Memoirs of Major Alexander Ramkins (1718)Defoe, Daniel
History
Memoirs of Major Alexander Ramkins (1718)
Defoe, Daniel
Adventure stories; Great Britain -- History, Military -- Fiction; Soldiers -- Fiction
When he heard my
Case, after two or three Turns he approach'd me with the serious Air of
a Physician, and I thinking he had Design to feel my Pulse, I offer'd
him my Hand, which he only shook very gently, saying, Young Man, all the
Comfort I can give you is, that you must buy your Knowledge by
Experience as I and many others have done before you. All Advice is lost
upon a Person in Love. Should I advice you to quit the Enterprize, I
know you would not do it. A Halter or an _East-India_ Voyage may do you
Service in Case you are refused. In a Word, whatever I advised you to
you will certainly do the contrary; However, that you may be said to
have lost your Time in coming hither, hasten to the young Lady, tell her
in a Franck Cavalier way how Things are with you; give all the vent you
can to your Passion; if it blows over, you will be a wary Man hereafter,
if it ends in Wedlock, any Body will inform you of the Consequences.
While the old Gentleman was entertaining me with this Lesson, my Head
grew so dizy, as if some invisible Hand had turn'd it round like a Gigg,
so I left him abruptly, and went directly to my Lodgings to Bed, but to
this Day I cannot tell, whether I went a Foot or in a Coach my Head was
in such a Confusion. The next Morning finding my ideas better rang'd, I
propos'd to seize the first Opportunity to let the Lady understand the
Difficulties I struggled under upon her Account; but the Nature of our
Visits was such, that I cou'd not do it any otherwise than by Letter:
Thus when I had once broke the Ice, and that too with a fair Prospect
of making Advances, in the next Place I gain'd the Maid by the usual
Methods that such Creatures are render'd Obsequious, and under her
Conduct methoughts I sail'd prosperously on without the least Rub to my
suppos'd Happiness; 'tis true I was at a constant Charge of Presents,
Treats, and now and then a Serenade according to the _Spanish_ Customs.
But I remember at one of these Midnight Scenes of Gallantry, I saw
something that gave me a great deal of Uneasiness; drawing up my Musick
under the Lady's Window, besides her Face, which was at the Casement
wide open, I saw the Reflexion of a Periwig move towards the Corner of
the Window; this made me vehemently suspect somebody had a better place
in her Affections than my self, for there was no Male kind belonging to
the Family, her Father and Brother, as she told me at other Times, being
in _Spain_, to take care of some Effects they expected by the Flota from
the _West Indies_. However, I endeavour'd to smother this Impression of
Jealousy, attributing the Mistake to the Circumstances of Night, Candle
Light, or some other false Medium that might ground it, so I was
resolv'd to take no notice of it at my next Visit. But it was not long
before I met with another Occasion of Jealousy, which cou'd not so
easily be banish'd out of my Head. Sitting in the Chocolate House, a
young Gentleman was giving himself Airs with a Snuff-box, which to my
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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