It was thus they lived with uninterrupted joys, no spies to pry upon their actions, no false friends to censure their real pleasures, no rivals to poison their true content, no parents to give bounds or grave rules to the destruction of nobler lavish love; but all the day was passed in new delights, and every day produced a thousand pleasures; and even the thoughts of revenge were no more remembered on either side; it lessened in _Sylvia_’. heart as love advanced there, and her resentment against _Philander_ was lost in her growing passion for _Octavio_: and sure if any woman had excuses for loving and inconstancy, the most wise and prudent must allow them now to _Sylvia_; and if she had reason for loving it was now, for what she paid the most deserving of his sex, and whom she managed with that art of loving (if there be art in love) that she gained every minute upon his heart, and he became more and more her slave, the more he found he was beloved: in spite of all _Brilliard_’. pretension he would have married her, but durst not do it while he remained in _Holland_, because of the noise _Brilliard_’. claim had made, and he feared the displeasure of his uncle; but waited for a more happy time, when he could settle his affairs so as to remove her into _Flanders_, though he could not tell how to accomplish that without ruining his interest: these thoughts alone took up his time whenever he was absent from _Sylvia_, and would often give him abundance of trouble; for he was given over to his wish of possessing of _Sylvia_, and could not live without her; he loved too much, and thought and considered too little. These were his eternal entertainments when from the lovely object of his desire, which was as seldom as possible; for they were both unwilling to part, though decency and rest required it, a thousand soft things would hinder him, and make her willing to retain him, and though they were to meet again next morning, they grudge themselves the parting hours, and the repose of nature. He longs and languishes for the blessed moment that shall give him to the arms of the ravishing _Sylvia_, and she finds but too much yielding on her part in some of those silent lone hours, when love was most prevailing, and feeble mortals most apt to be overcome by that insinuating god; so that though _Octavio_ could not ask what he sighed and died for, though for the safety of his life, for any favours; and though, on the other side, _Sylvia_ resolved she would not grant, no, though mutual vows had passed, though love within pleaded, and almost irresistible beauties and inducements without, though all the powers of love, of silence, night and opportunity, though on the very point a thousand times of yielding, she had resisted all: but oh! one night; let it not rise up in judgement against her, ye bashful modest maids, who never yet tried any powerful minute; nor ye chaste wives, who give no opportunities; one night----they lost themselves in dalliance, forgot