1

Dinner; and Alphonfo, who had a perfect Efteem for her, endeavour'd to bring her into it by this little Raillery. It is easy to be seen, faid he, that the amiable Flo inda has not a Heart in the fame Pofition ours are, elfe would the appear in the fame agreeable Languishments which are the Effects of Tenderness. She forced herfelf to smile at this gallant Reproach, and anfwer'd him in this Manner, Well, cry'd fhe, to oblige Alphonfo, and to become more like the rest of this charming Society, I do affure you, that whenever I meet with a Man such as I wish to find, I will willingly submit to wear the Chains you speak of. I could easily engage you to it, then refumed he, if a Friend of mine were here, who is one of the moft lovely and accomplish'd Cavaliers in the World.--I expected to meet him at Paris fome time ago, but I now begin to despair of ever seeing him; but if I could defcribe him fuch as he really is, you would be convinced that the Univerfe out of this Company cannot afford the Equal of Neandre, før that is his Name.

A

Ar these Words, all the Company defir'd Alphonfo to give them a Defcription of this complete Cavalier. Tho' I cannot, anfwer'd he, do it without wronging him, because he has Charms fo peculiar to himself, that one can have no Notion of them without feeing him, yet will I do my utmost to make you fenfible I have not feem'd to think him worthy of Florinda without Reafon. He is about the Age of twenty eight, pretty near the Stature of Orophanes; that is to fay, not too little to be graceful, nor too tall, perfectly well fhaped; and has an Air and Mien, which at the firft Sight infpires you both with Efteem and Love; Eyes which feem to penetrate into the Soul of the Perfon on whom they look; a most delicate Complexion, which is fet off to great Advantage, by the great Quantity of fine black Hair which falls in the most beautiful Curls down on each Side of his Face, and covers his Shoulders. Then, as to the Improvement of Education; he fings, dances, fences, performs all Manner of Exercifes becoming a young Man of Quality, with an admirable Dexterity:

But

But for the Character of his Heart, I need only fay, that he is justly worthy to make one of this Affembly; he is brave without boafting, witty without Lightness, wife without Aufterity; he is tender, generous, conftant, and, in fine, wholly incapable of any Sentiments but fuch as are noble and elevated.

ALPHONSO had no fooner ceas'd fpeaking, than the Mouth of every one was open to wifh they were of the Acquaintance of this agreeable Perfon; but the Defcription of him was too touching to Florinda, to fuffer her to make any immediate Reply: She found fuch an Agreement between this Defcription, and that The would have given of Lifarque, that the thought it could be made for no other Perfon; fhe durft not, however, afk in what Part of the World it was, he had known this accomplish'd Gentleman, for fear of giving him room to guess the Secret of her Soul. The whole time of Dinner was taken up in this Difcourfe, after which they adjourned to the Closet of Books ; but they had scarcely feated themfelves, before one came to let Orophanes know, there was a Cavalier who would not be feen by any but himself, and attended to fpeak with him in his Apartment: On which he immediately went, leaving his Friends in fome Surprize who it could be.

OROPHANES, full of the Defcription Alphonfo had given of Neandre, was furpriz'd to find himself embrac'd by a Gentleman perfectly refembling that Character; but mov'd by a fecret Impulfe from within, return'd his Careffes with Pleasure. You know me not, faid the charming Stranger; but, continued he, prefenting him with a Letter, this will inform you of a Man to whom you are extremely dear, and who ardently wishes to become fo to you. Thefe Words made Orophanes, in part, guefs the Truth; and regarding the Unknown with Eyes in which Joy was vifibly painted, You cannot be ignorant, faid he, of the Influence your Prefence must have over all Hearts capable of judging Worth: There requires no more to make you be beloved, than to be feen; but as I paffionately long

to

to know if you are the Perfon I imagine, permit me to examine the Contents of this Letter, wherein I fee the Characters of a Father, whofe leaft Commands to me are facred. With thefe Words he open'd it, and read with a loud Voice thefe Lines:

H

TO OROPHANES.

EAVEN, fenfible of my Griefs and your generous Sentiments, has reftor'd me a Son, and you a Brother; it is be, my dear Orophanes, who brings you this Letter; it is that Erafmus whom your tender Care, and Complaisance for me, has made you fearch in vain for this eight Years. I conjure you to love and acknowledge him for your Brother. He is worthy, and I can never too much acknowledge the Bounty of Providence, in giving me two Sons, to whom I think it an Honour to be Father. I leave to bimfelf the Recital of his AdDentures. Adieu. I wait with Impatience to bear of your meeting.

