have wond’red a thousand times at the Follies that God has made me
commit: And though I som’times thought on _Silvia_, I thought her
less charming and fair than she was before her fall; and the Humour I
now was in represented her no more meriting that Passion I once had
for her, and I fancied she had lost all those Graces for which once I
lov’d her: In fine, I was so wholly recovered of my disease of Love
for _Silvia_, that I began to be uneasie for want of employing my
Addresses; and a change from so violent a Passion to such a degree of
coldness, became insupportable to one of my Youth and I natural Gayety;
insomuch, that I was seized with a Dulness, or Languishment, and so
great a fit of Melancholy, as I had never felt the like; and my Heart,
that was so accustomed to Love, was so out of Humour, that it had no
Object or Business for thought, that it lost all its Harmony and Wit;
it having nothing to excite it to Life and Motion, passing from so vast
a degree of tenderness to an unconcern equally extream. I thought it
rude, ill-bred, and idle, to live so indifferent and insignificant a
Life. And walking perpetually by myself, (or with those of my own Sex,
that could not make my diversion,) I sung all day this following Song
to a Hum-drum Tune, to myself;
Not to sigh and to be tender,
Not to talk and prattle Love,
Is a Life no good can render,
And insipidly does move:
Unconcern do’s Life destroy,
Which, without Love, can know no Joy.
Life, without adoring Beauty,
Will be useless all the day;
Love’s a part of Human Duty,
And ‘tis Pleasure to obey.
In vain the Gods did Life bestow,
Where kinder Love has nought to do.
What is Life, but soft desires,
And that Soul, that is not made
To entertain what Love inspires,
Oh thou dull immortal Shade?
Thou’dst better part with Flesh and Blood,
Than be, where Life’s not understood.
These were my notions of Life; and I found myself altogether useless
in the World without Love; methought I had nothing to animate me to
Gallant things, without Love, or Women: I had no use of Wit or Youth
without the fair, and yet I did not wish wholly to ingage myself
neither a second time, having been so ill-treated before by Love:
But I found there were ways to entertain one’s self agreeably enough
without dying or venturing the breaking of a heart for the matter: That
there were Beauties to be obtained without the hazard of hanging or
drowning one’s self: I never had tried, but I found it natural enough
to my Humour and Constitution, to flatter and dissemble, swear and lye;
I viewed my self in my Glass, and found myself very well recovered
from the Ruins my first Amour had made, and believed myself as fit
for Conquest, as any Sir _Fopling_, or Sir _Courtly Nice_ of ‘em all.
To this fine Person and good Meen and Shape, (as I thought,) I added
handsom Dressing, the thing that takes the Heart infinitely above all
your other Parts, and thus set out a snare for vain Beauty; I every day
went out of the City of _Indifference_, to see what new Adventures I
could meet withal.
One day I incountred a Woman, who, at first sight appeared very
agreeable; she had an Air easie, free, and Galliard; such as fails not
to take at first view: This was _Coquettre_, who, the very first time
she saw me, Addrest herself to me with very great Complisance and good
Humour, and invited me to her Apartment, where she assured me I should
not fail to be entertained very agreeably; and at the same time pulling
out of her Pocket a Paper, she shewed me these Words written;
Let Love no more your Heart inspire,
Thô Beauty every hour you see;
Pass no farther than desire,
If you’ll truly happy be.
Every day fresh Objects view,
And for all have Complisance.
Search all places still for new,
And to all make some Advance;
For where Wit and Youth agree,
There’s no Life like Gallantry.
_Laura’s_ Heart you may receive,
And to morrow _Julia’s_ prise:
Take what young _Diana_ gives,
Pity _Lucia_ when she dies:
_Portia’s_ Face you must admire,
And to _Clorin’s_ Shape submit,
_Phillis_ Dancing gives you Fire,
_Celia’s_ Softness, _Clara’s_ Wit.
