CHAP. I. Of the nature and power of Love.

VArious have been the Opinions concerning Love, that Passionate Love I mean, which is only found between persons of a different Sex; and the mistakes about it, have opened the mouths of ma­ny wise and religious men against it, who speak of it as pernitious to Youth, born of Idleness and [Page 2]Ease, and nourished by Sloth and Luxury, as a Weed that grows up in youthful mindes which de­stroys the early seeds of Vertue, and hinder 'em in the pursute of glorious Actions; making no di­stinction between it and that bru­tish desire w ^ch we call Lust; with this difference onely, that when our desires are determin'd to this or that person, it is called Love; and when like a Flame driven with the Wind, to which it is compared, it rages every where, and knows no bounds, they give it that other name. From hence it is they abound with Precepts and Cautions to prevent the minds of Youth from being poy­son'd, as they term it, with this destructive Passion, forbid the reading of Romances, from whence they pretend young La­dies fancies are depraved and de­bauched, and disposed with ease [Page 3]to dispence with Duty and Ho­nour, and all other considerati­ons, to follow the fortunes of a­ny spruce and impertinent fool, or desperate ruffian.

I know not what Instances they can produce of these perni­tious consequences, or how many examples in those excellent Ro­mances, which are the common entertainment of the most ver­tuous Ladies: They have been writ as Images of Vertue, and as Representations of the beauty and glory of a Life without ble­mish: Honour, Generosity, Cou­rage, and Fortitude, and all o­ther qualities, which render a person most amiable, are set off in the greatest lustre, to engage us to pursue the acquisition of them, and to render hateful and detestable the contrary Vices, which are represented with all the deformity and destructive conse­quences: [Page 4]but it fills, say they, the minde with extravagant Visi­ons, and imbues the Soul with a foolish enderness and pity, which makes 'em liable to become an easie Prey to any one, who by flattery and feigned submissions, have the opportunity to insinuate themselves into their company. I answer, That there will always be a number of vain, fond, and indiscreet persons in the World; but how can that be ascribed to the reading of those Books, which the rather help them to discern into the little Arts and Practises of men and women to enshare each other, acquaint 'em with all the Cajolings and coun­terfeit Vertues, and teach them to distinguish between the true and false crowning the constant Vertue, after it has taught him pa­tience and fortitude in the Tra­verses of this life, and leading [Page 5]the other to Infamy, Confusion, and Disgrace, the consequences of all inglorious actions?

The greatest enemies to Love are such who are possess'd with contrary Passions: for an old rich Cormorant, when he finds his Son or his Daughter touched by this Passion, he stays not to exa­mine the Merit of the person; it is nothing to him whether he be Wise, Vertuous, and Valiant: If it cross his designes of Ava­rice, he labours all he can to chase it from their breasts, and to destroy the early Seed: He raves, and storms, and thunders in his trembling Childrens ears, That Love is a Folly, Weakness, and Madness; and wants not ma­ny Examples of the deplorable effects, and ruinous consequences of it; confounding a Passion full of Innocence, and grounded upon Vertue, with that of Lust; [Page 6]whose lawless Rage is the cause of all thee disasters, which he unjustly charges upon Love: Unjustly I say, for though that inordinate and irregular desire which we call Lust, oft proves calamitous, and the cause of ma­ny misfortunes, involving some­times whole Families in bloud and infamy; yet without doubt Love, when 'tis grounded upon Reason, works far different Ef­fects, and is that which makes up the Felicity of those in whose breasts that Divine Flame finds entertainment. Of this Love I cannot say any thing too advan­tageous; it is the Soul of the Soul of the Soul, the very Source of all our laudable Passions; it makes us Generous, Brave, Civil, Liberal; it refines the Wit, and inflames to all worthy Actions. These are the natural Effects, be­ing the means to obtain that [Page 7]Charming Object which we love: It sweetens the most Rough and Salvage Tempers, softens the Heart, and renders milde and affable the most Barbarous Dis­positions: Without it we have none of those noble Sallies of the Soul, which excite to Hero­ique Actions, which make us sur­mount the most difficult Obstacles. Nothing is impossible to Love; it is fruitful in Miracles, and ren­ders all things easie to a Lover, whom at last vanquishes and tri­umps over all things; it inflames his desires, excites his hopes, and gives Fire to all those Passions which may advance its Empire.

Those persons whom I have mentioned being prepossess'd with a false Vertue, whereof they make an idol, look upon it as con­trary to Heroick Actions, and are so gravely scrupulous, as hat they will not suffer it to touch their [Page 8]ears: They treat at it as a Chi­maera, and meer extravagance; and if any friend of theirs be­come inamoured, they always finde something to reproach him for; with so much blindness and precipitation do they censure what deserves true Elogies, stop­ping their ears to all justification. But what is the reason of this, but the want of reflection on the means to render it reasona­ble? for they regard it as a blinde Fury in its greatest vio­lence, and as a Torrent when it is most rapid, without consider­ing that the greatest Fury in its birth, is but a light Passion; and that the Torrent which is most impetuous in its course, is but a Gut of Water in its Source. The same may be said of Love, which in its birth is no other than a ligh emotion, which is excited in our Souls by the Charm of a [Page 9]beautiful and pleasing Object convey'd by the eyes to the heart. If we attack it in that Infant e­state, we may easily vanquish it, and reduce it to terms of Rea­son: yet in this Combate we must regard it as a formidable enemy, and spare neither Force nor Stra­tagem.

Its power extends over the U­niverse, and all our other Passions are led Captive by it. It dis­arms our Fury, changes our Hate, and assumes an absolute Empire over our Wills; which Empire is as universal as that of Death: No Nation, no Age nor Sex, but live under its Laws; and whilst all other Empires have their bounds, Love knows not any. The greatest professors of severe Vertue, have not been wholly exempt from his imperious pow­er; he darts his irresistible Ar­rows to their Hearts, and renders [Page 10]them, one time or other, amo­rous, maugre all their strivings; and on these Love seems to take its greatest vengeance, because of their resistance.

No Age can plead exemption from its Laws; for if you urge your Youth, Love will tell you, That he's a Boy, and yet has gi­ven his heart to his Dear Psyohe; and if you demand other Exam­ples, he will let you see a thou­sand, who in their Infancy have been taught to give obedience to its power.

If you plead Old age, and would excuse your selves by that, he will shew you a thousand a­morous Old men, who will tell you, That Old age is most proper for a reasonable Love, & who will say to you with a brisk and not ungallant Voice, In our Amours you discern nothing of the Coldness of Age: 'Tis in young hearts [Page 11]that Love creates too great tran­sports; when we love, our Years augment our Wisdom, and ren­der us more submissive, more discreet, ardent, and more con­stant.

Thus we may see that Love exercises its Empire upon all men, of what Age and Condi­tion soever they be; so extensive is its Empire, and so uncontro­lable is its Power.

This may admonish us how dif­ficult it is to subject it to our Rea­son. If we do not oppose its growth even in its birth, and use our greatest efforts to regulate it, nothing is more subtile, crafty, and insinuating, than Love; for its Address is as great as its Force, and it hath the art to van­quish us by our own arms: for if we oppose our other Passions to it, which are the best Arms we have, Reason onely excepted, it [Page 12]seizes upon them straight by an admirable Dexterity, and turns them against our selves; and there is not one who in this Gombate willnot betray us, turn Re­negado, and range it self on the part of Love whensoever it plea­ses. Thus it extends its Empire every where; it raigus in Hea­ven, and in all the Regions of the Air, Earth, and Sea; the Plants themselves are sensible of its power, and, in short, all things that are Mortal must be subject to Love and Death.

That which begets most Asto­nishment is, that Love has the power and address to serve it self with all our Passions, and to convert to the same use even things that are most contrary to it. It makes not onely use of our Desires, but also even of A­version, and our flight from the Object loved, which are opposite [Page 13]to it, for the same designe. It is in vain that we believe to van­quish Love, in flying the sight of the Object which we finde ami­able in spight of us; and we had need well consult our selves, be­fore we resolve to deprive our eyes of the sight of it, to the end to tear out the Picture that Love has graved in our heart.

That same Heart, which sighs under its Tyranny, and which we desire to infranchise, will tell you sighing, that it will rather take part with Love than a­gainst it; and that absence will but onely increase its sufferings, and enslave it more. No, no, this flight will not cure the Amorous Wound: the Darts of Love stick in the Wounds of miserable Lo­vers; and the more they chase, and the faster they fly away, the Wounds become more mortal.

For that Passion which we [Page 14]call Hope, it does not onely give aid to Love as the other, but it is even the Throne of Love, where it appears with most Pomp and Lustre, from whence it shoots its most inevitable Darts. It is by this Passion it finishes the most glorious Enterprizes, and by which it preserves its Conquests; it entirely captivates us to Love, and it is so fearful that we should break its Chains, that it flatters us incessantly with a thousand Sweets; and it is so ingenious in the important ser­vices it renders to Love, that it flatters a Lover into the most gross deceipts. This is the great Consolation of miserable Lovers, and even by its help alone they are encourag'd to such a constant pursuit, as at last overcomes the most rebellious heart.

Despair also ranges it self on the side of Love; for it is so ingeni­ous [Page 15]and so malicious together, that it lets us see that we love in vain; and yet seduces us so crafti­ly with the Charms of a false Glory, and Spurs us on to a ridi­culous Generosity, to think our selves happy to die for an insen­sible Ingrate, who laughs at us all the time of our Love and Death, yet in making this Resolution we believe we merit a Crown.

Courage is no less of the party of Love; for Love first imprints this great Maxime in our Spirits, That the most fair, love always the most brave.

Fear, though it be contrary to Courage, yet it is no less of the party of Love, and is no less ser­viceable to Love than it, when that Soveraign of the Passions or­dains it: and most Lovers con­fess every day, that their fears are onely an excess of Love. Con­sider these, timerous Lovers, when [Page 16]they approach those surprizing Beauties which charm them, they find themselves speechless, they sigh, and almost sound away, and dare not lift up their eyes, or open their mouths, to regard them, or to complain, nor even to sigh; so much they are affraid to offend these visible Divinities which they adore.

It is true, that Fear is so intire­ly submitted to Love, that when it pleases, it begets that Passion in the heart of the greatest Heroe; and he who has seen without the least Consternation the fall of Empires, has yet trembled at the presence of her he adores.

Yet nevertheless this Fear is not of the kind of those servile Fears, which make men tremble for themselves: Fears so base, en­ter not into those great hearts, they are onely for the Object loved, for whose sakes they rea­dily [Page 17]throw themselves into the greatest Perils.

It is this Passion that Love make use of to establish its Em­pire: for perswading these un­daunted Spirits, that the Object loved measures always the gran­deur of their Passions by that of the fear they ought to have for the safety of what they love; it makes them forget their own, and makes them tremble, maugre all their Courage, to testifie the excess of their Love, and to aug­ment by that, that of the person beloved.

It doth not onely make them forget their proper safety, but al­so the care of their Reputation in many occasions, and makes them prefer the care to save the person beloved, to all other cares which regard their Honour. It was for this reason, that the great Pompey refused to combate Caesar, [Page 18]and at the expence of his Repu­tation he deferr'd a Battel, on which depended all his Fortune and all his Glory, till he had ren­der'd out of danger what he lo­ved above himself. It was at this time onely that Pompey's courage abandon'd him, and fear made the Husband of Cornelia tremble. 'Tis in the like occasions that Love made us see the prodigious power that it hath over us, by that ingenious Address that it hath to make use of our Passions against our selves: and certainly that Power and that Address are equally admirable and charming, when they are the cause or the effect of a Reasonable Love.

Respect, which is a Species of that timerous Passion, and which may be call'd a Noble fear, con­firms all that I have said. And it is by this that Love doth most ex­tend its Empire.

This Respect augments with Love, and with the fear we have for the person beloved. In short, we see every day, that he who strives not to please by Respect, and principally at Court, where Love is most reasonable and most refined, never succeeds in his A­mours.

This Respect is the very Source of all Love's power, and it may be truely said, that without it that Love is not capable to make those glorious and difficult Con­quests which it Atchieves.

It is that which we observe when Love attacks those hearts whose scrupulous Vertue being sensible of their weakness, fears the sight of those Lovers which press them; for then these equal­ly severe and tender Souls finde themselves in a very pitiful estate; sometimes they fear to give ear to their Sighs, because they finde [Page 20]themselvs too weak, without run­ning the risque of engaging their hearts; and other times they are equally affraid to appear inhu­mane. If they refuse to hearken to them, it is because they believe that there is too much rigour in such a Refusal; yet at last they finde themselves constrained to be pitiful, insomuch that their hearts are engaged insensibly by that inquietude. As soon as they perceive they love that which they fear, their hearts complain of them, and making at once re­flection on what it suffers in this hard Combate, it cannot forbear sighing. Love, which makes all these Attacks, is astonish'd with this resistance, and may be would carry his Attempt no farther, if he did not serve himself of Respect; which he makes appear to the Attaqu'd heart in the eyes of her Lover, whose looks are so [Page 21]animated with Love, that in a moment Respect triumphs over her heart, maugre all resistance, and thus renders Love victorious.

