fallow for want of industry you rust your stock of hoaâ—ded love while you gaze only and return a single sigher believe me Friend if you continue to fight at that single weapon there will be no great store of wounds given or taken on either side you must speak and write if you wou'd be happy since you can do it so infinitely to purpose who can be happy without Love for me I never numbred those dull days amongst those of my life in which I had not my Soul fill'd with that soft passion to Love why 't is the only secret in nature that restores Life to all the felicities and charms of living and to me there seems no thing so strange as to see people walk about laugh do the acts of Life and impertinently trouble the world without knowing any thing of that soft that noble passion or without so much as having an inâ—â—treague or an amusement as the French call it with any dear she no real Love or Cocettre perhaps these Letters may have the good fortune to rouse and make you look into your heart turn o're your store and lavish out a little to divert the toils of life you us'd to say that even the fatigues of love had a vast pleasure in 'em Philander was of your mind and I who advise you like that friend you have honour'd me with the title of have even preserv'd all the torments of love before dully living without it live then and love thou gay thou glorious young-man whom Heav'n has blest with all the sweets of life besides live then and love and what 's an equal blessing â—ive and be belov'd by some dear Maid as nobly born as Silvia as witty and as gay and soft as she to you who know no other want no other blessing this is the most advantageous one he can wish you who is Sir Your obliged and most humble Servant c. The ARGUMENT IN the time of the Rebellion of the true Protestant Hugonots in Paris under the conduct of the Prince of Condy whom we will call Caesario mâ—ny illustrious persons were drawn into the Association amongst which there was one whose Quality and Fortune join'd with his Youth and Beauty rendred him more elevated in the esteem of the gay part of the World thâ—n most of that Age. In his tender yeâ—rs unhappily enough he chancâ—d to fall in Love with a Lady whom 〈◊〉 will call Mertilla who â—ad châ—rms enough to engage any heart she hâ—d 〈◊〉 the advantages of Youth and Nature a Shape excellâ—nt a most agreeable stature not too tall and far from low delicately proportion'd her fâ—ce a little inclined to round soft smooth and white her Eyes were blew a little languishing and full of Love and Wit a Mouth curiously made dimpled and full of sweetness Lips round soft plump and red white teeth firm and even her Nose a little Roman and which gave a noble grace to her lovely Face her Hair light brown a Neck and Bosome delicately turn'd white and rising her Arms and Hands exactly shap'd to this a vivacity of Youth ingaging a Wit quick and flowing a Humour gay and an Air unresistably charming and nothing was wanting to compleat the joys of the young Philander so we call our amarous Hero but Mertilla's heart which the illustrious Caesario had before possess'd however consulting her Honour and her Interest and knowing all the arts as Women do to fâ—ign a tenderness she yields to 〈◊〉 him while Philander who scorn'd to owe his happiness to the commands of Parents or to chaffer for a Beauty with her consenâ— steals her away and marries her but see how transitory is a violent passion after being satiated he slights the prize he had so dearly conquer'd some say the change was occasion'd by her too visibly continued Love to Caesario but whatever 't was this was most certain Philander cast his Eyes upon a young Maid Sister to Mertilla a Beauty whose early bloom promis'd wonders when come to perfection but I will spare her Picture here Philander in the following Epistles will often enough present it to your view He lov'd and languish'd long before he durst discover his pain her being Sister to his Wife nobly bâ—rn and of undoubted fame rendred his passion too criminal to hope for a return While the young lovely Silvia so we shall call the noble Maid sight out her hours in the same pain and languishment for Philander and knew not that 't was Love till she betraying it innocently to the o'erjoy'd Lover and Brother who soon taught her to understand 't was Love he persues it she permits it and at last yields when being discover'd in the criminal intrigue she flies with him he absolutely quits Mertilla lives some time in a Village near Paris call'd St. Denice with this betray'd unâ—fortunate till being found out and like to be apprehended one for the Rape the other for the flight she is forc'd to Marry a Cadet a creature of Philander's to bear the name of Husband only to her while Philander had the intire possession of her Soul and Body Sâ—â—ll the League went forward 〈◊〉 all things were ready for a War in Paris but 't is not my business here to mix the rough relation of a War with the soft affairs of Love let it suffice the Hugonots were defeated and the King got the day and every Rebel lay at the mercy of his Sovereign â—hilander was taken Prisoner made his escape to a little Cottage near his own Palace not far from Paris writes to Silvia to come to him which she doâ—s and 〈◊〉 spight of all