But to comfort me let me soon know that the others were as little able to do it as I. That I must replyed Herminius and that without any flattery for Brutus having wrote these words under those of Lucrecia and returned them to that admirable Virgin the table-book passed through the hands of all the company but to say truth rather to abuse Brutus than look for any sense there For the Prince of Pometia was of opinion with Valeria Collatina and Hermilia that Brutus understood no more of the business than to set down certain words at randome So that not able to keep from laughing at his pretended simplicity their censure of his words was quite contrary to what they made of Lucrecia's for though they could make nothing of Brutus's nor indeed endeavoured to find any thing in them so poorly were they conceited of him yet they affirmed they understood them and that they were of admirable sense They abusively repeated the first words which they said made a wonderful harmony But while they so unmercifully jeered one whom they knew not Lucrecia who was of a nature could not endure to make sport of such as were not thought the wisest took the table-table-book from them and seriously considering what Brutus had written that he might see she did not slight him was somewhat surprised to find these words relative to those she had made use of Fastning therefore her mind as well as her eyes upon what Brutus had written she went aside two or three steps from her companions and looked on the words so attentively that she understood Brutus as well as he had done her for she there found these two verses which answered those of Phocilides Permit my love thou with all beauty grac't And thou shalt find some love shall ever last Lucrecia had no sooner decyphered these Verses but she blushed and that the more when turning to look on Brutus with some amazement she met his eyes half way and saw in them a certain trouble and withal a certain quickness which she had never before observed But how strangely soever she might be surprised by this accident she made a shift to conceal it for she would neither interpret her own words nor discover Brutus's so that having somewhat recovered her self out of the amazement she was in she came to her friends and told them they were better ghessers than she for she could make nothing of what Brutus had written Nor did I intend it for any but your self replied he negligently with his accustomed simplicity which though it seemed to be very bluntly spoken yet did it confirm Lucrecia in what she believed which was that there was something extraordinary in this adventure This made her so infinitely desirous to be at liberty to reflect on what had happened to her that she insensibly engaged the company to a little distance by walking aside onely Valeria who was acquainted with all her secrets she drew aside and related to her what she had met with But is it possible you speak seriously replyed Valeria or is it by chance that you have made two verses of these extravagant words of Brutus who haply knows not himself there is any such thing in them You do not consider what you say Valeria said Lucrecia to her for these two verses are so pertinently answerable to mine that Brutus must of necessity have understood what I writ and making them on a sudden must of necessity have an excellent understanding though he be accounted the most stupid among men It is certainly excellently well done replyed Valeria and as certain that he was never before guilty of any discovery of Love of this nature and not to desemble longer with you since Brutus is an understanding man he certainly loves you and for some dayes past I have observed him perpetually looking on you Nay I am perswaded added she the love he bears you hath cleared his understaning and that the fire your eyes have darted into his soul hath enlightned his reason Ah Valeria replyed Lucrecia my eyes do no miracles and Brutus must have been long since what I now find him 'T is true replyed Valeria I now suspect somewhat more than ever I did for I remember I have known Brutus privately spend whole dayes with Licinius and my Father and so it is not impossible something may be shrowded under this counterfeit stupidity But when all is done how is it imaginable that a man should alwayes conceal his understanding and expect an emergency of love to manifest it I should therefore rather conceive it a prodigie and that Brutus inspired by love should speak this time as those do that speak Oracles who many times understand not what they say However it be added Valeria the adventure is so considerable that it is fit the whole company were acquainted with it that every one may give his opinion of it for after all what Brutus hath written will never be taken for any declaration of Love if you be not so pleased No no replyed Lucrecia let us not be so hasty for if Brutus have those parts in him which he would not discover to the world for some reason to me unknown I shall do him no prejudice nor indeed would I have him think that I have unriddled his verses Besides that I shall not interpret my own for Collatina who as you know is perpetually speaking to me of her Brother would believe when she had once seen his verse How sweet were Love if not so quickly past that she had no more to do than to assure me of Collatine's fidelity to engage me to entertain his affection Therefore let us not say any thing of this accident not even to Hermilia nor yet to Racilia until we know Brutus somewhat better than we do Valeria hereupon promising to do as she would have her they came up to the company which soon after dispersed it self For the Prince of Pometia returned to Rome and Collatina's mother went the same way In the mean time Brutus was so infinitely satisfied to find by the actions and looks of Lucrecia that she understood him that all the reasons he could rally up to engage his passion were not able to beat him off from his resolution of loving Lucrecia and he was so pleased to think that he had at the same time given her a slight hint of his understanding and his love that at the same instant Hope which till then was a stranger to his heart became absolute mistress of it and brought along with her all those pleasures which are her Attendants in ordinary Let us love let us love said he in himself when he was come to a place where he might freely reflect on what had happened to him and let us not oppose our good fortune let us engage our liberty for all our life let us double the chains which fasten us to Lucrecia let us double them with those hands which must break asunder those of Turquin's Tyranny Let us
