tears your vows and sufferings But since Philander 't is an Age to night and till the approach of those dear silent hours thou knowst 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 satisfie 'em then and go 't is early yet and if you take horse immediately you will be there by eight this morning go I conjure you for though 't 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 affairs and render your self time enough on the place appointed which is where you last night waited and 't will be at least eight at night before 't is possible to bring you to my arms Come in your Chariot and do not heat your self 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 Silvia To Silviaâ— OH thou most charming of the 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 griefs excess had almost finish'd 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 exâ—asie Oh Silvia Silvia Silvia my soul my vital bloud and without which I could as well subsist Oh my adorable my Silvia 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 it self through every vein through every sensible artery of my heart and I can think of nothing but of Silvia the lovely Silvia the blooming flowing Silvia 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 Silvia say but thou hast said enough to make me mad and I forgetting 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 condescention this vast bounty Ah Silvia how shall I live till night and you impose too cruelly upon me in conjuring me to go to Cesario alas does Silvia 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 Silvia 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 undoe me no give me leave to rave in silence and unseen among the trees they 'll humour my disease answer my murmuring joy and Echo's flatter it repeat thy name repeat that Silvia's mine and never hurt her fame while the Cabals business and noisie 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 Silvia has this happy minute destin'd 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 call'd Philander was once so blest by Heaven as to possess the charming the ador'd and lov'd by all the glorious Silvia a Maid the most divine that ever grac'd 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 Silvia did to save the young Philander but oh there never will be such another Nymph as Silvia Heaven form'd but one to shew the world what Angels are and she was form'd for me yes she was in whom I wou'd not quit my glorious interest to reign a monarch here or any bosted gilded thing above take all take all ye Gods and give me but this happy coming night Oh Silvia Silvia by all thy promis'd joys I am undone if any accident should ravish this night form me this night no not for a leaâ—e of years to all eternity would I throw thee away Oh! I am all flame all joyfull fire and softness methinks 't is Heaven wheree'er I look around me air where I tread and ravishing Musick when I speak because 't is all of Silvia let me alone oh let me cool a little or I shall by a too excess of joyfull thought lose all my hop'd for bliss Remove a little from me go my Silvia you 're so excessive sweet so wondrous dazling 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 'll read thy cruel Letters or I 'll think of some sad melancholy hour wherein thou hast dismiss'd me desparing 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 't is only for the vanity to hear him tell his nauseous passion to you breath on your lovely face and daub your Garments with his fulsome imbrace but oh by Heaven I cannot think that though and thou hast sworn thou canst not suffer it if I shou'd find thee false but 't is impossible oh shou'd I find Foscario visit thee him whom thy Parents favour I shou'd undo you all by Heaven I shou'd but thou hast sworn what need Philander more yes Silvia thou hast sworn and call'd Heaven's vengeance down whene'er 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 begon for Silvia loves me
vein and tells my heart what 't is Philander ailes 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 to well by thee 'Till now I never fear'd 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 preacht my self that Doctrine I now renounce it all 't is false by Heaven 't 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 compos'd as I have often said of softer Materials Nor is it fancy sets my Rates on Beauty there 's an intrinsick value in thy Charms which surely none but I am able to understand and to those that view thee not with my judging Eyes ugliness facy'd wou'd 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 sigh'd for him What makes Mertilla who possesses all looks on thee feels thy Kisses hears thee speak and yet wants sense to know how blest she is 't is want of judgment 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 compos'd 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 asham'd and angry but when I know it the effects of Love I 'm reconcil'd and wish and sigh anew but when I sit and Gaze upon thy Eyes thy Languishing thy Lovely dying Eyes play with thy soft white hand and lay my glowing Cheek to thine Oh God! What Language can express my transport all that is tender all that is soft desire seizes every trembling Limb and 't is with pain conceal'd Yes yes Philander 't 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 essay'd to hide the guilty flame if Love be guilt for I confess I did dissemble a coldness which I was not Mistress of there lyes a Womans Art there all her boasted Vertue it is but well dissembling and no more But mine alas is gone for over fled this this feable guard that should secure my Honour thou hast betray'd and left it quite defenceless Ah what 's a Womans Honour when 't 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 