to please and this is the nearest Way to it Advice to Lovers Lovers if you would gain a Heart Of Damon learn to win the Prize He 'll shew you all its tend'rest Part And where its greatest Danger lies The Magazine of its Disdain Where Honour feebly guarded does remain If present do but little say Enough the silent Lover speaks But wait and sigh and gaze all Day Such Rhet'rick more than Languages takes For Words the dullest way do move And utter'd more to shew your Wit than Love Let your Eyes tell her of your Heart Its Story is for Words too delicate Souls thus exchange and thus impart And all their Secrets can relate A Tear a broken Sigh she 'll understand Or the soft trembling Pressings of the Hand Or if your Pain must be in Words exprest Let 'em fall gently unassur'd and slow And where they fail your Looks may tell the rest Thus Damon spoke and I was conquer'd so The witty Talker has mistook his Art The modest Lover only charms the Heart Thus while all Day you gazing sit And fear to speak and fear your Fate You more Advantages by Silence get Than the gay forward Youth with all his Prate Let him be silent here but when away Whatever Love can dictate let him say There let the bashful Soul unvail And give a Loose to Love and Truth Let him improve the amorous Tale With all the Force of Words and Fire of Youth There all and any thing let him express Too long he cannot write too much confess O Damon How well have you made me understand this soft Pleasure You know my Tenderness too well not to be sensible how I am charmed with your agreeable long Letters The Invention Ah! he who first found out the Way Souls to each other to convey Without dull Speaking sure must be Something above Humanity Let the fond World in vain dispute And the first Sacred Mystery impute Of Letters to the Learned Brood And of the Glory cheat a God 'T was Love alone that first the Art essay'd And Psyche was the first fair yielding Maid That was by the dear Billet-doux betray'd It is an Art too ingenious to have been found out by Man and too necessary to Lovers not to have been invented by the God of Love himself But Damon I do not pretend to exact from you those Letters of Gallantry which I have told you are filled with nothing but fine Thoughts and writ with all the Arts of Wit and Subtilty I would have yours still all tender unaffected Love Words unchosen Thoughts unstudied and Love unfeigned I had rather find more Softness than Wit in your Passion more of Nature than of Art more of the Lover than the Poet. Nor would I have you write any of those little short Letters that are read over in a minute in Love long Letters bring a long Pleasure Do not trouble yourself to make 'em fine or write a great deal of Wit and Sence in a few Lines that is the Notion of a witty Billet in any Affair but that of Love And have a Care rather to avoid these Graces to a Mistress and assure yourself dear Damon that what pleases the Soul pleases the Eye and the Largeness or Bulk of your Letter shall never offend me and that I only am displeased when I find them small A Letter is ever the best and most powerful Agent to a Mistress it almost always perswades 't is always renewing little Impressions that possibly otherwise Absence would deface Make use then Damon of your Time while it is given you and thank me that I permit you to write to me Perhaps I shall not always continue in the Humor of suffering you to do so and it may so happen by some Turn of Chance and Fortune that you may be deprived at the same time both of my Presence and of the Means of sending to me I will believe that such an Accident would be a great Misfortune to you for I have often hearâ— you say that To make the most happy 〈◊〉 ver suffer Martyrdom one need only for 〈◊〉 him Seeing Speaking and Writing to 〈◊〉 Object he loves Take all the Advantaâ—â— then you can you cannot give me too often Marks too powerful of your Passion Writâ— therefore during this Hour every Day 〈◊〉 give you leave to believe that while you do so you are Serving me the most Obligingly and Agreeably you can while absent and that you are giving me a Remedy against all Grief Uneasiness Melancholy and Despair Nay if you exceed your Hour you need not be asham'd The Time you employ in this kind Devoir id the Time that I shall be grateful for and no doubt will recompense it You ought not however to neglect Heaven for me I will give you time for your Devotion for my Watch tells you 't is time to go to the Temple Twelve a Clock Indispensible Duty THere are certain Duties which one ought never to neglect That of Adoring the Gods is of this nature and which we ought to