Thus all at once you may persue,
‘Tis too little to Love two.
The powerful smiling God of Hearts
So much tenderness imparts,
You must upon his Altars lay
A thousand Offerings every day:
And so soft is kind desire;
Oh! so Charming is the Fire,
That if nice _Adraste_ scorns,
Gentler _Ariadne_ burns.
Still Another keep in play
(If One refuse,) to give you Joy.
Cease therefore to disturb your Hours,
For having two desires
A Heart can manage two Amours,
And burn with several Fires.
The day has hours enough in store
To visit two or half a score.
I gave her thanks for her good Counsel, and found I needed not much
persuasion to follow _Coquettre_ to a City that bears her Name, and I
saw over the Gate of the City at my Entrance, these Verses writ in Gold
Letters;
The God of Love beholding every day
Slaves from his Empire to depart away;
(For Hearts that have been once with Love fatigu’d,
A second time are ne’r again intrigu’d:
No second Beauty e’r can move
The Soul to that degree of Love;)
This City built, that we might still obey,
Thô we refus’d his Arbitrary Sway:
‘Tis here we find a grateful Recompence
For all Loves former Violence;
Tir’d with his Laws we hither come
To meet a kinder softer doom.
‘Tis here the God, without the Tyrant, Reigns,
And Laws agreeable ordains;
Here ‘tis with Reason and with Wit he Rules,
And whining Passion Ridicules.
No check or bound to Nature gives,
But kind desire rewarded thrives.
Peevish uneasy Pride, the God
Has banish’d from the blest abode:
All Jealousies, all Quarrels cease,
And here Love lives in perfect Peace.
This agreeable description, gave me new desire to enter into the City;
where I incountred a thousand fine Persons all gloriously drest, as if
they were purposely set out for Conquest: There was nothing omitted of
Cost and Gallantry, that might render ‘em intirely Charming, and they
employ’d all their Arts of Looks and Dress to gain Hearts.
It is, in a word, from these fair Creatures you are to draw your
Satisfaction, and ‘tis indeed at a dear rate you buy it, yet,
notwithstanding the Expence, a world of People persue ‘em.
When I came into the City, I was soon perceived to be a Stranger there,
and while I was considering whither I should go, or how to address
myself to these fair Creatures, a little _Coquette Cupid_ presented
himself to me for a kind Instructer; and to explain him, this in a word
is his Character:
He is of the same Race with the other _Cupids_, has the same Mother
too, _Venus_: He wears a Bow and Arrows, like the rest of the young
Loves; but he has no Bando, nothing to cover his Eyes, but he sees
perfectly; nor has he any _Flambeau_: And all the Laws of _Coquettre_
he understands and observes exactly.
I had no sooner received the little Charming God, but he instructed
me in all the most powerful Arts to please, in all his little wiles
and agreeable deceits; all which he admits of as the most necessary
Recourses to that great end of Man, his true diversion: With all which
I was so extreamly pleased, that resolving to be his Votary, I followed
him to the most delightful place in the World, the City of _Gallantry_.
_Gallantry_ is a City very magnificent; at the Entrance of the Gate you
incounter _Liberality_, a Woman of great Wit, delicate Conversation
and Complisance: This Lady gives her Passport to all that enter, and
without which, you cannot pass, or at least, with great difficulty;
and then too you pass your time but very ill; and the more Pasports
you have, the better you are received from the fair Inhabitants, and
pass your time more agreeable with the fine Conversation you meet with
in this City. Love told me this, and it was therefore that I took a
great many Pasports from this acceptable Person _Liberality_. But what
renders you yet more Favoured by the Fair and the Young who reside at
_Gallantry_, is, to have a delicate soft Wit, an assiduous Address and
a tender way of Conversing; but that which best cullies and pleases the
Generality of People there, is _Liberality_ and _Complisance_: This
place of so great Divertisement is re-frequented with all the Parties
of the best and most amiable Company, where they invent a thousand new
Pleasures every day; Feasting, Balls, Comedies, and Sports, Singing and
Serenades, are what employs the whole Four and twenty hours.
