I Have receiv'd your melancholy Epistle, with the Account of your Voyage to the Island of Love; of your Adventures there, and the Rela­tion of the death of your Aminta: At which you shall forgive me if I tell you I am neither surpris'd nor griev'd, but hope to see you the next Cam­pagne, as absolutely reduc'd to reason as myself. When Love, that has so long deprived you of Glory, shall give you no more Sighs but at the short remembrances of past Pleasures; and that af­ter you have heard my Account of the Voyage I made to the same place, with my more lucky one back again, (for I, since I saw you, have been an Adventurer) you will by my Example become of my Opinion, (notwithstanding your dismal Tales of Death and the eternal Shades,) which is, that if there be nothing that will lay me in my Tomb till Love brings me thither, I shall live to Eter­nity.

[Page 2] I must confess 'tis a great Inducement to Love, and a happy Advance to an Amour, to be handsom, finely shap'd, and to have a great deal of Wit; these are Charms that subdue the Hearts of all the Fair: And one sees but very few Ladies, that can resist these good Qualities, especially in an Age so gallant as ours, yet all this is nothing if Fortune do not smile: And I have seen a Man handsom, well shap'd, and of a great deal of Wit, with the ad­vantage of a thousand happy Adventures, yet finds himself in the end, fitter for an Hospital than the Elevation of Fortune: And the Women are not contented we should give them as much Love as they give us, (which is but reasonable,) but they would compel us all to Present and Treat 'em lavishly, till a Man hath consumed both Estate and Body in their Service. How many do we see, that are wretched Examples of this Truth, and who have nothing of all they enjoyed remaining with 'em, but a poor Idaea of past Pleasures, when rather the Injury the Jilt has done 'em, ought to be eternally present with 'em. Heaven keep me from being a Woman's Property. There are Cullies enough besides you or I, Lysander.

One would think now, That I, who can talk thus Learnedly and Gravely, had never been any of the number of those wretched, whining, sigh­ing, dying Fops, I speak of, never been jilted and cozen'd of both my Heart and Reason; but let me tell those that think so, they are mistaken, and that all this Wisdom and Discretion, I now seem replenish'd with, I have as dearly bought as [Page 3] any keeping Fool of 'em all. I was ly'd and flatter­ed into Wit, jilted and cozen'd into Prudence, and, by ten thousand broken Vows and perjured Oaths, reduced to Sense again; and can laugh at all my past Follies now.

After I have told you this, you may guess at a great part of my Story; which, in short, is this: I would needs make a Voyage, as you did, to this fortunate Isle, and accompanyed with abundance of young Heirs, Cadets, Coxcombs, Wits, Block­heads, and Politicians, with a whole Cargo of Cullies all, nameless and numberless we Landed on the Inchanted Ground; the first I saw, and lik'd, was charming Silvia; you believe I thought her fair as Angels; young, as the Spring, and sweet as all the Flowers the blooming Fields produce; that when she blush'd, the Ruddy Morning open'd, the Rose-buds blew, and all the Pinks and Dazies spread; that when she sigh'd or breath'd, Arabia's Spices, driven by gentle Winds, perfum'd all around; that when she look'd on me, all Heaven was open'd in her Azure Eyes, from whence Love shot a thousand pointed Darts, and wounded me all over; that when she spoke, the Musick of the Spheres, all that was ravishing in Harmony, blest the Adoring Listener; that when she walk'd, Venus in the Mirtle Grove when she advanc'd to meet her lov'd Adonis, assuming all the Grace young Loves cou'd give, had not so much of Ma­jesty as Silvia: In fine, she did deserve, and I com­pared her to all the Fopperies, the Suns, the Stars, the Coral, and the Pearl, the Roses and Lillies, [Page 4] Angels Spheres, and Goddesses, fond Lovers dress their Idols in. For she was all, fancy and fine ima­gination could adorn her with, at least, the gazing Puppy thought so. 'Twas such I saw and lov'd; but knowing I did Adore, I made my humble Court, and she, by all my trembling, sighings, pantings, the going and returning of my Blood, found all my Weakness and her own Power; and using all the Arts of her Sex, both to ingage and secure me, play'd all the Woman over: She wou'd be scornful and kind by turns, as she saw conve­nient, This to check my Presumption and too ea­sy hope; That to preserve me from the brink of despair. Thus was I tost in the Blanket of Love, somtimes up, and somtimes down, as her Wit and Humor was in or out of tune, all which I watch'd, and waited like a Dog, that still the oftner kick'd wou'd fawn the more.

Oh, 'tis an excellent Art this managing of a Coxcomb, the Serpent first taught it our Gran­dam Eve; and Adam was the first Cully: E're since they have kept their Empire over Men, and we have, e're since, been Slaves. But I, the most submissive of the whole Creation, was long in gaining Grace; she used me as she meant to keep me, Fool enough for her Purpose. She saw me young enough to do her Service, handsom enough to do her Credit, and Fortune enough to please her Vanity and Interest: She therefore suffer'd me to Love, and Bow among the Crowd, and fill her Train. She gave me hope enough to secure me 100, but gave me nothing else, till she saw me lan­guish [Page 5] to that degree, she feared, to lose the Glory of my Services, by my death; only this Pleasure kept me alive, to see her treat all my Rivals with the greatest Rigour imaginable, and to me all sweet­ness, exposing their feblesses; and having taken No­tice of my Languishment, she suffered me Freedoms that wholely Ravish'd me, and gave me hopes I shou'd not be long a dying for all she cou'd give.

