also the immediate organ or instrument by which the nobler Soul informeth and acteth in the organs of the Body Now though we deny not but the rational Soul in respect of this her alliance with the Body is in some degree subject to the Laws of Matter and consequently that the humours and temperament of the Body have some influence or power to alter and work upon the mind especially in weak-minded persons who make no use of the arms of their reason to encounter and subdue the insurrections and assaults of sensual appetites Yet cannot we grant that the impressions which the body makes upon the mind are such as suffice to question either the Immortality or derogate from the Soveraignty of the Soul over the Body Not the Immortality of it because as an Infant in the Mothers womb though sympathising with the Mother in all distempers accidents and symptoms that befall her during the time of the Child's connexion to her body is yet capable of being in his due season separated from her and emancipated from his first state of compatibility into another of single subsistence So the Rational Soul though during its connexion to the Body subject to all affections and sufferings thereof is yet nevertheless capable of being separated in due season from the Body and surviving it to eternity in a state of â—implicity and incompatibility Nor the Soveraignty of it over the Body because as a Monarch notwithstanding he hath soveraign and absolute power over his Subjects may sometimes be inclined by the sway of his servants and yet without either subjection of his Person or diminution of his power So the Soul though sometimes the affections of its subject the Body may incline or dispose it to assent and compliance yet doth not that detract from either the excellency of its nature or the absoluteness of its dominion over the Body Besides all those mutations of the affections that arise from the variety of humours and temperament of the Body whether caused by Diet Wine or otherwise are most â—nduely imputed to the Mind or reasonable Soul it self whose essence being simple severeth it from all essential mutations and indeed extend no farther than the Sensitive or the Brain which is its principal organ So that as it doth not derogate from the skill and ability of an excellent Musitian that he cannot make good Musick upon an ill and untuneable Instrument so likewise doth it not from the dignity of the Soul that it cannot maintain the harmony of its Government where the Brain is out of tune And this we think sufficient to evince that the mutual league or alliance betwixt the Body and Mind is not so inseparable but the Mind may both continue its Soveraignty while that league continueth and also continue its Being after the same league is dissolved by death But if the Adversary shall further urge us to informe him What kind of â—ubstance we then conceive the Soul to be we shall ingeniously confess We do not understand it Nor are we ashamed of that ignorance forasmuch as the knowledge thereof is to be fetched not from Reason or Philosophy but from Revelation Divine For seeing the substance of the Soul was not deduced or extracted in its creation from Matter or Elements as is manifest even from the transcendency of its functions and operations certainly it follows that the Laws of Matter or Elements can in no wise comprehend its nature or lead to the knowledge of its substance but leaving Philosophy to its proper objects we must expect it from the inspiration of the same Divinity from whence the substance of it was originally derived But inspirations Divine being very rare our best way will be to suspend such subtle and Metaphysical Enquiries till death which will soon satisfie them and all other difficulties of that nature In the mean time we beg excuse for thus long digressing into so grave and unsutable a Speculation which yet we could not well avoid from our Story and for holding you upon the rack of suspense while your good nature makes you impatient till you are assuâ—ed of the Ladie 's perfect recovery Returning to our Matron I find my self surprised with more of wonder and amazement than the Souldier was when he first beheld her Methinks I perceive certain symptoms in her which signifie not only a change of humour but even a perfect metamorphosis of her person also and so strangely is she altered that did not the continuance of her mourning habit and yet she hath dropt her Veil together with the circumstances of time and place assure me to the contrary seriously I should not easily be perswaded that she is the same woman She appears now to have so little of the sorrowful Widow in her that if I might have the liberty Physiognomists take of divining by outward signes I should take her for the most pleased and happy Bride in the world Her forehead seems not only smoothed but dilated also to a more graceful largeness and over-cast with a delicate sanguine Dye Her eyes sparkling again with luster yet little more then half open with their amiable whites turned somewhat upward unsteady bedewed with a