been contented well enough and one might have consol’d me for the loss of the other, but in one day to lose all that made my happiness, put me in such a Melancholy, I knew not for the present what to do for myself; but _Coquet Love_ conducted me to a Village, that gave me a new Pleasure: The scituation of it is marvellous, the Fields and the Groves all about it the most pleasant in the World; the Meadows enamel’d with Rivulets, which run winding here and there, and lose themselves in the Thickets and the Woods. In going, _Love_ said to me: In absence it is in vain to abandon yourself to sorrow. Alas! What signifies it to sigh night and day; the Absent does not hear us; nor can the most tender Affliction or Complaint render a Lover happy, unless the Fair One were present to hear all his Moans, then perhaps they might avail. There was reason in what he said, and I was pleas’d and calm’d; and we arrived at the same time at this Village: All the Houses were fine, and pleasant, we saw all the Graces there by Fountains and by Flowery Springs, and all the Objects that could be imagined agreeable; and the least amiable ones, we saw, gave us a Joy! All the World that inhabit there contribute to Diversion; and this place is called _Amusement_: _Amusement_ is a young Boy, who stops and gazes at every thing that meets his Eyes, and he makes his Pleasure with every Novelty. As soon as I arrived at this Village I thought to divert myself, as others did; and to hinder my Thoughts from fixing on the loss of my two Mistresses, and to banish from my mind the Chagrins their Absence gave me; withdrawn from the fair Eyes of _Bellimante_, and the Charming Wit of _Bellinda_, and to give my sighing Heart a little ease; upon a thousand Objects I formed my desires, and took a thousand Pleasures to divert my Melancholy: And all the time I lived at this dear place, I passed my time without any inquietude; for every day afforded me new Objects to give me new Wishes. And I now expected, without much impatience, the return of _Bellinda_ and _Bellimante_; nor did I tire myself with writing to ‘em every day; and when I did write, to save the expence of thought, the same Billet served both; a thousand little tender things I said of course to both: And sometimes, especially while I was writing, I thought I had rather seen them than have lived at _Amusement_, but since it was necessary they should be absent, I bore it with all the Patience I could; sometimes we were in a fit of writing very regularly to one another, but on a sudden I received no Letters at all; the reason of this was, they both understood I lived at _Amusement_, and had retired themselves to the Palace of _Spight_: I no sooner received this News, but I rendered myself there also; it is a place where there is alwaies abundance of Tumult, Outrage, Quarrels and Noise: And _Spight_ is a Person who eternally gives occasion of Discontent and Broil; causing People often to fall out with those