royal army: not but he would have +avoided a set battle, if it had been possible, till he had made +himself master of some places of stronger hold; for yet, as I said, he +had only subdued some inconsiderable places which were not able to +make defence; and which as soon as he was marched out, surrendered +again to their lawful prince; and pulling down his proclamation, put +up those of the King: but he was on all sides so embarrassed, he could +not come even to parly with any town of note; so that, as I said, at +last, being as it were blocked up, though the royal army did not offer +him battle: three nights they lay thus in view of each other; the +first night the Prince sent out his scouts, who brought him +intelligence, that the enemy was not so well prepared for battle, as +they feared they might be, if they imagined the Prince would engage +them, but he had so often given them the slip, that they believed he +had no mind to put the fortune of the day to the push; and they were +glad of these delays, that new forces might advance. When the scouts +returned with this news, the Prince was impatient to fall upon the +enemy, but _Fergusano_, who was continually taking counsel of his +charms, and looking into his black Book of Fate, for every sally and +step they made, persuaded His Highness to have a little patience; +positively assuring him his fortune depended on a critical minute, +which was not yet come; and that if he offered to give battle before +the change of the moon, he was inevitably lost, and that the +attendance of that fortunate moment would be the beginning of those of +his whole life: with such like positive persuasions he gained upon the +Prince, and overcame his impatience of engaging for that night, all +which he passed in counsel, without being persuaded to take any rest, +often blaming the nicety of their art, and his stars; and often +asking, if they lost that opportunity that fortune had now given them, +whether all their arts, or stars, or devils, could retrieve it? And +nothing would that night appease him, or dispossess the sorcerers of +this opinion. + +The next day they received certain intelligence, that a considerable +supply would reinforce the royal army under the conduct of a Prince of +the Blood; which were every moment expected: this news made the Prince +rave, and he broke out into all the rage imaginable against the +wizards, who defended themselves with all the reasons of their art, +but it was all in vain, and he vowed he would that night engage the +enemy, if he found but one faithful friend to second him, though he +died in the attempt; that he was worn out with the toils he had +undergone; harassed almost to death, and would wait no longer the +approach of his lazy fate, but boldly advancing, meet it, what face so +ever it bore. They besought him on their knees, he would not overthrow +the glorious design, so long in bringing to perfection, just in the +very minute of happy projection; but to wait those certain Fates, that +would bring him glory and honour on their wings; and who, if slighted, +would abandon him to destruction; it was but some few hours more, and +then they were his own, to be commanded by him: it was thus they +drilled and delayed him on till night; when again he sent out his +scouts to discover the posture of the enemy; and himself in the mean +time went to Council. _Philander_ failed not to be sent for thither, +who sometimes feigned excuses to keep away, and when he did come, he +sat unconcerned, neither giving or receiving any advice. This was +taken notice of by all, but _Cesario_, who looked upon it as being +overwatched, and fatigued with the toils of the day; his sullenness +did not pass so in the opinion of the rest; they saw, or at least +thought they saw, some other marks of discontent in his fine eyes, +which love so much better became. One of the Prince's officers, and +Captain of his Guard, who was an old hereditary rogue, and whose +father had suffered in rebellion before, a fellow rough and daring, +comes boldly to the Prince when the Council rose, and asked him, if he +were resolved to engage? He told him, he was. 'Then,' said he, 'give +me leave to shoot _Philander_ in the head.' This blunt proposition +given, without any manner of reason or circumstance, made the Prince +start back a step or two, and ask him his meaning of what he said. +'Sir,' replied the Captain, 'if you will be safe, _Philander_ must +die; for however it appear to Your Highness, to all the camp he shows +the traitor, and it is more than doubted, he and the King of _France_, +understand one another but too well: therefore, if you would be +victor, let him be dispatched, and I myself will undertake it.' +'Hold,' said the Prince, 'if I could believe what you say to be true, +I should not take so base a revenge; I would fight like a soldier, and +he should be treated like a man of honour.' 'Sir,' said _Vaneur_, for +that was the Captain's name; 'do not, in the circumstances we are now +in, talk of treating (with those that would betray us) like men of +honour; we cannot stand upon decency in killing, who have so many to +dispatch; we came not into _France_ to fight duels, and stand on nice +punctilios: I say, we must make quick work, and I have a good pistol, +charged with two handsome bullets, that shall, as soon as he appears +amongst us on horseback, do his business as genteelly as can be, and +rid you of one of the most powerful of your enemies.' To this the +Prince would by no means agree; not believing one syllable of the +accusation. _Vaneur_ swore then that he would not draw a sword for his +service, while _Philander_ was suffered to live; and he was as good as +his word. He said, in going out, that he would obey the Prince, but he +begged his pardon, if he did not lift a hand on his side; and in an +hour after sent him his commission, and waited on him, and was with +him almost till the