But, since I have a great deal to say of my Ad­ventures in passing out of this Island of Love: I will be as brief as I can in what arrived to me on the Place; and tell you, That after Ten thousand Vows of eternal Love on both sides, I had the Joy, not only to be believ'd and lov'd, but to have her put herself into my Possession, far from all my Ri­vals: Where, for some time I lived with this char­ming Maid, in all the Raptures of Pleasure, Youth, Beauty, and Love could create. Eternally we loved, and lived together, no day nor night sepa­rated us, no Frowns interrupted our Smiles, no Clouds our Sun-shine; the Island was all perpetu­al Spring, still flowery and green, in Bowers, in Shades, by purling Springs and Fountains, we past our hours, unwearied and uninterrupted. I cannot express to you the happy Life I led, during this blessed Tranquility of Love, while Silvia still was pleased, and still was gay. We walked all day together in the Groves, and entertained ourselves with a thousand Stories of Love; we laught at the foolish World, who could not make their Felicity with out Crowds and Noise: We pittied Kings in Courts in this Retirement, so well [Page 6] we liked our Solitude; till on a day, (blest be that joyful day, though then 'twas most a-curst,) I say upon that day, I know not by what accident I was parted from my Charmer, and left her all alone, but in my absence, there incountred her a Woman extremely ugly, and who was however very nice and peevish, inconstant in her temper, and no one place could continue her: The finest things in the World were troublesom to her, and she was Shagreen at every thing; her Name is Indifference; she is a Person of very great Power in this Island, (though possibly you never incoun­tred her there,) and those that follow her, de­part from the Isle of Love without any great pains. She brought Silvia to the Lake of Disgust, whe­ther, in persuing her (at my return,) I found her, ready to take Boat to have past quite away, and where there are but too many to transport those Passengers, who follow Indifference over the Lake of Disgust. I saw this disagreeable Creature too, but she appeared too ugly for me to approach her, but forcing Silvia back, I returned again to the Palace of True Pleasure, where some days after there ar­rived to me a Misfortune, of which, I believed I should never have seen an end. I found Silvia in­viron'd round with new Lovers, still adoring and pleasing her a thousand ways, and though none of 'em were so rich, so young, or so handsom as I, she nevertheless failed not to treat 'em with all the Smiles and Caresses 'twas possible to imagin; when I complain'd of this, she would satisfy my fears with so many Vows and Imprecations, that I [Page 7] would believe her, and think myself unreasona­ble, but when she would be absent whole days, in an hundred places, she would find such probable Excuse, and lye with such a Grace, no mortal cou'd have accused her, so that all the whole Island took notice that I was a bassled Cuckold, be­fore I could believe she would deceive me, so hear­tily she damn'd herself: Through all the Groves I was the pointed Coxcomb, laught at aloud, and knew not where the jest lay; but thought myself as secure in the Innocence of my deceiving fair One, as the first hour I charmed her, and like a keeping Cully, lavish'd out my Fortune, my plenteous Fortune, to make her fine to Cuckold me. 'Sdeath! how I scorn the Follies of my Do­tage; and am resolv'd to persue Love for the fu­ture, in such a manner as it shall never cost me a Sigh: This shall be my method.

Perhaps, my Friend, at this Account of my Hu­mor you may smile, but with a reasonable consi­deration you will commend it, at least, though you are not so wise as to persue my Dictates. Yet I know you will be diverted with my Adventures; though there be no love in 'em that can resemble 'em to yours. Take then the History of my Heart, which I assure you, boasts itself of the Conquests it has made.

I was a great while, (like you,) before I for­got the remembrance of my first Languishments, and I almost thought, (by an excess of Melancho­ly,) that the end of my Misfortunes were with my Life at hand: Yet still like a fond Slave, willing to drag my Fetters on, I hop'd she would find Argu­ments to convince me she was not false; and in that Humor, fear'd only I should not be handsomly and neatly jilted. Could she but have dissembled well, I had been still her Cully. Could she have play'd her Game with discretion, but, vain of her [Page 11] Conquest, she boasted it to all the World, and I alone was the kind keeping Blockhead, to whom 'twas unperceived, so well she swore me into be­lief of her Truth to me. Till one day, lying un­der a solitary Shade, with my sad Thoughts fixt on my declining Happiness, and almost drown'd in Tears, I saw a Woman drest in glorious Gar­ments, all loose and flowing with the wind, scour­ing the Fields and Groves with such a pace, as Ve­nus, when she heard her lov'd Youth was slain, hasted to behold her ruin. She past me, as I lay, with an unexpressable swiftness, and spoke as she run, with a loud Voice. At her first approach, I felt a strange trembling at my Heart without knowing the reason, and found at last this Woman was Fame. Yet I was not able to tell from whence proceeded my Inquietude. When her Words made me but too well understand the Cause: The fatal Subject of what she cry'd, in passing by me, were these;

[Page 12] I believed, as she spoke, that I had ill under­stood her, but she repeated it so often, that I no longer doubted my wretchedness. I leave you, who so well can guess, to imagin, what Complaints I made, filling the Grove, where I was laid, with my pitious Cries; somtimes I rose and raved, and rail'd on Love, and reproached the fair Fugitive. But the tender God was still pleading in my Heart, and made me ever end my noisy Griefs in Sighs and silent Tears. A thousand Thoughts of revenge I entertained against this happy Rival, and the char­ming ingrate: But those Thoughts, like my Rage, would also end in soft reproaching murmurs and re­gret only. And I would somtimes argue with Love in this manner.

[Page 14] Though I complained thus for a good while, [...] was not without some secret hope, that what I had heard was not true; nor would I be persuaded to undeceive myself of that hope which was so dear and precious to me. I was not willing to be con­vinced I was intirely miserable, out of too great a fear to find it true; and there were some Moments in which I believed Fame might falsly accuse Silvia, and it did not seem reasonable to me, that, after all the Vows and Oaths she had made, she should so easily betray 'em, and forgetting my Services, receive those of another, less capable of rendring them to her advantage. Somtimes I would excuse her ungratitude with a thousand things that seem'd reasonable, but still that was but to make me more sensible of my disgrace; and then I would accuse myself of a thousand weaknesses below the Cha­racter of a Man; I would even despise and loath my own easiness, and resolve to be no longer a Mark-out-fool for all the Rhiming Wits of the Island to aim their Dogrel at. And grown, as I imagined, brave at this thought, I resolved first to be fully convinced of the persidy of my Mistress, and then to rent my Heart from the attachment that held it.

You know, that from the Desart of Remembrance, one does, with great facility, look over all the Island of Love. I was resolved to go thither one day; and where indeed I could survey all things that past, in the Groves, the Bowers, by Rivers, or Fountains, or whatever other place, remote or ob­scure 'twas from thence, that one day I saw the faithless Silvia, in the Palace of True Pleasure, in [Page 15] the very Bower of Bliss with one of my Rivals, but most intimate Friend.

[Page 16] In fine, 'twas there I saw that I must lose the day. And I saw in this Lover Ten thousand Charms of Youth and Beauty; on which the ingrate with greedy languishing Eyes, eternally gazed with the same Joy she used to behold me when she made me most happy. I confess, this Object was so far from pleasing me, (as I believed a confirmation would,) that the change inspired me with a rage, which nothing else could do, and made me say things unbecoming the Dignity of my Sex, who ought to disdain those faithless Slaves, which Hea­ven first made to obey the Lords of the Creation. A thousand times I was about to have rush'd upon 'em, and have ended the Lives of the loose betray­ers of my repose, but Love stepp'd in and stay'd my hand, preventing me from an Outrage, that would have cost me that rest of Honour, I yet had left: But when my rage was abated, I fell to a more in­supportable Torment, that of extream Grief to find another possest of what I had been so long, and with so much Toil in gaining: 'Twas thus I re­tir'd, and after a little while brought myself to make calm Reflections upon this Adventure, which reduced me to some reason. When one day as I was walking in an unfrequented Shade, whither my Melancholy had conducted me, I incountred a Man, of a hauty look and meen, his Apparel rich and glorious, his Eyes awful, and his Stature tall; the very sight of him inspired me with coldness, which render'd me almost insensible of the infidelity of Silvia. This Person was Pride, who looking on me, as he past, with a fierce and disdainful Smile, [Page 17] over his Shoulder, and regarding me with scorn, said;

