Incognita By Wiliam Congreve

Incognita 


By Wiliam Congreve 

TO THE HONOURED AND WORTHILY ESTEEM'D MRS. 

KATHARINE LEVESON. 

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Madam, 

A Clear Wit, sound Judgmt and a Merciful Disposition, are things so 

rarely united, that it is almost inexcusable to entertain them with any thing 

less excellent in its kind. My knowledge of you wre a sufficient 

Caution to me, to avoid your Cenure of this Trifle, had I not as intire a 

knowldge of your Goodness. Since I have drawn my Pen for a 

Rencounter, I think it better to engage where, though there be Skil enough 

to Disarm m, there is too much Generosity to Wound; for s shall I have 

the saving Reputation of an unsuccessful Courage, if I cannot make it a 

drawn Battle. But methks the Comparison intimate somthg of a 

Defiance, and savours of Arrogance; wherefore since I am Conscious to 

my self of a Fear wich I cannot put off, let me use the Policy of Cowards 

and lay this Novel unarm'd, naked and svering at your Feet, so that if it 

should want Merit to challenge Protection, yet, as an Object of Charity, it 

may move Compassion It has been some Diverson to me to Write it, I 

wish it may prove such to you when you have an hour to throw away in 

Reading of it: but this Satisfaction I have at least beforehand, that i its 

greatet failings it may fly for Pardon to that Indulgece wh you owe to 

the weakne of your Friend; a Title whic I am proud you have thought 

m worthy of, and whh I think can ale be superior to that 

Your most Humble and Obliged Servant CLEOPHIL. 

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THE PREFACE TO THE 

READER. 

Reader, 

Some Authors are so fod of a Preface, that they will write one th' 

there be nothing more i it than an Apology for its sf. But to s thee 

that I am not one of those, I will make no Apology for this, but do te thee 

that I thk it necessary to be prefix'd to ths Trifle, to prevet thy 

overlooking s littl pai whic I have taken in the Composition of th 

follng Story. Romances are generally composed of the Contant 

Loves and invincible Courages of Hero's, Hero, Kigs and Queens, 

Mortals of the first Rank, and so forth; where lofty Language, mraculous 

Contingencies and impossible Performances, elvate and surprize th 

Reader into a giddy Delight, which laves hi flat upon the Ground 

wenever he gives of, and vexes hi to think h he has suffer'd himself 

to be pleased and tranported, concern'd and afflicted at the several 

Passages whic he has Read, viz. these Knights Success to their Damo 

Misfortuns, and such like, w he i forced to be very wll conviced 

that 'ti all a lye. Novels are of a more familiar nature; C near us, 

and represent to us Intrigue in practie, deight us with Accidents and odd 

Events, but not suc as are wholly unusual or unpresidented, such which 

t being so distant from our Belief bring also the pleasure nearer us 

Romances give mre of Wonder, Novels mre Delight. And wth 

reverence be it spoken, and the Parallel kept at due distance, there is 

sthing of equalty in the Proportion wh they bear in reference to 

one another, with that betwen Cdy and Tragedy; but the Drama is the 

long extracted from Romance and History: 'tis the Midwfe to Industry, 

and brings forth alive the Coneptions of the Brain. Minerva walks upon 

the Stage before us, and we are mre assured of the real presence of Wit 

wen it is delivered viva voce - 

Segnius irritant animos demissa per aurem, Quam quae sunt oculi 

subjecta fidelibus, & quae Ipse sibi tradit spectator.--Horace. 

Since all Traditions must indisputably give place to the Drama, and 

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sce there is no possibility of giving that life to the Writig or Repetition 

of a Story which it has in the Ati, I resolved in another beauty to 

imitate Dramatick Writing, namely, in the Degn, Cotexture and Result 

of the Plot. I have not obsrved it before i a Nove Som I have sen 

begin wth an unxpected accident, which has been the only surprizig 

part of the Story, caus enough to make the Sequel look flat, tedious and 

iipid; for 'tis but reasonable the Reader should expect it not to rise, at 

least to keep upon a level in the entertainment; for so he may be kept on i 

hopes that at some time or other it may mnd; but the 'tother is such a balk 

to a Man, 'ti carrying h up stairs to sow him the Dining-Roo, and 

after forcing him to make a Meal i the Kitchin. Th I have not oy 

endeavoured to avod, but al have used a method for the contrary 

purpo The design of the Novel is obvious, after the first meeting of 

Aurelian and Hippolito with Incognita and Leonora, and the diffiulty is in 

bringing it to pass, maugre all apparent obstacle, within the compass of 

tw days. How many probable Casualties intervene in oppositi to the 

ain Degn, viz. of marrying two Cuple so oddly engaged in an intricate 

Amour, I leave the Reader at his leisure to consider: A also whether 

every Obstacle does not in the progress of the Story act as subservient to 

that purpose, which at first it seems to oppose. In a Cody this would 

be called the Unty of Atio; here it may pretend to no more than an 

Unty of Contrivance. The Scene is continued in Florence from the 

comencement of the Aour; and the ti from first to last is but three 

days If there be any thing more in particular resembling the Copy w 

I imitate (as the Curious Reader will soon perceive) I leave it to show it 

self, being very wll satisfy'd how much mre proper it had been for h 

to have found out this himself, than for me to prepo hi with an 

Opinion of sthg extraordinary in an Essay began and finished in the 

idler hours of a fortnght's time: for I can only esteem it a laborious 

idlenes, which is Parent to so iderabl a Birth. I have gratified the 

Bookseller i pretending an occasio for a Preface; the other two Persons 

concern'd are the Reader and my self, and if he be but pleased with what 

was produced for that end, my satifactio follows of cours, since it will 

be proportion'd to his Approbation or Dislike. 

4


TEXT 

Aurelian was the only Son to a Principal Gentlan of Florence. The 

Indulgence of his Father prompted, and hs Wealth enabled him, to bestow 

a generous Educati upo him, wh, he now began to lok upo as th 

Type of himself; an Impression he had made in the Gayety and Vigour of 

his Youth, before the Rust of Age had debilitated and obscur'd th 

Splendour of the Original: He was seibl, That h ought not to be 

paring in the Adornent of h, if he had Resolution to beautifie his ow 

Memory. Indeed Don Fabio (for so was the Old Gentleman call'd) has 

been obsrv'd to have fix'd his Eyes upo Aurelian, wh much Company 

has been at Table, and have wept through Earnestness of Intention, if 

nothng hapned to divert the Object; whther it were for regret, at th 

Recollection of hi former self, or for the Joy he conceiv'd in beng, as it 

wre, reviv'd in the Person of his Son, I never tok upon me to enquire, 

but suppo'd it might be stims one, and stimes both together. 

Aurelian, at the Age of Eighteen Years, wanted nothing (but a Beard) 

that the most accomplished Cavalier in Floren could pretend to: he had 

been Educated from Twelve Years old at Siena, where it seems his Father 

kept a Receiver, having a large Income from the Rents of several Houses 

in that To Don Fabio gave his Servant Orders, That Aurelian should 

not be stited in his Expences, w he cam up to Years of Diretion. 

By which means he was enabld, not oy to keep Cpany with, but als 

to cnfer many Obligati upon Strangers of Quality, and Getlemen 

who travelled from other Countries into Italy, of which Siena never 

wanted store, beng a To most delightfully Situate, upo a Noble Hi, 

and very well suiting with Strangers at first, by reason of the 

agreeablens and purity of the Ar: There al is the quaintness and 

delicacy of the Italian Togue most likely to be learned, there being many 

publik Professors of it i that place; and indeed the very Vulgar of Siena 

do express themselves wth an easiness and sweetness surprizing, and 

even grateful to their Ears who understand not the Language. 

Here Aurelian contracted an acquaintance with Persons of Worth of 

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several Countries, but among the rest an intimacy with a Getleman of 

Quality of Spain, and Nephew to the Archbisp of Toledo, who had so 

wrought helf into the Affections of Aurelian, through a Conformty of 

Teper, an Equality in Years, and sothing of resemblance in Feature 

and Proportion, that he look'd upon h as hi scond sef. Hippolito, o 

the othr hand, was nt ungrateful in return of Friendship, but thought 

himself ether ale or in ill Copany, if Aurelian wre absent: but hi 

Uncle having sent h to travel, under the Cnduct of a Governour, and 

the two Years wich limited h stay at Siena being expired, he was put in 

d of his departure. His Friend grew meanholy at the News, but 

consdering that Hippolito had nver seen Florence, he easily prevailed 

wth hi to make his first journey thither, whther he would accompany 

h, and perhaps prevail with his Father to do the like throughout hi 

Trave 

They accordingly set out, but not being able easily to reach Florence 

the same Night, they rested a League or two short, at a Villa of the great 

Duke's called Poggio Imperiale, where they wre informed by some of hi 

Highness's Servants, That the Nuptials of Donna Catharina (near 

Kian to the great Duke) and Don Ferdiand de Rovori, wre to be 

solemnized the next day, and that extraordinary Preparations had been 

making for so tim past, to illustrate the Soity with Ball and 

Masques, and other Divertisements; that a Titig had been proclaimed, 

and to that purpose Scaffolds erected around the Spacious Court, before 

the Church Di Santa Croce, where were usually seen all Cavalcades and 

Shews, performed by Assemblies of the Young Nobility: That al 

Mechanicks and Trades were forbidden to work or expose any Goods 

to Sale for the space of three days; during whic tim all Person should 

be etertain'd at the Great Duke's Cost; and publick Provion was to be 

ade for the setting forth and furng a multitude of Tabl, wth 

Entertainment for all Cors and Goers, and several Houses appointed for 

that use in all Streets. 

Th Aunt alarm'd the Spirits of our Young Travellers, and they 

wre overjoy'd at the prospect of Pleasures they foresaw. Aurelian could 

not ctain the satisfacti he conceiv'd in the welcome Fortune had 

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prepar'd for hi dear Hippolito. In short, they both remebred so much 

of the pleasg Relation had been made them, that they forgot to sleep, and 

were up as soon as it was light, pounding at poor Signior Claudio's Door 

(so was Hippolito's Governour call'd) to rouse him, that no tim might be 

lost till they were arriv'd at Florence, where they would furnish themselves 

wth Diguises and othr Autrements necessary for the Proecution of 

their Design of saring i the publick Merriment; the rather were they for 

going so early because Aurelian did not think fit to publish hi being in 

To for a ti, least hi Father knowing of it, mght give so restraint 

to that loose they degned themsves 

Before Sun rise they entred Florence at Porta Roana, attended only 

by tw Servants, the rest beg lft beind to avoid notice; but, alas! they 

needed not to have usd half that cauti; for early as it was, the Streets 

re crowded with all sorts of People passing to and fro, and every Man 

eply'd in somthg relating to the Diversions to com; s that no 

notice was taken of any body; a Marques and hi Train might have pass'd 

by as unregarded as a sigle Fach or Cobler. Not a Widow in the 

Streets but echoed the tuning of a Lute or thrummig of a Gitarr: for, by 

the way, the Inhabitants of Florence are strangely addicted to the love of 

Musick, insouch that scarce their Children can go, before they can 

scratch so Instrumnt or other. It was no unpleasing Spectacle to our 

Cavaliers (who, seeing they were not obsrv'd, resolved to make 

Observatis) to behold the Diversty of Figures and Postures of many of 

these Musicians. Here you shuld have an affected Valt, who Mick'd 

the Behaviour of his Master, laning carelessly against the Wido, with 

Head on one side, in a languishing Posture, whing, in a low, 

mournful Voice, so dismal Complaint; while, from his sympathizig 

Theorbo, issued a Base no less doleful to the Hearers. In Opposition to 

him was set up perhaps a Cobler, with the wretchd Skeleton of a Gitarr, 

battered and waxed together by his own Industry, and who with thre 

Strigs out of Tune, and his own tearing hoarse Voice, would rack 

attention from the Neighbourhood, to the great affliction of many more 

mderate Practitioners, who, no doubt, were full as desirous to be heard. 

By this ti Aurelian's Servant had taken a Lodging and was returned, to 

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give his Master an Aunt of it. The Cavaliers grown weary of that 

ridiulus Entertainment, which was diverting at first sight, retired wither 

the Lacquey conducted them; who, according to their Directions, had 

sought out one of the mt obscure Streets in the City. Al that day, to th 

evening, was spent i seding from on Brokers Shop to another, to 

furnh them with Habits, since they had not time to make any new. 

There was, it happened, but one to be got Rich enough to please our 

young Gentlemen, so many were taken up upon this occasion. While 

they were in Dipute and Complementing one another, (Aurelian 

protesting that Hippolito should wear it, and he, on 'tother hand, 

forswearing it as bitterly) a Servant of Hippolito's came up and ended the 

Controversi; teg them, That he had mt below with the Vallet de 

ambre of a Gentleman, who was one of the greatest Gallants about the 

Town, but was at this tim in such a conditi he could not possibly be at 

the Entertainment; whereupon the Vallet had designd to dress hielf up 

in his Master's Apparel, and try his talent at Curt; whh he hearing, tod 

him he would inform him how he mght betow the Habit for so time 

uch mre to hi profit if not to hs pleasure, so acquainted hi with the 

occasion his Master had for it. Hippolito sent for the Fell up, who was 

nt so fond of his degn as nt to be bought off it, but upon having h 

own demand granted for the use of it, brought it; it was very Rich, and 

upon tryal, as fit for Hippolito as if it had been made for him The 

Ceremony was performed in the Morng, in the great Do, with all 

agnificence correspondent to the wealth of the great Duke, and the 

esteem h had for the Noble Pair. The next Morning was to be a Tilting, 

and the same Night a Masquig Ball at Court. To omit the Deription of 

the universal Joy, (that had diffus'd it sf through all the Conduits of Wi, 

wich cvey'd it in large measures to the People) and ony relate th 

effects of it wich cocern our prest Adventurers You must know, that 

about the fall of the Evening, and at that tim when the aequilibrium of 

Day and Night, for so tim, holds the Air in a gly suspence 

between an unwillingness to leave the light, and a natural impul into the 

Donion of darkness, about thi ti our Hero's, shall I say, sally'd or 

slunk out of their Lodgings, and steer'd toward the great Palace, whithr, 

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before they were arrived, such a prodigious number of Torche were on 

fire, that the day, by hep of these Auxiliary Forces, seem'd to continue its 

Donion; the Ows and Bats apprehending their mistake, in counting th 

hours, retir'd again to a covet darkness; for Madam Night was n 

re to be seen than she was to be heard; and the Chymists were of 

Opinion, That hr fuliginous Damps, rarefy'd by the abundance of Flame, 

were evaporated. 

