rather Ten thousand Millions nay that their number were Infinite that the Issue of my Brain Fame and Name might live to Eternity if it were possible neither do I think or believe it a Sin to Wish it by reason it proceeds from Pure Self-love which is the Root or Foundation of the Love of God and all Moral Virtues I do not mean Corrupted Self-love but as I said Pure Self-love by which God and Nature did Make and doth Order the whole World or Infinite Matter But Madam give me leave to say that this Age doth Corrupt all Wit and Wisdom with Sophistry and because they cannot write Beyond the Antients they will endeavour to Disgrace them although most Writers Steal from them But for this French Author setting aside his Epistle his Book is full of Wit and Reason as it is rendred by the Translator and wishing all Writers could fill their Books with Wit and Reason I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant LXXX MADAM BY Relation Reading and Observation I find that every Age is not alike for Humour Judgement and Wit although alike for Kind Life and Death for some Ages are so Heroick as all their Thoughts are of War and all their Actions Fighting in other Ages all their Thoughts are Considering and their Actions Experiments in other Ages all their Thoughts are Superstitious and their Actions Sermons in other Ages all their Thoughts are Amorous and their Actions Adulteries and so in many other things as Humors Passions Appetites Customs as also in Diets Accoustrements Behaviour Discourse and the like all which I have seriously Consider'd what should be the Cause that men being of One and the same Kind viz. Mankind should Differ so much in several Ages in the Course of their Life But I cannot find any more Reason for it than for several Diseases in several Ages as for Example a Disease namely the Sweating Disease that was Predominant in England and after in Germany and many other Diseases which are Predominant in One Age and not in Another which certainly is produced from an Influence from the Planets But this is to be observed that Evils may proceed from the Planets but what is Good both for Body and Mind proceeds from a Higher Celestial Power And as for this Age we live in now 't is Prodigal to their Enemies and Ungrateful to their Friends but Madam though this Age be so Infected in the Generality yet some Particulars escape this Infection for You and I are as Constant in Friendship as the Light to the Sun which is the Happiness of Madam Your Humble Servant LXXXI MADAM IN your last Letter you desired me to write some Letters of Complement as also some Panegyricks but I must intreat you to Excuse me for my Style in Writing is too Plain and Simple for such Courtly Works besides give me leave to inform you that I am a Servant to Truth and not to Flattery although I confess I rather Lose than Gain in my Mistress's Service for she is Poor and Naked and hath not those means to Advance her Servants as Flattery hath who gives Plenty of Words and is Prodigal of Praise and is Clothed in a Flourishing Style Imbroydered with Oratory but my Mistress Truth hath no need of such Adornings neither doth she give many Words and seldom any Praise so as her Servants have not any thing to live on or by but mere Honesty which rather Starves than Feeds any Creature yet howsoever I being bred in her Service from my Youth will never Quit her till Death takes me away and if I can Serve you by Serving her Command me and I shall Honestly Obey you and so rest Madam Your faithful Fr. and S. LXXXII MADAM IN your last Letter you Condemn me for living a Country Life saying I Bury my self whilst I Live and you wonder that knowing I love Glory I should live so Solitary a Life as I do I confess Madam both the Manner of my Life and my Ambitious Nature If a Solitary Life be not to Live in a Metrapolitan City spred broad with Vanity and almost smother'd with Crowds of Creditors for Debts and as I Confess my Solitude so I Confess my Glory which is to Despise such Vanities as will be rather a Reproach to my Life than a Fame to after Ages and I should Weep my self into Water if I could have no other Fame than Rich Coaches Lackies and what State and Ceremony could produce for my Ambition flies higher as to Worth and Merit not State and Vanity I would be Known to the World by my VVit not by my Folly and I would have my Actions so VVise and Just as I might neither be Asham'd nor Afrai'd to Hear of my self But Madam as you Condemn My Life so I Condemn Yours for the Nobles that live in a Metrapolitan City live but as Citizens and Citizens that live in the Country live like Noble men with less Expences and more Liberty having large Extension of Lands and not Imprisoned in One House and their Recreations are more Various and Noble neither do they spend their Time in Idle Visiting but Prudent Overseeing In short Madam there is so much Difference in either sort of Life as the One is like