I

LETTER II.

To ONE of the FORMER.

Tis by Faith alone that I fancy you the

moft Charming, but I find by Experience you are one of the most unreafonable Ladies under the Sun. I concluded I had done the boldest Action in the World, to declare a Paffion to two Mafques; but you, Madam, fet up a Title of your own, and are not fatiffied without Particularity, and Conftancy. Your Charms, I confefs, Madam, as far as I saw of them, are very great: The Masque was very good Genoa Velvet; the Gloves very good Blois Gloves, and the HackneyCoach, for aught I know, lined with very good green Plufh. Now, Madam, though fo far I do ftedfaftly believe, yet to fall conftantly and particularly in Love with Mafques, Gloves, or Hackney-Coaches, is what I do not find a Precedent for, in any of the French Romances; and being naturally diffident of myfelf, I fhould be loth to begin a new fort of Gallantry, without knowing how it would take. Confider, Madam, a little better upon the Reasonableness of your Requeft; for Particularity and Conftancy are very hardly to be answered for, at our Years. It is, I doubt not, Madam, in your Power to blow my Love up to that Height whenever you please; and to confefs a Truth to you, I have

The Author's Age about 32.

a very great Stock of Particularity and Constancy lying upon my Hands at this Time, and know not how to apply it. I have all the Reason in the World to imagine it is kept for you; but however, Madam, it would be neceffary to have one View of you, before I can be politive in that Point. I am fatisfied in my Confcience that I have done all my Duty in the Thing; let it lye at your Door if the Humour break off; for my part I cannot imagine how you will be able to answer it to all the World, if you fhould, for want of discovering yourself, lofe the most constant and moft faithful Lover under the Sun.

LETTER III.

To the SAME.

"

Onftancy and Fidelity are, without doubt, great Virtues, though not always great Charms in a Miftrefs; but as to your Invifibility, it is a Quality that does not please me at all. I grant you, Madam, it is a pretty Aëreal fort of Beauty, and may do very well for Spiritual Lovers; but for .me, Madam, who am a little embarraffed with Matter, and who generally carry a Body of Six Foot long about with me, it would be convenient to have fome more Corporeal Accomplishents, Defcend, Madam, in this Cafe, to your Lo

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ver's

ver's Capacity, and make use of his Senfes to represent you as Charming, as without doubt you are, to his Imagination. For tho I must confefs Fancy has been very kind to you in this Point, yet it would be convenient to call in the Help of the Eyes to strengthen the Evidence: I expect therefore from your next Letter, an Appointment where I may meet you in a visible manner. Thefe are the

only Terms upon which I can treat any farther with you for though you write the moft agreeably in the World, yet you must certainly own, that after having been monftrously in Love for a whole Week together, it is very reasonable a Man fhould know at last with whom it is.

YE

LETTER IV.

To the fame.

ES really, Madam, I think you are in the right of it; Hanging and Drowning are fuch vulgar Ways of dying, that for my part I would rather live a thousand Years, than make use of either. Then, Madam, they are the most inconvenient Methods in the World; Drowning will fpoil your Cloaths, and Hanging your Complexion; befides feveral other things that might be faid to diffuade you from it, but that I know a Word to the

Wife is enough. I am of Opinion you had better defer all fort of dying till another Opportunity, though you are pofitive in it; I would rather recommend Mr. Boyle's AirPump as a newer Invention; or being poisoned in Perfumes, is fomewhat that looks pleafant enough. But to be lefs ferious, Madam, make no doubt of your own Perfections, and reckon that in having me, you have the most reasonable Lover, of an unreasonable Lover, in the World. I confefs, were I to form a Beauty to myself,fhe fhould be let me confider a little upon it; fhe fhould be---I protest, Madam, I know not what she should be: Monftrously in Love with me, that is certain ; for the reft, I fhould truft the Stars. I think I may fay, without Flattery, I love my felf fo well, that I can love any body else that does fo too; and fhould prefer that fingle Beauty, of an immoderate Paffion for me in a Mistress, to all the other Charms in the World, as Bayes does the fingle beating of Armies in his Heroe, to all the Moral Virtues put together. If you can answer for the Charm, Madam, take no Care for any other; he muft be unreasonable indeed, who is not fatisfied with That, in a Lady of Sixteen.

Se

LETTER V.

To the Fair Unbeliever.

T. Jerome fays, (St. Jerome, I must confefs, is a verv odd Beginning of a Billet doux) That a Man who can with Patience fuffer himself to be called Heretick, ought not to be esteemed a good Christian And in common Account you fee, one who is called Coward, if he does not refent the Affront, fhall always be thought fuch. As my Provocations are much greater than either of thefe, fo if my Indignation were answerable to them, you could not expect to be forgiven by me, even in the Article of Death: For after all People can fay of Hereticks and Cowards, they will allow them to be Men; but by your Reflections upon me, you would degrade me from that Rank, without allowing me any Place among the inferiour Creatures. Had you called me Brute or Beaft, I had not been so zealous in my own Juftification: Daily Experience convinces us, That Men who have no more Understanding than Horses, or Mules, provided they have all the other Qualifications of those noble Animals, may be acceptable enough to fome or other of the Fair Sex ; but want of Virility is an Imputation that will cut a Man off from all fort of Communication with them. Had the Husbands or Old Women had this Opinion of me, I fhould not have been fo violent in