The art of making love, or, Rules for the conduct of ladies and gallants in their amours

TO THE READER.

A Vertuous and Reaonable Love is so rarely found, that I cannot wonder that it is confounded with Lust; nor to finde so many sharp Invectives against it, since we are apt to mistake one for the other. The Author of Conjugi∣um Conjurgium tells his Friend Philoginus, That Lust is nothing else but what he calls Love; and that all those Allurements of Beauty, Riches, Greatness, Appa∣rel, and Deportment, Looks, Ge∣stures, Discourses, Familiarity, Toying, Fooling, Singing, Musick, Dancing, &c. tend onely to it, to

excite and satisfie it. I am sor∣ry his Friend should be such a Simpleton as to distinguish so ill between 'em: but indeed, I doubt he Author has charg'd a Folly up∣on him, of which he was not guilty; for I do not finde that the young Gentleman had any such Conceptions; and for any thing that I can learn, the Lady he was about to marry was a very Vertu∣ous and a Modest Woman, and a passing good Houswife; and then he has thrown away his good Ad∣vice upon one who stood not in need of it, and shewn himself ve∣ry extravagant in railing against Marriage in general, after be has said in his Epistle, That there are few Marriages grounded on the immovable Rock of true Vertue; which implies, that 'tis not impro∣bable, though not common, to find Love and Marriage built upon sich Foundations: But he con∣fesses

himself to be Ictus Piscator, a man who had a Drab to his Wife; therefore we may pardon his indignation against a Sex which hath so much disobliged him, and yet hope not to be so ill treated.

'Tis Ingenuity to confess, that part of this Book is taken from the Gallant Morale of Monsieur Boulanger, which he dedicates to the young Dauphin: the Treatise is like a Gallant of his own Coun∣try, clad with a great deal of superfluous and ridiculous Gar∣niture, ends and fragments of Poetry; which the Writer of this, hath stript him of, and hopes, though he hath made it less gaudy, he hath not render'd it less agreeable.

You are here taught the way to vanquish Illustrious Hearts, and to glorious Victories; and if you observe his Conduct, though you fail of success, yet the Amarous

War will be less expensive than profitable; and if you are forced to retreat, it will always be with honour: and as 'tis said of those Chymists who obstinately pursue their search for the Philosophers Stone, though they never obain it, yet in their Progress they meet so many pleasant and profitable Entertainments as recompences their Travel.

He permits you not to waste your time in the pursuit of a Wanton, or those foolish Creatures who are captivated by a Song of Monsense a la mode, with a ga••••y suit of Clothes, or the Charms of some other thing I must not name; the Sir Foplings may continue unrival'd; their Amours, since their Victories are not worth a Stratagem.

He gives you an Image of Love, as it ought to be, such as is consi∣stent with Reason, and may be in∣nocently

entertained in the hearts of the most Brave and Vertuous. He erects all his Altars, and pays all his Adorations to Venus Ura∣nia; and all his Sacrifices are im∣maculate, to which he permits none to approach, but with sub∣missions and respects; nor no Vows to be made, but what are pure and innocent, as that Divine Flame which animates her Ado∣rers. 'Tis on this chast Goddess that Fortune waits, from whose hands a happy Lover receives a Crown composed of Laurels and of Myrtles: let not therefore the most innocent and vertuous Lady, or the greatest Heroe blush, or dis∣dain to avow a Passion which con∣ducts them to the Temple of Ho∣nour: but that they may more certainly arrive there, let them study well the Precepts contained in this Book, and they then may be assured to be fortunate and happy.