Pudding and in my Opinion it is too much Hast that Spoils it for Good Ingredients VVell ordered cannot be Amiss But Madam having had no Practice I cannot have much Skill in these Meats and 't is Probable my Cook can give better Reasons than I can yet howsoever to Obey your Commands I have given you my Opinion and rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CLXI MADAM YOu desire my Opinion whether there be a Vacuum or not I have written of it in my Former Books as in my Poems Olio and Philosophical Opinions and cannot write More nor Better of it than I have done there unless I had more Learning or Judgment or VVit or Conceptions or Understanding but yet to Satisfie you I 'le send you the same Opinion or but little different which is that if there were no Vacuum but that all the Universe were full only the Gross Bodies Moved in the Thin Bodies as is held by many they do then the Places of each Solid or Bulky Body must be fitted just to their Measures and their Places must be Supplied so as when they Move the Liquid or Rare Bodies must Contract and Dilate according to the Motion of those Bulky Bodies to fill up their former Places or following Places and to Contract to make Room and Place for those Solid and Grosser Bodies otherwise there would be a Vacuum or a Stoppage of all Natural Motions But I cannot conceive how the Thin or Rare Matter can Contract or Dilate if there be no Vacuum for to my Reason there must be a Space to Dilate and Contract into so as the Rare Parts must be Porous to Contract and there must be Empty Places or Space to Dilate and if they say the Space or Place is the Place or Space where the Solid Bodies were in which they fill up as soon as they Moved out yet the Space or Place must be Empty before the Rare Bodies Enter for two Bodies cannot be in one Place at one Time and if the Great or Solid Bodies leave no Places or Spaces but alwayes Move in Full Matter I cannot Imagine how they should Move if all Places be Full although they should move in Rare or Thin Matter for as I said the Thin Matter must be Porous to Contract and Dilate to make VVay or Fill up for if there were not Pores or Spongy or Hollow Spaces and Places that which is Liquid and Rare would be as Firm as Brass or Glass nay more for those no doubt are Porous for if there were no Vacuum every part would be Press'd and Joyn'd into a Firm Body or Substance nay surely there would be great Confusion amongst all the Works of Nature But why may not Dilatation and Contraction cause Vacuum to be sometimes more and sometimes less But one would think there were no Vacuum in Nature because Nature is Forced or seems to be so as to make VVay for Life by Death as if she had no Room or Space for Life but what was caused by Death But leaving these Empty and Filling Opinions I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CLXII MADAM REmember when we were very young Maids one day we were Discoursing about Lovers and we did injoyn each other to Confess who Profess'd to Love us and whom we Loved and I Confess'd I only was in Love with three Dead men which were Dead long before my time the one was Caesar for his Valour the second Ovid for his Wit and the third was our Countryman Shakespear for his Comical and Tragical Humour but soon after we both Married two VVorthy men and I will leave you to your own Husband for you best know what he is As for my Husband I know him to have the Valour of Caesar the Fancy and VVit of Ovid and the Tragical especially Comical Art of Shakespear in truth he is as far beyond Shakespear for Comical Humour as Shakespear beyond an Ordinary Poet in that way also he is the Best Heroick Poet in this Age nay in my Judgment in any for I have seen him make Twenty Songs upon one Theme or Subject as Musick and not one Song like another and for Comedies he Hits or Meets or Imitates the Humours of Men so Justly as he seems to go even with Nature Indeed he is such a Person that I Glory more to be his Wife than Livia to be Augustus's Wife or had I been Titus's Wife who was call'd the Delight of Mankind although I never heard he had any for in my Opinion he is as Wise a man as Augustus and of as Sweet a Nature as Titus all which is my Happiness in any Condition of Worldly Fortune in which Happiness I know you Rejoyce and this Rejoyce proves us Inseparable Friends CLXIII MADAM YOu were pleased to desire me to let my Steward receive five hundred Pounds for you here in this Town but you must have a little Patience for they will pay no Mony although it be Due until these Christmass Holy-dayes be past I know not whether they are so Strict as to Receive none methinks they should be apt to Take for they are all busie in Entertainments Eating Drinking and Feasting but I observe some things which I wonder at viz. that Mony should pass or move so Slowly in Matters or Affairs of Right and Due as Debts Rewards and Gratitudes or concerning Honour as Generosity or for Heaven's sake as Charity whenas in Causes of Injustice and Wrong as in Bribes or Wars or for Vice and Vanity as for Unlawful Love Gaming Drinking Gluttonous Feasting Vain shews and Superfluous Bravery it runs about with that Swift Speed that there is no Catching hold of as to Stay it but it seems to be the Minds of Men that hold it from going forth to Good and Noble Uses and the Appetites of Men that make it run to Base Wicked Vain and Foolish Imployments so that we may perceive that the Appetites have more Power to do Evil than the Mind hath Will to do Good But Madam my Will hath a Mind to Serve you although I have not Means nor Power to do it yet in what I can your Ladiship shall alwayes find me Your most faithful Friend and Servant CLXIV MADAM IN your last Letter you writ that your Imployment was to read the History of King Charles the First written by S. A. give me leave to tell you Madam you lose your time in reading that History for it is only a number of Weekly Gazets Compiled into a History wherein are more Falshoods than Truth for he being Mean and Poor had not Wealth nor Power to Inform himself Truly of every Particular Action much less of their Designs but you tell me he mentions an Entertainment my Lord made the King where he sayes it cost 5000 l. or thereabout Condemning another Writer of the same Subject for saying it cost more let me tell you Madam that neither of them was my Lords Steward nor Treasurer to know the Expences but only what they
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
world and views every corner and peirces into the very bowels of the Earth and their Sun-like Mind is the Light of their Thoughts like as the rest of the Planets receive light from the Sun so the Thoughts from the Mind and as the Sun hath Heat and Light so hath the Mind Reason and Knowledge and as the Sun inlivens several Creatures so their Mind conceives several Causes and Effects and creates several Fancies and as the Sun shews the World and the World of Creatures so the Mind finds and shews the Truth of Things But leaving them to true Knowledge Wisdom Wit and Happiness I rest Madam Your faithful Fr. and S. XV. MADAM YEsterday was the Lord N. W. to visit me where amongst other Discourses we talk'd of the Lady T. M. not sooner was her name mentioned but he seem'd to be rapt up into the third Heaven and from thence to descend to declare her Praises and to repeat his Expressions they were so extraordinary as they will not easily go out of my Memory so as you shall have them word for word First he said She was a Lady fit to be the Empress of the whole world for though Fortune had not given her a Temporal Imperial Crown Dignity and Title as neither by Inheritance Victory nor Choice nor had not advanced her to a Temporal Imperial Power nor placed her on a Temporal Imperial Throne nor held she a Temporal Imperial Scepter yet she was Crown'd at her Birth the Empress of her Sex for though Fortune had not Crown'd her Body yet Nature had Crown'd her Soul with a Celestial Crown made of Poetical Flame instead of Earthly Gold that Crown 's the Body and instead of Diamonds Pearls and other pretious Stones set in Golden Crowns her Celestial Crown was set with Understanding Judgement and Wit also with clear Distinguishings oriental Similizings and sparkling Fancies a Crown more glorious than Ariadne's Crown of Stars and though she was not advanced on a Temporal Imperial Throne yet she was set higher as on a Throne of Applause and though she possess'd not a Temporal Imperial Power nor held a Temporal Imperial Scepter yet she had a powerful Perswasion and the tongue of Eloquence and though she was not adorn'd with Imperial Robes yet she was adorn'd with Natural Beauty and though she had not a Temporal and Imperial Guard yet she was guarded with Virtue