Heaven full of Peace and Blessedness the Other full of Trouble and Vice and so living in the sweet Air of Content I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant LXXXIII MADAM IN your last Letter you Chid me for Loving too Earnestly saying Extreme Love did Consume my Body and Torment my Mind and that whosoever Love to a High Degree are Fools If so I Confess Madam I am as much a Fool as ever Nature made for where I set my Love it is Fix'd like Eternity and is as Full as Infinite My Love is not Fix'd Suddenly for it takes Experience and Consideration to help to Place it both which have been my Guides and Directors to Love you which makes me Love you Much and shall make me Love you Long if Souls Die not and so I shall alwayes and in all occasions be Madam Your Constant Friend and Humble Servant LXXXIV MADAM NOw we be both Return'd into our Native Country let us Meet to Rejoyce together for though our Husbands have Lost much yet the Broken parts of their Estates they have Recover'd by the Just Laws of this Kingdom will afford us some Recreation Pastime and Harmless Sports As for the Place of our Meeting If I may Advise it shall be N. whose Owner is M. N. a Person that hath Lost the Most of any Subject yet he is the Best Contented and so the Happiest for he never Troubles himself for any Worldly Wealth especially when he cannot tell Honestly which way to Repair his Estate And though he be Wisely Prudent yet he is not Basely Miserable as to be Miserably Sparing but will Entertain us Civilly Friendly Generously Pleasantly Delightfully So expecting when you will appoint the Time I rest Madam Your faithful Fr.
Brethren Know by the Spirit that they are not the Children of the Lord but Sathans Children they are the Children of Darkness we the Children of Light we are Glorified and Sanctified by Supernatural Grace we are a Peculiar People and the Holy Prophets of the Lord to Fore-see Fore-tell and Declare his Will and Pleasure also we are to Incourage and Comfort the Saints in Afflictions and Times of Tribulation and Consolation and to Help them to Present their Sanctified Sighs Tears and Groans unto the Lord but the Spirit moveth me to Pray and to leave off Preaching wherefore let us Pray unto the Lord. So after the Holy Brother had done his Prayer Mr. N. N. who was there pull'd off his Peruick and put on a Night-Cap wherein he appeared so like a Holy Brother as they took him for one of their Sect and he Preached this following Sermon DEarly beloved Brethren We are here met in a Congregation together some to Teach others to Learn but neither the Teaching nor Learning can be any other way but Natural and according to Human Capacitie for we cannot be Coelestial whilst we are Terrestrial neither can we be Glorified whilst we are Mortal and subject to Death nor yet can we arrive to the Purity of Saints or Angels whilst we are subject to Natural Imperfections both in Body and Mind but there are some Men that Believe they are or at least may be so Pure in Spirit by Saving Grace as to be Sanctified and to be so much fill'd with the Holy Ghost as to have Spiritual Visions and ordinarily to have Conversation with God believing God to be a Common Companion to their Idle Imaginations But this Opinion proceeds from an Extraordinary Self-Love Self-Pride and Self-Ambition as to believe they are the only fit Companions for God himself and that not any of God's Creatures are or were Worthy to be Favoured but They much less to be made of Gods Privy Counsel as they believe they are as to Know his Will and Pleasure his Decrees and Destinies which indeed are not to be Known for the Creator is too Mighty for a Creature to Comprehend him Wherefore let us Humbly Pray to What we cannot Conceive But before he had quite Ended his Sermon the Holy flock began to Bustle and at last VVent quite out of the Room so that he might have Pray'd by Himself had not I and two or three Ladies more that were of my Company Stayed and when he had done his short Prayer He told me and the other Ladyes that he had Done that which the Great Counsel of State could not Do for he had by one short Discourse Dispersed a Company of Sectaries without Noise or Disturbance but at last we dispersed our selves to our own Houses although Mr. N. N. would have given us a Ball after a Sermon but I was so tyred with the One as I was not fit for the Other for we were from Morning till Evening to hear them Preach yet as Tyred and Weary as I am I could not choose but Repeat these two of their shortest Sermons which I heard and so I subscribe my self Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant LXXVII MADAM YOu were pleased to desire me to Read the Romance of A. as also the Romance of C. which I have obeyed in reading the Romance of A but as yet I have not read any part of C. and to give you an Account of my Perusal I think there is more Love than Reason in it and more Wit than Truth or Probability of