By the Virtue of my Pasports from _Liberality_, I was introduced to all
the fine Conversations and Places that afford Pleasure and Delight: I
had the good Fortune to make Parties, insomuch, that I was soon known
to all the Company in the City, and past the day in Feasting, going
with the Young and Fair to delightful _Villa’s_, Gardens, or Rivers in
Chases, and a thousand things that pleas’d; and the Nights I passed
in Serenading, so that I did not give myself time for Melancholy; and
yet for all this I was wearied and fatigued; for when once one has
tasted of the Pleasure of Loving and being Beloved, all, that comes
after that, is but flat and dull; and if one’s Heart be not a little
inflamed, all things else are insignificant, and make but very slight
touches.
I began therefore for all this to be extreamly Shagreen and out of
Humour, amidst all these Pleasures, till one lucky day I met with an
Adventure, that warmed my Heart with a tender flame which it had not
felt since my happy beginning one for _Silvia_: One day, as I said, I
was conducted by my officious _Cupid_ into a Garden very beautiful,
where there are a thousand Labyrinths and Arbours, Walks, Grotto’s,
Groves and Thickets; and where all the Fair and the Gay resorted; ‘twas
here I incountred a young Beauty called _Bellinda_; she was well made,
and had an admirable meen, an Air of Gayety and Sweetness; but that
which charmed me most of all, was her Wit, which was too ingaging for
me to defend my Heart against: I found mine immediately submitting to
her Conversation, and you may imagine I did not part with her so long
as Decency and good Manners permitted me to stay with her, which was as
long as any Company was in the place; nor then, till by my importunity
I had gained so much upon her to suffer my Visits, which she did with a
Condescention that gave me abundance of hope.
I was no sooner gone, but my _Cupid_, who took care of me, and
entertained me to the best Advantage, carried me that Evening to a
Ball, where there were a world of Beauties, among the rest one fair as
imagination can conceive; she had all the Charmes of Youth and Beauty;
though not so much Wit and Air as _Bellinda_. To this young adorable
I made my Court all the time I remained there, and fancied I never
found myself so Charmed, I fancied all the Graces had taken up their
dwelling in her Divine Face; and that to subdue one so fair and so
innocent, must needs be an extream Pleasure: Yet did I not so wholly
fix my desires on this lovely Person, but that the Wit of _Bellinda_
shared my Heart with the Beauty and Youth of _Bellimante_, so was this
young Charmer called: I was extreamly well pleas’d to find I could anew
take fire; and infinitely more, when I found I should not be subdued
by one alone; nor confined to dull Dotage on a single Beauty; but that
I was able to attain to the greatest Pleasure, that of Loving two
amiable Persons at once: If with two, I hoped I might with Two score
if I pleas’d and had occasion; and though at first it seemed to be
very strange and improbable to feel a Passion for two, yet I found it
true, and could not determin which I had the greatest tenderness for,
or inclination to: But ‘tis most certain, that this night I found,
or thought I found, more for _Bellimante_, who fired me with every
Smile; I confess she wanted that Gayety of Spirit _Bellinda_ had, to
maintain that fire she raised: And ever when I was thoughtful a moment,
_Coquettre_ (who is ever in all the Conversation, and where she appears
very magnificent and with a great Train,) would, smiling, sing softly
in my Ear this Song, for she is very Galliard;
Cease to defend your Amorous Heart,
Against a double flame;
Where two may claim an equal Part
Without reproach or shame.
‘Tis Love that makes Life’s happiness,
And he that best wou’d live
By Love alone must Life caress,
And all his Darts receive.
