poor lost virgin languishing and undone, sighing her willing rape to
the deaf shades and fountains, filling the woods with cries, swelling
the murmuring rivulets with tears, her noble parents with a generous
rage reviling her, and her betray'd sister loading her bow'd head with
curses and reproaches, and all about her looking forlorn and sad.
Judge, oh judge, my adorable brother, of the vastness of my courage
and passion, when even this deplorable prospect cannot defend me from
the resolution of giving you admittance into my apartment this night,
nor shall ever drive you from the soul of your

SYLVIA.

* * * * *

_To_ SYLVIA.

I have obey'd my _Sylvia_'s dear commands, and the dictates of my own
impatient soul; as soon as I receiv'd them, I immediately took horse
for _Bellfont_, though I knew I should not see my adorable _Sylvia_
'till eight or nine at night; but oh 'tis wondrous pleasure to be so
much more near my eternal joy; I wait at _Dorillus_'s cottage the
tedious approaching night that must shelter me in its kind shades, and
conduct me to a pleasure I faint but with imagining; 'tis now, my
lovely charmer, three o'clock, and oh how many tedious hours I am to
languish here before the blessed one arrive! I know you love, my
_Sylvia_, and therefore must guess at some part of my torment, which
yet is mix'd with a certain trembling joy, not to be imagin'd by any
but _Sylvia_, who surely loves _Philander_; if there be truth in
beauty, faith in youth, she surely loves him much; and much more above
her sex she is capable of love, by how much more her soul is form'd of