Vulgar words in Love-Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister (Page 1)
This book at a glance
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~ ~ ~ Sentence 96 ~ ~ ~
Curse on her, and yet she kisses, fawns and dissembles on, hangs on his neck, and makes the sot believe:--damn her, brute; I'll whistle her off, and let her down the wind, as _Othello_ says.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 97 ~ ~ ~
No, I adore the wife, that, when the heart is gone, boldy and nobly pursues the conqueror, and generously owns the whore;--not poorly adds the nauseous sin of jilting to it: that I could have borne, at least commended; but this can never pardon; at worst then the world had said her passion had undone her, she loved, and love at worst is worthy of pity.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 200 ~ ~ ~
_I have order'd_ Brilliard _to wait your commands at_ Dorillus_'s cottage, that he may not be seen at_ Bellfont: _resolve to see me to-night, or I shall come without order, and injure both: my dear, damn'd wife is dispos'd of at a ball_ Cesario _makes to-night; the opportunity will be lucky, not that I fear her jealousy, but the effects of it._ * * * * * _To_ PHILANDER.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 235 ~ ~ ~
Thou hast brought me from the noisy hurries of the town, to charming solitude; from crowded cabals, where mighty things are resolving, to lonely groves; to thy own abodes where thou dwell'st; gay and pleas'd among the rural swains in shady homely cottages; thou hast brought me to a grove of flowers, to the brink of purling streams, where thou hast laid me down to contemplate on _Sylvia_, to think my tedious hours away in the softest imagination a soul inspir'd by love can conceive, to increase my passion by every thing I behold; for every sound that meets the sense is thy proper music, oh love, and every thing inspires thy dictates; the winds around me blow soft, and mixing with wanton boughs, continually play and kiss; while those, like a coy maid in love, resist, and comply by turns; they, like a ravish'd vigorous lover, rush on with a transported violence, rudely embracing their spring-dress'd mistress, ruffling her native order; while the pretty birds on the dancing branches incessantly make love; upbraiding duller man with his defective want of fire: man, the lord of all!
~ ~ ~ Sentence 284 ~ ~ ~
Whose ox or whose ass has he unjustly taken?
~ ~ ~ Sentence 350 ~ ~ ~
When his interest, if design'd, might have been carried on better, if he had still dissembled and stay'd in Court: no, believe me, _Sylvia_, the politicians shew him, to render him odious to all men of tolerable sense of the party; for what reason soever they have who are disoblig'd (or at least think themselves so) to set up for liberty, the world knows _Cesario_ renders himself the worst of criminals by it, and has abandon'd an interest more glorious and easy than empire, to side with and aid people that never did, or ever can oblige him; and he is so dull as to imagine that for his sake, who never did us service or good, (unless cuckolding us be good) we should venture life and fame to pull down a true monarch, to set up his bastard over us.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 402 ~ ~ ~
The first ceremonies being pass'd, as Madam, the Duchess, uses not much, she fell to commend my lady's dressing-plate, and taking up the box, and opening it, found the letter, and laughing, cried, 'Oh, have I found you making love;' at which my lady, with an infinite confusion, would have retrieved it,--but the Duchess not quitting her hold, cried--'Nay, I am resolved to see in what manner you write to a lover, and whether you have a heart tender or cruel?'