_Coquettre_ is a Person, that endeavours to please and humour every
Body, but of all those who every day fill her Train, she caresses
none with that Address and Assiduity as she did me, for I was a new
Face, to whom she is ever most obliging and entertaining. However,
notwithstanding the Advice of _Coquettre_, I fancied this young Charmer
had engaged all my Soul; and while I gazed on her Beauty, I thought
on _Bellinda_ no more; but believed I should wholly devote myself to
_Bellimante_, whose Eyes alone seemed capable to inflame me.
I took my leave with Sighs, and went home extream well pleas’d with
this days Adventure. All this Night I slept as well as if no tenderness
had toucht my Heart, and though I Lov’d infinitely, it gave me no
disturbance; the next morning a thousand pleasant things _Bellinda_
had said to me, came into my mind, and gave me a new inclination to
entertain myself with that witty Beauty; and dressing myself in haste
with the desire I had to be with her, I went again, the morning being
very inviting, to the Garden, where before I had seen her, and was
so lucky to encounter her; I found her blush at my approach; which
I counted a good Omen of my future happiness; she received me with
all the Gayety and Joy good liking and Wit could inspire: Nor was I
backward on my part, but addrest myself to her with all imaginable
respect, and as much Love in my Eyes as I was able to put on; which, I
found, she saw with Pleasure; she had not entertained me half an hour,
but I was so absolutely charmed, that I forgot there was a _Bellimante_
in the World.
Thus for several days I lived; every day visiting both these attracting
Beauties, and at Night, when I was retired, was not able to inform
myself which I liked best: Both were equally beloved, and it was now,
that methought I began to tast of true Joy; I found myself in Love
without any sort of inquietude; when I was Melancholy, I went to visit
_Bellinda_, and she with her Gayety and Wit would inspire me with
good Humour; If I were over-prest with good Company, and too much
Conversation and Noise, I would visit _Bellimante_, who by a certain
softness in her discourse, and a natural Languishment in her Eyes and
Manners, charmed and calmed me to a reposed tranquillity; so that to
make me fortunate in Love, I could not have fixed my desires better: I
had too little Love to be wretched, and enough to make my happiness and
Pleasure.
After I had past my time awhile thus in _Coquettre_, this little Love,
who was my Guide, carried me to _Declaration_: I thought then upon the
time of my first Arrival on the _Isle of Love_; and how _Respect_, that
awful hinderer of our Pleasure, prevented me from going to this Place:
I urg’d this very argument _Respect_ then made me, to my _Coquet_ Love
now, who for answer return’d me nothing but loud Laughter; and when I
askt his reason, he replied, that _Respect_ did not forbid any to go
to _Declaration_, but those only who knew not how to behave themselves
well there, and who were not so well fashion’d and bred as they ought
to be, who go thither: And that it was a mere cheat in _Respect_
to conduct people to _Love_ by _Discretion_, that being much the
farthest way about, and under favor to Monsieur _Respect_ he is but
a troublesome companion to a Lover, who designs to cure those wounds
the fair has given him, and, if he have no better counsellor, he may
languish all his life without revealing the secret of his soul to the
object belov’d, and so never find redress. But this Sir _Formal_,
(_Respect_ says _Love_,) is a very great favourite of the Lady’s, who
is always in fee with them as a Jilt with a Justice; who manages their
Fools just as they wou’d have ‘em; for it is the most agreeable thing
in the World to them, and what the most feeds their vanity, to see at
their feet a thousand Lovers sigh, burn, and languish; the fair are
never angry to find themselves belov’d, nor ever weary of being Ador’d.
I was extreamly pleas’d at this frank Humour of my little Love who
told me this, and without much scruple or consideration to _Respect_
I followed him towards _Declaration_, and in my way he gave me this
Advice.
When you Love, or speak of it,
Make no serious matter on’t,
‘Twill make but subject for her wit
And gain her scorn in lieu of Grant.
Sneeking, whining, dull Grimasses
Pale the Appetite, they’d move;
Only Boys and formal Asses
Thus are Ridicul’d by Love.