true I cannot hope any thing yet this cannot weaken my love since my despair proceeds not from Lucrecia but it is the extravagance of destiny which makes me uncapable of hoping any thing She does not certainly favour me much and she were to blame if she did and I am obliged to her for her indifference for me snce it is not the same Brutus she is accquainted with that I would have in her favour But alas continued he that other Brutus is at such a distance with Fortune that it is not likely he will ever dare shew himself to Lucretia and if I renounce not one part of my reason she will still be ignorant of the love she hath kindled in my heart and consequently I shall be the most unfortunate man alive How cryed he out as he hath told me since shall not Lucrecia the admirable Lucrecia know that thou lovest her and thou art not such a Sot as thou art taken to be Canst thou be contented to be ever the object of her contempt and her indifference No no continued he I shall never do it nay though I should lose my life though I should hazard all and that Rome must eternally be subject to the tyranny of Tarquin Lucrecia must know that I live under her power She is discreet good and generous and it may be she will not cast away a man that out of excess of love trusts himself to her discretion But weak man that thou art resumed he hast thou for born all rationall discourse for so long time onely to tell Lucrecia that thou lovest her Think think on the love thou owest thy country not on what thou maist have for a person who haply will not have any for thee Remember thy Father cut off by the cruelty of Tarquin thy Brother dispatched the same way and that both dying commanded thee to revenge their loss Consider Rome enslaved by the most horrid Tyrant the earth affords regard so many thousand of vertuous families expecting their safety from thee and since thou wilt be base imagine that the discovery of thy love to Lucrecia may haply cost thee thy life and think at length if there be any thing of vertue yet remaining in thee what blot it would be to thy memory to have preferred the love of Lucrecia before that of Fame and thy Countrey Upon this such a tempest rose in Brutus's soul that it was easily perceiveable he had not herein taken the advice of his reason To be short he was that day so dejected and so melancholy that he would not see any body and the more to avoyd all company he walked out into that Meadow where I told you one evening he had seen Lucrecia Collatina and Hermilia sitting on the River side discoursing with the Prince of Pometia while Racilia walked a little aside with Collatina's Mother this company being come thither since his coming out alone Being thus engaged not to avoyd Lucrecia though he wished it he made towards the place where she was and having saluted the whole company he found their discourse to be about Love and that the Prince of Pometia opposing Hermilia who still purposely contradicted him held that it was not the proper vertue of a woman to have an insensible heart and on the contrary maintained that a Lady could not be throughly assured of her self untill a violent affection had possessed her soul For in fine said he I find that a woman makes no great difficulty to oblige those whom she hath no tenderness for to forbear the expressions of their love I find it is no great reputation to wrestle with a weak and unsetled inclination but for a woman courted by a man of extraordinary worth whom she also loves not to engage her self too far and notwithstanding all the sympathy of a reciprocal love to preserve Vertue impregnably seated in her heart is certainly of great merit Yet my Lord I conceive replyed Valeria modestly smiling that it is best not to study alwayes for this expression of Vertue lest that at first drawing in to love innocently one should come at last to love beyond the limits of Honour For my part said Hermilia I conceive it more glorious to oppose love than to entertain it how innocent soever it may be And for mine said Collatina who secretly carried on her Brother's interest I must notwithstanding the great severity the Roman Ladies profess affirm that where the rules of civility are observed there is an infinite pleasure to be beloved and if I may presume to say it to love For in fine if the enjoyments of Friendship be thought delightful only comparatively to those of Love which they say are greater it were madness not to love something it being supposed the use of it were not forbidden I could not have believed replyed Valeria smiling that a Roman Lady should make Love's party good with such confidence She is so good a Sister replyed Hermilia smiling also that she would rather forsake the interest of her Sex than of her Brother Whilst these Virgins were thus engaged the fair Lucrecia fell into such a deep musing that she minded not what was said though the were concerned in it On the contrary entertaining her self upon the first discourse of the Prince of Pometia in the commendation of Love she quite forgot the company till that Collatina taking her by the arm told her laughing that she must contribute to that conversation asking her whether she thought Love a troublesome thing or a pleasant Lucrecia answered that she could say nothing of a thing she was not acquainted with To take away that pretence we must describe that passion to you replyed the Prince of Pometia who having an excellent wit made it his business to say all he could to the advantage of Love He describ'd all the insinuations of Hope he represented the surprises of the first desires which that passion inspires into us he enumerated the delights the transports the tempting illusions it causes the pleasant reveries that accompany it and in fine omitted nothing which might relate to that noble passion Having so done he pressed her to tell what she thought of Love But she absolutely refusing her companions set upon her and persecuted her so long till at last she promised they should have her opinion conditionally they would permit her to write it down Enquiring therefore who among them had any table-table-books it happened that onely Brutus had one Whereupon this concealed Lover who was glad of an occasion to have any thing of the writing of Lucrecia presented her with his table-table-book wherein she writ what she thought of Love But my Lord that you may the better understand what atrick she put upon them I must set down the same words which she writ which she assured them contained her true sentiment of love Hereupon Herminius spying a table-table-book upon Aronces's table took it and writ down the same words as Lucrecia had made use of which done dilivering the
