CCXI sociable letters written by the thrice noble, illustrious, and excellent princess, the Lady Marchioness of Newcastle.

LXXXIX.

MADAM,

I Am Sorry to hear Mrs. C. L. is married to one She Dislikes so much, as to profess she cannot Love her Husband, and to Complain of her Parents, for forcing her with Threats of Curses to that Match, but it is to be hoped, that Love will both begin and increase by Acquain∣tance and Society, and his Kindness to her, for he is reported to be a very Honest Good-natu∣red man, and then she will give her Parents Thanks, for it is to be observed, that Hot Amo∣rous Lovers when they are Married, their Affections grow Cooler, and at last so Cold as to Dye Insensible, so as the Marriage-bed proves the Grave of Love, I mean of fond Amorous Love, for certainly Amorous Lovers have Poe∣tical Imaginations of each other, and Fancy each

other not onely Beyond what they are, but what is not in Nature to be, but such Matrimonial Ac∣quaintance proves their Love was built on Fan∣cy, and not on Reality, they Married Mortal Creatures, not Gods or Goddesses, nor such Worthy or Constant Damosels as Romances feign, so as their Love Vanishes as Poetical Airy Castles, or Inchanted Towers, and not any Love Remains, but if there doth, it is but as a Thatch'd Cottage, a Plain, Homely Love, whereas they that Marry Discreetly, and not Fondly, their Love is like Poor Beginners, who have No∣thing or very Little to live on, but being Ho∣nest and Industrious, get something, and being Prudent and Thrifty, in time become Rich, nay, many times so Rich, as to Build stately Pa∣laces, and have Respect and Honour from all that know them; so in those Marriages where Dis∣cretion joyns hands, Honesty begets Love, and thrifty Temperance makes Constancy, which builds Happiness and Peace for their Lives to live in, and all that Know or Hear of them, Ho∣nour and Respect them for their Worth and Merit, for their Wisdom and True Love. But as Time joynes Honest minds and Temperate persons with Love, so Time separates Vain I∣maginations and Amorous persons with Dislike, and sometimes with Hate; and so leaving C. L. to Time, Reality, Temperance, Discretion, and Honesty, I rest,

Madam,

Your faithful Fr. and S.