pay from the bottom of our Hearts And that Damon is the only time I will dispense with your not thinking on me But I would not have you go to one of those Temples where the celebrated Beauties and those that make a Profession of Gallantry go and which come thither only to see and be seen and whither they repair more to shew their Beauty and Dress than to honour the Gods If you will take my Advice and oblige my Wish you shall go to those that are least frequented and you shall appear there like a Man that has a perfect Veneration for all things Sacred The Instruction Damon if your Heart and Flame You wish should always be the same Do not give it leave to rove Nor expose it to new Harms E're you think on 't you may love If you gaze on Beauty's Charms If with me you wou'd not part Turn your Eyes into your Heart If you find a new Desire In your easie Soul take Fire From the tempting Ruine fly Think it faithless think it base Fancy soon will fade and die If you wisely cease to gaze Lovers should have Honour too Or they pay but half Love's due Do not to the Temple go With design to gaze or show What e're Thoughts you have abroad Though you can deceive elsewhere There 's no feigning with your God Souls should be all perfect there The Heart that 's to the Altar brought Only Heaven should fill its Thought Do not your sober Thoughts perplex By gazing on the Ogling Sex Or if Beauty call your Eyes Do not on the Object dwell Guard your Heart from the Surprize By thinking Iris doth excel Above all earthly Things I 'd be Damon most belov'd by thee And only Heaven must Rival me One a Clock Forc'd Entertainment I Perceive it will be very difficult for you to quit the Temple without being surrounded with Complements from People of Ceremony Friends and News-mongers and several
the Ruine of the Colony Oroonoko was first seiz'd on and sold to our Over-seer who had the first Lot with seventeen more of all sorts and sizes but not one of Quality with him When he saw this he found what they meant for as I said he understood English pretty well and being wholly unarm'd and defenceless so as it was in vain to make any Resistance he only beheld the Captain with a Look all fierce and disdainful upbraiding him with Eyes that forc'd Blushes on his guilty Cheeks he only cry'd in passing over the side of the Ship Farewell Sir 'T is worth my Suffering to gain so true a Knowledge both of you and of your Gods by whom you swear And desiring those that held him to forbear their pains and telling 'em he wou'd make no Resistance he cry'd Come my Fellow-Slaves let us descend and see if we can meet with more Honour and Honesty in the next World we shall touch upon So he nimbly leapt into the Boat and shewing no more Concern suffer'd himself to be row'd up the River with his Seventeen Companions The Gentleman that bought him was a young Conish Gentleman whose Name was Trefry a Man of great Wit and fine Learning and was carry'd into those Parts by the Lord Governor to manage all his Affairs He reflecting on the last World of Oroonoko to the Captain and beholding the Richness of his Vest no sooner came into the Boat but he fix'd his Eyes on him and finding something so extraordinary in his Face his Shape and Mien a Greatness of Look and Haughtiness in his Air and finding he spoke English had a great Mind to be enquiring into his Quality and Fortune which though Oroonoko endeavour'd to hide by only confessing he was above the Rank of common Slaves Trefry soon found he was yet something greater than he confess'd and from that Moment began to conceive so vast an Esteem for him that he ever after lov'd him as his dearest Brother and shew'd him all the Civilities due to so great a Man Trefry was a very good Mathematician and a Linguist couâ—d speak French and Spanish and in the three Days they remain'd in the Boat for so long were they going from the Ship to the Plantation he entertain'd Oroonoko so agreeably with his Art and Discourse that he was no less pleas'd with Trefry than he was with the Prince and he thought himself at least fortunate in this that since he was a Slave as long as he won'd suffer himself to remain so he had a Man of so excellent Wit and Parts for a Master So that before they had finish'd their Voyage up the River he made no scruple of declaring to Trefry all his Fortunes and most part of what I have here related and put himself wholly into the Hands of his new Friend whom he found resenting all the Injuries were done him and was charm'd with all the Greatnesses of his Actions which were recited with that Modesty and delicate Sence as wholly vanquish'd him and subdu'd