last, in all the danger, but would not fight, +having made a solemn vow. Several others were of _Vaneur_'s opinion, +but the Prince believed nothing of it; _Philander_ being indeed, as he +said, weary of the design and party, and regarded them as his ruiners, +who with fair pretences drew him into a bad cause; which his youth had +not then considered, and from which he could not untangle himself. + +By this time, the scout was come back, who informed the Prince that +now was the best time in the world to attack the enemy, who all lay +supinely in their tents, and did not expect a surprise: that the very +out-guards were slender, and that it would not be hard to put them to +a great deal of confusion. The Prince, who was enough impatient +before, now was all fire and spirit, and it was not in the power of +magic to withhold him; but hasting immediately to horse, with as much +speed as possible, he got at the head of his men; and marching on +directly to the enemy, put them into so great a surprise, that it may +be admired how they got themselves into a condition of defence; and, +to make short of a business that was not long in acting, I may avow, +nothing but the immediate hand of the Almighty, (who favours the +juster side, and is always ready for the support of those, who +approach so near his own divinity; sacred and anointed heads) could +have turned the fortune of the battle to the royal side: it was +prodigious to consider the unequal numbers, and the advantage all on +the Prince's part; it was miraculous to behold the order on his side, +and surprise on the other, which of itself had been sufficient to have +confounded them; yet notwithstanding all this unpreparedness on this +side, and the watchfulness and care on the other; so well the general +and officers of the royal army managed their scanted time, so bravely +disciplined and experienced the soldiers were, so resolute and brave, +and all so well mounted and armed, that, as I said, to a miracle they +fought, and it was a miracle they won the field: though that fatal +night _Cesario_ did in his own person wonders; and when his horse was +killed under him, he took a partisan, and as a common soldier, at the +head of his foot, acted the _hero_ with as much courage and bravery, +as ever _Caesar_ himself could boast; yet all this availed him +nothing: he saw himself abandoned on all sides, and then under the +covert of the night, he retired from the battle, with his sword in his +hand, with only one page, who fought by his side: a thousand times he +was about to fall on his own sword, and like _Brutus_ have finished a +life he could no longer sustain with glory: but love, that coward of +the mind, and the image of divine _Hermione_, as he esteemed her, +still gave him love to life; and while he could remember she yet lived +to charm him, he could even look with contempt on the loss of all his +glory; at which, if he repined, it was for her sake, who expected to +behold him return covered over with laurels. In these sad thoughts he +wandered as long as his wearied legs would bear him, into a low +forest, far from the camp; where, over-pressed with toil, all over +pain, and a royal heart even breaking with anxiety, he laid him down +under the shelter of a tree, and found but his length of earth left to +support him now, who, not many hours before, beheld himself the +greatest monarch, as he imagined, in the world. Oh who, that had seen +him thus; which of his most mortal enemies, that had viewed the royal +youth, adorned with all the charms of beauty, heaven ever distributed +to man; born great, and but now adored by all the crowding world with +hat and knee; now abandoned by all, but one kind trembling boy weeping +by his side, while the illustrious _hero_ lay gazing with melancholy +weeping eyes, at those stars that had lately been so cruel to him; +sighing out his great soul to the winds, that whistled round his +uncovered head; breathing his griefs as silently as the sad fatal +night passed away; where nothing in nature seemed to pity him, but the +poor wretched youth that kneeled by him, and the sighing air: I say, +who that beheld this, would not have scorned the world, and all its +fickle worshippers? Have cursed the flatteries of vain ambition, and +prized a cottage far above a throne? A garland wreathed by some fair +innocent hand, before the restless glories of a crown? + +Some authors, in the relation of this battle, affirm, that _Philander_ +quitted his post as soon as the charge was given, and sheered off from +that wing he commanded; but all historians agree in this point, that +if he did, it was not for want of courage; for in a thousand +encounters he has given sufficient proofs of as much bravery as a man +can be capable of: but he disliked the cause, disapproved of all their +pretensions, and looked upon the whole affair and proceeding to be +most unjust and ungenerous; and all the fault his greatest enemies +could charge him with was, that he did not deal so gratefully with a +prince that loved him and trusted him; and that he ought frankly to +have told him, he would not serve him in this design; and that it had +been more gallant to have quitted him that way, than this; but there +are so many reasons to be given for this more politic and safe deceit, +than are needful in this place, and it is most certain, as it is the +most justifiable to heaven and man, to one born a subject of _France_, +and having sworn allegiance to his proper king, to abandon any other +interest; so let the enemies of this great man say what they please, +if a man be obliged to be false to this or that interest, I think no +body of common honesty, sense and honour, will dispute which he ought +to abandon; and this is most certain, that he did not forsake him +because fortune did so, as this one instance may make appear. When +_Cesario_ was first proclaimed king, and had all the reason in