love, how you cried out ‘Farewell the world and mortal cares, give me _Philander_, heaven, I ask no more’--Hast thou forgot all this? Did all the live-long night hear any other sound but those our mutual vows, of invocations, broken sighs, and soft and trembling whispers? Say, had we any other business for the tender hours? Oh, all ye host of heaven, ye stars that shone, and all ye powers the faithless lovely maid has sworn by, be witness how she is perjur’d; revenge it all, ye injured powers, revenge it, since by it she has undone the faithfullest youth, and broke the tenderest heart--that ever fell a sacrifice to love; and all ye little weeping gods of love, revenge your murdered victim--your PHILANDER. * * * * * _To_ PHILANDER. _In the leaves of a table-book_. On, my _Philander_, how dearly welcome, and how needless were thy kind reproaches! Which I will not endeavour to convince by argument, but such a deed as shall at once secure thy fears now and for the future. I have not a minute to write in; place, my dear _Philander_, your chariot in St _Vincent’s_ Wood, and since I am not able to fix the hour of my flight, let it wait there my coming; it is but a little mile from _Bellfont_, _Dorillus_ is suspected there, remove thyself to the high-way-gate cottage--there I’ll call on thee----’twas lucky, that thy fears, or love, or jealousy brought thee so near me, since I’d resolv’d before upon my flight. Parents and honour, interest and fame, farewell--I leave you all to follow my _Philander_--Haste the chariot to the thickest part of the wood, for I am impatient to be gone, and shall take the first opportunity to fly to my _Philander_----Oh, love me, love me, love me! _Under pretence of reaching the jessamine which shades my window, I unperceived let down and receive what letters you send by the honest weeder; by her send your sense of my flight, or rather your direction, for it is resolved already._ * * * * * _To_ SYLVIA. _My lovely Angel_, So careful I will be of this dear mighty secret, that I will only say, _Sylvia_ shall be obeyed; no more----nay, I’ll not dare to think of it, lest in my rapture I should name my joy aloud, and busy winds should bear it to some officious listener, and undo me; no more, no more, my _Sylvia_, extremes of joy (as grief) are ever dumb: let it suffice, this blessing which you proffer I had designed to ask, as soon as you’d convinced me of your faith; yes, _Sylvia_, I had asked it though it was a bounty too great for any mortal to conceive heaven should bestow upon him; but if it do, that very moment I’ll resign the world, and barter all for love and charming _Sylvia_. Haste, haste, my life; my arms, my bosom and my soul are open to receive the lovely fugitive; haste, for this moment I am going to plant myself where you directed. _Adieu_. * * * * * _To_ PHILANDER. _After her flight_.