Truth and certainly it is deplorable that so much Wit and Eloquence should be wasted on Amorous Love as also to bring all Scholastical as Theological Physical Logistical and the like Arguments Disputes and Discourses into the Theme of Amorous Love which Love is between Appetite or Desire and Fruition of Different Sexes of Men and Women but I perceive that Romance-Writers endeavour to make all their Romance-Readers believe that the Gods Nature Fates Destinies and Fortune do imploy or busie themselves only in the affairs of Amorous Lovers which is a very low Imployment or Concern Also I perceive that Romance-Lovers are very Rheumatick for if all the Tears Romances express Lovers to shed were Gathered or United it would cause a second Deluge of the World it seems Amorous Love is Composed more of Water than Fire and more of Desire than Fruition But leaving Amorous Lovers to more Folly than Discretion to Lose more Time than to Gain Love and wishing them Sound Lungs for Sighs and Moist Eyes for Tears I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant LXXVIII MADAM IN your last Letter you expressed that you had Presented C. with a Book of Gs. VVriting I wonder you would Present that Book to C. by reason that he is a Gallant for Pleasure and not a Stoick for Study also you express'd you sent one to D. the Student let me tell you Madam I dare swear he will never read it Half out not for the Bigness of the Volume but for the Newness of the Style and Age for most Students despise all New Works and only delight in Old Worm-eaten Records the truth is few Books are read Throughout the First Age it is well if at the Fourth Age the End be arrived at especially in the same Nation where the Author is a Native for as our Saviour sayes A man is not Esteemed of in his Own Country and yet in another place he sayes A man is Known by his Works wherefore the best way for a man that would have his Writings Known and Esteemed of in his Life time is to send them to Travel into Forein Nations for at Home they will find but little Applause no not Romances which the VVorld Dotes on for Distance of Place is next to Distance of Time at least resembles it But if any will present their VVorks to Persons of their Own Nation they must present them to such as are Known to Delight in such Subjects their Books treat of and then perchance they may read a leaf or two and by that Censure all the Book But fearing you should Censure me for writing so Long a Letter I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant LXXIX MADAM I Was yesterday presented with a Book Translated out of French into English wherein I find the Author of the Book Condemns those that set their Images before their Books or that suffer their Friends to give their Opinions of their Books in Epistles or that do write many or some or few Epistles before their Books whereas himself writes so Long an Epistle in finding Fault with Others and civilly Applauding Himself in not having his Picture or his Friends Applauses as that Epistle or Preface is as Long if not More than many Short Epistles and as Vain-glorious as Many Friends Praises But I am so far from that Noble Persons Opinion or Modesty that I wish whereas I have One Friend to Praise my Works although Partially I had a Thousand or
the Linnen or Sweet-meats we ever had of him neither did we know they were his until a Fortnight after Now if she should have been Judged by the Letter without any Examination she might have been Condemned for a Criminal whereas her own Confession and other Witnesses set her Free but Jealousie and Suspicion for the most part are False Accusers and Cruel Judges By this we see how Unquiet and Restless some Married Persons are being alwayes Tortured with their own Thoughts and their Minds are Rack'd on the Wheels of Suspicion But my Husband sent for the Divine that formerly came from her and told him of her Letter and of my Maids Confession and that she had no Cause to be Jealous of her for she was very Virtuous neither had she any Acquaintance with her Husband So the Divine went between and between not to bring Unlawful Lovers together for he was a very Worthy and VVise man but to Pacifie a Disquiet Mind and to make Love and Unity between an Husband and his VVife And so leaving them to Agree I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CXXV MADAM I Cannot Blame you if you were in a Passion as in your Letter you Express you were for there is nothing so apt to Inkindle an Anger in my Mind or to Inflame my Spirits than to receive a Contumely from my Superiours or a Rude Boldness from my Inferiours unless Cold Discretion and Fluent Prudence could Quench those Flaming Spirits into an Unactive and Dead Patience VVhen I say Superiours I mean Superiours for Outward Title and not for Inward VVorth But you must Consider Madam that Bold Rudeness or Negligent Contumely proceeds from Ignorance or Envy as either Ignorant of Civil