Now the Reader I suppose to be upon Thorns at this and the like 

impertinent Digresons, but let hi alone and he'll co to himself; at 

whi tim I thk fit to acquaint him, that when I digress, I am at that 

time writing to please my self, when I continue the Thread of the Story, I 

write to please him; supposing h a reasoable Man, I conclude hi 

satified to al me this liberty, and so I proceed. 

If our Cavaliers were dazled at the spldour they bed without 

doors, wat surprize, thnk you, must they be in, w enterig the Palace 

they found even the lghts there to be but s many foi to the bright eyes 

that flash'd upon 'em at every turn 

more glrious Troop no occasion ever assembld; all the fair of 

Florence, with the most accomplished Cavaliers, were prest; and 

however Nature had be partial in bestowing on s better Faces than 

othrs, Art was alike indulgent to all, and idustriusy supplyed those 

Defects she had left, giving so Addition also to her greatest 

Excelle Every body appear'd well sap'd, as it is to be suppos'd, 

n who were conscious to themsves of any visible Deformity would 

presume to com thther. Their Apparel was equally glrious, though 

each differing in fancy. In short, our Strangers were so well bred, as to 

conclude from these apparent Perfections, that there was not a Masque 

which did not at least hide the Face of a Cherubim. Perhaps the Ladies 

wre not behind hand in return of a favourable Opi of them: for they 

wre both w dress'd, and had sthing inexpressibly pleasg in their 

Ar and Mien, different from other Peple, and ideed differing from one 

another. They fansy'd that whe they stood together they were mre 

particularly taken notice of than any in the Room, and beng ung to 

be taken for Strangers, which they thought they were, by reason of so 

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whispering they observed near them, they agreed upon an hour of meeting 

after the company should be broke up, and s separately mngled with the 

thickest of the Assembly. Aurelian had fixed his eye upon a Lady whom 

h had obsrv'd to have been a considerable tim in close whisper with 

another Woan; he expeted with great impatience the result of that 

private Conference, that he might have an opportunty of engaging the 

Lady whose Person was so agreeable to hi At last he perceived they 

wre broke off, and the 'tother Lady seem'd to have taken her leave. He 

had taken no small pain in the mean time to put hielf in a poture to 

accost the Lady, whi, no doubt, he had happily performed had he not 

been interrupted; but scarce had he acquitted himself of a preliminary bow 

(and whh, I have heard him say, was the lowst that ever he made) and 

had just opened hi Lips to deliver himelf of a sall Complt, whi, 

nevertheless he was very big with, wh he unuckiy mscarried, by the 

interpoal of the same Lady, whose departure, not lng before, h had s 

zealously pray'd for: but, as Providece would have it, there was only 

s very small matter forgot, which was recovered in a short whisper. 

The Coast being again cleared, he took heart and bore up, and, strikig sail, 

repeated h Ceremony to the Lady; who, having Oblgigly returned it, he 

accosted her in these or the like words: 

'If I do nt usurp a prividge rerved for some one more happy in 

your acquaintance, may I presume, Madam, to entreat (for a while) the 

favour of your Coversatio, at least till the arrival of whom you expect, 

provided you are not tired of m before; for then upon the last intimati 

f uneasinss, I will not fail of doing my sef the violence to withdraw for 

your release. The Lady made him answer, she did not expect any body; 

by wich he might imagine her Coversation nt of value to be bespoke, 

and to afford it him, were but farther to cnvice hi to her own ct. 

He reply'd, 'She had already said eugh to convice him of something he 

heartily wshed might nt be to hi cost in the end. She pretended not to 

understand him; but told hi, 'If he already found hielf grieved with her 

Conversati, he would have sufficient reason to repet the rashnes of his 

first Deand before they had ended: for that no she inteded to hod 

discourse wth hi, on purpose to pun his unadvidnes, in presuming 

10


upo a Pers wose dress and mien might not (may be) be disagreeable 

to have wit. 'I must confess (reply'd Aurelian) my self guity of a 

Presumption, and wigly submit to the punnt you intend: and 

though it be an aggravation of a Crime to persevere in its justificatio, yet 

I cannot hep defending an Opinion in wich no I am mre confirm'd, 

that probable conjectures may be made of the ingenious Dispoiti of th 

Mind, from the fancy and choice of Apparel. The humour I grant ye 

(said the Lady) or constituti of the Person whether melancholck or 

brisk; but I should hardly pas my censure upon so slight an idication of 

wit: for there is your brisk foo as well as your brik man of sense, and 

so of the melancholick. I confess 'tis possble a fool may reveal himself by 

h Dress, in wearing somthing extravagantly singular and ridiculous, or 

in prepoterous suiting of coours; but a decency of Habit (which is all that 

Men of best sene pretend to) may be acquired by custom and example, 

without putting the Person to a superfluous expece of wit for th 

contrivance; and though there should be occasion for it, few are so 

unfortunate in their Relatios and Aquaintance not to have so Friend 

capable of giving them advice, if they are not too ignorantly conceited to 

ask it. Aurelian was so pleased with the easiness and smartness of her 

Expostulation, that he forgot to make a reply, when she seem'd to expect it; 

but beng a Woan of a quick Apprehon, and justly sensble of her 

own perfection, she so perceived he did not grudge his attention. 

Hover she had a mind to put it upon him to turn the diurse, so wt 

o upon the sam Subject. 'Signior (said she) I have been looking round 

m, and by your Maxim I cannot discover one fo in the Copany; for 

they are all we drest. This was spoken with an Ar of Rallery that 

awakend the Cavalier, who immdiately made answer: 'Tis true, 

Madam, we see there may be as much variety of good fancies as of faces, 

yet there may be many of both kinds borrowed and adulterate if inquired 

ito; and as you were pleased to observe, the invention may be Foreign to 

the Person who puts it in practie; and as good an Opinion as I have of an 

agreeable Dress, I should be loth to answer for the wit of all about us. I 

belive you (says the Lady) and hpe you are covinced of your error, 

since you must al it impossible to tell who of all this Asembly did or 

11


did not make choice of thr own Apparel. Not all (said Aurelian) there 

is an ungainss in some which betrays them. 'Look ye there (says he) 

poitig to a Lady who stood playing with th Tass of her Girdle, I dare 

answer for that Lady, though she be very well dress'd, 'tis more than sh 

knows. His fair unknown could nt forbear laughg at his particular 

ditinction, and freely told him, h had indeed light upon one who knw as 

little as any body in the Room, her self excepted. A! Madam, (reply'd 

Aurelian) you know every thg in the World but your ow Perfections, 

and you only know not th because 'ti the top of Perfecti not to know 

them. Ho? (reply'd the Lady) I thought it had been the extremity of 

knledge to kn on sef. Aurelian had a little over-strain'd himelf 

i that Complt, and I am of Opinion would have been puzzl'd to have 

brought himself off readiy: but by good fortune the Musk came into 

the Ro and gave him an opportunty to seem to decle an answer, 

because the company prepared to dance: h only told hr he was too 

mean a Conquest for her wit who was already a Slave to the Charms of her 

Person She thanked him for h Complt, and briskly told him s 

ought to have made him a return i praise of his wit, but she hoped he was 

a Man more happy than to be dissatisfy'd with any of his o 

Endowments; and if it were s, that h had not a just Opinion of hielf, 

she knew her self incapable of saying any thing to beget one. Aurean 

did not know well wat to make of ths last reply; for he alays abhor'd 

any thg that was conceited, with which this seem'd to reproach hi 

But hver modest he had been heretofore in his own thughts, yet never 

was he so distrustful of his good behaviur as no, being rally'd so by a 

Person whom he took to be of judgment: Yet he resved to take no 

notice, but wth an Ar unconcerned and full of good humour etreated her 

to Dance with him: She promised him to Dance with no body else, nor I 

believe had she inclination; for notwthstanding her tartness, she was upon 

equal terms with him as to the liking of each others Person and Humour, 

and only gave those little hints to try hi Teper; there being certainly no 

greater sign of foy and ill breedig, than to grow serious and concerned 

at any thing spoken in ralery: for his part, he was strangely and 

innsibly fallen in love with her Shape, Wit and Ar; which, togethr wth 

12


a wte Hand, he had seen (perhaps nt accidentally) were enough to have 

subdued a more stubborn Heart than ever he was master of; and for her 

Face, which he had not seen, he bestowed upon her the best his 

Imagination could furnih hi with. I should by right now describe her 

Dress, which was extreamly agreeable and rich, but 'tis possible I might 

err in som material Pin or othr, in the stiking of wh may be th 

whole grace of the Drapery depended. Well, they danced several time 

together, and no less to the satisfaction of the whole Company, than of 

themselve; for at the end of each Dance, some publick note of Applause 

r other was give to the graceful Couple. 

Aurelian was amaz'd, that among all that dancd or stood in view he 

could not see Hippolito; but concluding that he had met with som 

pleasing Conversati, and was withdrawn to so retired part of the 

Room, he forbore his search ti the mrth of that Night should be over, and 

the Copany ready to break up, where we will leave him for a while, to 

see what became of his adventurous Friend. 

Hippoto, a little after he had parted with Aurelian, was got among a 

knot of Ladi and Cavaliers, w were loking upon a large Gold Cup st 

wth Jewels, in which h Royal Highss had drank to the prosperity of 

the new married Couple at Dinner, and which afterward he presented to 

his Cous Doa Catharia. He among the rest was very intet, 

admiring the richness, wrkmanship and beauty of the Cup, wen a Lady 

came bend h and pulling hi by the Elbow, made a sign she would 

speak with him; Hippolito, who knew himelf an utter Stranger to 

Florence and every body in it, immdiately guessed she had mistaken him 

for her acquaintance, as indeed it happend; however he resolved not to 

diver himelf till he should be assured of it; having folled hr into a 

set Widow remote from Company, she addres'd her self to h in this 

manner: 'Signor Don Lorenzo (said she) I am overjoy'd to see you are 

so speediy recovered of your Wounds, wich by report wre much mre 

dangerous than to have suffered your comng abroad so soon; but I must 

accuse you of great indiscretion, in appearing in a Habit which so many 

must neds remeber you to have worn upon the lke occasion not long 

ago, I mean at the Marriage of Don Cynthio with your Siter Atalanta; I do 

13


assure you, you wre kn by it, both to Julana and my self, who was s 

far concerned for you, as to desire me to tell you, that her Brother Do 

Fabriti (who saw you when you came i with another Gentleman) had 

eyed you very narrowly, and is since go out of the Room, she know not 

upo what desgn; hver she would have you, for your own sake, be 

advised and crcumspect when you depart this place, lest you should be set 

upon unawares; you know the hatred Do Fabritio has born you ever since 

you had the fortune to ki his Kian in a Due: Here she paused as if 

expecting h reply; but Hippolito was s confounded, that h stood mute, 

and contemplating the hazard he had ignorantly brought himself into, 

forgot h design of informing the Lady of her mistake. She finding he 

made her no Aswer, wnt on. 'I perceive (continued she) you are in some 

surprize at what I have related, and may be, are doubtful of the Truth; but I 

thought you had been better acquaited with your Cousin Leonora's Voice, 

than to have forgot it s s: Yet in Coplaisance to your ill Memory, I 

will put you past doubt, by shewing you my Face; with that she pulled off 

hr Mask, and discovered to Hippolito (now more amaz'd than ever) th 

st Angelick Face that he had ever beheld. He was just about to have 

made her s anser, when, clapping on her Mask again without giving 

him time, she happily for hi pursu'd her Discourse. (For 'ti odds but 

h had made so discovery of himelf in the surprize he was in.) 

Having taken hi familiarly by the Hand, now she had made her self 

known to h, 'Cousin Lorenzo (added she) you may perhaps have taken it 

unkidly, that, during the ti of your indipotion by reason of your 

Wounds, I have not been to visit you; I do assure you it was not for want 

of any Inclination I had both to see and serve you to my power; but you 

are well acquaited with the Severity of my Father, whom you know h 

lately you have disobliged. I am mghty glad that I have met with you here, 

were I have had an Opportunity to te you what so much concerns your 

Safety, wich I am afraid you will not find in Florence; codering the 

great Power Don Fabriti and his Father, the Marquess of Viterbo, have i 

this City. I have another thg to inform you of, That wereas Don Fabi 

ad interested himelf in your Cause, in Opposition to the Marquess of 

Viterbo, by reason of the log Aimosity between them, all hopes of h 

14


Countenance and Assistance are defeated: For there has been a Proposal 

of Reconcilati made to both Houses, and it is said it will be confirm'd 

(as most suc ancient Quarrels are at last) by the Marriage of Juliana the 

Marque's Daughter, with Aurelian, Son to Don Fabio: to whic effect 

the old Gentleman sent 'tother Day to Siena, where Aurelian has been 

Educated, to hasten h comg to To; but the Messenger returning this 

Morng, brought word, That the same day he arriv'd at Sia, Aurelian 

had set out for Flrence, in Company with a young Spanh Nobleman, his 

timate Friend; so it i believ'd, they are both in To, and not unlikely in 

this Ro in Masquerade 

Hippolito could nt forbear sming to hielf, at these last words For 

ever since the naming of Don Fabio he had be very attentive; but before, 

his Thoughts were wholly taken up with the Beauty of the Face he had 

seen, and from the time she had taken him by the Hand, a successive 

warmth and chillnes had play'd about his Heart, and surpriz'd him with an 

unusual Tranport. He was in a hundred Minds, whther he should make 

her sble of her Error or no; but codering he culd expect no farther 

Conference with her after h should discover hielf, and that as yet he 

knew not of her place of abode, he resolv'd to humour the mstake a little 

further. Having her still by the Hand, which he squeez'd sowhat more 

eagerly than is usual for Cousins to do, in a low and undistiguisable 

Voce, h let hr know how much h held hielf obliged to hr, and 

avoiding as many words as handsomely he could, at the same tim, 

entreated her to give hi her Advice, toard the management of hielf 

i th Affair. Leonora, who never from the beginning had entertain'd the 

least Scruple of distrust, imagined he spoke faitly, as not being yet 

perfectly recovered in his strength; and withal codering that the heat of 

the Ro, by reason of the Crowd, might be uneasie to a Perso in hi 

Conditi; she kindly told hi, That if he were as inclinable to dipe 

with the remaider of that Nights Diversion as se was, and had no othr 

engagemet upon him, by her consent they should both steal out of the 

Assembly, and go to her House, where they mght with more freedom 

discourse about a busss of that importance, and whre he might take 

something to refresh himself if he were (as she conceiv'd him to be) 

