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

CHAP. VII. How to discover when a Mistriss returns us with Love.

AFter all, the great difficulty which remains, is how to discern whether the Love which is pretended be real, and whe∣ther a true Passion be not re∣payed onely by artifice. The u∣sual flattery of our selves, does commonly betray us into an easie belief that we are beloved. There are few Ladies, how ugly soe're they are, yet when they consult their Glasses, do fancy some peculiar grace or other, ca∣pable enough to conquer more than one single heart: and few Gallants, who do not imagine something extraordinary in their persons and deportment worthy

of esteem. This Self-opinion contributes so much to their be∣ing deceived, that it is not onely in vain, but injurious for a man to perswade his Friend with Ar∣guments drawn from any imper∣fection in himself, not to be too credulous in this Affair.

First, we must observe well and attentively all the motions of her eyes; it is by them that we most usually discover the state of her Heart, how exquisite soe're she be in dissimulation. These ar∣dent and indiscreet Libertines cannot retain her secrets, and they cannot long dissemble; for the more they strive to conceal it, the more they make it ap∣pear.

'Tis not very easie for a Lover to endure the brightness of the eyes of his Mistriss; for they usually imprint so much fear, that the most bold cannot behold

them long without trembling: but maugre this respectuous fear, we must regard fixedly those fair eyes, and hearken attentively to their Language, since it is by them chiefly that we can come to the knowledge of her Heart.

Observe then first, if her Looks be sweet and languishing: for no∣thing so much manifests the state of a Heart, as the languishing of the Eyes.

Yet though this languishing does not appear, we must not presently conclude that our Mi∣striss has not Love in her heart; for sometime the eye is grave, when the heart is sensible: though it is an undoubted Mark that the Heart is touched, when her Looks are sweet and lan∣guishing.

If then we do not observe it, we must not be repulsed by that, for there are a thousand other

Marks which will make known the state of the Heart.

We may conceive great hopes, when we find our Mistriss confu∣sed at our presence, and to speak in disorder and unusual constraint in her actions, proceeding from an endeavour to appear more agreeable in her conversation and behaviour. This amiable Constraint is very different from the ordinary Affectation of those pert and impertinent Melantha's, which is so tedious and ridicu∣lous; and it is very distinguish∣able from that want of breeding and bashful simplicity of young Country-Ladies: and indeed, that Love is very much to be suspected, which does not pro∣duce these kind of disorders and confusions.

From hence it is, that the very name of her we love, causes such an emotion as doth easily disco∣ver

the Sentiments which we en∣deavour industriously to con∣ceal.

Love may work many of these effects, and yet not be absolute∣ly perfect or refin'd; therefore let us carefully examine whether Ambition or Avarice make not up part of its Composition: for if it have these ingredients, a Lover cannot promise himself to be longer happy than he is fortunate; for that love is one∣ly nourished by Plenty, and is blasted by the frowns of For∣tune: But he who loves truely and as he ought, sacrifices his Ambition and Avarice to his bove.

For Love, a Lover doth all things forgo; None can adore his Gold and Mistriss too. He who himself doth to Love's Altar bring, Thinks all he has too cheap an Offering;

He doth his Gold and such base thrift despise, Offering with that, his Blood a Sacrifice. He in whose Heart so noble a flame doth rule, His Mistriss to preserve would loss his Soul.

If then we finde any remains of these two Passions, we may conclude that Love has not made an absolute conquest; for where it reigns entirely, it sweetens all conditions, and the worst tra∣verses of Fortune are not able to lessen it, but contribute to its growth: the constancy of each begets a mutual pity, which en∣dears them one to the other, and strengthens that Chain which links their Hearts and Fortunes together: So true is that part of the Song:

He whose Love's true, and whose Passion is strong, Shall never die wretched, but always be 〈◊〉〈◊〉

Therefore when we see a Lo∣ver whose cares are all employed for her he loves, and in all things to prefer his Mistriss's satisfaction and happiness before his own, and with a dis-interessed Zeal to offer his heart at Loves Altar; a Lady may safely accept his Love, and hope with Reason a true and durable Felicity.

The greatest part of this fair Sex, and above all, those fierce and haughty fair ones, are very ex∣quisite in disguising of it; and it is not easie to discover their true Sentiments, how much soe're they are touched: but it is cer∣tain, that the less they make it ap∣pear, the more is Love in their Hearts, which at last breaks over all their constraint, and forces them to confess their. Defeat. Therefore let not a Gallant be discomfited after many Repulses, and though after many Attacks

he finds no hopes of surrender.

1.

What if thy Phillis seem severe, Do not despair. In the soft Language of thy eyes, Tell ber, for her thou dies; And for her Favours amarously press: Courage in Love bath always best success.

2.

Fear not; thy constant Flame Will in her Heart create the same: In all thy pain, Inquietude, and Care, Phillis at length will share. And Whilst of freedom she doth boast, She finds her liberty is lost. She'll seem thy Passiou to despise, When Love doth languish in her eyes.

3.

Ʋnder a tranquil Face, and gentle Eyes, Loves secret fire may burn, And in as bright a Flame arise As under the sad ooks of those Whose mortal Paleness shows As if they were reviv'd just from an Vrn.

And though the Flame doth not so high as∣cend, It may a heat more ardent lend. If then in Phillis Face thou spies This Coldness, and this Calmness in her Eyes, Believe her Face and Looks her Heart be∣lyes.

4.

In vain thou dost her Cruel call; And foolishly accuse, In saying she's insensible To all thy Amanous Vows. A Woman's Heart is well to Love dis∣posed; And though her modest Lips are closed, Her Heart is soft, and tender is her Soul; Yet Fear and Shame May long conceal, And secret keep the Amarous Flame Which at the length her eyes reveal, When 'tis no longer subject to controul.

Some Ladies are so jealous of the discovery of their Love, that they seldome speak of the man they love, without railing against him, and censuring this or that in him; but this they do with so ill an Air, that it may be easily

discerned they take no delight in being compli'd with, or to have the company of the same opinion.

In many different ways doth this Passion make its Eruptions; but after all; the eyes are the first discoverers of it: and he that is well read in that Language, will quickly discern what Ad∣vances he makes in his Mistriss's Heart.

To enumerate all the Symp∣toms of it, I should seem to speak of it as Burton in his Me∣lancholy, as a Sickness or Distem∣per, a Feavour or a Calenture; not as that noble Fire which in∣flames us to all brave and gene∣rous Actions, and which lights us in the Paths of Glory and Vertue.

I shall leave a Lover to con∣sider well of the nature of Love, and of the ensuing Reflections; and then I presume he will stand

in need but of very few more Instructions.