the +world to believe that fortune would have been wholly partial to him, +he offered _Philander_ his choice of any principality and government +in _France_, and to have made him of the Order of _Saint Esprit_: all +which he refused, though he knew his great fortune was lost, and +already distributed to favourites at Court, and himself proscribed and +convicted as a traitor to _France_. Yet all these refusals did not +open the eyes of this credulous great young man, who still believed it +the sullenness and generosity of his temper. + +No sooner did the day discover to the world the horrid business of the +preceding night, but a diligent search was made among the infinite +number of dead that covered the face of the earth, for the body of the +Prince, or new King, as they called him: but when they could not find +him among the dead, they sent out parties all ways to search the +woods, the forests and the plains; nor was it long they sought in +vain; for he who had laid himself, as I said, under the shelter of a +tree, had not for any consideration removed him; but finding himself +seized by a common hand, suffered himself, without resistance, to be +detained by one single man 'till more advanced, when he could as +easily have killed the rustic as speak or move; an action so below the +character of this truly brave man, that there is no reason to be given +to excuse his easy submission but this, that he was stupefied with +long watching, grief, and the fatigues of his daily toil for so many +weeks before: for it is not to be imagined it was carelessness, or +little regard for life; for if it had been so, he would doubtless have +lost it nobly with the victory, and never have retreated while there +had been one sword left advanced against him; or if he had disdained +the enemy should have had the advantage and glory of so great a +conquest, at least when his sword had been yet left him, he should +have died like a _Roman_, and have scorned to have added to the +triumph of the enemy. But love had unmanned his great soul, and +_Hermione_ pleaded within for life at any price, even that of all his +glory; the thought of her alone blackened this last scene of his life, +and for which all his past triumphs could never atone nor excuse. + +Thus taken, he suffered himself to be led away tamely by common hands +without resistance: a victim now even fallen to the pity of the +_mobile_ as he passed, and so little imagined by the better sort who +saw him not, they would not give a credit to it, every one affirming +and laying wagers he would die like a hero, and never surrender with +life to the conqueror. But this submission was but too true for the +repose of all his abettors; nor was his mean surrender all, but he +shewed a dejection all the way they were bringing him to _Paris_, so +extremely unworthy of his character, that it is hardly to be credited +so great a change could have been possible. And to shew that he had +lost all his spirit and courage with the victory, and that the great +strings of his heart were broke, the Captain who had the charge of +him, and commanded that little squadron that conducted him to _Paris_, +related to me this remarkable passage in the journey; he said, that +they lodged in an inn, where he believed both the master, and a great +many strangers who that night lodged there, were _Huguenots_, and +great lovers of the Prince, which the Captain did not know, till after +the lodgings were taken: however, he ordered a file of Musketeers to +guard the door; and himself only remaining in the chamber with the +Prince, while supper was getting ready: the Captain being extremely +weary with watching and toiling for a long time together, laid himself +down on a bench behind a great long table, that was fastened to the +floor, and had unadvisedly laid his pistols on the table; and though +he durst not sleep, he thought there to stretch himself into a little +ease, who had not quitted his horseback in a great while: the Prince, +who was walking with his arms a-cross about the room, musing in a very +dejected posture, often casting his eyes to the door, at last advances +to the table, and takes up the Captain's pistols; the while he who saw +him advance, feared in that moment, what the Prince was going to do; +he thought, if he should rise and snatch at the pistols, and miss of +them, it would express so great a distrust of the Prince, it might +provoke him to do, what by his generous submitting of them, might make +him escape; and therefore, since it was too late, he suffered the +Prince to arm himself with two pistols, who before was disarmed of +even his little penknife. He was, he said, a thousand times about to +call out to the guards; but then he thought before they could enter to +his relief, he was sure to be shot dead, and it was possible the +Prince might make his party good with four or five common soldiers, +who perhaps loved the Prince as well as any, and might rather assist +than hinder his flight; all this he thought in an instant, and at the +same time, seeing the Prince stand still, in a kind of consideration +what to do, looking, turning, and viewing of the pistols, he doubted +not but his thoughts would determine with his life, and though he had +been in the heat of all the battle, and had looked death in the face, +when it appeared most horrid, he protested he knew not how to fear +till this moment, and that now he trembled with the apprehension of +unavoidable ruin; he cursed a thousand times his unadvisedness, now it +was too late; he saw the Prince, after he had viewed and reviewed the +pistols, walk in a great thoughtfulness again about the chamber, and +at last, as if he had determined what to do, came back and laid them +again on the table; at which the Captain snatched them up, resolving +never to commit so great an over-sight more. He did not doubt, he +said, but the Prince, in taking them up, had some