I knew by his words he was Pride, or Dis­dain, and would have embraced him; but he put me off seeing Love still by me, who had not yet abandoned me, and turned himself from me with a regardless scorn, but I, who was resol­ved not to forsake so discreet a Counsellor, rather chose to take my leave of little Love; who had ever accompanyed me in this Voyage. But oh! this adieu was not taken so easily and soon as I ima­gined. Love was not to be quitted without abun­dance of Sighs and Tears at parting, he had been a Witness to all my Adventures, my Confident in this Amour, and not to be deserted without a great deal of pain; I stayed so long in bidding the dear Boy adieu, that I had almost forgot Disdain; at last, though my Heart were breaking to part with the dear fondling, I was resolved and said;

[Page 19] In quitting Love I was a great while before I could find Disdain, but I, at last, overtook him: He accompanyed me to a Village, where I received a Joy I had not known since my Arrival to the Isle of Love, and which Repose seemed the sweeter be­cause it was new. When I came to this place, I saw all the World Easie, Idle, and at Liberty: This Village is like a Desart, and all the Inhabitants live within themselves, there is only one Gate, by which we enter into it from the Isle of Love.

This place is called Indifference, and takes its Name from a Princess inhabiting there, a Person very fair and well made; but has a Grace and Meen of so little Wit, and seems so inutile and so silly, that it renders her even ridiculous. As soon as I arrived there, I called to my remembrance all those affronts and cheats of Love, that Silvia had put upon me, and which now served for my diversion, and were agreeable thoughts to me; so that I called myself Ten thousand Sots and Fools for resenting 'em; and that I did not heartily despise 'em, laugh at 'em, and make my Pleasure with the false One as well as the rest; for she dissembled well, and for ought I knew, 'twas but dissembled Love she paid my Rivals. But I, forsooth, was too nice a Coxcomb, I cou'd not feed as others did, and be contented with such Pleasures as she cou'd afford, but I must ingross all, and unreasonably believe a Woman of Youth and Wit had not a longer Race of Love to run than to my Arms alone. Well, 'tis now confest I was a Fool, nor could I hinder my­self from saying a thousand times a day;

I found it very convenient and happy to disin­gage from Love, and I have wondred a thousand times at the Follies that God has made me commit: And though I somtimes thought on Silvia, I thought her less charming and fair than she was be­fore her fall; and the Humour I now was in re­presented her no more meriting that Passion I once had for her, and I fancied she had lost all those Gra­ces for which once I lov'd her: In fine, I was so wholly recovered of my disease of Love for Silvia, that I began to be uneasie for want of imploying my Ad­dresses; and a change from so violent a Passion to such a degree of coldness, became insupporta­ble to one of my Youth and natural Gayety; in­somuch, that I was seized with a Dulness, or Lan­guishment, and so great a sit of Melancholy, as I had never felt the like; and my Heart, that was so accustomed to Love, was so out of Humour, that it had no Object or Business for thought, that it lost all its Harmony and Wit; it having nothing to excite it to Life and Motion, passing from so vast a degree of tenderness to an unconcern equally ex­tream. I thought it rude, ill-bred, and idle, to live so indifferent and insignificant a Life. And [Page 21] walking perpetually by myself, (or with those of my own Sex, that could not make my diversion,) I sung all day this following Song to a Hum-drum Tune, to myself;

These were my notions of Life; and I found myself altogether useless in the World without Love; methought I had nothing to animate me to Gallant things, without Love, or Women: I had no use of Wit or Youth without the fair, and yet I did not wish wholly to ingage myself neither a second time, having been so ill-treated before by Love: But I found there were ways to enter­tain one's self agreeably enough without dying or venturing the breaking of a heart for the matter: That there were Beauties to be obtained without the hazard of hanging or drowning one's self: I never had tryed, but I found it natural enough to my Humour and Constitution, to flatter and dissemble, swear and lye; I viewed my self in my Glass, and found myself very well recovered from the Ruins my first Amour had made, and believed myself as fit for Conquest, as any Sir Fopling, or Sir Courtly Nice of 'em all. To this sine Person and good Meen and Shape, (as I thought,) I ad­ded handsom Dressing, the thing that takes the Heart infinitely above all your other Parts, and thus set out a snare for vain Beauty; I every day went out of the City of Indifference, to see what new Adventures I could meet withal.

One day I incountred a Woman, who, at first sight appeared very agreeable; she had an Air ea­sie, [Page 23] free, and Galliard; such as fails not to take at first view: This was Coquettre, who, the very first time she saw me, Addrest herself to me with very great Complisance and good Humour, and invited me to her Apartment, where she assured me I should not fail to be entertained very agreeably; and at the same time pulling out of her Pocket a Paper, she shewed me these Words written;

I gave her thanks for her good Counsel, and found I needed not much persuasion to follow Co­quettre to a City that bears her Name, and I saw over the Gate of the City at my Entrance, these Verses writ in Gold Letters;

This agreeable description, gave me new desire to enter into the City; where I incountred a thou­sand fine Persons all gloriously drest, as if they were purposely set out for Conquest: There was nothing omitted of Cost and Gallantry, that might render 'em intirely Charming, and they employ'd all their Arts of Looks and Dress to gain Hearts.

It is, in a word, from these fair Creatures you are to draw your Satisfaction, and 'tis indeed at a dear rate you buy it, yet, notwithstanding the Ex­pence, a world of People persue 'em.

When I came into the City, I was soon percei­ved to be a Stranger there, and while I was consi­dering whither I should go, or how to address my­self [Page 27] to these fair Creatures, a little Coquett Cupid presented himself to me for a kind Instructer; and to explain him, this in a word is his Character:

He is of the same Race with the other Cupids, has the same Mother too, Venus: He wears a Bow and Arrows, like the rest of the young Loves; but he has no Bando, nothing to cover his Eyes, but he sees perfectly; nor has he any Flambeau: And all the Laws of Coquettre he understands and observes exactly.

I had no sooner received the little Charming God, but he instructed me in all the most power­ful Arts to please, in all his little wiles and agreea­ble deceits; all which he admits of as the most ne­cessary Recourses to that great end of Man, his true diversion: With all which I was so extreamly plea­sed, that resolving to be his Votary, I followed him to the most delightful place in the World, the City of Gallantry.