the industry to resâ—ize him he got away with Silvia After this flight these Letters were found in their Cabinets at their house at St. Denice where they both liv'd together for the space of a year and they are as exactly as possible plâ—c'd in the order they were sent and were those supposed to be written towards the latter end of their Amours LETTERS To Silvia THough I parted from you resolv'd to obey your impossible commands yet know oh charming Silvia that after a Thousand conflicts between Love and Honour I found the God too mighty for the Idol reign absolute Monarch in my Soul and soon banish't that Tyrant thence That cruel Councellor that would suggest to you a Thousand fond Arguments to hinder my noble pursute Silvia came in view her unresistable Idea with all the charmes of blooming youth with all the Attractions of Heavenly Beauty loose wanton gay all flowing her bright hair and languishing her lovely eyes her dress all negligent as when I saw her last discovering a Thousand ravishing Graces round white small Breast's delicate Neck and rising Bosome heav'd with sighs she wou'd in vain conceal and all besides that nicest fancy can imagine surprising Oh I dare not think on lest my desires grow mad and raving let it suffice oh adorable Silvia I think and know enough to justifie that flame in me which our
Last Part of this History shall most Faithfully relate The End of the Second Part. THE AMOURS OF PHILANDER AND SILVIA Being the Third and Last Part OF THE Love-Letters Between a NOBLE-MAN AND HIS SISTER LONDON Printed and are to be Sold by most Book-Sellers 1687. TO THE LORD SPENCER My Lord WHEN a New Book conies into the World the first thing we consider is the Dedication and according to the Quality and Humour of the Patron we are apt to make a Iudgment of the following Subject If to a States-man we belive it Gravâ— and Politick if a Gown-man Law or Divinity if to the Young and Gay Love and Gallantry By this Ride I believe the gentle Reader who finds your Lordship's Name prefix'd before this will make as many various Opinions of it as they do Characters of your Lordship whose youthful Sallies have been the business of so much Discourse and which according to the Relator's Sence or good Nature is either aggravated or excused though the Womans Quarrel to your Lordship has some more reasonable Foundation than that of your own Sex for your Lordsâ—ip being Form'd with all the Beauties and Graces of Man-kind all the Charms of Wit Youth and Sweetness of Disposition derived to you from an Illustrious Race of Hero's adapting you to noblest Love and Softness they cannot but complain on that mistaken Conduct of â—ours that so lavishly deals out those agreeable Attractions Squandering away that Youth and Time on many which might be more advantageously dedicated to some one of the Fair and by a Liberty which they call not being Discreet enough robb 'em of all the Hopes of Conquest over that Heart which they believe can fix no where they cannot carress you into Tameness or if you sometimes appear so they are still upon their Guard with you for like a Young Lyon you are ever apt to leap into your Natural Wildness the Greatness of your Soul disdaining to be conâ—ined to lazy Repose tho the Delicacy of your Person and Constitution so absolutely require it your Lordship not being made for Diversions so rough and fatigueing as those your active Mind would impose upon it Your Lordship is placed in so Glorious a Station the Son of so Great a Father as renders all you do more perspicuous to the World than the Actions of common Men already the advantages of your Birth have drawn all Eyes upon you and yet more on those coming Greatnesses to which you were born if Heaven preserves your Lordship amidst the too vigorous Efforts and too dangerous Adventures which a too brisk Fire in your Noble Blood a too forward desire of gaining Fame daily exposes you to and will unless some force confine your too impatient Bravery shorten those Days which Heaven has surely designed for more Glorious Actions for according to all the Maxims of the Iudging Wise the little Extravagancies of Youth accomplish and perfect the Riper Years 'T is this that makes indulgent Parents permit those Sparks of Fire that are Gleaming in Young Hearts to kindle into a Flame knowing well that the Consideration and Temperament of a few more Years will regulate it to that just degree where the noble and generous Spirit should â—ix it self And for this we have had the Examples of some of the greatest Men that ever adorned History My Lord I presume to lay â—t your Lordship's Feet an Illustrious Youth the unhappy Circumstances of whose Life ought to be Written in lasting Characters of all Languages for a President to succeeding Ages of the Misfortune of â—eedless Love and â— too Early Thirst of Glory for in him your Lordship will find the fatal Effects of great Courage without Conduct Wit without Discretion and a Greatness of Mind without the steady Vertues of it so that from a Prince even ador'd by all by an imprudence that too often attendss the Great and Young and from the most exhalted Height of Glory mis-led by false notions of Honour and falser Friends fell the most pityed Object that ever was abandoned by Fortune I hope no One