saw Eupolia the other day troubling her self at the news of the death of a man who had liv'd neer an Age. For my particular said Theramenes I have seen her lose an excellent Collation for that it thundered For my part said Hiparetta I know very well she refused to come one day to a very agreeable walk onely because she must have crossed a River Pray you resumed she agreeably do not take so much pains to sift your Memory for all that I fear since I know it much better than you And now I find you have a mind the Princess and all the persons here who are but little acquainted with me should know my weakness I will confess to you all I am afraid of I fear all Diseases in general great and small I fear Thunder I fear the Sea and Rivers I fear Fire and Water Cold and Heat the Sereens or Blasts and Mists or Fogs and I am afraid the Earth should happen to tremble here as well as in Sicily Moreover I know to my misfortune all that has ever been said of Presages and I know it to my torment And to say all in few words I fear all that can directly or indirectly occasion Death But cannot you call to mind said Alcibiades that fear of Death does alter Health and may make one die the sooner for the curing your self of so many Fears Cannot you think added Melicrita all those Fears are useless that if the Earth is to tremble it will tremble in spight of you that if the Thunder is to fall it will perhaps rather fall in the place you shall chuse for your asyle than in that you quit And cannot you in short submit your mind to the will of the Gods But cannot you your self conceive retorted Eupolia that if I could do otherwise I would Do you think I am bereft of all Reason And do you think I do not sometimes see I am to blame But after all at the same time my Reason condemns me my Imagination is Mistress of my Heart and makes it act all it pleases What I finde admirable is said Therameâ—… that most people give a handsome Preâ—… to the Fear they have of dying For they boldly say they are not so weak as to fear the pain that is suffered in dying but are afraid they have not spent their Lives so well as they ought to have done And this is extraordinary that without becoming better for the putting a period to the fear they say they have they onely think of preserving their Healths and avoiding all Dangers without any thoughts of reforming their Principles and Manners Ha! as for those people said Alcibiades all the world is full of 'em and there is nothing else every where to be seen than those persons who fear the Punishments of the other Life without growing better and who by all their actions bely all their words and shew they onely fear Death since they onely precaution ' emselves against it For my part said Eupolia as I am not over-wicked and that I confide in the goodness of the Gods I do not so much fear what will happen to me when I am dead as what will happen to me before I die For I am very much afraid of grief and pain and then I have a horrour for that obscurity of the Grave But after all said Areta all your Fears are useless you must die as well as those who fear nothing and the surest way is to live the most virtuously we can wait for Death without desiring and without fearing it and receive it as a thing we had expected all our lives and which is not to be avoided For my share added the Princess I think there is more constancy required for the supporting old Age when it is attended with the inconveniencies wherewith it is usually followed than for the receiving Death with a good grace True it is said Hiparetta agreeably that when one is accustomed to be young beautiful and healthful it is a cruel thing to be Old Ugly and Sick And I know not over-well though I hate Death sufficiently if I should not rather chuse it than to see my self in that condition Ha! as for what concerns me said Eupolia though I had been as beautiful as Venus in my life-time who should offer to raise me up again to Life if I was dead and to raise me up ugly old diseased and unhappy I would take her at her word and should rather chuse to live horrible ugly than to be dead because I reckon Life for a great blessing But you do not think of what you say replied Hiparetta smiling and you are less afraid of Death than you imagine for I sancied you were going to declare you would not for any thing in the world be raised again to Life for fear of dying once again and yet you talk after this rate My acquaintance are so used to rally me for my weakness said Eupelia that I am never displeased at the drolling War they make upon me But the mischief is you are not the better by it replied Melicrita and are incurable For after all as a brave man cannot become cowardly and fearful so a timerous person cannot become valiant Since Fear does sometimes make some contemn Dangers said Lysander I know not why Reason may not do as much Those who contemn Danger through the excess of Fear which renders 'em valiant replied Xenophon can never give greater Proofs of their timidity than by doing a thing