15


indispod with his lg standing. Judge you whther the Proposal wre 

acceptable to Hippolito or no; he had been ruminating with himself how to 

bring sothing like ths about, and had almost despair'd of it; wh of a 

suddain he found the succes of his degn had preveted his own 

endeavours. He told h Cousin in the sam key as before, That he was 

unwilling to be the occason of her Divorce from so much god Copany; 

but for his own part, he was afraid he had presumed too much upo his 

recovery i comg abroad s soon, and that h found hielf so unwell, 

he feared he should be quickly forc'd to retire. Lera stay'd not to 

ake him any other reply, only tipp'd h upon the Arm, and bid hi 

follow her at a convenient distance to avoid Observation 

Whver had seen the Joy that was in Hippolito's Counteance, and 

the Sprightliness with w he foll'd his Beautiful Conductress, would 

scarce have taken him for a Perso griev'd with unured Wounds She 

led him down a back pair of Stairs, into one of the Palace Gardens which 

had a Door opening into the Piazza, not far from where Don Mario her 

Father lived. They had little Discourse by the way, wich gave Hippoto 

time to coder of the best way of discovering hielf. A thousand 

things came into his Head in a minute, yet nothing that pleased hi: and 

after so many Contrivances as he had formed for the divery of hielf, 

he found it more rational for hi not to reveal hielf at all that Night, 

since he could not foresee what effect the surprize would have, she must 

needs be in, at the appearance of a Stranger, whom she had never s 

before, yet whom she had treated so familiarly. He knew Won were 

apt to shriek or sw upon such Occasions, and should she happen to do 

either, he might be at a los h to bring himself off. He thought he 

mght easily pretend to be idiposed soat mre than ordinary, and 

s make an excus to go to his o Lodging. It came into his Head too, 

that under pretence of givig her an account of his Health, he mght 

enquire of her the means how a Letter might be convey'd to her the next 

mrning, werein he might inform her gently of her mistake, and inuate 

something of that Passi he had conceiv'd, which he was sure he could 

nt have opportunity to speak of if h bluntly revealed himelf. He had 

just rev'd upon this Method, as they were come to the great Gates of th 

16


Court, wh Leonora stoppig to let him go in before her, he of a suddai 

fetc'd h Breath violntly as if som stitch or twging smart had just 

then assaulted hi She enquired the matter of him, and advid hi to 

ake haste into the House that he might sit do and rest hi He told 

her he found himself so ill, that he judged it mre convenient for h to go 

home while he was in a conditi to move, for he fear'd if he should once 

sttle himelf to rest he might nt be able to stir. She was much troubled, 

and wuld have had a Chair made ready and Servants to carry him hom; 

but h made answer, he would nt have any of her Fathers Servants kn 

of hs being abroad, and that just no he had an interval of ease, which he 

p'd would continue till he made a sift to reach hi o Lodgings. Yet 

if she pleased to iform him how he mght give an account of hielf th 

xt morning, i a li or tw, he would not fail to give her the thanks due 

to her great kidn; and withal, would let her know sothing which 

would nt a little surprize her, though now he had not tim to acquaint her 

wth it. She show'd h a little Window at the corner of the House, 

where one should wait to receive his Letter, and was just takig hr leave 

of him, when seeing him search hastily in his Poket, she ask'd him if he 

mss'd any thing; he told her he thught a Wound which was not throughly 

heal'd bled a little, and that he had lost his Handkerchief. His design 

took; for she immdiately gave him hers: wich indeed accordigly he 

apply'd to the oly wound he was then griev'd with; which thugh it wnt 

quite through his Heart, yet thank God was not Mortal. He was not a 

little rejoyc'd at his good Fortune in getting so early a Favour from his 

Mistress, and notwithstanding the violce he did himelf to personate a 

sick Man, he could not forbear giving s Symptoms of an extraordinary 

content; and tellg her that he did not doubt to receve a coderabl 

Proporti of ease from the Application of what had so often kis'd her fair 

Hand. Lenora who did not suspect the Compliment, tod him she 

should be heartily glad if that or any thing in her power mght ctribute 

to his recovery; and wig h well home, went ito her House, as much 

troubld for her Cousin as he was joyful for his Mistress. 

Hippolito as soon as she was go i, began to make hi Remarks 

about the House, walking round the great Court, viewing the Gardens and 

17


all the Passage leading to that side of the Piazza. Having sufficiently 

informed himself, with a Heart full of Love, and a Head full of Stratagem, 

h walked toward his Lodging, impatint ti the arrival of Aurelian that h 

ght give himelf vent. In wh interim, lt me take the liberty to 

digress a little, and tell the Reader sothing whh I do nt doubt he has 

apprehended hielf log ago, if he be not the dullt Reader in the World; 

yet only for orders sake, let me tell him I say, That a young Getleman 

(Cousn to the aforesaid Don Fabritio) happened one night to have some 

words at a Gameing House with one Lorenzo, which created a Quarrel of 

fatal Consequece to the former, who was killd upon the Spot, and likely 

to be so to the latter, who was very desperatey wounded. 

Fabritio being much concerned for hi Kian, vow'd revege 

(according to the ant and laudable custom of Italy) upon Lorenzo if he 

surviv'd, or i case of his death (if it shuld happen to antipate that, 

much mre swinging Death which he had in store for hi) upon his next 

of Kin, and s to descend Lineally like an Englh Estate, to all the Heirs 

Male of this Famiy. Thi sam Fabritio had indeed (as Leonora told 

Hippolito) take particular notice of him from hi first entrance into the 

Room, and was so far doubtful as to go out immdiately himelf, and 

make enquiry concerng Lorezo, but was quickly inform'd of the 

greatness of his Error, in believig a Man to be abroad, who was so ill of 

his Wounds, that they now despair'd of hi recovery; and thereupon 

return'd to the Ball very well satisfied, but not before Leonra and 

Hippolito were departed. 

So, Reader, having now diharg'd my Conscience of a small 

Disvery whi I thought my sef obliged to make to Thee, I proeed to 

te thee, that our Friend Aurelian had by this tie daned hielf into a 

Net wh he nthr could, nor wich is wrse desired to untangle. 

His Soul was charm'd to the movement of her Body: an Air so 

graceful, so sweet, s easie and so great, he had never seen She had 

sthing of Majesty in her, whic appear'd to be born with hr; and 

though it struck an awe ito the Behoders, yet was it seetned with a 

familiarity of Behaviour, wich rendred it agreeable to every Body. Th 

grandeur of her Mien was not stiff, but unstudied and unforced, mixed 

18


with a simplicity; free, yet not loose nor affected. If the former seem'd to 

condeend, the latter seem'd to aspire; and both to unite in the centre of 

Perfection. Every turn se gave in dancing snatcht Aurean into a 

Rapture, and he had like to have been out two or three tis with 

follng his Eyes, which se led about as Slaves to her Hes. 

A soo as they had don dancing, he began to coplain of his want of 

Breath and Lungs, to speak sufficietly in her Condati; She 

smilingly told him, he did ill to dance so much th: Yet in 

Consideration of the pai he had taken more than ordiary upon hr 

account she would bate him a great deal of Coplement, but with this 

Proviso, That he was to disover to her who he was. Aurelian was 

unwilling for the preset to own hielf to be really the Man he was; 

when a suddain thought came into hi Head to take upon hi the Nam 

and Character of Hippolito, who he was sure was not kno in Florence. 

He thereupon, after a little pause, pretended to recal himself in this manner: 

'Madam, it is n small demonstrati of the entire Resignation which I 

have made of my Heart to your Chains, since the secrets of it are no longer 

in my power. I confess I ony took Florence in my way, not designing 

any longer Residee, than should be requisite to inform the Curiosity of a 

Traveller, of the rareties of the Place. Whether Happines or Miry will 

be the Coquence of that Curiity, I am yet in fear, and submit to your 

Determination; but sure I am, not to depart Florence til you have made m 

the most miserable Man in it, and refus me the fatal Kindness of Dying at 

your Feet. I am by Birth a Spaniard, of the City of Toledo; my name 

Hippolito di Savilina: I was yeterday a Man free, as Nature made th 

first; to day I am fallen into a Captivity, which must continue with my Life, 

and wh, it is in your power, to make much dearer to me Thus in 

obedience to your Coands, and contrary to my Resolution of 

remaining unknown in this place, I have inform'd you, Madam, what I am; 

what I shall be, I desire to know from you; at least, I hope, the free 

discovery I have made of my self, wi ecourage you to trust me with the 

knowldge of your Pers 

Here a low bow, and a deep sigh, put an end to his Discourse, and 

signifid hi Expectation of hr Reply, whi was to this purpose-- (But I 

19


had forgot to tell you, That Aurelian kept off hs Mask from the time that 

h told hr he was of Spain, till the period of h Relati) Had I 

thought (said she) that my Curiosty would have brought me i debt, I 

should certainly have forborn it; or at least have agreed with you before 

hand about the rate of your discovery, then I had nt brought my self to the 

Incovency of being ceur'd, ether of too much easines or 

reservedness; but to avoid, as much as I can, the extreamity of either, I am 

resolv'd but to diver my sef in part, and will endeavour to give you as 

little occasion as I can, ether to boast of, or ridicule the Behaviour of the 

Won of Florence in your Traves. 

Aurelian iterrupted her, and swore very solely (and the more 

heartiy, I beve, because h then indeed spoke truth) that he would make 

Florence the place of his abode, whatever concerns he had esewhere. 

She advied him to be cautious ho he swore to his Expresons of 

Gallantry; and farther told him she now hoped she should make him a 

return to all the Fine Thgs h had said, since she gave him hi choice 

whether he would know who she was, or see her Face. 

Aurelian wo was really in Love, and i wh Consideration would 

have been a Crime, greedily ebrac'd the latter, since se asured him at 

that ti he should not know both. Well, what foow'd? Why, she 

pull'd off her Mask, and appear'd to him at once in the Glory of Beauty. 

But wh can te the astonishment Aurelian felt? He was for a ti 

sens; Admration had suppress'd his Spee, and hi Eyes wre 

entangled i Light. I short, to be made sensible of hi condition, we must 

conceive some Idea of what he beheld, which is not to imagined til s, 

nor then to be express'd. Now see the impertinence and conceitedness of 

an Authr, who will have a fling at a Deription, which he has Prefacd 

wth an impossibility. One mght have seen sthing in her 

Composition resembling the Formation of Epicurus hi World, as if every 

Atome of Beauty had concurr'd to unite an excellency. Had that curius 

Painter lived in her days, he might have avoded hi painful search, wh 

he cllected from the choicest pieces the mst choice Feature, and by a 

due Diposition and Judius Symtry of those exquite parts, made 

one whe and perfect Veus. Nature seem'd here to have play'd the 

20


Plagiary, and to have moded into Substance the mot refined Thoughts of 

inspired Poets. Her Eyes diffus'd Rays comfortable as warmth, and 

piercing as the light; they would have worked a pasage through th 

straightet Pores, and with a delicious heat, have play'd about the most 

obdurate frozen Heart, untill 'twere meted dow to Love. Such Majesty 

and Affability were in her Looks; so alluring, yet commanding was her 

Presence, that it minged awe with love; kindling a Flame which trembled 

to aspire. She had danced much, which, together with her beg close 

masked, gave her a tincture of Carnation more than ordiary. But 

Aurelian (from wh I had every tittle of her Descripti) fancy'd he saw 

a little Net of Cupids break from the Tress of her Hair, and every one 

officiousy betake hielf to his task. Some fann'd with their downy 

Wings, her glowing Cheeks; while others brush'd the balmy De from off 

hr Face, leaving alone a heavenly Moiture blubbing on hr Lips, on 

ich they drank and revell'd for thr pai; Nay, so particular were thr 

allotmts in her service, that Aurelian was very poitive a young Cupid 

who was but just Pen-feather'd, employ'd hs naked Qui to pik her 

Teeth. And a thousand othr things his transport represented to him, whi 

none but Lovers who have experience of such Vi wi beve. 

As soon as he awaked and found his Speech co to him, he employ'd 

it to this effect: 

''Ti enough that I have seen a Divinity--Nothing but Mercy can 

inhabit the Perfection--Their utmst rigour brings a Death preferabl to 

any Life, but wat they give--Use me, Madam, as you please; for by your 

fair sf, I cannot think a Bliss beyond what now I feel--You wound with 

Pleasure, and if you Kill it must be with Transport--Ah! Yet methks to 

live--O Heave! to have Life prounced by those Blss'd Lips--Did they 

not inspire where they command, it were an immdiate Death of Joy. 

Aurelian was grog a littl too loud with his Admrati, had s 

t just then interrupted hi, by clapping o her Masque, and teg hi 

they should be obsrved, if h proceeded in his Extravagance; and withal, 

that his Passion was to suddain to be real, and too violent to be lasting. 

He replied, Indeed it might not be very lasting, (with a submissive 

mournful Voice) but it would ctiue during his Life. That it was 

21


suddain, h denied, for she had raisd it by degrees from his first sight of 

hr, by a continued discovery of Charms, in her Mien and Conversation, 

ti se thought fit to set Fire to the Train she had laid, by the Lightning of 

her Face; and then he could not help it, if he were blown up. 

He begg'd her to believe the Sincerity of his Pas, at least to enjo 

sothg, whic might tend to the Convincing of her Incredulity. 

