for oh, I am repulsed with all the rigour of the coy and fair, with all the little malice of the witty sex, and all the love of _Sylvia_ to _Philander_----There, there is the stop to all my hopes and happiness, and yet by heaven I love thee, oh thou favoured rival! After this frank confession, my _Philander_, I should be glad to hear your sentiment, since yet, in spite of love, in spite of beauty, I am resolved to die _Philander_’. constant friend, OCTAVIO. After he had writ this, he gave it to _Sylvia_: ‘See charming creature’ (said he in delivering it) ‘if after this you either doubt my love, or what I dare for _Sylvia_.’ ‘I neither receive it’ (said she) ‘as a proof of the one or the other; but rather that you believe, by this frank confession, to render it as a piece of gallantry and diversion to _Philander_; for no man of sense will imagine that love true, or arrived to any height, that makes a public confession of it to his rival.’ ‘Ah, _Sylvia_,’ answered he, ‘how malicious is your wit, and how active to turn its pointed mischief on me! Had I not writ, you would have said I durst not; and when I make a declaration of it, you call it only a slight piece of gallantry: but, _Sylvia_, you have wit enough to try it a thousand ways, and power enough to make me obey; use the extremity of both, so you recompense me at last with a confession that I was at least found worthy to be numbered in the crowd of your adorers.’ _Sylvia_ replied, ‘He were a dull lover indeed, that would need instructions from the wit of his mistress to give her proofs of his passion; whatever opinion you have of my sense, I have too good a one of _Octavio_’. to believe, that when he is a lover he will want aids to make it appear; till then we will let that argument alone, and consider his address to _Philander_.’ She then read over the letter he had writ, which she liked very well for her purpose; for at this time our young _Dutch hero_ was made a property of in order to her revenge on _Philander_: she told him, he had said too much both for himself and her. He told her, he had declared nothing with his pen, that he would not make good with his sword. ’.old, sir,’ said she, ‘and do not imagine from the freedom you have taken in owning your passion to _Philander_, that I shall allow it here: what you declare to the world is your own crime; but when I hear it, it is no longer yours but mine; I therefore conjure you, my lord, not to charge my soul with so great a sin against _Philander_, and I confess to you, I shall be infinitely troubled to be obliged to banish you my sight for ever.’ He heard her, and answered with a sigh; for she went from him to the table, and sealed her letter, and gave it him to be enclosed to _Philander_, and left him to consider on her last words, which he did not lay to heart, because he fancied she spoke this as women do that will be won with industry: he, in standing up as she went from him, saw himself in the great glass, and bid his person