Gallantry is a City very magnificent; at the En­trance of the Gate you incounter Liberality, a Wo­man of great Wit, delicate Coversation and Com­plisance: This Lady gives her Pasport to all that enter, and without which, you cannot pass, or at least, with great difficulty; and then too you pass your time but very ill; and the more Pasports you have, the better you are received from the fair In­habitants, and pass your time more agreeable with the fine Conversation you meet with in this City. Love told me this, and it was therefore that I took a great many Pasports from this acceptable Person Liberality. But what renders you yet more Fa­voured [Page 28] by the Fair and the Young who reside at Gallantry, is, to have a delicate soft Wit, an assi­duous Address and a tender way of Conversing; but that which best cullies and pleases the Genera­lity of People there, is Liberality and Complisance: This place of so great Divertisement is refrequen­ted with all the Parties of the best and most amia­able Company, where they invent a thousand new Pleasures every day; Feasting, Balls, Comedies, and Sports, Singing and Serinads, are what em­ploys the whole Four and twenty hours.

By the Virtue of my Pasports from Liberality, I was introduced to all the fine Conversations and Places that afford Pleasure and Delight: I had the good Fortune to make Parties, insomuch, that I was soon known to all the Company in the City, and past the day in Feasting, going with the Young and Fair to delightful Villa's, Gardens, or Rivers in Chaces, and a thousand things that pleas'd; and the Nights I passed in Serinading, so that I did not give myself time for Melancholy; and yet for all this I was wearied and fatigued; for when once one has tasted of the Pleasure of Loving and being Beloved, all, that comes after that, is but flat and dull; and if one's Heart be not a little inflamed, all things else are insignificant, and make but very slight touches.

I began therefore for all this to be extreamly Sha­green and out of Humour, amid'st all these Pleasures, till one lucky day I met with an Adventure, that war­med my Heart with a tender flame which it had not felt since my happy beginning one for Silvia: One [Page 29] day, as I said, I was conducted by my officious Cupid into a Garden very beautiful, where there are a thousand Labyrinths and Arbours, Walks, Grot­to's, Groves and Thickets; and where all the Fair and the Gay resorted; 'twas here I incountred a young Beauty called Bellinda; she was well made, and had an admirable meen, an Air of Gayety and Sweetness; but that which charmed me most of all, was her Wit, which was too ingaging for me to defend my Heart against: I found mine immedi­ately submitting to her Conversation, and you may imagine I did not part with her so long as De­cency and good Manners permitted me to stay with her, which was as long as any Company was in the place; nor then, till by my importunity I had gained so much upon her to suffer my Visits, which she did with a Condescention that gave me abun­dance of hope.

I was no sooner gone, but my Cupid, who took care of me, and entertained me to the best Advan­tage, carryed me that Evening to a Ball, where there were a world of Beauties, among the rest one fair as imagination can conceive; she had all the Charmes of Youth and Beauty; though not so much Wit and Air as Bellinda. To this young ado­rable I made my Court all the time I remained there, and fancied I never found myself so Charm­ed, I fancied all the Graces had taken up their dwelling in her Divine Face; and that to subdue one so fair and so innocent, must needs be an ex­tream Pleasure: Yet did I not so wholly fix my de­sires on this lovely Person, but that the Wit of [Page 30] Bellinda shared my Heart with the Beauty and Youth of Bellimante, so was this young Charmer called: I was extreamly well pleas'd to find I could a-new take fire; and infinitely more, when I found I should not be subdued by one alone; nor con­fined to dull Dotage on a single Beauty; but that I was able to attain to the greatest Pleasure, that of Loving two amiable Persons at once: If with two, I hoped I might with Two score if I pleas'd and had occasion; and though at first it seemed to be very strange and improbable to feel a Passion for two, yet I found it true, and could not determin which I had the greatest tenderness for, or inclina­tion to: But 'tis most certain, that this Night I found, or thought I found, more for Bellimante, who fired me with every Smile; I confess she wan­ted that Gayety of Spirit Bellinda had, to main­tain that fire she raised: And ever when I was thoughtful a moment, Coquettre (who is ever in all the Conversation, and where she appears very magnificent and with a great Train,) would, smi­ling, sing softly in my Ear this Song, for she is ve­ry Galliard;

Coquettre is a Person, that endeavours to please and humour every Body, but of all those who eve­ry day fill her Train, she caresses none with that Ad­dress and Assiduity as she did me, for I was a new Face, to whom she is ever most obliging and en­tertaining. However, notwithstanding the Advice of Coquettre, I fancied this young Charmer had in­gaged all my Soul; and while I gazed on her Beauty, I thought on Bellinda no more; but be­lieved I should wholly devote myself to Bellimante, whose Eyes alone seemed capable to inflame me.

I took my leave with Sighs, and went home extream well pleas'd with this days Adventure. All this Night I slept as well as if no tenderness had toucht my Heart, and though I Lov'd infinitely, it gave me no disturbance; the next morning a thou­sand pleasant things Bellinda had said to me, came into my mind, and gave me a new inclination to en­tertain myself with that witty Beauty; and dres­sing myself in haste with the desire I had to be with her, I went again, the morning being very invi­ting, to the Garden, where before I had seen her, and was so lucky to encounter her; I found her blush at my approach; which I counted a good [Page 32] Omen of my future happiness; she received me with all the Gayety and Joy good liking and Wit could inspire: Nor was I backward on my part, but addrest myself to her with all imaginable res­pect, and as much Love in my Eyes as I was able to put on; which, I found, she saw with Pleasure; she had not entertained me half an hour, but I was so absolutely charmed, that I forgot there was a Bellaminte in the World.

Thus for several days I lived; every day visit­ing both these attracting Beauties, and at Night, when I was retired, was not able to inform myself which I liked best: Both were equally beloved, and it was now, that methought I began to tast of true Joy; I found myself in Love without any sort of inquietude, when I was Melancholy, I went to visit Bellinda, and she with her Gayety and Wit would inspire me with good Humour; If I were over-prest with good Company, and too much Conversation and Noise, I would visit Belli­mante, who by a certain softness in her discourse, and a natural Languishment in her Eyes and Manners, charmed and calmed me to a reposed tranquillity; so that to make me fortunate in Love, I could not have fixed my desires better: I had too little Love to be wretched, and enough to make my happiness and Pleasure.