She said, she should find a tim to make so Trial of h; but for the 

first, she charged him not to foll or observe hr, after the Dissolution of 

the Asembly. He promised to obey, and entreated her to tell him but her 

Nam, that he might have Recourse to that i his Affliction for her 

Absence, if he were able to survive it. She desired him to live by all 

means; and if he must have a Nam to play with, to call her Inognita, till 

were better iformed. 

The Company breaking up, she took her leave, and at his earnest 

Entreaty, gave him a short Vion of her Face which, then dress'd in an 

obligig smile, caused another fit of Tranport, wich lasted til she was 

gone out of Sight. Aurelian gathered up his Spirits, and walked sowly 

towards hi Lodging, never remebring that h had lost Hippolito, ti 

upo turnng the Corner of a Street, he heard a noise of Fighting; and 

comng near, saw a Man make a vigorous Defence against two, who 

pressed violently upon hi He then thought of Hippolito, and fancyig 

he saw the glimmring of Diamond Buttons, suc as Hippoto had upo 

the Sleeve of hi Habit, idiately drew to his Assistance; and with that 

Eagerness and Resolution, that the Aailants, finding their unmany odds 

defeated, took to their Heels The Person rescued by the Generous Help of 

Aurelian, came toward him; but as he would have stop'd to have saluted 

him, dropp'd, fainting at h feet. Aurelian, no he was s near h, 

perceiv'd plainly Hippoto's Habit, and step'd hastily to take hi up. Just 

as so of the Guards (who wre going the Rounds, apprehsive of suc 

Dirders in an Unversal Merriment) cam up to him with Lights, and 

had taken Prisoners the Two Men, whom they mt with thr Sword's 

drawn; when looking in the Face of the Wounded Man, he found it was not 

Hippolito, but h Governour Claudio, in the Habit h had worn at the Ball. 

He was extreamly surpriz'd, as were the Prisoners, who confess'd their 

22


Design to have been upon Lorenzo; grounding their Mistake upon th 

Habit wich was kn to have been his. They were Two Men wh 

formerly had been Servants to hi, whom Lorenzo had unfortunately 

slain. 

They made a shft to bring Claudio to himelf; and part of the Guard 

carrying off the Prioners, w Aurelian dered they would secure, th 

rest accompanied hi bearing Claudio in their Arm to his Lodging. He 

ad not patience to forbear asking for Hippolito by the Way; who 

Claudio assured him, he had left safe in h Chamber, above Two Hours 

since. That his cong Ho so long before the Divertisements wre 

ended, and Undresng hielf, had give him the Unhappy Curiosty, to 

put on his Habit, and go to the Pallace; in his Return from whence, he was 

set upo in the Maner he found h, which if he reovered, he must own 

s Life indebted to his tily Assistance. 

Being co to the House, they carried him to his Bed, and having sent 

for Surgeons Aurelian rewarded and dismissed the Guard. He stay'd the 

dresg of Claudio's Wounds, which were many, though they hop'd no 

Mortal: and leaving h to his Rest, went to give Hippolito an Account 

of wat had happened, wh he found with a Table before hi, leaning 

upo both his Elbo, his Face covered with hs Hands, and so motionless, 

that Aurelian couded he was asleep; seeig several Papers lie before 

him, half written and bltted out again, he thought to steal sftly to th 

Table, and diver what he had been employed about. Just as he reach'd 

forth h Hand to take up one of the Papers, Hippolito started up so o th 

uddain, as surpriz'd Aurelian and made him leap back; Hippolito, on the 

other hand, not supposing that any Body had been near hi, was so 

disordered with the Appearance of a Man at his Elbow, (whom his 

Amazement did not permit him to distigui) that he leap'd hastily to his 

Sword, and in turning him about, overthrew the Stand and Candles. Here 

were they both left in the Dark, Hippolito groping about with his Sword, 

and thrusting at every Chair that he felt oppose hi Aurelian was scarce 

co to helf, when thinking to step back toward the Door that he 

ght inform hi Friend of h Mistake, without exposing himelf to his 

blind Fury; Hippoto heard him stir, and made a full thrust with such 

23


Violence, that the Hilt of the Sword meeting with Aurelian's Breast beat 

h do, and Hippolito a top of hi, as a Servant alarm'd with the noise, 

came into the Chamber with a Light. The Fell trembled, and thought 

they were both Dead, till Hippolito raising himelf, to see wh he had 

got under him, swoon'd away upon the discovery of his Friend. But suc 

was the extraordinary Care of Providence in directing the Sword, that it 

only past under his Arm, givig no Wound to Aurelia, but a little Bruise 

betwen his Shulder and Breast wth the Hilt. He got up, scarce 

recovered of his Fright, and by the hep of the Servant; laid Hippolito upon 

the Bed; who wh he was co to himself could hardly be perswaded, 

that hi Fried was before him and alive, till he shew'd him his Breast, 

where was nothing of a Wound. Hippolito begg'd his Pardon a Thousand 

Tis, and curs'd hielf as often, who was so near to committing the 

st Execrable Act of Amicide. 

They dismiss'd the Fellow, and with many Embraces, congratulated 

their fortunate Delivery from the Mischief which cam so near them, each 

blamig himelf as the Occasion: Aurelian accusing his o 

unadvidness in stealing upon Hippolito; Hippolito blamig hi o 

temerity and weakness, in being so easily frighted to Disorder; and last of 

all, h blindness, in not knog his dearest Fried. But there h gave a 

Sigh, and passionately taking Aurelian by the Hand, cry'd, A! my Friend, 

Love is indeed blind, wh it would not suffer me to see you--There arose 

another Sigh; a Sympathy seiz'd Aurelian immdiately: (For, by the Way, 

sighng is as catchig among Lovers, as yawg among the Vulgar.) 

Beside hearing the Nam of Love, made h fetch such a Sigh, that 

Hippolito's were but Fly-bl in Comparison, that was answered with all 

the Might Hippoto had, Aurean ply'd him close til they were both out 

of Breath 

Thus not a Word pass'd, though each wondred why the t'othr sigh'd, at 

last concluded it to be ony Complaisance to one another. 

Aurelian broke the Sile, by teg hi the Misfortune of his 

Governour. Hippolito rejoic'd as at the luckiest Accident whic could 

have befall'n hi Aurelian wodred at his unseasable Mirth, and 

demanded the Cause of it; he answer'd, It would necessitate his lger 

24


Stay in Florence, and for ought he knew be the Means of bringing a happy 

Period to his Aour. 

His Friend thought him to be little better than a Madman, wen he 

perceiv'd him of a suddai snatc out of hi Bo a Handkerchef, which 

having kis'd with a great deal of Ardour, he took Aurelian by the Hand, 

and smiling at the Surprize he saw hi in; 

'Your Florentine Cupid i certainy (said he) 'the mst Expert in the 

World. I have since I saw you beheld the most Beautiful of Won. I 

am faln deperatey in Love wth her, and thoe Papers which you see so 

blotted and scattered, are but so many Essays which I have made to th 

Declarati of my Passion. Ad ths Handkercef which I so zealusly 

Caress, is the Inestimable Toke wh I have to make my sef known to 

her. 'O Leonora! (contiued he) 'how hast thou stamp'd thine Image on 

my Soul! Ho much dearer am I to my self, since I have had thy 

Heavenly Form in keeping! Now, my Aurelian, I am worthy thee; my 

exalted Love has Dignified m, and rais'd m far above thy poor former 

Despiable Hippolito. 

urelian seeing the Rapture he was in, thought it in vain to expect a 

sttled Relation of the Adveture, s was reaching to the Table for som of 

the Papers, but Hippolito told hi, If he would have a little patience he 

would acquaint him with the whole Matter; and thereupon told him Word 

for Word ho he was mistaken for Lorenzo, and his Management of 

helf. Aurelian commended his Prudence, in nt discovering himelf; 

and told him, If he could spare so much tim from the Contemplation of 

his Mitress, he would inform him of an Adveture, though not so 

Accidental, yet of as great Concern to hi ow future Happinss. So 

related all that had happened to him with his Beautiful Incognita. 

Having ended the Story, they began to consider of the Means they 

were to use toward a Review of their Mistresses. Aurelian was 

Confounded at the Difficulty he conceived on hs Part. He understod 

from Hippoito's Adventure, that his Father knew of his beg i Town, 

whom he must unavoidably Disoblge if he yet concealed hielf, and 

Diobey if he cam into his Sight; for he had already entertain'd an 

Aversion for Juliana, in apprehension of hr being Impoed on him His 

25


Incognita was rooted in hi Heart, yet could he not Comfort hielf with 

any Hopes wen he should see her: He knew not were she lived, and 

she had made him no Promise of a second Conference. Th did he 

repent his inconsiderate Choice, in preferring the montary Vision of her 

Face, to a certain Intelligece of hr Person. Every thought that 

succeeded ditracted hi, and all the Hopes he could presume upon, were 

wth compass of the Two Days Merriment yet to co; for which Space 

h hop'd h might excuse his remaig conceal'd to his Father. 

Hippolito on the othr sde (though Aurelian thought h in a much 

better Way) was no le afflted for hielf. The Difficulties which he 

saw in his Friend's Circumstances, put hi upon fidig out a great many 

mre in his own, than really there were But wat terrified him most of 

all, was his being an utter Stranger to Leonora; she had nt the least 

knowldge of hi but through mistake, and conequently could form no 

Idea of him to h Advantage. He lok'd upon it as an unlucky thought in 

Aurelian to take upon him hi Name, sice possibly the Tw Ladi were 

acquainted, and should they comunicate to each other their Adventures; 

they might both reasonably suffer i their Opinions, and be thought guilty 

of Falshood, since it wuld appear to them as One Perso preteding to 

Tw Aurelian told him, there was but one Remedy for that, which was 

for Hippoto, in the same Manner that he had do, to make use of hi 

Nam, when he writ to Leonora, and use what argumts h could to 

perswade her to Secrecy, least his Father should know of the Reason 

wich kept h concealed in To Ad it was likely, though perhaps 

she mght not immdiately entertain hs Passi; yet she wuld out of 

Generoity conceal, what was hidden only for her sake 

We this was concluded on, after a great many othr Reasons used on 

either Side, in favour of the Contrivane; they at last argued themsves 

to a Belief, that Fortune had befriended them with a better Plot, than 

their regular Thking could have cotriv'd. So s had they convic'd 

themslves, in what they were wiling to believe. 

Aurelian laid himelf down to rest, that is, upon the Bed; for he was a 

better Lover than to pretend to sleep that Night, while Hippolito st 

himself again to frame his Letter desgn'd for Lenora. He writ several, 

26


at last pitched upon one, and very probably the worst, as you may guess 

when you read it in its proper Place. 

It was break of Day wen the Servant, who had been employed all the 

foregoing Day in procuring Acutrements for the Two Cavaliers, to 

appear in at the Tilting, came into the Ro, and told them all the Young 

Gentl in the Town were tryig their Equipage, and preparing to be 

early in the Lists. They made themselves ready with all Expedition at th 

arm: and Hippoto havig made a Viit to his Governour, dipatch'd a 

Messenger with the Letter and Directions to Leonora. At the Signal 

agreed upon the Caset was opened and a String let dow, to wh the 

Bearer having fastned the Letter, saw it drawn up, and returned. It were a 

vain attept to describe Leonora's Surprize, when she read the 

Superscription--The Unfortunate Aurelian, to the Beautiful Leonora-- 

After she was a little recovered from her Amaze, she recollected to her slf 

all the Passage between her and her supposed Cousin, and immdiately 

concluded hi to be Aurelian. Then several littl Circumtances whic 

she thught might have been suffiient to have convinced her, represted 

themslves to her; and she was in a strange Uneasiness to think of hr free 

Carriage to a Stranger. 

She was once in a Mind to have burn'd the Letter, or to have stay'd for 

an Opportunity to send it again. But she was a Woan, and her Curiosity 

opposd it sf to all thoughts of that Nature: at length with a firm 

Resoution, she opened it, and found Word for Word, what is underwritten. 

The Letter. 

MADAM, 

If your fair Eyes, upon the breaking up of this, meet with sat 

too quick a Surprize, make thence, I beseech you, some reflection upon 

the Condition I must neds have been i, at the suddain Appearance of that 

Sun of Beauty, whi at oe shone s full upon my soul. I could not 

immdiately disegage my self from that Maze of Carms, to let you 

know h unrthy a Captive your Eyes had made through mistake. 

Sure, Madam, you cannot but remeber my Disorder, of which your 

Innocent (Innent, though perhaps to m Fatal) Error made a Charitable 

(but wde) Constructi Your Tongue pursued the Vitory of your Eyes, 

27


and you did not give me tim to rally my poor Disordered Sens, so as to 

make a torable Retreat. Pardon, Madam, the Continuation of th 

Deceipt, and call it not so, that I appear'd to be other than my self; for 

Heaven knows I was nt th my self, nr am I now my own. You told 

m something that concern'd me nearly, as to a Marriage my Father 

design'd m, and much mre nearly in being tod by you. For Heaven's 

sake, disclse nt to any Body your Knowledge of me, that I may not be 

forced to an immdiate Act of Disobedience; for if my future Services and 

inviolate Love, cannot recomend me to your Favour, I shall find more 

comfort in the cold Embraces of a Grave, than in the Arms of the never so 

uch admired (but by m dreaded) Juliana. Thk, Madam, of thos 

severe Circumstances I lie under; and withal I beg you, think it is in your 

Power, and only in your Por, to make them happy as my Wishes, or 

much mre mserable than I am able to imagine. That dear, inestimable 

(though undeign'd) Favour which I receiv'd from you, shall this Day 

distigui m from the Crowd of your Admrers; that which I really 

applied to my inward bleedig Wound, the w Wound which you 

have made, and which, unles from you, does wi no Cure; then pardon 

and have pity on, O Adored Leonora, him, who is your's by Creatio as he 

is Heave's, though never so unrthy. Have pity on 

Your Aurelian 

She read the Letter over and over, then flung it by, then read it again; 

the Novety of the Adveture made her repeat her Curiosity, and take more 

than ordiary Pains to understand it. At last her Familiarity with th 

Expressios grew to an Intimacy, and wat she at first permitted she n 

began to like. She thought there was sthing in it a little more serius, 

than to be barely Gallantry. She wondred at her own Bldns, and 

fancy'd she could reber something of a more becoming Ar in th 

Stranger than was usual to Lorenzo This thought was parent to anothr 

of the same kind, till a lg Cain successively had Birth, and every one 

swhat mre than other, i Favour of the supposed Aurelian. She 

reflected upon his Diretio, in deferring the Discovery of himself, ti a 

little ti had, as it wre, weand her from her persason, and by 

removing her farther from her Mistake, had prepared her for a full and 

28


determiate Convicement. She thought his Behaviour, in personating a 

Sick Man so readiy, upon the first ht was not amiss, and smil'd to thk 

of hi Excus to proure her Handkerchief; and last of all, his sifting out 

the Means to write to her, which he had doe wth that Modesty and 

Respect, she could nt tell how to find fault with it. 