and though she was not attended waited and served with and by Temporal and Imperial Courtiers yet she was attended waited on and served by and with the sweet Graces and her Maids of Honour were the Muses and Fame's house was her Magnificent Palace Thus was she Royally Born and Divinely Anointed or Indued and Celestially Crown'd and may Reign in the memory of every Age and Nation to the world's end and not onely Reign but Reign Happily Gloriously and Famously But when he had said what I have related I could not chuse but smile to hear such Poetical commendations of a Woman doubting none of our Sex was worthy of such high and far-fetch'd Praises he ask'd me why I smil'd I told him I smil'd to observe how the Passion of Love had bribed his Tongue he said he was not guilty of partial Bribes but Justice had commanded his Tongue to speak the Truth I told him I was glad to find at least to hear that there was Justice in Men and Merit in Women as the one to Praise the other to be Praise-worthy but I pray'd him to give me leave or to pardon me if I told him that his Speech shew'd or express'd him not a Temporal and Imperial Courtier as to praise one Lady to another and to give so many Praises to an absent Lady as to leave no Praises for the present Lady He pray'd me to pardon him that Errour and that hereafter he would alwayes Praise that Lady he was present with But Madam those Praises given the Lady T. M. had I been apt to Envy it had turn'd me all into Vinegar or dissolv'd me into Vitriol but being unspotted and free from that speckled Vice I am heighten'd with joy to hear any of our Sex so Celestial as to deserve a Celestial Praise And leaving you to the same Joy I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant XVI MADAM I Hope I have given the Lady D. A. no cause to believe I am not her Friend for though she hath been of Ps. and I of Ks. side yet I know no reason why that should make a difference betwixt us as to make us Enemies no more than cases of Conscience in Religion for one may be my very good Friend and yet not of my opinion every one's Conscience in Religion is betwixt God and themselves and it belongs to none other 'T is true I should be glad my Friend were of my opinion or if I thought my Friend's opinion were better than mine I would be of the same but it should be no breach of Friendship if our opinions were different since God is onely to be the Judg And as for the matter of Governments we Women understand them not yet if we did we are excluded from intermedling therewith and almost from being subject thereto we are not tied nor bound to State or Crown we are free not Sworn to Allegiance nor do we take the Oath of Supremacy we are not made Citizens of the Commonwealth we hold no Offices nor bear we any Authority therein we are accounted neither Useful in Peace nor Serviceable in War and if we be not Citizens in the Commonwealth I know no reason we should be Subjects to the Commonwealth And the truth is we are no Subjects unless it be to our Husbands and not alwayes to them for sometimes we usurp their Authority or else by flattery we get their good wills to govern but if Nature had not befriended us with Beauty and other good Graces to help us to insinuate our selves into men's Affections we should have been more inslaved than any other of Natur 's Creatures she hath made but Nature be thank'd she hath been so bountiful to us as we oftener inslave men than men inslave us they seem to govern the world but we really govern the world in that we govern men for what man is he that is not govern'd by a woman more or less None unless some dull Stoick or an old miserable Usurer or a cold old withered Batchelor or a half-starved Hermit and such like persons which are but here and there one And not only Wives and Mistresses have prevalent power with Men but Mothers Daughters Sisters Aunts Cousins nay Maid-Servants have many times a perswasive power with their Masters and a Land-lady with her Lodger or a she-Hostess with her he-Guest yet men will not believe this and 't is the better for us for by that we govern as it were by an insensible power so as men perceive not how they are Led Guided and Rul'd by the Feminine Sex But howsoever Madam the disturbance in
than to give Counsel for it is a wonder whenas young Counsellers keep Peace or young Generals be Conquerours and it makes them more Famous because not Usual especially when Fortune favours them as she doth many times their Rash Adventures or haughty and Ambitious Enterprises for good Fortune makes Youth appear more Glorious than Age but Fortune many times favours Youth as she favours Fools for a time and in the end leaves them to their own Ruin but where Fortune hath little or nothing to do as in wise Counsels there their Ignorance and Follies Passions and Partialities Factions and Emulations appear especially in the success of their Counsels wherefore Young men may better and more safely be trusted with an Army than a City for 't is more safe to leave them to Fortune than to trust them with Prudence for Young men can tell better how to make Wars than to keep Peace being easier to Lead an Army than to Rule a Kingdom to Fight a Battel than to Order a Commonwealth to Distribute Spoils than to Do Justice for Fortune hath more power in Victory than Right 'T is true sometimes there 's such a Concurrence and Conjunction in Affairs of State as also in Armies as the Wisest or Valiantest men cannot make better nor Fools nor Cowards worse which is the cause that many times Wise or Valiant men or both may be thought Fools and Cowards and Fools and Cowards Wise or Valiant men and many times Fools are too hard for Wise men by reason there be numbers of Fools for few Wise men nay numbers of Fools for One Wise man which Wise man may be buried in the Rubbish of Fools but if a Wise man be not overpower'd he treads down their Follies and Triumphs in Peace and Prosperity But Aged men most commonly are assisted and attended by Mercury and Pallas and Young men by Mars and Venus The truth is 't is against Sense and Reason that Young men can be so VVise or proper for Affairs of a Common-wealth either to Command Govern or Counsel as Aged men who have had long Experience and great Observations by Seeing Hearing and Knowing much so as there is nothing New or Unacquainted to them neither in Varieties Changes nor Chances for Nature Fortune and Time is their long Acquaintance by which they know the Appetites Passions Humours Dispositions Manners and Actions of Men with their Defects Errours and Imperfections also the Revolutions of Time the Casualties of Chance the Change of Fortune and the Natural Course Causes and Effects of several Things in the VVorld all which makes Aged men VVise and want of such Experience and Observation makes Young men Fools in comparison of Aged men for Young men can have but a Relative and not an Experienced Knowledge nor can they have very much by Relation or Reading having not time enough for Instruction Learning whereas Aged men have Read Heard Seen Convers'd and Acted in and of several Ages Societies Nations Men and Business also in several Places of several Subjects and several Matters to several Men at several Times But Young men are so Conceited and Opinionative of themselves as they think they neither want Wit Judgement Understanding nor Knowledge and that Antient men rather Dote than Know but though Young men cannot be Wise in Nature unless by Inspiration yet those are nearest to Wisdom that have been Bred up Instructed and Educated by Wise Age and so much Better and more Knowing they are than others which have been Bred Instructed and Educated by Young Pedants or Governours as the first shall be as Old men although but Young and the others shall be as Boyes when they are Young Men and Young Men when they are Old or rather Boyes all their life time although they should live long so that one may say Happy is Youth that lives with Age But leaving as well Aged as Young men to Knowledg and Ignorance Wisdom and Folly Prudence and Fortune I rest Madam Your very faithful Friend and Servant XXV MADAM THe Lady P. R. was to visit the Lady S. I. and other Ladies with her whose Conversation and Discourse was according to their Female Capacities and Understandings and when they were all gone the Lady S. Is. Husband ask'd his Wife why she did not Talk as the rest of the Ladies did especially the Lady P. R. so Loud and Impertinently She answered she had neither the Humour Breath Voice nor Wit to Speak so Long so Loud and so Much of nothing He said her Answer liked him well for he would not have his Wife so Bold so Rude and so Talking a Fool. Thus Madam we may perceive how Discourse in Conversation is Judged of and for the