After I had past my time a while thus in Coquet­tre, this little Love, who was my Guide, carried me to Declaration: I thought then upon the time of my first Arrival on the Isle of Love; and how Respect, that awful hinderer of our Pleasure, pre­vented [Page 33] me from going to this Place: I urg'd this very argument Respect then made me, to my Coquet Love now, who for answer return'd me nothing but loud Laughter; and when I ask this reason, he replyd, that Respect did not forbid any to go to Declaration, but those only who knew not how to behave themselves well there, and who were not so well fashion'd and bred as they ought to be, who go thither: And that it was a mere cheat in Respect to conduct people to Love by Discretion, that being much the farthest way about, and under favor to Monsieur Respect he is but a troublesome companion to a Lover, who designs to cure those wounds the fair has given him, and, if he have no better counsellor, he may languish all his life without revealing the secret of his soul to the object belov'd, and so never find redress. But this Sir Formal, (Respect, says Love,) is a very great favorite of the Lady's, who is always in fee with them as a Jilt with a Justice; who manages their Fools just as they wou'd have 'em; for it is the most agreeable thing in the World to them, and what the most feeds their vanity, to see at their feet a thousand Lo­vers sigh, burn, and languish; the fair are never angry to find themselves belov'd, nor ever weary of being Ador'd. I was extreamly pleas'd at this frank Humour of my little Love who told me this, and without much scruple or consideration to Respect I follow'd him towards Declaration, and in my way he gave me this Advice.

By this time we were arriv'd to Declaration, which is a very little Village, since it is only for Passengers to pass thrô, and none live there, the Country is very Perilous, and those that make a [Page 35] false step run a great risque of falling from some Precipice: Round about rises a very great mist, and people have much ado to know each other; of these mists there are two sorts: The one on the side of Denial, the other on that of Per­mission, the first is very disagreeable and draws a very ill consequence with it; the other directs you to a place of intire divertisment, but I had so good a guide that the entrance gave me no trouble at all. When I came to the Village, I found Bellimante, and Bellinda, to whom by turns I told all my heart; and discover'd all its passion or its tenderness which was to me much better.

I confess to you, my dear Lysander, that it was a great while before I cou'd make myself be be­liev'd by Bellinda, or gain any credit upon her heart, she had a great deal of Wit and cou'd see farther into the designs of her Lovers than those who had not so much, or had had so many vows pay'd them: I perceiv'd well enough, I was not hated by her, and that she had not a heart whol­ly insensible; so that I never quitted her till I had gain'd so much upon her to accompany me to Permission, where for some time we pass our days very pleasantly; and having so good fortune with Bellinda, I had now a great desire to try my power over Bellimante: and where indeed, con­trary to my expectation, I was not so happy: But she went from me to Denial; and I was for that hour oblig'd to return again to Bellinda, it was some time I searcht her in vain, but at last found her at a little Village, extreamly agreeable. There are very few Inhabitants, but those that are live in perpetual union, yet do not talk much, for they understand one another with half words: A sign of the Hand, the Head or the Eye, a glance or smile is sufficient to declare a great part of the Inclination. It is here where the Lover takes all freedoms, without controul, and says and dos [Page 37] all that soft Love can permit: And every day they take and give a secret Entertainment, speak­ing a particular Language, which every body does not understand, and none but Lovers can reply too, in effect, there are as many Languages as persons.

The Governess of this Village is very charm­ing to those that are acquainted with her; and as disagreeable to those that are not; she is a per­son of a great deal of Wit, and knows all things. She has a thousand ways to make herself under­stood, and comprehends all in a moment, that you wou'd or can say to her.

In this place, to divert, we make a thousand pretty sorts of Entertainments; and we have a­bundance of Artifices, which signify nothing, and yet they serve to make life Agreeable and Pleasant.

'Twas thus I liv'd at Intelligence; when I under­stood that Bellimante was retir'd to Cruelty. This news afflicted me extreamly, but I was not now of a humour to swell the Floods with my tears, or increase the rude winds with my ruder sighs; to tear my hair and beat my Innocent breast as I us'd in my first Amount to do. However I was so far concern'd, that I made it my business not to lose this insensible fair one, but making her a visit in spight of her retreat, I reproacht her with cruelty.

Who the Devil wou'd not believe me as much in love now as I ever was with Silvia: My heart had learn'd then all the soft Language of Love which now it cou'd prattle as naturally as its Mother Tongue; and sighing and dying was as ready for my mouth as when it came from my very heart; and cost me nothing to speak; Love being as cheaply made now by me as a barter for a Horse or a Coach; and with as little concern almost: It pleas'd me while I was speaking, and while I believ'd I was gaining the vanity and pleasure of a conquest over an unvanquisht heart. However I cou'd yet perceive no Grist come to my Mill; no heart to my Lure; young as it was, it had [Page 39] a cunning that was harder to deceive than all Bellinda's Wit: And seeing her persist still in her Resolution I left her with a heart, whose pride more than Passion resented the obduratness of this Maid, I went as well compos'd however as I cou'd to Intelligence; and found even some pleasure in the cruelty and charming resistance of Bellimante, since I propos'd to myself an infinite happyness in softning a heart so averse to Love, and which I knew I shou'd compel to yeild some time or other with very little pains and force.

I feigned nevertheless abundance of Grief to find her-still persist in her rigorous Cruelty; and I made her believe, that all my absent hours I aban­doned myself to sorrows and despairs; though Love knows I parted with all those things in Silia's Arms. But whatever I pretend, to appear at Cru­elty and before Bellimante; at Intelligence I was all Galliard and never in better Humour in my Life than when I went to visit Bellinda: I put on the Gravity of a Lover, and beheld her with a Solemn Languishing Look: In fine, I accustomed myself to counterfeit my Humour, whenever I found it convenient for my Advantage: Tears, Vows, and Sighs cost me nothing, and I knew all the Arts to jilt for Love, and could act the dying Lover, whenever it made for my Satisfaction.

In fine, after I had sufficiently acted the Lan­guishing Lover, for the accomplishment of all my Wishes, I thought it time to change the Scene, and without having recourse to Pity, I followed all the Counsels of my Cupid; who told me, that in stead of dying and whining at her Feet, and damning myself to obtain her Grace, I should affect a Coldness, and an Unconcern; for, Lycidus, assure yourself, said he, there is nothing a Woman will not do, rather than lose her Lover either from Vanity or Inclination. I thanked Love for his kind Advice; and to persue it, the next day I drest myself in all the Gayety imaginable: My Eyes, my Air, my Language, were all changed; and thus fortified with all the put-on indifference in the World, I made Bellimante a Visit; and after a thousand things all cold and unconcerned, far from Love or my former Softness, I cried laugh­ing to her;

