The Works of Aphra Behn: v. 2: Love Letters

Janet Todd

• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Year: 2018
• eBook ISBN: 9781351259309
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Literary Letters
• Index: Literature

Aphra Behn (1640-1689) was one of the most successful dramatists of the Restoration theatre and a popular poet. This is the second volume in a set of seven which comprises a complete edition of all her works.

TO THE

LORD SPENCER.^a

My Lord,

When a New Book comes into the World, the first thing we consider, is the Dedication; and according to the Quality and Humour of the Patron, we are apt to make a Judgment of the following Subject: If to a States-man we believe it Grave and Politick; if a Gown-man, Law or Divinity, if to the Young and Gay, Love and Gallantry. By this Rule, I believe the gentle Reader, who finds your Lordship’s Name prefix’d before this, will make as many various Opinions of it, as they do Characters of your Lordship, whose youthful Sallies, have been the business of so much Discourse, and which according to the Relator’s Sence or good Nature, is either aggravated or excused; though the Womans Quarrel to your Lordship has some more reasonable Foundation, than that of your own Sex; for your Lordship being Form’d with all the Beauties and Graces of Man-kind, all the Charms of Wit, Youth and Sweetness of Disposition (derived to you from an Illustrious Race of Hero’s) adapting you to noblest Love and Softness; they cannot but complain on that mistaken Conduct of Yours, that so lavishly deals out those agreeable Attractions, Squandering away that Youth and Time on many, which might be more advantageously dedicated to some one of the Fair; and by a Liberty (which they call) not being Discreet enough, robb ‘em of all the Hopes of Conquest over that Heart which they believe can fix no where; they cannot carress you into Tameness, or if you sometimes appear so, they are still upon their Guard with you; for like a Young Lyon, you are ever apt to leap into your Natural Wildness; the Greatness of your Soul disdaining to be confined to lazy Repose; tho the Delicacy of your Person and Constitution so absolutely require it; your Lordship not being made for Diversions so rough and fatigueing, as those your active Mind would impose upon it. Your Lordship is placed in so Glorious a Station (the Son of so Great a Father)^a as renders all you do more perspicuous to the World, than the Actions of common Men already; the advantages of your Birth have drawn all Eyes upon you, and yet more on those coming Greatnesses, to which you were born; if Heaven preserves your Lordship amidst the too vigorous Efforts, and too dangerous Adventures, which a too brisk Fire in your Noble Blood, a too forward desire of gaining Fame daily exposes you to; and will, unless some force confine your too impatient Bravery, shorten those Days which Heaven has surely designed for more Glorious Actions; for according to all the Maxims of the Judging Wise, the little Extravagancies of Youth accomplish, and perfect the Riper Years. ‘Tis this that makes indulgent Parents permit those Sparks of Fire, that are Gleaming in Young Hearts, to kindle into a Flame, knowing well that the Consideration and Temperament of a few more Years will regulate it to that just degree, where the noble and generous Spirit should fix it self: And for this we have had the Examples of some of the greatest Men that ever adorned History.

My Lord, I presume to lay at your Lordship’s Feet, an Illustrious Youth; the unhappy Circumstances of whose Life ought to be Written in lasting Characters of all Languages, for a Precedent to succeeding Ages, of the Misfortune of heedless Love, and a too Early Thirst of Glory; for in him, your Lordship will find the fatal Effects of great Courage without Conduct, Wit without Discretion, and a Greatness of Mind without the steady Vertues of it; so that from a Prince even ador’d by all, by an imprudence, that too often attends the Great and Young, and from the most exhalted Height of Glory, mis-led by false notions of Honour, and falser Friends, fell the most pityed Object, that ever was abandoned by Fortune. I hope no One will imagine I intend this as a Parallel between your Lordship and our mistaken brave Unfortunate, since your Lordship hath an unquestioned and hereditary Loyalty, which nothing can deface, born from a Father, who has given the World so evident Proofs, that no fear of threatned danger can separate his useful Service, and Duties from the Interest of his Royal and God-like Master,^b which he pursues with an undaunted Fortitude, in disdain of Phanatical Censures, and those that want the Bravery to do a just Action, for fear of future Turns of State. And such indeed is your true Man of Honour; and as such I doubt not but your Lordship will acquit your self in all times, and on all occasions.