most part Condemned by the Hearers when perchance the Ladies imagine that they are Applauded and Commended for their Wit and Confident Behaviour for Self-love thinks all is well Said or Done that it self Speaks or Acts so that Self-love doth alwayes Approve it self and Dispraise others But leaving Self-love to Self-admiration and that Admiration to others Condemnation I rest Madam Your faithful Fr. S. XXVI MADAM VVE have no News here unless to hear that the Lady C. R. did beat her Husband and because she would have Witness enough she beat him in a Publick Assembly nay being a woman of none of the least Sizes but one of the largest and having Anger added to her Strength she did beat him Soundly and it is said that he did not resist her but endured Patiently whether he did it out of fear to shew his own VVeakness being not able to Encounter her or out of a Noble Nature not to Strike a VVoman I know not yet I believe the best and surely if he doth not or cannot tame her Spirits or bind her Hands or for Love will not leave her if she beat him Often he will have but a Sore life Indeed I was sorry when I heard of it not onely for the sake of our Sex but because she and he are persons of Dignity it belonging rather to mean-born and bred VVomen to do such unnatural Actions for certainly for a VVife to strike her Husband is as much if not more as for a Child to strike his Father besides it is a breach of Matrimonial Government not to Obey all their Husbands Commands but those Women that Strike or Cuckold their Husbands are Matrimonial Traitors for which they ought to be highly punished as for Blows they ought to be banished from their Husbands Bed House Family and for Adultery they ought to suffer Death and their Executioner ought to be their Husband 'T is true Passion will cause great Indiscretion VVomen are subject to Violent Passions which makes or causes them so often to err in VVords and Actions which when their Passion is over they are sorry for but unruly Passions are onely a cause of uncivil Words and rude Actions whereas Adultery is caused by unruly Appetites wherefore Women should be Instructed and Taught
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
Cities and Towns in N. do Dislike their Governours and Government by reason the Commons strive to Out-brave the Nobles in their Building Garnishing Furnishing Adorning and Flourishing in Gold and Bravery for even the Mechanicks in this City and I believe in the rest are Suffer'd to have their Coaches Lacquies Pages Waiting-maides and to wear Rich and Glorious Garments Fashioning themselves in all things like the Nobles which causes Envy in the Nobility and Pride in the Commonalty the One to see their Inferiors Out-shine them the Other that they can Equal or Out-brave their Betters This Pride and Envy causes Murmur and Murmur causes Faction which may in time make an Alteration in the State and Government for when the Commons once get so High as to Justle the Nobility a thousand to one but the Nobles Fall and with them Royalty by reason they are the Pillars of Royalty or Royal Government Wherefore the Commons should be kept like Cattel in Inclosed Grounds and whensoever any did Break out of their Bounds they should be Impounded that is the Commons should be kept Strictly not to Exceed their Rank or Degree in Shew and Bravery but to Live according to their Qualities not according to their Wealth and those that will be so Presumptuous should be Imprison'd and Fined great Summs for that Presumption this would keep the Commons in Aw and the Nobles in Power to uphold Royal Government which is certainly the Best and Happiest Government as being most United by which the People becomes most Civil for Democracy is more Wild and Barbarous than Monarchy But this is fitter for Monarchs to Consider than for Women to Speak of and therefore leaving the One to the Other I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant LXVI MADAM I VVas so Surprised with the Lady A. Ns. Letter as I was Astonish'd it being such a Bitter and Angry Letter but she had Reason to be Angry because I had committed a very great Fault by a Mistake for I one day sitting a Musing with my own Thoughts was Considering and Pondering upon the natures of Mankind and Wondering with my Self why Nature should make all Men some wayes or other Defective either in Body or Mind or both for a Proof I Chose out One whom I thought the freest from Imperfections either in Mind or Body which was the Lady A. N. and I took Pen and Paper and Writ down all the Defects I could Think or had Observed in her and upon an other all the Excellencies she was Indued with by Nature Heaven and Education which last Pleased me so Well as I was resolved to send her a Copy in a Letter but when I was to send her the Letter both the Papers lying upon my Table together I mistook the right Paper that was in her Praise and sent that which was in her Dispraise never reading it when I sent it and when she did Receive it it seem'd she was in as much Amaze as I at her Answer but afterwards she fell into a very Angry Passion and in that Passion Writ me an Answer which I opened with great Joy thinking she had been very well pleased with my former Letter but when I did read it and had found out the mistake in sending the wrong Letter I was as if I had been Thunder-stricken my Blood flushing so violently into my Face as to my thinking my Eyes flash'd out fire like Lightning and after that there fell such a Showr of Tears as I am confident there were more Tears shed than Letters Written where I wish'd that every Letter might have been buried in the watery Womb or Toomb of every Tear but it was in Vain they being too fast fixt to be Drowned for they were fixt in her Memory and so in Mine but yet my Tears may wash out my Fault and my Love will ask her Pardon in the Humblest and Sorrowfull'st words as I can Speak Wherefore pray Madam make my Peace if you can go to her and speak for me and let her Know how it was for I dare not Write to her again and so in my stead Beg my Pardon for I dare swear by Heaven as I would have it guard my Innocency prove the Truth and save my Soul I am not guilty of a Crime to her for I was free from Malice or Envy or any Evill Design when I writ it and not only free from any Evill to her but I was full of Love and Admiration of her and I hope she will Pardon me since I onely writ it as a Philosopher and not as an Enemy and since there is none that lives but hath some Faults or Defects though she hath the Least and Fewer than any other of Natures Creatures and it is some Praise to have the Least but since we are all Guilty in one kind or other pray her to Pardon my Mistake and Philosophical Contemplation of her and so hoping a Good Success of your Petition in my Behalf I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant LXVII MADAM YOu were pleased in your last Letter to Ask my Opinion Judgement and Advice of that which you Spoke of when I last Saw you truly when any one asks my Opinion of Causes or Effects or my Judgment of Affairs or of any thing concerning the Actions of the World as their Successes to Good or Bad or Desires my Advice of any Concernment to Particulars let me tell you as first for Causes and Effects my Reason Studies and Observation Watches to find out the Cause by the Effects or to Foresee the Effects by the Causes and as for the Success of several Affairs and Actions in the World I put all the Probabilities in one Scale and all the Impossibilities or at least Unlikelyhoods in another and Weigh them both and which soever Scale Weighs Downward I give my Judgement and as for Advice to Particulars I Examin their Means Abilities Strength Power Right Truth and Justice according to all which I give my Advice for I Search the Bottom Stirring up the very Dregs or Fathoming the Depth like as Sailers cast their Line and Plummet to Fathom the Sea for fear of Quick-sands Shelves or the like and then Draw up their Line to see the Depth or at least take Notice how much the Line sinks down so do I concerning my Opinion Judgement or Advice but you must Pardon me if I give not my Judgment or Opinion in a Publick Letter concerning Publick Affairs in which I ought not to meddle being a Woman neither ought those of the Masculine Sex to give their Opinions or Judgments or Advices Publickly unless they were Desired and Required so to do as also not Impertinently Busily or Intrudingly to Meddle or Censure or Speak of that which they have nothing to do or at least where they cannot Help or Mend. But pray believe I am not so Vain as to think I can Reason Judg or Advise Wisely no I onely Endeavour or at least Desire so to do and since you
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.