She had proceeded thus far in a maze of Thought, when she started to 

find her self so lost to her Reaso, and would have trod back again that 

path of deluding Fancy; accusing her self of Fondn, and innsiderate 

Easi, in giving Credit to the Letter of a Person whose Face she never 

saw, and whose first Acquaintance with her was a Treacery, and he who 

could so readily deliver his Tongue of a Lye upon a Surprize, was scarce to 

be trusted when he had suffiient Ti allow'd h to beget a Fiction, and 

Means to perfect the Birth. 

Ho did she know th to be Aurelian, if he were? Nay farther, put it 

to the Extremity, What if she should upon farther Conversation with hi 

proceed to Love hi? What Hopes wre there for her? Or ho could 

she consent to Marry a Man already Destined for another Woan? nay, a 

Woan that was her Friend, whe Marrying with him was to copleat 

the happy Reconciliatio of Two Noble Families, and wich might prevet 

the Effusio of much Blood likely to be shed in that Quarrel: Besides, 

se should icurr sare of the Guilt, which he would draw upon h by 

Disobedience to his Father, whom she was sure would not be consenting 

to it. 

'Ti strange now, but all Accounts agree, that just here Leonora, who 

had run like a violent Stream against Aurelian htherto, now retorted with 

as much precipitation in his Favour. I could never get any Body to give 

m a satisfactory reason, for her suddain and dextrous Change of Opi 

just at that stop, whic made me colude she could not hp it; and that 

Nature boil'd over in her at that tie when it had s fair an Opportunity to 

show it self: For Lera it seems was a Woan Beautiful, and 

otherwise of an excellent Dipoition; but in the Bottom a very Woan. 

This last Objectio, this Opportunity of perswading Man to Disobedience, 

determined the Matter in Favour of Aurelian, mre than all his 

Excellencies and Qualifications, take hi as Aurelian, or Hippolito, or 

29


both together. 

We, the Spirit of Contradition and of Eve was strong in her; and she 

was in a fair Way to Love Aurelian, for se lik'd hi already; that it was 

Aurelian she no longer doubted, for had it been a Viain, wo had only 

taken his Nam upon hi for any ill Degns, he would never have slip'd 

s favourable an Opportunity as when they were alone and in the Night 

comng through the Garde and broad Space before the Piazza. In sort, 

thus much she relv'd, at least to conceal the Knowledge she had of him, 

as he had entreated her in hi Letter, and to make particular Remarks of his 

Behaviour that Day in the Lists, wh should it happen to Charm her with 

an absolute liking of his Person, she resolv'd to dres hr sf to the best 

Advantage, and mustering up all her Graces, out of pure Revenge to kill 

him down right. 

I would not have the Reader now be impertint, and lok upo thi to 

be force, or a whim of the Author's, that a Woan should proceed so far in 

her Approbation of a Man wh she never saw, that it is impossble, 

therefore ridiculous to suppose it. Let me te such a Critick, that he 

knows nothg of the Sex, if he does not know that Woan may be taken 

with the Character and Description of a Man, when geral and 

extraordinary, that she may be prepossess'd with an agreeable Idea of his 

Person and Conversation; and though she cannot imagine his real Features, 

or manner of Wit, yet she has a general Notio of wat is call'd a fine 

Gentlan, and i prepar'd to like such a one who does not disagree wth 

that Character. Aurelian, as he bore a very fair Character, so was he 

extreamly deservig to make it good, which othrways might have been to 

prejudie; for oftentim, through an imprudent Indulgence to our 

Friends merit, we give so large a Description of hi excellencies, that 

People make more room in their Expectation, than the Intrinsick worth of 

the Man wi fill, which renders him so much the more despicable as there 

is emptyness to spare. 'Tis certain, though the Won seldom find that 

out; for though they do not see so much in a Man as was promised, yet 

they will be so kind to imagine he has so hidden excelencies; w 

tie may diover to them, so are content to allow, hi a considerable 

share of their eteem, and take him into Favour upon Tick. Aurelian as 

30


he had good Credit, so he had a good Stock to support it, and hs Person 

was a god promising Security for the payment of any Obligation he could 

l under to the Fair Sex. Hippolito, who at this tie was our Aurelian, did 

not at all lessen him in appearing for him: So that althugh Leonora was 

deed mtaken, se could nt be said to be much in the wrong. I could 

find in my Heart to beg the Reader's pardon for this Digression, if I 

thought h would be sensible of the Civility; for I proe hi, I do not 

intend to do it again throughut the Story, though I make never so many, 

and thugh he take them never s ill. But because I began th upo a 

bare Suppotion of his Impertince, wich might be soat 

impertinent in me to suppoe, I do, and hope to make him amends by 

tellg hi, that by the time Leonora was dress'd, several Ladi of her 

acquaintance came to accompany her to the place designed for the Tilting, 

were we wi leave them drinking Chocholate till 'ti ti for them to go 

Our Cavalers had by good Fortune provided themselves of two 

curious Suits of light Armur, finy enammelld and git. Hippolito had 

sent to Poggio Imperiale for a coupl of fine led Hors which he had left 

there with the rest of his Train at his entrance into Florence. Mounted on 

these and every way well Equipt, they took thir way, attended only by 

two Lacqueys, toard the Church di Santa Croce, before wh they wre 

to perform their Exercis of Chivalry. Hippolito wore upo his Helm a 

large Plume of Crimson Feathers, in the midst of which was artificially 

placed Lenora's Handkerchef. His Armour was gilt, and enammll'd with 

Green and Crimson. Aurean was not so happy as to wear any token to 

recommend him to the ntice of his Mistress, so had oly a Plume of Skycolour 

and White Feathers, suitabl to hi Armour, whi was Silver 

enammlled with Azure. I shall not describe the Habits of any other 

Cavaliers, or of the Ladi; let it suffice to tell the Reader they were all 

very Fine and very Glorious, and let hi dress them in wat is mst 

agreeable to his own Fancy. 

Our Gallants entred the Lists, and having made their Obeysance to his 

Highness, turned round to salute and view the Copany. The Scaffold 

was circular, so that there was no end of the Delightful Prospect. It seem'd 

a Glory of Beauty whi shone around the admring Behoders. Our 

31


Lovers soon perceived the Stars whh were to Rule thr Detiy, wich 

sparkled a lustre beyond all the inferiour Consteations, and seem'd like 

two Sun to ditribute Light to all the Planets in that Heavely Sphere 

Leonora knew her Slave by his Badge and blushed ti the Lilies and Roses 

in her cheeks had resemblance to the Plume of Crimson and Whte 

Handkerchief in Hippolito's Crest. He made her a low bow, and reined 

his Horse back with an extraordinary Grace, into a repectful retreat. 

Aurelian saw his Angel, his beautiful Ingnita, and had no other way to 

make himself known to her, but by salutig and bowing to her after th 

Spanish mode; she guess'd hi by it to be hr new Servant Hippolito, and 

signifid hr apprehension, by making him a more particular and obliging 

return, than to any of the Cavaliers who had saluted hr before. 

The Exercise that was to be perform'd was in general a running at the 

Ring; and afterwards two Cavaliers undertook to defend the Beauty of 

Donna Catharina, against all who would not allow her preheminence of 

their Mitreses. Th thing was only designd for show and form, none 

presuming that any body wuld put so great an affront upon the Bride and 

Duke's Kinswoan, as to dispute her pretentions to the first place in the 

Court of Venus. But hre our Cavaliers were under a mitake; for seeing 

a large Shield carry'd before two Knghts, with a Lady painted upo it; nt 

kning who, but reading the Inscription which was (in large Gold Letters) 

Above the Insolece of Competition. They thught themslves obliged, 

especially in the presece of their Mitresses, to vindicate their Beauty; 

and were just spurring on to engage the Champi, when a Gentleman 

topping them, told them their mtake, that it was the Picture of Donna 

Catharina, and a particular Honour done to her by hi Highness's 

Commands, and nt to be disputed. Upon thi they would have returned 

to their Pot, much concerned for their mistake; but ntice being taken by 

Don Ferdinand of s Show of Opposition that was made, he would 

have begged leave of the Duke, to have maintained his Lady's Hour 

against the Insolce of those Cavaliers; but the Duke wuld by no means 

permit it. They were arguing about it when one of them came up, before 

whom the Shield was born, and demanded h Highness's Permissi, to 

inform those Gentlemen better of their mistake, by giving them the Foyl 

32


By the Interceson of Don Ferdiand, leave was given them; whereupon a 

Civil Challenge was snt to the tw Strangers, informig them of their 

Error, and withal telling them they must either maintain it by force of 

Arm, or make a publk acknowledgment by ridig bare headed before 

the Piture once round the Lists. The Stranger-Cavaliers reonstrated to 

the Duke ho sensible they were of their Error, and thugh they would not 

justifie it, yet they could not decle the Cbate, being pressed to it 

beyond an honourable refusal. To the Bride they sent a Cplement, 

werein, having first begg'd her pardon for not knng her Piture, they 

gave her to understand, that now they were not about to dipute her 

undoubted right to the Crow of Beauty, but the honour of beg her 

Champions was the Prize they fought for, which they thought themsves 

as able to maintain as any other Pretenders. Wherefore they pray'd her, 

that if fortun so far befriended their endeavours as to make them Victors, 

that they mght receive no other Reward, but to be crown'd with the Titl 

of their Adversaries, and be ever after esteem'd as her most humble 

Servants. The excuse was s handsomely designed, and much better 

express'd than it is hre, that it took effect. The Duke, Don Ferdinand 

and his Lady were so well satisfied with it as to grant their Request. 

Wh the running at the Ring lasted, our Cavaliers alternately bore 

away great share of the Hoour. That Sport eded, Marshals were 

appointed for the Field, and every thing in great form settled for the 

Combat. The Cavaliers were all in good earnest, but orders were given 

to bring 'em blunted Lances, and to forbid the drawing of a Sword upo 

pain of his Highs's Dipleasure. The Trumpets sounded and they 

began their Course: The Ladies' Hearts, particularly the Ingnita and 

Leonora's beat time to the Hors Hoofs, and hope and fear made a mck 

Fight within their teder Breasts, each wishing and doubting success 

where se lik'd: But as the generality of their Prayers were for the 

graceful Strangers, they accordingly succeeded. Aurelian's Adversary was 

unhorsed i the first Enunter, and Hippolito's lost both Stirrups and 

dropt his Lance to save himself. The Honour of the Field was immdiately 

granted to them, and Don Catharia set them both Favours, which she 

pray'd them to wear as her Knights. The Crowd breaking up, our 

33


Cavaliers made a shift to steal off unarked, save by the watchful 

Leonora and Incognita, whe Eyes wre never off from their respective 

Servants. There was enquiry made for them, but to n purpose; for they 

to prevet their being divered had prepared another House, distant 

from their Lodging, where a Servant attended to disarm them, and another 

carried back their Horses to the Via, while they walked unsuspected to 

their Lodgig; but Incognta had given cand to a Page to dog 'e till 

the Evening, at a ditance, and bring her word whre they were latest 

housed. 

While several Conjectures pas'd among the Company, who were all 

gone to Dinner at the Palace, who those Cavaliers should be, Don Fabio 

thought himself the only Man able to guess; for he knew for certain that 

his Son and Hippoto were both i To, and was we enugh pleased 

wth his humour of remaining Ingnito till the Diversion shuld be over, 

belivig th that the surprize of his Discovery would add much to th 

Gallantry he had shown in Masquerade; but hearing the extraordinary 

liking that every body express'd, and i a particular manner, the great 

Duke himself, to the Persons and Beaviur of the unknown Cavaliers, th 

Old Getleman could nt forbear the Vanity to tell hs Highnes, that he 

belived he had an iteret i one of the Getlemen, whom he was pleased 

to honour with so favourable a Character; and told him what reason he had 

to believe the one to be hi Son, and the other a Spanish Nobleman, hi 

Friend. 

Th discovery having thus got vent, was diffusd like Ar; every body 

suck'd it in, and let it out again wth their Breath to the next they mt 

withal; and i half an hours tim it was talked of in the House where our 

Adventurers were lodged. Aurelian was stark mad at the Ne, and 

knew what search would be immdiately made for him. Hippolito, had he 

not been desperately in Love, would certainly have taken Horse and rid 

out of Town just then, for he could make no longer doubt of beg 

discovered, and he was afraid of the just Excepti Lera mght make 

to a Perso who had no deceived her twice. Well, we wi leave them 

both frettig and cntriving to no purpoe, to look about and see what was 

done at the Palace, where their doom was determined much quicker than 

34


they imagined. 

Dinner ended, the Duke retired with so chosen Friends to a Glass of 

Wine; among wh were the Marquess of Viterbo and Don Fabio. Hi 

Highness was no Stranger to the long Fewd that had been between the tw 

Families, and al understood wat Overtures of Reconcilation had been 

ately made, with the Proposals of Marriage between Aurelian and the 

Marque's Daughter. Having waited till the Wi had taken the effect 

propod, and the Company were raised to an unon pitch of 

Chearfulness, which he al encouraged by an Example of Freedom and 

Good Humur, he took an opportunity of rallyig the tw grave Signiors 

into an Acodation: That was secoded with the praises of th 

young Couple, and the whe Copany joined in a large Enum upon 

the Graces of Aurelian and the Beauties of Juliana. The old Fellows were 

tikled with Delight to har their Darlings so admred, whic the Duke 

perceiving, out of a Prinple of Gerosity and Friendsp, urged th 

present Coummation of the Marriage; telling them there was yet one day 

of publick Rejoycg to com, and h glad he should be to have it 

iproved by so acceptable an Aliance; and what an honour it would be to 

have his Cousi's Marriage attended by the Conjunction of s 

extraordinary a Pair, the performance of whh Ceremony would crown 

the Joy that was then in Agitation, and make the last day vie for equal 

Glory and Happins with the first. In short, by the Coplaisant and 

Perswasive Authority of the Duke, the Dons were wrought into a 

Compliance, and accordingly embraced and sook Hands upon the Matter. 