Pardon the Liberty, my Zeal for your Lordship has here presumed to take, since among all those that make Vows and Prayers for your Lordship’s Health and Preservation, none offers them more devoutly, than,

My LORD,

Your Lordships,

Most Humble and

Obedient Servant,

A. B.

^a Robert, Lord Spencer (1666–88). Lord Spencer led a wild, profligate life of gambling and duelling. As with Thomas Condon, Behn dedicates her work to a man whose private life has parallels with Philander’s.

^a Robert Spencer, the 2nd Earl of Sunderland, was one of James II’s most powerful ministers when Behn wrote her preface.

^b Behn is again alluding to the English king and the belief that he was appointed by God. By the time Part III of Love-Letters was published Charles II was dead and James II was on the throne.

THE
AMOURS
OF
PHILANDER and SILVIA.

Octavio the Brave, the Generous, and the Amorous, having left Silvia absolutely resolv’d to give her self to that doting fond Lover, or rather to sacrifice her self to her Revenge, that unconsidering Unfortunate, whose Passion had expos’d him to all the unreasonable Effects of it, return’d to his own House, wholly transported with his happy Success. He thinks on nothing but vast coming Joys: Nor did one kind Thought direct him back to the evil Consequences of what he so hastily pursu’d; he reflects not on her Circumstances, but her Charms; not on the Infamy he should espouse with Silvia, but of those ravishing Pleasures she was capable of giving him: he regards not the Reproaches of his Friends; but wholly abandon’d to Love and youthful Imaginations, gives a Loose to young Desire and Fancy, that deludes him with a thousand soft Ideas: He reflects not that his gentle and easy Temper, was most unfit to joyn with that of Silvia, which was the most haughty and humorous in Nature; for tho’ she had all the Charms of Youth and Beauty, that are conquering in her Sex, all the Wit and Insinuation that even surpasses Youth and Beauty, yet to render her Character impartially, she had also abundance of disagreeing Qualities mixt with her Perfections. She was Imperious and Proud, even to Insolence; Vain and Conceited even to Folly; she knew her Vertues and her Graces too well, and her Vices too little; she was very Opinionated and Obstinate, hard to be convinced of the falsest Argument, but very positive in her fancied Judgment: Abounding in her own Sense, and very critical on that of others: Censorious, and too apt to charge others with those Crimes to which she was her self addicted, or had been guilty of: Amorously inclin’d and indiscreet in the Management of her Amours, and constant rather from Pride and Shame than Inclination; fond of catching at every trifling Conquest, and lov’d the Triumph tho’ she hated the Slave. Yet she had Vertues too, that balanc’d her Vices, among which we must allow her to have lov’d Philander with a Passion, that nothing but his Ingratitude could have decay’d in her Heart, nor was it lessen’d but by a Force that gave her a thousand Tortures, Racks, and Pangs, which had almost cost her her less valu’d Life; for being of a Temper nice in Love, and very fiery, apt to fly into Rages at every Accident that did but touch that tenderest Part, her Heart; she suffered a world of Violence and Extremity of Rage and Grief by turns: at this Affront and Inconstancy of Philander. Nevertheless she was now so discreet, or rather Cunning, to dissemble her Resentment the best she could to her generous Lover, for whom she had more Inclination than she yet had leisure to perceive, and which she now attributes wholly to her Revenge; and considering Octavio as the most proper Instrument for that, she fancies, what was indeed a growing Tenderness from the sense of his Merit, to be the Effects of that Revenge she so much desired and thirsted after; and tho’ without she dissembled a Calm; within she was all Fury and Disorder, all Storm and Distraction: She went to Bed rack’d with a thousand thoughts of dispairing Love; sometimes all the Softness of Philander in their happy Enjoyments came in view, and made her sometimes weep, and sometimes faint with the dear lov’d Remembrance; sometimes his late Enjoyments with Calista, and then she rav’d and burnt with frantick Rage: But oh! at last she found her Hope was gon, and wisely fell to argue with her Soul. She knew Love would not long subsist on the thin Diet of Dispair, and resolving he was never to be retriev’d who once had ceas’d to Love, she strove to bend her Soul to useful Reason, and thinks on all Octavio’s Obligations, his Vows, his Assiduity, his Beauty, his Youth, his Fortune, and his generous Offer, and with the Aid of Pride resolves to unfix her Heart, and give it better Treatment in his Bosom: To cease at least to love the false Philander, if she could never force her Soul to hate him: And tho’ this was not so soon done as thought on, in a Heart so pre-possest as that of Silvia’s, yet there is some Hope of Recovery, when a Woman in that Extremity will but think of listening to Love from any new Adorer; and having once resolv’d to pursue the Fugitive no more with the natural Artillery of their Sighs and Tears, Reproaches and Complaints, they have Recourse to every thing that may soonest chase from the Heart those Thoughts that oppress it: For Nature is not inclin’d to hurt it self, and there are but very few who find it necessary to die of the Disease of Love. Of this sort was our Silvia, tho’ to give her her due, never any Person who did not indeed die, ever languished under the Torments of Love, as did that charming and afflicted Maid.

