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THis is not to be suffered: for if we should let these Ladies rest in peace and quiet, in their inclosed Habitation, we shall have none but Old Women; for all those young Ladies, that are not in the Aca∣demy, talk of nothing but of going into a Female Academy.
You say true, insomuch as it begins to be a Mode, and a Fashion,
for all the Youngest, Fairest, Richest, and Noblest Ladies, to inclose them∣selves into an Academy.
Nay, we must seek some way, and devise some means to unroost them.
There is nothing can do it, but noise; for they take such plea∣sure in the exercise of their Tongues, that unless we can put them to silence, there is no hopes to get them out.
Trumpets, I doubt, will not be loud enough.
Let us try.
Content, Content, &c.
LAdy, let the Theam of your discourse be, at this time, of Boldness, and Bashfulnesse.
There are three sorts of Boldness, or Confidence, the one proceeds from Custom, or Practice, as it may be observed by Preachers, Pleaders, and Players, that can present themselves, speak, and act freely, in a publick Assembly.
The second sort of Boldnesse, or Confidence, proceeds from Ignorance, not foreseeing what errors, or follies, may be committed, or chance to fall out, or what is fittest to be done, or said; like as poor mean Countrey peo∣ple, who have neither Birth nor Breeding, have so much Confidence, as they can more confidently present themselves, or presence, to those of Noble Birth and Breeding, and can more freely, and boldly, talk to any Person, or Persons, of what Quality, or Dignity soever, than those Noble Persons can talk to them.
The third, and last sort of Confidence, or Boldnesse, proceeds from an extraordinary Opinionatedness, or self-conceitednesse; for those that think, or believe themselves to be above others, in VVit, Person, Parts, or Power, although they have neither, will be most haughtily, and proudly confident, scorning, and undervaluing all others, as inferiour. Thus bold Confidence, or confident Boldnesse, is produced from Practice, Ignorance, and Pride.
Also there are three sorts of Bashfulnesse.
The one proceeds from too great an Apprehension.
The other from a poetical Fiction.
The third from an aspiring Ambition.
First, from too groat an Apprehension, as some are afraid that their Ob∣servers, or Friends, should make an evil Construction of their good Inten∣tions. Others will be Bashfull, and out of Countenance, upon a poetical Fiction, as imagining of some impossible, or at least some improbable ac∣cident, which may fall out to their disgrace. The third and last is, through an aspiring Ambition, desiring to out-act all others in Excellencies, and
fearing to fail therein, is apt to be out of Countenance, as if they had recei∣ved a foyl; thus we may perceive that the Stream of good Nature, the peircing Beams of Wit, and the Throne of Noble Ambition is the true cause of bashfulness, I mean not shamefastness, but sweet bashfulnesse: but although bashfulnesse is a sweet, tender, noble, and peircing Effect, of and from the Soul; yet bashfulnesse is apt to unstring the Nerves, to weaken the Sinews, to dull the Senses, to quench the Spirits, to blunt the eyes or points of Wit, and to obstruct the Speech, insomuch as to cause the words to run stumblingly out of the mouth, or to suffer none to passe forth: but a little Anger in the Mind will take off the extreme bashfulnesse of the Behaviour, although much Anger doth obstruct the Senses, Spirits and Speech, as much as extreme Bashfulnesse doth: for extreme anger, and extreme bash∣fulnesse, have often one and the same Effects to outward Appea∣rance.
The Gentlemen will turn Trumpeters, for a Regiment of Gentle∣men have bought every one of them a Trumpet, to sound a March to the Academy of Ladies.
Faith if the Ladies would answer their Trumpets with blow∣ing of Horns, they would serve them but as they ought to be set∣ved.
Women will sooner make Hornes, than blow Horns.
Lady, let the Theam of your discourse at this time be of Vir∣tuous Courtships, and wooing Suters.
Some Poetical and Romantical Writers make valiant gal∣lant Heroicks wooe poorly, sneakingly, and pedlingly.
Lady, let me interrupt you; would you have gallant Heroicks in their Courtships to Fair young Ladies, as Commanding as in the Field, or as Furious as in a Battel.
No, I would have them wooe with a Confident Behaviour, a Noble Demeanor, a Generous Civility, and not to be amazed or to trem∣ble for fear, to weep for pitty, to kneel for mercy, to sigh and be dejected
with a Mistresses frown; for though sorrow, sighs, ••ears and Humility be∣come all Heroick Spirits very well, and expresse a Noble and Generous Soul, yet not in such a cause: for tears become all Heroick Spirits, for the Death or Torments of Friends, or for the sufferances of Innocents, or Vir∣tue, yet not if only themselves were tormented, or to dye, or•• for any mis∣fortune that could come upon our own Persons or estates, or for any obstructi∣ons to their own pleasures or delights, but it becomes all Heroick Spirits, to tremble for fear of their Honour, or losse of their Fame, and expresses a generous Soul to grieve and to mourn in a general Calamity, and to hum∣ble themselves to the Gods for those in distresse, and to implore and kneel to them for mercy, both for themselves and others, as for to divert the wrath of the Gods; but not to weep, sigh, tremble, kneel, pray, for their Effemi∣nate pleasures, delights, or Societies; nor to grieve or sorrow for the losse of the same.
