believe I Entertained you for which I ask your Pardon which you may the Freelier give me because I am a Woman it is according to our Nature to Speak more Words than Sense and so well we Love Speaking as Men might think we had rather be Damned at least Condemned for Talking than be Praised or Saved for Silence yet give me leave to say somewhat in my own Behalf though I am full of Words when I do Talk yet I do not give my self Liberty to Speak often for were the Years of my Life Divided not Half a part of Four had been Spent in Speech but howsoever what I do Speak is too much for the truth is Women should never Speak more than to Ask Rational Questions or to give a Discreet Answer to a Question Asked them unless it be in their Huswifry and then they may take Licence to Speak as much as they will or at Child-bed Gossipings they may have the Privilege of the Tongue but other wayes or times they ought to be Sparing of Speech especially in Company of Men but the truth is our Sex doth not love to be Tongue-tied but lest I should Express too much the Nature of our Sex by Speaking too much of them although I speak now but to your Eyes not to your Ears for Letters are more a Discourse to the Eyes than Ears I will take my leave for this time only Subscribe my self Sir Your very loving Friend and Servant CCVIII Worthy Sir YOu may think it a Presumption and an Incroachment upon your Profession to give my Opinion of Mrs. Ts. Disease but it is neither Presumption nor Confidence of my Judgment that causes this Writing to you but an Affection to your Patient who deserves my Concernment concerning her Malady which Forces me to write to you my Opinion which is that I do believe her Pain and that which Accompanies it is Caused through an Inward Heat which Rarfies the Humors into a Fluent Distillation also it Rarifies the Blood making it to Flow or Overflow for Cold is not so Active but Congeals Thickens as we shall see when any Body is let Blood the Blood whilst it is Hot runs Freely forth of the Veins and remains Thin and Fluid when it is out but when it hath stood some Time and begins to be Cold it Thickens and Congeals to a Cake so when any hath used Exercise which Heats and Thins the Blood the Colour appears in the Skin Caused by the Flowing to the Outward Parts the like in Hot Weather whereas in Cold Weather or when the Blood is not Heated the Skin appears Pale and Lank wherefore my Opinion is that her Pain Proceeds from Heat for it is to be Observed that all Inflamations are Painful as all Sores or Swellings that are Inflamed whereas those Sores that are not Inflamed or those Swellings we call White Swellings are not Painful also for the Gout the Pain is caused through the Inflamation but mistake me not I mean all Pulsive Pains for there be many other Pains as some which are caused through Wind and those Pains are Painful Stitches and most commonly caused from Hot Humours as Bilious Choler or some Salt Flegm also Headaches are caused for the most part from Hot Vapours or Rheums the Stone in the Kidnies and Bladder is caused through Heat so that most Pains are caused through Heat unless it be Child-bearing Pains and such like and these Considerations make me believe that Mrs. Ts. Pain in her Back is Produced from Heat for although it be an Intermitting Pain and not Constant yet it may nevertheless be Produced from Heat as for Example the Gout is not a Continual Pain but it is only Painful when the Inflamed Humor falls on the Joynt yet for the most part it alwayes Falls or Resorts to one and the same Place wherefore I believe Cooling Medicines must be her Cure for I do not perceive that Purging Sweating and Dry Dieting which are all Heating do her any Good but she seems rather the Worse and Trial is the True Touchstone of Experience But you may use the Old Saying to me which is Physician Cure thy self I answer that all Preachers do not Practise what they Preach and some may give better Counsel than take Good Counsel also Solomon sayes that a Wise Saying may pass through a Fool 's Mouth and the best Physicians when they are Sick Rely not upon their own Skill for themselves but will send for other Physicians for no man can Judg well of himself either for Health Sickness or any other thing by reason Partial Self-love Fearful Doubts Flattering Hopes Bribe Corrupt or Terrifie the Judgment but setting aside my own Judgment as Weak either for my self or others and Relying on yours in Case of your Patient I rest Your very Loving Friend CCIX. Worthy Sir I Received your Letter and am Glad to see you write that you doubt not of Curing Mrs. T. of her Painful Disease as for the Numbness in her Hand Thigh Leg and Foot give me leave to tell you my Opinion which is that it Proceeds not from a Coldness but a Dryness for if it were only a Stupifying Cold her Sweating would have Rarified and Evaporated that Congeal'd Cold or her Purging would have Carried or Driven out that Gross Cold Humor or her Dry