While Silvia remain’d in these eternal Inquietudes, Antonett having quitted her Chamber, takes this Opportunity to go to that of Brilljard whom she had not visited in two days before, being extreamly 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 W——re first.^a Brilljard long’d as much to see her, to rail at her for being privy to Octavio’s Approach to Silvia’s Bed, as he thought (she imagin’d) and not giving him an account of it, as she us’d to do, of all the Secrets of her Lady. She finds him alone in his Chamber, recover’d from all but the Torments of his unhappy Disappointment. She approach’d him with all the Anger her sort of Passion could inspire (for Love in a mean unthinking Soul, is not that glorious thing it is in the Brave) however she had enough to serve her Pleasure, for Brilljard was young and handsome, and both being bent on Railing, without knowing each others Intentions, they both equally flew into high Words; he upbraiding her with her Infidelity, and she him with his. Are not you, said he (growing more calm) the falsest of your Tribe, to keep a Secret from me that so much concern’d me? is it for this I have refus’d the Addresses of Burgomasters Wives and Daughters, where I could have made my Fortune and my Satisfaction, to keep myself intirely for a thing that betrays me, and keeps every Secret of her Heart from me? false and forsworn, I will be Fool no more. ‘Tis well Sir (reply’d Antonett) that you having been the most perfidious Man alive, should accuse me who am Innocent; Come, come Sir, you have not carried Matters so swimingly but I could easily dive into the other Nights Intrigue and Secret. What Secret, thou false one? Thou art all over secret; a very hopeful Bawd at eighteen——go I hate ye——At this she wept, and he pursu’d his Railing to out-noyse her, You thought because your Deeds were done in Darkness, they were conceal’d from a Lovers Eyes; no thou young Viper, I saw, I heard, and felt, and satisfi’d every Sense of this thy Falshood, when Octavio was conducted to Silvia’s Bed by thee. But what, said she, if instead of Octavio I conducted the perfidious Traytor to love Brilljard? Who then was false and perjur’d? At this he blush’d extreamly, which was too visible on his fair Face. She being now confirm’d she had the better of him, continued——Let thy Confusion, said she with Scorn, witness the Truth of what I say, and I have been but too well acquainted with that Body of yours, weeping as she spoke, to mistake it for that of Octavio. Softly dear Antonett, reply’d he,——nay now your Tears have calm’d me; and taking her in his Arms, sought to appease her by all the Arguments of seeming Love and Tenderness; while she yet wholly unsatisfied in that Cheat of his of going to Silvia’s Bed, remain’d still pouting and very frumpish. But he that had but one Argument left, that on all Occasions serv’d to convince her, had at last Recourse to that, which put her in good Humour, and hanging on his Neck she kindly chid him for putting such a Trick upon her Lady. He told her, and confirm’d it with an Oath, That he did it but to try how far she was Just to his Friend and Lord, and not any Desire he had for a Beauty that was too much of his own Complexion to charm him, ‘twas only the Brunet and the Black, such as her self, that could move him to Desire; thus he shams her into perfect Peace. And why, said she, were you not satisfied that she was False, as well