See the true Picture of this Combate, and of this Victory, made by one of these fearful and scrupulous Ladies.

It is so true, that the chief power of Love consists in this Respect, that when a Lover be­haves [Page 22]himself in a manner full of Respect before one of these fair severe ones, it seems to her-that such a Lover intends with all her Enemies to betray her, and to vanquish her. So much does she finde her self attacked in all the places of her Heart: In that thought, and in that Assault, she findes she wants the force to re­sist him; and she abases her self even to conjure this respectuous Lover, to affront and to provoke her hate; so much she findes her self pressed by the violence of his Respect.

Fear does not onely beget Love, which makes use of it not onely to introduce it self into a Heart, but also by its means Love establishes it self there, and se­cures it self from being despoyl'd of the Fruit of its Victories.

It is by dissembling this Fear, that a Lady who loves, and is un­willing to loose her Servant, tells him trembling, That she would not for all the world any should know her tenderness for him. She caresses him onely in secret, to the end he may esteem her fa­vours greater. Thus she awakens by this Fear and Circumspection, which she feigns, the Fires which else might die without it, because that then that abused Lover sets so much a greatervalue upon her Fa­vours [Page 24]and Caresses, as they cost him more dear, and are given more rarely and in secret. This is most usually practised by the ex­pert Miss of the Town, who always paints an Image of Fear upon her Face, to increase the price of her Favours, which else might be neglected.

It is then certain, that the fear which ought to defend us against Love when it is not reasonable, forsakes us as the other Passions, and flies over to the party of Love whensoever it pleases.

Choler, which by reason of its transport seems most contrary to Love, fails not to accord with Love, and to take part against us when it pleases.

And certainly if Love be in­genious in managing all our other Passions against us, he shews an Art wholly admirable in the use of this. See how he works when [Page 25]he sees a Lover who believes him­self betrayed by his Mistriss, and who with a just despite comes to reproach her Levity and In­constancy; he is so affraid that this Captive should break his Chains, that he quickly has a re­course to Choler; he blows it in­to the heart of that fickle Mistriss, making her do all the extravagant Actions that Rage and Despair can inspire into a Lady who loo­ses all that she loves. By this feign'd Choler he imprints so tender a pity in the heart of that abused Lover, that he becomes more amorous than ever: and if his Friends reproach him with his Weakness, he answers, That he cannot return her less than Love for the marks of a Love so great; & exaggerates a thousand furious actions that he hath seen this des­paring Lady do, by which he suf­fers himself to be entirely re­enslaved [Page 26]beyond redemption.

Behold how Love serves it self of this Passion, to make us love even more violently than we e­ver did! for by these Quarrels which happen betwixt Lovers, Love re-enforces it self; and there seems a new birth of it in the heart of him who accuses, when the accused justifies her self: for what disorder soever Reproaches produce betwixt Lovers, the Criminal finds Pardon a sweet Remedy, which is always atten­ded by some new Favours. In short, there is nothing so ravish­ing and so sweet to a Lover, af­ter a transport of Choler against his Mistriss which he believes un­faithful, than to see her in pain to appease him, and to give good reasons to excuse an imaginary offence, and to wipe her eyes with her fair hand, and to pay his unjust Tears by a thousand fresh favours.

It onely remains that I speak of Joy and Grief, to let you see that Love is absolute Master of all our Passions when it pleases, I mean when we do not subject it to our Reason.

If we consider that Joy is no other thing than the frui­tion of an agreeable Good, which renders the Soul content, and which interdicts the use of Desire, as well as of Sorrow and Fear; it onely suffices to make us conceive the true Idaea of it, and to promise us the enjoyment, to engage us to whatsoever it pleases. This Love is not wanting in, and it knows so well how to repre­sent that Idaea in so charming a manner, that it bewitches our eyes, and forgets not to tell us in making us see that agreeable I­mage of Pleasure, that it is the end of all things; it fails not to shew us that it arrests the vio­lence [Page 28]of our Desires, and con­strains all our wandring Passions to taste repose, which are not to be found but in it; that it swee­tens our Anger, and takes away the fierce Humour which accom­panies it; and that it is it self the recompence of all those long Travels which we suffer in its ac­quest: that it chases away Fear, and banishes all those vain Ter­rours which disquiet our Souls: it banishes also Despair and Sor­row; and if it still retain Tears and Sighs, it is as spoyls which publish its Victory, and which honour its Triumph. In short, it lets you see that Pleasure is all you wish, and all you want; and it promises you the enjoyment with so apparent certainty, that it is impossible not to render your selves, when it attacks you by its utmost power.

But though it does not finish [Page 29]this Conquest onely by that Charming Idaea, yet since it knows how to expose it in so at­tractive a manner, that it is almost impossible not to be seduced, as soon as it represents to our eyes and fancies the sole Image of the places where it makes us taste these Delights.

It is by these Arts that Love conceals the true Torment in which it makes us languish when we take not the pains to render it reasonable, which we ought to do before we permit it entrance into our Hearts; for if we do not, but suffer it to becom our Master by its finesses, it makes such a ravage in our Souls, as no­thing in the World is in so deplo­rable a state, as that to which it will reduce us. It is a certain truth, and whereof we cannot doubt, if we will believe those who have fallen into its Nets; for [Page 30]in recounting this pitiful History, they will tell you in a very mise­rable Tone:

If we blame these unfortunate Gallants for being so seduced by this unregulated Passion, they quickly excuse their Weakness, by the force and crafts of that agreeable Imposture, and paint to you all the false Pleasures which it promises.

As to the Passion of Sorrow, it is no less serviceable to Love in the finishing its Conquest; and what is most admirable, it makes use of this Passion in a hundred different manners for the same designe, that is to say, to subject us to him in despight of our selves and the assistance of our Reason.

When he sees that a fair and insensible Lady will not admit him into her Heart, and that he hath put in practise unprofitably all his Wiles, he at last has re­course to this Passion, and from its aid obtains what he desires. [Page 32]He sweetens the disconsolate and despairing Lovers Sorrows, and perswades him that Pity will at last vanquish his obdurate Mi­striss; by which means he makes him endure all his Sufferings with satisfaction, and pursue it through a million of Pains and Torments, which at last vanquish the Heart, which was thought invincible.

Yet though the Empire of Love be as vast as that of the World, and that all men without exception are his Subjects, and that by his Craft he renders him­self Master of all our Passions; yet this is but a part of the Pow­er of this agreeable Tyrant; so many Stratagems he has to van­quish us: for there is one great Art more, by which love sedu­ces us, that is, to diguise it self un­der the mask of Friendship, by which it surprizes and captivates us before we are aware.

For this Disguise gives a free Access; it shews it self in a thou­sand places where Love dares not appear, if it were known: And as there is no person who receives not joyfully this Friend­ship into their hearts, so there is no Heart prepared against the Ar­tifice of this disguised Traytor. Behold the Description of one of these Disguisements, and of one of the Conquests which Love made under the name of Friendship.

There is one thing more which Love makes use of with success, and that is Gold; for he sees few persons refuse their Heart, when that rich Metal demands it. For this Reason it is said, That Gold is the Vanquisher of Women, and by consequence all the Powers of the Earth, since the power of [Page 35]that beautiful Sex hath not yet found limits in the whole extent of Nature.

In fine, there is nothing in the World which is not of the party of Love, and whereof he does not dispose at his pleasure, against those who reist him: and by consequence, there is no power so dreadful as his; for if we con­sider his Empire, it is as large as the Universe; and if we regard his Subjects, we shall see amongst them as many Kings and Heroes as in all the Earth; and if we make reflection upon all within and without us, we can spy no­thing that is not ready to assist Love in its Conquensts. From hence we may see, that it is not easie to reduce Love to a sub­mission to our Reason, to effect which, we stand in need to en­gage all our Force and Wit.

CHAP. II. The means to submit Love to Reason.

IF we would subject Love to Reason, we must surprize and arrest it whilst it is still in our eyes, to the end that we may consult our Reason before it go too far; and the better to know it, and to stay it in its passage, we must know how it makes its first entrance, and what it is we feel when it makes its nearer ac­cesses to the Heart; of which it will quickly become Master, if we be not as subtile as it, and prevent its progress.

When we observe something rare, which we cannot express in a beautiful person, we at pre­sent regard it with attetion, [Page 37]onely to content our curiosity. This is the first stage that Love makes, thence it glides into our Eyes with the charming Idaea. At the first view the Object ap­pears onely agreeable, and onely gives a simple desire to know what it is: when we have learn'd this, our Curiosity augments, and desiring to learn more, we care­fully seek the means to speak to her, that we may see whether her Spirit and Conversation answers to her Beauty. Having tried her Wit, and gained some know­ledge of her humour, we begin to have a more than ordinary complaisance for her: we feel a secret pleasure when we see and speak to her; which we do so oft, that it becomes so much a custome, that we cannot quit her company without regret: When we part with her, we are pensive, and the Soul without [Page 38]perceiving any thing flatters it self by a thousand amusing and delightful thoughts. When we have dallied a few days with these thoughts, we begin to be sensible of something without a name, which begins to trouble our repose: our sleeps, which begin to be unquiet, represent a thousand agreable Images, which beget many wishes even in our Dreams. 'Tis then we may con­clude that our Hearts are no longer our own, but are become Captives whilst we thought them free.

See how Love glides into the Heart through the Eyes, and in what manner it acts to render it self master, when it findes a per­son who makes little resistance, and who does not dispute its Triumphant Progress, by oppo­sing all the forces of Reason to it. When we perceive our selves [Page 39]moved by that first curiosity which fastens our Eyes upon a beautiful Object, let our first thoughts be to distrust our selves, and to hold for an undoubted principle, that there is nothing more cunning or insinuating than that fair Sex; and that there is no kinde of Stratagem which they make not use of to make themselves beloved, because in that they place their greatest glory.

With this diffidence we must examine with care all the draughts of that beauty which begins to charm us; and how extraordi­nary soever they are, let us not give an entire credit to our Eyes, but imagine that our Senses may be deceivers; and to fortifie our selves in these thoughts, hold for a principle as certain, that there are no Beau­ties absolutely perfect, or at least [Page 40]the number is very small.

Let us not therefore presently believe that what we see hath not so much beauty as she ap­pears to have; let us always fan­cy that she may have some con­cealed deformity, which will be too late for us to discover when once our Hearts are no longer in our own possession; for when the Soul is possessed with that flagrant Passion, the sick Fancy does so unite the scattered per­fections, that no imperfections can be visible to an entangled Inamarato.

We must not therefore suffer our selves to be dazled by these surprizing interviews, but pre­serve our selves free for some time; and not believe a Beauty all perfect, till we have viewed and examined all things at our leisure.

Yet it is not enough that a [Page 41]Woman be fair onely to merit our Love; for there is nothing so frail and changeable as Beauty, nor nothing so fading as its Charms: It is also necessary that the Beauty of the Minde and of the Soul accompany it, if we de­sire our Loves should be solid, and endure as long as our Lives.

When we finde a Beauty in all things perfect, in which the Sun it self cannot discover the least blemish; let us reflect that there is nothing so subject to a misera­ble change as her Beauty: for nothing is so fading, or hath so many Enemies as its Charms. The Sun is its jealous Enemy, and the Fire destroys it: All things in Nature seem to conspire the ru­ine of the fairest things. This may teach us to make but small account of the Beauty of the Body, if it be not accompanied by that of the Minde. Nature [Page 42]wills, that Roses should endure but for a moment, and Thorns for ever. Hence it is that we see every day a thousand Lovers who mock at those proud Ladies who have onely the beauty of the body for their Portion; for when their Pride and Vanity swell so high, that they believe all men ought of duty to die for 'em, this unjust Rigour causes those poor Idolaters to return to Rea­son; and then perceiving how little incense these fair Inhu­manes deserve, there is not one who in his turn will not say in scorn,

See how these proud ones are treated whilst their Beauty flou­rishes; but they are more outra­geously dealt with when Diseases [Page 44]or Wrinkles claps on a frightful and unmovable Vizard on their Faces, 'tis then the Gallants whom they scornfully used will revenge themselves by a thousand Scoffs, Reproaches, and Lampoons.

Thus Beauty changes, and with it all its fond Idolaters; we must not therefore suffer our selves to be captivated, though we finde a Beauty in perfection; but let us examine well whether the beauty of the Soul answer to that of her Body; for 'tis that alone which can entertain Love longest, and will render us the most happy. In short, there is nothing more fading than those Amorous sweets which make the Paradise of Lovers, if they are not refin'd and spiritual; for if they be not, they are more proper for Beasts than reasonable Crea­tures.