Also some VVriters, when they are to describe a Bashfull and Modest La∣dy, such as are Nobly and Honourably bred, describe them as if they were simply shame-faced; which description makes such appear, as if they came meerly from the Milk-boul, and had been bred only with silly Huswives, and that their practice was, to pick VVorms from Roots of Flowers, and their pastimes to carry and fling crumbs of Bread to Birds, or little Chick∣ens that were hatched by their Hens ••heir Mothers gave them, or to gather a lapfull of sweet Flowers, to Distill a little sweet VVater to dip their Han∣kerchiefs in, or to wash their Faces in a little Rose-water; and indeed, this harmlesse and innocent Breeding, may be Modest and Bashfull, or rather shame-faced, for want of other Conversation, which Custome and Com∣pany will soon cast off, or wear out, and then print Boldnesse on their brow; but true modest Souls, which have for the most part Bashfull Countenances, proceed•• from a deep Apprehension, a clear Understanding, an ingenuous VVit, a thinking Brain, a pure Mind, a resined Spirit, a Noble Education, and not from an ignorant obscure Breeding; for it is not Ignorance that makes Modesty, but Knowledge, nor is it Guiltinesse that makes Bashful∣nesse, but fear of those that are guilty; but as I said, many VVriters that would make a description of Modest and Bashfull women, mistake and ex∣presse a shame-faced Ignorance and obscure Breeding; and instead of ex∣pressing a young Lady to be innocent of Faults, they expresse her to be one that is ignorant of Knowledge, so as when they would describe a Modest, Bashfull, Innocent Virgin, they mistake and describe a simple ignorant shame fac'd Maid, that either wants Breeding or Capacity.
But Lady, let me ask you one question, would you have a young Virgin as confident and knowing as a Married Wise?
Yes, although not in their Behaviour or Condition of life, but in her Virtue and Constancy; for a chast Married wife is as Modest and Bashfull as a Virgin, though not so simple, ignorant, and shame-faced as a plain bred Maid; but as I said, VVriters should describe the wooing of gal∣lant Heroicks, or Great and Noble Persons, to woo with a Generous Con∣fidence, or Manly Garb, a Civil Demeanor, a Rational Discourse, to an honest Design, and to a Virtuous end, and not with a whining Voice, in pit∣tifull words, and fawning Language; and if it be only for a Mistriss, as for a Courtezan, Bribes are the best Advocates, or to imploy others to treat with them, and not to be the Pimp, although for themselves.
Also VVriters should when they describe Noble Virgins, to receive No∣ble
Addresses of Love, and to receive those Noble Addresses or Courtships with an attentive Modesty in a bashfull Countenance; and if to tremble for fear, to describe the fear, as being the Nature of the Sex; also to describe their Behaviour after a Noble Garb, and their answers to their Suters, to be full of Reason, Sense, and Truth, and those answers to be delivered in as short discourses, and as few words as Civility will allow of, and not like an ignorant innocent, a childish simplicity, an unbred Behaviour, expressing themselves, or answering their Suters with mincing words that have neither Sense nor Reason in them.
Also Poetical and Romantical VVriters should not make great Princes that have been bred in great and populous Cities, glorious Camps; and splendrous Courts, to woo and make Love like private bred men, or like rude bred Clowns, or like mean bred Servants, or like Scholars, that woo by the Book in Scholastical Terms or Phrases, or to woo like flanting, ranting, swearing, bragging Swaggerers, or Rusters; or to woo a Country wench, like as a Noble Lady, or great Princesse.
Also not to make such women as have been bred and born Nobly and Honourably, to receive the Courtship of great Persons, like a Dairy-maid, Kitchin-maid, or like such as have been bred in mean Cottages, as to behave themselves simply, or rudely, as to the answer and speak Crossingly, or Thwartingly, as contradicting every word that is spoken unto them, as if they did believe what they said was not truth; for Civil and Honourable bred women, who have Noble and Generous Souls, will rather seem to believe all their Superlative Praises, than make Doubts, as if they knew they lyed; for to make Doubts, is in the mid-way to give the Lye.
Lady, how approve you of those Lovers that kisse the Letters, Tokens, Pledges, and the like, that are sent unto them from their Lovers? or such as wear Letters, Tokens, or Pledges in their Bosomes, and next their Heart, and take them and view them a hundred times a day?
Approve it say you? you mean disapprove it; but let me tell you, most Reverend Matron, that the very hearing of it makes the sick, and the seeing of it would make me die.