wherefore said I the best is to leave this Discourse and Discourse of some other Subject that is more Sociable as being more Conceivable Then they Laugh'd and said they would Discourse of VVomen I said I did believe they would find that VVomen were as Difficult to be Known and Understood as the Universe but yet I thought they would find them more Sociable at which Expression they made themselves very merry but being my near Relative Friends I took their Mirth in good part as I hope you will do this Long Letter Knowing the Length of my Letter is to Express my Obedience to your Commands in which I shall prove my self Madam Your Faithful Servant CXII MADAM YOu writ in your last Letter that I had given our Sex Courage and Confidence to Write and to Divulge what they Writ in Print but give me leave humbly to tell you that it is no Commendation to give them Courage and Confidence if I cannot give them Wit But Madam I observe our Sex is more apt to Read than to VVrite and most commonly when any of our Sex doth VVrite they Write some Devotions or Romances or Receits of Medicines for Cookery or Confectioners or Complemental Letters or a Copy or two of Verses all which seems rather as Briefs than Volumes which Express our Brief VVit in our Short Works and to Express my self according to the Wit of our Sex I will end this Letter onely give me leave to subscribe my self as truly I am Madam Your Ladiships faithful Servant CXIII MADAM IN your last Letter you were pleased to tell me you were invited to a Meeting where many Ladies and Gentlemen were and amongst their several Discourses the Lady M. L. spoke of me saying I liv'd a Dull Unprofitable Unhappy Life Imploying my time onely in Building Castles in the Air. Indeed if I were of her Ladiships Humour I should be Unhappy but as I am I would not change the Course of my Life with her Ladiship might I have the years of Methusalem to boot and as for the Minds Architecture as Castles in the Air or Airy Castles which are Poetical Conceptions and Solitary Contemplations which produce Poems Songs Playes Masks Elegies Epigrams Anagrams and the like they will be more lasting than Castles of Wood Brick or Stone and their Architecture if well Designed and Built will be more Famous and their Fame spread farther than those of Stone viz. to the View and Prospect of divers Nations if Translated into divers Languages whereas Castles of Timber Brick or Stone cannot be Removed nor Translated if Built upon the Ground neither is the Minds Architecture and Castles subject to Ruin as Castles of Stone which are subject to Time Accidents and the Rage of VVars by which they are Destroyed or Moulder to Dust and are Buried in Oblivion whenas Poetical Castles are set in Fames Palace neither doth the Building of Poetical Castles Impoverish and Ruin the Builder's Families as Corporeal Castles of Timber Brick or Stone for the most part do VVasting their VVorldly VVealth so much as they leave nothing for their Posterity but leave them to Poverty which Poverty forces them many times to Act Dishonourably so that what Fame they get by building Brave and Sumptuous Castles Houses Tombes and the like they lose by their Childrens Base Sharking Cheating Robbing and VVicked Actions and so instead of Fame get Infamy at best those Builders are accounted but Vain and Prodigal whenas the Architecture of the Mind which she names Castles in the Air give a Reputation not only to the Building but to the Builder's Temporal Posterity neither doth the Builder need any other Monument or Tomb than his Own Airy Works which if Curiously Composed and Adorned with Fancies Similitudes Metaphors and the like and Carefully Written and Printed are more Glorious Stately and Durable than Tombes or Monuments of Marble Costly Gilt and Carved nay more Lasting than the Tomb of Mausolus for Homer's Works Live and are Publick to the View whereas that Famous Monument is Consumed and onely Mentioned there was such a thing and yet is was one of the Corporeal Wonders of the World the like of the great Colossus and what is become of the Egyptian Pyramids By this we see that Poetical Castles are both Profitable and Lasting and will be Remembred when the Lady M. L. is Forgotten but as much as she Slights Poetical Castles she would be well Pleased to have an Epigram made in her Commendation and she will Crowd hard Sit so Long in a Masking Room upon a Scaffold as to be Incommoded in her Seat and Benumb'd with Sitting to see a Mask and she will be at the Charge to give Mony to See a Play and will sit two or three hours as a Spectator and Weep or Laugh as the Poet pleases to have her also she will be as Amorous as any Lover the Poet can make Indeed the Poet doth make her an Amorous Lover his Wit moves her Mind to Love and Courtships or Loving Courtships but though she Delights in the Poets Works yet she Dislikes the Poets Life and wants a Poets Wit to build Poetical Castles and so leaving her to her Little Wit and Many Words to her Gossiping-Life and her Light Heels I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CXIV MADAM IN your last you Express'd that the Lord G. P. was totally Govern'd by one of his Chief men which shews the Man is the Master and the Master the Servant But there are different Governings for Subjects are Govern'd by Laws Children by Natural Love and Fear Servants by Profit and Slaves by Force but Few are Govern'd by Reason and as Few by Honour also Many are Govern'd by Flattery and Partiality and More by Luxury for the Sensual Appetites of the Body have a more Forcible Power for the most part than Reason and Temperance hath in the Soul and the Noble Passions or Virtues of the Soul are made Slaves to the Base Appetites of the Body sometimes by Force but oftener by an Insinuating Perswasion and Pleasing Temptation like as the Lord G. P. is Ruled by his Flattering and Insinuating Servant whereas the Appetites should be but as Servants to be Govern'd not Masters to Rule and although they ought to be Attended in their Sicknesses Cherish'd and Nourish'd in their Weakness Imployed in their Healthful Strength yet they must be Corrected in their Extravagancies and Punished for their Disorders But a Man of Honour a Gentleman ought to be Free from them as to have his Mind Free from the Slavery of the Bodily Senses or Sensual Appetites as also from Outward Accidents Fortunes or Objects which is to have his Judgment Understanding Opinion Justice Prudence Fortitude Temperance and the like Free from Partiality and Inticing Perswasions and to let Reason Honour and Honesty be Judges to Decide and Determine all Causes concerning the Actions of Life for though Outward Causes or Things must be made Judges or Governours of Reason Honour and
Spoken to them Neither do I wonder that Others in Great Authority and Power will Advance Some Persons when they have but a New Acquaintance or rather a Sight of them to Place and Office and before they are Setled in their Offices Displace them again without any Reason or Knowledge either of Advancing or Displacing Nor do I wonder Others will be so in Love for two or three Dayes as they almost Sigh out their Breath of Life for their Wished Desires and a Day or two after Reproach or Laugh at those they were so much in Love with as they Desired their Favour more than Heaven All this I say I do not VVonder at Observing and Perceiving the Inconstant Natures of Mankind But I wonder to Perceive or Find any one to be Constant Seven Years or One Year much more to be Constant their Whole Life time for Constancy is as Seldom or Rarely Seen as a Blazing Star Indeed Constancy in this World is somewhat like a Blazing Star it Lasts for a time and then Goes out for it is not as the Fix'd Stars but rather as the Wandring Planets though truly I am constantly Fix'd to be Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CXIX MADAM I Give you many Thanks for your Counsel and Advice concerning my Health for certainly an Over-studious Mind doth Wast the Body which is the Cause for the most part that Painful Students are Lean for the Mind Feeds as much upon the Body as the Body upon Meat But truly I am sometimes in a Dispute with my self whether it be better to live a Long and Idle than a Short but Profitable Life that is to Imploy a Little time Well or to Wast a Great Deal of Time to no Purpose and I Conclude that a Little Good is better than Nothing or better than a Sum of Evil for 't is better through Industry to Leave a Little to After Age than Die so Poor as to Leave Nothing no not so much as After Ages may say there Liv'd such a one in Former Ages than to Die and be quite Forgotten and therefore should I live out the Course of Nature or could live so Long as Methusalem when the Time were Past it would seem as Nothing and perchance I should be as Unwilling to Die then as if I Died in my Youth so that a Long and a Short time of Life is as one and the same 'T is true Death is Terrible to Think of but in Death no Terrour Remains so as it is Life that is Painful both to the Body and Mind and not Death for the Mind in Life is Fearful and the Body is seldom at Ease But howsoever I will endeavour Madam so to Divide the time of my Bodily Life as to