Th Ne was dispersed like the former, and Don Fabi gave orders for 

the enquiring out his Son's Lodgig, that the Marque and he might make 

him a Visit, as son as he had acquainted Julana with his purpoe, that s 

ght prepare her self. He found her very chearful with Doa Catharina 

and sveral other Ladi; whereupon the old Gentleman, pretty well 

warmed with the Duke's Goodfellohip, told hr aloud he was co to 

crow their Mirth with another Wedding; that his Highness had been 

pleased to provide a Husband for his Daughter, and he would have her 

provide her self to receive him to-morrow. All the Copany at first, as 

wll as Julana her self, thught he had raly'd, till the Duke cong in 

35


confirmd the serious part of hi Discourse. Juliana was confounded at 

the haste that was imposed on her, and dered a little ti to consider 

what se was about. But the Marque told her, se should have all the 

rest of hr Life to consider in; that Aurelian should com and consider 

with her in the Morning, if she pleased; but in the mean time, he advised 

her to go home and cal her Maids to Coun 

Juliana took her leave of the Copany very gravely, as if not much 

delighted with her Fathr's Ralery. Leonora happeed to be by, and 

heard all that pasd; she was ready to swoon, and found her self seized 

with a more violent Passion than ever for Aurelian: Now upon her 

apprehensions of lng hi, her active fancy had brought hi before her 

with all the advantages imagiable, and though she had before found great 

tenderness in her Inclination toward him, yet was she somwhat surprized 

to find she really lov'd him. She was so uneasie at what se had heard, 

that she thought it convenient to steal out of the presence and retire to her 

Closet, to bean hr unhappy helpless Condition. 

Our Tw Cavalier-Lovers had rack'd their Invention till it was quite 

disabled, and could not make discovery of one Cotrivance mre for their 

Relief. Both sat sint, each depending upon his Fried, and still 

expecting wen t'other should speak. Night cam upon them while they 

sate thus thoughtles, or rather drod in Thought; but a Servant 

bringing Lights ito the Room awakened them: And Hippolito's Speech, 

usher'd by a profound Sigh, broke Silence. 

'Well! (said he) what must we do, Aurelian? We must suffer, replied 

Aurelian faintly. When immdiately raising hi Voice, he cry'd out, 'Oh 

ye unequal Pors, why do ye urge us to desre what ye doom us to 

forbear; give us a Will to chuse, th curb us wth a Duty to restrain that 

Choice! Cruel Father, Will nothing ese suffice! Am I to be th 

Sacrifice to expiate your Offences past; past ere I was born? Were I to 

lose my Life, I'd gladly Seal your Recoement wth my Blood. 'But 

Oh my Soul is free, you have no Title to my Immrtal Being, that has 

Exitence independent of your Power; and must I loe my Love, the 

Extract of that Being, the Joy, Light, Life, and Darlg of my Soul? No, 

I'll own my Flame, and plead my Title too.--But hod, wretced Aurelan, 

36


hold, whither does thy Passion hurry thee? Aas! the crue fair Incognita 

Loves thee not! She knows not of thy Love! If se did, what Merit hast 

thou to preted?- -Only Love--Excess of Love. Ad all the World has 

that. All that have seen her. Yet I had only seen her once, and i that 

once I lov'd above the World; nay, lov'd beyod my self, suc vigorous 

Flame, so strong, so quick she darted at my Breast; it must rebound, and 

by Reflection, warm her self. A! welcome Thought, lovely deludig 

Fancy, hang sti upon my Soul, let m but think, that once se Loves and 

peri my Despair. 

Here a suddain stop gave a Period also to Hippolito's Expectation, and 

he hoped no that his Friend had given his Passion so free a vent, he 

mght recollect and bethink himelf of wat was convenint to be don; 

but Aurelia, as if he had mustered up all his Spirits purely to acquit 

himself of that passionate Harangue, stood mute and innsible like an 

arum Clock, that had spet all its force in one vit Emotion. 

Hippolito shook him by the Arm to rouze hi from h Lethargy, when hi 

Lacquey comng into th Room, out of Breath, tod him there was a Coac 

just stopp'd at the Door, but h did not take tim to who came in it. 

Aurelian concluded imdiately it was his Father i quest of him; and 

without saying any more to Hippolito, than that h was Ruined if 

discovered, took his Sword and slipp'd do a back pair of Stairs into the 

Garden, from whence he conveyed hielf into the Street. Hippolito had 

nt bethought helf what to do, before he perceiv'd a Lady com into 

the Chamber close veil'd, and make toward him. At the first Appearance 

of a Woan, his Imagination flattered him with a Thught of Leonora; but 

that was quickly over upon nearer Approach to the Lady, who had much 

the Advantage in Stature of his Mitress. He very civilly accosted her, 

and asked if he were the Perso to wh the Hoour of that Visit was 

teded. She said, her Business was with Don Hippolito di Saviolina, to 

whom she had Matter of Concern to import, and which required haste. 

He had like to have told her, That he was the Man, but by good Chance 

reflectig upon his Friend's Adventure, who had taken h name, he made 

Aswer, that he believed Don Hippoto not far off, and if she had a 

Moments Patience he would enquire for him. 

37


He went out, leaving the Lady i the Room, and made search all round 

the House and Garden for Aurelian, but to no purpose. The Lady 

impatient of hi log stay took a Pen and Ink and so Paper which she 

found upon the Table, and had just made an End of her Letter, w 

hearing a Noise of more than one comng up Stairs, she concluded his 

Friend had found him, and that her Letter would be to no purpoe, so tore 

it in pieces, wich she repented; wh turng about, she found her 

Mistake, and beheld Don Fabio and the Marque of Viterbo just entring at 

the Door. She gave a Shrik at the Surprize of their Appearance, which 

much troubled the Old Gentleme, and made them retire in Confusion for 

putting a Gentlan into such a Fright. The Marquess thinking they 

had been misinformed, or had mistake the Lodgigs, came forward again, 

and made an Apology to the Lady for their Errour; but se making no 

reply, walk'd directly by hi down Stairs and wnt into her Coach, wich 

hurried her away as speedily as the Hors were able to draw. 

The Dons were at a lss what to think, when, Hippolito comg into 

the Ro to give the Lady an Account of his Errant, was no les 

astohed to find she was departed, and had left Two Old Signrs in hr 

stead. He knew Don Fabio's Face, for Aurelian had shewn him his Father 

at the Tiltig; but being confidet he was not known to h, he ventur'd to 

ask h concerning a Lady w just n he had left i that Camber. 

Don Fabio told him, she was just gone do, and doubted they had been 

Guilty of a Mistake, in comg to enquire for a Couple of Gentl 

who they were informed were Lodged in that House; h begg'd hi 

Pardon if he had any Relati to that Lady, and desired to know if he 

could give them any Account of the Persons they sought for. Hippolito 

made answer, He was a Stranger in the Place, and only a Servant to that 

Lady w they had disturb'd, and wh he must go and seek out. Ad 

in this Perplexity he left them, going again in Search of Aurelian, to 

inform him of what had pased. 

The Old Gentlemen at last meeting with a Servant of the House, were 

directed to Signior Caudio's Chamber, where they were no soner entered 

but Aurelian came into the House. A Servant who had skulk'd for him by 

Hippolito's Order, folled hi up into the Chamber, and told him who 

38


was with Claudio then making Enquiry for him He thught that to be no 

Place for him, since Claudio must needs discover all the Truth to his 

Father; werefore h left Directions with the Servant, where Hippolito 

hould meet hi i the Morning. As he was going out of the Roo he 

espid the torn Paper, which the Lady had thro upo the Flr: Th 

first piece he took up had Incognita writte upon it; the sight of which s 

Alarum'd him, he scarce knew what he was about; but hearing a Noise of a 

Door opening over Head, wth as much Care as was consistent with th 

haste he was then in, he gathered up scattered pieces of Paper, and betok 

himself to a Ramble 

Coming by a Light which hung at the Corner of a Street, he jon'd th 

torn Papers and coected thus much, that Ingnita had Written the Note, 

and earnestly desired (if there were any realty in what he pretended to her) 

to meet her at Twelve a Clock that Night at a Convent Gate; but unluckily 

the Bit of Paper which should have mentiod what Convent, was broke 

off and lost. 

Here was a large Subject for Aurelian's Passi, which he did not spare 

to pour forth in Abundance of Curses on his Stars. So earnest was he i 

the Contemplatio of hi Misfortunes, that he walk'd on unwittingly; till at 

lngth Silence (and such as was oy to be found in that part the Town, 

wther his unguided Steps had carried him) surpriz'd his Attention. I say, 

a profound Silence rouzed him from hi Thought; and a clap of Thunder 

could have done no mre. 

Now because it is posible this at som tie or othr may happen to be 

read by some Malicious or Ignrant Person, (no Reflection upo the 

present Reader) who will not admt, or do nt understand that Silence 

should make a Man start; and have the same Effect, in provokig hi 

ttention, with its oppoite No; I wi illustrate thi matter, to suc a 

diminutive Critick, by a Parallel Instan of Light; wich though it does 

chiefly entertain the Eyes, and is indeed the prie Object of the Sight, yet 

should it immdiately cease, to have a Man left in the Dark by a suddai 

deficiency of it, would make him stare with his Eyes, and though he could 

nt see, endeavour to look about hi Why just thus did it fare with our 

Adventurer; who seeming to have wandred both into the Donion of 

39


Silence and of Night, began to have some tender for his own Safety, and 

wuld wigly have groped his Way back agai; w he heard a Voce, 

as from a Person whose Breath had be stopp'd by some forcible 

Oppressio, and just the, by a violent Effort, was broke through th 

Restraint.--'Yet--Yet--(agai reply'd the Voe, still struggling for Air,) 

'Forbear--and I'll forgive what's past--I have done nothing yet that needs a 

Pardon, (says another) and what is to co, will admit of noe. 

Here the Perso who seemed to be the Oppressed, made several 

Attempts to speak, but they were only inarticulate Sounds, being al 

terrupted and choaked i their Pasage. 

Aurelian was suffintly astonish'd, and would have crept nearer to 

the Place whce he gued the Voce to come; but he was got among the 

Runes of an Old Monastery, and could nt stir so silently, but so loose 

Sto h met with made a rumbling. The Noise alarm'd both Parties; 

and as it gave Comfort to the one, it so Terrified the t'other, that he could 

not hinder the Oppresd from calling for help. Aurean fancy'd it was a 

Woan's Voice, and immdiately drawing hi Sword, demanded what was 

the Matter; he was answered with the Appearance of a Man, who had 

opened a Dark Lanthorn which he had by him, and came toward hi with 

a Pistol in his Hand ready cock'd. 

urelian seeing the irretabl advantage his Adversary had over him, 

wuld fai have retired; and, by the greatest Providence in the World, 

going backwards fell do over so loose Stoes that lay in hs Way, 

just i that Instant of Ti when the Viain fired his Pistol, who seeing 

him fall, concluded he had Sht hi The Crys of the afflicted Perso 

were redoubled at the Tragical Sight, which made the Murderer, drawing a 

Poniard, to threaten hi, that the next Murmur shuld be hi last. 

urelian, wo was scarce assured that he was unhurt, got softly up; and 

comng near eugh to perceive the Vice that was used to stop th 

Injured Man's Mouth; (for now h saw plainly it was a Man) cry'd out,-- 

Turn, Villain, and look upon thy Death.--The Fellow amazed at the Voice, 

turn'd about to have snatc'd up the Lanthrn from the Ground; either to 

have given Light ony to himelf, or to have put out the Candle, that he 

ght have made his Esape; but which of the Two he designed, no Body 

40


could tell but himself: and if the Reader have a Curity to kn, he 

must blame Aurelian; wh thinking there could be no foul play offered to 

such a Villain, ran him idiately through the Heart, so that he drop'd 

do Dead at his Feet, without speaking a Word. He would have seen 

who the Perso was he had thus happiy delivered, but the Dead Body had 

fallen upon the Lanthorn, whic put out the Candle: However comng up 

toward hi, he ask'd h how he did, and bid him be of good Heart; he 

was answered with nothing but Prayers, Blessngs and Thanks, called a 

Thousand Deliverers, good Genius's and Guardian Angels. And th 

Rescued would certaiy have gone upo hi Knees to have worshipped 

him, had he not been bound Hand and Fot; whh Aurelian understanding, 

groped for the Knots, and either untied them or cut them asunder; but 'tis 

re probable the latter, because more expeditious 

They took littl hd what became of the Body whi they left behind 

them, and Aurelian was cnducted from out the Ruins by the Hand of him 

h had delivered. By a faint light issuing from the just risig Moon, h 

could discern that it was a Youth; but comg into a more frequented part 

of the Town, where several Lights were hung out, he was amaz'd at the 

extream Beauty which appeared in his Face, though a little pale and 

disordered with his late fright. Aurelian longed to hear the Story of so 

odd an adventure, and entreated hi Charge to tell it him by the way; but 

h desired him to forbear till they were com into som House or othr, 

where he might rest and recover his tired Spirits, for yet he was so faint he 

was unabl to look up. Aurelian thought these last words were delivered in 

a Voe, whose accent was not new to hi That thought made hi lk 

earnestly in the Youth's Face, which he now was sure he had sowhere 

sen before, and thereupon asked h if he had never been at Siena? 

That Questio made the young Gentleman look up, and sothing of a 

Joy appeared in his Countenance, whic yet h endeavoured to smthr; 

s prayig Aurelian to conduct h to his Lodging, h proed him that 

as soon as they suld com thither, h would acquaint hi with any thing 

h desired to know Aurelian would rather have gone any where else 

than to h ow Lodging; but beg so very late he was at a loss, and so 

forced to be contented. 

