Olinda's Adventures: or the Amours of a Young Lady

by Catharine Trotter

  [Decoration]

  LETTER III.

  _My Friend_,

  THE Reflections you made upon my two last are so Just, so Profitable,and so Pleasant, that thro' them I see the Author's great Capacity, thatcan make so good use of such little things; and while I read, bless mykind Fate that made you my Friend, when the Good and Wise are so scarce;and wonder how so particular a Blessing came to be my Lot; which morethan doubly satisfies for all I suffer'd by _Clarinda_'s falseness. Ibelieve you think it strange I never mention'd her, in any of thePassages of my Life, since it was before many that I have told you of,that I knew and lov'd her: But I could not have Nam'd her without someMarks of kindness, that I either show'd, or receiv'd from her, which Iwould willingly forget, and cou'd not now speak of her, but when I putyour Friendship in compensation with her Ingratitude. But since I amfall'n upon this Subject, I will let you know a little better than youdo, the only Woman that I ever trusted, not with any Secret, for you seeI then had none of consequence; but with my Love, and in that shebetray'd me. Her Sister often told me, she was sorry to see so sincere aFriendship bestow'd upon one that knew so little how to Value it; that_Clarinda_ was the same to all, which she pretended to be only for me:That she was always fondest of her new acquaintance, and wou'dSacrifice, or Ridicule the Old, the better to Caress 'em: But I knewthere had been some Quarrels betwixt them, and therefore wou'd notbelieve it, till I found it too true; and then my partiality for her,chang'd into as great an Error on the other hand, for I involv'd thewhole Sex in her Faults, and with _Aristotle_ (I hope one may condemnones self with _Aristotle_) Repented that I had ever Trusted a Woman. Idon't know whether I forgot I was one, or whither I had the Vanity tothink my self more perfect than the rest; but I resolv'd none of the Sexwas capable of Friendship; and continu'd in that Opinion till I knew_Ambrisia_, who (if one may judge by the Rule of Contraries, convincesme of injustice) for she is just _Clarinda_'s Antipodes. _Clarinda_loves new Faces, and professes a particular kindness at first sight;_Ambrisia_ is a long time before she goes beyond Civility, and neverdoes but to those whom she has well observ'd, and found 'em Worthy:_Clarinda_ will Rail at one Friend to engage another: _Ambrisia_ canthear an innocent person, tho' her Enemy, accus'd without defending 'em:_Clarinda_ will be one day fond to extravagance, and the next asindifferent for the same person: _Ambrisia_ is always the same, andwhere once she loves, she never changes: _Clarinda_ is easily angry:_Ambrisia_ is perhaps too mild. _Clarinda_ has Wit indeed, but 'tis nottemper'd by Judgment, so that it makes her often do, and say a hundredthings that call her discretion in question: _Ambrisia_ has a Solid andpiercing Judgment, one wou'd thing all she says was the Result ofpremeditation, she speaks such Wise and such surprizing things, and yether Answers are so ready, that one wou'd Swear she did not think at all;her Actions are always most regular; I believe she never cou'd accuseher self of an imprudent one. This is a true and unprejudic'd Characterof both; and if you wonder how I cou'd love a Woman with such grossFaults, I must tell you, some of them I did not know then; some Iexcus'd, for I did not expect perfection, and some my partial kindnessmade me cover with the Name of some Neighbouring Virtue. You know,_Ambrisia_ has as great advantages of _Clarinda_ in Body as in Mind: Ihave often heard you praise her outward Beauty, and now I have shew'dyou the Beauties of her Soul, tho' they are far greater than I canexpress, give me leave to wish her yours. Forgive me if I mingle alittle self-Interest in my wishes for you, I can't resist a thought ofjoy for the hopes of finding two Noble Friends in one, by such a happyUnion: Think of it _Cleander_; you only deserve one another. I know youwill bid me take your advice, and shew you the way; but I shall tell youthings that will convince you, my refusal is reasonable. I was justfifteen years old when a particular Friend of my Mothers buried herHusband; whose Grief was so great, that my Mother durst hardly leaveher; she staid with her Night and Day, and manag'd all her Affairs forher. She went to _Cloridon_'s, who had had a Friendship for theDeceas'd; (for they were forc'd to make use of that, and his Authorityin a business, wherein the Widdow had lik'd to be wrong'd) but Men ofhis Quality are not always at Leisure, and must be waited on; so thattho' my Mother went two or three times, she did not see him, and havingother Affairs of her own, and her Friends in hand, besides being oblig'dto be much with her, she cou'd not Watch his Hours: However 'twas athing of too great consequence to be neglected: So she Writ a Letter tohim, and Order'd me to carry it, and to deliver it into his own Hand. Iwent often to his Lodgings before I cou'd speak with him, and carry'd_Clarinda_ with me: At last I was appointed an hour when I shou'dcertainly meet with him, and she happen'd to be so engag'd, she cou'dnot possibly go with me. I knew no body else I cou'd use so much freedomwith, and was forc'd to go alone. I did not wait long before I wasadmitted, and he approach'd me with that awful Majesty which is peculiarto him; and that commands respect from all that see him. Whilst he heheld the Letter I gave him, I look'd at him sometimes; but still I methis Eyes, so that I cou'd not view him well, tho' I saw enough to thinkhim the Charming'st Man in the World: He ask'd my Name, and whoseDaughter I was? which when I told him, he said he knew my Father verywell; that he was a Worthy Man, and that for his sake he wou'd do anything for me that lay within his Power. I thank'd him, tho' I took itfor a Courtier's Complement, and desir'd an Answer to the business Icame about. _I will go my self instantly_, says he, _to see what can bedone in it, and give you an Account of it in the Afternoon; but there'sso much Company at my Lodgings, that 'tis not a convenient place foryou: Can't you come somewhere else?