nonsence fond custom can perswade yet so it is and she that breaks her Laws losâ—â— 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 vertue and my Honour and be a dull insensible But Oh where is it I have lost it all 't is irrecoverably lost yes yes ye charming perjur'd man 't is gone and thou hast quite undone me What though I lay extended on my Bed undrest unapprehensive of my fate my Bosom loose and easie of excess 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 perjur'd because I was tempting 'T is true I let you in by stealth by night whose silent darkness favour'd 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 urg'd your Vows as you prest 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 strenght encreas'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 perswade no more my trembling hands resist your force unguarded lay the treasure which you toil'd for betray'd and yielded to the Lovely Conqueror But Oh tormenting When you saw the store and found the Prise no richer with what contempt yes false dear man with what contempt you view'd the â—nvalu'd Trophy What! despis'd was all you call a Heaven of Joy and Beauty expos'd to view and then neglected Were all your Prayers heard your wishes granted and your toiles 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 the more and 't will be charity to thee for thou hast no excuse in store that can convince my opinion that I am hated loath'd I cannot bear that thought Or if I do it shall only serve to fortify my fixt resolve never to see thee more And yet I long to hear thy false excuse let it be quickly then 't is my disdain invites thee To strengthen which there needs no more than that you let me hear thy poor defence But 't is a tedious time to that flow hour wherein I dare permit thee but hope not to incline my soul to love No I 'm yet safe if I can stop but here but here be wise resolve and be my self SILVIA To Philander AS my Page was coming with the inclos'd 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 plung'd in past hope of a retreat and since my fate has pointed me out for ruine I cannot fall more gloriously Take then Philander to your dear Arms a Maid that can no longer resist who is disarm'd 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 give you take take at last the dear reward of all your sighs and
and yet oh Heaven 's I give 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 Heav'n knows not one of all these nor any kind power is friend to me I shall be left to you and all these Tyrants expos'd without other Guards than this boasted Vertue which had need be wonderous to resist all these powerful enemies of its purity and repose Alas I know not its strength I never try'd 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 my self unguarded into your hands Oh I dy with the apprehension of approaching danger and yet I have not power to retreat I must on Love compells me Love holds me fast the smiling flatterer promises a Thousand joys a Thousand Ravishing Minutes of delight all innocent and harmless as his Mothers 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 complection render'd him less capable of the soft play of Love than any other Lover I 've seen him fly my very touches yet swear they were the greatest joy on Earth I tempt him even with my looks from Vertue and when I ask the cause or cry he 's cold he vows 't is because he dares not indure my Temptations says his Blood runs hotter and fircer in 〈◊〉 Veins than any others do's nor has the 〈◊〉 repeated joys reap'd in the Marriage Bed any thing abated that which he wâ—sht but he feaâ—'d wou'd ruine me Thus thus whole days we have â—at and gaz'd and sigh'd but durst not trust our Vertues with fond Dalliance My Page is come to tell me that Madam the Dutchess of is come to Bellont and I am oblig'd to quit my Cabinet but with infinite regret being at present much more to my Soul 's content imploy'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 Rustick pleas'd me with the concern he had for my Philander oh my Charming Brother you have an Art to tame even salvages a Tongue that wou'd charm and ingage wildness it self to softness and gentleness and give the rough unthinking Love 't is a tedious time to night how shall I pass the hours To Silvia SAy fond Love whither wilt thou lead me thou hast brought me from the noysey hurry's of the Town to charming solitude from Crowded Cabals where mighty things are resolving to loanly Groves to thy own abodes where thou dwell'st gay and pleas'd amongst 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 Silvia 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 Musick oh Love and every thing inspires thy dictates the Winds a round me blow soft and mixing with the wanton Boughs continually play and Kiss while those like a coy Maid in Love resist and comply by turns they like a ravisht vigorous Lover rush on with a transported violence rudely imbracing its Spring-drest 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 's no troublesome Honour amongst the pretty inhabitants of the Woods and Streams fondly to give Laws to Nature but uncontroul'd they play and sing and Love no Parents checking their dear delights no slavish Matrimonial tyes to restrain their Nobler flame No spyes to interrupt their blest appointments but every little Nest is free and open to receive the young flesâ—ch't Lover every bough is conscious of their Passion nor do the generous pair languish in tedious Ceremony but meeting look and like and Love imbrace with their Wingy arms and salute with their little opening Bills this is their Courtship this the amorous complement and this only the introduction to all their following happiness and thus it is with the Flocks