Anonymous

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

London

Printed for R. Bentley

1693

"My Spanish Mistress, upon this very occasion, told me a Story of a Spartan Boy, who having stolen a young Fox, and hidden him under his Gown, rather than be discovered, kept him there till he tore out his Bowels: So it is with the English Ladies, if once Love enters into their Breasts, though, like that Fox, it prey upon their Hearts, yet out of Modesty they keep it secret; and though the closer it is hid, it gnaws the fiercer, yet, like the poor proud Boy, they hug it to 'em, and conceal it till it ruins them."

Perhaps this Company, and more particularly that part of it which is of my own Sex, may censure this freedom in me, and think it too much openness in a Maid, to discover things of such privacy in a publick audience, which the rest of Woman-kind make their Closet-secrets; out my Spanish Mistress, upon this very occasion, told me a Story of a Spartan Boy, who having stolen a young Fox, and hidden him under his Gown, rather than be discovered, kept him there till he tore out his Bowels: So it is with the English Ladies, if once Love enters into their Breasts, though, like that Fox, it prey upon their Hearts, yet out of Modesty they keep it secret; and though the closer it is hid, it gnaws the fiercer, yet, like the poor proud Boy, they hug it to 'em, and conceal it till it ruins them: But the Spaniards, and those of my Country, who are in a hotter Clime, tye not themselves up to such cold, such rigid Rules of Honour: Your Love, like your Winter Sun, is so clouded, that those he should shine on are never the better for him; ours is so hot and predominant, that there is nothing can cover him: Now you your selves cannot give a good reason for this nice piece of Modesty, which allows you to take a fancy to a fine Dog, a fine Horse, or any thing else that is handsome, only Man, which is the stateliest, gayest Creature of all, you must not own a regard for: Sure this Tyrannical custom was founded at first by some old decrepid Matrons, that were past the enjoyment of Love themselves; for Nature, that has allowed you the publick freedom of all other pleasures of life, would never consent to disgrace this sweetest of all: Whence comes it then, that tho' most of you are fond of it, yet you manage it so secretly, as if it were Treason to our Sex to own it? While I am in England I should dissemble, like the English; but pardon me for once, if I break this general rule, in searching for a Lover, whom I can never find, but by discovering my self wherever I come, that some of those who hear me, may chance to bring the same story to his Ears, that so he may find me again. [...]
(pp. 71-73)

Animals::Fox Animals::Preying

C-H Lion

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

06/17/2013