We ought not therefore, [Page 45]though we finde a person infi­nitely fair and charming, to suf­fer our selves to be ensnared by her, if she be not as infinitely Witty: for Wit makes all the sweets of a reasonable life, and without it Love cannot render us happy, or at least for any long time; for there is nothing can entertain us long but the Charms of the Minde, which are able to make it endure eternally.

Yet neither is it enough that we finde as much Wit as Beauty in her we begin to love; we must also learn whether the Soul have as fair qualities as the Spirit and the Bo­dy: for if an excellent and unstai­ned Soul, replenished with good­ness, doth not accompany those Charms, they serve onely to blinde us, and to lead us to Pre­cipices, where our ruine is inevi­table. In short, there is nothing which is not fatal in a beautiful [Page 46]Woman, if she be vitious; and by consequence, nothing which we ought more to detest: We must therefore make a swift re­treat upon the first appearances, lest we be caught, and want the power to disengage our selves from the inchantments of that fatal Beauty. Of this, that fa­mous Greek presents us an exam­ple: And though there are few Ladies which are so dangerous as she, yet there are few who are not Proud, Cruel, Ungrateful, Inconstant, Weak, Vain, and Humorous, if they want Vertue, which onely regulates the Pas­sions, and makes Reason always govern in our Souls.

These defects are not so easily discerned in a Woman as we be­lieve: for all those fair ones have a million of Inventions and Artifices to conceal them; the principle of which arts is to [Page 47]blinde us, by exposing their fair­est qualities, and hiding with care their imperfections. Let us be vigilant in our search, lest we be deluded: for if we be once perswaded by this subtile Art, Love is o longer in the Eyes, it lies already in the Heart, where it plays the Tyrant, and by a force so uncontroulable, that we have no longer power to make any resistance.

A second craft of these fair Deceivers is, that when they see that we do not discover the Hook which they conceal under their false Charms, and that we run after it, they play the cun­ning Anglers, feign to draw it away, to make us more greedy of the fatal Bait: for after they have given us the first stroke, they know how to augment our de­sires by delays, little Coldnesses, short Divorces, Amorous Com­plants, [Page 48]secret Reproaches, and counterfeit Angers.

There are some who exceed these in craft; they have the art to mingle so well sweetness with severity, that a poor Lover spends all his time in the vain pursuit of a Bliss, which he onely tastes in imagination, without ever be­ing weary of his fruitless travel. Sometimes they give him ardent desires mixt with a few sparks of hope; then straight with one haughty look inspire a fear so respectuous, that they see their Lo­vers at once in Ice and Fire; and because they know that Love dies after it is enjoyed, they are so malitiously ingenious, that by little favours, whereof on such occasions they are not thrifty, they nourish the languishing di­stemper, and never ease or satis­fie it.

But amongst the number of [Page 49]these beautiful Decoyers of Hearts, none make so many Con­quests as those who dissemble a false Devotion, and a counterfeit Vertue: This makes every day new Slaves, and oftentimes the most brave and Illustrious are Captivated by these fair dissem­blers; for under that deceitful Mask, they seduce even the most reasonable persons.

As for those who dissemble by false appearances of Vertue, they have an universal art, able to se­duce all mankind. No Cameleon takes so many different forms, nor Protheus who assumes so many dif­ferent shapes, to allure an innocent heart, and a man of an easie belief as these dissemblers. The very sha­dow of a Vice offends her scrupu­lous modesty; she dissembles an extream coldnessfor all her Ser­vants; and feigning to neglect the making Conquests, she flies [Page 50]all places and entertainments of Love: and to render our desires more vigorous and curious, she exposes her self as little as she can to view. She counterfeits always a modest air, and a sober and pru­dent deportment, and seems to be ignorant in the use of her Charms: When an intoxicated Lover makes his address to her, and is about making a declara­tion of love to her, she imposes silence on him, and for a while she will by no means give any audience to him: This increases his respect, and preserves the dignity of the Throne of Love. She feigns to be as ignorant of his Language, as if he came from a forrain Nation; and under an innocent face, this crafty Mistriss shews her art by her seeming stupidity: and in short, she assumes the air and fashions of a meer Novice, and counterfeits [Page 51]ignorance of an art which is all her study.

Behold part of the Artifices of these false and pretending Vertues; they conceal all their Defects, by which, as I have said, they endanger the wisest per­sons: but upon the least appear­ance, or the least conjecture that you have of their disguisements, fly them as much as you would do a Bed of Flowers full of Ser­pents: And the better to succeed in so wholesome a designe, consi­der of the danger that lies con­cealed under so much Artifice; and to fortifie you in this glori­ous Resolution, be always per­swaded that these fair counter­feits will at least but give you a false pleasure; for to speak with the Proverb, you will finde upon the credit of a long Experience, Que-le-jeu ne vaut pas la Chandel: Your Game is not worth your Candle.

There is not one Evil which these capricious Creatures make us not endure; and the ills they make us suffer are such real ones, and so infinite in number, that there is scarce one of their Ser­vants who is not incessantly upon Racks and Tortures: for besides all their other precious Qualities, they are so insolent and humor­some, that they will not believe they are beloved, if the miserable infatuated Wretches do not al­ways look pale and languishing, and three or four times a day at­tempt to Hang or Drown them­selves, or at least perpetually tear their poor Hearts with Hey-Ho's, and if the very shadow of a suspition doth not give them a thousand Alarms: they will al­ways needs have 'um distrustful and jealous without cause, sigh without ceasing, and never be content with them or with them­selves. [Page 53]They carry their extra­vagancy yet farther; they never believe themselves fair, except they wash themselves in the Tears of these unhappy men; and think they offend their false Ver­tue, if they are not cruel every moment. If you demand these miserable Loves how they pass their daies, there is not one who will not say, in an Accent that will make you pitty him,

But that which is more funest than all this miserable life, is, that since Love transforms us as often­times into the person beloved; so he who is caught in the Toyls of a person capricious and un­faithful, will become like her un­faithful and humoursome; and so both the Lover and his Mistriss do nothing all their lives but tor­ment one another, and all their comfort is in doing injurys to each other, and in making reciprocal reproaches: This makes them the sport and contempt of all that [Page 55]know them; for in breaking publickly their Chains, they complain to all the World of the indignities they have endured, and curse the fatal day in which with so little Glory they submit­ted to such feeble Charms, and to such a dishonourable Vassal­lage.

It is thus, that those who a­bandon themselves to Love with­out consulting Reason, finde themselves constrained to confess their blindness and errour with shame to all the World; and that they are fallen from those hopes which they had too lightly and vainly conceived; and that they are weary with their long-suffer­ing: and there is nothing more shameful than for a man to be reduced to publish himself that he hath trifled away his time in the pursuit of a Woman without merit, and at last to be obliged [Page 56]to to renounce the faith he has once given with a thousand Oaths ne­ver to infringe.

For to what shameful extremi­ty must he be reduced, who to become free, must become guilty of a base crime? since there is none more great than the breach of that faith which we have so so­lemnly given.

It is therefore, as I have said, not onely necessary to know whether they have Wit, but also to be assured that the beauty of the Soul is replenished with good­ness equal to that of the Body; and if you finde the least defect in that, flie their presence as you would a Monster, and mock at that Beauty which is not atten­ded by Goodness and Vertue: and the more surprizing and charming these Syrens are, stand more upon your guard, and suf­fer not your selves to be van­quished [Page 57]by those by whom it is a shame to be conquered.

Behold the dangerous conse­quences of an imprudent Love, to oblige all those who have Rea­son, to make use of it against its allurements: be not therefore wanting to consult and to fol­low the Precepts I have given; and let it be done quickly, before Love has made its progress from the Eyes into the Heart; and let it not pass so far, without the strictest scrutiny into the nature and quality of it: for when it is there, how well soever it be dis­guised, it will be in vain to call Reason to your succour: and if you should attempt to turn out that turbulent Stranger, you will finde it as much in vain and ri­diculous, as if a Moor should mask his Face to avoid the raies of the Sun, which can do no in­jury to his sooty complexion.

Follow then the Precepts which I have given: as soon as you are smitten by an extraordi­nary Beauty; examine at leisure whether she has not some concea­led Deformity. If you finde her perfect in Body and Minde after you have considered her a long time, and be well assured that they are not appearances; then you may believe that Reason per­mits you to love, and will take the Conduct of it; then you may submit your self without a­cting any thing against your Glo­ry, and may expect nothing but Happiness from it; for that Love which is guided by Reason, is never followed by Sorrows or Regrets: Secrecy, Constancy, and Discretion, will attend your happy Flames; and though it be always vehement, yet it will al­ways act regularly, and without extravagance. Thus conserving [Page 59]your mutual Flames always in a just heat, you will be always hap­py, and always amorous, and you will never have reason to blush at so fair and laudable a Passion.

And though such a Lover should not be successful in the Conquest of the Heart he does besiege, yet such a Vertuous La­dy is always just and reasonable, and a Lover cannot be dis-satis­fied: for behold what her Con­duct is; If she grant nothing, she permits a Lover to hope all things: all the Ills she causes may be well endured, since she pities them: her very Refusals displea­ses him not: she is neither easie, nor too severe: she nourishes both his Hope and Desire, and knows the Secret to make her self Mistriss of Souls: she kin­dles the Fire, and feeds the Flame, but never suffers either the Fa­vours which she bestows, nor the [Page 60]Ills she makes him endure, to go to excess.

Thus a Reasonable Lover is in perpetual repose; and in lieu of Complaints and, Reproaches, which other Lovers do constant­ly load their Mistrisses with, he on the contrary has nothing to return her but Thanks and Prai­ses.

It is thus that Lovers who go­vern themselves by Reason, taste a thousand Sweets in the way to a happy Island, where all their Desires are crowned.

See the beauty of this Char­ming Island where all reasonable Lovers are Crowned, where they taste the Pleasures which never finish but with their lives! And it is in this place that they see themselves at the height of their Glory & Felicity; and they know so certainly that this Glory and Felicity will endure eternally, by the knowledge that they mutu­ally have of their Vertues, that they defie without fear both Heaven and Earth ever to trou­ble it: also all their Words serve onely to express that common joy, and that common assu­rance.

It is not without reason that such Lovers boast of the eternal duration of their Love: for that Beauty of which they are reci­procally amorous, that is to say the beauty of the Soul and of the Minde, whose brightness receives [Page 63]a new splendor from the Body, never changes; no Malady ever renders them displeasing to each other: They are agreeable till death, and Death it self receives a lustre from their mutual Loves.

In effect, the death of these rare Beauties hath nothing hi­deous; one may take it rather for a sweet Sleep, than for a true Death; one cannot call it Pale­ness: what we see upon the Cheeks of these dying fair ones, it is rather such a colour as we see in a clear Night, when the Sun retires his Raies: Their eyes become even then dangerous; the Fire burns even when it is about to be extinguished; and as the Sun eclipsed ceases not to be dangerous and ill to our sight, the same ma be said of these dying Eyes, the Sparks which fall from them have both bright­ness and heat; and I doubt not [Page 64]but they will be able to kindle a Fire in a Heart into which any of them happens to fall.

By this one may judge of the power of these fair Eyes when they are in their greatest lustre and vigour, especially when Wit and Virtue contribute to their Victories. It is thus then that these Fair ones attaque us, and which oblige us at the sight of their victorious Arms to render our Hearts, if we would that our defeat be glorious, and our Chains worthy of us; and if we would arrive at that charm­ing Island of which I have spo­ken, in which Lovers taste in­conceivable Pleasures, and Joys of an eternal duration.

CHAP. III. Of the qualities which a Lover ought to possess, to make him ca­pable to please, and to render himself beloved by his Mi­striss.

BEfore I speak of the quali­ties which may render us amiable to these reasonable fair ones, which onely deserve to be truely beloved, it is necessary to know precisely what Love is.

Love, to define it well, is a general alienation of the person who loves; it is a Transport without Contract, and without hope of return; by which we give our selves entirely, and with­out any reserve, to the person beloved: It is a sweet extasie, [Page 66]by which the Soul ceases to live in the Body which it animates, for to live in that which it loves. From hence it follows, that a per­son who loves passes into the per­son beloved, and assumes in his imagination, in his Minde, and in his Heart, a new and particular be­ing; which two Lovers mutually do, when Love is reciprocal: and thus, being united by Rea­son, they live in one another in­tellectually. This being so, it follows, that to become the moity of an Illustrious Heart, that is to say, to be beloved of a person of merit, it is necessary that our Heart be Illustrious also, and that we possess as much merit as that admirable person, other­wise these two Hearts can never make that charming Union which makes all the delights of mutual Love.

The first thing then that [Page 67]we ought to do, is to love her by whom we desire to be beloved again; for though by a prodigy she may love us without seeing herself beloved, her Vertue will disavow her Heart, and she will disapprove it as a crime the grea­test that can be committed: for it is a Maxime among all extraor­dinary persons of that fair Sex, That Love onely is the reward of Love.