so contrary to their Temperament Thus one may say they are brave without ceasing to be Cowards and without laying by their true Nature It is not so with those who would employ their Reason for to drive Fear away from their Hearts since it cannot be done but by engaging them and making 'em act against their own inclinations Xenophon had certainly reason for his assertion said Eupolia But to comfort me for my weakness added she I could wish all the Ladies of the Company were obliged to say particularly what they think of Death I assure you said Hiparetta after having once seriously thought of Death for the regulating ones Life it is pretty convenient to think of it no more or very seldom When against my will I hear of the death of any one soever I suddenly seek for some cause for that persons death which cannot sute with me For example If it was a person in years I plainly say that he or she had been long in the World and I think in secret I am far from that Age. If the person was young I say that he or she were of an unhealthy Constitution At another time they did not take care of themselves in another Encounter that he or she had done something that had occasioned their Disease And whatsoever I say I flatter my self I shall live as long as one can live I know the Names of all those who have lived an Age and diverting my mind from that fatal thought
any good success in the things that are expected or in those they have undertaken But why do not you tell her said Hiparetta that those Fears Eupolia has newly mentioned and which seem to her so well gounded are most commonly useless The infallibility of Death ought to have banished from her the excessive fear of it and for my part I hate it more than I fear it As to Old Age it is much the same and I fancy I may say that the aversion I have ever had to Death makes me the less apprehend all the mischiefs that declining Age can be attended with But as for Poverty when it is extream I confess I allow the fearing it as well as Pain and Grief The first puts Virtue to the trial after a hundred different ways and the second is the Master-piece of Patience Yet it must be confessed said the Princess that there are such unhappy persons that it is difficult for them to entertain the least glimpse of hopes For all seems to them so contrary that what would make the happiness of another proves their misfortune For to have always hopes resum'd Alcibiades it is not onely necessary to consider the detaile of things in hand you must once in your life have made reflection upon the World in general You must have observed the instability of Fortune the caprice of Events the precipitate falls of some the great advancement of others the variety of mens humours which change when least expected One must I say have taken notice that most commonly the events of Life depend on Love Hatred Ambition Interest of Persons you are not acquainted with Peace or War do produce a thousand changes in the Fortune of People who have not the least share in the Government Thus we ought at least once to be perswaded a thousand things may happen whether good or evil that cannot be foreseen and by consequence never despair of any thing and on the contrary be always in hopes And to speak equitably there is often reason in hoping without reason because most of the great Events I say even the most happy do sometimes happen against all appearance For what the Winds do at Sea Fortune does at Land And I have heard an extraordinary Wise man say that it is convenient to do in Life what a good Pilot does in a Ship when the Wind is contrary This does not make him abandon the Helm On the contrary he does as it were wrestle with the Tempest and when all appearances are against him when the Sails are torn away the Masts broken and that he floats at the mercy of the Winds and Rocks he is still in hopes either that the Storm or a puff of Wind will carry him into the Haven This Discourse said Lysander is very becoming Alcibiades and a man must have been acquainted both with good and ill Fortune to speak in this manner All the World knows said Alcibiades that my Enemies or my Envyers accused me of having thrown down the Statues of Minerva and of Ceres Never was any thing equal to the Peoples fury excited by those I mentioned yet I was in hopes the truth would be known And it was the pleasure of the Gods that a man saying he had known me by the Moon-shine was confounded and known for a false Witness for the Moon did not then shine And the generous Theano who is now at the Bath when she was ordered and all her Companions to make imprecations against me made answer that she had not listed her self amongst Minerva's Virgins for to curse Men but to praise the Gods If she had had such a fearful Soul as the beautiful Eupolia added he smiling she would have obeyed that unjust command I know not what I should have done said that lovely person But after all the Fear which disturbs my Repose is the justest of all Fears Since to speak exactly it is the fear