While you make a Mystery
Of your Love and awful flame;
Young and tender Hearts will fly,
Frighted at the very name;
Always brisk and gayly court,
Make Love your pleasure not your pain,
‘Tis by wanton play and sport
Heedless Virgins you will gain.
By this time we were arriv’d to _Declaration_, which is a very little
Village, since it is only for Passengers to pass thrô, and none live
there, the Country is very Perilous, and those that make a false step
run a great risque of falling from some precipice: Round about rises
a very great mist, and people have much ado to know each other; of
these mists there are two sorts: The one on the side of _Denial_, the
other on that of _Permission_, the first is very disagreeable and draws
a very ill consequence with it; the other directs you to a place of
intire divertisement, but I had so good a guide that the entrance gave
me no trouble at all. When I came to the Village, I found _Bellimante_,
and _Bellinda_, to whom by turns I told all my heart; and discover’d
all its passion or its tenderness which was to me much better.
When to the charming _Bellinda_ I came,
With my heart full of Love and desire,
To gain my wisht end I talkt of a flame,
Of sighing, and dying, and fire,
I swore to her charms that my soul did submit,
And the slave was undone by the force of her Wit.
To fair _Bellimante_ the same tale I told,
And I vow’d and I swore her fair Eyes
No Heart-Ravisht mortal cou’d ever behold
But he panting and languishing Dys,
And while I was vowing, the ardour of youth
Made myself even believe what I swore was all Truth.
I confess to you, my dear _Lysander_, that it was a great while before
I cou’d make myself be believ’d by _Bellinda_, or gain any credit upon
her heart, she had a great deal of Wit and cou’d see farther into
the designs of her Lovers than those who had not so much, or had had
so many vows pay’d them: I perceiv’d well enough, I was not hated by
her, and that she had not a heart wholly insensible; so that I never
quitted her till I had gain’d so much upon her to accompany me to
_Permission_, where for some time we pass our days very pleasantly;
and having so good fortune with _Bellinda_, I had now a great desire
to try my power over _Bellimante_: and where indeed, contrary to my
expectation, I was not so happy: But she went from me to _Denial_; and
I was for that hour oblig’d to return again to _Bellinda_, it was some
time I searcht her in vain, but at last found her at a little Village,
extreamly agreeable. There are very few Inhabitants, but those that
are live in perpetual union, yet do not talk much, for they understand
one another with half words: A sign of the Hand, the Head or the
Eye, a glance or smile is sufficient to declare a great part of the
Inclination. It is here where the Lover takes all freedoms, without
controul, and says and does all that soft Love can permit: And every
day they take and give a secret Entertainment, speaking a particular
Language, which every body does not understand, and none but Lovers can
reply to; in effect, there are as many Languages as there are persons.
The Governess of this Village is very charming to those that are
acquainted with her; and as disagreeable to those that are not; she
is a person of a great deal of Wit, and knows all things. She has a
thousand ways to make herself understood, and comprehends all in a
moment, that you wou’d or can say to her.
In this place, to divert, we make a thousand pretty sorts of
Entertainments; and we have abundance of Artifices, which signify
nothing, and yet they serve to make life Agreeable and Pleasant.
’.was thus I liv’d at _Intelligence_; when I understood that
_Bellimante_ was retir’d to _Cruelty_. This news afflicted me
extreamly, but I was not now of a humour to swell the Floods with my
tears, or increase the rude winds with my ruder sighs; to tear my hair
and beat my Innocent breast as I us’d in my first Amour to do. However
I was so far concern’d that I made it my business not to lose this
insensible fair one, but making her a visit in spight of her retreat, I
reproacht her with cruelty.
Why, fair Maid, are you uneasy,
When a slave designs to please you;
When he at your feet is lying
Sighing, languishing, and dying?
Why do you preserve your charms
Only for offensive Armes?
What the Lover wou’d possess
You maintain but to oppress.