Having said all this with an Air of Disdain, I, smiling, took my leave, with much less Civility and Respect than I used to do; and hasting to In­telligence, I past my time very well with Bellinda, to whom I paid all my Visits, and omitted nothing that might make Bellimante know I had forgot her: But at the end of some days by a very happy change, [Page 44] she finding more inclination to Love than to Cru­elty, banishing all Obstacles in Favour of a Lover, she came to Intelligence; where at first sight she made me some little Reproaches, and that in so soft a manner, that I did not doubt but I had toucht her Heart: I swore a thousand times, that all I had done, was only put on to see if it were possible she could resent it, and force from her Heart some little concern for my supposed loss. At this time I had abundance of Intreagues upon my hands, for it was not with Bellinda and Bellimante, with whom I lived in this manner; and indeed it is impossible to remain at Intelligence and to make a Court but to two Persons only, where there are so many of the Fair and the Young. I writ every day several Bil­lets; and received every day as many: I had every day two or three Rendezvous; and one ought to manage matters very discreetly, that neither Par­ty might come to the knowledge of the others con­cern; and one ought to be a Man of great Address and Subtilty to love more than one securely; and though this gave me some pain, it was nevertheless an Ambaras very agreeable, and in which I could have lived a great while; if Envy, which cannot suffer any Body to be happy in Intelligence, had not arrived there and told a great many things which discovered my Intreagues; so that Bellinda, with whom I had lived there with great Tranquilli­ty a long time, and Bellimante, with whom I was but just beginning to be happy, were both obli­ged to quit this delightful place, where we enjoy­ed so many happy hours; and they retired till the [Page 45] noise was a little over; and with them all those who had afforded me any hope: If any one of these had stayed, I had been contented well enough and one might have consol'd me for the loss of the other, but in one day to lose all that made my hap­piness, put me into such a Melancholy, I knew not for the present what to do for myself; but Coquet Love conducted me to a Village, that gave a me new Pleasure: The scituation of it is marvellous, the Fields and the Groves all about it the most plea­sant in the World; the Meadows enamel'd with Rivulets, which run winding here and there, and lose themselves in the Thickets and the Woods. In going, Love said to me: In absence it is in vain to abandon yourself to sorrow. Alas! What signifies it to sigh night and day; the Absent does not hear us; nor can the most tender Affliction or Com­plaint render a Lover happy, unless the Fair One were present to hear all his Moans, then perhaps they might avail. There was reason in what he said, and I was pleas'd and calm'd; and we arri­ved at the same time at this Village: All the Hou­ses were fine, and pleasant, we saw all the Graces there by Fountains and by Flowery Springs, and all the Objects that could be imagined agreeable; and the least amiable ones, we saw, gave us a Joy! All the World that inhabit there contribute to Di­version; and this place is called Amusement: Amusement is a young Boy, who stops and gazes at every thing that meets his Eyes, and he makes his Pleasure with every Novelty.

As soon as I arrived at this Village I thought to [Page 46] divert myself, as others did; and to hinder my Thoughts from fixing on the loss of my two Mi­stresses, and to banish from my mind the Sha­grins their Absence gave me; withdrawn from the fair Eyes of Bellimante, and the Charming Wit of Bellinda, and to give my sighing Heart a little case; upon a thousand Objects I formed my desires, and took a thousand Pleasures to divert my Melancholy: And all the time I lived at this dear place, I passed my time without any inquie­tude; for every day afforded me new Objects to give me new Wishes. And I now expected, with­out much impatience, the return of Bellinda and Bellimante; nor did I tire myself with writing to 'em every day; and when I did write, to save the expence of thought, the same Billet served both; a thousand little tender things I said of course to both: And somtimes, especially while I was wri­ting, I thought I had rather have seen them than have lived at Amusemcnt, but since it was necessa­ry they should be absent, I bore it with all the Patience I could; somtimes we were in a fit of writing very regularly to one another, but on a sudden I received no Letters at all; the reason of this was, they both understood I lived at Amuse­ment, and had retired themselves to the Palace of Spight: I no sooner received this News, but I rendered myself there also; it is a place where there is alwaies abundance of Tumult, Outrage, Quarrels and Noise: And Spight is a Person who eternally gives occasion of Discontent and Broil; causing People often to fall out with those they [Page 47] love most, and to caress those they hate: But the Quarrels she occasions us with those we love, last but a very short season, and Love reconciles those differences that Spight obliges us to make: Thô 'tis somtime pleasant enough to see those we Love extreamly, and violently, fall into the highest rage, and say a thousand things injurious and un­reasonable, and to swear all the Oaths that angry Love and Fury can inspire, never to see or con­verse with one another again, and in a moment after to grow calm, weep, and reunite; to be perjured on both sides, and become more fond than ever they were.

In this Place there wou'd be eternal War, but for a person who inhabits there, and is always the Mediator for Peace, tis he that assists to accommo­date and bring the Lovers together. This is a very honest person, call'd Right Vnderstanding, he brought me to Bellinda, whom I found accom­pany'd with a Man that made her a thousand ca­resses, at my approach she made as if she knew me not, which I took in such disdain, that I ap­ply'd myself to Spight, with a design to be re­veng'd on this Haughty scorner. In this humour [Page 48] I made a visit to Bellimante but found her as Implacable as Bellinda, whom no excuses, no reason, cou'd reduce to the temper I had once seen her; in a rage, ten times more than I was before, fill'd with disdain and revenge I complain'd of this treatment to my little Love, who immedi­ately led me into a Grove, where the Beauties and the Graces us'd to walk, to consult upon what return to make for my affront; from one place to another we past on till we came to a lit­tle Thicket, on the other side of which, by a lit­tle Rivulet we cou'd hear, but not see, two per­sons discoursing, they were women, and one seemed in a violent Rage against her Lover, who had newly offended her, whilst the other strove in vain to reconcile her, but she went on, vowing to revenge herself with the next object she shou'd Incounter that had but Wit, Youth, and fortune enough to Justifie her Love, and make her con­quest glorious; her resolution agreeing so with mine, and her manner of speaking, gave me new hope and pleasure, and a great curiosity to see her face; I found by her Resentment she was young and of Quality, and that alone was enough to make me resolve upon Addressing myself to her, and the other person had no sooner left her, but I ad­vanced towards her, with as good a grace as I cou'd put on, she was a little surprised, and blushing at first, but I soon reconcil'd her to my conversation. I found her handsom enough to ingage me, and she was as well pleased with me as I was with her, both having the same design which was that of [Page 49] revenge, and you may Imagin, our business be­ing the same, our entertainment was not at first extraordinary, but as my cause of Anger was more reasonable than hers, I began to find myself to soften into liking of this new fair one, who was called Cemena, and who, to spight her former Lover, endeavor'd to be seen with me in all the publick places she cou'd, which gave him Infinite torments of Jealousie. One day as I was walking with this Cemena in a place where the young and the fair frequent, Bellinda and Bellimante often passed by us, and saw us both well pleas'd and in good humour, I cou'd perceive their colour goe and come, and that they were as uneasy at this object, as my heart cou'd wish, and by their quitting of the place immediatly after, I was as­sured of all my hope, and believed I had gained my Point; at the end of two or three days, one Morning walking alone in the same place I in­countered Bellimante, who hapned to be attend­ed with her Woman onely, she chang'd colour at my approach, and wou'd have passed me by but I stay'd her by the Robe; and said a thousand things to her that angry Love inspir'd me with, while she on her side did the same, till we had talk'd ourselves by degrees into reason, and good understanding. I found her Resentment to be only the excess of Love, and all those faults are easily forgiven, I immediatly threw myself at her Feet, and made her a thousand protestations of my fidelity, and she, in her turn, excused herself with all the tenderness imaginable, she made me [Page 50] a thousand new vowes and caresses and forgot nothing that might persuade me, that all she did was by the Counsel of Spight.

