Love's a part of Human Duty,
And 'tis Pleasure to obey.
In vain the Gods did Life bestow,
Where kinder Love has nought to do.
What is Life, but soft desires,
And that Soul, that is not made
To entertain what Love inspires,
Oh thou dull immortal Shade?
Thou'dst better part with Flesh and Blood,
Than be, where Life's not understood.
These were my notions of Life; and I found myself altogether useless in the World without Love; methought I had nothing to animate me to Gallant things, without Love, or Women: I had no use of Wit or Youth without the fair, and yet I did not wish wholly to ingage myself neither a second time, having been so ill-treated before by Love: But I found there were ways to entertain one's self agreeably enough without dying or venturing the breaking of a heart for the matter: That there were Beauties to be obtained without the hazard of hanging or drowning one's self: I never had tried, but I found it natural enough to my Humour and Constitution, to flatter and dissemble, swear and lye; I viewed my self in my Glass, and found myself very well recovered from the Ruins my first Amour had made, and believed myself as fit for Conquest, as any Sir Fopling, or Sir Courtly Nice of 'em all. To this fine Person and good Meen and Shape, (as I thought,) I added handsom Dressing, the thing that takes the Heart infinitely above all your other Parts, and thus set out a snare for vain Beauty; I every day went out of the City of Indifference, to see what new Adventures I could meet withal.
One day I incountred a Woman, who, at first sight appeared very agreeable; she had an Air easie, free, and Galliard; such as fails not to take at first view: This was Coquettre, who, the very first time she saw me, Addrest herself to me with very great Complisance and good Humour, and invited me to her Apartment, where she assured me I should not fail to be entertained very agreeably; and at the same time pulling out of her Pocket a Paper, she shewed me these Words written;
Let Love no more your Heart inspire,
Thô Beauty every hour you see;
Pass no farther than desire,
If you'll truly happy be.
Every day fresh Objects view,
And for all have Complisance.
Search all places still for new,
And to all make some Advance;
For where Wit and Youth agree,
There's no Life like Gallantry.
Laura's Heart you may receive,
And to morrow Julia's prise:
Take what young Diana gives,
Pity Lucia when she dies:
Portia's Face you must admire,
And to Clorin's Shape submit,
Phillis Dancing gives you Fire,
Celia's Softness, Clara's Wit.
Thus all at once you may persue,
'Tis too little to Love two.
The powerful smiling God of Hearts
So much tenderness imparts,
You must upon his Altars lay
A thousand Offerings every day:
And so soft is kind desire;
Oh! so Charming is the Fire,
That if nice Adraste scorns,
Gentler Ariadne burns.
Still Another keep in play
(If One refuse,) to give you Joy.
Cease therefore to disturb your Hours,
For having two desires
A Heart can manage two Amours,
And burn with several Fires.
The day has hours enough in store
To visit two or half a score.
I gave her thanks for her good Counsel, and found I needed not much persuasion to follow Coquettre to a City that bears her Name, and I saw over the Gate of the City at my Entrance, these Verses writ in Gold Letters;
The God of Love beholding every day
Slaves from his Empire to depart away;
(For Hearts that have been once with Love fatigu'd,
A second time are ne'r again intrigu'd:
No second Beauty e'r can move
The Soul to that degree of Love;)
This City built, that we might still obey,
Thô we refus'd his Arbitrary Sway:
'Tis here we find a grateful Recompence
For all Loves former Violence;
Tir'd with his Laws we hither come
To meet a kinder softer doom.
'Tis here the God, without the Tyrant, Reigns,
And Laws agreeable ordains;
Here 'tis with Reason and with Wit he Rules,
And whining Passion Ridicules.
No check or bound to Nature gives,
But kind desire rewarded thrives.
Peevish uneasy Pride, the God
Has banish'd from the blest abode:
All Jealousies, all Quarrels cease,
And here Love lives in perfect Peace.