Letters of affaires love and courtship. Written to several persons of honour and quality; / by the exquisite pen of Monsieur de Voiture, a member of the famous French Academy established at Paris by Cardinall de Richelieu. English'd by J.D.

LETTER XXXIII.

HAving had one of the worst nights in the World, it cannot be expected J should have patience for a day of the same kinde, and yet J cannot perceive how this should prove any better, if you, who appoint my fortunate and unfortunate times, are not pleased to order it otherwise. J thought my selfe yesterdaie, when J took my leave of you, verie well satisfied, and methought, there or four words J had forced from you, had laid me asleep; but J had not gone ten paces from your house, ere all my misfortunes fell upon me afresh; that distraction, those feares, those jealousies, those diffidences which J had but newlie shaken hands with, made a general assault upon me, possessed themselves of my Soul, and could never be gotten out

since. Whether J sleep or wake, they are the perp••tual employ∣ment of my thoughts and dreames: they have represented to me whatever should prove most troublsome to me, and what I should most feare, and have furnished my imagination with chimera's and extravagant apparitions. J was in hope the day would have dispelled all this, but it is alreadie far spent, and yet J still see the same things. My Soul is a place where you exercise supreame authoritie, suffer not there should be so much Anarchie where you are accountable for the government: drive away these frightful images out of a minde where there ought to be onelie your own, and let there not be so neer the most de∣lightful object in the World, those that are the most hide∣ous. J have so much confidence in you, that if J have but three words from you, after the reading of this Letter, J doubt not but J shall finde immediate ••ase. J shall be sensible hence of what you shall but whisper in your Chamber, and shall be at rest assoone as you wish me so. Jf onelie your astonishment was the cause of your silence yesterdaie, J beseech you let it not have the same power over you to day; and since you cannot speak obliging things, but when your own inclination directs you, be pleased to do it now when J am not neer to importune you, but begge it at a great distance, and with a great submis∣sion, and am readie to assure you, that if it be your pleasure J should be unhappie J would rather be so, then that there should be the least disconsonaneie between your will and mine.