Olinda's Adventures: or the Amours of a Young LadyTrotter, Catharine
General
Olinda's Adventures: or the Amours of a Young Lady
Trotter, Catharine
Epistolary fiction; Love stories; Young women -- Fiction
THE Reflections you made upon my two last are so Just, so Profitable,
and so Pleasant, that thro' them I see the Author's great Capacity, that
can make so good use of such little things; and while I read, bless my
kind Fate that made you my Friend, when the Good and Wise are so scarce;
and wonder how so particular a Blessing came to be my Lot; which more
than doubly satisfies for all I suffer'd by _Clarinda_'s falseness. I
believe you think it strange I never mention'd her, in any of the
Passages of my Life, since it was before many that I have told you of,
that I knew and lov'd her: But I could not have Nam'd her without some
Marks of kindness, that I either show'd, or receiv'd from her, which I
would willingly forget, and cou'd not now speak of her, but when I put
your Friendship in compensation with her Ingratitude. But since I am
fall'n upon this Subject, I will let you know a little better than you
do, the only Woman that I ever trusted, not with any Secret, for you see
I then had none of consequence; but with my Love, and in that she
betray'd me. Her Sister often told me, she was sorry to see so sincere a
Friendship bestow'd upon one that knew so little how to Value it; that
_Clarinda_ was the same to all, which she pretended to be only for me:
That she was always fondest of her new acquaintance, and wou'd
Sacrifice, or Ridicule the Old, the better to Caress 'em: But I knew
there had been some Quarrels betwixt them, and therefore wou'd not
believe it, till I found it too true; and then my partiality for her,
chang'd into as great an Error on the other hand, for I involv'd the
whole Sex in her Faults, and with _Aristotle_ (I hope one may condemn
ones self with _Aristotle_) Repented that I had ever Trusted a Woman. I
don't know whether I forgot I was one, or whither I had the Vanity to
think my self more perfect than the rest; but I resolv'd none of the Sex
was capable of Friendship; and continu'd in that Opinion till I knew
_Ambrisia_, who (if one may judge by the Rule of Contraries, convinces
me of injustice) for she is just _Clarinda_'s Antipodes. _Clarinda_
loves new Faces, and professes a particular kindness at first sight;
_Ambrisia_ is a long time before she goes beyond Civility, and never
does but to those whom she has well observ'd, and found 'em Worthy:
_Clarinda_ will Rail at one Friend to engage another: _Ambrisia_ cant
hear an innocent person, tho' her Enemy, accus'd without defending 'em:
_Clarinda_ will be one day fond to extravagance, and the next as
indifferent for the same person: _Ambrisia_ is always the same, and
where once she loves, she never changes: _Clarinda_ is easily angry:
_Ambrisia_ is perhaps too mild. _Clarinda_ has Wit indeed, but 'tis not
temper'd by Judgment, so that it makes her often do, and say a hundred
things that call her discretion in question: _Ambrisia_ has a Solid and
piercing Judgment, one wou'd thing all she says was the Result of
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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