will imagine I intend this as a Parallel between your Lordship and our mistaken brave Vnfortunate since your Lordship hath an unquestioned and hereditary Loyalty which nothing can deface born from a Father who has given the World so evident Proofs that no fear of threatned danger can separate his useful Service and Duties from the Interest of his Royal and God-like Master which he pursues with an undaunted Fortitude in disdain of Phanatical Censures and those that want the Bravery to do a just Action for fear of future Turns of State And such indeed is your true Man of Honour and as such I doubt not but your Lordship will acquit your self in all times and on all occasions Pardon the Liberty my Zeal for your Lordship has here presumed to take since among all those that make Vows and Prayers for your Lordship's Health and Preservation none offers them more devoutly than My LORD Your Lordships Most Humble and Obedient Servant A. B. THE AMOURS OF PHILANDER and SILVIA OCTAVIO the Brave the Generous and the Amorous having left Silvia absolutely resolv'd to give her self to that doting fond Lover or rather to sacrifice her self to her Revenge that unconsidering Unfortunate whose Passion had expos'd him to all the unreasonable Effects of it return'd to his own House wholly transported with his happy Success He thinks on nothing but vast coming Joys Nor did one kind Thought direct him back to the evil Consequences of what he so hastily pursu'd he reflects not on her Circumstances but her Charms not on the Infamy he should espouse with Silvia but of those ravishing Pleasures she was capable of giving him he regards not the Reproaches of his Friends but wholly abandon'd to Love and youthful Imaginations gives a Loose to young Desire and Fancy that deludes him with a thousand soft Ideas He reflects not that his gentle and easy Temper was most unfit to joyn with that of Silvia which was the most haughty and humorous in Nature for tho' she had all the Charms of Youth and Beauty that are conquering in her Sex all the Wit and Insinuation that even surpasses Youth and Beauty yet to render her Character impartially she had also abundance of disagreeing Qualities mixt with her Perfections She was Imperious and Proud even to Insolence Vain and Conceited even to Folly she knew her Vertues and her Graces too well and her Vices too little she was very Opinionated and Obstinate hard to be convinced of the falsest Argument but very positive in her fancied Judgment Abounding in her own Sense and very critical on that of others Censorious and too apt to charge others with those Crimes to which she was her self addicted or had been guilty of Amorously inclin'd and indiscreet in the Management of her Amours and constant rather from Pride and Shame than Inclination fond of catching at every trifling Conquest and lov'd the Triumph tho' she hated the
conquered as well as to make a Conquest And she was capable of receiving Impressions as well as to give 'em And it was believed by some who were very near the Prince and knew all his Secrets then that this young Lady pitied the Sighs of the Royal Lover and even then rewarded 'em And tho' this were most credibly whispered yet methinks it seems impossible he should then have been happy and after so many Years after the Possession of so many other Beauties should return to her again and find all the Passions and Pains of a beginning Flame But there is nothing to be wondered at in the Contradictions and Humours of Man's human Nature But however inconstant and wavering he had been Hermione retain'd her first Passion for him and that I less wonder at since you know the Prince has the most charming Person in the World and is the most perfectly Beautiful of all his Sex To this his Youth and Quality adds no little Lustre and I should not wonder if all the softer Sex should languish for him nor that any one should love on who hath once been touch'd with Love for him 'T was this last Assurance the Prince so absolutely depended on that notwithstanding she was far from the Opinion of his Party made him resolve to take Sanctuary in those Arms he was sure would receive him in any Condition and Circumstances But now he makes her new Vows which possibly at first his Safety obliged him to while she return'd 'em with all the Passion of Love He made a thousand Submissions to Madam the Countess who he knew was fond of her Daughter to that degree that for her Repose she was even willing to behold the Sacrifice of her Honour to this Prince whom she knew Hermione loved even to Death so fond so blindly fond is Nature And indeed after a little time that he lay there conceal'd he reap'd all the Satisfaction that Love could give him or his Youth could wish with all the Freedom imaginable He only made Vows of renouncing all other Women what Ties or Obligations soever he had upon him and to resign himself intirely up to Hermione I know not what new Charms he had found by frequent Conversation with her and being uninterrupted by the sight of any other Ladies but 't is most certain my Lord he grew to that excess of Love or rather Doatage if Love in one so young can be call'd so that he languishes for her even while he possessed her all He dy'd if oblig'd by Company to retire from her an Hour