Imploy part of my Time for Health and part for Fame and all for Gods Favour and when I Die I will Bequeath my Soul to Heaven my Fame to Time and my Body to Earth there to be Dissolved and Transformed as Nature Pleases for to her it belongs I do not much Care nor Trouble my Thoughts to think where I shall be Buried when Dead or into what part of the Earth I shall be Thrown but if I could have my Wish I Would my Dust might be Inurned and mix'd with the Dust of those I Love Best although I think they would not Remain Long together for I did observe that in this last War the Urns of the Dead were Digged up their Dust Dispersed and their Bones Thrown about and I suppose that in all Civil or Home-wars such Inhuman Acts are Committed wherefore it is but a Folly to be Troubled and Concerned where they shall be Buried or for their Graves or to Bestow much Cost on their Tombes since not only Time but VVars will Ruin them But Madam lest I should make you Melancholy with Discoursing of so sad Subjects as Death and Graves Bones and Dust I leave you to Livelier and Pleasanter Thoughts and Conversation and rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CXX MADAM YOu were pleased to tell me in your last Letter that Many have desired your Charity which have been Ruined by these last Civil VVars and that they who before this time were able to Relieve many with their Wealth now do Want Relief themselves by which we may know that neither Riches nor Peace is Permanent and many are not only Ruin'd in their Estates and Banished their Native Country but Forsaken of their Friends which is a terrible Misery but Misery and Friends seldom keep together and it is to be observed that a Civil VVar doth not only Abolish Laws Dissolve Government and Destroy the Plenty of a Kingdom but it doth Unknit the Knot of Friendship and Dissolve Natural Affections for in Civil VVar Brothers against Brothers Fathers against Sons and Sons against Fathers become Enemies and Spill each others Blood Triumphing on their Graves for when a Kingdom is Inflamed with Civil War the Minds of all the People are in a Fever of Fury or a Furious Fever of Cruelty which by nothing but Letting Blood by the Surgeon of VVar can be Cured and that not a Little but Most must Bleed ere there will be a Perfect Cure It is the Plague of the Mind as well as the Plague of the Body for the Minds of Men are Infected with Covetous Desires Ambitious Designs Treacherous Plots and Murderous Intentions and so General it is that Few Minds escape the Infection which shews it proceeds from the Malignity of the Air or the Influence of some Raging Planet and if so it proceeds from a Natural Cause although it be an Unnatural War or else it proceeds from Unwise Government where many Errours gather into a Mass or Tumor of Evil which Rises into Blisters of Discontents and then Breaks out into Civil War or else Heaven sends it to Punish the Sins of the People Besides it is to be observed that Vices Increase in a Civil War by reason Civil Government is in Disorder Civil Magistrates Corrupted Civil Laws Abolished Civil Manners and Decent Customs Banished and in their Places is Rapine Robbing Stabbing Treachery and Falshood all the Evil Passions and Debauch'd Appetites are let Loose to take their Liberty But this is so commonly Known to those that have seen a Civil War as I should not have needed to Mention it although those that have Liv'd alwayes in Peace will not Believe it but I have Suffered so much in it as the Loss of some of my Nearest and Dearest Friends and the Ruin of those that did Remain that I may desire to Forget it Wherefore leaving this sad Discourse I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CXXI MADAM IN your last Letter you were pleased to tell me that the Lady E. E. and the Lady A. A. are alwayes Quarrelling with each other when they Meet and Rail on each other when they are Asunder and their Husbands in the Behalf of their Wives do the like But I Wonder they should do so whenas they are
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
the Body to be Swell'd and Puff'd all over the Extreme Parts as well as the Inward or next Adjoyning Parts whereas the Empty Dry Veins cause only the Inward and Joyning Parts to the Mouths of the Veins to be Swell'd or Puff'd out but for Casting out from them or Resisting they are alike Thus Madam I have Obeyed your Commands in Writing to you my Opinion and Begging your Pardon for being so Tedious in Explaning and Declaring it I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CXXXVII MADAM YOu were pleased to tell me in your Letter how much out of Countenance you were being Surprised with a Visit you Expected not Truly Madam I am very Sensible of your Pain insomuch as methinks I Feel what you Suffered for I my self have been and am still so Troubled with that Imperfection if it may be call'd one that I have been often so out of Countenance as I have not only Pitied my self but others have Pitied me which is a Condition I would not be in and the Thoughts that Bashfulness leaves in the Mind are as great an Affliction as the Mind can have for a Crimeless Defect for 't is no Crime to be Bashful nor a Disgrace neither to the Life nor Soul although it be a Disadvantage to the Person for Bashfulness Works divers Effects upon the Body and in the Mind As for the Mind it Disturbs the Thoughts so much as the Thoughts are all in a Confused Disorder and not any one Thought moves Regularly neither will they Suffer the Words to pass out of the Mouth or if they do they are Uttered without Sense nay sometimes in no Language being but Pieces of Words or Pieces of the Letters of Words and others quite contrary will speak so Much and Fast as none can Understand what they Say or would Say Indeed so Fast as they make neither Stop nor Distinction Again others will Speak so Shrill and Loud as it Deafens the Ears of the Hearers and others so Soft and Low as it cannot be Heard what they Say and some when they are out of Countenance will Laugh at every Word they Speak or is Spoken to them although the Subject be so Sad and Lamentable as it is proper to be attended with Tears And for the Body when the Mind is Bashful it hath Divers and Several Misbecoming Motions as in some their neather Lip will so Quiver as it will Draw quite Awry like as in a Convulsion and in some their Eyes will so Squint as they can see nothing Perfectly and some will Shake their Heads so much as if they had the Shaking Palsie and in some their Legs will so Tremble as they can hardly bear up the Body from falling and some their whole Body will be as if they were in a Cold Fit of an Ague and others when they are out of Countenance have such a Suppressing of Spirits as they are forced often to Humm to raise them up and others when they are out of Countenance will look so Pale as if they were Departing with Life and on the Contrary others will be so Red having a Torrent of Blushes Flow to their Face that they will appear as if they were Drunk and that it were the Spirits of Wine which made that Firy and Flaming Colour and many other Misbecoming Countenances and several Misbecoming Garbs Postures Motions and Senseless Words which are not to be Express'd But howsoever a Bashful Countenance Expresses a Sensible Mind and a Modest Nature and not a Guiltiness of Crimes for those that are so Bold as to Commit a Crime will not want Confidence to Out-face it VVherefore Madam let not your Bashful Behaviour be a Disturbance to your Harmless Thoughts and Virtuous Life to which Thoughts and Life I leave you and rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CXXXVIII MADAM YOu did once before your last Letter Desire me to give my Opinion concerning the Influence of the Stars I did so and now you Desire my Opinion again which if I do I may chance to Contradict my self But truly I believe the Planets or Stars have no more Influence upon the Bodies Minds and Natures of Men than one Creature hath upon another or several Creatures upon one or one upon more for though the Bodies Humours Constitutions and Minds of Men are subject to Alterations and Changes yet it is from their Principal Natures as from the Nature of Mankind and we see by Experience and Observation that the Planets have not Power over Laws Customs and Education which are more Firmly Setled than to be Altered by the Various Effects of the Stars and Planets which Laws Customs and Educations have Power over the Appetites Passions and Constitutions of Men. But we may observe that the Effects of the Planets Vary Perpetually for if they were Constant in their Effects there would be no Change or Alteration and if they had an Absolute Power over the rest of Nature's Works as many think or as others say onely over Mankind their Cross Effects or Influences would make such a Confusion as it would make an Utter Destruction of that they have Power of which would Cross and Hinder Natures Methodical Proceedings and certain Rules and Decrees by which she Governs unless you will say the Stars or Planets are the Fates and Destinies to all Mankind if so there needs no Education Laws or Justice but the Stars and Planets are too Inconstant and Changing to Decree and