Strict Diet would have Consumed that Obstructed Cold or Cold Obstruction but she hath felt that Numb Disease since she hath used those Remedies at least it is more Apparent which shews it Proceeds not from Cold but Dryness which Inward Heat and Dryness causes a Cold outward Effect for Numbness and Deadness of Parts Proceed from Divers and Different Causes as from Cold either Outwardly taken by the Cold Weather or Climat or Clothing or the like or by Inward Cold as by Overcooling Meats or Drinks or Cold Obstructing or want of Blood or too much Watry Humors which Quench out the Natural Heat and this Numbness is easily Cured Another Numbness Proceeds from Obstructions of the Inward Parts or Veins either by Clammy Humors or by Burnt and Adust Humors Another Numbness Proceeds from a Driness of some Particular Parts which being Insipid cannot be Active or Move according to their Functions or Faculties or Proprieties and a Ceasing of Motion is Death Another Numbness Proceeds from some Cold or Thick Gross Humors that fall upon the Sinews or Muscles Another Numbness is caused through Excessive Heat which hath Burnt out the Natural Heat Another Numbness Proceeds from a Decay of some Noble Parts and this Numbness is Incurable But the Reason why I think Mrs. Ts. Numbness Proceeds from Dryness is that she hath been of a very Spare Diet three or four Years Eating and Drinking but once a Day and that not Much her Meat being for the most part Rost Mutton and when she was with Child she did Eat so Little Seldom as sometimes not in two or three Dayes as I have often wondred how she could Live and
Beasts do lye for Prey Or such a Lane where 's Foul and Dirty VVay And so of VVaters and each Dangerous place But I write not to any mans Disgrace Then Censure not my Satyr-wit for Crime Nor putting this Epistle into Rime SOCIABLE LETTERS I. MADAM YOu were pleas'd to desire that since we cannot converse Personally we should converse by Letters so as if we were speaking to each other discoursing our Opinions discovering our Designs asking and giving each other Advice also telling the several Accidents and several Imployments of our home-affairs and what visits we receive or entertainments we make and whom we visit and how we are entertaind what discourses we have in our gossiping-meetings and what reports we hear of publick affairs and of particular Persons and the like so that our Letters may present our personal meetings and associatings Truly Madam I take so much delight in your wise witty and virtuous Conversation as I could not pass my life more pleasing and delightfully wherefore I am never better pleased than when I am reading your Letters and when I am writing Letters to you for my mind and thoughts are all that while in your Company the truth is my mind and thoughts live alwayes with you although my person is at distance from you insomuch as if Souls die not as Bodies do my Soul will attend you when my Body lies in the grave and when we are both dead we may hope to have a Conversation of Souls where yours and mine will be doubly united first in Life and then in Death in which I shall eternally be Madam Your faithful Friend and humble Servant II. MADAM THe Lady C. E. ought not to be reproved for grieving for the loss of her Beauty for Beauty is the Light of our Sex which is Eclips'd in Middle age and Benighted in Old age wherein our Sex sits in Melancholy Darkness and the remembrance of Beauty past is as a displeasing Dream The truth is a young beautiful face is a Friend when as an old withered face is an Enemy the one causes Love the other Aversion yet I am not of Mrs. U. R.'s humour which had rather dye before her Beauty than that her Beauty should die before her for I had rather live with wrinkles than die with youth and had rather my face cloth'd with Time's sad mourning than with Death's white hue and surely it were better to follow the shadow of Beauty than that Beauty should go with the Corps to the Grave and I believe that Mrs. V. R. would do as the tale is of a woman that did wish and pray she might die before her Husband but when Death came she intreated him to spare her and take her Husband so that she would rather live without him than die for him But leaving this sad discourse of Age Wrinkles Ruin and Death I rest Madam Your very faithful Friend and Servant III. MADAM I Do not wonder there are great factions between the three families C. Y. O. by reason they have no business or imployment to busie their heads about and their servants followers have as little to do which makes them censure backbite and envy each other for Idleness and Poverty are the creators of Faction and Pride and Ambition the disturbers of Peace Wherefore Idleness should be banish'd out of every family which will also be a means to be rid of Poverty for Industry is the way to thrive Besides when men have something to do they will have the less time to talk for many words from discontented persons increase hate