[Page 51] I found this accommodement extreamly agree­able, and it was in these transports the Lovely Bellimante detain'd me for some days without quit­ing her, but I found too much Joy in a new re­conciliation not to endeavor to make one also with Bellinda; as soon then as Bellimante grew a little off my heart by so long a conversation with one and the same Woman, I, on pretence of some af­fairs, left her extreamly charm'd and satisfi'd, and hasted to Bellinda, who, methought, was now a new Beauty; at least I found her too consider­able to lose the Glory of ingaging her intirely; tis possible that both these Ladys, being agitated with as little faith as myself, deceiv'd me with the same design I did them, to make their pleasure on­ly, and thô this very often came into my thoughts, yet it gave me no great inquietude, they dis­sembl'd well, and I cou'd not see it, I had the satisfaction and the vanity of 'em, that was as much as I desir'd from any of the fair since Silvia toucht my heart, they both swore they lov'd and both fear'd to displease, if they were unfaithful they had a thousand stratagems to hide their infidelity, and took a great deal of care to keep me, which shew'd a value in me above all the rest of my Ri­vals, and I beheld myself with some Pride and e­steem for having so much power; when ever they offended me they had all the Arts to mollify me, and who wou'd be so critically in love as not to be willing to be so well abus'd? For my part, I will not be so nice, as to penetrat into their thoughts, to find what wou'd but displease me if [Page 52] found; but content myself with all I see and find that looks like Love at least and good humour. Nay even in their worst I find a thousand plea­sures, those of their quarrels which somtimes hap­pen twenty times a day, when every reconciliation is like a new Mistress, so well they strive to please and be reconcil'd.

But all these pleasures did not satisfy me, there were greater yet behind which I had not arriv'd to with these fair charmers, and however I liv'd at Amusement, making a thousand Amours with a hundred of the most Beautiful, still I had a desire to subdue intirely to my pleasure these two the most hard to gain, but now I was pretty well se­cur'd of both their hearts and yet neither knew, they were each others Rivals in mine. They knew one another, converst, and play'd and walkt to­gether, yet so discreet I was in this Amour that neither was jealous of the other, nor suspected I lov'd both with an equal Ardor; when I hapned to be with 'em both I carried myself so equally Gal­lant that both commended my conduct and ima­gin'd I did it to hide the secret passion I had for herself, and so many little Arts my Coquet love had taught me I cou'd with ease manage abundance of intregues at one and the same time.

But as I said, this did not suffice, nor cou'd the fires, that some more willing Beauties allay'd, hin­der me from wishing and burning and persuing those two fair persons with an Ardor that had no appearance of decay from any others goodness to me, but in my daily visits to'em, I eternally so­licited [Page 53] them to suffer me to accompany them to that charming place call'd Favors, which is a very Beautiful Castle rais'd in a Vally. I confest to you that my Coquet Cupid advis'd me not to go, for fear of attaching myself too much to a place so extreamly agreeable; the Mountains, that inviron this Castle, are very high and full of hollow Rocks, which made the scituation very sullen. The Castle itself was delicately built, and surrounded with tall Trees, so thick that one cou'd hardly see the Edifice, nor cou'd the Sun-bearns dart throw the gloomy shade; and eternal Night seem'd to sit there in awful state and pleasure: For the more obscure this place is and secret from all Eyes, the better and more acceptable it is to all that enter there, and thô this Vally have many inhabitants, it appears to have none at all; because they love solitude, and, banishing all Publick society, con­tent themselves only to be but two in company together, if there be more they are receiv'd with a very ill welcome, for a third Person in this place wou'd destroy the Pleasure and the harmony. The Inhabitants of this Castle never shew them­selves but to those that are very importune, and then not every day, the Ladies that command there are many Sisters all of the name of the Castle; and all very fair, and still one more fair than the other, and when you visit'em you see'em not all at once but by degrees and the last you behold is the fairest, and by the pleasure you have in seeing one, you desire to see'em all. For there are no limits to be given to desire, and as they are [Page 54] never seen by any body altogether, it happens very often that you see but one, and you must have address and great assiduity, abstinence, and good fortune to obtain one of these Favors; but the last will cost you much more trouble than all the rest put together, so very fair, so very nice and coy she is: But when once obtain'd she brings you to the Palace of intire Pleasure; which is neighbouring to the Castle of Favors; but I, who wou'd very fain, at once, have brought to this delicate place both Bellinda and Bellimante, found myself extream uneasy, because, as I said, only two can be well entertain'd at a time! I found it against my humour and against the advice of Love to a­bandon all, and retire with one only, for in de­cency and good manners, those, who go to this Castle of Favors, are oblig'd to continue there some time; and I found, I shou'd be extreamly shagrin after a little while with one alone; but both were obstinate and wou'd not suffer a third: and having been so very importune with both, I was asham'd to repent and recant all those things I had said, to persuade them to go, thô in my heart I was very ill satisfi'd I had not persu'd the counsel, Love had given me not to go to Favors at all; he soreseeing an inconveniencie in such a retreat, which I, with all my young desires a­bout me and fond of novelty, c [...]u'd not, so well as he, diseern, however I had propos'd it with some ardency and wou'd not go back, but resov'd to make the best advantage of my voyage, and wou'd not declare my regreet till I cou'd no longer hin­der [Page 55] it: So that Bellimante, yeilding to my Implo­rings, consented next day to go with me to this retreat of Favors.

Accordingly the next morning we set out for this amiable place; where we arrived, and find­ing myself all alone, without interruption or fear, with this very fair Creature, I advanced to a thou­sand. Freedoms which she, with some resistance, per­mitted me to take: I was all Joy and Transport at every advance, and still the nearer I approached to the last Favour, the more blest I imagined my­self; I grew more resolved, and she more feeble: and at last, I was the Victor and Bellimante the Vi­ctim; I remained some days with her, and one would have imagined I should have been intirely happy in this place with one so young and fair: But behold the fickleness of Youth, and Man's nature.