of Death which deprives me of all the sweetness of Life Give me leave Madam said Alcibiades to relate to you what I have heard Socrates say several times Which is that who fears Death seems to be Wise and is not so because he fears what he cannot avoid And that Fear is onely excusable when it excites the seeking out Remedies to the Evils that are feared But by what I perceive said Eupolia to Alcibiades you then fear nothing in the World Pardon me Madam replied he suddenly I fear Sociates when I do any thing I can reproach my self for But as for Death and all that Fortune can do I do not it in the least For my part said Hiparetta I hate Death to such a degree that for fear of making it come too soon I have taken a resolution not to dread it For there is certainly nothing so bad for health as the fearing it too much I am still more happy than you said Alcibiades for I neither fear it nor do I hate it Ah! as for hating it resum'd Hiparetta I hate it horribly and I think I have reason in so doing For it is a rash indiscreet sort of thing which ever comes too soon comes always unseasonably disturbs all the sweetness of Life separates Friends and Lovers respects nothing destroys Beauty laughs at Youth and is never to be prevailed with You say true answered Xenophon But it has likewise this advantage that it equals all men cures all Evils is the end and term of all Misfortunes and puts those it attacks in a state of suffering no more It cures the Ambitious puts a period to Love and Hatred appeases all the Passions and this so great and horrible Evil is an Evil of an instant and which by reason of its infallibility ought not to be called an Evil On the contrary said Eupolia it is for that reason that Death is the more formidable to me For if it was uncertain Hopes would cure me of part of the Fear I have of it But when I think one may die every moment and that we may die after a thousand different manners I find my Heart as it were struck with Lightning and I am bereft of my Reason You are then very unhappy replied the Princess She is much more so than you can imagine said Areta Principally having a lively Imagination she sees dangers where there never were any In good earnest said Hiparetta I fancy there is more prudence than people do imagine in being rash and unthinking For when we proceed to dive so far into things we do our selves more hurt than good But added she speaking to Eupolia you are not always in fear For when people are well are neither upon a River nor at Sea not even in a Chariot but in one's Chamber in good Company and good health we ought not methinks to be under such apprehensions Ha! Hiparetta resumed Eupolia you know not what it is to be afraid of dying if you imagine there are none but present dangers which are tormenting And indeed said Euripides I
as to that said Iphicrates and tell you in few words all that has been done before I acquaint Melicrita with her Fathers Command All the Company being very willing to know so extraordinary an occurrence Iphicrates satisfied their curiosity in these terms As you have not been at Athens since the desolation of the Pestilence for that you came from the Country to the Bath said he to Melicrita and to me and that Theramenes at his delivery out of Prison came directly hither after having seen Aristocrates at his Country-house you cannot comprehend to what a degree is the solitude of that City So as that at the first Assembly which was held for the renewing the Senate of Five hundred they were terrified to see the diminution of the people For as you know being divided into ten Tribes it is the more easily remarkable And as you are not ignorant that no Proposition is made to the People but what has been examined by the Senate after that by the Lot of White Beans and Black the Senators were elected and that they had regulared the Prytanes who as you know have all the authority during five Weeks There was one of 'em who had six Daughters to marry and another three or four Sisters Those two Prytanes caused notice to be taken that the War having swept away great numbers of Men as well as the Pestilence there was a great number of Maidens who could not be married and that it was nevertheless necessary for the repeopling their City to to marry 'em all This Proposition was contested by some but he who had six Daughters to marry and the other who had three or four Sisters urged and maintained this point so strongly that it was concluded by those ten Prytanes that the matter should be proposed to the people in a general Assembly And this having been performed accordingly the people with an unparallel'd precipitation would needs make a Law which should absolutely constrain all the Men to take two Wives But a man of good sence having made a vigorous and eloquent Remonstrance it was agreed this Decree should merely bear a permission of having two adding great praises for those who out of zeal to their Country should take two accordingly So that Socrates who makes the Publick good his darling