Destinate any thing for there is no Assurance or Certainty in the Effects or Influence of the Stars and Planets there is more Assurance in the Educations and Customs of Men and Custom and Education hath Stronger Effects for Custom and Education can Alter the Unaptness in Natural Capacities and Understandings the Dull Dispositions Froward or Evil Passions of the Mind also it oftentimes Tempers the Irregular Humours of the Body and can Restrain the Unsatiable Appetites of the Body and Senses and Long Custom Alters the Nature of Men Besides Healthful and Strong Constitutions will become Sick and Faint with Debaucheries and Irregularities and Sick and Weak Constitutions will grow Healthful and Strong with Temperance and Regularity also Education makes a Man a Thief and a Thief an Honest Man and it is Fortune that makes Kings and Beggars and not the Planets for all that are Born at one point of Time have not the same Fortune as when a King is Born or else there would be thousands of Kings so many Children being Born at the same point of Time Likewise all that were Born in such or such a point of Time would be Poets Natural Philosophers and the like whereas there are as Few of them as of Kings also all that are Born in such a point of Time would be Wise Just and Prudent men according to the Influence of the Stars but if so I believe there would be more Wise and Just men than there are whereas now for One Wise man there are Millions of Fools Besides it would
a Man but perchance some have Childish Constitutions all their Life-time and the truth is that Diet is much according to the Constitution for that which will Agree with some will Disagree with others and for Milk it better Agrees with VVeak Constitutions than Strong yet VVomens Milk and Asses Milk doth Agree better than any other Milk by reason those Milks are Thinner and not so full of Curds But leaving Mrs. P. C. to her Milk I rest Madam Your very faithful Friend and Servant CLV MADAM TWo or three dayes since the Lady M. L. was to Visit me again with a Countenance as Joyful as formerly it was Sad I told her I was very glad to see such an Alteration in her Face which shew'd her Mind to be more Chearful than it was she said it was true for she hoped she would be as Happy as she thought she was Unhappy for my Husband hath Confess'd said she that his Unkindness to me was rather Seeming than Real more to Prove my Virtue than to Dislike my Person or Humour and that if he were Unmarried and Free to Choose any VVoman through the VVorld he would Choose me for his VVife and he sayes he would not Part from me were he sure to be the Master of the VVorld by being Perfid or Divorced from me and hereafter he would endeavour to be as Good a Husband as I am a VVife and with this Joyful Relation her Blood Flush'd into her Cheeks which shew'd that her Cold Dark Melancholy Thoughts were Dispersed like as the Sun breaks through Dark and Broken Clouds which Clouds when Joyned Obscured his Light and Abated his Heat the truth is her Joy was so much as I may say it was Contagious and Infectious for it Affected me with Joy to See and Observe her and if all her Neighbours were the like Affected she might do as the man that call'd his Neighbours and Friends to Rejoyce at the Finding his Lost Sheep but her Husbands Affections were not so much Lost as Hidden or Obscured from her Knowledge and truly she deserves to be Loved for her Virtue Chastity Love and Honour for there are but Few VVomen that make so good VVives as she for many Wives Dislike their Husbands not out of a Dislike to their Faults but out of Love to Variety and some Hate their Husbands through Hate to their Faults making no Distinction between the Man and the Faults nay some Dislike their Husbands Virtues and Good Qualities through a Dislike to their Persons and many Wives care not whether their Husbands Love or Hate them Live From or With them nay for the most part they love their Husbands Absence better than their Presence and will make Quarrels to Part but the Lady M. L. is not of the number of such Wives for she Loves her Husband which Love makes her Wink at her Husband's Faults she is Patient with her Husband's Anger Rejoyces at her Husband's Presence is Proud of her Husband's Favours Obedient to her Husband 's Honest Commands and had rather Die or Indure Torment than to Part or be Divorced from him All which every Good Wife ought to do But leaving the Lady M. L. to her Virtue Joy and Happiness I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CLVI MADAM I Am sorry to hear you are not Well but if your Disease be only a Faint-tiredness or Weakness when you stand still any time since you can Walk an hour together and find no Weariness but rather Ease there is no Danger of Death for to be Weary when you Stand still so as to be near Fainting and to find Rest and Ease by Walking is a Natural Effect of a Natural Cause the reason is that when any one Stands still the Nerves and Sinews are Stretch'd straight out at Length but when one VValks or Moves they have Liberty as being Unbent and Unstretch'd as for Example when Mankind Stands their Legs Thighs Hams and Back are Straight as one Straight Line but when they Go their Legs Tuck up as first one Leg then th' other which Pulling or Tucking up Slackens all the Nerves and Sinews from the Back Downwards and that gives Ease for 't is not only Change that gives Ease but the Slacking of the Nerves and Sinews which are as if they were Stretch'd upon a Rack when they are Drawn Straight out at Length by Standing but it shews your Sinews and Nerves are not very Tough and Strong but rather Tender and VVeak being soon VVeary in Standing Still for the Nerves and Sinews are as Strings or Cords which Tie or Knit the several Parts of the Body together where some are Stronger and Tougher as not easily Stretch'd like as VVyer or Lute-strings or Bow-strings some are so Hard as they will sooner Break than Stretch others so Limber as to Stretch into a Hairs Smallness which makes them not so Firm nor Steady but apt to Tremble and Shake at the least Touch or Motion of the Air whenas those that are Hard and Tough require some Strength to Stir them The like is with the Nerves and Sinews those that are Weak and Tender when Stretch'd are apt to Move which is the reason that many with Standing Long will so Tremble and Shake as to be ready to fall to the Ground the Lower Parts of their Body being not able to bear them up being as it were Loose or Untied or Over-stretch'd and this is the reason that when Soft and Delicate Persons take up a great VVeight or hold a VVeight something above their Strength their Arms or Hands or Bodies will be as if they had the Shaking Palsie in them for an hour after for the Weight did Over-stretch their Sinews and Nerves But Madam I am Troubled with the same Tenderness insomuch as it is Tiresom to my Life and certainly the best Remedy will be to endeavour to Strengthen our Sinews and Nerves only the Mischief will be that what is good to Strengthen the Sinews and Nerves is Hurtful and apt to Obstruct the Liver Splene and Veins so as the Remedy may prove worse than the Disease for Gluttonous Meats are Good for the Sinews and Nerves but Nought for Obstructions But Physicians perchance can tell Remedies for I that am none may be Mistaken in the Cause and Ignorant of the Cure wherefore I will leave you to the Advice of the Learned Practicers and rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CLVII MADAM THose that take Exceptions at my Philosophical Opinions as for Example when I say there is no such thing as First Matter nor no such thing as First Power are either Fools in Philosophy or Malicious to Philosophy As for Infinite Power it is in God and God hath no Beginning nor his Power as being Infinite and Eternal wherefore there can be no First or Beginning either in Quantity or Quality And as for Matter or Substance let it be as is Believed that Matter or Substance were made out of Nothing that is that God was the First