Manners being a Kin to the Brutes or Envious having no VVorth or Merit in themselves and if you call your Reason to Counsel and your Judgment to Decide the Cause those would let them pass as Inconsiderable and not to be Regarded for Reason and Judgment will never regard the Braying of an Ass the Barking of a Dog the Buzzing of a Flie an Idle Drone the Speech of a Fool the Follies of a Knave nor the Envy of the Base But Madam your Worth and Merit is so Transcendent as the Tongue of Malice nor the Eye of Envy can never Reach to no more than the Blind can See the Light of the Sun or the Dumb Teach the Truth of Knowledg and I am Happy in Knowing that I am Madam Your Humble and Devoted Servant CXXVI MADAM IN your last Letter you were Pleased to tell me that the Works of W. T. were so much Admired as many were Desirous to See the Author and Hear him Speak but after they had Seen and Heard him they did not Admire his Works so much as they did before so as it seems they did Esteem the VVorks the Less for the Author and not the Author the More for his Works which in my Opinion is Unjust and a sign they either have not Read the Scripture or not Believed what there is Written viz. That a Man is Known by his Works and we Admire the Creator Through and By his Works but the Foolish part of the World which is the Most part thinks that a Man's Learning or Wit or Ingenuity is Printed in his Face and Expects he should Speak beyond the Invention of Words and such high Raptures as they could not Understand Indeed so Foolish are Most especially Women as when they see a Famous Learned Man or Witty Poet or the like they will streight say Lord Is this the Learned Man that is so Famous that Writ such and such Books how Simply he Looks or Is this the Famous Poet that Writ such Poems Scenes and Songs how Sneakingly he Appears says another I heard no VVit from him but he Spoke as other men Ordinailry do But all such Famous Men if they would not have their VVorks the Less Esteemed for their Presence and Ordinary Conversation and would be Admired by the Most which are the Ignorant must put on a Constrain'd Garb and Speak some Gibbrigge that sounds not like a Perfect Language or some wayes they must Speak that they Understand not and then they shall be Admired both for their Conversation and Contemplation which are their VVorks or they must Incloister themselves from the View of the VVorld for the World of Mankind is apt to Despise that which they Know or have Seen and only Admire that which they Understand not But I have Spoken of this Subject in an Epistle before my Book of Playes wherefore I shall not Trouble you with any more Discourse thereon but rest Madam Your very Faithful Friend and Servant CXXVII MADAM I May not Discommend the Old Historical or Heroick Poets for if I should I should be Condemned for a Fool as not having neither Judgment nor Understanding yet I may say my Reason believes they VVrit Unreasonably not only of their Feigned Gods but of their Feigned Fights and of their Feigned Fortunes or Successes The truth is they are for the most part Romances containing more Lies than Truth more Impossibilities than Probabilities for though Feigning is the Ground of Poetry yet methinks such kind of Poetry should not have such kind of Feignings for to Reason it can neither be Pleasant nor Profitable for Reason takes Delight in Probabilities not in Impossibilities for though the Ground or Subject of an Heroical Story or Poem may be Feigning yet the several Actions should be Natural not beyond the Power of Men nor Unusual to their Practice neither can it be Profitable for what cannot be Practised cannot be Imitated the VVay of VVriting may be Imitated but not the Actions for what One man can Disorder or Rout an Army with his Single Strength or Courage nay what One man can Disorder or Rout a Brigade nay a Company of an Hundred The truth is a Hundred to One is too great Odds to Encounter and too Many for One man to Overcome neither can I believe a Hundred men should be so Afraid of One man were he as Big and as Strong as Goliah so as to Run away unless they did apprehend he had Followers but yet when I remember the Story of Sampson I Dare not say it Cannot be but I Dare say it cannot be without a Miracle wherefore most of the Heroick Poets make their chief Heroes to have the Assistance of particular Gods and Goddesses so as to Impower them above the Effects of Nature but of all the Heroick Poems I have read I like Sir W. Ds. as being Most and Nearest to the Natures Humours Actions Practice Designs Effects Faculties and Natural Powers and Abilities of Men or Human Life containing no Impossibilities or Improbabilities Indeed such an Heroick Poem it is that there cannot be found any Fault therein unless he seem'd to have too much Care or Pains taken in the Expression of his Descriptions for the Language is like so Curious and Finely Ingraven a Seal as one cannot