table-book to Aronces and Amilcar they therein found the ensuing words Past how there quickly ah but not sweet if soever last were love can no is love How replyed Amilcar laughing when he had read these scattered words is there any rational sence in what I have read For my part added Aronces I confess I can make nothing of them and therefore think that Lucrecia's design was to find her friends somewhat to do and not desirous to discover unto them what she thought of Love pleased her self by putting them to the trouble to pick sense out of words which had not any What you say my Lord replyed Herminius continuing his relation was the opinion of the Prince of Pometia who having read what Lucrecia had written in Brutus's table-book told her that she was a very wag so unmercifully to abuse her friends and not give her opinion of a thing of the greatest importance and the most delightful in the world I am not to learn replyed she smiling that it is the property of the Gods onely to speak obscurely but all considered since that out of a consideration of modesty I have conceived my self not obliged to give my opinion expresly of a thing I am not able pertinently to speak of you must either interpret my words or not understand me But seriously said Valeria to her is there any sense in what you have written I protest to you replyed Lucrecia laughing there is not onely sence but very pleasant sense and excellently well expressed and that I never in my life have nor ever shall speak better But that you may not charge me with any vanity continued she I must tell you that the words are not mine but I have borrowed them I know not whence nor yet from whom Certainly replyed Hermilia you are not much beholding to the Lender and you may as easily return as much to those of whom you have borrow'd them for whatever you may be pleased to say what you have written here signifies no more than so much Gibberish Neither is it so good as to pretend to that fustian language of canting whereby some that are crafty over-reach and elude the simpler sort of people for there is not any one who would not easily perceive there were no sense in what you have written For instead of saying Past how there quickly ah one should say Ah how quickly there past And so of the rest it were as good as it was before or to say better as bad If you would but change the order of the words replyed Lucrecia you would infallibly find my true meaning but without jesting said Collatina to her is there any reason in these words Sincerely replyed Lucrecia the highest in the world and I much admire that four such piercing wits as you are cannot sift it out I would fain see added she maliciously thinking to make sport whether Brutus can understand it better than any of you and shall desire him to give his judgement of the question in hand For my part replyed Collatina if Brutus understand this language better than we I shall think it very strange I pray let me first once more see these inchanted words replyed Hermilia wherein Lucrecia sayes there is such excellent sense which yet seem not to contain any reason for if it be so there was never in this world such a Metamorphosis Hereupon the table-table-book was handed from one to another till it passed through all none being able to make any sense of it nor did any think of giving it to Brutus all being obstinately desirous to ghess at what Lucrecia had written For Valeria who understood her told the Prince of Pometia that certainly Lucrecia did not dissemble and that there must be reason as what she had written by her very looks but at length none being able to make any thing of it Brutus who had a huge desire to see those words asked for his table-table-book which had not been so soon restored to him had not Lucrecia who was glad they could not find out what she had written taken it from them as for Brutus she little feared his interpretation Snatching it therefore out of Hermilia's hand she returned it to the owner who having received it retreated two or three steps and set himself seriously to consider the words While he was looking on them he could hear Collatina jeering at his earnestness therein supposing he sought what he should never find But that which pleased him infinitely was to hear Lucrecia chiding her for being so uncivil as to make sport at him In the mean time Brutus who was of an excellent reaching wit proper for the finding out of such things apprehended Lucrecia's fancy and disposing the words into their genuine order he found they made up two verses of Phocilides which had been translated that he had known them along time and that the Greek Slave at Racilia's had taught them Lucrecia Finding therefore the humour very ingenious and Love being at that time predominant in his heart notwithstanding what thoughts he had a little before he could not but satisfie a violent desire he had to give Lucrecia a secret testimony of both his understanding and his love Besides that perceiving she would not explain her own verses he concluded she would observe the same secrecy as to the answer For you are to know that those two verses the words whereof Lucrecia had onely transposed when she writ them in Brutus's table-book are two verses very amorous and pathetick of such an easie natural sense that you cannot but remember them when I have once repeated them and in fine those words which appeared so terrible shuffled out of their places when they were disposed in their proper order expressed Lucrecia thus How sweet were love if not so quickly past But ah there is no love can ever last Ah Herminius cryed out Amilcar interrupting him how it troubles me that I could not discypher these verses but I must see whether these words are the same with the other Whereupon taking the table-table-book wherein Herminius had written them he compared them word for word till he had found there was no difference betwixt that fantastick canting and these two verses of Phocilides which done Herminius thus continued his relation Brutus therefore having unravelled this confusion of words and found in them the two verses I have mentioned immediately made two others fantastically transposing the words as those of the other as you may see by what I shall write under the former conditionally you do not interrupt me for the interpretation For now that you have the Secret you may easily find them Content your selves therefore that I onely tell you the words which I write as I speak them Last permit ever and my shalt grac't all some thou love shall love beauty find with thou I give you a thousand thanks replyed Amilcar that you have given me a dispensation as to the discyphering of these words for I should never have done it