But it is not enough that we love, but also that our Love be perfect: when you do this, you want not the principal means to vanquish her. This will give a softness to all our Words, a lan­guishing sweetness to our Eyes, which will not fail to gain credit with the most inexorable Beau­ty.

This Rule being certain, that there is nothing more necessary to make our selves beloved, than to [Page 68]have Merit, and to love perfectly; it remains onely that I teach in what true Merit consists.

First, we ought to hold it for an undoubted Principle, that it lies in our own power to acquire this Merit; for if it be above our forces, those which want it by reason of the want of power, cannot be disdained without In­justice: and from hence it is easie to conclude, that Merit consists not in the gifts of Fortune, be­cause Fortune it self depends on Destiny, or to say better, of Chance; it follows onely its Decrees, and dispences onely her Favours according to her own Capricious humour. It wants eyes to consider the beauty of those who implore her, and ears to hear the charming words of those who employ them to invite her.

This true Merit therefore con­sists [Page 69]not in the goods of Fortune, since they are not in our power. This true Lovers know so well, that instead of searching after them, they demonstrate a pub­lick and perpetual contempt of them; ad not onely so, but as soon as they love, they swear to quit all their Fortune for their Mistriss.

In short, the Favours of that capricious Fortune were so little worthy of the esteem of a man of Merit, that there are many who have rejected them from the number of Moral Goods: for Riches have no other value than what Opinion gives them: be­sides, Merit hath this property, that it gives a Lustre to him who possesses it, whereas Riches are never serviceable to him who hath the possession, but are one­ly enjoyed at the point when he parts with them. By consequence [Page 70]Riches cannot make a Lover be beloved of these extraordinary persons; for Merit ought to be something within us, and which we have acquired our selves.

Birth has no greater advantage than Riches, in its pretensions to true Merit: for, as I have said, Merit depends on our Will, but on the contrary our Birth is the effect of Chance: a Coat of Arms, or the Grandeur of a Fami­ly, makes not Merit: and as Ea­gles are produced in Deserts, Reptiles may be ingendred in Pa­laces; and whilst the highest Mountains are curs'd with an eter­nal Barrenness, the fertile Valleys flourish with Palms and Cedars.

It is not then from our extracti­on that we derive our Merit: Our Illustrious Ancestors contribute little besides their Examples to make us vertuous; nay, we may become quite contrary to them [Page 71]in our Inclinations and Lives. This is so true, that Love it self treats Kings and Shepherds in the same manner. Yet think not that Love is the cause of any base Condescention; no, it is so far from that, it raises the least per­fect, to equal the other. It is in this noble Designe that he makes the most perfect of these Lovers to speak in this manner to them they love, to inflame them to the Acquest of those Illustrious Qua­lities, that they may entertain and discover their Flame without blemishing their Glory.

Thus Love by Merit equals two persons of a birth so very much opposite, and unites them maugre all this opposition.

Behold how Love hath no re­gard to Birth! and as that Love whereof I speak is caused and nourished onely by true Merit, so I have made it appear that Merit consists no more in high Extraction than in Riches.

There are some who set a va­lue upon nothing but Wit, and stoutly maintain, that in it alone true Merit doth consist; but these abuse themselves as well as the other, and for the same rea­son: for we see so many persons without Wit, and who yet desire and pretend to have it, that it is evident that it depends no more of us than Birth or Riches, and consequently does not make this true Merit. Some persons we see, who scarce have a grain of [Page 73]good sence, whom we would judge have been made of the ve­ry dregs of Matter, and you would say there is not one spark of this Celestial fire in their Constitutions. There are other who are quite contrary to them, who seem to be formed of the purest extract of matter, whose Souls are so pure and so refin'd, that it hardly reflects all the bright Impressions it receives; all its motions are so just and re­gular, that it seems not flattery or extravagance to compare those excellent Spirits to Stars and In­fluences: Yet this cannot, as I have said, properly be called Me­rit, since it is not of our acqui­sition.

Yet I deny not that Wit is ne­cessary to make us esteemed; yet I maintain that it alone is not sufficient, though we possess it in an infinite degree, to merit the [Page 74]love of those extraordinary per­sons of whom I speak. Nor is it enough for a Lady to be per­fectly fair, or infinitely witty, to oblige us to love her; for there is required besides, Vertue, to establish that mutual Love, which is the sole end to which we must aspire, as the onely Object of our Felicity.

It is then in Vertue alone that Merit doth properly consist, and 'tis this alone which advances us above the rank of ordinary persons, being the onely good which we can call our own, and which lies in our power to ac­quire. I do not mean that or­dinary Vertue which is found in common Souls; I mean that emi­nent Vertue which onely meets entertainment in great Mindes, & which we call Heroick. This is that kinde of Vertue which I demand in a person, to render himself wor­thy [Page 75]to be beloved, and capable to subject the most Illustrious Hearts.

It is necessary to explain what a Heroe is, and what I mean by Heroick Vertue. Many extrava­gant Wits have rendred very unjust Images of it, and repre­sented it as a thing uppracticable, They are not contented with an Heroe who doth not things above Humane force, who beats not down Walls of Cities, and routs not whole Armies by his single Valour. It is necessary to reform the wilde imaginations of these persons, and to reduce them to just measures. 'Tis not the sta­ture or the strength of body which makes a Heroe; it is the vigour and firmness of the mind: for there may be Souls very eleva­ted in little Bodies, and extream­ly constant, and of extraor­dinary vigour, in an infirm and [Page 76]delicate Body. Consequently, all men are capable of this Heroick Vertue, and 'tis attainable by persons of both Sexes, being e­qually capable of it. It is possessed in different degrees of eminence, according to the dignity of the Object, and the different powers of minde of those who pursue the acquisition of it.

The first cause of this Heroick Vertue, is the dignity of its Ob­ject, which is Glory; this being no other thing than the splendor of a good and vertuous life, and a recompence which Vertue ex­acts from the Mouths of all vertu­ous persons, which maugre Death, makes us live even in the Tomb. This makes Glory the onely Rule, Commencement, and End of all the Enterprizes of great men, preferring it before all other things, and sacrificing all things to it.

The second cause of this He­roick Vertue, is the perfection of the faculties by which it acts, of which the Understanding and the Will, are as the Heart and Head.

The third is the nobleness of all the principal Functions which make us act with undaunted­ness, and to suffer courageously and with constancie.

The fourth is an extraordinary transport of the Soul, by which it elevates it self to Objects be­yond the common reach of men; and because our forces are too weak of themselves to reach those high Objects, we are apt to believe something of Divine in these extraordinary efforts which exalt Nature, which Transports we are forc'd to express by the Words Flight and Rapture.

These Transports are divers, and of different kindes, accor­ding [Page 78]to the faculties which are transported, and according to the difference of their Objects. If the Transport be onely of the Understanding and Imagi­nation, we conceive elevated Idaeas, and noble and pompous Images and Phantomes: and this is properly that inspiration which the Ignorant call the Folly of Poets. This being esteemed something Divine, is the reason that Poetry, in which we finde these exalted Idaeas, hath been cal­led the Language of the Gods.

Thus you see the effects of this Transport when it is of the Imagination and Understanding; but when this Transport is uni­versal, when the Understanding, and the Will, and all the facul­ties of the Soul, and functions of the Body, move with one com­mon effort, they all tend to that eminency which in this life is the [Page 79]last bound of Vertue consum­mate. This general Transport, which is a Transport of action, is the Divine perfectionw hich ever compleats a Heroe, and which the Poets and Philosophers call Heroick Vertue.

The fifth and last cause, which is the principle and Spring of Heroick Vertue, is Love. And for this reason it is alwaies made the ruling Passion of a Heroe, as that by which all other Vertues are purified, and from whence they receive their last perfection: from whence it follows, that to be a Heroe, it is necessary to be amorous; for Love, by refining the Soul, and spurring us on to glorious Actions, renders us a­miable, by the practise of all those Vertues which lead to the Temple of Honour.

Hence you may see that this Vertue is not a Quality of Ease [Page 80]and Sloth, nor a Habit for Osten­tation, but of Travel and of Action; a Habit of Combate and of Victory: She usually appea­red to the Ancients in Armour; her Palace seems built of the Ru­ines of Cities, Chains, Wrecks, and Thunder-bolots. It may be said, that this painful Vertue is proper for Warriors, but not for Amorous persons, who think they ought onely to combat with Re­spects and Submissions; but they are deceived, for there are no few­er Battels nor Victories to be per­formed in Love than War; and a Lover must be Valiant, as well as Amorous.

In short, that true Merit which renders us worthy to be beloved by an Illustrious person, consists onely in this Heroick Vertue: and indeed how should it not consist, since a vertuous Love is the source of all the Vertues themselves, [Page 81]and the spring of all Amiable Qualities? for when Love pro­poses to it self an honourable and legitimate end, and whose chast desires are eloigned from Crime, the person whose Soul is possess'd with it, strives to render it self amiable, to the end to be belo­ved; and in order to that De­signe which this Noble Love in­spires, he endeavours to become Good, Generous, Sweet, Liberal, Civil, Wise, and Respectuous; he labours to acquire Knowledge, Address, Discretion, and Polite­ness: so that all that is perfect in the World, seems the effect of a Vertuous Love.

I shall take leave to make a short research into the nature and effects of each particular Quality necessary to a Lover. That which holds the first Rank in the esteem of Ladies, is Valour: This Quality alone oft-times proves [Page 82]sufficient to subdue a Heart most difficult to be conquered; and few who will not avow their De­feat, and boast of the Honour and Glory, to see a Conquerour crowned with Laurels, be­come their Captive. What La­dy can chuse but be pleased to see a valiant man return from the War crowned with Laurels, and prostrating himself before her, a­scribe all his Victories to her Charms, and the noble Love she kindled in his breast! and when he is in the Field of Battel, to hear Fame speak loud of his At­chievements, it seems more glo­rious to 'em to have so valiant a Captive, than to be Mistriss of the World. But this is yet inferiour to those Ravishments which she finds when this Heroe returns to ren­der her an account of his great Actions, and to attribute all the Glory to her. To a Merit so ex­traordinary, [Page 83]what scrupulous He­roin will not yield her self with joy? To be accounted handsome, just, and learned, and well-fa­voured, all this carries no dan­ger with it, says Sir Philip Sydney in his Valour Anotomized; but 'tis better to be admitted to the Title of Valiant Acts; for all Wo­men, says he, desire to hold him fast in their arms, who hath esca­ped thither through many dan­gers.

As this Heroick Valour power­fully attracts a Lady's Heart, so Love seldom fails to give Cou­rage to his Slaves, to render them amiable. Love renders a Lover bold and daring in the pursuit of his Love. In short, how can any make themselves be loved, with­out this Military Vertue, of the greatest part of Women? for if they are Idolaters of Glory, a Gallant cannot pretend to their [Page 84]Hearts without that Vertue. If by just and legitimate Reasons a Lady be stimulated to take Re­venge, how can he, without being capable to execute that Venge­ance, pretend to a Conquest of her Heart? And there are those Women to whom Revenge is so sweet, that there is no other means to Charm them. Some Women go farther; for we have seen even Queens, who not onely have given their Hearts, but e­ven their Crowns, to those who have avenged them; so ingeni­ous is that Passion in a great Heart, when once it is possess'd of it. Yet let us not think that these fair ones are unjust in these kinde of Vengeances: for there are some Offences so cruel, as those which wound the Honours of an Illu­strious person, which are not re­paired, but by the death of those who have committed them. [Page 85]

It is in these occasions where that valour which I speak of is most necessary; for he must be capable to dare all things, and to vanquish likewise; and a true Lover is never awanting to attempt all things.

But after all, it is necessary to know what this true Valour is, lest we take the Shadow for the Substance: therefore I shall draw the picture of a Man truly Valiant.

CHAP. IV. The Character of a Valiant Man.