and make dissentions the truth is words for the most part make more discord than union and more enemies than friends wherefore Silence is more commendable than much Speaking for the liberty of the tongue doth rather express men's follies than make known their wit neither do many words argue much Judgement but as the old Saying is The greatest talkers are the least actors they being more apt to speak spitefully than to act mischievously another Saying is That musing men rather study to do evil than contemplate on good But I am not of that opinion for if men would think more and speak less the world of mankind would be more honest and wiser than they are for Thoughts beget Consideration Consideration begets Judgement Judgement begets Discretion Discretion begets Temperance and Temperance begets Peace in the Mind and Health in the Body for when men want Temperance they are subject to Insatiable Appetites unruly Passions and wandring Desires which causes Covetousness and Ambition and these cause Envy and Hate which makes Faction and Strife which Strife I leave to Busie Natures Restless Minds Vain Humours and Idle Fools and rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant IV. MADAM THe other day was here the Lady I. O. to see me and her three Daughters which are call'd the three Graces the one is Black the other Brown the third White all three different coloured beauties also they are of different features statures and shapes yet all three so equally handsom that neither Judgment nor Reason can prefer one before another Also their behaviours are different the one is Majestical the other Gay and Aery the third Meek and Bashful yet all three graceful sweet and becoming Also their Wits are different the one Propounds well the other Argues well the third Resolves well all which make a harmony in discourse These three Ladies are resolv'd never to marry which makes many sad Lovers but whilst they were here in comes the Lord S. C. and discoursing with them at last he asks them whether they were seriously resolv'd never to marry they answered they were resolv'd never to marry But Ladies said he Consider Time wears out Youth and fades Beauty and then you will not be the three young fair Graces You say true my Lord answer'd one of them but when we leave to be the young fair Graces we shall then be the old wise Sibyls By this answer you may perceive that when our Sex cannot pretend to be Fair they will pretend to be Wise but it matters not what we pretend to if we be really Virtuous which I wish all our Sex may be and rest Madam Your very faithful Friend and Servant V. MADAM IN my opinion the marriage between Sir A. G. and Mrs. I. S. is no wayes agreeable wherefore not probable to be bless'd with a happy union though she is likelyer to be the happier of the two for 't is better to have an old doting fool than a wanton young filly but he will be very unhappy through Jealousie what with his Dotage and her Freedom which will be like fire and oyl to set his mind on a flame and burn out the lamp of his life Truly I did wonder when I heard they were married knowing her nature and his humour for she loves young masculine Company and he loves onely young female Companion so that he cannot enjoy her to himself unless she barr her self from
more Industriously Carefully and Prudently to Temper their Passions and Govern their Appetites than Men because there comes more Dishonour from their unruly Passions and Appetites than from Mens but for the most part VVomen are not Educated as they should be I mean those of Quality for their Education is onely to Dance Sing and Fiddle to write Complemental Letters to read Romances to speak some Language that is not their Native which Education is an Education of the Body and not of the Mind and shews that their Parents take more care of their Feet than their Head more of their VVords than their Reason more of their Musick than their Virtue more of their Beauty than their Honesty which methinks is strange as that their Friends and Parents should take more Care and be at greater Charge to Adorn their Bodies than to Indue their Minds to teach their Bodies Arts and not to Instruct their Minds with Understanding for this Education is more for outward Shew than inward Worth it makes the Body a Courtier and the Mind a Clown and oftentimes it makes their Body a Baud and their Mind a Courtesan for though the Body procures Lovers yet it is the Mind that is the Adulteress for if the Mind were Honest and Pure they would never be guilty of that Crime wherefore those Women are best bred whose Minds are civilest as being well Taught and Govern'd for the Mind will be Wild and Barbarous unless it be Inclosed with Study Instructed by Learning and Governed by Knowledg and Understanding for then the Inhabitants of the Mind will live Peaceably Happily Honestly and Honourably by which they will Rule and Govern their associate Appetites with Ease and Regularity and their