onely because he being once ruined Collatine would let fall all pretensions to Lucrecia but also out of a pure disinterested motive as conceiving it necessarily contributed to the glory of this excellent Beauty that by the deliverance of Rome he should set his own reason at liberty and withal put himself into such a condition that all the world might take notice of the passion he had for her As soon therefore as love had poslessed it self of the empire of his heart he redoubled his former endeavours to accomplish that great design wherewith his soul is at this day burthened Nor was he disturbed by any melancholy apprehensions for some dayes ensuing that wherein Lucrecia had honoured him with the first expressions of her love nor knew any other affliction than what proceeded from the impatience he had to give his Mistress another private visit when any occasion hindred Lucrecia and Valeria to meet according to their innocent appointment But this was no small penance to him even so great that one day it grew so violent upon him that he thought not a simple Letter sufficient to express to Lucrecia the earnest desire he had to see her again Having therefore an excellent and easie vein of Poetry though none knew it but Lucrecia Valeria and my self he enclosed a paper of Verses in a Letter he writ to Lucrecia with intention to deliver it to her himself as he often did when he could not meet with her but in company But this Letter he made a shift to deliver her as she sate betwixt Collatine and my self for we often made visits at Racilia's whither we were drawn by no mean concernments I am confident you are desirous to know how he would carry the business so as to deliver this Letter to Lucrecia but that you may conceive how it was done I am onely to tell you that Lucrecia Valeria two or three other Ladies Brutus Collatine and I were all together in that close Arbour where Brutus had the day before seen Lucrecia and where he had that day met her had we not disappointed the meeting Having as I told you already written his Letter and being very desirous to know what Collatine said to Lucrecia and more to oblige Lucrecia to think on him while his Rival entertained her he took a walk out of the Garden for to get behind the Arbour whence he had once before overheard a discourse between Lucrecia and Valeria and there as I told you he placed himself to hearken to what Lucrecia said to Collatine and afterwards to appear before that excellent person in hope of some occasion to deliver her his Letter But it so happened that this Beauty who it seems was not much taken with Collatine's discourse rested her self negligently on the hedge of the Arbor and amidst her thoughts had passed her hand thorough wherewith she sate plucking the leaves not thinking what she was doing Brutus seeing it soon knew it to be Lucrecia's fair hand and was fully satisfied it could be no others for besides that her hand was of a particular kind of making she had on a ring that she alwayes wore which absolutely convinced Brutus he was not deceived Not much minding the design to hearken to what was said in the Arbour he put into the fair hand of Lucrecia a little table-Table-book which he had purposely caused to be made for to write Letters to her in and out of a transport of love which he could not retain though with all the reason he had he endeavoured it kissing it he shut it thereby to let her know that what he gave her could come from none but himself Lucrecia being surprized at this accident began to blush and thought to have cried out but by good fortune reflecting suddenly on the adventure she apprehended what it was and withheld her self Yet Collatina asked her very importunately what the matter was but she onely told him rising up that she had hurt her hand a little whereupon drawing it to her hastily she wrapt it into a corner of her veyl as if she had hurt it indeed though it was onely to hide the Table-book she had received from Brutus who for his part was so well satisfied with the adventure that he came not into the Arbour out of a fear he might not conceal the present agitation of his mind but went and walked alone In the mean time Lucrecia having cunningly conveyed the Table-book into her pocket resumed her part in the discourse but when they had sufficiently rested themselves they all began to walk without observing any order for somtimes the whole company marched all in rank and spoke all together and sometimes they divided themselves into particular entertainments It happened by this means that not able to fasten any discourse with Valeria with whom two women talked whisperingly I came all alone after Lucrecia who was entertained by Collatine But it happening that as she went she wanted something out of her pocket and that at the same time Collatine said something to her whereat she was displeased she minded not that she had dropped the table-Table-book which Brutus had given her For my part though I walked musing yet seeing it fall I took it up and opened it with intention to write some gallantry in it before I returned it to Lucrecia whereat she should much wonder when she saw it But I was much surprised my self to meet with Brutus's Letter and Verses he had there written of both which these are Copies You will find by these Verses that I think on you when haply you bestow not a thought on me but I shall intreat you Madam to assure your self that the affliction I have that I cannot speak with you is greater than the pleasure my Rival finds to entertain you and to do me justice be pleased to let me read in your bright eyes when I shall have the happiness to see them that his entertainment hath not been pleasing to you I had rather not observe in them any favour for my self than be in suspense whether there is any for him Believe it Madam and withall that with as much impatience as love I wait for the happy satisfaction to entertain you privately imploying my self no otherwise in the mean time than in perpetually saying When will the Fair for whom I burn This place with her rich Presence bless Dear minutes fraught with happiness Ah will you never ne're return From Night to each successive Morn Sorrows my Quiet dispossess Dear minutes fraught with happiness Ah will you never ne're return Having read this Letter and Verses I was no more desirous to write any thing in the table-Table-book as being in an incredible disturbance That which caused it was that I knew the writing of Brutus for though he endeavoured to appear stupid yet upon some necessary occasions he made a shift to write Knowing therefore by chance his hand which was the easier to be known as having somewhat a strange Character for that