and Heards while scanted man born alone for the fatigues of Love with industrious toyl and all his boasting Arts of Eloquence his Godlike Image and his noble form may labour on a tedious term of years with pain expence 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 yea amorous dear Bruits 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 ly thus conceal'd to wait the coming shades of Night till all the curled spyes 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 imploy'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 Silvia shou'd 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 ly Writing on its knotty root thy Letter I confess is dear it contains thy Soul and my happiness but this after story of the surprize I long to be inform'd of for from thence I may gather part of my Fortune I rave and dy with fear of a disappointment not but I wou'd uâ—dergo a Thousand Torments and deaths for Silvia 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 it self 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 Heav'n I will forget all considerations and respect and force my self with all the violence of raging Love into the presence of my cruel Silvia own her mine and Ravish my delight nor shall the happy Walls of Bellfont be of strength sufficient to secure her nay perswade 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
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 tho she knew her Soul free from all Passion but that for Philander nevertheless she blusht and was angry that he had thoughts no more advantagious to the power of those charmes which she wisht might appear to him above her Sex It being natural to Women to desire Conquests tho they hate the conquer'd to glory in the tryumph tho they despise the Slave And believ'd while Octavio had so poor a sense of her beauty as to believe it cou'd be forsaken he would adore it less And first to satisfie 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 appear'd too angry it might look as if she valu'd 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 Silvia to Octavio IS it indeed Octavio that you believe Philander cold or wou'd you make that a pretext to the declaration of your own passion we French Ladies are not so nicely ty'd up to the formalities of vertue 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 displeas'd to find we make new conquests But you have made your attacque 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 litgods 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 feable Cupids you can draw up against ' em Your thick foggy air breeds Loves too dull and heavy for noble slights 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 lasie 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 your self my Lord by this pursuit of your discover'd Love for all the little friendship you have rendred me How well you have explain'd you can be no more a Lover than a Friend if one may judg the first by the last Had you been thus obstinate in your passion before Philander went or you had believ'd me abandon'd I should perhaps have thought that you had lov'd indeed because I should have seen you durst and should have believ'd it true because it ran some hazards for me the resolution of it would have reconcil'd me then to the temerity of it and the greatest demonstration you cou'd have given of it woud have been the danger you wou'd have ran and contemned and the preferance 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 was not like Octavio That Octavio Philander made his Friend and for whose dear sake my Lord I will no further reproach you but from a goodness which I hope you will merit I will forgive an offence which your ill timing has render'd almost inexcusable and expect you will for the future consider better how you ought to treat SYLVIA As soon as she had dismist the Page she hasted to her business of Love and again read over Philanders Letter and finds still new occasion for fear she had recourse to pen and paper for a relief of that heart which no other way cou'd find it and after having wip'd the tears from her eyes she writ this following Letter Silvia to Philander YEs Philander I have received your Letter and but I found my name there shou'd have hop'd it was not meant for Silvia Oh! 't is all cold Short Short and cold as a dead Winters day It chill'd my blood it shiver'd every vein Where oh where hast thou lavish'd out all those soft words so natural to thy Soul with which thou us'd to charm so tun'd to the dear musick of thy voice What is become of all the tender things which as I us'd to read made little nimble pantings in my heart my blushes rise and tremblings in my bloud 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 cunings and thy soft deceivings Hast thou forgot 'em all Or hast forgot indeed to love at all Has thy industrious passion gather'd all the sweets and left the rifled flower to hang its wither'd head and die in shades neglected for who will prize it now now when all its perfumes fled Oh my Philander oh my charming Fugitive wa st not enough you left me like false Theseus on the shore on the forsaken shore departed from my fond my clasping Arms where I believ'd you safe secure and pleas'd when sleep and night that favour'd you and fuin'd me had render'd 'em incapable of their dear loss Oh was it not enough that when I found 'em empty and abandon'd and the place cold where you had lain and my poor trembling bosom unpossest of that I dear load it bore that almost expired with my first fears Oh if Philander lov'd he wou'd have thought that cruelty enough without the sad addition of a growing coldness I wak'd I mist thee and I call'd aloud Philander my Philander But no Philander heard then drew the close drawn Curtains and with a hasty and busie veiw survey'd the Chamber over but Oh! in vain I veiw'd and call'd yet louder but none appear'd to my assistance but Antonet and Briljard to torture me with dull excuses urging a thousand feign'd and frivolous reasons to satisfie my fears But I who lov'd who doated even to madness by nature soft and timerous as a Dove and fearful as a Criminal escap'd that dreads each little noise fancy'd their eyes and guilty looks confest 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 feign'd a likely story to deceive Thus between hope and fear I languisht out a day Oh Heavens a tedious day without Philander who wou'd have thought that such a dismal day shou'd not with the end of its reign have finish'd that of my life but then Octavio came to visit me