Passion though cruelly tormented by Xantippa his first Wife has wedded Mirton Grand-Daughter of Aristides the just for the shewing an Example to others And it is evident this action of his was neither out of Voluptuousness nor Interest since he chose a Woman who had nothing of Beauty and was in such a condition as not to know what would become of her if Socrates had not married her as he did And indeed this Example of Socrates has been so powerful that there has been made several double Marriages in imitation of him I have certainly for Socrates resumed Theramenes all the respect his Virtue merits but I boldly declare I will never imitate him in this business Aristocrates does expect you will not reassumed Iphicrates and it is for that reason he has given me in charge to order Melicrita whom he tenderly loves to engage you to promise her not to make use of the permission of the Decree for having adopted you for his Son and being desirous to live and die with you he is willing to be assured you would not bring any Stranger into his Family I promise it solemnly said Theramenes and I am ready to swear it at the Feet of the Image of Minerva Protectrice of Athens and in the mean while I swear it before Theano who serves that great Goddess This being so added Iphicrates Theolinda when the Baths are ended must bring Melicrita to Aristocrates his Country-house where you are to marry her before you return to Athens to let pass during some time the fancy which the people have for these double Marriages Iphicrates had hardly done speaking but Theramenes gave him a thousand thanks And Melicrita though so reserved made appear in her Eyes a modest Joy which rendred 'em their Brightness and their Charms and re-established her so well she was in a condition to receive Company So as that in the Afternoon all the Illustrious persons at the Bath having known by those to whom Androcles had with regret told that this pretended Law was onely a permission to have two Wives and not a Command came to see us without excepting the Princess of Sicyon Theano returned with her Companions and Alcibiades Euripides Lysander Xenophon Philocles and Polemon spent the rest of the day at our Lodgings You must at least confess said Eupolia agreeably speaking to Melicrita that this Fantastical Law put you into a terrible fright Truly Eupolia replied she blushing you are very cruel in reproaching me with so just a Fear You I say who have daily such as are so ill-grounded I do not blame you for it resumed Eupolia I onely put you in mind of it Alcibiades interposed after a pleasant manner in this Conversation not being able to forbear admiring the resolution of Socrates For in short said he if he was in love I should not wonder at it at all But that the Publick good should so influence a man as to make him take a second Wife both ugly and poor when he has a very sad peevish and troublesom one already I must confess I do not conceive it Euripides spoke in much sharper terms against Marriage for a private reason he had for so doing And yet said Alcibiadoes Euripides is no Enemy to love as appears by the Verses he made yesterday That is true said he but the reason is Love and Marriage do seldom jump and it is this rarity which is going to make the happiness of Theramenes and Melicrita As I knew this Discourse did but make 'em uneasie I asked Alcibiades what the Verses were they talked of and he told us that having discoursed together the day before of Xenophon's Knowledge and Politeness joyned to the tenderness of his Heart He had made a Copy upon that Subject which he had still in his Memory The Princess of Sicyon desired him to rehearse 'em and Euripides without further pressing told us 'em himself They are as follows These Verses are out of Euripides The School of Love that 's all beset with charms Quickens Old Age and yet fierce Youth disarms Love too does render Learning more polite Loves Divine Flame makes Vertue dazling bright Love fills all humane breasts with hopes joy Love grief does banish which would us anoy Yet not the least of innocence destroy Though all Mankind should fall to censure me I 'll have no Friend who can't a Lover be He must be Salvage who lives without Love Love does the Beauties of the world improve Love the whole Vniverse does new adorn Without Love's aid all things would droop and mourn The God of Love does nought but mirth inspire The God of Love does what we all admire Right reason then your priviledge maintain But do not Loves Prerogative disclaim It must be confessed said the Princess that these Verses are worthy of Euripides and of their Subject Xenophon made a very modest defence and the Conversation was very pleasant all the rest of the day On the morrow in the Evening Theramenes made a very agreeable Feast during which all the Tents at the Bath were lighted by marvellous Illuminations which Theramenes had caused to be prepared before the bad news This shew'd the finest object imaginable These Illuminations were accompanied with several