and Admirable being an Effect of a Devout Soul and Zealous Spirit which Flames into Poetical Raptures and is Inspired with a Divine Influence Delivering it self through Harmonious Numbers Sympathetical Rithmes Elegant Phrases and Eloquent Language all which is Presented to God from the Heart as an Offering or Sacrifice of Thanksgiving or an Imploring of Mercy or an Humble Acknowledgment of sins and Promise of Amendment which Sacred Poems are Express'd in a Tragick Vein concerning Sins and in a Comick Vein concerning Blessings and Poets in their Morning Hymns are like the Larks that Begin the Day and in their Evening Hymns like the Nightingals which Begin the Night Thus Divine Poets are Heaven's Birds that Sing to God and their Divine Poems are their Brood which are kept in the Cage of Memory and Sing their Parents Notes to After Ages But Madam perchance you will think I am very Peremptory to give my Opinion of the Poets VVork before I see it but I give my Opinion only upon the Ground of his VVork which is the Scripture saying it ought not to be Paraphrased besides I give it from my Conscience not from my Conceited Brain and perchance I may alter my Opinion upon more Rational Arguments from those that are more Learned and Knowing than my self and if your Opinion Differs from mine pray send it me in your next Letter for I would willingly be of your Opinion believing you cannot Err nor I in Expressing my self Madam Your very Faithful Friend and Devoted Servant CXXX MADAM HEre is the Lady V. R. in this City who is so Strict to Chast Wedlock and so Fearful of Dishonour or Scandal as she will have no Usual Conversation with any Man but those she is nearly Allyed to or hath an Obligation to of Duty or Gratitude Nay she is not only Chast but her Life and all her Actions are Devoted to Chast Wedlocks the truth is She lives as if she were an Incloister'd Nun although a Wife and her Husband is her only Confessor and Instructor or rather her Saint whom she Adores and Worships and Prayes to to Pardon her Sins of Omission for of Sins of Commission she is not Guilty unless to Omit be to Commit and the greatest Sin of Omission is the Neglect of her Health which he accounts as a Deadly Sin and will hardly Pardon unless she Reform but although she promises Amendment as all Penitents do yet as soon as she hath Promised she Commits the same Sin again so as the best part of her Life is as it were Spent in Promises but not in Performance And when she is Sick she doth like the man that was in a Storm who in the time of Danger promised the Blessed Virgin Mary to Offer to her Altar Candle as Big and as Long as the Mast of the Ship if ever he came on the Shore so the Lady V. R. when she is Sick promises if ever she Recover she will Take the Air and Use Exercises but being Restored to Health she Forgets her Promise or only Looks out of a Window for Once or Twice and Walks Two or Three turns in a day in her Chamber which is as little Exercise as she can do the truth is she Errs as much in living too much a Retired Life as other Ladies in too Much and Often Gadding Abroad wherein she loses as much Health as they Time if not Reputation But leaving her to her Retired Life and Promising Words I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CXXXI MADAM YOu desired me to send you the Sixteen Books I Writ in my Childhood methinks they sound like the Twelve Labours of Hercules only that there are Four Labours more but though mine were not so Profitable to the World nor so Difficult to Atchieve nor so Dangerous in their Encounters yet you will find my Works like Infinite Nature that hath neither Beginning nor End and as Confused as the Chaos wherein is neither Method nor Order but all Mix'd together without Separation like Evening Light and Darkness so in my Sixteen Books is Sense and No Sense Knowledg and Ignorance Mingled together so that you will not know what to make of it or in a Lower Comparison you will find every Book like a Frippery or Brokers-shop wherein is nothing but Remnants Bits and Ends of Several things or like Taylors Shreds that are not fit for any Use wherefore I cannot Imagine why you should Desire them unless out of a Friendship you will See and Burn them before I Die fearing I should Neglect the Sacrificing of them my self for you are Pleased not only to send for One but all the Sixteen But I suppose you believe them to be so many several sheets of Paper folded into Quarters or Half Quarters as into little baby-Baby-books for it was in my baby-Baby-years I Writ them and it had been well they had been no Bigger than Baby-Books but the least of these Books are two or the Quires of Paper Neither can you Read them when you have them unless you have the Art or Gift to Read Unknown Letters for the Letters are not only Unlegible but each Letter stands so Cowardly from th' other as all the Lines of your Sight cannot Draw or Bring them into Words nay they will sooner be