Selected quad for the lemma: city_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
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A27290
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The fair jilt, or, The history of Prince Tarquin and Miranda written by Mrs. A. Behn.
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Behn, Aphra, 1640-1689.
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1688
(1688)
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Wing B1729; ESTC R3666
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39,089
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136
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as so much Youth cou'd inspire yet so modest so nobly reserv'd without Formality or Stiffness that one who look'd on her wou'd have imagin'd her Soul the Twin-Angel of her Body and both together made her appear something Divine To this she had a great deal of Wit read much and retain'd all that serv'd her purpose She sung delicately and danc'd well and play'd on the Lute to a Miracle She spoke several Languages naturally for being Co-heiress to so great a Fortune she was bred with nicest Care in all the finest manners of Education and was now arriv'd to her Eighteenth Year 'T were needless to tell you how great a noise the Fame of this young Beauty with so considerable a Fortune made in the World I may say the World rather than confine her Fame to the scanty Limits of a Town it reach'd to many others And there was not a Man of any Quality that came to Antwerp or pass'd through the City but made it his Business to see the lovely Miranda who was universally ador'd Her Youth and Beauty her Shape and Majesty of Mein and Air of Greatness charm'd all her Beholders and thousands of People were dying by her Eyes while she was vain enough to glory in her Conquest and make it her Business to wound She lov'd nothing so much as to behold sighing Slaves at her Feet of the greatest Quality and rreated 'em all with an Affability that gave 'em Hope Continual Musick as soon as it was dark and Songs of dying Lovers were sung under her Windows and she might well have made her self a great Fortune if she had not been so already by the rich Presents that were hourly made her and every Body daily expected when she wou'd make some one happy by suffering her self to be conquer'd by Love and Honour by the Assiduities and Vows of some one of her Adorers But Miranda accepted their Presents heard their Vows with pleasure and willingly admitted all their soft Addresses but wou'd not yield her Heart or give away that lovely Person to the Possession of one who cou'd please it self with so many She was naturally Amorous but extreamly Inconstant She lov'd one for his Wit another for his Face a third for his Mein but above all she admir'd Quality Quality alone had the power to attack her entirely yet not to one Man but that Vertue was still admir'd by her in all where ever she found that she lov'd or at least acted the Lover with such Art that deceiving well she fail'd not to compleat her Conquest and yet she never durst trust her fickle Humour with Marriage She knew the strength of her own Heart and that it cou'd not suffer it self to be confin'd to one Man and wisely avoided those Inquietudes and that Uneasiness of Life she was sure to find in that married Life which wou'd against her Nature oblige her to the Embraces of one whose Humour was to love all the Young and the Gay But Love who had hitherto but play'd with her Heart and given it naught but pleasing wanton Wounds such as afforded only soft Joys and not Pains resolv'd either out of Revenge to those Numbers she had abandon'd and who had sigh'd so long in vain or to try what power he had upon so fickle a Heatt sent an Arrow dipp'd in the most tormenting Flames that rage in Hearts most sensible He struck it home and deep with all the Malice of an angry God. There was a Church belonging to the Cordeliers whither Miranda often repair'd to her Devotion and being there one Day accompany'd with a young Sister of the Order after the Mass was ended as 't is the Custom some one of the Fathers goes about the Church with a Box for Contribution or Charity-Money it happen'd that Day that a young Father newly initiated carry'd the Box about which in his turn he brought to Miranda She had no sooner cast her Eyes on this young Friar but her Face was over spread with Blushes of Surprize She beheld him stedfastly and saw in his Face all the Charms of Youth Wit and Beauty he wanted no one Grace that cou'd form him for Love he appear'd all that is adorable to the fair Sex nor cou'd the mis-shapen Habit hide from her the lovely Shape it endeavour'd to cover nor those delicate Hands that approach'd her too near with the Box. Besides the Beauty of his Face and Shape he had an Air altogether great in spight of his profess'd Poverty it betray'd the Man of Quality and that Thought weigh'd greatly with Miranda But Love who did not design she shou'd now feel any sort of those easie Flames with which she had heretofore burnt made her soon lay all those Considerations aside which us'd to invite her to love and now lov'd she knew not why She gaz'd upon him while he bow'd before her and waited for her Charity till she perceiv'd the lovely Friar to blush and cast his Eyes to the Ground This awaken'd her Shame and she put her Hand into her Pocket and was a good while in searching for her Purse as if she thought of nothing less than what she was about at last she drew it out and gave him a Pistole but that with so much Deliberation and Leisure as easily betray'd the Satisfaction she took in looking on him while the good Man having receiv'd her Bounty after a very low Obeisance proceeded to the rest and Miranda casting after him a Look all languishing as long as he remain'd in the Church departed with a Sigh as soon as she saw him go out and return'd to her Apartment without speaking one Word all the Way to the young Fille Devote who attended her so absolutely was her Soul employ'd with this young holy Man. Cornelia so was this Maid call'd who was with her perceiving she was so silent who us'd to be all Wit and good Humour and observing her little Disorder at the Sight of the young Father though she was far from imagining it to be Love took an Occasion when she was come home to speak of him Madam said she did you not observe that fine young Cordelier who brought the Box At a Question that nam'd that Object of her Thoughts Miranda blush'd and the finding she did so re-doubl'd her Confusion and she had scarce Courage enough to say Yes I did observe him And then forcing her self to smile a little continu'd And I wonder'd to see so jolly a young Friar of an Order so severe and mortify'd Madam reply'd Cornelia when you know his Story you will not wonder Miranda who was impatient to know all that concern'd her new Conqueror oblig'd her to tell his Story and Cornelia obey'd and proceeded The Story of Prince Henrick YOU must know Madam that this young holy Man is a Prince of Germany of the House of whose Fate it was to fall most passionately in Love with a fair young Lady who lov'd him with an Ardour equal to what he vow'd her Sure