~ ~ ~ Sentence 424 ~ ~ ~
Oh damn that thought, what makes it torturing me,----let me change it for those of _Philander_, the advantage will be as great as bartering hell for heaven; haste then, _Philander_: but what need I bid thee, love will lend thee his wings; thou who commandest all his artillery, put them on, and fly to thy languishing SYLVIA.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 448 ~ ~ ~
Oh _Sylvia_, I have reflected on all the little circumstances that might occasion this disaster, and damn me to this degree of coldness, but I can fix on none: I had, it is true, for _Sylvia_'s sake, some apprehensions of fear of being surprised; for coming through the garden, I saw at the farther end a man, at least I fancied by that light it was a man; who perceiving the glimpse of something approach from the grove, made softly towards me, but with such caution, as if he feared to be mistaken in the person, as much as I was to approach him: and reminding what _Melinda_ told me, of an assignation she had made to _Monsieur_ the Count--imagined it him; nor was I mistaken when I heard his voice calling in low tone--'_Melinda_' --at which I mended my pace, and ere he got half way the garden recovered the door, and softly unlocking it, got in unperceived, and fastened it after me, well enough assured that he saw not which way I vanished: however, it failed not to alarm me with some fears on your dear account, that disturbed my repose, and which I thought then not necessary to impart to you, and which indeed all vanished at the sight of my adorable maid: when entering thy apartment, I beheld thee extended on a bed of roses, in garments, which, if possible, by their wanton loose negligence and gaiety, augmented thy natural charms: I trembling fell on my knees by your bed-side and gazed a while, unable to speak for transports of joy and love: you too were silent, and remained so, so long that I ventured to press your lips with mine, which all their eager kisses could not put in motion, so that I feared you fainted; a sudden fright, that in a moment changed my fever of love into a cold ague fit; but you revived me with a sigh again, and fired me anew, by pressing my hand, and from that silent soft encouragement, I, by degrees, ravished a thousand blisses; yet still between your tempting charming kisses, you would cry--'Oh, my _Philander_, do not injure me,--be sure you press me not to the last joys of love,--Oh have a care, or I am undone for ever: restrain your roving hands,----Oh whither would they wander?----My soul, my joy, my everlasting charmer, oh whither would you go?'
~ ~ ~ Sentence 456 ~ ~ ~
Oh damn my hardened dullness!--But no more,--I am all fire and madness at the thought,-- but I was saying, _Sylvia_, we both recovered then when the noise alarmed us.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 468 ~ ~ ~
Then I replied as before--'I am no whore, sir,'--'No,' cries he, 'but I can quickly make thee one, I have my tools about me, sweet-heart; therefore let us lose no time, but fall to work:' this last raillery from the brisk old gentleman, had in spite of resolution almost made me burst out into a loud laughter, when he took more gravity upon him, and cried--'Come, come, _Melinda_, why all this foolish argument at this hour in this place, and after so much serious courtship; believe me, I'll be kind to thee for ever;' with that he clapped fifty guineas in a purse into one hand, and something else that shall be nameless into the other, presents that had been both worth _Melinda_'s acceptance: all this while was I studying an evasion; at last, to shorten my pleasant adventure, looking round, I cried softly, 'Are you sure, sir, we are safe--for heaven's sake step towards the garden door and see, for I would not be discovered for the world.'
~ ~ ~ Sentence 1,117 ~ ~ ~
Nor came that trifling present to plead for any wish, or mend my eloquence, which you with such disdain upbraid me with; the bracelets came not to be raffled for your love, nor pimp to my desires: youth scorns those common aids; no, let dull age pursue those ways of merchandise, who only buy up hearts at that vain price, and never make a barter, but a purchase.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 1,222 ~ ~ ~
With that I drew my sword--for I despaired to get off unknown; and being well enough acquainted with the jealous nature of the Spaniards, which is no more than see and stab, I prepared to stand on my defence till I could reconcile him, if possible, to reason; yet even in that moment I was more afraid of the injury he might do the innocent fair one, than of what he could do to me: but he not so much as dreaming she meant a man by her lovely vision, fell a kissing her anew, and beckoning _Dormina_ off to pimp at distance, told her, 'The grove was so sweet, the river's murmurs so delicate, and she was so curiously dressed, that all together had inspired him with a love-fit;' and then assaulting her anew with a sneer, which you have seen a satyr make in pictures, he fell to act the little tricks of youth, that looked so goatish in him--instead of kindling it would have damped a flame; which she resisted with a scorn so charming gave me new hope and fire, when to oblige me more, with pride, disdain, and loathing in her eyes, she fled like _Daphne_ from the ravisher; he being bent on love pursued her with a feeble pace, like an old wood-god chasing some coy nymph, who winged with fear out-strips the flying wind, and though a god he cannot overtake her; and left me fainting with new love, new hope, new jealousy, impatience, sighs and wishes, in the abandoned grove.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 1,527 ~ ~ ~