Torn in pieces besides it will Weary your Eye-sight to Move from Letter to Letter it will be almost as great a Journy for your Eyes as it was for Coriat's Feet that Travelled a Foot to Mogorr I know not whether his Journy Lamed them but certainly it Tired them so will my Books do your Eyes if they do not quite Blind them I cannot say in Reading them but Endeavouring to Read Scribbles for Letters Moreover there are such huge Blots as I may Similize them to Broad Seas or Vast Mountains which in a Similizing Line will Tire your Eyes to Spread to the Circumference like as for the Feet to Walk to the Top of the Alps Also there are Long Hard Scratches which will be as Bad for your Eyes as Long Stony Lanes would be to your Feet wherefore let me perswade you as your Friend not Desperately to Venture to Read them since you can neither receive Profit nor Pleasure in the Labour were there any Probability to Increase your Knowledge or to Inrich your Understanding you had some reason to Venture but you will be so far from Increasing your Knowledge as you will enter into a vast Wilderness and Intricate Labyrinth wherein you will Lose your Patience and be so far from Inriching your Understanding as you will Impoverish your present Memory and let me tell you that my Sixteen Books will be as Tedious Troublesome and Dangerous to your Understanding as the Dry Deep Sandy Barren Deserts of Arabia to Travellers and so thick a Mist of Nonsense and Clouds of Ignorance will fly in the face of your Understanding that it will not only Blind it but be apt to Smother it not otherwise than the Clouds or Hills of
Sand that Fly and Blind and sometimes Choak those that pass through those Deserts But if no Perswasion will Alter you but you are Resolved to See them send me word in your nest Letter and I will send them to you although much against the will of Your faithful Friend and Servant CXXXII MADAM THe Lady S.K. Presents her Service to you Truly she is not Well although not so Sick as Forced to keep her Bed I know not how to Judg of her Disease for she is both Lean and Fat like as the Idol mentioned in the Holy Scripture which was partly Clay partly Stone and partly Metal onely as I remember its Feet and Legs were made of Clay whereas her Feet and Legs are all Bone for they are so Wasted as they have no Flesh on them but her Hips Body and Breast are so Fleshy and Fat as one may think she had no Bones by reason none can be Seen or Felt and her Arms Hands Neck and Face are so Pale and Lean that they appear White as Silver and for want of Blood and Flesh they are so Dry as they are so Rough as Unpolished Stone and with her Sickness she is become so Melancholy as she appears like a Dead Image or Senseless Idol but her Real Virtue and Noble Soul and Honourable Life hath made her more Worthy of Human Worship than the Signifying fore-mentioned Idol or Image his Idolatrous Divine Worship and she is more Worthy to be set up on an Altar of Fame than such Idols on an Altar of Religion and to have Praises though not Prayers Offer'd to her Thus she may be Worshipped as a Goddess without Superstitious Idolatry and have Virtuous Devouts but yet she desires she may have the best Doctors Advice for her Health wherefore she Intreats you to send her the most Renowned Doctors of Physick that are in your City she will not spare Cost if they have Skill but Pay them for their Advice for Doctors sell their Knowledge and Patients Buy Healths and their Knowledge is a Staple-Commodity for the more Knowledg Doctors of Physick sell the more Knowledg they get for Experience of Diseases and so all things come in more by Practice than by Study and Health gains more by Temperance Exercise and Air than by Physick And so Adding my Prayers to her Temperance the Doctors Skill and Physick I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CXXXIII MADAM YOu were pleased to tell me the Complaints of Mrs. W. A. concerning the Incivilities of Sir A. M. she is not to be Pitied since it was her own Fault to be in the Company of Uncivil Men but certainly he was Drunk or she VVanton either in her Behaviour or Discourse or both otherwise it is not Easily to be believed that a Person of his Quality should be so Uncivil to a Person of her Quality for Honourable Men are or should be a Guard to VVomens Honours to Protect them Safely and not to Betray them to their Incivilities Wherefore the Surest way for Women is not to Accompany any Man Singly and Alone but when there are more than they themselves unless it be such Men as they have a near Relation to as Husbands Brothers Fathers Sons Uncles and the like but VVomen are so far from Shunning Mens Companies as they go from place to place to Meet them and will Invite them to Cards Dancing or other Meetings and they seem Dull Melancholy and Indisposed whenas they are not in the Company of Men and for the most part the Wilder the Men are the better Pleased the Women are at least