ct of my Passion was a _Spanish_ young Lady
though of _Irish_ Extraction, her Family Transporting themselves
thither about the middle of Queen _Elizabeth_'s Reign. Now I had two or
three Difficulties to struggle with relating to this Affair: in the
first place, I had not as yet imparted the Secret to the young Lady;
again, my Brother's Example gave me grounds to think I cou'd not avoid a
Quarrel with some of her Relations; but what chiefly frighted me, was
the Plague of Wedding, in case we were both of a Mind, for a keen Hound
is not easily call'd off from a hot Scent, till he has either caught or
lost his Game. In the midst of these Perplexities, I judg'd 'twou'd be a
wise Part to disclose my self to some Persons of Experience in these
Matters; for in all the Skirmishes and Sieges I had been at, they never
threw me into such a Consternation and Absence of Thought; and
accordingly I met with an old Adept in these Affairs. When he heard my
Case, after two or three Turns he approach'd me with the serious Air of
a Physician, and I thinking he had Design to feel my Pulse, I offer'd
him my Hand, which he only shook very gently, saying, Young Man, all the
Comfort I can give you is, that you must buy your Knowledge by
Experience as I and many others have done before you. All Advice is lost
upon a Person in Love. Should I advice you to quit the Enterprize, I
know you would not do it. A Halter or an _East-India_ Voyage may do you
Service in Case you are refused. In a Word, whatever I advised you to
you will certainly do the contrary; However, that you may be said to
have lost your Time in coming hither, hasten to the young Lady, tell her
in a Franck Cavalier way how Things are with you; give all the vent you
can to your Passion; if it blows over, you will be a wary Man hereafter,
if it ends in Wedlock, any Body will inform you of the Consequences.
While the old Gentleman was entertaining me with this Lesson, my Head
grew so dizy, as if some invisible Hand had turn'd it round like a Gigg,
so I left him abruptly, and went directly to my Lodgings to Bed, but to
this Day I cannot tell, whether I went a Foot or in a Coach my Head was
in such a Confusion. The next Morning finding my ideas better rang'd, I
propos'd to seize the first Opportunity to let the Lady understand the
Difficulties I struggled under upon her Account; but the Nature of our
Visits was such, that I cou'd not do it any otherwise than by Letter:
Thus when I had once br