Your affectionate Father,

OROPHANES.

He had no fooner come to the Conclufion, than he threw himself into the Arms of Erafmus, unable by any other Marks to teftify a Joy, which was too great for Words; but when it got Liberty to vent itself, Erafmus, my dear Erafmus, faid he, be affur'd there is nothing I will omit to make you happy; and with a double Pleasure I fhall do it, because at the fame time, I imagine, I fhall alfo oblige a fair Lady very dear to her, whom Heaven and my Inclinations have made my Wife; for I am more than half perfuaded, I fee Lifarque in the Perfon of Erafmus.

ERASMUS feem'd aftonifh'd at the Mention of that Name, but confefs'd that he had borne it at Poitou. There needed no more. Orophanes was now affur'd his Conjectures were juft, and immediately repeated to him all that Felicia had learn'd from Florinda, but, faid

he

he, I will defire to know nothing of what has befallen you, till I hear it in the Prefence of fome People, who long to see you with an Impatience almoft equal to my own. With thefe Words he took him by the Hand, and led him to the Library. The Sight of him produced Effects as ftrange as they were different: Alphonfo ran to him with open Arms crying out, Neandre! Florinda fell into a Swoon, pronouncing the Name of Lifarque; and Orophanes was prefenting him to them by that of Erafmus; and never was a Company compos'd of ten Perfons in fuch a general Confufion. They ran to the Affiftance of Florinda; Camilla cry'd out to know the Meaning of what the faw; Alphonfo demanded the Reafon of his being called Erafmus; and that tender and faithful Lover had all the Pains in the World to get loose from their Arms to throw himself at the Feet of Florinda, whom Urania and Felicia had just recover'd from her fainting. With much ado having reach'd that dear Object of his unalterable Affection, Yes, faid he, most adorable Florinda, I am that happy Lisarque whom you once favour'd with your 'kindeft Sentiments, and who has never been guilty of any thing to forfeit them except in Appearance; but if my Abfence and my Silence have rendered me criminal, the Caufe which compeli'd me to feem fo, I know will ferve for my Juftification, when you fhall vouchfafe to hear it.-Florinda, my dear Florinda, continued he, I never ceas'd to adore; reftore me to that Heaven of your Affections which I once poffefs'd; and destroy not the Joy of Orophanes by finding in his Brother, a Man unworthy of the glorious Titles of your Lover and your Husband.

A PROFOUND Silence was kept all the time Erafmus was speaking; and Urania and Felicia, who were at no trouble to comprehend this Adventure, prefs'd Florinda to give him fome Teftimony of Forgivenefs: Will you, faid the latter of these Ladies, taking her in her Arms, poifon the Sweets of that Hope we lately conceiv'd of your Alliance, by difdaining Lifarque, now he is known to be Erafmus, and the Brother of Orophanes? No, anfwer'd the, returning her Embraces, I pardon Eraf

mus

mus all the Faults of Lifarque. Compleat then my Happinefs, divine Florinda, cry'd he, taking one of her Hands, and tenderly preffing it between his, it is not enough that you have pardon'd me a Crime, which you will foon find was no more than imaginary, you must also love me; nor need you blush to avow it for a Hufband, who has never been other than your Lover. Uran'a, Thelamont, Orophanes, and Felicia, join'd with Erafmus in their tender Sollicitations; and Florinda, wholly vanquish'd, letting herself fall gently into his Arms, Cruel, faid the to him, if I had not always lov'd you, the Belief of your Inconftancy had not been fo terrible to me, nor had your Prefence fill'd me with this Pleasure. It is impoffible to exprefs what Erafmus felt at thefe Words; but he testify'd by a thousand Transports, that nothing could be more fincere and ardent that his Affection.

He was, however, conftrain'd to moderate them, to fatisfy the Impatience of the Company, who demanded, without ceafing, an Explanation of this Enigma. Alphonfo could not for his Soul comprehend the Reasons of what he faw; and to find Florinda fo far engag'd to a Man, and that that Man fhould be the Brother of Orophanes, were things fo ftrange to Camilla, that all that one can think of wonder, was mean to what fhe felt. Felicia, at the Defire of Florinda, recited to the Company all the knew of this Adventure, and having finish'd it, conjur'd Erafmus to continue it, in recounting thofe things which no other than himself had the Power of revealing, Which Requeft he immediately complying with, began in these Terms.

The Hiftory of ERASMUS.

HO' the beautiful Felicia has finish'd her Difcourfe at the Departure of Florinda from Poitou, I am oblig'd to go back, faid he, for your better underftanding thofe things which are to enfue. Oronte, for

that