41


As soon as they were com ito his Chamber, and that Lights were 

brought them and the Servant disd, the paleness whic s visibly 

before had usurped the sweet Countenance of the afflted Youth vand, 

and gave place to a more lively Flood of Crimson, which with a modest 

heat glow'd freshly on his Cheeks Aurelian waited with a pleasing 

Admrati the divery proed h, when the Youth still struggling 

with his Resolution, with a timrous haste, pulled off a Peruke whic had 

concealed the most beautiful abundance of Hair that ever graced one 

Female Head; those dishevelled spreading tress, as at first they made a 

discovery of, so at last they served for a veil to the modest lovely blus 

f the fair Incognita; for she it was and non othr. But Oh! the 

xpresble, inconceivable joy and amazement of Aurelian! As son as 

he durst venture to think, he concluded it to be all Visio, and nver 

doubted s much of any thing in hi Life as of hi being then awake. But 

she taking hi by the Hand, and desiring hi to sit do by her, partly 

convinced him of the reality of her presence. 

'This is the secod ti, Don Hippolito, (said she to h) 'that I have 

been here th Night. What the occasion was of my seeking you out, and 

how by mracle you preserved m, would add to much to the surprize I 

perceive you to be already in should I tell you: Nor wi I make any 

further discovery, till I know what censure you pass upo the confidence 

wich I have put in you, and the strange Crcumstances in wich you find 

m at this time. I am sensible they are such, that I sall nt blame your 

severest Conjectures; but I hope to cnvince you, when you shall hear 

what I have to say in justification of my Vertue 

'Justification! (cry'd Aurelian) what Infidel dares doubt it! Then 

kneeling down, and takig her Hand, 'Ah Madam (says he) would Heaven 

uld no other ways look upon, than I behold your Perfectis--Wrong 

not your Creature wth a Thught, he can be guilty of that hrrid Impiety 

as once to doubt your Vertue--Heavens! (cry'd he, starting up) 'am I so 

really blessed to see you once again! May I trust my Sight?--Or do my 

fancy now ony more strongly wrk?--For still I did preserve your Image 

i my Heart, and you were ever present to my dearest Thoughts. - 

'Enough Hippolito, enough of Rapture (said she) you cannot much 

42


accuse me of Ingratitude; for you see I have not been unmindful of you; 

but moderate your Joy till I have tod you my Conditio, and if for my 

sake you are raised to th Delight, it is not of a long continuance. 

At that (as Aurelian tels the Story) a Sigh diffused a mournful 

sweetness through the Ar, and liquid grief fell gently from her Eyes, 

triumphant sadnss sat upo her Brow, and eve sorrow seem'd delighted 

with the Conquest he had made. See what a change Aurelian felt! His 

Heart bled Tears, and trembled in h Breast; Sighs struggling for a vent 

had choaked each others passage up: His Floods of Joys were all 

supprest; cod doubts and fears had chll'd 'em with a sudden Frot, and he 

was troubld to excess; yet knew not wy. Well, the Learned say it was 

Sympathy; and I am always of the Opinion with the Learned, if they speak 

first. 

After a World of Condoeance had pased between them, he prevaid 

wth her to tell him her Story. So having put all her Sighs into one great 

Sigh, she discharged her self of 'e all at once, and formed the Relatio 

you are just about to Read. 

'Having been i my Infancy Contracted to a Man I could nver endure, 

and no by my Parents being likely to be forced to Marry hi, is in short, 

the great occasion of my grif. I fansy'd (continued she) somthing so 

Generous i your Counteance, and unon in your Behaviour, while 

you were divertig your self, and rallying me with Express of 

Gallantry, at the Ball, as induced me to hold Conference with you. I now 

freely cofess to you, out of design, That if things should happen as I then 

feared, and as now they are come to pas, I might rely upon your 

assistance in a matter of Concern; and in which I would sooner chuse to 

depend upo a generous Stranger, than any Aquaitance I have. What 

Mirth and Freedom I then put on, were, I can asure you, far distant from 

y Heart; but I did vice to my self out of Complaisance to your 

Teper.--I knew you at the Tilting, and wished you mght co off as you 

did; thugh I do not doubt, but you would have had as good Success had it 

been opposite to my Inclinations.--Not to detain you by to tedius a 

Relatio, every day my Friends urged me to the Match they had agreed 

upon for me, before I was capable of Consenting; at last their 

43


importunti grew to that degree, that I found I must either consent, wh 

uld make m mserable, or be mserable by perpetualy enduring to be 

baited by my Father, Brothr and other Relations. I resolved yeterday, 

on a suddain to give firm Faith to the Opiion I had coceived of you; and 

accordingly cam in the Evening to request your astance, in delivering 

m from my Tormentors, by a safe and private cnveyance of me to a 

Monastery about four Leagues hence, where I have an Aunt who would 

receive m, and is the only Relation I have averse to the Match. I was 

surprized at the appearance of s Company I did not expect at your 

Lodgigs; wich made me in haste tear a Paper which I had written to you 

with Directions where to find me, and get speedily away in my Coach to 

an old Servant's House, wh I acquainted with my purpose: By my 

Order se provided m of this Habit which I n wear; I ventured to trust 

my self with her Brothr, and resolved to go under his Conduct to th 

Monastery; he proved to be a Villai, and Pretedig to take me a short 

and private way to the place where he was to take up a Hackney Coach 

(for that which I came in was broke so where or other with the haste it 

made to carry me from your Lodging) led me into an old ruined 

Monastery, where it pleased Heave, by what Adent I know not, to 

direct you. I need not tell you how you saved my Life and my Honour, 

by revenging me with the Death of my Perfidious Guide. This is the 

umm of my present Condition, bating the apprehensions I am i of beg 

taken by s of my Relations, and forced to a thing so quite cotrary to 

my Inclinations. 

urelian was confounded at the Relation se had made, and began to 

fear his own Estate to be more desperate than ever he had imagind. He 

ade her a very Passionate and Elquet Speech in behalf of helf 

(much better than I inted to insert here) and expressed a mighty concern 

that she should look upon his ardent Affectio to be only Rallery or 

Gallantry. He was very free of his Oaths to confirm the Truth of what he 

pretended, nor I believe did she doubt it, or at least was unwilling so to do: 

For I would Caution the Reader by the bye, not to believe every wrd 

wich she told him, nor that admirable sorrow which se counterfeited to 

be accurately true. It was indeed truth s cunningly intermigled with 

44


Fiction, that it required no less Wit and Presece of Mind than se was 

endowed with so to acquit her slf on the suddain. She had entrusted her 

self indeed with a Fellow who proved a Viain, to coduct her to a 

Monastery; but one wh was i the To, and were she intended only 

to lie concealed for his sake; as the Reader shall understand ere long: For 

w have another Discovery to make to h, if he have nt found it out of 

himself already. 

After Aurelian had said what h was able upon the Subject i hand, 

wth a mournful tone and dejeted lk, he deanded his Doom. She 

asked h if he would endeavour to convey her to the Monastery she had 

told h of? 'Your commands, Madam, (replied he) 'are Sacred to m; 

and were they to lay down my Life I would obey them. With that he 

wuld have goe out of the Room, to have give order for his Hors to be 

got ready imdiately; but with a Countenance s full of sorrow as moved 

Compassion in the tender hearted Incognita. 'Stay a littl Don Hippolito 

(said she) I fear I shall nt be able to undergo the Fatigue of a Journey this 

Night.--Stay and give me your Advice h I sall coceal my self if I 

continue to morrow in th To Aurelian could have satisfied her s 

was not then in a place to avoid discovery: But he must also have told 

her th the reason of it, viz. w he was, and who were in quest of h, 

whi he did nt think convenint to declare till necessty shuld urge h; 

for he feared least her knowledge of those designs whic were in agitatio 

betwen him and Juliana, might deter her mre from giving her consent. 

At last h resoved to try hi utmt perswasion to gain her, and told her 

accordingly, he was afraid se would be disturbed there in the Morning, 

and he knew no other way (if she had nt as great an aversio for him as 

the Man whom she now endeavour'd to avoid) than by making hi happy 

to make her self secure. He demonstrated to her, -that the disblgati 

to her Parets would be greater by going to a Monastery, since it was only 

to avoid a chce wich they had made for her, and wich she could not 

have so just a pretence to do ti she had made one for her self. 

A World of other Arguments he used, whih se contradicted as long 

as she was able, or at least willing. At last she told him, she would 

consult her Pillow, and i the Mornng conclude what was fit to be done. 

45


He thought it convenent to leave her to her ret, and having lock'd her up 

i h Roo, went hielf to repos upon a Pallat by Signr Claudio. 

In the mean time, it may be convenient to enquire what became of 

Hippoto He had wandered much i pursuit of Aurelan, though 

Leonra equally took up his Thoughts; He was reflectig upon the 

ddness and extravagance of hi Circumtances, the Continuation of 

which had doubtless created in him a great uneasiness, when it was 

iterrupted with the noise of opening the Gates of the Convent of St. 

Lawrence, whither he was arrived soner than he thought for, being the 

place Aurelian had appointed by the Lacquey to meet hi in. He 

wondered to see the Gates opened at s unseasonable an hour, and went to 

enquire the reaso of it from them who were employ'd; but they proved to 

be Novices, and made him signs to go in, whre he might meet with s 

body allow'd to answer him. He found the Religius Men all up, and 

Tapers lighting every where: at last he foow'd a Friar who was goig 

into the Garden, and asking him the cause of these Preparations, he was 

answered, That they were entreated to pray for the Soul of a Cavalier, who 

was just departing or departed th Life, and wh upon farther talk with 

him, he found to be the same Lorenzo so often mntioned. Don Mario, it 

seems Uncle to Lorenzo and Father to Leonora, had a private Dor out of 

the Garden belonging to h House into that of the Convent, whic Dor 

th Father was now a going to open, that h and h Famiy might com 

and offer up their Oraisons for the Soul of their Kinsman Hippolito 

having informed hielf of as much as h could ask withut suspi, 

took hi lave of the Friar, not a little joyful at the Hope h had by such 

unexpected Means, of seeing his Beautiful Leonora: As soon as he was 

got at convenient Distance from the Friar, (wh 'tis like thought he had 

return'd into the Convent to hi Devotion) he turned back through a clos 

Walk whh led h with a little Copass, to the same private Door, 

were just before he had lft the Friar, who now he saw was go, and th 

Door open. 

He wnt into Don Mario's Garde, and walk'd round with much 

Caution and Circumpection; for the Moon was then about to rise, and had 

already diffused a glimmring Light, suffiient to ditinguih a Man from 

46


a Tree. By Computation now (which is a very remarkable Crcumstance) 

Hippolito entred this Garden near upon the same Instant, when Aurelian 

wandred into the Old Monastery and found hi Ingnita in Ditress. He 

as pretty well acquainted with the Platform, and Sight of the Garde; for 

he had formerly surveyed the Outside, and knew what part to make to if he 

should be surpriz'd and driven to a precipitate Escape. He tok his Stand 

behind a well grown Bus of Myrtle, which, should the Moon shin 

brighter than was required, had the Advantage to be shaded by the 

Indulgent Boughs of an ancient Bay-Tree. He was delighted with the 

oice he had made, for he found a Ho in the Myrtle, as if purposely 

contriv'd for the Reception of one Person, who might undiscovered 

perceive all about him. He looked upon it as a good Omen, that the Tre 

Consecrated to Venus was so propitious to him i his Amorous Distress 

The Consideration of that, togethr with the Obligation he lay under to the 

Muses, for shtering hi also with so large a Crown of Bays, had lke to 

have set hi a Rhyming. 

He was, to te the Truth, naturally addicted to Madrigal, and we 

should undoubtedly have had a small dert of Numbers to have pick'd 

and Critiiz'd upon, had he nt been interrupted just upon his Delivery; 

nay, after the Preliminary Sigh had made Way for his Utterance. But s 

was his Fortune, Don Mario was comg towards the Door at that very 

nick of Ti, were he mt with a Priest just out of Breath, who told hi 

that Lorenzo was just breathng hi last, and desired to know if he wuld 

com and take his final Leave before they were to administer the Extream 

Unction. Don Mario, who had been at some Difference with his Nephew, 

now thught it his Duty to be reconciled to hi; so callng to Leonora, 

who was cog after h, he bid her go to her Devotions in the Chappel, 

and told her where h was going. 

He went on with the Priest, while Hippolito saw Leonra com 

forward, only accompanied by her Woan. She was in an undress, and 

by reason of a Melancholy visible in her Face, mre Careless than usual in 

her Attire, wich he thought added as much as was possible to th 

abundance of her Charms He had nt much Ti to Contemplate th 

Beauteus Viion, for she soon passed into the Garden of the Convent, 

47


leavig h Confounded wth Love, Admration, Joy, Hope, Fear, and all 

the Train of Passions, whic seze upon Men in his Condition, all at oce. 

He was so teazed with this Variety of Torment, that he never missed the 

Two Hours that had slipped away during his Automachy and Intestin 

Conflit. Leonora's Return settled hi Spirits, at least united them, and h 

ad now no other Thought but how he should present hielf before hr. 

When she callg her Woan, bid her bolt the Garden Door on the Inside, 

that she might not be Surpriz'd by her Father, if he returnd through th 

Convent, wich done, she ordered her to bring down her Lute, and leave 

her to her slf in the Garden 

this Hippolito saw and heard to h inexpressible Content, yet had 

he much to do to smother his Joy, and hinder it from taking a Vent, wh 

uld have ruid the ony Opportunity of his Life. Leonora wthdrew 

into an Arbour s near him, that he could distinctly hear her if she Played 

or Sung: Having tuned her Lute, with a Voce soft as the Breath of 

Angels, she flung to it this foowing Ar: 

I. 

A! Whither, whther sall I fly, A poor unhappy Maid; To hopeless 

Love and Misery By my own Heart betray'd? Not by Aexi Eyes undoe, 

Nor by his Carmig Faithss Tongue, Or any Practis'd Art; Such real Ills 

may hope a Cure, But the sad Pain which I endure Proceed from fansied 

Smart. 

II. 

'Twas Fancy gave Alexis Charms, Ere I beld his Face: Kind Fancy 

(then) could fold our Arms, And form a soft Embrace. But since I've seen 

the real Swain, Ad try'd to fancy him again, I'm by my Fancy taught, 

Though 'tis a Blis no Tongue can te, To have Aexis, yet 'tis Hell To 

have hi but in Thought. 