I have so great an Aversion against such actions, for those actions: like as whining Speeches, proceed from filthy Amorous Love, and Mean Lovers; for true Love in Noble Persons, receives gifts as an expression of their Su∣ters, or Lovers Loves, and will carefully keep them as an acknowledgment of the receipt, and accept of them as a great Seal to their affections; yet they keep such Presents, but as Treasurers, not as Owners, untill they be man and wife; neither do they make Idols of such gifts, nor do they adore the Ow∣ner the more for the gift, nor the gist for the Owner; nor do they think fit they ought to give such outward expressions of Love, by such uselesse actions, when as htey have a high esteem of their Suters Love, a perfect be∣lief of their Merit, and a constant return of their affection, and a resolution to dye, or suffer any misery for their sakes if need required; besides, true Lovers have ever the Idea of their beloved in their Thoughts, by which they cannot forget their Memory, indeed Love-letters they may read often, because Letters are an injoyment of their discourse, although their persons be at a distance, and are also a recreation and delight in their Wits, if there be any Wit th••rein, but to kisse the Paper, they neither find pleasure, delight, non
profit, neither to themselves, nor to their Beloved; the truth is, not one Writer amongst a thousand make Lovers woo either wisely, wittily, no∣bly, eloquently, or naturally; but either foolishly, meanly, unmanly, un∣handsomely, or amorously, which is corruptly.
Lady, you say very true, and some Romantical Writers, make long and tedious Orations, or long and tedious and fruitless discourse, in such times as requires sudden action.
You say right, as to speak when they a••e to fight; but for my part I hate to read Romances, or some Scenes in Plays, whose ground or Foundation is Amorous Love.
VVhen you read such Books, you must never consider the Sub∣ject that the VVriter writes on, but consider the Wit, Language, Fancy, or Description.
Most Reverend Sister, I suppose few read Romances, or the like Books, but for the Wit, Fancy, Judgement, and lively Descriptions; for they do not read such Books, as they do read Chronicles, wherein is only to be considered the true Relation of the History.
Most Grave and VVife Matronesse, I believe though none read Romances, or such like Books, whose ground is seigned Love, and Lo∣vers, as they read Chronicles, whose ground should be unfeigned Truth; yet certainly, few read Romances or the like Books, either for the Wit, Fancy, Judgement or Descriptions, but to feed their Amorous Humou••s on their Amorous Discourses, and to tune their Voice to their Amorous Strains of Amorous Love; for it is to be observed, that those Books that are most A∣morously penned, are most often read.
May it please your Worships, there is an Antient Gen∣tlewoman that desires to speak with your VVorships.
I lay my life it is one of the Matrons of the Academy.
Faith if the Humble Bee is flown out, the rest of the Bees will follow.
I fear if they do, they will swarm about our Ears.
Yes, and sting us with their Tongues.
Let us send for her in.
I will go and Usher her in.
Gentlemen, the Ladies of the Academy have sent me unto you, to know the Reason or Cause that you will not let them rest in qniet, or suffer them to live in peace, but disturb them in both, by a confused noise of
Trumpets, which you uncivilly and discourteously blow at their Grate and Gates.
The cause is, that they will not permit us to come into their Company, but have barricadoed their Gats against us, and have incloystred themselves from us; besides, it is a dangerous example for all the rest of their Sex; for if all women should take a toy in their heads to incloyster themselves, there would be none left out to breed on.
Surely it is very fit and proper that young Virgins should live a retired life, both for their Education and Reputation.
As for their Education, it is but to learn to talk, and women can do that without teaching, for on my Conscience, a woman was the first in∣venter of Speech; and as for their Retirement, Nature did never make them for that purpose, but to associate themselves with men: and since men are the chief Head of their kind, it were a sign they had but very little Brain, if they would suffer the youngest and fairest women to incloyster themselves.
Gentlemen pray give me leave to inform you, for I perceive you are in great Error of mistake, for these Ladies have not vowed Virginity, or are they incloystred; for an Academy is not a Cloyster, but a School, where∣in are taught how to be good Wives when they are married.
But no man can come to woo them to be Wives.
No, but if they can win their Parents, or those they are left in trust with, and get their good liking and consent, the young Ladies have learn'd so much Duty and Obedience, as to obey to what they shall think fit.
But we desire the Ladies good liking, we care not for their Friends; for the approvment and good liking of their Friends, without the Love of the Ladies, will not make us happy, for there is no satisfaction in a secon∣dary Love, as to be beloved for anothers sake, and not for their own.
If you be Worthy Gentlemen, as I believe you all are, their Love will be due to your Merits, and your Merits will perswade them to love you.
Well, if you will be our Mediator, we will surcease our Clamour, otherwise we will increase our noise.
If you can get leave of their Parents, and Friends, I will endea∣vour to serve you, and shall be proud of the imployment that you shall be pleased to impose to my trust and management.
And we shall be your Servants, for your favours.