Anonymous

Vertue Rewarded; or, the Irish Princess. A New Novel

London

Printed for R. Bentley

1693

"O Love, thou most dangerous Distemper of the Soul! most dangerous because we do not perceive Thee, till Thou art too far gone to be cured: Thou subtle Enemy! who takest the strongest Hearts, because Thou always usest Surprise; and undermining our Reason, never appearest in the light, till Thou art too far enter'd to be driven out."

He found himself tired with Travelling, and desirous of rest, yet incapable of taking any: He found his Thoughts much disorder'd, and went to Bed to see whether Sleep would compose them: His Soul, like the Bodies of those that have the Rheumatism, seemed very weary; yet as their Limbs are still uneasie, though on the softest Beds, so was his Mind; and coveted sleep as much as their Limbs do rest, and could as little obtain it. O Love, thou most dangerous Distemper of the Soul! most dangerous because we do not perceive Thee, till Thou art too far gone to be cured: Thou subtle Enemy! who takest the strongest Hearts, because Thou always usest Surprise; and undermining our Reason, never appearest in the light, till Thou art too far enter'd to be driven out: 'Twas thus, Treacherous Deity, Thou didst overcome our Prince, by attacking him when he least was aware of Thee; he little feared Hostility in a Town which he enter'd as a Friend; nor did he expect that one, and that of the weaker Sex, should offer him Violence at the head of his Battalion. He suspected the true Cause so little, that he wonder'd at his own inquietude, and could not imagine what it was that could keep him awake on a soft Bed, who used to sleep so sound in the Camp on a hard Quilt, and often on the Ground: However, awake he lay all night, and did not once close his Eyes, till day-light shone in at his Window [...]
(pp. 13-4)

War::Siege

C-H Lion

Vertue Rewarded; or, the Irish Princess. A New Novel (London: Printed for R. Bentley, 1693)

06/17/2013