design of making his +escape; and most certainly, if he had but had courage to have +attempted it, it had not been hard to have been accomplished: at +worst, he could but have died: but there is a fate, that over-rules +the most lucky minutes of the greatest men in the world, and turns +even all advantages offered to misfortunes, when it designs their +ruin. + +While they were on their way to _Paris_, he gave some more signs, that +the misfortunes he had suffered, had lessened his heart and courage: +he writ several the most submissive letters in the world to the King, +and to the Queen-Mother of _France_; wherein he strove to mitigate his +treason, with the poorest arguments imaginable, and, as if his good +sense had declined with his fortune, his style was altered, and +debased to that of a common man, or rather a schoolboy, filled with +tautologies and stuff of no coherence; in which he neither shewed the +majesty of a prince, nor sense of a gentleman; as I could make appear +by exposing those copies, which I leave to history; all which must be +imputed to the disorder his head and heart were in, for want of that +natural rest, he never after found. When he came to _Paris_, he fell +at the feet of His Majesty, to whom they brought him, and with a +shower of tears bedewing his shoes, as he lay prostrate, besought his +pardon, and asked his life; perhaps one of his greatest weaknesses, to +imagine he could hope for mercy, after so many pardons for the same +fault; and which, if he had had but one grain of that bravery left +him, he was wont to be master of, he could not have expected, nor have +had the confidence to have implored; and he was a poor spectacle of +pity to all that once adored him, to see how he petitioned in vain for +life; which if it had been granted, had been of no other use to him, +but to have passed in some corner of the earth, with _Hermione_, +despised by all the rest: and, though he fetched tears of pity from +the eyes of the best and most merciful of kings, he could not gain on +his first resolution; which was never to forgive him that scurrilous +Declaration he had dispersed at his first landing in _France_; that he +took upon him the title of king, he could forgive; that he had been +the cause of so much bloodshed, he could forgive; but never that +unworthy scandal on his unspotted fame, of which he was much more +nice, than of his crown or life; and left him (as he told him this) +prostrate on the earth, when the guards took him up, and conveyed him +to the _Bastille_: as he came out of the _Louvre_, it is said, he +looked with his wonted grace, only a languishment sat there in greater +beauty, than possibly all his gayer looks ever put on, at least in his +circumstances all that beheld him imagined so; all the _Parisians_ +were crowded in vast numbers to see him: and oh, see what fortune is! +Those that had vowed him allegiance in their hearts, and were upon all +occasions ready to rise in mutiny for his least interest, now saw him, +and suffered him to be carried to the _Bastille_ with a small company +of guards, and never offered to rescue the royal unfortunate from the +hands of justice, while he viewed them all around with scorning, dying +eyes. + +While he remained in the _Bastille_, he was visited by several of the +ministers of State, and cardinals, and men of the Church, who urged +him to some discoveries, but could not prevail with him: he spoke, he +thought, he dreamed of nothing but _Hermione_; and when they talked of +heaven, he ran on some discourse of that beauty, something of her +praise; and so continued to his last moment, even on the scaffold, +where, when he was urged to excuse, as a good Christian ought, his +invasion, his bloodshed, and his unnatural war, he set himself to +justify his passion to _Hermione_, endeavouring to render the life he +had led with her, innocent and blameless in the sight of heaven; and +all the churchmen could persuade could make him speak of very little +else. Just before he laid himself down on the block, he called to one +of the gentlemen of his chamber, and taking out the enchanted +tooth-pick-case, he whispered him in the ear, and commanded him to +bear it from him to _Hermione_; and laying himself down, suffered the +justice of the law, and died more pitied than lamented; so that it +became a proverb, 'If I have an enemy, I wish he may live like----, +and die like _Cesario_': so ended the race of this glorious youth, who +was in his time the greatest man of a subject in the world, and the +greatest favourite of his prince, happy indeed above a monarch, if +ambition and the inspiration of knaves and fools, had not led him to +destruction, and from a glorious life, brought him to a shameful +death. + +This deplorable news was not long in coming to _Hermione_, who must +receive this due, that when she heard her _hero_ was dead, (and with +him all her dearer greatness gone) she betook herself to her bed, and +made a vow she would never rise nor eat more; and she was as good as +her word, she lay in that melancholy estate about ten days, making the +most piteous moan for her dead lover that ever was heard, drowning her +pillow in tears, and sighing out her soul. She called on him in vain +as long as she could speak; at last she fell into a lethargy, and +dreamed of him, till she could dream no more; an everlasting sleep + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Love-Letters Between a Nobleman and +His Sister, by Aphra Behn + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LOVE-LETTERS *** + +This file should be named 7lvlr10.txt or 7lvlr10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 7lvlr11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 7lvlr10a.txt + +Produced by Curtis A. Weyant +and The Online Distributed Proofreading Team + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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