thought my self I should never have done if I should stand to particularize all the little circumstances of the loves of Brutus and the vertuous Lucrecia who was perfect in that admirable art of making the tenderest passion in the world consistent with the greatest vertue for she never was so rigorous to Brutus as to give him occasion of any rational complaint nor was she ever so prodigal of her kindness as to question her innocence But not to wrong your patience over-much I must hasten to tell you that Brutus was hardly warm in his hopes of happiness but Lucrecia's mother died whereat he was so much troubled as if he had never met with a greater misfortune for besides that the consideration of the friendship that was between them made him more sensible of her loss as also the grief which Lucrecia took at it his affliction was increased in that with her he lost all his hopes About the same time there was a great conspiracy ready to break forth discovered For my Lord though Brutus's soul was taken up with the love of Lucrecia yet is it certain that of glory and his Countrey were not dispossessed but even while he seemed to write such excellent and such passionate Letters was he not unmindful of the liberty of his Countrey and if I should acquaint you with all the attempts he made and which only Fortune crossed in their effects you would stand amazed at it That which is considerable is that though he were the first wheel in all the commotions that happened in Rome yet was he not so much as suspected to have a hand in any his affected stupidity eluding as well his Enemies as his Rivals It did indeed much retard his happiness in his love a misfortune would admit no remedy since it would have been madness in him to acquaint Spurius Lucrecius that he was a more understanding man than he was thought for it would infallibly have cost him his life by reason of the obligations which were between Lucrecius Tarquin and Collatine Brutus by this means was incredibly afflicted and the pleasure he before had found in being loved was turned into the greatest torment in the world For certainly there is nothing more cruel than for one to know that he is loved equally as he loves and yet to meet with perpetual obstacles in the accomplishment of his happiness In fine to shorten my relation for six months Brutus writ every day to Lucrecia there happening no miscarriage neither to his Letters nor to those of that admirable Lady but it being impossible to be always so careful but that sometimes one may forget what he seems most to mind it unfortunately happened that Lucrecia passing through her Fathers chamber dropped one of those little table-Table-books which I told you Brutus had caused purposely to be made to write to her Lucretius seeing it fall instead of calling to his Daughter suffered her to go out of the chamber took it up for being made after a particular fashion he was so curious as to look on it Opening it therefore hastily not thinking to find in it any thing should move him he was much surprized to meet with a Letter directed to Lucrecia and that a Love-letter But that you may be the better informed I will read you a copy of this Letter which Brutus hath furnished me with for this unhappy writing being that which utterly wormed him out of all felicity he still remembers it to encrease his misery This was it Brutus writ to Lucrecia Fortune was pleased yesterday to punish me for that excessive generosity which made me prefer the interest of R not only before my own satisfaction but haply before yours for in fine excellent Lucrecia I did in a manner nothing of all I had proposed to do as being extremely out of humor But that you may know how far the love I bear you exceeds all considerations of glory and friendship you are to know that my disturbance happened through my endeavors for the liborty of my C and that I could find no diversion even in the company of one of the most vertuous persons in the world and one most endeared to you and me But certainly it is impossible to avoid disquiet having lost all occasion of seeing you and withal imagining the advantages of your conversation I go out in the morning about the great affair you know of and if I can I will come to the place where I could not yesterday Do me the honour to meet me there for I will do whatever lies in my power to come and tell you in that place that I die for love and withal that there is nothing more pleasant nothing more charming than to die so You may well imagine my Lord that Lucretius was much surprized at this Letter yet knew he not the character as having never seen of Brutus's writing nor would he shew it to any who should better inform him because he could not do it without making it known that Lucrecia had some under-hand Loves besides that imagining some other wayes to scrue out this secret he thought not of this In the mean time being an understanding man he easily apprehended when he had read the Letter twice over that the R. standing by it self almost at the beginning stood for Rome and the C. about the middle stood for Countrey but all could not enable him to guess at the person who writ to Lucrecia He also concluded that this Lover was engaged in some Plot against Tarquin nor did he doubt much but that this Lover was loved yet could not imagine who it might be He at first thought to call Lucrecia to make her confess by force what he desired to know but changing his purpose he thought fitter to take some other course to find out the truth looking on that as the last refuge if this failed Finding therefore in the Letter that he who had written to Lucrecia entreated her to come that day to a place where he was to go he resolved his daughter should be secretly followed thither so to discover who was at the place where she was appointed to come This commission he gave a certain Slave who being very faithful to him acquitted himself punctually of this charge According to the appointment and the pleasure of Fortune Lucrecia came to Valeria's in hopes to meet Brutus there for that it seems was the place he had appointed her to come to but Brutus being forced even against his will to stay at Licinius's where there was a secret Club consulting about the great affair they had then in hand entreated me to go and make his excuses to this beauty which employment I was very glad of not onely out of the great affection I had for Lucrecia and Brutus but also because of the opportunity I had thereby to see Valeria To serve therefore my friend I went to the place where he was expected not thinking there was a spy to observe who came