_ Yes my Lord, _says I_, veryinnocently, where you please: _if you will be in a Hackney Coach then,at Five a Clock by_ Covent-Garden _Church, I will come to you, and letyou know what I can do for your Friend_. I told him I would, and wentaway very well satisfy'd with him, for I had no apprehensons of anydesign, from a Man of his Character. You know all the World thinks himthe fondest Husband upon Earth, and that he never had a thought of anyWoman but his Wife, since he Marry'd her. This made me secure, and I didnot fail to go at the appointed hour. My Mother knew nothing of it tillafterwards; for I did not see her that day. When he came to me, he toldme, what he had done; inform'd himself of some things that werenecessary for him to know, that related to the business, and assur'd mehe wou'd do the Widow Justice. Then he renew'd his Promise to me withProtestations, that I shou'd command him as far as his Authority orInterest cou'd go; and beg'd me to make use of him either for myRelations, or my self, when ever I had occasion. After he had made mesome Speeches of my Wit and Beauty, we parted, and as soon as I saw myMother, I told her all that pass'd between us. She was extreamly pleas'dto have so great a Man her Friend; especially, one that she had noReason to suspect of any ill Design, since he had taken no advantage ofso favourable an opportunity as I had given him to discover himself, ifhe had any; nor had not so much as desir'd to continue theCorrespondence. The next day the business was concluded more to oursatisfaction than was expected. Sometime after this, a Gentleman of myMothers acquaintance told her, he had a mind for a Commission in theArmy, and that he would give a considerable sum of Money to any Bodythat would procure it. My Mother said she'd try her Interest, and mademe Write to _Cloridon_ about it. He sent me an obliging Answer, anddesir'd to see me at the same Place where we met before, that I mightgive him an exact Account of the Person I recommended, and Answer someQuestions about him more particularly than I cou'd do by Writing. I didso in the first part of our Conversation; and then he began to talk ofthe many ills that Attend greatness, of which he said Flattery was thechief; for it was the greatest Unhappiness to be sooth'd in ones Faults:_But_ Olinda, continu'd he, _in you I see all that Sincerity andIngenuity that is requisite for a Friend, and I shou'd think my selfvery Happy, if you wou'd let me see you sometimes; if you wou'd tell meof my Faults, and what the World says of me_. You Honour me to much myLord, _says I_, but you have taken such care to make all Virtues yourown, that there's no room left for Flattery, or Correction. To be short,after a great many Compliments of this Nature he told me, 'twou'd be
anAct of so great goodness, that he was sure I cou'd not deny him. Butwhat will the World think, _says I_, of such private Meetings? _Ifneither you, nor I, tell it, it won't be known_, says he, _as it shouldif I came to Visit: you. So that I may have the same Innocent Pleasureof seeing you, which you wou'd not deny me in Publick, without makingany Noise: And since I assure you I have only a Friendship for you, itcan't shock your Virtue_. I neither granted, nor deny'd him his Request;for I did not know whither I shou'd do the first, and cou'd not resolveto do the last; both because it might be a hindrance to our business,and because I was very well pleas'd with his Conversation. Nothing cou'dbe more agreeable; he is a Man of as much Sense, and as great Address,as any I ever knew: But what is more to be commended and wondred at in aStatesman, he never promis'd any thing that he did not perform. He gaveme his Word for the Commission I desir'd; appointed me a day when Ishou'd meet him to receive it; and kept it punctually. These were suchgreat Obligations, that I cou'd not but have some acknowledgments for'em. There was nothing talk'd of in our House, but _Cloridon_'sGenerosity; and about that time, all the Town rung of some great Actionshe had then perform'd: So that all things Contributed to encrease myEsteem of him. I Writ him a Letter of Thanks, and he told me in hisAnswer, that he desir'd no other Recompence for all he cou'd do for me,but to see me sometimes. I consider'd, that there was no danger inseeing a Man, that was so great a Lover of his Lady; and that profess'donly a Friendship for me: That if ever he shou'd change, I cou'd easilyforbear it, and that whatever happen'd, my Virtue was a sufficientGuard. So I consented to it, without letting my Mother know any thing ofit. But I must delay telling you what these secret Meetings produc'd;for time and Paper fails me, and will scarce give me leave to assure youthat I am

  _Your tenderest Friend_

  Olinda.