And though next day I found myself an hundred times more in Love with Bellimante than before, yet unless I could possess Bellinda too, I thought myself miserable: Yet every time she charmed me a-new I was upon the point of renouncing eternal­ly Bellinda, and sacrificing her to my Passion for Bellimante: But I did not remain long in that Hu­mour, but every day grew more and more unre­solved in that point; and as Bellimante grew more fond I grew more cold; not but I had learnt to say so many kind and soft things in the time of my real Passion with Silvia, that I found it easie to speak every day such endearing Words as gave her no doubt of my Heart; nor was willing she should see to the bottom of it, where she would most cer­tainly have found Bellinda; yet with such a mix­ture of Passion for herself, that it would have been hard to have distinguished, which had had the as­cendant there; only my desire at present was the most considerable for the fair Object I had not yet possest, and whom I long'd to Vanquish; perhaps, [Page 57] as much for the Glory, as the Pleasure, though my Heart did not at this moment think so.

After some time that I had lived here with Belli­mante, I made some pretext to leave her for a lit­tle while; she, who was extreamly charmed with that Solitude, resolved to wait there my return, so that I had some pain in contriving how I should bring Bellinda to the same Castle as I wished to do; but it had in it many Mansions and Apartments, and, as I said, so retired from one another, that it was difficult to come at any time together or to meet: This consideration made me resolved, and very pressing with Bellinda, to go to this place, assuring her of such Diversion as she never met with in any other part of the World: She loved and was not long in persuading, and I had the Glory to conduct her in spight of all her Wit and Gayety, to this retreat of Solitude with me; where, unperceived, I obliged her to render me all that Love could allow, and more than Honour would permit: And I was for some days extreamly hap­py, and possibly had continued so, (going from one Apartment to another, and, like the Great Sul­tan, visiting by turns my Beauties,) had not a ma­licious fate prevented my Grandeur and Pleasure.

It hapned one day that I had sued a repetition of Favours from Bellinda; she seeming resolved to grant me no more, repenting of those I had taken, and with a charming Sorrow reproaching me, making me a thousand times more pressing than before: At last her force growing weaker, her denials fainter, and my importunities more ra­ging; [Page 58] I found her yeilding, the Lilly in her Face gave place to the Roses, and Love and Trembling made her Eyes more fair, and just ready to render me all. We saw approaching us Bellimante, who, having heard how I sometimes past my hours, re­solved to surprise me in my perfidie; and accor­dingly found us in a gloomy Arbour with all the Transports of Love in both our Faces, which it was too late to resettle and hide from this too sen­sible and jealous fair One: In vain I strove with all the Arguments of Love and Tenderness to appease her, or, if by any thing I said, I found her incli­ned to pardon me, on the other side it but served to incense and inrage Bellinda, to whom I had made equal Vows (at her coming to that place,) of eternal Fidelity. I am not able to express to you, my dear Lysander, what confusion I found myself in, I divided my Heart and my Intreaties between 'em, and knew not to which I most ar­dently meant 'em; I was very sensible, that while I treated both with equal Love and Respect, that I should gain neither, and yet if what I said to both had been addrest to any one of 'em, it would have prevailed; and I found it easie to have kept either, if I would resolve to quit the other; but my heart not inclining to that, or if it wou'd, not knowing which I shou'd chuse, made me re­main between 'em both the most out-of-countenan­ced coxcomb, that ever was taken in the cheats of Love, while both were on either side reproach­ing me with all the malice and noise imaginable, so that not being able longer to endure the [Page 59] clamour, I took my flight from 'em both, and ran with all the force I cou'd to a Village call'd Irre­solution; and where Coquet Love abandon'd me saying that place was not proper for him.

The Houses of this Village are for the most part not half built, but all appears very desolate and ruinous: It appertains to a Lady very fantastique of the same name. She maks a Figure pleasant enough, she never dresses herself, because she can­not determin what habit to put on; she is ever tormenting herself, still turning to this side and to that, yet never stirs from the place, because undetermin'd she knows not whither nor which way to go: And having so many in her mind re­solves to go to neither; one always sees an Agi­tation in her Eyes, that keeps them in perpetual motion and fixt on nothing. You see her perpetu­ally, perplext with a thousand designs in her head at once, but puts none of them in execution.

I found myself in this place Ambarassed with a thousand confusions and thoughts, for Bellinda and Bellimante had equally shar'd my soul, and I knew not for which I shou'd declare; nor whether the Wit and extream good Humour of the first were more powerful upon my heart, than the Beauty and softness of the last, so that I was wholly un­able to determin which I shou'd quit, having the same sentiments for one as for the other, and re­solv'd to abandon both rather than content myself with one: And the fear of losing one was the oc­casion of my losing both, in fine I was in the most [Page 60] cruel incertainty in the World. And I cou'd not forbear saying a thousand times to myself,

While I was thus perplext betwixt these two vi­olent passions, when no reason cou'd resolve me which to choose, as I was one day meditating what to do in this extreamity, a Woman presented her­self to me, whose Beauty was infinitely transcend­ing all I had ever beheld; she had a noble and Majestick meen, a most Divine Air, and her charms cast so great a Lustre that I was dazl'd with Gazing on her; she struck me with so profound a respect at the first sight of her Glory's, that I cou'd not forbear throwing myself at her feet, imploring I might be eternally permitted to Adore her; and to become her slave. When raising me from the ground, and looking on me with Eyes more Majestick than kind, she said to me in a loud voyce.

[Page 62] Those words, repeated to me with an Air haughty and imperious, toucht me to the very Soul, and made me blush a thousand times with shame to behold myself in that ridiculous state, al­most reduc'd to the same tenderness for Bellinda and Bellimante I had before had for Silvia; but I soon found my error and in an instant became more in Love with Glory than I had ever been in my life. Insomuch that I resolv'd to leave Irresolution and follow her. I confess at first it gave my heart som little pain to withdraw and disingage it from so long and so fond a custom, and I was more than once forc'd to parly thus with my imtractable and stubborn heart.

Thus, my dear Lysander, following Glory, I soon arriv'd at the extent of the Island of Love, and there I incounter'd a thousand Beauties, At­tractions, Graces and Agreements; all which en­deavor'd a new, but in vain, to engage me. I past by 'em all without any regard only sight, as I be­held 'em with the remembrance, how once the meanest of those Beauties wou'd have charmd me. I lookt back on all those happy shades, who had been conscious of my softest pleasures, and a thou­sand times I sighing bid'em farwel, the Rivers, Springs and Fountains had my wishes that they might still be true and favor Lovers, as they had a thousand times done me. These dear remem­berance, you may believe, stay'd some time with me, yet I wou'd not for an Empire have return'd to 'em again, nor have liv'd that life over a new I had so long and with so much pleasure persu'd.

[Page 64] After this I took a Vessel and put off from that shore, where, thô I had met with many Misfor­tunes, I had also receiv'd a thousand joys: While it was in view I found myself toucht with some re­gret, but being fail'd out of sight of it, I sigh'd no more, but bid adieu to fond Love for ever.