Ruby moisture by stealth casting certain languishing glances such as are observed only in persons dying and Lovers in the extasie of delight upon the Souldier Her lips swelling with a delicious ver-million tincture and gently trembling yet still preserving the decorum and sweetness of her mouth Her cheeks overâ—lowing with pleasing blushes Her head a little declinâ—ng as when Modesty hath a secâ—et conflict with Desire She is in â— kind of gentle disquiet such as accompanieth the impatience of the soul when it is eager and restless in pursuâ—â— of the object whereon it hath fixed itâ— chief felicity A temperate and Balmy sweat extilling from the pores of her snow-white skin helps to increase the kindly warmth of it arising doubtless from a great agitation of her spirits within and an effusion of them upon the outward parts together with â—he vapours of her purest bloud In a word I discern in her a concourse of all â—hose signes which as natural and inseparable characters are proper to great joy and pleasure What therefore should I think To imagine that she a woman of exemplaâ—y constancy of chastity more cold and severe than the Goddess her self who iâ— said to be guardian of it of sorrow as your self can witness almost unparallel'd and invincible whose tears are yet scarcely dry still fitting in a damp and horrid Charnel-house at the dead time of the night and upon the Coffin of her Dearest All To imagine I say that this Woman should be so soon ingulphed in the delightful transports of a new Love and that with a Fellow so much a Stranger so much her Inferiour This certainly is not only highly improbable but unpardonably scandalous and he doubtless would have no easie task to secure himself from being torn in pieces by those of her Sex who
be denyed but that Fitness is the only Motive to the Appetite nor that the Desire arising upon the Knowledge of that Fitness is the Love and the only Love that can be betwixt Male and Female as Male and Female Of Love determined BUt beside this General Love of a different sex which is no more but the Appetite of Procreation Indefinite there is yet another Love in which the same Appetite though respecting diversity of sex is yet determined to some one particular Person and such as are in this Passion are properly said to be in Love Now the Question doth concern not the General Love betwixt Male and Female but this Particular or Determined Love since this seems to be that which Ladys mean when they distinguish Love from Lust. Concerning this Personal Love therefore I say that forasmuch as it cannot be without diveâ—sity of Sex and tendeth as violently if not more to the same end as the general or indefinite Love doth viz. to the Act of Procreation and in both those respects doth participate of that sensual pleasure which accompanieth the indifferent Love it follows that Love of the Sex and Love of some one person of that Sex make but one and the same affection or Passion in Nature Nor is there indeed any other cause that makes this Love quit its indifferency to all of that divers Sex and fix only upon some one single peâ—son but only this that the perâ—on Loving or rather in Love apprehending that the Marks or Signs of the power Generative are more conspicuous in the person loved than in any other of that Sex thereupon imagineth that the Fruition of that peâ—son that is the doing that Act whiâ—â— is necessary to continuation of the kind with that person will better conduce to the satisfaction of the Appetite to Geneâ—ation than the doing of it with any other So that this Opinion or Imagination in the person loving is the cause why the person loved is courted and puâ—sued with that violence of desire which always agitateth and disquieteth those that are in Love And hence it comes that comely and proper men as they call them such as are of good complexions and well proportioned bodies are generally in great reputation with Women and fâ—ir and Beautiful Women in as high esteem and honour with Men. For it being a certain rule in Nature tâ—at all inward poweâ—s are more or less peâ—fect according â—o the more or less exact temperament and structure of the parts of the body upon which they depend and that the exact shape and constitution of the body and all its parts are marks of the perfection of the same poweâ—s where the senses discover the Marks in a more eminent measure there the soul concludeth to find the Powers themselves also in as eminent a degree and thereupon loves and pursues with proportionate ardency the person in whom they appear to be For particular instance Comliness and Strength of body in a Man being signs of the goodness of the power Generative Women no sooner perceive those signs but well understanding what they signifie they cannot chuse but have a greater liking esteem and inclination for such men in whom they appear than for others in whom they do not appear at least so conspicuously On the other side sweetness of complexon justness of stature and all that is comprized in the word Beauty being the Character which