Consorts of Instruments There was a Ball at the Princess's house where Androcles durst not appear and all the Company at the Bath did partake in Theramenes and Melicrita's joy Iphicrates went to Corinth upon some business he had there but obliged us to depart two days after Theano and her Companions went away on the morrow Melicrita out of modesty would not suffer Theramenes to come along with us but he departed the same day and made haste before to thank Aristocrates for the care he had taken of his happiness I dare say all the illustrious persons at the Bath regretted the loss of our Company Alcibiades Xenophon and Euripides conducted us half a days Journy and would have came further if we would have suffered ' em But in short we arrived safely at Aristocrates his House And as Theramenes was got thither with extraordinary expedition we found all things ready for the Wedding so as that he married Melicrita three days after with an inconceivable Joy which I am perswaded will last all their lives This is Madam what you ordered me to acquaint you with if I had had more Wit and more Art you would have found this Relation more agreeable and entertaining FINIS BOOKS lately Printed and Sold by Henry Rhodes 1682. THe History of the Glorious Life Reign and Death of the Illustrious Queen Elizabeth By S. Clark Price bound 1 s. The History of the Victorious Life Reigh and Death of King Henry VIII with the Life of King Edward VI. Price bound 1 s. Pastime Royal or the Gallantries of the French Court A new Novel Price bound 1 s. Female Prince or Frederick of Sicily A new Novel Price bound 1 s. Round-heads or the Good Old Cause A Play by Mrs. A. Behn City Heiress or Sir Timothy Treat-all A Play by Mrs. A. Behn With all sorts of new Plays A new Voyage to the East-Indies and more particularly of the Kingdom of Bantam The second Edition with Additions Price bound 1 s. Conversations on several Subjects Written in French by Madamoiselle Scudery and done into English by Mr. Ferrand Spence
Byas in all they say or do The Fear you speak of resumed Xenophon is sometimes met with in the minds of persons of Merit who can never take a wrong Byass in any thing they do And who nevertheless whether in Writing in Speaking or in Acting are fearful they do not fill the Idea they have of things they would write say or do Ah! as for those People resumed Alcibiades I may assure you it is the Idea they have of ' emselves which prepossesses 'em and their Fear most commonly is not Modesty but Pride because all seems below ' em And I would willingly ask 'em if they would do better than they are able But for my part I find there is courage in despising Reputation to a certain point and not to believe all is lost when one has once committed a faults as if there was any one person in the World that is not subject to failing In a word I find it much more just to have some confidence in one's self You have reason in what you say re-assumed Areta For I have a Friend whom all the World esteems yet never could be satisfied with himself And he does not esteem himself unless it be when he knows from others that the World is satisfied with what he writes or with what he does I assure you said Alcibiades if I had not some esteem for my self never should I say or do any thing of value But yet methinks said Hiparetta there is less danger in distrusting our selves a little and in fearing not to do well enough what we undertake than to esteem our selves too much and confide rashly in our own Capacity and always take our own first Thoughts for the best For I believe one may very often be not onely one 's first but one's onely admirer What Hiparetta says resumed Theramenes is well remarked Yet I believe to speak rationally a man of Honour who has solid Merit may esteem himself with reason and confide in himself since after all the Master-piece of Humane Wit consists in knowing one's self well I do not onely say in knowing our Imperfections to amend 'em but likewise our good Qualities upon condition that whatsoever advantageous knowledge a man may have of his own Merit he does not admire himself For I maintain the greateâ—…t Wit in the World must ever see something beyond what he does And I am sure the famous Phidias whose Reputation goes through all the Earth did never make a Statue that fill'd the Idea he had conceived of it no not even that Ivory-Minerva so renowned that it is the admiration of all those who see it But Phidias has nevertheless proceeded boldly on in his Work and has surpassed all others yet without surpassing himself So as I conclude there must be an intention to do well without always fearing to do less well For Fear disturbs and dejects the Mind of whosoever is possessed by it Nevertheless said Alcibiades this Fear so decried and so worthy of being so has met with such fearful men as to build it Temples and with allusion to it to build the same to Paleness That is pleasantly remarked said Euripides but I am perswaded this had a moral and hidden Sence which those who built 