Words as their Houshold Servants will be imployed Profitably But leaving the Lady C. R. and her Husband to Passion and Patience I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant XXVII MADAM YEsterday I employed my time in reading History and I find in my self an Envy or rather an Emulation towards Men for their Courage Prudence VVit and Eloquence as not to Fear Death to Rule Commonwealths and to Speak in a Friend's behalf or to Pacifie a Friend's Grief to Plead for his own Right or to Defend his own Cause by the Eloquence of Speech yet this is not in all Men for some men have Courage and no VVit and some have VVit and no Conduct and some have neither VVit Courage nor Conduct but mistake me not for I do not Envy or Emulate a Stubborn Obstinacy nor a Desperate Rashness nor an Inslaving Policy nor Fine VVords and Choice Phrases but to Fight Valiantly to Suffer Patiently to Govern Justly and to Speak Rationally Movingly Timely and Properly as to the purpose all which I fear Women are not Capable of and the Despair thereof makes me Envy or Emulate Men. But though I love Justice Best and trust to Valour Most yet I Admire Eloquence and would choose VVit for my Pastime Indeed Natural Orators that can speak on a Sudden and Extempore upon any Subject are Nature's Musicians moving the Passions to Harmony making Concords out of Discords Playing on the Soul with Delight And of all the Men I read of I Emulate Iulius Caesar most because he was a man that had all these Excellencies as Courage Prudence Wit and Eloquence in great Perfection insomuch as when I read of Iulius Caesar I cannot but wish that Nature and Fate had made me such a one as he was and sometimes I have that Courage as to think I should not be afraid of his Destiny so I might have as great a Fame But these wishes discover my Aspiring Desires and all those Desires are but Vain that cannot be Attained to yet although I cannot attain to Iulius Caesar's Fame it suffices me to have attained to your Favour and to the Honour to subscribe my self Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant XXVIII MADAM IN your last Letter you were pleased to Condemn me for Admiring Words so much as to prefer Eloquence before all other Musick but pray Madam mistake me not for I do not Admire the Words but the Sense Reason and Wit that is Exprest and made Known by Words neither do I Admire Formal Orators that speak Premeditated Orations but Natural Orators that can speak on a Sudden upon any Subject whose Words are as Sweet and Melting as Manna from Heaven and their Wit as Spreading and Refreshing as the Serene Air whose Understanding is as Clear as the Sun giving Light of Truth to all their Hearers who in case of Perswasion speak Sweetly in case of Reproof Seasonably and in all cases Effectually And Madam if you do Consider well you cannot chuse but Admire and Wonder at the Power of Eloquence for there is a strange hidden Mystery in Eloquence it hath a Magical Power over mankind for it Charms the Senses and Inchants the Mind and is of such a Commanding Power as it Forces the Will to Command the Actions of the Body and Soul to Do or to Suffer beyond their Natural Abilities and makes the Souls of men the Tongue 's Slaves for such is the power of an Eloquent Speech as it Binds the Judgement Blindfolds the Understanding and Deludes the Reason also it Softens the Obdurate Hearts and causes Dry Eyes to Weep and Dryes Wet Eyes from Tears also it Refines the Drossy Humours Polishes the Rough Passions Bridles the Unruly Appetites Reforms the Rude Manners and Calms the Troubled Minds it can Civilize the Life by Virtue and Inspire the Soul with Devotion On the other side it can Enrage the Thoughts to Madness and Cause the Soul to Despair The truth is it can make Men like Gods or Devils as having a Power beyond Nature Custom and Force for many times the Tongue hath been too Strong for the Sword and often carried away the Victory also it hath been too Subtil for the Laws as to Banish Right and to Condemn Truth and too hard for the Natures of Men making their Passions its Prisoners and since Eloquence hath such Power over Arms and Laws and Men as to make Peace or War to Compose or Dissolve Common-wealths to Dispose of Souls and Bodies of Mankind wherefore those men that are indued with such Eloquence and overflowing Wit are both to be Fear'd and Lov'd to be highly Advanced or utterly Banished for those whose Eloquent Wit out-runs their Honesty are to be Punished but those that employ their Eloquent Wit and Elegant Graces to the service of the Commonwealth are to be Esteemed Respected and Relied upon as Pillars of the Commonwealth But to conclude Wit makes a Ladder of Words to climb to Fame's high Tower and the Tongue carries men further than their Feet and builds them a Statelier and more Lasting Palace than their Hands and their Wit more than their Wealth doth Adorn it But now leaving Words and Wit I rely upon Love and Friendship and rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant XXIX MADAM I Heard by your