Nature hath imprinted upon a Woman by which we may judge of the Goodness of the passive power in Generation in such a Woman no sooner is this Character discerned by the eyes of men but they instantly know what it imports and thereupon honour and love those Women in whom that Mark is seen more than others in whom it doth not shew it self in so full a measure To confirm the Truâ—h of this besides the Natural Reasons here alledged we have also the suffrage of Experience For what woman was ever in love with an Eunuch though otheâ—wise exceedingly handsome Nay what Woman is there that doth not secretly despise any man of whose insufficiency whether Native or by Misfortune in the power of Generation she hath had any the least notice on the otherside what Man hath ever continued his passion for a Woman after he hath been once convinced of her impotency to club with him in the Act of procreation though she were in all other things the most beautiful of her Sex Which considered I confess I find my self a little inclined to suspect that few wives who have no Children by their Husbands love them half so well as they pretend and that as few Husbands abstain from breach of wedlock who have reason to complain of the Barrenness of their Wives For though Discretion may make them secret and â—lose in their amorous stealths yet without the restraint of great virtue desire of Issue and experiment of their Abilities will go neer to make them affect change Now after all this I hope it will be no longer a Paradox that the indefinite desire of different Sex which is geneâ—â—lly called Lust and desire of some one particular person of that different Sex which is generally called Love are one and the same Appetite to the Act of Procreation Nevertheless that I may not seem either ignorant of what hath given occasion to men to imagine a real difference betwixt them or willing to innovate a vulgar phrase by which they express their different sentiments I shall not omit to observe that when we Condemn this Appetite we give it the disparageing name of Lust and when we Approve it we cloath it in the neater word Love so that Lust and Love nevertheless are no more but divers Terms by which we express the divers Conceptions we have of one and the same Passion Nor will it be a whit to my disadvantage if I add also that the desire of different Sex in general is not accompanied with that Delight of the Mind as the Determined or personal Love is since in the Former men seek only to please themselves whereas in thâ— Latter they seek to please the Woman whom they love as much as if not more than themselves and by how much more they find themselves able to please their Mistresses by so much the more are they Delighted themselves For this Delight is not sensual as being that Pleasure or joy of the Mind which consisteth in the opinion we have of our own Power or Ability to please another especially the Person whom we love and therefore an effect rather of Charity which is a Desire to assist another in obtaining what he wanteth or is pleased with when he hath it than of this Love betwixt Male and Female of which I now discourse and so hinders not Love and Lust to be still one and the same thing as I have pâ—oved it to be Of Platonick Love IT remains only that we briefly examine the Purity of that Love which such profess who distinguish themselves from the herd of
certain Auguries divine each others wishes and search each others heart without dissecting the breast They are a kind of Seers that behold the desires of their Correspondent as it were spectres which like Catoptrical Images are not perceived but by the same art that created them or like the Deities of old issuing from their Statues they inspire the person to whom they speak as if two Minds met to animate one Body and conversed together with no less silence than one uses to converse with it self alone Of all our affections this alone knows not to be expressed and the sacred rites thereof as those of the most ancient Gods of the Heathen are performed in the dark Though the passion be of it self innocent yet it is alwayes conjoyned with secret shame and the same blushes that betray our flame strive to hide it Alterno facies sibi dat responfa rubore Et tener affectum prodit utrique pudor as that merry-conceited Arnulphus Episcopus Lexoviensis hath well expressed in a facete Epigram of his Every Love hath its Flammeum as well as Hymen and at the Elusinean sacrifices both sexes are veild All the Votaries of Venus as well as her darling Aeneas walk surrounded with clouds and they frequent even publick Theatres invisibly Nay Cupid himself not contented with a single Veil contrives also Ambushes for more secresy aâ—d oftner takes in Hearts by stratagem and surprize than by storm Thus He that composed anâ— maintains the World in order left himself in confusion dwelling in a retreat of the antient darkness and primitive Chaos ¶ SECT II. HIs Mother too avoids the light ever since he was born as being as much ashamed of his childish treacheries as offended with the Sun