power we should endure such pain When we both love and are belov'd again 2. Perpetual fears my Soul invade To see the person I adore Amidst a thousand hazards laid Who Love would think under thy power we should endure such pain When we both love and are belov'd again 3. I often fear but am too blame Unjust to 's Love can I be more Another may his heart inflame Who Love would think under thy power we should endure such pain When we both love and are belov'd again Mericia having written these three Couplets sang them to the Princess who in the mean time had her thoughts filled with all the satisfaction that a person who fears not to discover her most secret sentiments to a true friend can have My Sister by this means got the Song so perfect that the next day being returned to Syracuse she sung it not thinking of any thing before the Prince of Messena who asked her from whom she had it Mericia remembring her self blushed and made no direct answer so that the Prince wes still at her to know and knowing she was able to do any thing of that nature told her that he was very happy for whom she had made that Song Mericia perceiving that the Prince of Messena's suspicion was far from the truth suffered him to believe what he pleased and craftily confirmed him in the jealousie he was in choosing rather to be suspected of a thing that was not than to give any occasion to suspect the Princess of Himera of a thing that was for considering the extraordinary friendship that Lindamira had for Mericia as also that they came up out of the Countrey together and that there were few Women at Syracuse that could write such a Song it might at last have been thought to come from the Princess of Himera if my Sister had not discreetly started the occasion of suspecting that she had made those verses Not that Lindamira does any way pretend to be a Wit but it is nevertheless known that she can do what she hath a mind to and so it might have been imagined as I have already told her that she had made that Song if my Sister who could not affirm she had it from her had not suffered people to believe that she for diversion sake had written it her self But what made the Princess Himera the more obliged to her was that the whole Court concluded these Couplets were made for one in the Army that was very deeply in love with Mericia He wanted not friends to send them insomuch that he was so far perswaded they were directed to him that he writ a very obliging Letter to my Sister to know whether he ought to return her his thanks for such a Favour This adventure no question troubled Mericia very much but such was the affection she had for Lindamira that she willingly suffered for her sake So that this endeared her so much the more to the Princess who still preferring solitude before the Court during the absence of Themistus returned to Meriander's house taking my Sister along with her While she was there news came that Themistus had given the enemy another overthrow and that the Prince of Heraclea had desired a cessation of twenty daies so that Lindamira looking on this cessation as a thing that would retard Themistus's return if it produced not a Peace was so melancholly and cast down at it that she could not endure any to be near her but Mericia Nay there were some intervals wherein she would rather walk without her than with her and wherein she went and sate in the pleasant Arbor which Meriander had caused to be made up a little before One while she spent the time in thinking another in reading Themistus's Letters and sometimes desirous to stay some of her thoughts she took her table-Table-book and writ something in it Sometimes taking her Black-lead which she always carried about her she would design something or write some gallant yet passionate expression upon the squares of White and Red Marble that were in divers parts of the Closet but dash'd out all immediately if she did not forget to do it When she had done she gave my Sister an account of all she had either done or thought as if she had been return'd after a long journey though commonly she had not been an hour alone For Madam I dare assure you that there never was any affection so passionate and withal so innocent as what Lindamira had for Themistus who yet loves beyond what he is lov'd if it be allowable to make comparisons between two things that are extream This fortunate Favorite in the mean time making his advantage of the cessation and pretending out of policy to come and advise with the Prince about the Articles of the Peace if any were made left the Army to be commanded by his Lieutenant-General and came for Syracuse But understanding that Lindamira was at Meriander's house he would needs surprise her with a visit He left four men that came along with him being all the retinue he had at a little Village and attended only by a Slave he alighted at a house where Meriander's Gardner lived that is a Cottage which lies without the Park within which the house is This fellow being simple and necessitous it was the easier for Themistus to oblige him by Presents to do what he pleased But he desired no more of him than that taking no notice of his being there he would let him into the Garden where the Princess of Himera was wont to walk The Sun was about an hour high so that he might easily hide himself where he pleased in the Garden so as to discover himself of a sudden to Lindamira who was not yet stirring For besides that it was as yet early day for a Lady to get up the Princess of Himera had walked so late by the Moon-light the night before that she could not rise very betimes However the Gardner assured Themistus that she would take a walk before dinner and therefore saies the poor fellow out of his natural simplicity if you would see the Garden do it before she comes for she is no sooner dressed but she comes and sits in an Arbor where my Master hath caused abundance of things to be written on Marble which are past my understanding Themistus was extreamly taken with the simplicity of this Gardner who knew him not though he had been divers times before in the Garden and the reason was that he had only minded the Prince and the Princesses with whom Themistus came so that he bid him leave him to himself and go to his work The Gardiner accordingly who was very busie about a hedge of Myrtles whereof there were abundance in the Garden as also a many Orange-trees left him and went about his work Themistus was no sooner come to the midst of the Garden and saw the windows of the Chamber where his Princess lay yet asleep but he felt a strange
