believe I Entertained you for which I ask your Pardon which you may the Freelier give me because I am a Woman it is according to our Nature to Speak more Words than Sense and so well we Love Speaking as Men might think we had rather be Damned at least Condemned for Talking than be Praised or Saved for Silence yet give me leave to say somewhat in my own Behalf though I am full of Words when I do Talk yet I do not give my self Liberty to Speak often for were the Years of my Life Divided not Half a part of Four had been Spent in Speech but howsoever what I do Speak is too much for the truth is Women should never Speak more than to Ask Rational Questions or to give a Discreet Answer to a Question Asked them unless it be in their Huswifry and then they may take Licence to Speak as much as they will or at Child-bed Gossipings they may have the Privilege of the Tongue but other wayes or times they ought to be Sparing of Speech especially in Company of Men but the truth is our Sex doth not love to be Tongue-tied but lest I should Express too much the Nature of our Sex by Speaking too much of them although I speak now but to your Eyes not to your Ears for Letters are more a Discourse to the Eyes than Ears I will take my leave for this time only Subscribe my self Sir Your very loving Friend and Servant CCVIII Worthy Sir YOu may think it a Presumption and an Incroachment upon your Profession to give my Opinion of Mrs. Ts. Disease but it is neither Presumption nor Confidence of my Judgment that causes this Writing to you but an Affection to your Patient who deserves my Concernment concerning her Malady which Forces me to write to you my Opinion which is that I do believe her Pain and that which Accompanies it is Caused through an Inward Heat which Rarfies the Humors into a Fluent Distillation also it Rarifies the Blood making it to Flow or Overflow for Cold is not so Active but Congeals Thickens as we shall see when any Body is let Blood the Blood whilst it is Hot runs Freely forth of the Veins and remains Thin and Fluid when it is out but when it hath stood some Time and begins to be Cold it Thickens and Congeals to a Cake so when any hath used Exercise which Heats and Thins the Blood the Colour appears in the Skin Caused by the Flowing to the Outward Parts the like in Hot Weather whereas in Cold Weather or when the Blood is not Heated the Skin appears Pale and Lank wherefore my Opinion is that her Pain Proceeds from Heat for it is to be Observed that all Inflamations are Painful as all Sores or Swellings that are Inflamed whereas those Sores that are not Inflamed or those Swellings we call White Swellings are not Painful also for the Gout the Pain is caused through the Inflamation but mistake me not I mean all Pulsive Pains for there be many other Pains as some which are caused through Wind and those Pains are Painful Stitches and most commonly caused from Hot Humours as Bilious Choler or some Salt Flegm also Headaches are caused for the most part from Hot Vapours or Rheums the Stone in the Kidnies and Bladder is caused through Heat so that most Pains are caused through Heat unless it be Child-bearing Pains and such like and these Considerations make me believe that Mrs. Ts. Pain in her Back is Produced from Heat for although it be an Intermitting Pain and not Constant yet it may nevertheless be Produced from Heat as for Example the Gout is not a Continual Pain but it is only Painful when the Inflamed Humor falls on the Joynt yet for the most part it alwayes Falls or Resorts to one and the same Place wherefore I believe Cooling Medicines must be her Cure for I do not perceive that Purging Sweating and Dry Dieting which are all Heating do her any Good but she seems rather the Worse and Trial is the True Touchstone of Experience But you may use the Old Saying to me which is Physician Cure thy self I answer that all Preachers do not Practise what they Preach and some may give better Counsel than take Good Counsel also Solomon sayes that a Wise Saying may pass through a Fool 's Mouth and the best Physicians when they are Sick Rely not upon their own Skill for themselves but will send for other Physicians for no man can Judg well of himself either for Health Sickness or any other thing by reason Partial Self-love Fearful Doubts Flattering Hopes Bribe Corrupt or Terrifie the Judgment but setting aside my own Judgment as Weak either for my self or others and Relying on yours in Case of your Patient I rest Your very Loving Friend CCIX. Worthy Sir I Received your Letter and am Glad to see you write that you doubt not of Curing Mrs. T. of her Painful Disease as for the Numbness in her Hand Thigh Leg and Foot give me leave to tell you my Opinion which is that it Proceeds not from a Coldness but a Dryness for if it were only a Stupifying Cold her Sweating would have Rarified and Evaporated that Congeal'd Cold or her Purging would have Carried or Driven out that Gross Cold Humor or her Dry Strict Diet would have Consumed that Obstructed Cold or Cold Obstruction but she hath felt that Numb Disease since she hath used those Remedies at least it is more Apparent which shews it Proceeds not from Cold but Dryness which Inward Heat and Dryness causes a Cold outward Effect for Numbness and Deadness of Parts Proceed from Divers and Different Causes as from Cold either Outwardly taken by the Cold Weather or Climat or Clothing or the like or by Inward Cold as by Overcooling Meats or Drinks or Cold Obstructing or want of Blood or too much Watry Humors which Quench out the Natural Heat and this Numbness is easily Cured Another Numbness Proceeds from Obstructions of the Inward Parts or Veins either by Clammy Humors or by Burnt and Adust Humors Another Numbness Proceeds from a Driness of some Particular Parts which being Insipid cannot be Active or Move according to their Functions or Faculties or Proprieties and a Ceasing of Motion is Death Another Numbness Proceeds from some Cold or Thick Gross Humors that fall upon the Sinews or Muscles Another Numbness is caused through Excessive Heat which hath Burnt out the Natural Heat Another Numbness Proceeds from a Decay of some Noble Parts and this Numbness is Incurable But the Reason why I think Mrs. Ts. Numbness Proceeds from Dryness is that she hath been of a very Spare Diet three or four Years Eating and Drinking but once a Day and that not Much her Meat being for the most part Rost Mutton and when she was with Child she did Eat so Little Seldom as sometimes not in two or three Dayes as I have often wondred how she could Live and
