The secretary of ladies. Or, A new collection of letters and answers, composed by moderne ladies and gentlewomen, collected by Mounsieur Du Bosque. Translated out of French by I.H.
About this Item
Title
The secretary of ladies. Or, A new collection of letters and answers, composed by moderne ladies and gentlewomen, collected by Mounsieur Du Bosque. Translated out of French by I.H.
Author
Du Boscq, Monsieur.
Publication
London :: Printed by Tho. Cotes, for William Hope, and are to be sold at the signe of the Vnicorne in Cornehill neere the Royall Exchange,
1638.
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Subject terms
French letters -- Early works to 1800.
Women -- Early works to 1800.
Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A20892.0001.001
Cite this Item
"The secretary of ladies. Or, A new collection of letters and answers, composed by moderne ladies and gentlewomen, collected by Mounsieur Du Bosque. Translated out of French by I.H." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A20892.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 2, 2024.
Pages
descriptionPage 237
The XLIV. Letter. (Book 44)
She testifies her displeasure, being
almost in despaire to see her a∣gaine,
and that shee had rather
speake, then write to her.
MY deare Cousin, Howe∣ver
I esteeme your Let∣ters,
I had rather be in case to
speake then write, not that I
loathe to entertaine you in that
kinde, seeing I have no other
meanes: I cease not to thinke
on you, but I preferre your pre∣sence
to your Idea, and will
take more pleasure to addresse
my prayers to you, then your
picture; I meane to the image
of your merits, which never
can be blotted from my me∣mory.
Your remembrance may
give contentment to my soule,
descriptionPage 238
but your entertainement to my
sense also, and would render
my joy more perfect. Any
faire thoughts I have of you, I
am little more happy then
those that have pleasing
dreames, when all is done, tis
but a fantome that I hugge, and
if there be ought better in my
dreaming then theirs, tis that
I can maintaine it longer. And
so I doe alwaies, separating my
selfe from company, that I be
lesse distracted from the re∣membrance
of yours. I know
that absent persons, cannot en∣tertaine
themselves, but by the
meanes of letters, but it seemes
to me, there is not much plea∣sure
to speake so farre off, as we
doe, and that the words are
very cold we put on paper. For
my selfe, I cannot but com∣plaine
of it, and I thinke I have
descriptionPage 239
more cause then any body, you
know it, since there is scarse a∣ny
likelihood to see you again.
This necessity which comforts
in other occasions, doth afflict
me the more in this, and if I had
more hope, I should have lesse
torment. I resemble the daugh∣ters
of Princes, married into
strange Countries, which ne∣ver,
or very seldome returne. If
their matches be but banish∣ments,
so is mine: and though
my fortune be not so glorious,
it is no lesse unhappy. This is
that which troubles me, when
I consider, that I cannot re-ap∣proach
you, and that I must
now write, what I have beene
accustomed to protest by
mouth, that I am perfectly,
Madam,
Your, &c.
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