him to his Interest And he promis'd him on his Word and Honour he wou'd find the Means to re-conduct him to his own Country again assuring him he had a perfect Abhorrence of so dishonourable an Action and that he wou'd sooner have dy'd than have been the Author of such a Perfidy He found the Prince was very much concern'd to know what became of his Friends and how they took their Slavery and Trefry promis'd to take care about the enquiring after their Condition and that he shou'd have an Account of ' em Though as Oroonoko afterwards said he had little Reason to credit the Words of a Backearary yet he knew not why but he saw a king of Sincerity and awful Truth in the Face of Trefry he saw an Honesty in his Eyes and he found him wise and witty enough to understand Honour for it was one of his Maxims A Man of Wit cou'd not be a Knave or Villain In their passage up the River they put in at several Houses for Refreshment and ever when they landed numbers of People wou'd flock to behold this Man not but their Eyes were daily entertain'd with the sight of Slaves but the Fame of Oroonoko was gone before him and all People were in admiration of his Beauty Besides he had a rich Habit on in which he was taken so different from the rest and which the Captain cou'd not strip him of because he was forc'd to surprize his Person in the minute he sold him When he found his Habit made him liable as he thought to be gaz'd at the more he begg'd Trefry to give him something more befitting a Slave which he did and took off his Robes Nevertheless he shone through all and his Osenbrigs a sort of brown Holland Suit he had on cou'd not conceal the Graces of his Looks and Mien and he had no less Admirers than when he had his dazling Habit on the Royal Youth appear'd in spite of the Slave and People cou'd not help treating him after a different manner without designing it As soon as they approach'd him they venerated and esteem'd him his Eyes insensibly commanded Respect and his Behaviour insinuated it into every Soul So that there was nothing talk'd of but this young and gallant Slave even by those who yet knew not that he was a Prince I ought to tell you that the Christians never but any Slaves but they give 'em some Name of their own their native ones being likely very barbarous and hard to pronounce so that Mr. Trefry gave Oroonoko that of Caesar which Name will live in that Countrey as long as that scarce more glorious one of the great Roman for 't is most evident he wanted no part of the Personal Courage of that Caesar and acted things as memorable had they been done in some part of the World replenish'd with People and Historians that might have given him his due But his Misfortune was to fall in an obscure World that afforded only a Female Pen to celebrate his Fame though I doubt not but it had liv'd from others Endeavours if the Dutch who immediately after his time took that Countrey had not kill'd banish'd and dispers'd all those that were capable of giving the World this great Man's Life much better than I have done And Mr. Trefry who design'd it dy'd before he began it and bemoan'd himself for not having undertook it in time For the future therefore I must call Oroonoko Caesar Since by that Name only he was known in our Western World and by that Name he was receiv'd on Shore at Parham-House where he was destin'd a Slave But if the King himself God bless him had come a-shore there cou'd not have been greater Expectations by all the whole Plantation and those neighbouring ones than was on ours at that time and he was receiv'd more like a Governor than a Slave Notwithstanding as the Custom was they assign'd him his portion of Land his House
or of his Love to Imoinda to imagine we cou'd flatter him to Life again but the Chirurgeon assur'd him he cou'd not live and therefore he need not fear We were all but Caesar afflicted at this News and the Sight was gastly His Discourse was sad and the earthly Smell about him so strong that I was persuaded to leave the place for some time being my self but sickly and very apt to fall into Fits of dangerous Illness upon any extraordinary Melancholy The Servants and Trefry and the Chirurgeons promis'd all to take what possible care they cou'd of the Life of Caesar and I taking Boat went with other Company to Colonel Martin's about three Days Journey down the River but I was no sooner gone but the Governor taking Trefry about some pretended earnest Business a Day 's Journey up the River having communicated his Design to one Banister a Wild Irish Man and one of the Council a Fellow of absolute Barbarity and fit to execute