'em might have explained I should have some desire to know said the Pxincess if the Fear which causes Blushing is more excusable than that which causes Paleness Do not doubt it Madam said Theramenes For commonly that which causes blushing does proceed from bashfulness and a modest shame Whereas that which causes Paleness shews that all the Bloud is retired to the Heart for the supporting its weakness But in a word added he there is no better Preservative against Fear than to prepare one's self for all events For my particular said Eupolia Anger does hearten me more than Reason and People are undoubtedly more susceptible of Fear in some occasions than in others Truly said Alcibiades Fear is more or less powerful in one and the same person according to Ages and even according to Occasions Childhood and extream Old Age are proper to Timidity One is less fearful in health than when one is sick the temperament does contribute very much thereto And there is a natural Valour one of Ambition one of Experience and Habit one of Reason one of little Wit and Brutality There is likewise a diversified Fear according to what I just now said This is to be admired said Xenophon that this Fear against which we speak produces the finest effects imaginable for Eloquence when one has the art of inspiring it to the purpose That I grant said Euripides for when a good Citizen can by the force of his art fill the Hearts of the People with the fear of Skivery he disposes them to accept of a Master That I have had but too much experience of said Alcibiades But when likewise a General of an Army knows how to inspire Courage into his Souldiers by the contempt of their Enemies he takes a directer course to Victory than if he made 'em afraid of ' em And this shews there is no general Rule but has an Exception But after all said the Princess you must allow there are rational apprehensions provided they be limited That has been already said Madam replied Xenophon But rational Apprehension is very different from Fear But interrupted Hiparetta may not we say that Hope is a kind of Preservative against Fear in ordinary occasions For if we are sick we hope to recover They who plead a Cause are in hopes to gain the Process I assure you interrupted Eupolia that Hopes without reason are little better than an ill grounded Fear and I can hardly believe but that in affairs of the World Fear is the better Byass For my part said Theramenes I agree that in Love Fear has sometimes more tenderness than Hopes But in affairs of the World I take Hope to be more reasonable and more necessary than great Fear But Fear said Eupolia makes us foresee misfortunes and may make us avoid ' em A too fearful foresight replied Alcibiades is on the contrary the occasion that People thinking all lost do nothing for their safety Whereas he who knows the Danger and has some hopes of escaping it is contriving in his mind the means of ridding himself out of it He acts goes comes and by much hoping he escapes the Peril Whereas those people who despair of all fall asleep as I may say in their misfortune and never get out of it For my part said Eupolia I must confess I am born with Fear and that it is onely by the effort of my Reason that I resist it For first of all I fear Death in all kinds I fear Old Age Poverty and Grief I sufficiently comprehend all those Fears resumed Alcibiades but those are not what I meant in my Discourse I mean those which make People too much afraid of what is to come and which will never allow 'em to hope for
assoon as I can I abandon my Heart to Joy and find my self beyond comparison better than Eupolia does in abandoning hers to Fear For my part said the Princess I am not like you seeing I think of death when occasion is offered for so doing but I think of it without fear For as I must infallibly see it one day nearer than I do at present I take it to be convenient it should not be altogether a Stranger to me It is evident Madam said Alcibiades you have a Soul much greater than that of Xerxes who nevertheless had a grandeur of Courage since you think of death without any great disturbance Now for Eupolia's comfort continued he I am willing to put her in mind that this Prince being desirous to see from a high Hill his Fleet and Land-army he caused 'em to be put in battle-array for that purpose and then seeing above Five Millions of men which composed those two formidable Armies he could not forbear Weeping bitterly when he thought not one man of 'em would be left alive a hundred years after Methinks said Thrasybulus who had not yet spoken and who was then something out of humour that an instance of so great a weakness is no Consolation to the fair Eupolia But that she may know Xerxes Tears were not found to be over-just I must tell her that one of his Relations called Artabanus and of a firmer Heart than himself seeing him weep with that weakness told him Death was not so great an Evil nor Life so great a Blessing because though Life is very short there could not perhaps