THe truely Valiant man en­terprizes all things with­out temerity, and atchieves them without fear. He doth not seek out Dangers; but when he findes them, he testifies no less courage [Page 86]in braving of them, than in suf­fering them: He faces Death in its most dreadful shape, without waxing pale. If he be constrai­ned to render himself to this common Enemy of Nature, he receives it and despises it toge­ther in his last breath. He ceases not to frame new designes: He prevents all ill success before it arrive; and if a misfortune which he has not foreseen creates in him any confusion and fear, he patiently supports it. His Rea­son makes all his Passions his Slaves; it is his Master and di­recter in all things; and by that Victory which he meditates, he procures himself the Peace which he desires. When he has any Quarrel, he considers not so much the strength of his Arm, as his Cause; nor his Power so much as his Innocence, of which his Sword is the last of his proofs; [Page 87]he takes it not in hand so much to attaque, as to defend: And though no other can use it with so much security, or manage it with so much grace, it is never seen naked till necessity draw it out of the Scabbard; and he chooses that you should see his Blood rather than his Back: he buys not his Life by shameful conditions: He exercises not so much his Courage as his Charity upon him he has vanquish'd. If he receives an injury of a man un­equal in strength, he shews Com­passion and not Choler; he extin­guishes it, and will not take a poor revenge; insomuch that it seems a doubt whether he more detests Cowardise or Cruelty: He speaks not much, but boasts less, always acting more with his Hands than with his Tongue: In all his resolutions, Prudence is his guide; he is not troubled [Page 88]with the apprehensions of dan­ger of death; and if he be thrif­ty of his Blood, when Honour counsels him to manage it, he is prodigal of it: When Religion, his King, or his Country requires him to spend it, he changes not his Humour: When he changes his Condition, he has the same constant minde in all things; his Will rules his Power. The best revenge that he can exercise, is that which he exercises least when 'tis in his choice; and as he knows how to command without Pride, so he knows how to obey without Murmuring; because he regards himself as a­bove all accidents and hazards. Ignorance and Stupidity are not the principles of his Courage; but when he has well examined the Danger, he despises it, and testifies as little emotion when he is Ship-wrackt, as when he [Page 89]embarques: He is indefatigable in all his Troubles; resolute in his Enterprizes; entire in his Resolutions; happy in all Suc­cess: and if he happen to be vanquished, his Heart is always the most obstinate, and the last which renders it self.

See the Picture of a truely-valiant man: it is a Valour like to this, which I require in a Lo­ver, to be worthy to be beloved of these perfect Beauties of which I have spoken, to wit, of those who are enamour'd onely of the Merit of their Lover. This is so true, that there is not one of these Illustrious Fair ones who love not to bear to the Tomb the name of so Valiant a Husband, & who places not more Glory in such a glorious Title, than in any other. And it is impossible to all these Illustrious Lovers of Valour, to love any [Page 90]after him they have once loved; and their first Love is always the last.

By this Picture of a Valiant man, which I have drawn, it is easie to see that Valour is a greatness of Courage, or a haugh­tiness of Spirit, by which a Soul elevated above interest, carries it self inviolably to a Duty which is laborious, and to Actions which appear most difficult. From whence follows, there are two kinds of Valour: When he does onely those bold actions which even terrifie those who hear 'em but related, this Vertue is called simply Valour; but when we act as a Duty what onely regards, our Honour, or that of her whom we Love, that is to say, when it is to sacrifice all our Plea­sures, our Interests, and even our Lives, to our Glory, and to make that the sole end of all our [Page 91]Actions; that Vertue is not one­ly Heroick, but Heroick to the highest degree. This is called Generosity; and as that second Species of Valour is infinitely a­bove the first, it is by conse­quence more capable than it, to give us that extraordinary Merit which is so necessary to make us be loved by those Illustrious Fair ones, of whom I have spoken.

To make the difference be­tween these two Vertues more easily comprehended, and to make known perfectly the Cha­racter of the one and the other, I will give you this Example fol­lowing.

The Valiant Perseus found An­dromeda chained to a Rock, and exposed to a Monster: That He­roe fought the Monster, which seemed impossible to be over­come; he slew him, and deliver­ed the Nymph, whom he render'd [Page 92]to her Parents. See here a bold Enterprize, which is of that first Species of Valour of which I have spoke, and that Verture which is simply called Valour.

But after that Heroick Action, Perseus became infinitely amo­rous of that same Nymph: The King his Father, and the Gods themselves, declared themselves in his favour, and will'd that he should marry her: Yet that great man, far from making advantage of his Credit and her Parents Authority, fell at her feet and protested, that he had rather die than to owe his happiness to any other thing than onely to her Inclination; and left her entirely to her liberty to chuse a Husband, who was destined to him if she had loved him, and that for re­compence of having saved her, and dying for love of her, he de­sired no other Glory than to [Page 93]render her happy. See here an Action of that last kind of Va­lour, which is infinitely above the first. It was by this high Ver­tue which is called Generosity, by which he gained the heart of Andromeda, and that he chased away Phineus whom she loved, and intended to marry the same day.

The Cowardize of Phineus excused her change, and set off the glory of that generous Lover by the opposition, from which she conceived as just an Aversion to him, as she was charmed by the Courage and Generosity of the other.

Thus we may see what power this Generosity has; not onely to conquer an Illustrious heart, but also to chase a Lovers Rival from thence. It is therefore ne­cessary that a Lover be generous, if he will legitimately pretend [Page 94]to be loved by these Illustrious Women, who onely yield them­selves to true Merit. A Lover must onely consider glory in his Love, and sacrifice to it all his Interests and all his Pleasure; for it is the character of a true Lo­ver, to be generous and disinteres­sed: and such a one will not only force the most insensible to love him, but even a Heart that is most prepossessed with another Love, and animated with hate and fury against him. Those which are conversant with the Poets which are correct, will finde the advan­ces this Vertue makes in the af­fection of the most inflexible; and how by degrees Aversion gives place to Esteem, and that by degrees throws down all that opposes the entrance of Love.

We are not to wonder at the effects of this marvelous quality, since it is accompanied with all [Page 95]others, which make up an ex­traordinary Merit: for this Me­rit is acquired by Patience, by Prudence, by Fidelity, by Con­stancie, by Respect, by Discre­tion, by Perseverance, and by a hundred other like Vertues; Ge­nerosity comprehends all in it: for he that is said to be generous, is inclusively said to be Patient, Prudent, Faithful, Constant, Respectuous, and Discreet, and in a word, all that one can figure of most perfect and of most ami­able: and it is so true that all other qualities are the insepa­rable Companions of Generosity, that they are recommended to all Lovers as infallible Maximes amongst them, and by which they are assured to make themselves beloved if they observe them in­violably.

First, Patience is an insepara­ble Vertue of all who are gene­rous. [Page 96]Love never ceases to per­swade them, whom he will enrol under his Banner; for when he would teach them how they must love, and how they must con­quer, he tells 'em it is accom­plish'd by Care and Patience, and that none can arrive to the height of Felicity without much pain & difficulty. Love is preceded by Labours and Torments; but those Ills change at last into Delights and Pleasures inconceivable.

Constancy and Fidelity are [Page 97]no less the Companions of Gene­rosity than of Patience; and are no less to be recommended to a Lover, than that rigid Vertue; and Love makes no less advantage of it in making its most Illustri­ous Conquests. If you fear the preference of a powerful Rival, and you despair of succeeding in your amorous Enterprize, and are ready to abandon your pur­suit; Love will re-animate your Hope, and let you see, that a con­stant and legitimate ardour is to be prefer'd before the splendor of a vain grandeur.

By the aid of these Illustrious Companions of Generosity, Love finishes its most noble Conquests. But since the inconstant and un­faithful are of a contrary opi­nion, it is necessary to make 'um see their errour, and to draw 'um out of it. They say, to maintain their false opinion, that [Page 98]these Vertues of which I speak, produce more Thorns than Ro­ses, and many more ill Nights than good Daies to a Lover: but they are much deceived, and are ignorant of the Pleasures two constant Lovers enjoy, even a­midst all their pains; for all their amorous cares and inquietudes are intermixed with such happy moments, that one of them is a sufficient recompence for an age of trouble.

The professed Inconstants will not yield to these Reasons, how convincing soever, but maintain that they alone are the most rea­sonable Lovers: It is better, say they, to love perfectly in many places at a time. If one say to them, that this kinde of Love gives but little Honour to her he loves, because there is none so little fair, who does not believe she deserves a Heart entire to her [Page 99]self: he will presently reply, and so justifies himself, that Heaven having made as many different desires as there are Beauties, sheweth by that, it is its will he should love all: and to perswade you the better, and to bring you over to his party, he malitiously aggravates the pleasures which this distribution of his Heart gives, and the disquiett of those who onely love one single person: for he addes boldly, That he who may please many, and will love but one, is a great Enemy to his own good Fortune: Pleasures are light, saith he, which are li­mited; but he receives a thou­sand, who loves a thousand Beau­ties. See, says he, the difference between these two kinde of Lo­vers, and weigh their manners in a just Balance; the Incon­stant hath a Spirit sweet, civil, affable, and complaisant; the Con­stant [Page 100]is pensive, melancholy, and unquiet.

See the reasons of these Incon­stants; but there is nothing in the World more ridiculous: For first, it is certain that we cannot divide Love without destroying it; and she who doth not possess it entirely, possesses it not at all. To enumerate all the fatigues that these wandering Lovers endure, would much exceed the disquiets that a constant Lover suffers in the pursuit of his Love, and is at last recompenced by imper­fect Joys, and a slight satisfaction, not equal to those which a con­stant Lover enjoys, from the e­qual return of a true and faith­ful Passion, by a Lady in whom he findes all the perfections in the World to delight his Senses, and perfections of Minde for the contemplation of his Soul. Were it true, that the possession of [Page 101]what we love doth necessarily extinguish the amorous Flame, they would have some reason: but this is a common mistake; for our Affections, produced by these excellent qualities, can ne­ver be extinguished: for neither Deformity nor Age can deprive them of their Beauty; but even when Time or Age hath eclipsed the beauty of the Body, these qualities shine out with the grea­ter lustre, and more strongly en­gage and captivate the Soul.

There are a sort of faithless and inconstant Gallants, who will needs maintain themselves to be the most constant in the World: say they, We always love Beauty, and when that for­sakes a Lady, to love her still would be inconstancy: but this merry excuse will not pass; for though Beauty fades so fast, that it is compared to Roses in the [Page 102]Spring; yet if a Lover give his Heart by the consent of his Rea­son, as he ought to do, there will remain that Wit and Vertue which will have sufficient Charms to make her ever beloved, how little Beauty soever remains.

Who then can apprehend as dangerous, and as destructive to vertuous inclinations, a Passion so refin'd, which produces in the Soul of Man such glorious effects! a Passion which thus ennobles the Minde, refines the Spirit, and spurs us on to the acquest of all these Illustrious qualities, and never ceases till it hath formed us perfectly ami­able. It is easie, from what I have said, to see the difference betwixt this reasonable Passion, and the Transports of Lust and wilde Desire, whose effects and consequences are so fatal to them who are hurried on by its fury [Page 103]to the most unlawful and Villa­nous Actions, of which nothing can resist the Rage, and than which nothing more defiles the Soul.

CHAP. V. Rules for a Gallant in the Con­duct of his Love.

AS Prudence is a necessary and universal Guide in all Enterprizes, so it is by that, that a reasonable Lover is to commence his Amorous Voyage: for it is impossible to put out from the Coast, and to sayl with full Sayls, without observing the Winds or the Compass, without the ha­zard of perishing. And if it be objected, that since we love maugre our selves, our Acti­ons are consequently out of her [Page 104]government. I answer, That I onely speak of that Love which is always submitted to Reason, and not of that unruly Trans­port which dethrones it: in which sence I maintain, that how Amorous soever we are, yet we continue free to regulate our Passions; and by consequence, a Gallant may profitably make use of such Rules, if he will, as I shall prescribe. I say, a Gallant, because those Rules are different from what I shall prescribe the more Beautiful Sex; for they have Rules apart: Modesty in a Woman is required, Boldness in a Man. A Lady sometimes acts prudently in counterfeiting Cold­ness; but a Gallant ought always to testifie an Ardour and Impa­tience: and though he be Ice, he ought always to say, he burns; for an Hippolytus in Love, is in this Age very ridiculous. [Page 105]

The first thing then that a Gal­lant ought to know, that he may love as he ought, that is to say, to conduct himself in his Love with Prudence, is, to hold for an undoubted principle, That Love ought entirely to possess his Heart, and to chase all o­ther Passions from thence, to rule alone. I acknowledge that Love does not demand so great an Ardour at the first instant, how miraculous soe're the Beauty is which renders her self Mistriss of his Heart; it exacts onely a simple motion of Love at the first view; but when a Lover hath made reflection upon the perfections of her Spirit and Soul, he ought to become an I­dolater, and to love in a man­ner extraordinary, esteeming it his chief Glory to pursue what he loves: And which may invite us to love in this manner, is, that [Page 106]in Love there is nothing which does not justifie the excess.

The second thing which he is to learn, who will be instructed by my Precepts, is, That he ought to be so loosned from his own Sentiments, and so submissive to those of his Mistriss, that he al­ways believes that she has Reason in all that she does, and in all that she desires: And this Resignati­on ought to go so far, as to make him despise the greatest dangers, even Death it self, in the service of his Mistriss. And in that e­state he must hold as a Principle assured, that there is nothing so glorious nor so sweet to a Lover, as that Resignation: for if it happen that he die in saving the life of her he loves, he finds this sweet in Death, that she wishes not to survive him after so great a mark of his Love. One thing which ought to contribute the [Page 107]most to comfort a Lover who dies in this manner, is, That if his Love be grounded upon great Reason, even at the begin­ning of it, he holds it to be the infallible Effect of it; for he knows, that if his Mistriss be in­flexible, he must die with desire; and if she be favourable, then he must die with joy: and so being resolved to die either by the Ma­lady or by the Remedy, he dies content, when it is to save the life of his Mistriss.