last that the Lady S. P. was to visit you where amongst her other Discourses she spoke of me and was pleased to Censure and Condemn as to Censure the Cause and Condemn the Manner of my Life saying that I did either Retire out of a Fantastick Humour or otherwise I was Constraind in not having the Liberty that usually other VVives have to go Abroad and receive what Visitors they please But if she did but know the sweet Pleasures and harmless Delights I have by this Retirement she would not have said what she did and to answer to what she said This course of Life is by my own voluntary Choice for I have liberty to do any Thing or to go any VVhere or to keep any Company that Discretion doth Allow and Honour Approve of and though I may err in my Discretion yet not in cases of Honour for had I not onely Liberty but were Perswaded or Inticed by all the World's Allurements or were Threatned with Death to Do or Act any thing against Honour or to do any Thing or Act Honour did not Approve of I would not Do it nay I would Die first But in that which is called Honour are many Ingrediencies as Justice Chastity Truth Trust Gratitude Constancy and many the like Next I answer That it is not out of a Fantastick Humour that I live so much Retired which is to keep my House more than go Abroad but out of Self-love and not out of Self-opinion and it is Just and Natural for any one to Love himself Wherefore for my Pleasure and Delight my Ease and Peace I live a Retired Life a Home Life free from the Intanglements confused Clamours and rumbling Noise of the World for I by this Retirement live in a calm Silence wherein I have my Contemplations free from Disturbance and my Mind lives in Peace and my Thoughts in Pleasure they Sport and Play they are not Vext with Cares nor worldly Desires they are not Covetous of worldly VVealth nor Ambitious of empty Titles they are not to be catch'd with the Baits of Sensual Pleasures or rather I may say Sensual Follies for they Draw my Senses to them and run not out to the Senses they have no quarrelling Disputes amongst them they live Friendly and Sociably together their onely Delight is in their own Pastimes and harmless Recreations and though I do not go Personally to Masks Balls and Playes yet my Thoughts entertain my Mind with such Pleasures for some of my Thoughts make Playes and others Act those Playes on the Stage of Imagination where my Mind sits as a Spectator Thus my Mind is entertain'd both with Poets and Players and takes as much Delight as Augustus Caesar did to have his Mecaenas the Patron of Poets sit and hear Virgil and Horace read their Works unto them so my Mind takes Delight in its dear Mecaenas which is Contemplation and to have its Poetical Thoughts although not like Virgil or Horace yet such as they are it is pleased to have them Repeat their Poems and other VVorks which they make and those my Mind likes best it sends them forth to the Senses to write them down and then to send them out to the publick view of the VVorld and many times the Senses send in Objects to the Mind who straight commands his Poetical Thoughts to take them for Plots of Playes or causes the Grave Philosophical Thoughts to Discourse of them or his Oratorical Thoughts to practice their Eloquence on them or his Critical Thoughts to Dispute and Argue with them which done all their several Discourses Disputes Arguments Poems Playes and the like made on those Objects are sent back to the Senses to write them down so that the Mind and the Thoughts imploy the Senses and the Senses imploy the Mind and Thoughts and thus I take as much Pleasure within my self if not more as the Lady S. P. doth without her self indeed none enjoyes truly himself but those that live to themselves as I do and it is better to be a Self-lover in a Retired Life than a Self-seeker in a Wandring Humour like a Vagabond for they go from Place to Place from one Company to another and never are at rest in their Minds nor Bodies and how should it be otherwise for they lose themselves in Company and keeping much Company they know not where to find themselves for as for their Dwelling-place they are sure to miss of themselves there but indeed they have no constant Dwelling for going much Abroad they dwell Every where and yet to speak Metaphorically No where But every ones Delights are different for the Lady S. P. delights her self with Others and I delight my self with my Self Some delight in Troubles I delight in Ease and certainly much Company and Conversation cannot chuse but be Troublesome for in much Company are many Exceptions much Envy much Suspicion much Detraction much Faction much Noise and much Non-sense and it is impossible at least improbable for any particular Person to please all the several Companies they come into or are visited by if the Resort be many by reason every one hath as different Humours as Faces