at the end of which being again brought to her he would fall at her Feet and sigh and weep and make the most pitious Moan that ever Love inspir'd He would complain upon the Cruelty of a Moments Absence and vow he could not live where she was not All that disturbed his Happiness he reproach'd as Enemies to his Repose and at last made her feign an Illness that no Visits might be made her and that he might possess all her Hours Nor did Hermione perceive all this without making her Advantages of so glorious an Opportunity but with the usual Cunning of her Sex improved every Minute she gave him She now found herself sure of the Heart of the finest Man in the World and of one she believed would prove the greatest being the Head of a most powerful Faction who were resolved the first Opportunity to order Affairs so as to come to an open Rebellion and to make him a King All these things how unlikely soever in Reason her Love and Ambition suggested to her so that she believed she had but one Game more to play to establish herself the greatest and most happy Woman in the World She consults in this weighty Affair with her Mother who had a share of Cunning that could carry on a Design as well as any of her Sex They found but one Obstacle to all Hermione's rising Greatness and that was the Prince's being married and that to a Lady of so considerable Birth and Fortune so eminent for her Vertue and all Perfections of Woman-kind and withal so excellent for Wit and Beauty that 't was impossible to find any Cause of a Separation between ' em So that finding it improbable to remove that Lett to her Glories she grew very Melancholy which was soon perceived by the too Amorous Prince who pleads and sighs and weeps on her Bosom Day and Night to find the Cause But she who found she had a difficult Game to play and that she had need of all her little Aids pretends a thousand little frivillous Reasons before she discovers the true one which serv'd but to oblige him to ask anew as she design'd he should At last one Morning finding him in the softest fit in the World and ready to give her whatever she could ask in return for the Secret of her Disquiet she told him with a Sigh how Unhappy she was in loving so violently a Man who could never be any thing to her more than the Robber of her Honour And at last with abundance of Sighs and Tears bewail'd his Marriage He taking her with all the Joy imaginable in his Arms thank'd her for speaking of the only thing he had a thousand times been going to offer to her but durst not for fear she should Reproach him He told her he look'd upon himself as married to no Woman but herself to whom by a thousand solemn Vows he had contracted himself and that he would never own any other while he liv'd let Fortune do what she pleas'd with him Hermione thriving hitherto so well urged his easy Heart yet farther and told him Tho' she had left no Doubt remaining in her of his Love and Vertue no suspicion of his Vows yet the World would still esteem the Princess his Wife and herself only as a Prostitute to his Youthful Pleasure and as she conceiv'd her Birth and Fortune not to be much inferior to that of the Princess she should die with Indignation and Shame to bear all the Reproach of his Wantonness while his now Wife would live esteem'd and pitied as an injured Innocent To all which he reply'd as mad in Love That the Princess he confess'd was a Lady to whom he had Obligations but that he esteem'd her no more his Wife since he was married to her at the Age of twelve Years an Age wherein he was not capacitated to chuse Good or Evil or to answer for himself or his Inclinations And tho' she were a Lady of absolute Vertue of Youth Wit and Beauty yet Fate had so ordain'd it that he had reserv'd his Heart to this Moment intirely for herself and that he renounc'd all Pretenders to him except herself that he had now possess'd the Princess for the space of twenty Years that Youth had a long Race to run and could not take up at those Years with one single Beauty That hitherto Ravage and Destruction of Hearts had been his Province and
as your self And from a mouth so eloquent to a Maid so full of Love will soon reconcile me to her heart With her Letter I send you a Bill to pay her 2000 Patacons which I have paid Vander Hanskin here as his Letter will inform you as also those Bills I receiv'd of you at my departure having been supply'd by an English Merchant here who gave me credit 'T will be an Age till I hear from you and receive the news of the health of Silvia Than which two blessings nothing will be more wellcom to Collen Generous Octavio Your PHILANDER Direct your Letters for me to your Merchant Vander Hanskin Philander to Silvia THere is no way left to gain my Silvia's pardon for leaving her and leaving her in such circumstances but to tell her 't was to preserve a life which I believ'd intirely dear to her but that unhappy crime is too severely punisht by the cruelties of my absence Believe me Lovely Silvia I have felt all your pains I have burnt with your feaver and sigh'd with your oppressions Say has my pain abated yours Tell me and hasten my health by the assurance of your recovery or I have fled in vain from those dear Arms to save a life of which I know not what account to give