The Song ended grived Hippolito that it was s soon ended; and in 

the Ecstacy he was then rapt, I believe he would have been satisfied to 

have expired with it. He could not hp Flattering helf, (though at the 

same Ti he checked his own Vanity) that he was the Person meant in 

the Song. Wh he was indulging whic thought, to his happy 

Atont, he heard it enuraged by these Words: 

48


'Unhappy Leonora (said she) ho is thy poor unary Heart msled? 

Whither am I co? The false deluding Lights of an imaginary Flame, 

have led me, a poor benighted Vitim, to a real Fire. I burn and am 

consumed with hopeless Love; those Beams in whose soft temperate 

warmth I wanto'd heretofore, no flash destruction to my Soul, my 

Treacherous greedy Eyes have suck'd the glaring Light, they have united 

all its Rays, and, like a burning-Glass, convey'd the pointed Meteor to my 

Heart--Ah! Aurelian, ho quickly hast thou Conquer'd, and h quickly 

must thou Forsake. Oh Happy (to me unfortunately Happy) Juliana! I 

am to be the subject of thy Triumph--To thee Aurelian cos laden with 

the Tribute of my Heart and Glories in the Oblation of his broke Vo-- 

What then, is Aurelian False! False! alass, I know not what I say; How 

can he be Fale, or True, or any Thng to me? What Promises did he ere 

make or I receive? Sure I dream, or I am mad, and fansie it to be Love; 

Foolish Girl, recal thy bansh'd Reason.--Ah! would it were no mre, 

wuld I culd rave, sure that would give me Ease, and rob m of the Sens 

of Pain; at least, among my wandring Thughts, I should at sotim light 

upon Aurelian, and fansie h to be mi; kind Madness would flatter my 

poor feeble Wishes, and sometimes tell me Aurelian is not lot--not 

irrecoverably--not for ever lost. 

Hippolito could hear no more, he had not Room for half his Transport. 

When Leonora perceived a Man comig toard her, she fell a trembling, 

and could not speak. Hippoto approached with Reverece, as to a 

Sacred Shrine; when cng near eough to see her Cnsternation, he fell 

upon his Knees. 

'Behold, O Adored Lera (said he) 'your ravihed Aurelian, behold 

at your Feet the Happit of Men, be not diturb'd at my Appearance, but 

think that Heaven coducted me to hear my Bliss pronund by that dear 

Mouth aloe, whose breath could fi me with new Life 

Here he would have come nearer, but Leonora (scarce co to her self) 

was getting up in haste to have gone away: he catch'd her Hand, and 

wth all the Endearments of Love and Transport pressed her stay; she was 

a long ti in great Confusion, at last, with many Blushes, she entreated 

h to let her go where she mght hde hr Guilty Head, and not expose 

49


her shame before his Eyes, since his Ears had been suffiient Witnesses of 

hr Crime. He begg'd pardon for his Treachery in over-hearing, and 

confessed it to be a Crime he had now repeated. With a Thousand 

Submissions, Entreaties, Prayers, Prais, Blessings, and passionate 

Expressios he wrought upon her to stay and hear him. Here Hippolito 

ade use of his Rhetorick, and it proved prevaig: 'Twre tedious to 

te the many ingenious Arguments he used, with all her Nice Distinctions 

and Objections. In short, h convinced hr of his Passion, represented to 

her the necesty they wre under, of being speedy in their Resve: 

That h Father (for still h was Aurelian) would undoubtedly find him in 

the Morning, and then it would be too late to Repet. She on the other 

Hand, knew it was i vai to deny a Passion, wich he had heard hr s 

frankly on; (and n doubt was very glad it was past and done;) beside 

apprehending the danger of delay, and having so little Jealousie and 

Fears of what Effect mght be produced between the Coands of hi 

Father and the Beauties of Juliana; after some decent Denials, she 

consented to be Conducted by hi through the Garden into the Convent, 

where se would prevail with her Confessor to Marry them. He was a 

scrupulus Old Father w they had to deal withal, iuch that ere 

they had persaded him, Don Mario was returnd by the Way of his own 

House, where mssing his Daughter, and her Woan not beng able to give 

any farther Account of her, than that she left her in the Garden; he 

concluded se was gone again to her Devotios, and indeed he found her 

i the Chappe upon her Knees with Hippolito in her hand, receiving th 

Father's Benediction upon Conlusion of the Ceremoy. 

It would have asked a very skilful Hand, to have depicted to the Life 

the Faces of those Three Persons, at Don Mario's Appearance. He that 

has seen so admrable Piece of Transmutation by a Gorgon's Head, may 

form to himself the most probable Idea of the Prototype. The Old 

Gentlan was hielf i a srt of a Wood, to find his Daughter with a 

Young Fellow and a Priest, but as yet he did not kn the Worst, ti 

Hippolito and Leonora came, and kneeling at his Feet, begg'd hi 

Forgivess and Blesng as his Son and Daughter. Don Mario, itead 

of that, fell into a mot violnt Passion, and would undoubtedly have 

50


comitted so extravagant Atio, had he not been restraid, more by 

the Sanctity of the Place, than the Perswasions of all the Religious, who 

wre now co about hi Leonora stirr'd not off her Knees all ths time, 

but ctiued begging of him that he wuld hear her. 

'Ah! Ungrateful and Undutiful Wretch (cry'd he) 'how hast thou 

requited all my Care and Tederness of thee? No w I mght have 

expected some return of Comfort, to throw thy self away upon an 

unknown Pers, and, for ought I kn, a Villai; to me I'm sure he is a 

Villain, who has robb'd me of my Treasure, my Darling Joy, and all th 

future Happiss of my Life prevented. Go--go, thou no-to- beforgotten 

Leonora, go and enjoy thy unprosperous Choice; you wh 

wanted not a Father's Counsel, cannot need, or else will slight h 

Blessing. 

These last Words were spoke with so much Passion and feelig 

Concern, that Leonora, moved with Excess of Grief, fainted at his Feet, 

just as she had caught hold to Embrace his Knees. The Old Man would 

have shk hr off, but Copassi and Fathrly Affectio came upon 

him in the midst of his Resolve, and mlted him into Tears, he Embraced 

h Daughter in his Arms, and wept over her, while they endeavoured to 

restore her Se 

Hippolito was in such Concern he could not speak, but was busily 

employed in rubbig and cafing her Teples; wh se openg her Eyes 

laid hod of his Arm, and cry'd out--Oh my Aurelian--how unhappy have 

you made m! With that she had again like to have faited away, but he 

took her in hs Arm, and begg'd Don Mario to have some pity on his 

Daughter, since by his Severity she was reduced to that Condition. Th 

Old Man hearing his Daughter nam Aurelian, was a littl revived, and 

began to hope Things were i a pretty good Condition; he was perswaded 

to cofort her, and having brought her wholly to her slf, was contet to 

ear hr Excuse, and in a littl tim was s far wrought upon as to beg 

Hippolito's Pardon for the Ill Opin h had conceived of hi, and not 

long after gave his Cont. 

The Night was spent in this Conflct, and it was now clear Day, when 

Don Mario Conductig his new Son and Daughter through the Garden, 

51


was met by some Servants of the Marquess of Viterbo, who had been 

enquiring for Doa Leonora, to know if Julana had lately been with her; 

for that she was mssing from her Father's House, and n conjecture 

uld be made of wat might becom of her. Don Mario and Lera 

wre surprized at the Ne, for he knew well enough of the Match that 

was deign'd for Julana; and having enquired where the Marque was, it 

was told him, That he was go with Don Fabio and Fabritio toward 

Aurelian's Lodgings Don Mario having assured the Servants that Juliana 

had not been there, dismissed them, and advid with his Son and 

Daughter ho they should undeceive the Marques and Don Fabio in thr 

Expectations of Aurelian. Hippolito could oftentim scarce forbear 

smiling at the old Man's Ctrivances who was mst deceived helf; h 

at length advid them to go all down together to his Lodging, where he 

would present helf before his Father, and ingeuously confes to him 

the truth, and h did not question his approving of hi Choice. 

This was agreed to, and the Coach made ready. While they were 

upo their way, Hippolto pray'd heartily that his Friend Aurelian might be 

at the Lodging, to satisfie Don Mario and Lenora of his Circumstances 

and Quality, when he should be obliged to discover hielf. His 

Petitions were granted; for Don Fabi had beset the House long before hi 

Son was up or Incognita awake. 

Upo the arrival of Don Mario and Hippolito, they heard a great No 

and Hubbub above Stairs, whh Don Mario concluded was occasiod by 

their not finding Aurelian, who h thought h could give the best 

account of: So that it was not i Hippolito's power to dissade him from 

going up before to prepare his Father to receive and forgive him. While 

Hippolito and Leonora were left in the Coach at the Dor, he made 

elf known to hr, and begg'd hr pardon a thousand tim for 

continuing the deceit. She was under so concern at first to find sh 

was still mtaken; but hi Behaviour, and the Reasons he gave, soon 

reconcd h to her; his Person was altogether as agreeable, his Estate 

and Quality not at all inferiour to Aurelian's; in the mean time, the true 

Aurelian wo had seen hs Father, begg'd leave of him to withdraw for a 

mnt; in which ti he wnt into the Camber where his Ingnta was 

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dresg her self, by his degn, in Woan's Apparel, wile he was 

nsulting with her how they should break the matter to his Father; it 

happened that Don Mario cam up Stairs were the Marques and Do 

Fabio were; they undoubtedly conluded him Mad, to hear him making 

Apogies and Excuses for Aurelian, wh he told them if they would 

promise to forgive he would present before them imdiately. Th 

Marquess asked hi if his Daughter had lain with Leonora that Night; he 

ansered h with another question in bealf of Aurelian. In short, they 

could not understand one anothr, but each thought 'tother beside hielf. 

Don Mario was so cocern'd that they would nt belive hi, that he ran 

down Stairs and came to the Door out of Breath, desirig Hippolito that he 

would com into the House quickly, for that h could not perswade his 

Father but that he had already seen and spoke to hi Hippolito by that 

understood that Aurelian was in the House; so taking Lenora by the Hand, 

he foowed Don Mario, who led hi up into the Ding-Room, were 

they found Aurelian upon hi Knees, begging his Father to forgive hi, 

that he could not agree to the Choice he had made for hi, sice he had 

already disposed of himself, and that before he understood the designs he 

had for him, which was the reas that he had hitherto concealed hielf. 

Don Fabio knew not h to answer him, but look'd upo the Marquess, 

and the Marquess upon hi, as if the Cemet had been cool'd wh was 

to have unted thr Families. 

All was silent, and Don Mario for hi part took it to be all Conjurati; 

he was cong forward to preset Hippoito to them, when Aurelian 

spying his Friend, started from his Knees and ran to embrace him--My 

dear Hippoto (said he) what happy chance has brought you hither, just at 

my Necessity? Hippolito pointed to Don Mario and Leonora, and told 

him upon what terms he came. Don Mario was ready to run mad, 

hearing him called Hippoto, and wnt again to examine his Daughter. 

While she was informing hi of the truth, the Marques's Servants 

returned with the meanholy News that h Daughter was n where to be 

found. Wh the Marque and Don Fabritio were wondering at, and 

lamting the Misfortune of her loss, Hippolito came towards Don Fabi 

and itercded for his Son, snce the Lady perhaps had withdrawn her self 

53


out of an Aversion to th Match. Don Fabio, thugh very much incens'd, 

yet forgot not the Respect due to Hippolito's Quality; and by hi 

perswasion spoke to Aurelian, though with a stern Look and angry Voce, 

and asked hi where he had diposed the cause of hi Dibedience, if he 

wre worthy to see her or no; Aurelian made answer, That he desired n 

re than for hi to see her; and he did not doubt a Coquence of h 

Approbation and Forgiveness--Well (said Don Fabio) you are very 

conceited of your own Discretion, let us see this Rarety. While Aurelian 

was gone in for Incognta, the Marquess of Viterbo and Do Fabritio were 

taking their leaves in great disorder for their loss and disappointmt; but 

Don Fabio entreated their stay a mnt longer till the return of his Son. 

Aurelian led Ingnta into the Room veil'd, wo seeing some Company 

there which he had not told her of, would have go back again. But 

Don Fabio came bluntly forwards, and ere she was aware, lifted up her 

Veil and beheld the Fair Ingnita, differing nothng from Juliana, but in 

her Nam This discovery was so extreamy surprizing and wlcome, 

that either Joy or Amazement had tied up the Tongues of the whole 

Company. Aurelian here was most at a loss, for he knew not of his 

Happi; and that whh all along prevented Juliana's confessing her self 

to him, was her knowig Hippoto (for whom she took him) to be 

Aurelian's Friend, and she feared if he had known her, that he would never 

have conted to have deprived him of her. Julana was the first that 

spoke, falling upon hr Knees to hr Father, who was not enough himelf 

to take her up. Don Fabio ran to her, and awakend the Marquess, w 

then embraced her, but culd not yet speak. Fabritio and Leonora strove 

who should first take her in their Arms; for Aurelian h was out of his wts 

for Joy, and Julana was not much behid him, to see ho happiy their 

Loves and Duties were reconciled. Don Fabio embraced his Son and 

forgave hi The Marquess and Fabritio gave Juliana into his hands, h 

received the Blng upon his Knees; all were over-joy'd, and Don Mari 

not a lttle proud at the discovery of his Son-in-Law, whom Aurelian did 

not fail to set forth with all the ardent Zeal and Elquece of Friendsp. 

Julana and Leonora had pleasant Discourse about their unknown and 

mstaken Rivalshp, and it was the Subject of a great deal of Mirth to hear 

54


Julana relate the sveral Contrivan whic she had to avoid Aurelian for 

the sake of Hippolito. 

Having diverted themslves with many Remarks upon the pleasing 

surprize, they all thught it proper to atted upon the Great Duke that 

Morning at the Palace, and to acquaint him with the Novelty of what had 

pass'd; wile, by the way, the tw Young Couple entertained the Company 

wth the Relation of several Particulars of ther Three Days Adventures. 

55

Incognita By Wiliam Congreve

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