wherein some will be Displeased if others should be Pleased and most commonly they are so far from pleasing All as None is Pleased for if any particular Person should Praise Every one it would be thought Flattery if he should Praise None it would be conceived to be Envy if he should Praise but Some it would be judged to be Partiality the like for Discourse if one should Address his Discourse to any One or to Some more than to Others it would be taken as a Disrespect if Generally to the whole Company it would be accounted Pride as taking ones self to be the onely Singular Person that must have a General Audience neither can any one Person fit his Discourse to every one's Humour Fancy Capacity Understanding Knowledge or Delight nay most commonly whatsoever is Spoken is Interpreted to the worst Sense at least Contradicted and when they are parted their Words or Discourse is Repeated to their Disadvantage and Commented on and Interpreted to an evil Sense and if they say Nothing or but Little they are accounted Ill-natured or thought Fools and yet they love not to hear any one speak but themselves every one desires to be heard yet takes it ill not to be spoken to also if particular Persons make an Entertainment if they invite not those they have no acquaintance with as well as those of their Acquaintance if they are within the distance of coming to the Entertainment they take it for an Affront but if they should leave out any Acquaintance it is a Breach for ever and they become their Enemies also if particular Persons be accoustred Bravely they are Envied if they be attired in plain mean Garments they are Despised and if any Woman be more Beautiful than commonly the rest are if she appears to the World she shall be sure to have
said somewhat that his Wife had great reason to take Unkindly knowing her Virtue had deserv'd more loving Expressions from him especially in an open Assembly which Unkindness forced Tears through her Eyes but they were becoming Tears for they did not cause the Feature in her Face to be Distorted for she appear'd in her Countenance Sweet and Amiable as if there had been no Discontent in her Mind neither did she shew any Discontent in her Words or Behaviour for she neither Complain'd nor Rail'd at her Husband nor Quarrel'd with him nor rose from the Table in a Passion to the Disturbance of the Company as most Women would have done and often do when they are Displeased or Anger'd but she wip'd the Tears from her Eyes and Addrest her self as she did before to Entertain her Friends Civilly and Courteously and when they had all Dined and the Cloth taken away she ask'd pardon of her Friends for her Tears saying her Tears had made their meeting appear rather as a funeral Condoling than a merry Feasting But truly said she I could not help it for they would not be restrain'd do what I could for some words my Husband spoke caused a Storm of Grief in my mind which rais'd up Billows of Tears that overflow'd my Eyes yet said she the Dearest and Loving'st Friends will both Take and Give Cause of Exception sometimes for not any Man or Woman is so Perfect as not to Err and thus her Discretion did not suffer her Passion to Disturb her Guests and her good Nature did Excuse her Husband's Folly and her Love did Forgive his Disrespect to her But the Lady C. C. did not behave her self so for her Husband Sir G. C. and she had invited many of their Friends to a Feasting Dinner and she as the Mistress to order all affairs belonging to a Wife took upon her to order the Feast and being a Mode-Lady would have a Mode-Feast but the Cook knowing his Master loved rost Beef sent in a Chine of rost Beef to the Table and when her Guests were all Set and beginning to Eat she spied the Chine of Beef whereat she was very angry to have as she thought her Feast disgraced with an old English fashion and not only an Old but a Countrey fashion to have Beef serv'd to their Table wherefore she to shew her self a Courtier rather than a Country-Lady commanded one of the waiters to take the Beef from the Table Sir G. C. her Husband desired not to have it taken away for said he I love Beef better than any other Meat but she to express she had a Ladies Nice Stomack or rather a Nice Ladie 's Stomack said the Beef was fulsom to her Eyes and made her Stomack sick to see it her Husband bad her to look upon some of the other meat and to give him leave to eat of what he lik'd but she would not agree to that for said she the very Smell was Offensive to her and therefore she would have it taken away he said it should not be taken away untill he had eaten as much as he would but in fine their words Multiplied and gathered together in an outragious Tumult raised their voices into an Uproar and then from Words they went to Blows flinging whatsoever came next to hand at one anothers head their Guests being in danger to be Hurt rose from the Table and Sir G. C. and his Lady rose also and went to Cuffs but their Friends