for a VVonder that being above an Hundred Years old had all his Senses Free from the Defects of Age but I believe he made himself Older by his own Report than he was being a Poor man and got Mony by Shewing himself and to make him appear Older he let his Beard Grow down to the Small of his VVast so as he was a Mountebanck for Beard as some Italians are for Drugs the truth is his Beard was the Stock of his Livelihood for he was Fed Maintain'd by it his Chin like Fertil Land did yield a Goodly Crop of Hair but whereas Crops of Corn or the like must be Mowed or Reaped before a Profit can be made his Profit was to have his Unreaped or Unmowed which is to be Unshaved But in my Opinion there is nothing so Ill-favour'd as for men to wear great Beards it is neither Becoming nor Cleanly but Misbecoming and Slovenly and it is as an Alms-basket or the like for Crums or as a Tub for Drops of Drink indeed men that wear Great Beards had need to Perfume them well or else they will Smell of Scraps Tappings and Grease after Eating and Drinking and if they be Amorous men they will hardly Gain a Mistress with Kissing besides Long Beards make Men look like Goats yet howsoever a Great Long Beard was Beneficial to the Poor Old man and so leaving him to it or his Beard to him I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CXCIV MADAM MY Aguish Indisposition hinders me from taking that Pleasure I Used to do this Carneval Time which is Shrovetide for this is the most Pleasant and Merry time in all the Year in this City for Feasting Sporting and Maskarading as for Feasting Fasting is the Cause for by reason Lent is a Spare time for Diet the People in this and so in many other Places do as it were Fore-store their Stomacks like those that do Fore-store their Provisions Fore-seeing a Dearth insomuch as they Eat not according to their Appetites but according to the Time by reason Lent is only for Fish or other such Cold and Spare meat and therefore they Prudently will Surfet of Flesh this Shrove-tide that they may not Covet Flesh as to have a Longing desire thereto also there Sporting is after the same kind and like for the same End by reason they are to Pray as well as to Fast like as those that will or think it Lawful to Commit what Sins they can or please before a Confession Penance and Pardon But truly these are Harmless Sports consisting only in several Attires or Accoustrements as to wear Vizards c. and some of the Women do Accoustre themselves in Mens Habits and the Younger sort of Men in Womens Habits where the Women seem to be well Pleased and take a Pride to be Accoustred like Men but the Men seem to be more out of Countenance to be Accoustred like Women as counting it a Disgrace to their Manhood although they do not seem so being dress'd in the most Ill-favour'd dress that can be Devised to Imitate Devils but whether they Imitate them Rightly for outward Form I know not for I believe they never were in Hell to Learn or Know how Devils are Formed or Bodied or Accoustred I believe they may Sooner and more Aptly Imitate their Wickedness than their Figures but these Sports I went abroad to See being Perswaded to go forth by reason it was very Fair Weather and Sun-shiny Dayes although to my Sense of Feeling I had Frost and Snow within me or was as if I had been Shaken with a Cold North-wind having a Cold Fit of an Ague upon me which Cold and Stormy Indisposition of the Body did Dull and Darken the Mirth of Pleasure as Dark Clouds do the Light of the Sun for Health and Sickness are like Fair and Foul Dayes But the sorts or kinds of Sports are done for this Year and all the Men Women and Children were Marked the next day which was Ash-wednesday with a Black Mourning Cross on their Forheads I know not whether it be to Cross out their Former Sins or a Barricado to Keep out Following Sins although I fear it is not in the power of a Cross to keep back Sin I know not what it can do to keep back Punishment but they all seem to be very Devout in Frequenting the Churches Yet this is but the Beginning of Lent but towards the later End I suppose they will be as if they were half or three parts Tired not so much with Fasting as Praying for though they eat not Flesh meat yet they eat oftener other Good meats as Fish Spoon-meat Sweet-meats and the like also they have the liberty to Drink more VVine indeed most Christians all the Lent time as also on many Fasting dayes in the Year live for the manner of Diet somewhat like the Pythagoreans or Gentils But I being not well in Health have the liberty to Eat what will or can and so leaving the Generality to their Lent-diet I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CXCV. MADAM TO tell you what Pastimes this City hath they be several Sights and Shews which are to be seen for Mony for even Pastime is Bought for at several times of the Year come hither Dancers on the Ropes Tumblers Juglers Private Stage-Players Mountebanks Monsters and several Beasts as Dromedaries Camels Lions Acting Baboons and Apes and many the like which would be as Tedious to me to Relate as to See for I would not take the pains to See them unless some Few amongst the rest there was a Woman brought to me who was like a Shagg-dog not in Shape but Hair as Grown all over her Body which Sight stay'd in my Memory not for the Pleasantness but Strangeness as she troubled my Mind a Long time but at last my Mind kick'd her Figure out bidding it to be gone as a Dog-like Creature and though I am of so Dull and Lazy a Nature as seldom to take the Pains to See Unusual Objects yet here coming an Italian Mountebank who had with him several persons to Dance and Act upon the open Stage also one which did Act the part of a Fool and that all to draw a Company of People together to hear him tell the Virtues or rather Lies of his Drugs Cures and Skill and to Intice or Perswade them to Buy and to be Cozened and Deceived both in Words Drugs and Mony I saw this Fool Act his Part so Well that many of the People bought more Drugs for the Fool 's sake than for the Apocryphal Physician 's which was the Mountebank indeed Madam a Fool 's Part as it is the Pleasantest so it is the most Difficult to Act I say to Act it Well for it doth require more Ingenuity and Wit than any other Part Acted on the Stage for though the World is full of Fools yet there are not many Feigned Fools for most men endeavour to seem Wiser than they are but Feigned Fools endeavour
shew the Stars to have more Power and greater Influence to Produce Fools Knaves Slaves and Beggars than Wise Just Free and Rich Noble men and if the Planets had no Power over the Fortunes nor over the Minds of Men but over the Bodies of Men then the Influence the Soul hath on the Body would Contradict the Influence of the Planets and the Planets Influence would Contradict the Influence of the Soul so as by their Crossness the Body would be Perpetually Tortured and the Mind Disquieted and if the Planets had an Influence over the Soul and Body then we would be Good and Bad Wicked and Pious Valiant and Cowards Sick and Well Hungry and Dry or otherwise have no Appetite according as the Planets please or according to their Influences also all men would be Good and Bad Sick and Well Wise and Fools Valiant and Cowardly just at one time as the Sign or Influence is so that all men under the Domination of such Stars or Planets would be alike at one Minute and if all Men should Like or Love one Woman at one Minute and Time or all Women one Man that is as many as See her or him that Woman would have more Servants and Suters than she could Please or Answer and the Man more Mistresses than the Great Turk Also if it were according to the Dominion of the Planets thousands on a Sudden would be Inspired with Poetical Raptures and soon after be Dull and Stupid Dolts whenas that Influence Changed but I believe there is greater Influence from one Nation on another according to Interest Strength and Potency and so from one Man to another according to Interest Power and Authority than the Stars and Planets have on Several Nations and Several and Particular Men which Produces greater Effects than the Planets Effects and Influences can do not but that I believe the Planets can Work as Sudden Effects nay far Suddener and Immediate as we see by the Effects of the Heat and Light of the Sun but I believe that Beauty and Wit have a greater Influence upon the Passions of the Mind and Senses and Appetites of the Body than the Stars and why may not we think as well that the Actions especially the General Actions of men might have as great an Influence or Power over the Stars and Planets as the Stars and Planets are thought to have over Men for I see no reason to the contrary since they are Fellow Creatures and not Gods But surely every several part and particle in Nature hath an Influence on each other from which are produced several Effects and Effects have Influence upon Effects some on some and some on others or perchance they have all a Working Effect to each other as many Grains of Corn are ground for one Loaf of Bread many several Materials go to one House many several Families to one Commonwealth many several Nations to one World and many several Worlds to one Universe Thus Madam I have Obeyed your second Command concerning the Influences of the Stars and Planets as I did your first but in this Later Discourse I seem to have no Belief that the Stars have an Influence over the Bodies or Minds no more than the Bodies or Minds have over the Planets and so over Fortune Education Laws Custom and the like whereas in my Former Letter I said they had over the Body and was apt to Believe they had also over the Mind but since I Writ the Former Letter concerning this Subject I have thought of it more than I had then and Believe every Creature hath some Influence to each other But I leave both Letters and the Opinions and Arguments written therein to your Better Judgment and rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CXXXIX MADAM I Am sorry to hear that Sir S. K. is so full of the Dropsie as to be Dying indeed the Dropsie is a Disease that Quenches out the Fire or Flame of Life as a Torch Candle or Lamp having more Water than Radical Oyl or Vital Heat so that one may say those that are full of the Dropsie have a River or Sea in their Body they are Drown'd not with VVater VVithout but VVithin them it is an Inward