any Villany but was Rich He came up to Parham and forcibly took Caesar and had him carried to the same Post where he was whip'd and causing him to be ty'd to it and a great Fire made before him he told him he shou'd die like a Dog as he was Caesar replied this was the first piece of Bravery that ever Banister did and he never spoke Sence till he pronounc'd that Word and if he wou'd keep it he wou'd declare in the other World that he was the only Man of all the Whites that ever he heard speak Truth And turning to the Men that bound him he said My Friends am I to Die or to be Whipt And they cry'd Whipt No you shall not escape so well And then he reply'd smiling A Blessing on thee and assur'd them they need not tie him for he wou'd stand fix'd like a Rock and endure Death so as shou'd encourage them to Die But if you Whip me said he be sure you tie me fast He had learn'd to take Tobacco and when he was assur'd he shou'd Die he desir'd they wou'd give him a Pipe in his Mouth ready lighted which they did and the Executioner came and first out off his Members and threw them into the Fire after that with an ill-favour'd Knife they cut off his Ears and his Nose and burn'd them he still Smoak'd on as if nothing had touch'd him then they hack'd off one of his Arms and still he bore up and held his Pipe but at the cutting off the other Arm his Head sunk and his Pipe dropt and he gave up the Ghost without a Groan or a Reproach My Mother and Sister were by him all the while but not suffer'd to save him so rude and wild were the Rabble and so inhumane were the Justices who stood by to see the Execution who after paid dearly enough for their Insolence They cut Caesar in Quarters and sent them to several of the chief Plantations One Quarter was sent to Colonel Martin who refus'd it and swore he had rather see the Quarters of Banister and the Governor himself than those of Caesar on his Plantations and that he cou'd govern his Negroes without Terrifying and Grieving them with frightful Spectacles of a mangl'd King Thus Died this Great Man worthy of a better Fate and a more sublime Wit than mine to write his Praise yet I hope the Reputation of my Pen is considerable enough to make his Glorious Name to survive to all Ages with that of the Brave the Beautiful and the Constant Imoinda FINIS THE Fair Jilt OR THE AMOURS OF Prince TARQUIN AND MIRANDA Written by Mrs A. BEHN LONDON Printed by W. Onley for S. Briscoe 1697. The Fair JILT OR THE AMOURS OF Prince Tarquin and Miranda AS Love is the most Noble and Divine Passion of the Soul so it is that to which we may justly attribute all the real Satisfactions of Life and without it Man is unfinish'd and unhappy There are a thousand things to be said of the Advantages this generous Passion brings to those whose Hearts are capable of receiving its soft Impressions for 't is not every one that can be sensible of its tender Touches How many Examples from History and Observation cou'd I give of its wondrous Power nay even to a degree of Transmigration How many Ideots has it made wise How many Fools eloquent How many Home-bred ' Squires accomplish'd How many Câ—wards brave And there is no sort or species of Mankind on whom it cannot work some Change and Miracle if it be a noble well-grounded Passion except on the Fop in Fashion the harden'd incorrigible Fop so often wounded but never reclaim'd For still by a dire Mistake conducted by vast Opinionatreism and a greater Portion of Self-love than the rest of the Race of Man he believes that Affectation in his Mien and Dress that Mathematical-movement that Formality in every Action that Face manag'd with Care and soften'd into Ridicule the languishing Turn the Toss and the Back-shake of the Perriwig is the direct Way to the Heart of the fine Person he Adores and instead of curing Love in his Soul serves only to advance his Folly and the more he is enamour'd the more industriously he assumes every Hour the Coxcomb These are Love's Play-things a sort of Animals with whom he sports and whom he never wounds but when he is in good humour and always shoots laughing 'T is the Diversion of the Little God to see what a fluttering and bustle one of these Sparks new-wounded makes to what fantastick Fooleries he has recourse The Glass is every moment call'd to counsel the Valet consulted and plagu'd for new Invention of Dress the Foot-man and Scrutore perpetually employ'd Billet-doux and Madrigals take up all his Mornings till Play-time in Dressing till Night in Gazing still like a Sun-flower turn'd towards the Beams of the fair Eyes of his Caelia adjusting himself in the most Amarous Posture