All the histories and novels written by the late ingenious Mrs. Behn entire in one volume : together with the history of the life and memoirs of Mrs. Behn never before printed / by one of the fair sex ; intermix'd with pleasant love-letters that pass'd betwixt her and Minheer Van Brun, a Dutch merchant, with her character of the countrey and lover : and her love-letters to a gentleman in England.

IRIS to DAMON.

IT must be confest, Damon, that you are the most importuning Man in the World. Your Billets have an hundred times de∣manded a Discretion, which you won of me; and tell me, you will not wait my Return, to be paid. You are either a very faithless Cre∣ditor, or believe me very unjust, that you dun with such Impatience. But, to let you see I am a Maid of Honour, and value my Word, I will acquit myself of this Obligation I have to you, and send you a Watch of my fashion; per∣haps you never saw any so good. It is not one of those, that have always something to be mended in it; but one that is without Fault, very just and good, and will remain so, as long as you continue to love me. But Damon, know, that the very Minute you cease to do so, the String will break, and it will go no more. 'Tis only useful in my Absence, and when I return, 'twill change its Motion: And though I have set it but for the Spring-time, 'twill serve you the whole Year round; and 'twill be necessary only, that you alter the business of the Hours (which my Cupid, in the middle of my Watch, points you out) according to the length of the

Days and Nights. Nor is the Dart of that lit∣tle God directed to those Hours, so much to inform you how they pass, as how you ought to pass them, how you ought to employ those of your Absence from Iris. 'Tis there you shall find the whole Business of a Lover, from his Mistress; for I have design'd it a Rule to all your Actions. The Consideration of the Workman, ought to make you set a Value up∣on the Work: And though it be not an accom∣plisht, and perfect Piece; yet Damon, you ought to be grateful, and esteem it, since I have made it for you alone. But however I may boast of the Design, I know, as well as I believe, you love me; that you will not suffer me to have the Glory of it wholly, but will say in your heart,

That Love, the great Instructor of the Mind, That forms a new, and fashions every Soul, Refines the gross Defects of Humane kind; Humbles the Proud and Vain, inspires the Dull: Gives Cowards noble Heat in Fight, And teaches feeble Woman how to write: That doth the Ʋniverse command; Does from my Iris Heart direct her Hand.

I give you the liberty to say this to your Heart, if you please: And that you may know, with what Justice you do so, I will confess in my turn.

The Confession.

That Love's my Conduct where I go, And Love instructs me all I do. Prudence no longer is my Guide, Nor take I Counsel of my Pride. In vain does Honour now invade, In vain does Reason take my part; If against Love it do perswade, If it rebel against my Heart.

If the soft Ev'ning do invite, And I incline to take the Air, The Birds, the Spring, the Flowers no more delight; 'Tis Love makes all the Pleasure there; Love, which about me still I bear: I'm charm'd with what I thither bring, And add a Softness to the Spring.

If for Devotion I design, Love meets me, even at the shrine; In all my Worships claims a part, And robs even Heaven of my Heart. All Day does Counsel and controul, And all the Night employs my Soul. No wonder then, if all you think be true, That Love's concern'd in all I do for you.

And Damon, you know that Love is no ill Master; and I must say, with a Blush, that he has found me no unapt Scholar; and he in∣structs too agreeably, not to succeed in all he undertakes:

Who can resist his soft Commands? When he resolves, what God withstands?

But I ought to explain to you my Watch: The naked Love which you will find in the middle of it, with his Wings clip'd, to shew you he is fix'd and constant, and will not fly away, points you out, with his Arrow, the four and twenty Hours that compose the Day and the Night: Over every Hour you will find written what you ought to do, during its Course; and every Half-hour is marked with a Sigh, since the quality of a Lover is, to sigh day and night: Sighs are the Children of Lo∣vers, that are born every hour. And that my Watch may always be just, Love himself ought to conduct it; and your Heart should keep Time with the Movement:

My Present's delicate, and new, If by your Heart the Motion's set; According as that's false, or true, You'll find, my Watch will answer it.

Every hour is tedious to a Lover, separated from his Mistress; and, to shew you how good I am, I will have my Watch instruct you, to pass some of them without Inquietude; that the force of your Imagination may sometimes charm the Trouble you have for my Absence:

Perhaps I am mistaken here, My Heart may too much Credit give; But Damon, you can charm my Fear, And soon my Error undeceive.

But I will not disturb my Repose at this time, with a Jealousie, which, I hope is alto∣gether frivolous and vain; but begin to in∣struct you in the Mysteries of my Watch: Cast then your Eyes upon the Eighth Hour in the Morning, which is the Hour I would have you begin to wake: You will find there written.