for discovering her in the arms of Mars She obscures her self in a Labyrinth and admits no Eye to prie into her â—loset nay in her chiefest solaces she uses to shut her own eyes as being jealous lest they should discover too much of her divinity She is the true Sphinx that subdues and destroyes by a Riddle more she makes every man a Riddle to himself while being by contrary passions agitated and hurried up and down by the flux and reflux of his own violent thoughts he at once finds himself a Captive and strives to be a Conqueror And this the capricious Lad her Son assists her to effect that we poor Mortals may believe she was begotten betwixt the winds and waves in a Tempest No wonder then if Love seem Aenigmatical and full of contradictions It is not easily intelligible how the same person can at the same time both serve and be free have all his Faculties devoted to the pleasure of another and yet preserve the command of his own Will make an absolute resignation of himself and yet pretend not only to Liberty but to Dominion and yet Love doth soon reconcile these repugnances and bring his Subjects to govern by obedience teaching them like the Freed-men of some Roman Emperours obsequii titulo Dominis imperare to rule their Soveraigns will by observance of it and alter their counsels by obsequiousness and complacency Nor is it less difficult to conceive that one can die and instantly revive again yea be alive and dead at once or like the Phoenix build his own both funeral and vital fire out of which he reassumes a more vigorous and Youthful Being than what the flames consumed Yet nothing is more frequent among Lovers whom the miraculous Chymistry of Love by a most pleasant Palin-genesis restores from their ashes to their primitive state and forme A man would think at first that no two things in Nature are more incompatible more inconsistent more reciprocally destructive than those two contrary Passions Love and Hate the former causing sweet and agreeable motions in the spirits and blood and fibres of the Heart the later unequal harsh and offensive ones the one tending to Complacency and Vnion the other to Abhorrence and Flight the one aiming at the Felicity the other at the Destruction of its Object but upon a second and more serious consideration of the matter he shall find that in the breast of even the most ardent and refined Inamourato these two so professed Enemies are become not reconciled but Twins and those too not such as Castor and Pollux rising and setting alternately but like Lazarus and his Brother growing together so that one is not only an individual Companion but also an Appendix or rather an integrant part of his fellow For the Servant alwayes wishes his Mistress less Happy than she is that so his affection may appear more pure more sincere and determined upon her Person alone Is she wise and discreet He presently reprochâ—s the Stars that favour'd her with so strong a defence aâ— conceiving that if her Brain were less sound her Heart would be more tender and that if she had less wit himself would be less subject to her Contempt Is she in Health He secretly invocates Iove to afflict her with Sickness that he may have that occasion to demonstrate his grief his tenderness his sympathy Is she Rich He cannot forbear to wiâ—h her in Want that he might endow her with his Fortune Is she at Liberty He longs to see her a Captive that he may merit her favour by hazarding all in her redemption Is her Fame clear and immaculate how glad would he be some licentious tongue would defile her Honour that he might wash away the stains though with his blood Is her Birth and Quality nâ—ble he would fain degrade her that she might derive all her Dignity from the Generosity of his Love In a word in some sort or other He wishes her Miserable that he may have the glory to relieve her and that her own Necessity may draw rather than his Courtship and Observance invite her to his embraces He had rather be her Sanctuary than her Conqueror Now is not here a certain Malignity mixt with Benevolence Zeal tempered with Hate Inhumanity proceeding from excess of Kindness Cruelty conjoyned with the greatest Charity Yet such is the Constitution of Love Cupid has no darts headed with pure Gold What God soever made and tippd his Shafts served him as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Rivaltus calls him the treacherous Artist did Hiero King of Syracuse in casting his Crown put in a great deal of Copper among the Gold Which is perhaps one reason why the wounds of Lovers are so painful and apt to fester it being the nature of Brass â—o ulcerate and breed Cancers I think it therefore no blasphemy against the so much adored Divinity of Love to affirm that it always hath some alloy of that Devil Malice and that no Man love's without Indignation Especially when I reflect upon this that the torments he suffers cannot but force him even against his will to execrate his fair Tormentor to be angry with the Thief that robb'd him of himself to wish that bright flame obscured or extinct that