from the Assignation as the Tryal. Oh no. said he, you Women have a thousand Arts of Gibing, and no Man ought to believe you, but put you to the Tryal. Well, said she, when I had brought you to the Bed, when you found her Arms stretch’d out to receive you, why did you not retire like an honest Man, and leave her to her self? Oh fy, said he, that had not been to have acted Octavio to the Life, but would have made a Discovery. Ay, said she, that was your Aim to have acted Octavio to the Life, I believe, and not to discover my Lady’s Constancy to your Lord, but I suppose you have been sworn at the But of Hedleburgh,^a never to kiss the Maid when you can kiss the Mistress: But he renewing his Caresses and Asseverations of Love to her, she suffered herself to be convinc’d of all he had a mind to have her believe. After this she could not contain any Secret from him, but told him she had something to say to him, which if he knew, would convince him she had all the Passion in the World for him: He presses eagerly to know, and she pursues to tell him, ‘tis as much as her Life is worth to discover it, and that she lies under the Obligation of an Oath not to tell it; but Kisses and Rhetorick prevails, and she crys——What will you say now if my Lady may Marry one of the greatest and most considerable Persons in all this Country? I should not wonder at her Conquests (reply’d Brilljard) but I should wonder if she should Marry. Then cease your Wonder, reply’d she, for she is to morrow to be married to Count Octavio, whom she is to meet at nine in the Morning to that end, at a little Village a League from this place. She spoke, and he believes; and finds it true by the raging of his Blood, which he could not conceal from Antonett, and for which he feigns a thousand Excuses to the Amorous Maid, and charges his Concern on that for his Lord: At last (after some more Discourse on that Subject) he pretends to grow sleepy, and hastens her to her Chamber, and locking the Door after her, he began to reflect on what she had said, and grew to all the Torment of Rage, Jealousie, and all the Dispairs of a passionate Lover: And tho’ his Hope was not Extreme before, yet as Lovers do, he found, or fancy’d a Probability (from his Lords Inconstancy, and his own right of Marriage) that the Necessity she might chance to be in of his Friendship and Assistance in a strange Country, might some happy Moment or other render him the Blessing he so long had waited for from Silvia; for he ever design’d, when either his Lord left her, grew cold, or should happen to die, to put in his Claim of Husband. And the soft familiar way, with which she eternally liv’d with him, incourag’d this Hope and Design; nay she had often made him Advances to that happy Expectation. But this fatal Blow had driven him from all his fancy’d Joys, to the most wretched Estate of a desperate Lover. He traverses his Chamber wounded with a thousand different Thoughts, mixt with those of preventing this Union the next ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Textual Introduction
• To Thomas Condon, Esq.
• The Argument Letters (First Part)
• To Lemuel Kingdon, Esq.
• Letters (Second Part)
• To the Lord Spencer
• The Amours of Philander and Silvia (Third Part)
• Appendix I: Extracts from The Trial of Ford Lord Grey ofWerk
• Appendix II: A New Vision of the Lady GR—S
• Appendix III: Letter of Doctor Tillotson to Lady Henrietta Berkeley
• Variants