 | Love's Dominion |  |
18
SCENE II.
Philena, Bellinda.Phi.
My dear Bellinda! and where have you bin so long
Without Philena! to call me your life, and live
So long without me! to call me your heart, and make
Me such a stranger to your breast! trust me 'tis most
Unkindly, most unnaturally don.
Bel.
Sweetest Philena, until my heart was all
Repleat with bitterness, I call'd you my heart indeed;
And till I was a weary of my life,
I esteem'd you as my life; but now all the joy,
Delight, and Comfort lost, Bellinda has
My heart and life, being all comfited
In bitterness and woe,
It is not fit I longer call you so.
Phi.
A sad Complement, this Bellinda, and such
A little shu'd have attended from so dear a friend:
Complements in friendship being like Sinister bars
In Haraldry, but marks of Bastardice;
Why serve friends, but when cares and woes molest,
To lighten th'heavy burthen of our breast?
But to be confident w'ye, I much suspect
You are not so with me, and that ther's somewhat
Of Artifice in't, you decline my company
So much; and make me not partaker of
Your secret thoughts.
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Of all I know, I will,
And do Philena; but the gods know ther's
Somewhat in my brest I do not know my self;
You who are my heart, divine it if you can.
Phi.
Nay if you know it not, how should your heart
That's but a part of you? But give me leave
Bellinda to admire, that in so general a
Commotion and solicitude for you,
You shou'd appear so little solicitous,
So little mov'd, and so unconcern'd to day, whilst all
Are concern'd so much for you; Trust me 'tis
A Temper, or above, or below humanity.
Bel.
I'll tell thee Philena, I have considered,
That of all Creatures, Man's the most ingenious
In's own own affliction, and in's consolation the
Most dull; and that i'th navigation of
This life, in this frail barque of ours, where th'Gods
Are Pilots, and the World the Sea, our solicitude
For the future no more avails
Than that of every common Passenger, how
The ship is govern'd: Whence I conclude that best
Way for our quiets and rest,
Is to leave all our solicitude to the Gods,
To whom w'are dearer than w'are unto our selves,
They having a hundred times more tender care of us;
And this 'tis now makes me for the future no more solicitous,
Phi.
This Bellinda for our sex
Is high Philosophy, but the gods making
20
Should hinder you to day to make a fair
And noble one of yours? and but declare
You love Euphanes, as already you have declar'd,
If any one in th'Isle you love it shall be he.
Bell.
And so I do again, let that suffice,
And seek not Philena, I prithy, to advance
An unprofitable knowledge, Time will, but too soon,
Accelarat, and bring to light.
Phi.
Ay me! what says my frend?
Bell.
To explicate
My meaning clearer, too soon, for you I mean,
Are intrest by your Goodness and Gentleness
So far in my Affairs, you necessarily must
Or lose a friend, or Lover by't.
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