he can assume his Hat under his Arm while the other Hand is put carelesly into his Bosom as if laid upon his panting Heart his Head a little bent to one side supported with a world of Crevat-string which he takes mighty care not to put into disorder as one may guess by a never-failing and horrid Stiffness in his Neck and if he have an occasion to look aside his whole Body turns at the same time for fear the Motion of the Head alone should incommode the Crevat or Perriwig And sometimes the Glove is well manag'd and the white Hand display'd Thus with a thousand other little Motions and Formalities all in the common Place or Road of Foppery he takes infinite pains to shew himself to the Pit and Boxes a most accomplish'd Ass This is he of all Humane Kind on whom Love can do no Miracle and who can no where and upon no occasion quit one Grain of his refin'd Foppery unless in a Duel or a Battle if ever his Stars shou'd be so severe and ill-manner'd to reduce
of those sorts of Persons who afflict and busie themselves and rejoyce at a hundred things they have no Interest in Coquets and Politicians who make it the Business of their whole Lives to gather all the News of the Town adding or diminishing according to the Stock of their Wit and Invention and spreading it all abroad to the believing Fools and Gossips and perplexing every-body with a hundred ridiculous Novels which they pass off for Wit and Entertainment Or else some of those Recounters of Adventures that are always telling of Intrigues and that make a Secret to a hundred People of a Thousand foolish things they have heard Like a certain Pert and Impertinent Lady of the Town whose Youth and Beauty being past sets up for Wit to uphold a feeble Empire over idle Hearts and whose Character is this The Coquet Milinda who had never been Esteem'd a Beauty at Fifteen Always Amorous was and Kind To every Swain she lent an Ear. Free as Air but False as Wind Yet none complain'd She was severe She eas'd more than she made complain Was always Singing Pert and Vain Where-e'er the Throng was she was seen And swept the Youths along the Green With equal Grace she flatter'd all And fondly proud of all Address Her Smiles invite her Eyes do call And her vain Heart her Looks confess She Rallies this to that she Bow'd Was Talking ever Laughing loud On every side she makes Advance And every where a Confidance She tells for Secrets all she knows And all to know she does pretend Beauty in Maids she treats as Foes But every handsom Youth as Friend Scandal still passes off for Truth And Noise and Nonsence Wit and Youth Coquet all o'er and every part Yet wanting Beauty even of Art Herds with the Vgly and the Old And plays the Critick on the rest Of Men the Bashful and the Bold Either and all by Turns likes best Even now tho' Youth be languisht she Sets up for Love and Gallantry This sort of Creature Damon is very dangerous not that I fear you will squander away a Heart upon her but your Hours for in spight of you she 'll detain you with a thousand Impertinencies and eternal Tattle She passes for a judging Wit and there is nothing so troublesome as such a Pretender She perhaps may get some Knowledge of our Correspondence and then no doubt will improve it to my disadvantage Possibly she may rail at me that is her Fashion by the way of Friendly Speaking and an Aukward Commendation the most effectual Way of Defaming and Traducing Perhaps she tells you in a cold Tone that you are a happy Man to be belov'd by me That Iris indeed is handsome and she wonders she has no more Lovers but the Men are not of her Mind if they were you should have more Rivals She commends my Face but that I have blue Eyes and 't is pity my Complexion is no better My Shape but too much inclining to Fat. Cries She would charm infinitely with her Wit but that she knows too well she is Mistress of it And concludes But all together she is well enough Thus she runs on without giving you leave to edge in a Word in my Defence and ever and anon crying up her own Conduct and Management Tell you how she is opprest with Lovers and fatigu'd with Addresses and recommending her self at every turn with a perceivable Cunning And all the while is Jilting you of your good Opinion which she would buy at the Price of any Body's Repose or her own Fame tho' but for the Vanity of adding to the Number of her Lovers When she sees a new Spark the first thing she does she enquires into his Estate If she find it such as may if the Coxcomb be well manag'd supply her Vanity she makes Advances to him and applies herself to all those little Arts she usually makes use of to gain