the Arts and Sciences are placed by some in the rank of things uncertain and dubious Physick whose object is the restitution of health and prolongation of life is yet accounted by some people a dangerous Art that does more mischief than benefit so true is it that weakness and uncertainty reigns in the minds of mankind Some approve the same that others condemn and there is scarce any thing extoll'd and commended by one but is as much decry'd and deprecated by another So some believe that speaking little is a defect others that speaking very much is a perfection some that to speak eloquently is to speak bombastick words others that to speak well is to speak naturally and with facility some affirm only choice and select words ought to be us'd and others that we ought to speak negligently in avoidance of affectation without considering that affected negligence is the worst of all There are some likewise who are of opinion that to speak well it is requisite to speak with the same exactness that Books are written in whilst others on the contrary to avoid this defect speak as impolitely as the Vulgar without observing that all excess is equally condemnable and that if it be dangerous to speak too well it is no less to speak extreamly ill But as I understand there is a thing in Language generally and deservedly blam'd by all the world namely a fustian dialect and obscurity since 't is true that whosoever attends desires to comprehend what is spoken to him and whosoever speaks is oblig'd to make himself intelligible No doubt Herminius has reason answer'd Zenocrates when he saies the Coyners of bombast words are condemn'd by all the world Yet there are abundance of that profession said Plotina but which I wonder at more I know several sorts of people addicted to it and some amongst them not absolutely un-ingenuous That is not to be doubted answer'd Herminius and hence it proceeds that there are divers sorts of gibbrish But can you give any reasonable cause said Plotina why people that have some measure of wit do not express themselves purely and clearly without in tricacy Most certainly answer'd Herminius they are such people whose thoughts sometimes come near to the understanding of matters but their words so intricate their conceptions that it cannot be conjectur'd what they would have understood There are others added Zenocrates whose expressions are bad only by reason they do not understand themselves and they are not only put to seek the words they would utter but the things they would apprehend You see then reply'd Herminius I am not destitute of reason when I assert the multiplicity of bad language and gibbrish For the people I mentioned first are obscure in their discourses only because they choose not out the words which might express their thoughts and the second mentioned by Zenocrates are so only because their thoughts being confus'd there is no expression that sutes with them and can make them intelligible There are also some sorts of innocent gibbrish if I may so speak of which some are capable of being amended For I know some persons who to show the vividness and promptness of their fancies give not leisure to those that speak to them to finish what they intended Whereby endeavouring to make unsutable supplies by conjecture they interrupt the course of them that were speaking and speaking themselves with precipitation they seem to answer before any thing is perfectly propounded to them since a person who has not wholly ended what he was about to speak has as yet spoken nothing upon which to ground a pertinent answer the last words of a discourse not rarely overthrowing the beginning of it Thus it almost always falls out that these people who interrupt others so peremptorily and interpose their unseasonable supplements speak things without sense and cause a strange intricacy though otherwise their apprehensions be sufficiently clear For my particular said Valeria I know some obscure clouded speakers the occasion of whose fault is that their minds are distracted for not attending well to what is spoken to them and through custom not awaiting to answer they usually acquit themselves after an ill manner There are likewise certain gibbrish speakers who become such out of an affectation to seem subtle and imagine that not expressing themselves clearly is the way to be accounted owners of deep judgements and great abilities For my part said Amilcar I know there are persons of both Sexes from whom sometimes discourses proceed not warrantable in sense and that only because they desire to be the first that use those new-coyned words which chance introduces and the humor of the world makes currant for a while and which sometimes are authoris'd by time and custom for these people not knowing the true signification of the new modish words place them impertinently and oftentimes speak the contrary to what they intend to express There are also others answer'd Herminius who understand not what they say because having resolv'd to speak confidently of every thing they venture with a very mean wit to speak of certain things which can never be rightly spoken of unless they be well learnt before In the mean time 't is much a greater shame to pretend a sufficiency without reality than to be judiciously silent and to confess ignorance of the things that are debated of I beseech you said Plotina let us leave these gibbrish speakers who are unworthy the notice and minding of so many persons that speak so handsomely and clearly and let us only consider those who speak either too much or too little for as for my self I confess the latter seem so troublesome themselves by occasioning the trouble of others that I should chuse rather to speak too much than too little since at least by importuning my friends I should divert my self Though it seem not possible answer'd Hortensius to be of an opinion contrary to yours without undertaking a bad side yet I shall not forbear to declare once more that I like rather to speak too little than too much that nevertheless I should sometimes fancy the conversation of a loquacious person more than that of one that seem'd almost perpetually tongue ty'd For it may indeed happen oft-times that a man who speaks not much may have a good capacity but it can scarce ever happen that one who speaks too much is indu'd with a tolerable judgement True said Amilcar but withal it does not often happen that those who almost wholly decline speaking are owners of much wit and on the other side it is frequently enough seen that a great talker is sufficiently ingenuous for 't is my opinion that wit has a resemblance with fire and so cannot but discover it self in some manner or other where ever there is any of it Yet great men have been seen answer'd Horatius that have not affected speaking 'T is true reply'd Herminius but then they have manifested their wit in their writings or