you till I reecive from you the knowledg of your perfect health the true state of mine I can only say I sigh and have a sort of a being in Collen where I have some more assurance of protection than I cou'd hope from those int'rested Bruits who sent me from you yet Bruitish as they are I know thou art safe from their Clownish outrages For were they sensless as their Fellow Monsters of the sea they durst not prophane so pure an excellence as thine the sullen Boors wou'd jouder out a wellcom to thee and gape and wonder at thy awful beauty tho they want the tender sense to know to what use 't was made Or if I doubted their Humanity I cannot the Friendship of Octavio since he has given me too good a proof of it to leave me any fear that he has not in my absence persu'd those generous sentiments for Silvia which he vow'd to Philander and of which the first proof must be his relating the necessity of my absence to set me well with my adorable Maid Who better than I can inform her and that I rather chose to quit you only for a short space than reduce my self to the necessity of losing you eternally Let the satisfaction this ought to give you retrieve your health and beauty and put you into a condition of restoring to me all my joys That by persuing the dictates of your Love you may again bring the greatest happyness on earth to the Arms of Your PHILANDER My affairs here are yet so unsettl'd that I can take no order for your coming to me but as soon as I know where I can fix with safety I shall make it my business and my happyness Adieu Trust Octavio with your Letters only This Letter Octavio wou'd not carry himself to her who had omitted no day scarce any hour wherein he saw not or sent not to the charming Silvia but he sound in that which Philander had writ to him an Aire of coldness altogether unusual with that passionate Lover and infinitely short in point of tenderness to those he had formerly seen of his and from what he had heard him speak so that he no longer doubted and the rather because he hop'd it but that Philander found an abatement of that heat which was wont to inspire at a more Amorous rate this appearing declension he cou'd not conceal from Silvia at least to let her know he took notice of it for he knew her Love was too quick sighted and sensible to pass it unregarded but he with reason thought that when she shou'd find others observe the little slight she had put on her her pride which is natural to women in such cases wou'd decline and lessen her Love for his Rival He therefore sent his Page with the Letters inclos'd in this from himself Octavio to Silvia Madam FRom a little necessary debauch I made last night with the Prince I am forc'd to imploy my Page in those duties I ought to have perform'd my self He brings you Madam a Letter from Philander as mine which I have also sent you informes me I shou'd else have doubted it 't is I think his character and all he says of Octavio confesses the Friend but where he speaks of Silvia sure he disguises the Lover I wonder the mask shou'd be put on now to me to whom before he so frankly discover'd the the secrets of his Amorous heart 'T is a mistery I wou'd sain perswade my self he finds absolutely necessary to his interest and I hope you will make the same favorable constructions of it and not impute the lessen'd zeal wherewith he treats the charming Silvia to any possible change or coldness since I am but too fatally sensible that no man can arrive at the Glory of being belov'd by you that had ever power to shorten one link of that dear chain that holds him and you need but survey that adorable face to confirm your tranquillitie set a just value on your charmes and you need no arguments to secure your everlasting Empire or to establish it in what heart you please this fatal truth I learnt from your fair eyes e're they discover'd to me your Sex and you may as soon change to what I then believ'd you as I from adoring what I now find you if all then Madam that do but look on you become your Slaves and languish for you love on even without hope and die what must Phillander pay you who has the mighty blessing of your Love your Vows and all that renders the hours of amorous Youth sacred glad and Triumphant But you know the conquering power of your charmes too well to need either this daring confession or a defence of Phillanders vertue from Madam Your obedient Slave Octavio Silvia had no sooner read this with blushes and a thousand fears and trembling of what was to follow in Phillander's Letters both to Octavio and to her self but with an Indignation agreeable to her haughty Soul she cry'd How slighted and must Octavio see it too By Heaven if I shou'd find it true he shall not dare to think it then with a generous rage she broke open Phillanders Letter and which she soon perceiv'd did but too well prove the truth of Octavio's suspition and her own fears She repeated it again and again and still she found more cause of greif and anger Love occasion'd the first and Pride the last And to a Soul perfectly haughty as was that of Silvia 't was hard to guess which had the assendant She consider'd Octavio to all the advantages that thought cou'd conceive in one who was not a Lover of him she knew he merited a heart tho she had none to