her Fools and according to his Humour dresses and affects her own But Damon since I point to no particular Person in this Character I will not name who you should avoid but all of this sort I conjure you wheresoever you find ' em But if unlucky Chance throw you in their Way hear all they say without Credit or Regard as far as Decency will suffer you Hear 'em without approving their Foppery and hear 'em without giving 'em Cause to censure you But 't is so much Time lost to listen to all the Novels this sort of People will perplex you with whose Business is to be idle and who even tire themselves with their own Impertinencies And be assur'd after all there is nothing they can tell you that is worth your knowing And Damon a perfect Lover never asks any News but of the Maid he loves The Enquiry Damon If your Love be True To the Heart that you possess Tell me What have you to do Where you have no Tenderness Her Affairs who cares to learn For whom he has not some Concer◠If a Lover fain would know If the Object lov'd be true Let her but industrious be To watch his Curiosity Tho' ne'r so cold his Questions seem They come from warmer Thoughts within When I hear a Swain enquire What gay Melinda does to live I conclude there us some Fire In a Heart inquisitive Or 't is at least the Bill that 's set To shew The Heart is to be Let. Two a Clock Dinner time LEave all those fond Entertainments or you will disoblige me and make Dinner wait for you for my Cupid tells you 't is that Hour Love does not pretend to make you lose that nor is it my Province to order you your Diet. Here I give you a perfect Liberty to do what you please And possibly 't is the only Hour in the whole Four and twenty that I will absolutely resign you or dispence with your even so much as Thinking on me 'T is true in seating yourself at Table I would not have you placed over-against a very Beautiful Object for in such a one there are a thousand little Graces in Speaking Looking and Laughing that fail not to Charm if one gives way to the Eyes to gaze and wander that way in which perhaps in spight of you you will find a Pleasure And while you do so though without Design or Concern you give the fair Charmer a sort of Vanity in believing you have placed yourself there only for the Advantage of Looking on her and assumes a hundred little Graces and Affectations which are not Natural to her to compleat a Conquest which she believes so well begun already She softens her Eyes and sweetens her Mouth and in 〈◊〉 puts on another Air than when she had no Design and when you did not by your continual looking on her rouze her Vanity and increase her easie Opinion of her own Charms Perhaps she knows I have some Interest in your Heart and Prides herself at least with believing she has attracted the Eyes of my
Tell me Oh tell me Charming Prophetess For you alone can tell my Love's Success The Lines in my dejected Face I fear will lead you to no kind Result It is your own that you must trace Those of your Heart you must consult 'T is there my Fortune I must learn And all that Damon does concern I tell you that I love a Maid As bright as Heav'n of Angel-hue The softest Nature ever made Whom I with Sighs and Vows pursue Oh tell me charming Prophetess Shall I this lovely Maid possess A thousand Rivals do obstruct my Way A thousand Fears they do create They throng about her all the Day Whilst I at awful Distance wait Say will the lovely Maid so fickle prove To give my Rivals Hope as well as Love She has a thousand Charms of Wit With all the Beauty Heav'n e're gave Oh! Let her not make use of it To flatter me into the Slave Oh! Tell me Truth to ease my Pain Say rather I shall die by her Disdain The Modesty of Iris. I Perceive fair Iris you have a Mind to tell me I have entertain'd you too long with a Discourse on yourself I know your Modesty makes this Declaration an offence and you suffer me with Pain to unveil those Treasures you wou'd hide Your Modesty that so commendable a Vertue in the Fair and so peculiar to you is here a little too severe Did I flatter you you shou'd blush Did I seek by praising you to shew an Art of Speaking finely you might chide But O Iris I say nothing but such plain Truths as all the World can witness are so And so far I am from Flattery that I seek no Ornament of Words Why do you take such Care to conceal your Vertues They have too much Lustre not to be seen in spight of all your Modesty Your Wit your Youth and Reason oppose themselves against this dull Obstructer of our Happiness Abate O Iris a little of this Vertue since you have so many other to defend yourself against the Attacks