they seem so But perchance Mrs. W. A. is Jealous of some other Women for Jealousie is full of Complaints and their Tongues are apt to speak Sharply of those they Love best and that which makes me think so is that Mrs. W. A. hath been often in Sir A. Ms. Company and never Complain'd but seem'd best Pleased when he was with her wherefore when the Jealous Humour is Abated she will perchance Repent of her Complaints fearing he may Hear of them and so be Angry and come not near to Visit her and then 't is likely she will Praise him more than she hath Complain'd or Spoken against him to Invite his Company again for some Praises are rather to Intrap or to Allure as Insinuating Praises than Just Praises to Reward Merit But leaving Mrs. W. A. to her Complaints or her Complaints to Sir A. M. I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CXXXIV MADAM YOu were pleased in your last Letter to tell me that you had Heard of the Seven Wonders of the World but you had onely Seen that which might be accounted the Eighth which are those Books I sent you But Madam it is a greater VVonder to me that you would take the Pains to Peruse them than it was that I should VVrite or Vvast so much Paper for Girls are alwayes Busie to no Purpose they will take delight to scratch a Coal upon a VVhite VVall or Ink with a Pen upon Paper whenas they account it a Torment to be Taught a Fair Hand-writing or the Art of Limning and in my Opinion there is no better Argument for Free VVill than to Observe how Opposite Constraint and Inforcement is to the Nature of Mankind But when I Consider that Mankind for the most part Will what is VVorst and most Hurtful for themselves or their Kind I then am apt to think Mankind are Predestinated so to do otherwise it were strange that Mankind should VVilfully Hurt themselves when they have that which is call'd Reason which Informs them that that which they VVill is Hurtful for them or to them But as for my Books you might think I have been bound to the Profession of a Scrivener not to VVrite an Intelligible Hand but to make VVast Paper for they being paid for the most part by the Sheets and not by the Letters put as few Letters in a Sheet of Paper as subtilly they can leaving a Large Space betwixt every Line and they make their Letters as Big and Broad as they may as not to Mis-shape them also with Large and Long Flourishing Scratches but my Paper Book is an Advantage to you who pay nothing for the VVriting but your Sight although Sight indeed is more worth than Pluto's Riches for it is the most Curious Glorious and Pretious Jewel in Nature's Treasury But Madam lest I should Doubly or Trebly Tire your Sight as with my Books and then with this Tedious Letter I take my leave and rest Madam Your Ladiships most faithful Friend and Servant CXXXV MADAM I Am not of the Opinion that the Planets have an Influence or Power on the Fortunes or any Outward Accidents of Men as that such shall be Slaves and such Kings such be Rich and such Poor such be Kill'd in the Wars and such Drown'd or Killd with a Stone falling on their Heads such be Burnt such Hang'd and such Escape those and the like Dangers such
Producer of the Matter that made the VVorld yet the Power that God Had and Hath to make the Matter was Infinite and Eternal and the Matter being in the Infinite and Eternal Power is also Infinite and Eternal without Beginning or Ending so as the Produced hath no more Beginning than the Producer the like for the Form Figure and Motion but to answer every Idle Objection or to Instruct every Shallow Understanding were Infinitely Troublesome and Tedious if not Impossible and there are not many that Read and Argue with a Deep Consideration or Clear Understanding for when they Argue they Argue in a Misty Understanding which makes many Objections which Reason Stumbles at and make so many Words as they Confound Reason and Sense and when they Read or Hear any other Argue or Discourse of Nature they Read or Hearken Superficially rather Listening to the Sound than Marking Observing or Considering the Sense and Reason or the Ground and Composition like as those that Barely View a Picture but Understand nothing of the Art yet will Censure the Painters Skill and many times out of a Presumptuous Opinion of their own Understanding do give a Midas Judgment Preferring not only in their Opinion but in their Commendation Sign-Posts or Sign-Pictures before the Rarest and most Curious Pieces Drawn to the Life But leaving them to their Dull Understanding and Foolish Judgments I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CLVIII MADAM YOu were pleased to tell me in your last Letter that the Lady D. M. and you were Fall'n out about some Speeches she should Speak in your Dispraise and those when you were not by to Answer for your self Truly Madam I cannot Imagine what Fault she could perceive in your Ladiship to Dispraise you unless Envy have power to make Virtue Vice