to the letter of your confessing passion, has not so long been the subject of our discourse and expectation, but you guess at what I mean?’ _Octavio_, who on all occasions wanted not wit, or reply, was here at a loss what to answer; notwithstanding he had considered before what he would say: but let those in love fancy, and make what fine speeches they please, and believe themselves furnished with abundance of eloquent harangues, at the sight of the dear object they lose them all, and love teaches them a dialect much more prevailing, without the expense of duller thought: and they leave unsaid all they had so floridly formed before, a sigh a thousand things with more success: love, like poetry, cannot be taught, but uninstructed flows without painful study, if it be true; it is born in the soul, a noble inspiration, not a science! Such was _Octavio_’., he thought it dishonourable to be guilty of the meanness of a lie; and say he had no answer: he thought it rude to say he had one and would not shew it _Sylvia_; and he believed it the height of ungenerous baseness to shew it. While he remained this moment silent, _Sylvia_, whose love, jealousy, and impatience endured no delay, with a malicious half smile, and a tone all angry, scorn in her eyes, and passion on her tongue, she cried--’It is well, _Octavio_, that you so early let me know, you can be false, unjust, and faithless; you knew your power, and in pity to that youth and easiness you found in me, have given a civil warning to my heart. In this I must confess,’ continued she, ’.ou have given a much greater testimony of your friendship for _Philander_, than your passion for _Sylvia_, and I suppose you came not here to resolve yourself which you should prefer; that was decided ere you arrived, and this visit I imagine was only to put me out of doubt: a piece of charity you might have spared.’ She ended this with a scorn, that had a thousand charms, because it gave him a little hope; and he answered with a sigh, ‘Ah, madam, how very easy you find it to entertain thoughts disadvantageous of me: and how small a fault your wit and cruelty can improve to a crime! You are not offended at my friendship for _Philander_. I know you do not value my life, and my repose so much, as to be concerned who, or what shares this heart that adores you! No, it has not merited that glory; nor dare I presume to hope, you should so much as wish my passion for _Sylvia_, should surmount my friendship to _Philander_.’ ‘If I did,’ replied she with a scorn, ‘I perceive I might wish in vain.’ ‘Madam,’ answered he, ‘I have too divine an opinion of the justice of the charming _Sylvia_ to believe I ought, or could make my approaches to her heart, by ways so base and ungenerous, the result of even tolerated treason is to hate the traitor.’ ‘Oh, you are very nice, _Octavio_,’ replied _Sylvia_, ’.n your punctilio to _Philander_; but I perceive you are not so tender in those you ought to have for _Sylvia_: I find honour in you