Humble and faithful Servant LXX MADAM TO give you an Account as you desire of Mrs. H. O. who you say is Reported to be such a Wit all I can say is that I do not perceive a Superfluity her Tongue in my Hearing ran as other Women's usually doth but a Friend of her's who lives in the same House she doth did tell me that to some men she doth Railly and Sport with Words for all her Discourse or most part of it is to Men and to some she doth repeat several Places and Speeches out of Romances and several Speeches and Parts of Playes or Passionate Speeches and if it be concerning Love then she turns up the black of her Eyes and Whines and lifts up her Hands after the French Mode also she is ready and quick in giving Sharp Replyes for which she is highly Applauded by the Court-Gallants which gather about her and whatsoever she sayes they Cry out I faith that is well said and then Laugh and Railly with her then she is Gay and Merry in Sportive Harmless Abuses and Dances Much although not Well but speaks French like a Native then she is very Learn'd in the Male and Female words as the Learn'd term them to wit the Gendres of Words As for Court-Servants she hath had Many but now she is wholly Ingross'd by One. This is as much as I have Heard of her and more than I would have Repeated had it not been to You And thus leaving her and her VVit I rest Madam Your very Loving Friend and Servant LXXI MADAM THe five Ladyes which you Desire to have a Relation of I cannot of my own Knowledge give you an Account of for I have but little Acquaintance with them but I can tell you what Report sayes As for the Eldest 't is said she wants not Experience though her Experience comes more through Misfortune than Time for she is not Old also that she hath a good Judgment but makes no Good Use of it for she is oftner Ruled by others Perswasion than her own Judgement neither doth she want Wit but can Speak VVell and Promise Fair though her Deeds and VVords be not Answerable nor her Performance to her Promises for she will Speak better than Do and Promise more than Perform she is very Civil and Humble to all Persons to gain their Applause but she makes no Difference between the Noblest and Meanest the VVorthy and Unworthy the Honest and False but rather of the Two she Naturally Affects those that are Meanest either for Birth Breeding or Merit but to some Particulars she is very Partial even so Partial as to do Unjust Actions for their Sakes or by their Perswasions Her Confidents are such as have been False but she believes they are so Honest now as only fit for Trust although in all her Affairs she hath had Ill Success for all her most Secret Intentions are made Known before they have been put into Action but Time may make her VViser As for the Second Lady she seems at the first Acquaintance to be of a very Good and Generous Nature but some time Discovers her to be rather of an Easie Facil than a Pure Good or Generous Nature a Foolish Kindness and a Childish Liberality that with Flattery is Ruled Governed and Perswaded she Loves and Gives but knows not Why nor Wherefore also she is Amorous and at this time so in Love as it is Reported she will Marry a Person that is so Mean and far below her in Birth as the Marriage will not onely Disgrace the Family from whence she Sprung but her Posterity that may live after her neither hath her Beloved Person nor Parts Wealth nor Fame Concerning the Third Lady she is Proud and Ambitious and seems rather Obstinate than Facil and if her Fortune were but Answerable to her Birth she in my Opinion would Deceive the Belief of many in Doing those things that might be Worthy a Person of her Quality and Dignity The Fourth Lady is Simple God know's most of her Time is Imployed in Dancing and Eating and in Foolish Childish Sports and Pastimes She is as Inconstant as her Sex can be she is also Amorous and would have Love-Servants if she were not afraid of those that have some Power and Authority over her which Restrain her but 't is believed she will break thorough all Restraints As for her Estate she only thinks of the Present but never Considers the Future which makes her Necessitated as she will in time be a Begger The Fifth Ladyes Time is only spent in Giving and Receiving Visits in Balling Dancing and the like but I hear nothing else of her Thus Madam have I written what is Reported by those that are well Acquainted as also by their Domesticks and Followers not that I inquire into the Humours Natures or Affairs of those Persons I have no Relation to but I cannot but hear of many Actions and Persons and Passages in the World unless I should stop my Hearing but in this Letter I have done only my Duty in telling you what I Hear of what you Desire to Know and as long as I live I shall be Obedient to all your Commands and Industrious to Satisfie all your Desires and Rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant LXXII MADAM YOu were pleased the last time you writ to send me a Poem of your own making or Composing and to desire my Opinion of it which Opinion were you not such a Friend as not to be Exceptious I would not Declare for though I will not Dissemble as to speak against my Conscience yet I may Conceal or Bury my Thoughts Opinion or Judgment in Silence but I know your Humour is that I should Speak or Write freely my Thoughts and according to your Desires give me leave to tell you the Poem is good in that kind but I do not like such kind of Poems which are onely Complements and Gratulations put into Verses in which Poems is seldom much Wit or Fancy onely Flattery Rime and Number wherefore give me leave to Perswade you to alter the Subject of your Poem and to take such a Subject as hath Ground and Room for Wit and Fancy to move on also you desire my Opinion of G. Vs. Poems I cannot Praise them because the Wit Expressions are Stoln out of several Excellent Poets only he turns their Fancies and Expressions to other Subjects so as he only Varies other mens Wits but Produces none of his Own and such Writers may rather be nam'd Translators than Authors Indeed most Writings now a dayes not onely Verse but Prose are but Variations and not Creations But leaving Witstealers I return to your Poem which is not Theft but an Ill-chosen Subject which I desire you to Alter Thus Professing as also Declaring my Friendship in giving a Free and Plain Judgment I rest Madam Your most faithful Friend and Servant LXXIII MADAM I Was reading to day some several Satyrs of several Famous Poets wherein
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