one man be found in those two great Armies but had found it too long by the evils wherewith it is attended And indeed pursued Thrasybulus with a haughty and melancholy Air if Life was prun'd of all that is vain frivolous troublesome laborious and bitter the remainder would be so small a thing it would not deserve the pains of regretting the loss of it I could rather have wished resum'd Eupolia laughing you had not spoken at all than that you should with such injustice fall a decrying the sweetness of Life For I find nothing in it bitter but the cruel thoughts of losing it How said Thrasybulus Do you reckon Childhood for a great happiness or extream Old Age when it is infirm And for the Middle Age it is so mingled with Crosses whereof the several Passions are the cause that it may be said we have but moments of happiness And the dissolution of humane Minds is such that what often serves to Pleasures is what often causes Grief to follow without excepting Love it self Insomuch as without deviating from the truth we may assert that all things trouble the joy of this Life which the beautiful Eupolia is so much in love with and that Sleep it self does almost bereave her of the half of it Ah! as for that Robbery said Eupolia laughing I could wish with all my heart that one could be without it For as I have unhappily heard one say that Sleep is the Image of Death that fatal Comparison when I remember at my going to bed it hinders me sometimes from sleeping for fear I should not wake again But pray said she let us speak no more of Death I conjure you if you have not a â—…ind to make me die But what course do you take said Areta when any one of your acquaintance dies For still you do not renounce all manner of Decency and Civility You must visit your Friends or at least write to ' em I assure you said Eupolia I never write Letters of Consolation without falling sick and I carefully avoid that terrible word which frightens me I onely say that I share in the grief of my Friends and partake in all that happens to 'em and never write that harsh word Death which I can hardly utter But Madam said Alcibiades how haâ—… you been able to suffer so many fine Verses and so many pretty Songs which your Beauty has given occasion to the making and wherein the expressions of Death are the principal and most melting terms For they often say they dye expire and a thousand suchlike things Ah! as for those Deaths who onely die in Verse replied Eupolia with a smile I am not at all afraid of 'em For we see plain enough they are in good health at the same time they are dying Not but that if my advice was followed they should content ' emselves with saying that they suffer languish grow impatient and should never say they die The word Destiny interrupted Hiparetta laughing puts you in as much pain as that of Death No no replied Eupolia but I am not much in love with the signification of it And in short whether directly or indirectly all that gives an Idea of the last moment of Life does render me uneasie And Melicriâ—… knows very well I could never pardon one of her Friends who as we were diverting our selves changed on a sudden the last Verses of a Song and ended it by these two Verses looking upon me after a malicious manner In spight of all Sports of all Love and all Play Without thinking of Dying you die every day True it is said Melicrita that Eupolia has ever had a peck since that time to the person who had play'd her this malicious Frank. The charming Eupolia said then Alcibiades is not of a Ladies humour whom all the world esteems who would needs know by heart certain Verses of another Lady a Friend of mine Are not they the Verses upon the Leaves which fall and upon the Leaves which bud said Melicrita The very same answered Alcibiades And as they pleased me extreamly seeing the Lady would not bestow 'em upon me I stole ' em The Princess and all the Company who had heard talk of 'em desired Alcibiades to recite 'em except Eupolia who feared those Verses would be too sad I imagine said that charming timerous person those Leaves which fall have some very fatal Moral and that it is a malice of Alcibiades to joyn with Hiparetta in drolling upon my weakness Not at all resumed he have you but patience to hear to the last of the Leaves before you judge thereof Which Eupolia promised him to do and the Princess pressing him to shew 'em Alcibiades began to read 'em After having said that the first were made in a little pretty Grove at the Fall of the Leaf and that they were but a â—…ifle in the opinion of her who made 'em as she was walking and that she would not have suffer'd 'em to be read in such good Company and especially before Euripides The Princess imposed silence on those who would have made answer and Alcibiades read the following Verses Down down you fading Leaves your duty pay You must your Mother Natures Laws obey A cold dark melancholy Winter now draws nigh And gloomy Clouds obscure our once-bright skie Our Hills and Meadows all with flowers adorn'd With