Deluge and a Dropsical Body is like Noah's Flood wherein the Inward Parts are as the several Nations and the Animal Spirits as the People Drown'd therein but the Soul as Noah is Saved in the Ark of Heaven and at the Day of Judgment is to be Restored to the Bodily World again But leaving this Similizing Dropsie pro 〈…〉 m Divers Causes as sometimes through 〈…〉 ometimes through an Hot and sometimes through a Cold Cause some Dropsie through a VVasting Cause some through an Obstructive and some through a Superfluous Cause In some the Effects may be Cured by Altering or Removing the Causes in others the Cause is Essential not to be Removed but by Death and so not to be Cured in Life but whatsoever the Cause be whether Curable or Incurable the best Remedy either to Prolong the Life of the Diseased Body or to Cure those that are Curable is to make Issues which as Sluces Drain the Water out of the Body or so much as to keep it from Overflowing or they are like Taps set to Barrels full of Liquor which runs forth at the Tap-holes But there must not only be One Sluce or Tap-hole but Two or Three to Vent the Superfluity of the Water that Comes or is Bred in the Body 'T is true I have heard those that have Issues say they are somewhat Troublesome but yet they are not so Troublesom as a Swell'd Unwieldy Bulk or Sick and Indisposed Body But by your Letter I perceive that Sir S. Ks. Body is so much Overflowed as it cannot be Drained so soon as to Save his Life but it will be Drowned and Overwhelmed in the Whirlpool of Death And so leaving his Soul to God I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CXL MADAM YOu writ in your last Letter that the Lady G. D. takes Cooling Julips in the Morning and Cordials when she goes to Bed to Digest Crude Humours but my Reason says she is in an Errour as for Example Dry Wood and Wet Wood or Sear Wood and Green Wood although there should be put much Fire to the Green or Wet VVood it will not hastily Burn nay such VVood doth oftener put Out the Fire than the Fire doth Inkindle the VVood for the moist Vapors that Issue or are Drawn forth by the Heat of the Fire do Destroy that Heat that Drew those Vapors out whereas on the other side Dry or Sear VVood when Kindled and all of a Firy Flame fling but a little VVater on it and it will Quench out the Flaming Fire The like are the Bodies of Mankind they are easier Cooled when Inflamed Applying Cooling Liquors as Julips Ptisan Barly Water and the like than to Heat them with Cordials when they are full of Raw Crude and Waterish Humours
for Fevers although Violent if they Proceed from no other Cause but a Supernatural Heat are Sooner and Easier Cured than Cold Palsies and other Cold Diseases wherefore it is better to take Hot things first and Coolling after than to take Hot things after Cooling for Hot thinps after Cooling do rather make a Smothering Heat than a Concocting Digesting or Expelling Heat so as it only fills the Body full of Vapors like as Wet or Green Fuel fills a Room with Smoak but a Healthful Body must neither be too Hot nor too Cold nor too Dry nor too Moist And so leaving the Lady D. G. to her Julips and Cordials I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CXLI MADAM I Was sorry to hear you intended to return into E. for I know that nothing but Necessity could Force you thither although your Native Country having been so Unnaturally Bereaved of all your Maintenance by the Covetous Purloyning of your Unnatural Countrymen and left to Seek in a Wandring Condition Fortunes Favour which is as Inconstant as they are Cruel but I perceive by your staying that Journy that Fortune as Inconstant as she Usually is yet hath had more Pity and Compassion of your Sufferings than they who keep you from the Extremity of Misery they have Exposed you to yet those who have your Estate cannot be much Happier although you never have it again for they cannot Enjoy it Long the Longest Life being but Short and there is an Old Saying VVe cannot Carry our VVorldly goods to the Grave indeed Death hath no Use of them nor Life so much Pleasure as Trouble with them the truth is 't is best to have no more than for Necessity a Superfluity most commonly runs into Luxury which causes Painful Diseases in the Body Restless Desires in the Mind and Hinders the Life from that Sweet Repose it would have in a Satisfactory Temperance and in a Moderate Fortune and surely it is the Best and Happiest Life to be neither Oppress'd with Riches nor Distress'd with Poverty and if Heaven Bless us from the Misery of the one we shall not have cause to Repine at the Loss of the other thus it is likely those may Suffer more that have Robbed you of your great Estate by their Griping and Accusing Consciences and Uncertain Possessions than you that are Robbed of all but what they could not get as your Virtuous Nature your Honourable Mind your Peaceable Thoughts and Heavens Protection to which I leave you and rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CXLII MADAM IT is to be Observed that most Men and VVomen are so Busie to find out other Mens or VVomens Faults as they Forget their own and when they Perceive any Faults in others they are so Joy'd as their Tongues are like Trumpets to Sound out their Reproach also they are Busie in the Inquiry of others Misfortunes but never Consider the Same or some other Misfortunes may Light upon them also they are Busie to Inquire of every Particular Persons Private Affairs as their VVealth Ordering their Families their Pleasures or their Discontents nay of every Person or Thing that Concerns them not but these Busie Natures or Humours Dwell with Idle Persons as the most part of the Gentry and not with Laborious nay with the most Foolish of the Gentry not with the VVisest of them for VVise men never Inquire into other mens Affairs that Concern them not nor Meddle with other mens Faults if they Touch them not they VVish VVell to All but Regard Nothing but their own Affairs they let other men Suffer for their own Crimes and will have a care that they may not be guilty of Crimes to Suffer for they will Inquire how Provision is Sold when they are to Buy not what their Neighbours Spend they go not to Sessions or Assizes to hear the Accusations or Condemnations unless they be Commanded or Call'd nor do they Inquire what Thieves are Hang'd or how many but are careful that no Thief may Rob them and if they be Country-Gentlemen and not Courtiers they Inquire not what Masks Balls and Playes are at the Court but what Hawks and Hounds are in the Country for their own Sports and Exercises and if they be Wise Courtiers although not Wise Men they do not Inquire what Wakes and Fairs there are in the Country but what Offices or Places they may Beg neither do Wise Citizens Inquire after Hawks and Hounds in the Contry nor what Mode-Congies are at the Court nor of the Courtiers Amours but they Inquire after their Merchandizes and how they may Sell off their Wares and what Fairs to send them to indeed they will Inquire after a Courtier if he Ow them Mony Neither do Wise Farmers Inquire after the Price of Sattin but how the Market goes for Corn nor do their VVives Inquire how Paint is Sold but what Cheesemongers will Buy their Cheeses and Pots of Butter wherefore in my Opinion Societies should be apart by themselves like several Commonwealths Courtiers should only Converse with Courtiers or Courtly Persons and Country Gentlemen with Country Gentlemen Citizens with Citizens Farmers with Farmers and I think they do so at least are most pleased with the Conversation of their own likeness Also Statesmen should only Converse with Statesmen Learned men with Learned men Wits with Wits or else their Wit will be Lost indeed Societies should be Chosen and not Mix'd and every Society should Move in its own Sphere for the truth is in Mix'd Societies is Confusion of Tongues of Wits of Capacities and the like But lest I should make a Confusion of VVords in this Letter I take my leave of you and rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CXLIII MADAM I Heard the Ship was Drown'd wherein the man was that had the Charge and Care of my Playes to carry them into E. to be Printed I being then in A. which when I heard I was extremely Troubled and if I had not had the Original of them by me truly I should have been much Afflicted and accounted the Loss of my Twenty Playes as the Loss of Twenty Lives for in my Mind I should have Died Twenty Deaths which would have been a great Torment or I should have been near the Fate of those Playes and almost Drown'd in Salt Tears as they in the Salt Sea but they are Destinated to Live and I hope I in them when my Body is Dead and Turned to Dust But I am so Prudent and Careful of my Poor Labours which are my Writing Works as I alwayes keep the Copies of them safely with me until they are Printed and then I Commit the Originals to the Fire like Parents which are willing to Die whenas they are sure of their Childrens Lives knowing when they are Old and past Breeding they are but Useless in this World But howsoever their Paper Bodies are Consumed like as the Roman Emperours in Funeral Flames I cannot say an Eagle Flies out of them or that they