There are some Lovers who go yet farther; they believe that Life is shameful, when they finde no occasion to hazard it for the person they love.

It is not enough that a Soul of a Lover be full of Love, and that it raigns as Soveraign there, and to have that Resignation to her, which I have mentioned; he must also believe that he ne­ver [Page 108]loves enough, & always wish that he may still love more; and the reason of this is, there is no Lo­ver who does not discover from day to day some new perfections in his Mistriss, therefore there ought not to be one moment in which his Passion ought not to augment according to the increase of his knowledge; to which end a Lo­ver ought always to exaggerate to himself the Beauty of his Mi­striss, that it may entertain and augment his Passion.

With this Love I would also have joyned as much Respect; and when a Lover hath as much trembled by one, as burn'd by the other, let him, in her presence, extol every Perfection: yet there are strict Measures to be observed in this, especially with Ladies of excellent Spirits. The Indiscre­tions of some Gallants in this Matter, are very much to be pi­tied; [Page 109]their Praises are so extra­vagant, that they loose their ef­fect; and winning no belief from their Mistriss, make their Sinceri­ty and Wit suspected. Praises are most pleasing to all, when they are bestowed by way of reflection; a Lady then atten­tively listens to 'em without Blushes, and wihtout being put to the pain to defend her self. A Lover ought to seem to have so great an opinion and venera­tion of the modesty of his Mi­striss, that he should seem affraid to displease her, even by just Praises. This is a silent Com­mendation, which produces an extraordinary Effect. There are some indiscreet Gallants who are yet more unlucky, whose Praises turn to Affronts by misplacing them.

When absence separates a Lover from his Mistriss, let him [Page 110]teach every place the cause of his Grief and Inquietude, and let some prudent Confident betray him to his Mistriss, and let him not be wanting himself to make known the grandeur of his Love by that of his Sufferings, in these or such-like words.

And as a Lover should esteem nothing so precious as the pre­sence of his Mistrise, because the presence of the Object beloved is his Sun, which dissipates the sor­row of his Life, and the fear of Death; therefore I would have him, when he goes to see her whom he loves, testifie to her his joy with all the variety of ex­pression that his fancy can furnish him withal: and to the end that tha fair one may see upon his face, and by his words, that Joy which he boasts in his Letters, and that she may know by that Ex­cess the Power which she has over his Senses; let him express it so well, that she may be convinced [Page 112]that he believes nothing can be added to the happiness of him who loves an extraordinary per­son when he sees her, and is well received: 'tis then he must con­tinue to pour upon her words which express his Transport, and as in an extasie shew the infinite Pleasure he takes if he might always be so happy as to live in her presence.

These Rules without any other doubtless are sufficient to con­duct a Lover to the happy Port where he would arrive, if he make use of them as he ought; and I dare assure him that they will never fail: for what Lady can refuse her Heart to a Passion so submissive and respectuous? and who can take it from him af­ter 'tis given? this without doubt is impossible, without he meets with that Monster which he may encounter in his amorous [Page 113]progress, and which a man always cannot overcome.

This Monster is Jealousie; for it is so cruel, that it quite stran­gles Love, even in its full strength; and though it be its Father, it is a Serpent covered with Flowers, and a Dragon which always wakes: and though it hath a hundred Eyes which never close, yet so it is, that its sight is always deluded, the Sen­ses are always troubled with false Objects, and it incessantly rends the Heart: In short, it is an indiscreet Counsellor, which hath nothing for its end but to destroy all the reasonable Maximes and the Rules which I give; for in mocquery it impu­dently says to those who hearken to it, that Discretion, Respect, Fear, and Submission, are onely the testimonies of a moderate Love; and that the true marks [Page 114]of a perfect Lover are Suspitions, Choler, and Rage; and it is so skilful in its Malice, that it strengthens its Councels with reasons very just in appearance, that it is scarce possible to escape being seduced.

For it presently tells you, that you never see a great Smoak, but it is a signe of a great Fire; & there is no Transport which proceeds not from a great Love; and that Love resembles a Fever, which as it hath its Coldnesses, so it hath its Heats. See what this Mon­ster suggests without cease to a poor Lover; and by the little that he hears, he receives the pesti­lential vapour, and Jealousie en­ters through his Eyes, and occu­pies his sick fancy: Thence to the Heart it transmits its venome, disturbs his Reason, alters his Spirit, and excites his Cho­ler.

And then you cannot imagine that this turbulent Passion is idle and without action in the Heart of a Lover; for when once it is kindled by that Monster, it makes him resent all the tortures of Fear and Suspition, and de­prives his Senses and his Soul of all repose; and throwing Ice in­to the midst of Fire, it causes an antipathy, whereof the Combat makes life languish without end; troubling perpetually the Rea­son by the vain Phantomes which it continually forms, and exposes Love to the fury of all its Ene­mies. It is this jealous Fear, without doubt, which is the greatest Evil that a Lover can be sensibleof; it proceeds from the belief that another is belo­ved by her he loves.

Yet it is not altogether unjust to be a little jealous, and as if he was assured that he has all the [Page 116]World for Rivals: When a Gal­lant loves perfectly, and a Mi­striss that hath much Wit suffers her self to be adored of another, to augment his sub­mission and his Love, he cannot but be a little jealous: but he must make an advantage of it; and for that reason, when he per­ceives himself the least toucht with that distemper, he must not imprison it in his Breast, for the more he conceals it within, it will at one time or other make the more violent eruption. But be­cause a declaration of it is very dangerous, and that it requires peculiar Rules, let a Lover fol­low these which I shall give him:

First, let him shew a little Me­lancholy in his Eyes and Visage; not too much, for fear to alarm her too much; but onely so much as may oblige her to press [Page 117]him to give her a knowledge of the cause; and then feigning not to tell it her without regret, and out of obedience.

Let him declare it in such a manner, that it may appear onely the effect of his Love, without touching the Vertue or Prudence of his Mistriss, mixing there­with the Purity and Constancy of his own Passion; and all this with an air full of submission, and most capable to move pity, flying all Eagerness and Re­proach.

This is the means to cure his Jealousie: for it is impossible, how fierce soever a fair one is, but her Heart will become ten­der by such great marks of Sor­row and Submission, or refuse to give satisfaction to one so worthy of her Love and of her Pity: But above all, let him take heed that he pass not the bounds [Page 118]which I have prescribed; for if his Jealousie be full of Transport and Fury, nothing will become more insupportable than him; for this is an undoubted Princi­ple, that there is none Jealous in this manner, who is not loo­ked upon as a Scourge by the most reasonable.

Let therefore a Lover take great heed of this Jealousie, if he would love as he ought; and whatsoever he has, let him co­ver it, discard it, as the greatest Enemy of his Glory and Re­pose.

This is the way to avoid the most dangerous Rock in this Sea; for there is no person who doth not agree, that if jealous Suspitions were banished from Love, the least happy would a­vow, that there is nothing so sweet as its Empire. Follow then my Maximes, principally those [Page 119]which concern Jealousie, if you embarque upon this amorous Sea, and would arrive at last at that happy Port.

But to return: it is accounted in the opinion of the most wise, that all things are most difficult in their Commencement; therefore there is the greatest art to be used in the first declaration of Love. This is the chief work of a re­fined Spirit; he must spare the Modesty of a Lady, and discover his Flame in obscure terms. If the thing please her, her curious Spirit will permit him another day to explain himself better: and if a Lover once discover the least hint of his Love, Love will repeat it a thousand times.

But that this Curiosity might be better known to you, if you desire to be permitted with the greater facility to express your Love more clearly, you must first [Page 120]disguise your Love, and so con­ceal it a long time under the name of Respect and Complaisance, and not to speak of it too often; for this shocks and presses the Modesty of a Lady too much, and obliges her to deprive you of those opportunities which are so precious in Love.

It is thus that a Lover ought to entertain his Mistriss; yet he must as well know when it is fit to be silent, and above all to hide the secret of his Love. When he speaks, let him praise the Sex, declare his own Fidelity, and shew that he pretends nothing. In sum, his Conversation must be gallant, sweet, and witty, which may make her wish every minute such an Excellent person her Slave; and withal he must always be submissive and discreet, that he may obtain what he pre­tends without pride, and see him­self [Page 121]beloved without speaking of it; which is done by ren­dring her a thousand continual Services, by regulating his a­ctions according to her humour, till by the sweetness of a long acquaintance he hath insensibly surprized her Heart, which is done before she is aware of the Stratagem prepared for her.

When a Lover has done all that I have directed, and yet his Mistriss does not declare her self, because of her too great modesty, I permit him to sigh before her; for a true Passion cannot be better expressed that by a sigh, when it escapes from the bottom of the Heart; tha [...] alone is capable to explain th [...] grandeur of Love; and it i [...] sometimes of more power an [...] Eloquence than all the amorous expressions in the World.

Therefore when he has the [Page 122]opportunity to entertain her a­lone, let him not be too profuse of his talk, but let a few Sighs supply the vacancies of discourse. But let him use much caution, lest he be suspected of artifice: let him seem fearful to let 'em escape, and sometimes break 'em in their passage, shewing that it is some pain and violence to him to suppress them: This lan­guage is sweet in Love, and the best Interpreter of an amorous de­sire.

Thus you may see how a De­claration of Love is to be made at the beginning, to make ones­self be loved of a Lady who founds her Passion upon Rea­son: For when a Lover acts in this manner, he renders himself so amiable, that the most fierce will suffer his presence, and hear him with Complaisance: She will always treat him more fa­vourably [Page 123]than another. She is pleased to see him, and after be­lieving her self to be beloved, by reason of his inflamed sighs, she findes her self insensibly char­med; and this you will discern whether she will or no: for whenever she takes pleasure to hear you sigh, she will finde it difficult to constrain her self, but will sigh too, maugre her resi­stance: do not matter then what she says to you. These fierce and haughty fair ones ne­ver declare their Sentiments in these affairs: they always leave their Lovers to divine, and onely in their Eyes betray the secret motions of their Soul. When we have made this advance, we may declare our selves more free­ly, and testifie openly the gran­deur of our Love; but take heed that you demand not yet to be beloved, but onely the permis­sion [Page 124]to love, and to have leave to tell her so; which you may do in this or the like manner, after you have expressed the greatness of your Love:

It is by such tender Sentiments as these, that you will force at last the most cruel Beauty to love you, and at last to avow her love to you: She will blush without doubt when she first gives you this knowledge; but be not alarm'd at that, for it is not at her Love she blushes, but at the confession of it: and in the end, that you may not doubt it, when she sees that you observe her disturbance, she will say to you [Page 126]obligingly: My Blushes proceed not from the Cause that you think, yet alas! I know not whether it be Confusion or Love, I finde you too worthy to be loved, not to suspect my self; but my Spirit is too high, and I can suffer rather the fire in my Heart than in my Mouth, and Love shews to me more hard to name than think.

'Tis this that finishes the Uni­on of two souls who are born one for another, and which are linked together by these invisi­ble Bonds, that they have no longer than one life, because they have no longer but one Heart; and it is that sweet Union which forms that amorous Circle, in which Lovers are eternally hap­py: For when a Lady testifies her love n the manner that I have supposed, a Lover becomes Ravished and Charmed, and [Page 127]vows himself entirely to her and submits himself to her with­out reservation; and every mi­nute is enflamed more and more by these amorous Transports. It is in these mutual Endearments and Tendernesses, which two Lovers, which follow the Rules which I have established, arrive at the Port, and there taste eternal happiness.

CHAP. VI. Rules for the Conduct of a Lady in an affair of Love.

THere is no less care and circumspection required in a Lady than in a Gallant, at the commencement of an Amour: For those enflamed and languish­ing looks which appear often very passionate, yet they are not [Page 128]always true; lest therefore a Lady be seduced too soon by false appearances, it is necessary that they make this as a certain Maxime:

This may teach them that they be not too easie of belief in those things which they see, and hear said; for they may ea­sily mistake a Flame which is onely feigned for a true, where­of these false Lovers will boast at their expence: yet I would not that they should be too dis­dainful, but that they might take those Methods that might make themselves the more to be va­lued, [Page 129]that a Lover may better know the price of their Loves before it be obtained.

They ought not to shew at first either Contempt or Rigour; for that rather chaces away than gains a Lover. Nor ought they to yield their Hearts as soon as they are sollicited; for that is rather the effect of a foolish pity, than of the merit of their Gallants; and he will not be apt to esteem that much, which costs him so little, and is acquired with so much ease.

it is thus that these fierce fair ones captivate Hearts by a noble Pride: for in despising Love at the first, they at last triumph with the greater Power; but, as I have already said, they must not appear too disdainful, for by that they totally lose a Lover, who possibly will never be re­claimed. A Lady then must [Page 130]not be too disdainful, nor hold a Lover too long in her Chains: for Patience may forsake the Inamarato, especially those of the greatest mindes and coura­ges.