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 swounded with the Fear that he was no longer in the World or at least that he would not long be so However she assum'd her Courage again at the Thought that if he did dy 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 reviv'd 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 Silvia This also added to her Dispair 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 resolv'd was to do her utmost Indeavour 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 dress'd 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 extreamly in Love with her Nephew and who liv'd at the Court of Bruxells and was Neece to the Governour 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 flush'd in his pale Face and burnt all over his Body and he was near to swounding as he lay She approach'd his Bed with a Face all set for Languishment Love and Shame in her Eyes and Sighs that without speaking seem'd to tell her Grief at his Disaster she sate or rather fell on his Bed as unable to support the sight of him in that Condition she in a soft manner seiz'd his burning Hand grasp'd it and sigh'd 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 choak'd 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 who in spight of all those Injuries he still adored She appear'd before him with those Attractions that never fail'd to conquer him with that Submission and Pleading in her modest bashful Eyes that even gave his the Lye who had seen her Perfidy Oh! what should he do to keep that Fire from breaking forth with Violence which she had so throughly 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 had Pride he knew also how to make his Pleasure and his Youth lov'd 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 past 't was no new Lover that came to kindle new Passions or to 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 perswaded himself but dares not till he hear her speak and yet fears she should not speak his Sense and this Fear makes him sighing break Silence and he cry'd 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 Ruine and if they can add any Glory to thy future Life boast 'em all over the Vniverse and tell what a deluded Youth thou hast undone Take take fair Deceiver all my Industry my right of Birth my thriving Parents have been so long a geting 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 't 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 liv'd for ever bless'd in Ignorance At this the Tears ran from his Eyes with which the soften'd Silvia mixed her welcome Stream and as soon as she could speak she reply'd 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 Vnfortunate 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 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
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 amaz'd when a thick black Cloud descended and covered the whole Scene and the Rock clos'd again and Fergusano let fall his Wand The Prince seeing the Ceremony end here rises in a rage and crys out I charge ye to go on remove the Veil and let the Sun appear advance your mystick Wand and show what follows next I cannot Sir replyed the trembling Wizard the Fates have clos'd the everlasting Book forbiding farther search Then damn your scanted Art replyed the Prince a petty Iuggler could have done as much Is 't not enough replyed the German Rabbi that we have show'd you Crown'd and Crown'd in France it self I find the Infernals themselves are bounded here and can declare no more Oh they are pretty Powers that can be Bounded replyed 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 'd strive to prevent they sooth him with all the hope in the World that what was left unreveal'd must needs be as gloriousâ— 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 to 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 listen'd with reverence and attention to all their false perswasions I call 'em false Madam for I never had Faith in these sort of People and am sorry so many great Men and Ladies of our times are so bewitch'd 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 Epedition Merchants rich Trades-men Magistrates and Gown-men 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 assur'd him Hell it self could not with these Aids obstruct his Glory but on the contrary should be compell'd to render him assistance by the help of Charms to make him invincible so that wholly o'er-come 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 order'd abundance of Letters to be writ to those of the Hugonot Party into 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 perswade 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 'em for the most pious and industrious Labourer in the Cause all that he says is Oracle to the Crowd and all he say's Authentick and 't is he alone is the great Engin that sets the great Work a turning Yes replyed Silvia and makes the giddy World Mad