Beauty Deformity and to turn the Graces into Furies But Madam I have often Observed that Women with Women seldom Agree for our Sex is so Self-loving as we cannot Indure a Competitor much less a Superiour especially for Beauty Wit and Worth Birth Title and Wealth are somewhat Easier to Indure yet neither so well but that we are apt to look a Squint upon them that Surpass us therein and therefore the less Acquaintance we have with each other the better unless they be Chosen by an Immaculate and Pure Sympathy and Honour Knit the Knot of Friendship otherwise the more Acquaintance we have the more Enemies we have wherefore to Live Quietly Peaceably and Easily is to be Strangers to our own Sex and to Live Honourably is to be Strangers to the Masculine Sex for Masculine Acquaintance most commonly Causes Suspicion and a Masculine Friendship never fails of an Aspersion wherefore a Retired Life is most Happy as being most Free from Censure Scandals Disputes and Effeminate Quarrels I mean not Retired from those we have Relation to as by Nature Birth Marriage Breeding Obligation and the like for that were to be Buried Quick but to be Retired from those we call Strangers such as we have no Relation to or Obligation from but our Sex is so far from Retirement as they seek all Occasions and let no Opportuty slip by which they can go to Publick Meetings or Private Visitings or Home-Entertainments they will Ruin their Friends Fortunes or Fame rather than Miss or Want Company But if this Letter were not written to you but to another Lady it were Probable that Lady would become my Enemy upon this Subject as speaking so much against our Sex wherefore there is Male-Gossipping and Male-Brabling as well as Female and there are more Effeminate Men than Masculine Women that is there are few Women so Wise as Men should be and many Men as Foolish as Women can be But now you may think me like a Priest of a Parish that Exclames against his Parishioners Faults but never Mentions his own or perhaps hath the the same Faults but thinks to Obscure them by speaking against them in other Persons And therefore being already sensible of my Fault in writing so Long a Letter to you I do Beg your Pardon only Subscribing my self Madam Your Ladiships faithful Friend and humble Servant CLIX. MADAM YOu desire me to Explane that Chapter of Atomes which is before my Book of Philosophical Opinions but truly I cannot Explane it more Clearly than I have done which is that I thought this World could not be made out of Atomes but if it was made by Atomes they must be both the Architects and Materials neither could they do that Work unless every Atome was Animated with Life and Knowledg for an Animated Substance is a Living Knowing Substance which Life and Knowledg is Sense and Reason and thus every Atome must have a Body which is a Substance and that Substance Sense and Reason and so Probably Passions and Appetites as well as Wit and Ingenuity to make Worlds and Worlds of Creatures as also Passions and Appetites that Sympathize and Antipathize as not only to Create but to Dissolve the Self-creating Figures which Sympathy and Antipathy might cause the Continuation of the World for if they did alwayes Agree there would be no Change and if they did alwayes Disagree there would be a Confusion But I have written so much of Atomes in my Book of Poems as I cannot well write more of that Small though Infinite Substance wherefore leaving them to Better Judgments Learning and Rational Arguments than mine I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CLX MADAM YOu desire me to give my reason why much Cream is apt to make a Cake Heavy I say the same reason that much Butter makes Pye-crust Heavy for it is much Moisture that causes such things to be Heavy like as Dough is much Heavier than when it is throughly Baked for the Fire Drying up the Moisture causes it to be Light also when the Sun Drinks up the Moisture of the Earth it causes it to be Dusty and Dust is Lighter than Water and much Lighter than Dirt which is Earth and Water mix'd together for although Rarified VVater is so Light as to Ascend yet when VVater is an United Body it is Heavy even so Heavy as to Descend Weightily Indeed Vapor one may say is the Dusty Part of Water but leaving Dust and VVater I return to Cake and Pye-crust Cream and Butter the more Cakes and Pies are Baked the Lighter they will be and much Lighter if the Flower be Dried before it is Mix'd and by reason Cream and Butter are of a very Moist Nature when there is much of them in Cakes and such like Meats it is not easily Dried up which makes them require so much the more Baking and VVorking but many Good Huswifes put the Fault in the Cream and Butter when it is the Fault of the Oven and many Impatient Huswives will have their Cake before it is Baked they will not stay the time their Appetites being Hotter than their Ovens but there is an Old Saying Too much Cost Spoils a