any where it seems good to him and to go where he shall not be expected As for his Satyrs they shall contain the most exquisite and delicate morality mingled with the most subtile and real raillery and never shall any other so pleasantly deride vices as he nor so ingeniously render them ridiculous Yet it shall be less impossible if I may so speak to imitate him in his Satyrs than in his Odes But to conclude he shall die at the age of fifty seven years after having acquired a glory which nothing can destroy After him cast thy eyes upon Tibullus a Roman Knight handsome well made and of a good port he shall be rich and become poor he shall have so amorous an inclination that the multitude of his loves shall proceed less from his inconstancy than from his inclination to love He shall chiefly celebrate in his Verses four of his Mistresses Delia Sulpitia Neara and Nemesis He shall have a particular amity with one of the eminentest persons of Rome named Messala Corvinus and shall dye in a voyage that he shall make with him after having had the glory to be the first Author of the Latine Elegy The style of his Verses shall be amorous soft easie clear neat and of extream sweetness and elegancy In the next place behold Propertius an other Roman Knight he shall imitate Callimachus Mimnermus and Philetas whom I shewed thee before Behold also near him the fair Cyntbia his Mistress who shall sometimes help him to make Verses as Lesbia shall Catullus His Elegies shall be so handsome that though the best Judges shall prefer Tibullus before him yet others shall be of the contrary opinion There shall be more wit more conceits and more amorous sentences in his Verses but less passion facility and elegance Dost thou not see at the right hand of Propertius another Poet 't is Varus who shall live at the same time Horace and all the rest of the same profession shall celebrate him as a great Epique Poet but there shall remain nothing of his but twelve or thirteen verses so that one day his writings shall not be known but by the commendations of others But it is time to shew thee the famous Ovid a Roman Knight dost thou not also see near him a very comely person 't is his wife who shall be nam'd Perilla and taught by him to make Verses He shall be born at Sulmo the Metropilis of the Peligni in Italy near the Marsi he shall be at first designed by his father to the Law and shall succeed well in it but having all his life had a great inclination for Poetry he shall renounce that profession and give himself wholly to the other He shall be a particular friend to those of the highest quality in Rome and of very delightful conversation He shall marry thrice he shall divorce his two first Wives and keep the third which thou seest near him He shall be banished by Augustus for having made love to the Princess Julia his daughter whose deportment shall be very disorderly some shall believe the cause to have been for being amorous of Livia wife of that Emperor but the true reason shall be so concealed that many different and improbable conjectures shall be made of it The place of his exile shall be Pontus a Province of Asia near the Getes and the Sarmatians He shall compose many works the greatest of all which shall be his Metamorphosis which he shall imitate from the Greek of Parthenius of the Island of Chios as to the design only for he shall much more amplify them his stile shall have much wit facility and copiousness but more of native Ornament than Art For the most part he shall abandon himself to his own genius and not always allow himself the leisure to choose his conceits and expressions but yet he shall be so extreamly amorous so passionate and full of wit that he shall be accounted admirable throughout all Ages His Books of the Art of Loving and the Remedies of Love shall get him a great reputation But it may be said the Flower of Latine Poetry shall dye with him for his successors endeavoring to imitate his Wit his copiousness his conceits and subtile fancies shall leave the good way and wander so that insensibly after his days the Latine Poetry shall begin to lose that sweetness and natural Majesty which during so long time rendered it admirable For behold that Spaniard with the fierce countenance thou seest appear there 't is Seneca the Tragedian he shall have much wit but he shall favor of the tumidness of his Nation he shall be born at Corduba and in process of time some shall attribute part of his Works to a Philosopher of the same name whose mind shall be of the same temper with his In the next place behold Lucan who shall be born in the â—â—me City he shall have many admirers but whose Work to speak equitably shall not be perfectly admirable saving in its pieces He shall be justly accused for not making a conclusion and for flying always so high that he cannot be followed without weariness He shall one day have a Translator among the Gaules who shall get much glory by his traduction His wife Palla Argentaria shall make Verses as well as he but at length an Emperor called Nero shall put him to death not so much for having conspired against the State as to deliver himself from a Rival in Poetry whose Works shall be better received by the people than his After him see an imitator of Virgil called Statius and near him his wife Claudia who shall be illustrious for her wit she shall make Verses too as well as that of Lucan This Poet shall fall much short of Virgil by endeavoring to surpass him In brief he shall be great and sublime but most often inflated and obscure Then consider Silius Italicus a Spanyard also so great an admirer of Virgil that he shall reverence his Tomb. He shall write a Poem of Seventeen Books concerning the War of the Carthaginians against the Romans he shall be Consul of Rome the year wherein the cruel Nero shall be slain So likewise Valerius Flaccus who shall write of the Argonautes but do not stay upon this sight for though these must be good Poets yet they shall not be of the same rank with the others thou hast seen But I am going to shew thee two that shall better deserve to detain thy view they are Juvenal and Martial for though they are not to have all the excellency of the Age of Augustus yet they shall have the advantage to be the first in the style they shall choose See therefore Juvenal who appears first his Satyrs shall be less mirthful and delicate than those of Horace but full of wit and life Horace shall always laugh and never be in choler Juvenal shall frequently be inraged and laugh more rarely These two sorts of Satyrs shall divide the Wits and there shall no