did soon part them and the Lady went Crying into her Chamber and was Sick because she had not her Will at least Feign'd her self Sick As for their Guests they were rather invited to Fast than to Feast as it fell out for all the fine Quelquechose was spoil'd and overthrown in the hurly burly but the Beef was so Substantial and Solid as it strongly kept its place on which the Guests might have Fed but Fright Noise and Disorder had taken away their Appetite to Eating Thus Madam I have related these Feasts and Entertainings to let you know the different Humours and Behaviours of these two Ladies the one having cause to be Angry did Patiently and Discreetly pass over her Injury appearing Celestial the other out of a vain Humour fell into a raging Passion the truth is she shew'd her self a Fool and behav'd her self as Mad. But leaving the Angelick Lady to be a Pattern to her Sex I rest Madam Your faithful Fr. S. XXXIII MADAM I Do not wonder that the Lord C. R. should delight in Effeminate Pastimes as Dancing Fidling Visiting Junketting Attiring and the like because he is an Effeminate Man fitter to Dance with a Lady than to Fight with an Enemy nor do I wonder that the Lord N. W. practises Riding Fencing Vaulting Shooting Hunting Fortifying Navigating and the like because he is an Heroick Man fitter to Conquer a Nation than to Dance a Galliard or Courant nor I do not wonder that the Lord A. M. Drinks Whores Games and the like because he is a Debauch'd Man apter to Quarrel than to Fight neither do I wonder that the Lord L. V. Studies Reads Writes Travels Inquires and Searches for Right and Truth because he is a Wise Man nor I do not wonder at the Lord F. O. that loves Amorous Courtships because he is an Idle Man nor I do not wonder at the Lord C. H. that Prayes to God Sends to the Sick and Relieves the Poor because he is a Good Man nor do I wonder at the Lord W. I. who Extorts Exacts and Deceives because he is a Wicked Man neither do I wonder at the Lord C. C. who Visits the Meritorious Applauds the Worthy Assists the Industrious and the like because he is a Generous Person nor I do not wonder at the Lord G. R. that he Speaks false with his Tongue Dissembles in his Countenance Betrayes in his Actions because he is a Base Man Thus Madam we may divide Mankind into eight parts or rather into four for those four as the Effeminate Idle Wicked and Base are but the Slime and Dung of Mankind and onely the Heroick Wise Good and Generous are the Soul and Body of Mankind the first are neither good for Citizens Magistrates nor Commanders but rather fit to be set in the fore-fronts of Battels to be Destroyed or to fill up Breaches being but Rubbish but then you will say this were the way to Destroy most Men in the World the truth is if it were not for such Men and Ravenous Beasts the World would be rather a Heaven than a World But leaving them and Beasts I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant XXXIV MADAM YOu were pleased to Express to me in your last Letter that you have been in the Country to see the Lady M. L. who seems Melancholy since she was married which is a sign she is not pleas'd with the Condition of her Life I believe one of the causes of her Melancholy is that she is in the Country wherein is
Men and Women shall Love and Marry and such not also how many Husbands such a Woman shall have and such a one shall have None and so for Men Mistresses and Wives for Advancement and Disgraces Honours and Dignities Offices and Authorities and for all manner of Fortunes or Accidents I say I believe the Planets are not the Causes of these Outward Effects but as I believe the Stars and Planets have an Influence upon the Bodies of men as their Bodies have on the Planets and Elements so they may have an Influence upon the Humours in the Body as upon Phlegm Choler Melancholy Blood and the like and they may Work Effects either for Health Sickness Pains and Sores Rheums and the like But I am in Dispute with my self whether they also have an Influence or Work several Effects upon the Minds of Men as upon their Bodies and when I Consider the various Inconstancies of Mens Minds and the Alterations and Changes which are in Mens Minds I think they are Moved and Altered according to the Motions and Influences and Effects of each Planet or Star For if we do Observe not only their Thoughts Passions and Affections Vary and Alter Minutely Hourly Daily Weekly Monthly and Yearly but also their Capacities Conceptions Judgments Understandings Opinions and VVit for most have Deeper Capacities Higher Conceptions Sounder Judgments Clearer Understandings Probabler Opinions and Quicker Wits at some than at other times as at some times they may be thought Wise men and at other times mere Fools sometimes they will speak very Wittily at other times mere Nonsense or at least Words without Wit sometimes they will be able to give as Wise Counsel as Nestor Ulysses or Achitophel at other times they are