No more must she be too easie to confide too much in the appearances of a passionate Love, since thereby she becomes liable to be deceived: But let a Lady act with so much prudence, that she may gain the perfect know­ledge of her Lover's Heart be­fore she trust. But see what measures a Lady takes, who in­tends to engage her Lover, and to render the blessing more dear and desirable.

When a Lover hath discover­ed his Passion, to the end to make him more ardently wish a Pleasure which is onely great ac­cording to the Grandeur of his desire, before she suffers her self [Page 131]to be moved to pity, she takes some time to make proof of his Constancie, and covers her cru­elty and injustice with the Vail of Honour, and of Chastity; and to render the happiness more great after the pain, and to ap­pear more amiable, she seems in­humane, and oft-times counter­feits an excessive Pride, the better to charm with her Caresses: But as her most principal work in this Art is to please, she makes her Eyes look sweet when her Mouth is severe, and lets her Lo­ver see, in casting upon him a dying look, that her fierceness combates, whilst her Heart ren­ders up it self.

It is thus that a Lady ought to behave her self to her Lover, after she hath tried his love by all the disguises that she can invent, to be more certain of the true estate of his Heart: But these [Page 132]artifices and these rigours ought not to continue after she has gained this knowledge, but she ought to return love for love, when she is once assured of the love and merit of her Servant; for 'tis this alone that finishes and establishes the Conquest of her Lover, who will be apt to revolt when he finds his subjection too severe.

There are some Ladies who serve themselves very successful­ly of Choler in the engaging their Lovers Hearts; but in this it is requisite that their Choler be feigned, and appear to be light: for there is nothing more dreadful, and full of Transport, than a Woman in fury.

I condemn not sometimes some little Coldnesses, which these fair ones make use of; for there are some who have such a grace in this artificial Coldness, that [Page 133]a Lover sometimes chuses rather to see himself disdained by her, than to be caressed by others. But to succeed in this, there is required a peculiar Talent, which is very difficult to obtain: for it is necessary that it be very natural, not onely to please, but not to repulse. I would not have a Lady so prodigal of her advances, that she shew her Eyes sweet to all who make their ad­dresses, because this is the quali­ty of a perfect Wanton: for the property of a Wanton is to make a great amaze of Sweetness, ob­liging Words, Caresses, Cares, Tendernesses and false Regards, which promises all things to credulous Lovers, without gi­ving any thing in effect. See how one of these Coquets boasts her self, and how she makes her own Picture. [Page 134]

These kinde of Women are so ridiculous and so vain, they make it their glory not to love in a­ny manner but this, which ought to render them the contempt of the whole World: See how she [Page 235]persists to boast, as of a wonder­ful effect of her Wit!

See the intolerable vanity of these fantastical Creatures, who [Page 136]teach us to fly and detest them, lest we fall into their snares, liv­ing in a manner so different from those Ladies who ought to be esteemed, and not too prodigal of their favours if they would preserve their Lovers: For by being too prodigal in their fa­vours, they expose themselves very oft to the contempt of an insolent Victor; for a Lover who is flattered and puffed up with his Victory, soon loses the memory of all hihs submissi­ons.

If then a Mistriss would aug­ment the Passion of her Lover, let her sometimes dissemble a little Disdain, and a little Rigour; for there is nothing so sure, as that the desire languishes by the facility of obtaining: But as I have said, it behoves that these Coldnesses and these Rigours be well tempered, and very short; [Page 137]and a Lady ought to make use of them with a great deal of ad­dress and judgement; for if they endure too long, a Lover may be repulsed in such manner, that he will escape from them, and in his turn pay her in the same Coin. We need not to wonder at such a change; for when a fair Lady is too rigorous or ingrate­ful, it is commendable to fly from her, and to hold it for a thing certain, that such a love is a cha­stisement of Heaven if it endure. A Mistriss therefore ought not to be too rigorous or too in­grateful, but onely sometimes serious, and that more to her Lover than to others; for the civilities which she may shew to a person indifferent to her, should be accounted favours to a Lover when once he is declared so.

A Lady ought to distrust all things, when she intends to make [Page 138]proof of her Lover; so that she ought neither to speak not write any thing which may too much flatter or incense him; and espe­cially she ought not to return any answer to his Letters; for this would be to put Weapons into the hands of an unfaithful Lover when he has a minde to boast of her favours, and therefore pru­dence doth forbid it.

Thus you may see how a La­dy who would regulate her love by Reason, ought to act till she has arrived to the perfect knowledge of her Lover's heart; which sometimes is very easie to discover, either by his Eyes, which tell her what he dare not speak; or by a sigh, which escapes from a Heart too much opprest; and many other marks of the disturbance of his Soul.

Yet a Lady ought not always to give a confidence to these [Page 139]marks; for sometimes Sighs and Oaths are not the proofs of Love, but are feigned and criminal; she ought therefore to put a Lo­ver to all the proofs she can in­vent; and if she be not refused one, she may conclude her self beloved, and may safely love a­gain, since Love cannot be rewar­ded by any thing but Love.

Yet she ought to take care that her love does not offend against her duty or her glo­ry; but she ought to resolve to follow her duty maugre her Heart: for Duty ought always to be inexorable, where Vertue is the Mistriss; not but that when she loves well, that Duty is a cruel and unjust constraint: for it cannot but be hard to be obedi­ent, where her love is reasonable; she must then sacrifice her love where Duty ordains it, especially wher she is of Royal Blood: but [Page 140]that she may shew she loves well, she ought to do it with regret and to give all the marks she can to her Lover, that she is forced to abandon him by that cruel constraint, to justifie the injury she does him by an order so cruel.

Yet think not that a true Lover that is, a Lover who is gene­rous, will be enraged at such [Page 142]Declaration, how cruel soever it may seem; or that he should blame his Mistriss: for as he loves his glory better than him­self, he will finde it easie and sweet to die, to let her see he still conserves his Love. It is with these generous Sentiments that he submits himself to these cruel orders, expressing himself to her who with this regret forsakes him to follow her Duty and her Glory, after this manner.

I know that a Lover well be­loved, may justly be dissatisfied if she forsake him to chuse a­nother of equal merit to him­self; but when she prefers a man who is onely above him in Qua­lity, Estate, or Birth, that choice which he knows to be made with­out Love, or without Disdain of him, he ought to be appeased; and an Heroick courage ought to pardon her for following that ambitious order of her duty; to comfort himself for it, and to deceive his grief in be­lieving that her Heart has not [Page 144]followed her hand when she gave it.

It is then requisite for a La­dy who will love according to Reason, not to return love till she knows her self to be beloved; nor to love against her Duty, or against her Glory: but yet this is not enough, for she must also avoid a thousand little weaknes­ses, which may blemish the glo­ry of her love, and above all, Jealousie; for there is nothing renders one of so tedious and dis­agreeable a humour as Jealou­sie, nor nothing which hinders her more from appearing amia­ble: For when a Soul is posses­sed, the Fancy is troubled with a thousand different motions of Love, Rage, Despite, Fear, and a million of other tumultuous Passions, and in that estate the Soul languishes miserably, with­out knowing the grief which [Page 145]wounds it. A Lady must then, as I have said, never be Jealous, but always appear gay, and with a smiling countenance; for there is nothing so disagreeable, as those inequal humours, which are some­times gay and affable, and some­times sad and froward; and they are so far from pleasing, that there is not one Lover who can endure a Lady of this humour, and who will not in the end quit her with Reproaches. Shun then these inequal capricious humours, if you would conserve your Con­quests; and above all, be con­stant and faithful, that your Lovers may follow your ex­ample: for if you be light and unfaithful, your Lovers will be­come so also, though it be onely for honour-sake, to be quit with you; but above all, have a care when years begin to diminish your attractions. [Page 146]

Let therefore your love en­dure as long as you live; and when you die, die faithful, be­cause, as I have said in another place, That Love is onely the reward of Love; and a true Heart never wants Charms for another that is equally honest and true.

Behold the principal Maximes that Ladies, who desire to govern themselves prudently, ought to follow; and these are sufficient, provided the beauty of their Spirits and of the Soul be as great as that of their Bodies.

In fine, if two persons, such as I have described, love truely, and follow my precepts, no Age or Deformity can ever make them unhappy by diminishing their mutual loves.

Thus I have shewn that Love may be subjected by Reason, how great soever its power is; and [Page 147]that the most scrupulous Ver­tue may not onely be permitted to love, but to avow the same, if she follow the Rules I have given, which teach how to master the Master of the World; and that there is nothing more sweet, or more innocent than Love, which addes a sweetness to all other Pleasures, when 'tis guided by Reason; for other­wise, to Love, is to give up our selves to perpetual disquiets, and to joyn to the most sorrowful Days more tedious and unquiet Nights, and to banish for ever Repose and Joy.

CHAP. VII. How to discover when a Mistriss returns us with Love.

AFter all, the great difficulty which remains, is how to discern whether the Love which is pretended be real, and whe­ther a true Passion be not re­payed onely by artifice. The u­sual flattery of our selves, does commonly betray us into an easie belief that we are beloved. There are few Ladies, how ugly soe're they are, yet when they consult their Glasses, do fancy some peculiar grace or other, ca­pable enough to conquer more than one single heart: and few Gallants, who do not imagine something extraordinary in their persons and deportment worthy [Page 149]of esteem. This Self-opinion contributes so much to their be­ing deceived, that it is not onely in vain, but injurious for a man to perswade his Friend with Ar­guments drawn from any imper­fection in himself, not to be too credulous in this Affair.

First, we must observe well and attentively all the motions of her eyes; it is by them that we most usually discover the state of her Heart, how exquisite soe're she be in dissimulation. These ar­dent and indiscreet Libertines cannot retain her secrets, and they cannot long dissemble; for the more they strive to conceal it, the more they make it ap­pear.

'Tis not very easie for a Lover to endure the brightness of the eyes of his Mistriss; for they usually imprint so much fear, that the most bold cannot behold [Page 150]them long without trembling: but maugre this respectuous fear, we must regard fixedly those fair eyes, and hearken attentively to their Language, since it is by them chiefly that we can come to the knowledge of her Heart.

Observe then first, if her Looks be sweet and languishing: for no­thing so much manifests the state of a Heart, as the languishing of the Eyes.

Yet though this languishing does not appear, we must not presently conclude that our Mi­striss has not Love in her heart; for sometime the eye is grave, when the heart is sensible: though it is an undoubted Mark that the Heart is touched, when her Looks are sweet and lan­guishing.

If then we do not observe it, we must not be repulsed by that, for there are a thousand other [Page 151]Marks which will make known the state of the Heart.

We may conceive great hopes, when we find our Mistriss confu­sed at our presence, and to speak in disorder and unusual constraint in her actions, proceeding from an endeavour to appear more agreeable in her conversation and behaviour. This amiable Constraint is very different from the ordinary Affectation of those pert and impertinent Melantha's, which is so tedious and ridicu­lous; and it is very distinguish­able from that want of breeding and bashful simplicity of young Country-Ladies: and indeed, that Love is very much to be suspected, which does not pro­duce these kind of disorders and confusions.

From hence it is, that the very name of her we love, causes such an emotion as doth easily disco­ver [Page 152]the Sentiments which we en­deavour industriously to con­ceal.

Love may work many of these effects, and yet not be absolute­ly perfect or refin'd; therefore let us carefully examine whether Ambition or Avarice make not up part of its Composition: for if it have these ingredients, a Lover cannot promise himself to be longer happy than he is fortunate; for that love is one­ly nourished by Plenty, and is blasted by the frowns of For­tune: But he who loves truely and as he ought, sacrifices his Ambition and Avarice to his bove.

If then we finde any remains of these two Passions, we may conclude that Love has not made an absolute conquest; for where it reigns entirely, it sweetens all conditions, and the worst tra­verses of Fortune are not able to lessen it, but contribute to its growth: the constancy of each begets a mutual pity, which en­dears them one to the other, and strengthens that Chain which links their Hearts and Fortunes together: So true is that part of the Song:

Therefore when we see a Lo­ver whose cares are all employed for her he loves, and in all things to prefer his Mistriss's satisfaction and happiness before his own, and with a dis-interessed Zeal to offer his heart at Loves Altar; a Lady may safely accept his Love, and hope with Reason a true and durable Felicity.

The greatest part of this fair Sex, and above all, those fierce and haughty fair ones, are very ex­quisite in disguising of it; and it is not easie to discover their true Sentiments, how much soe're they are touched: but it is cer­tain, that the less they make it ap­pear, the more is Love in their Hearts, which at last breaks over all their constraint, and forces them to confess their. Defeat. Therefore let not a Gallant be discomfited after many Repulses, and though after many Attacks [Page 155]he finds no hopes of surrender.