Though fits of softness, weeping, raving, and tearing, would by turns seize the distracted abandoned beauty, in which extremities she has recourse to scorn and pride, too feeble to aid her too often: the first thing she resolved on, by the advice of her reasonable counsellor, was to hear love at both ears, no matter whether she regard it or not, but to hear all, as a remedy against loving one in particular; for it is most certain, that the use of hearing love, or of making love (though at first without design) either in women or men, shall at last unfix the most confirmed and constant resolution.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 1,545 ~ ~ ~
I have played the fop as others do, and shewed the gaudy monsieur, and set a value on my worthless person for being well dressed, as I believed, and furnished out for conquest, by being the gayest coxcomb in the town, where, even as I passed, perhaps, I fancied I made advances on some wishing hearts, and vain, with but imaginary victory, I still fooled on----and was at last undone; for I saw _Sylvia_, the charming faithless _Sylvia_, a beauty that one would have thought had had the power to have cured the fond disease of self-conceit and foppery, since love, they say, is a remedy against those faults of youth; but still my vanity was powerful in me, and even this beauty too I thought it not impossible to vanquish, and still dressed on, and took a mighty care to shew myself--a blockhead, curse upon me, while you were laughing at my industry, and turned the fancying fool to ridicule, oh, he deserved it well, most wondrous well, for but believing any thing about him could merit but a serious thought from _Sylvia_.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 1,619 ~ ~ ~
_My Lord_, After your last affront by your page, I believe it will surprise you to receive any thing from _Sylvia_ but scorn and disdain: but, my lord, the interest you have by a thousand ways been so long making in my heart, cannot so soon be cancelled by a minute's offence; and every action of your life has been too generous to make me think you writ what I have received, at least you are not well in your senses: I have committed a fault against your love, I must confess, and am not ashamed of the little cheat I put upon you in bringing you to bed to _Antonet_ instead of _Sylvia_: I was ashamed to be so easily won, and took it ill your passion was so mercenary to ask so coarsely for the possession of me; too great a pay I thought for so poor service, as rendering up a letter which in honour you ought before to have shewed me: I own I gave you hope, in that too I was criminal; but these are faults that sure deserved a kinder punishment than what I last received--a whore--, a common mistress!
~ ~ ~ Sentence 1,674 ~ ~ ~
While _Sylvia_ remained in these eternal inquietudes, _Antonet_, having quitted her chamber, takes this opportunity to go to that of _Brilliard_, whom she had not visited in two days before, being extremely troubled at his design, which she now found he had on her lady; she had a mind to vent her spleen, and as the proverb says, 'Call Whore first'.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 1,830 ~ ~ ~
A little pleasure--a little recreation, I can allow: a layer of love, and a layer of business--But to neglect the nation for a wench, is flat treason against the State; and I wish there were a law against all such unreasonable whore-masters--that are statesmen--for the rest it is no great matter.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 1,856 ~ ~ ~
'Well then, sir,' said _Octavio_, 'since you have resolved yourself, to be a witness of those melancholy things, I shall possibly say to her, let us haste to end the great affair'--'Hang it,' cried _Sebastian_, 'if I go I shall abuse the young hussy, or commit some indecency that will not be suitable to good manners----' 'I hope you will, sir'----replied _Octavio_----'Whip them, whip them,' replied the uncle, 'I hate the young cozening baggages, that wander about the world undoing young and extravagant coxcombs; gots so they are naught, stark naught----Be sure dispatch as soon as you can; and--do you hear--let's have no whining.'
~ ~ ~ Sentence 2,318 ~ ~ ~
I were to be esteemed unworthy the friendship of a man of honour, if I should: but he has basely betrayed me every way, makes love to my celebrated mistress, whom he knows I love, and getting secrets, unravels them to make his court and his access the easier.'
~ ~ ~ Sentence 2,337 ~ ~ ~
How can I bear this, when you have vowed not to see him, with imprecations that must damn thee, _Sylvia_, without severe repentance?'
~ ~ ~ Sentence 2,589 ~ ~ ~
From the night I saw her, I never left her window, but had spies of all sorts, who brought me intelligence, and a little after, I found she had quitted the place with a new lover, which made me love and rave ten times more, when I knew assuredly she was a whore--and how fine a one I had missed.'
~ ~ ~ Sentence 2,597 ~ ~ ~
As soon as _Sylvia_ came to _Brussels_, she sent in the evening to search out _Brilliard_, for she had discovered, if he should come to the knowledge of her being in town, and she should not send to him, he would take it so very ill, that he might prevent all her designs and rambles, the now joy of her heart; she knew she could make him her slave, her pimp, her any thing, for love, and the hope of her favour, and his interest might defend her; and she should know all _Philander_'s, motions, whom now, though she loved no more, she feared.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 2,678 ~ ~ ~
"Then damn your scanted art," replied the Prince, "a petty juggler could have done as much."