Cease, fair Maid, your cruel sway,
And let your Lover dy a nobler way.
Who the Devil wou’d not believe me as much in love now as I ever was
with _Silvia_: My heart had learnt then all the soft Language of
Love which now it cou’d prattle as naturally as its Mother Tongue;
and sighing and dying was as ready for my mouth as when it came from
my very heart; and cost me nothing to speak; Love being as cheaply
made now by me as a barter for a Horse or a Coach; and with as little
concern almost: It pleas’d me while I was speaking, and while I
believ’d I was gaining the vanity and pleasure of a conquest over an
unvanquisht heart. However I cou’d yet perceive no Grist come to my
Mill; no heart to my Lure; young as it was, it had a cunning that was
harder to deceive than all _Bellinda’s_ Wit: And seeing her persist
still in her Resolution I left her with a heart, whose pride more than
Passion resented the obdurat’ness of this Maid, I went as well compos’d
however as I cou’d to _Intelligence_; and found even some pleasure in
the cruelty and charming resistance of _Bellimante_, since I propos’d
to myself an infinite happiness in softening a heart so averse to Love,
and which I knew I shou’d compel to yield some time or other with very
little pains and force.
Oh! what Pleasure ‘tis to find
A coy heart melt by slow degrees;
When to yielding ‘tis inclin’d,
Yet her fear a ruin sees.
When her tears do kindly flow,
And her sighs do come and goe.
Oh! how charming ‘tis, to meet
Soft resistance from the fair;
When her pride and wishes meet
And by turns increase her care,
Oh! how charming ‘tis to know,
She wou’d yield but can’t tell how.
Oh! how pretty is her scorn
When confus’d ‘twixt Love and shame,
Still refusing (though she burn,)
The soft pressures of my Flame.
Her Pride in her denyal lies,
And mine is in my Victories.
I feigned nevertheless abundance of Grief to find her still persist in
her rigorous Cruelty; and I made her believe that all my absent hours I
abandoned myself to sorrows and despairs; though _Love_ knows I parted
with all those things in _Silvia’s_ Arms. But whatever I pretended,
to appear at _Cruelty_ and before _Bellimante_; at _Intelligence_ I
was all Galliard and never in better Humour in my Life than when I
went to visit _Bellinda_: I put on the Gravity of a Lover, and beheld
her with a Solemn Languishing Look: In fine, I accustomed myself to
counterfeit my Humour, whenever I found it convenient for my Advantage:
Tears, Vows, and Sighs cost me nothing, and I knew all the Arts to
jilt for Love, and could act the dying Lover, whenever it made for my
Satisfaction.
He that wou’d precious time improve.
And husband well his hours,
Let him complain and dye for Love,
And spare no Sighs or Showers.
To second which, let Vows and Oaths
Be ready at your will,
And fittest times and seasons chuse,
To shew your cozening skill.
In fine, after I had sufficiently acted the Languishing Lover, for the
accomplishment of all my Wishes, I thought it time to change the Scene,
and without having recourse to Pity, I followed all the Counsels of my
_Cupid_; who told me, that in stead of dying and whining at her Feet,
and damning myself to obtain her Grace, I should affect a Coldness,
and an Unconcern; for, _Lycidus_, assure yourself, said he, there is
nothing a Woman will not do, rather than lose her Lover either from
Vanity or Inclination. I thanked _Love_ for his kind Advice; and to
persue it, the next day I drest myself in all the Gayety imaginable: My
Eyes, my Air, my Language, were all changed; and thus fortified with
all the put-on indifference in the World, I made _Bellimante_ a Visit;
and after a thousand things all cold and unconcerned, far from Love or
my former Softness, I cried laughing to her;
Cease, cease, that vain and useless scorn,
Or save it for the Slaves that dye;
I in your Flames no longer burn,
No more the whining Fool you fly;
But all your Cruelty defie.