with his damnable Notions Pernicious as he is replyed Brilljard 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 Scenâ— 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 Conquerer is oblig'd 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 pen'd with all the Malice Envy can invent the most unbred rude piece of Stuff as makes it apparent the Author had neither Wit or 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 unfasten'd him from their interest than any of their other dâ—signs and from which he daily more and more declines or seems disgusted with tho 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 destroy'd by it I am extream glad said Silvia that Philander's Sentiments are so Generous and am at nothing so much amaz'd as to hear the Prince could suffer so gross a thing to pass in his Name I must said Brilljard do the Prince right in this point to assure you when the thing was first in the rough draught show'd him he told Fergusano that those accusations of a Crown'd Head were too Villainous for the thoughts of a Gentleman and giving it him again cry'd 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 Lyes 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 't is his whose Sword is better or Lucklier and tho the future World may call this unjust at least they 'll say it was brave At this the Wizard smil'd and reply'd 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 'll 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 willâ— pass but what is pen'd to their Capacity and who will not be able to hear the Speeches you shall make to an Army this is to rouse 'em and find 'em 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 't is by these gross devices you are to perswade those Sons of Earth whose Spirits never mounted above the Dunghill whence they grew like o're-ripe Pumpkins Lyes are the Spirit
in thy composition that ever mingled with humanity the very words fall so gently from thy tongue are utter'd with a Voice so ravishingly soft a tone so tender and so full of Love 't would charm even frenzy calm rude distraction and wildness wou'd become a silent Listener there 's such a sweet serenity in thy face such innocence and softness in thy eyes should desart Savages but gaze on thee sure they would forget their native forest wildness and be inspir'd 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 Tranquility 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 ner'e 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 perjur'd Oaths after a violation like to this Oh Heauen what have I done Yet by that Heaven I swear I dâ—re 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 humane 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 learnt the harden'd and unblushing folly To wish was such a fault as is a crime unpardonable to own to shew desire is such a sin in vertue as must deserve reproach from all the world but I unlucky I have not only betray'd all these but with a transport void of sense and shame I yield to thy Armes I 'll not indure the thought By Heaven I cannot there 's something more than rage that animates that thought some Magick 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 fantom Now I could curse again my Youth and Love but Oh! when I have done alas Philander I find my self as guilty as before I cannot make one firm resolve against the or if I do when I consider thee they weigh not all one lovely Hair of thine 'T is all in vain the Charming Cause remains Philander's still as lovely as before 't 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 breaths forth tast thy soft kisses hear thy Charming Voice but I am all on flame NO 't is these I must exclaim on not my Youth 't 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 't 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 's 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 charm'd so apprehensive of thy Beauties as has betray'd 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 〈◊〉 cold and insensible by nature to kindle new desires there No more shall fill me with unknown curosity no I will in spight of all the Perfumes that dwell about thee in spight 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 unconcern'd 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're kindl'd 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 belov'd made up the greatest parâ— of the satisfaction 't was joy 〈◊〉 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 fancy'd best I favour'd most and he past for the happy fortune him I have suffer'd 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 smil'd him kind returns nay by my life then thought I lov'd him too thought I could have been content to have past my life at this gay rate with this fond hoping Lover and thought no farther than of being great having rich Coaches showing Equipage to pass my hours in dressing in going to the Opera's and the Tower make Visits where hist 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 loath the sound of Love from any other voice and Conversation makes my soul impatient and does not only dull me into Melancholly but perplexes me out of all humour out of all patient sufferance and I am never so well pleas'd when from Philander as when I am retir'd 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 worlds injoyment I hate to dress I hate to be agreable 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 hinder'd by that Grandure one moments conversation with Philander Maist thou despise and loath 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 not what those Sighs and Pressings meant which others gave me yet every speaking glance thy Eyes put on inform my soul what 't 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