her with any Turn of Fondness, she would immediately
snatch off my Perriwig, try it upon herself in the
Glass, clap her Arms a Kimbow, draw my Sword, and
make Passes on the Wall, take off my Cravat, and seize
it to make some other Use of the Lace, or run into
some other unaccountable Rompishness, till the Time
I had appointed to pass away with her was over.
I went from her full of Pleasure at the Reflection
that I had the keeping of so much Beauty in a Woman,
who, as she was too heedless to please me, was also
too inattentive to form a Design to wrong me.
Long did I divert every Hour that hung heavy upon me
in the Company of this Creature, whom I looked upon
as neither Guilty or Innocent, but could laugh at
my self for my unaccountable Pleasure in an Expence
upon her, till in the End it appeared my pretty Insensible
was with Child by my Footman.
This Accident roused me into a Disdain against all Libertine Women, under what Appearance soever they hid their Insincerity, and I resolved after that Time to converse with none but those who lived within the Rules of Decency and Honour. To this End I formed my self into a more regular Turn of Behaviour, and began to make Visits, frequent Assemblies, and lead out Ladies from the Theatres, with all the other insignificant Duties which the professed Servants of the Fair place themselves in constant Readiness to perform. In a very little time, (having a plentiful Fortune) Fathers and Mothers began to regard me as a good Match, and I found easie Admittance into the best Families in Town to observe their daughters; but I, who was born to follow the Fair to no Purpose, have by the Force of my ill Stars made my Application to three Jilts successively.
Hyaena is one of those who form themselves into a melancholy and indolent Air, and endeavour to gain Admirers from their Inattention to all around them. Hyaena can loll in her Coach, with something so fixed in her Countenance, that it is impossible to conceive her Meditation is employed only on her Dress and her Charms in that Posture. If it were not too coarse a Simile, I should say, Hyaena, in the Figure she affects to appear in, is a Spider in the midst of a Cobweb, that is sure to destroy every Fly that approaches it. The Net Hyaena throws is so fine, that you are taken in it before you can observe any Part of her Work. I attempted her for a long and weary Season, but I found her Passion went no farther than to be admired; and she is of that unreasonable Temper, as not to value the Inconstancy of her Lovers provided she can boast she once had their Addresses.
Biblis was the second I aimed at, and her Vanity lay in purchasing the Adorers of others, and not in rejoicing in their Love it self. Biblis is no Man’s Mistress, but every Woman’s Rival. As soon as I found this, I fell in Love with Chloe, who is my present Pleasure and Torment. I have writ to her, danced with her, and fought for