Some Ladies are so jealous of the discovery of their Love, that they seldome speak of the man they love, without railing against him, and censuring this or that in him; but this they do with so ill an Air, that it may be easily [Page 157]discerned they take no delight in being compli'd with, or to have the company of the same opinion.

In many different ways doth this Passion make its Eruptions; but after all; the eyes are the first discoverers of it: and he that is well read in that Language, will quickly discern what Ad­vances he makes in his Mistriss's Heart.

To enumerate all the Symp­toms of it, I should seem to speak of it as Burton in his Me­lancholy, as a Sickness or Distem­per, a Feavour or a Calenture; not as that noble Fire which in­flames us to all brave and gene­rous Actions, and which lights us in the Paths of Glory and Vertue.

I shall leave a Lover to con­sider well of the nature of Love, and of the ensuing Reflections; and then I presume he will stand [Page 158]in need but of very few more Instructions.

CHAP. VIII. Important reflections upon Love, and the Conduct of Lovers.

1. ALover must presume upon himself, when he sees a fair Lady, he must believe that all things are possible to him.

2. The curiosity to see a fair La­dy, is one of the great commence­ments of Love; and the more strong it is, by so much Love hath taken the deeper root.

3. When we have a long time combated with Love, and that [Page 159]it forces us to yield, we must not say to her we love, that we submitted by Force, but by Choice.

4. Sometimes we are afraid to be­come Amarous, & do not perceive that we are more afraid of a Lady not to see her again; by this we may conclude that we love, maugre our ridiculous and un­profitable Fear.

5. When we love a Lady too proud or fierce, and that we can­not enfranchise our selves, we endure a cruel torment: For we cannot live without seeing her; nor see her without sighing for her; nor sigh without telling her our love; nor declare it without deserving death.

6. How fierce soever a Lady is, when a Lover that she esteems hath once gained a little credit upon her Heart, she begins to doubt if it be a crime to love.

7. We believe always the last what we most fear; and a Soul accustomed to fly what wounds it, doth not believe it feels the ill when it presses it; and it is so inclin'd to flatter it self, that even when it feels it, it endea­vours to doubt it.

8. Love is an Imposture which seduces the Spirit; and the same Heart which searches after it; fears it: it distributes Blessings onely drop by drop; but it showres down Evils and Tears [Page 161]in great Floods; but in the mean time it makes it self adored e­very where.

9. When Jealousie has once taken possession of a Heart, nothing can stay the Impetuous course of it: Innocence is criminal, the false appears true, and the true seems false; and by that, Love produces Hate.

10. The right to be beloved, serves ost-times as an Obstacle against it; and Love is no more Love, when it becomes a Duty.

11. The disorder of a Lover in a Declaration of love, is a great Eloquence; and when a Lover expresses himself well, it is a sign of little love.

12. Distance of separation makes the pain of absence different; if it be not great, we are less sen [...]e of regrets, because when a little space onely divides us from the Object loved, the Heart fails not to post thither without the Eyes.

13. It is necessary that we our selves love, to know the effects of Love in another; and a Lady cannot know the torment of her Lover, if she become not a Lover as well as a Mistriss.

14. We must never declare our love by the means of a Friend; for to express our Passion well, the party must be sensible of love himself.

15. It is hard to prove that we love much, when the Heart doth not agree with our Words.

16. Love and Fortune seldom make one and the same man happy; and whosoever is cares­sed by one, ought to fear the other.

17. When a Lady is of Royal Blood, she ought not to hearken to a Lover unworthy of her blood, what ills soever she resents from that hard constraint.

18. Love and Majesty accords but ill; for what one follows, the other flies. Love cannot suffer noise nor Witnesses; when it is [Page 164]upon a Throne, it is in constraint; the higher it sees it self, the more it fears; and since it is a Childe, too great splendor doth affright it.

19. Jealousie sometimes proves a remedy for Love, by the great Torments which it creates.

20. When one is so little jealous, that he discerns not that he is so, he keeps no guard upon him­self, but permits it unawares to appear in many of his actions; but when he is jealous to that height that he perceives it, a wise Lover doth all he can to conceal it, and to lock up his Jealousie within himself, till he become Master of it: But oft­times there is mixt so much fierceness in that feigned indiffe­rence [Page 165]wherewith he hides this Passion, that it is easily discerna­ble that it proceeds from a jea­lous despite, by which means he betrays himself.

21. A jealous Lover cannot hear either good or ill of his Mistriss, without equal displeasure; so ca­pricious is Love.

22. All the little devoirs which a Lover pays to his Mistriss, speak for him; mingled sighs, and a glance of the Eye, and a thou­sand other little amarous actions expose the Souls of two Lovers, to each other.

23. To be silent in the beginning of an Amour, is in effect to speak much.

24. When Love is strong, and is forbid to speak, it acts, speaks, and shews it self through the eyes.

25. He who can weep in Love, when he ought to weep, is Ma­ster of a Heart.

26. When we are disposed to be­gin an Amour, we must make our Addresses to one of the most fair and most witty; and if we please such a one, all others will esteem us the more. And this is the means to gain an hundred Mi­strisses, and to serve but one.

27. When a Lover is very passio­nate, far from murmuring at his [Page 167]Sufferings, he wishes that he had more than one Heart, that he might suffer more: for a true Lover feels no Torments; or if he do, he seems in love with them.

28. A Heart which knows how to love truly, creates it self a thou­sand Pleasures from indifferent things; even its Grief is pleasing to it.

29. There is no Crime that a true Lover does not pardon; and there is not any who loves truly, who had not rather suffer the punishment the Crime of his Mi­striss deserves, than to see her ex­posed to it.

30. The least Repentance always finds pardon from a Lover.

31. Amongst Lovers there are a thousand little different things, which render the one Content, and the other Unquiet; Jealou­sies, Displeasures, short Despites, sudden Repentances, sweet Re­membrances, and pleasing Inter­views, in secret places.

32. When two Lovers make a fi­nal Breach, if the Lady has re­ceived any Presents, she ought not to keep them; nor ought her Lover to demand them again.

33. There is much prudence to be us'd by a Gallant in the Presents he makes to his Mistriss, other­wise he will loose more than pro­fit by them: a profuse Gift obli­ges not, but the grace and manner [Page 169]of giving is preferr'd before the Present, as to loose something at Play to disguise the Present; but a liberal Fool seems to give an Alms when he makes rich Pre­sents, and gives so out of season that it displeases.

34. The words I love, offer too much violence to the modesty of a Lady: a Lover must find terms more sweet to avow his Love.

35. A fine Raillery hath great suc­cess in their Conversation: when the Conversation languishes, a little Raillery pleases the most serious; it dissipates Melancholy, and brings joy into the Heart and Face. Every one hearkens with pleasure to Witty things spoke to the purpose, and which are said without premeditation; but [Page 170]we must fly Buffonrie and Slan­dering: the Phrase must have no­thing low nor insolent; it must be express'd with a gallant and agreeable Air, and much Mode­sty and Civility in all our Acti­ons.

36. When a crafty Mistriss sees her Lover about to forsake her, she recals him by flattering lan­guage, and studied Cajolleries: She appeases the greatest Fury, and rekindles the extinguishing Flame. By an amorous Glance, and by counterfeit Smiles, all this is easie to her; and Love and her Lover: and as after War we better taste the sweets of Peace, so a re-conquered Lover loves better than ever.

37. One cannot be in love, but one time or other there will hap­pen some little Angers betwixt two Lovers, and that is most com­monly for things of a trivial na­ture: If any Grief arise from it, it is a Crime to conceal it, nay, even it is sweet to complain: After an earnest and amarous Contest, the Lovers laugh, and agree, and with pleasure at last fee that neither of 'em are inju­red.

38. At the beginning when a Lady is touched by Love, though she will quickly know it, she dare not name it; and her Heart, which is sensible of the fire, will suffer it, but not confess it: It feigns to be ignorant of its Malady, for fear of being obliged to apply a reme­dy; [Page 172]it makes a secret of the name of its Conquerour, for fear it should alarm her modesty and shame.

39. That foolish Passion must be shun'd; which blemishes our Glo­ry: not that we ought to have a Hea [...]t as hard as a Rock, and im­penetrable to Love; but it ought to be hardned by Vertue when Love is contrary to it.

40. There is nothing so easie, as to know the secret of a Lover; his regards are always indiscreet; he cannot feel a great Fire in his Heart, without giving some out­ward marks of it; and even that constraint and endeavour to conceal his sighs, is oftentimes that which makes it divined what is in his Heart: We take [Page 173]no notice of an ordinary sigh; but when one seems afraid to sigh, and strives to suppress them, it is easily guessed, that this cau­tion conceals Love.

41. When a Lover desires to con­ceal that he loves, his Tongue must be ignorant of his desires, lest it betray him: his Heart must not give any confidence to his Eyes or Sighs; all his Vows must be mute, and all his love locked up in his Heart.

42. When a Lady is betrayed by her Lover, she weeps when she disputes about taking revenge; she sees that if her ingrateful Lover perish, she must perish too: Thus Hate, Love, Rage, and Tenderness, successively tri­umph in her Soul; she findes [Page 174]her self both a Lover and an Ene­my at the same time; when her despite increases, her Passion au­gments: and though her Lover hath betrayed her, yet he ap­pears still amiable; and in this distraction she can neither love nor hate.

43. The designe of being reven­ged upon a Lover that hath be­trayed us, serves as a Vertue, though it be criminal; for Love and Anger will combate each other, and we may hope they will destroy each other.

44. When we remain in silence in the presence of her we love, Love speaks for us; but the mis­fortune is, all Ladies do not understand the language of Love.

45. When a Lover loves without being beloved again, he suffers alone; but when he is beloved, the Ills and Blessings are divided betwixt them.

46. A Lady is injurious to her Lover, if she believe he hath all he desires when he ceases to complain; for when she hears him sigh, she ought to be assured he still wants something.

47. When our Mistriss commands us to do any thing, nothing should hinder us from giving a blinde obedience. Love is above all; and when it speaks, we must not hear any other.

48. When a fair Lady accepts the Vows of her Lover, the happiness that he tastes is so excessive, that he doubts whether she speak sin­cerely or not; so much his Rea­son doth oppose his Belief, and surprized with so much felicity, he doubts whether he be awake or no; and his Ravishment takes from him the liberty to express his Joy, and to return his thanks to his Mistriss.

49. When a Lover apprehends the infidelity of his Mistriss, his Con­stancy almost forsakes him; and the most great Heart is oppressed with such great displeasures, that the most resolute Vertue loses all its power; and when he loves perfectly, Death would trouble him less than such a sur­prize.

50. The Fair suffer great regrets when they have pass'd their youth without loving, and when they love upon their declining: for 'tis then out of season; and Love will not fail to revenge himself soon or late, and then laughs at them.

51. An old man cannot love with­out being scoft at; for certainly a wrinkled Forehead mingles but a very lamentable Charm with fine sayings.

52. To live without loving, is not to live at all; and we onely can say we live, whilst we love: the Sun sets and rises every day, the Spring-time renews every year; but the destiny of the Fair is very cruel: when their fair Eyes do once [Page 178]lose their lustre, and are closed by death, they will be eternall so.

53. When one loves a fair Lady who hath forsaken another, though the disgrace of the other pleases a new Lover, yet he hath reason to be disquieted at it; and how firmly establisht so e're he be in the heart of that Mistriss, yet he ought to fear his good for­tune, when that Mistriss is fickle and vain; and be afraid that he may lose what he has gained, as well as the other.

54. A Lover who sees himself be­trayed by hsi Mistriss, cannot bet­ter revenge himself than in ma­king his Love yield to his Reason.

55. A Lover ought not to kill his [Page 179]Rival, to revenge himself of an unfaithful Mistriss; for the plea­sure he receives from his Ven­geance, affords but false Sweets, which are accompanied with bit­terness: the death of a Rival, the Tears of an ingrateful Woman, have something in them which at present flatters him; but when he at the same time sees himself more hated than he was before, he findes his Soul tortured by an eternal regret of his Crime, and wounded most by his own ven­geance.

56. A fair Lady loves not but with repugnance, because she believes every one ought to pay her homage

57. When despite proceeds from a great love, we say we hate, but yet we love.

58. A Lady who doth not appear angy when she hath reason to be so, is more to be feared than one who makes a great noise.

59. When we quit a Mistriss for a­nother, and yet the first continues her love to us, we become very miserable: for we cannot chuse but have a great compassion for her, and regret for our own in­gratitude.

60. To judge well of the Heart of a Lady, we must see her rarely in publick: for if she make her love very much appear, it is known of all the World; if she conceal it, we believe she has no love at all: and thus we shall never be satisfied.