neither able to give nor to take Counsel sometimes they Conceive and Understand Readily and Clearly whatsoever is Conceivable and Understandable by Mankind at other times they are as if they had not Sense and Reason The like for the Qualities Passions Affections and Virtues of the Mind as at some times they are very Valiant at other times mere Cowards sometimes Nobly Generous other times Basely Covetous sometimes Uprightly Just other times Wrongfully Unjust sometimes very Compassionate other times very Cruel or Uncharitable sometimes so Angry as to be so Furious that none dare Speak to them at other times so Patient as to suffer any one to Pull them by the Nose sometimes they Love to Death and sometimes they Hate to Death one and the same thing and this is Usual and General amongst Mankind which makes me lean to the Opinion that the Stars and the Planets have an Influence upon the Minds of Men but I am absolutely of the Opinion that they have no Influence or Power on the Educations of Mankind no more than they have on the Fortunes or Accidents of and to Mankind for in those men that are Educated throughly Well and Wisely the Effects of Education are too Strong for the Effects of the Stars or Planets so that some men may be Constantly Prudent Just Valiant Generous Understanding Judicious VVitty and VVise. Also the Effects of Education and the Effects of the Planets may be Crossing and Opposing each other and then the Strongest Effects bear away the Victory whether to Good or Ill and this is the reason of Long Debates Doubts and Considerations ere some men come to Conclusions or Resolutions and truly I think the Senses have as great an Influence upon the Mind as the Stars and Planets have as Fair Objects Melodious Sounds Sweet Savours and Delicious Touches have as great an Influence upon the Mind and Cause as Various and Strong Effects as the Stars and Planets do or can But leaving the Stars Planets Education and the Senses to their Influences I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CXXXVI MADAM YOu were pleased in your last Letter to Desire me to send you my Opinion of the Lady S. Ks. Sickness or Weakness but truly I should not be so Presumptuous of my own Judgment as to give my Opinion if I were not Commanded or Desired so to do by your Ladiship who hath Power to Command both my Mind and Body to their Utmost Endeavours to Serve and Obey you As for the Lady S. K. I believe her Disease comes from the Ostruction of the Meseraick and Liver Veins which being Stop'd either by Clammy Humours or Dryness or Sharpness cannot Draw or Suck a Sufficient Nourishment to Spread or Dilate to the Extreme parts for Clammy or Slimy Humours Choak the Veins by Sticking in the Mouth or Orifice of them and Sharpness or Biâ—terness Dries the Veins and so Shrinks or Surfles them up and Closes the Mouth of the Veins so as they cannot readily Open themselves to Draw or Suck in Sufficient Nourishment by which the Extreme parts Famish and the Body becomes Foul and Impure and it makes an Overflow in the Body causing it to Swell out Big for want of Passage or Vent or else it causes an Unnatural Heat which Dries the Body into a Hectick Fever Burning the Intrals and Noble Vital parts with a Smothering Heat which Dries those Parts like as Neats-Tongues Bacon and Hung Beef is Dryed in Smothering Smoak or it sets those Humours Gather'd and Heap'd up on a Flame like a Stack of Wet Hay or a Chest full of Wet Linnen wanting Vent to Breath out Vapor Thus the Lady S. Ks. Body is Fat and her Legs and Arms Neck and Face Lean for those Parts that are next to the Mouth of the Veins Nourish and grow rather too Big as having more than Nature requires for the Inward Parts are Doubly Fed having the Food not only that Belongs or is Sufficient for them but also that which Belongs to the Extreme Parts as the Legs Feet Arms Hands Neck and Face so that a Stoppage of the Veins causes the Body to Swell or Puff Outward like as when ones Lips are Closed and Ascending Vapor or Forced Wind Fills the Mouth the Cheeks and all the Face will Swell and Puff out so much as to be as Big as a Face and a Half the same is with the Body when the Mouths of the Sucking Veins are Stop'd also it causes Vomitings or Fluxes for when the Veins are too Full of Wind or Blood or are Stop'd by Humour or Dryness the Body growing too full of Humour Over-flows and so Forces out a Passage either at one or both Ends of the Body for the Veins being Over-full can no more receive any Liquor into them than when a Stomack is Over-fill'd with Meat or Drink but are Forced to Cast out whatsoever is Offer'd to them so as the Veins become as an Over-charged Stomack and when they are Stop'd they are as if the Throat were Choak'd or the Neck Strangled and can receive Nothing for not Any thing will Pass which causes them to Cast back whatsoever is Offer'd to them so that the Effect is as one both of Over-full and Empty Stop'd Veins only Over-full Veins cause