of your Adorers You yourself have the least Opinion of your own Charms And being the only Person in the World that is not in love with 'em you hate to pass whole Hours before your Looking-Glass and to pass your time like most of the idle Fair in dressing and setting off those Beauties which need so little Art You more wise disdain to give those Hours to the Fatigue of Dressing which you know so well how to employ a thousand Ways The Muses have blest you above your Sex and you know how to gain a Conquest with your Pen more absolutely than all the industrious Fair who trust to Dress and Equipage I have a thousand things to tell you more but willingly resign my place to Damon that faithful Lover he will speak more ardently than I For let a Glass use all its Force yet when it speaks its best it speaks but coldly If my Glass O charming Iris have the good Fortune which I cou'd never entirely boast to be believ'd 't will serve at least to convince you I have not been so guilty of Flattery as I have a thousand times been charg'd Since then my Passion is equal to your Beauty without Comparison or End believe O lovely Maid how I sigh in your Absence And be perswaded to lessen my pain and restore me to my Joys for there is no Torment so great as the Absence of a Lover from his Mistress of which this is the Idea The Effects of Absence from what we love Thou one continu'd Sigh all over Pain Eternal Wish but wish alas in vain Thou languishing impatient Hoper on A busie Toiler and yet still undone A breaking Glimpse of distant Day Inticing on and leading more astray Thou Joy in Prospect future Bliss extream But ne're to be possest but in a Dream Thou fab'lous Goddess which the ravish'd Boy In happy Slumbers proudly did enjoy But waking found an Airy Cloud he prest His Arms came empty to his panting Breast Thou Shade that only haunts the Soul by Night And when thou shou'dst inform thou fly'st the Sight Thou false Idea of the thinking Brain That labours for the charming Form in vain Which if by Chance it catch thou' rt lost again The End of the Looking-Glass THE Lucky Mistake A NEW NOVEL By Mrs. BEHN LONDON Printed by William Onley for S. Briscoe and T. Chapman 1697. THE Lucky Mistake A NEW NOVEL THe River Loyre has on its delightful Banks abundance of handsome beautiful and rich Towns and Villages to which the noble Stream adds no small Graces and Advantages blessing their Fields with Plenty and their Eyes with a thousand Diversions In one of these happily situated Towns called Orleance where abundance of People of the best Quality and Condition reside there was a rich Nobleman now retird from the busie Court where in his Youth he had been bred wearied with the Toyls of Ceremony and Noise to enjoy that perfect Tranquility of Life which is no where to be found but in Retreat a faithful Friend and a good Library and as the Admirable Horace says in a little House and large Gardens Count Bellyaurd for so was this Nobleman call'd was of this Opinion and the rather because he had one only Son call'd Rinaldo now grown to the Age of Fifteen who having all the excellent Qualities and Graces of Youth by Nature he would bring him up in all Vertues and noble Sciences which he believ'd the Gaiety and Lustre of the Court might divert He therefore in his Retirement spar'd no Cost to those that could instruct and accomplish him and he had the best Tutors and Masters that could be purchased at Court Bellyaurd making far less account of Riches than of fine Parts He found his Son capable of all Impressions having a Wit suitable to his delicate Person so that he was the sole Joy of his Life and the Darling of his Eyes In the very next House which joyn'd close to that of Bellyaurd's there liv'd another Count who had in his Youth been banish'd the Court of France for some Misunderstandings in some high Affairs wherein he was concern'd his name was De Pais a Man of great Birth but no Fortune or at least one not suitable to the Grandeur of his Original And as it is most natural for great Souls to be most proud if I may call a handsome Disdain by that vulgar Name when they are most depress'd so De Pais was more retir'd more â—strang'd from his Neighbours and kept a greater Distance than if he had enjoy'd all he had lost at Court and took more Solemnity and State upon him because he would not be subject to the Reproaches of the World by making himself familiar with it So that he rarely visited and was as rarely visited and contrary to the Custom of those in France who are easie of Excess and free of Conversation he kept his Family retir'd so close that 't was rare to see any of