ially Strangers. All the Men
of Wit and Conversation meet at the Apartments of these fair _Filles
Devotes_, where all Manner of Gallantries are perform'd, while all the
Study of these Maids is to accomplish themselves for these noble
Conversations. They receive Presents, Balls, Serenades, and Billets; All
the News, Wit, Verses, Songs, Novels, Musick, Gaming, and all fine
Diversion, is in their Apartments, they themselves being of the best
Quality and Fortune. So that to manage these Gallantries, there is no
sort of Female Arts they are not practis'd in, no Intrigue they are
ignorant of, and no Management of which they are not capable.

Of this happy Number was the fair _Miranda_, whose Parents being dead,
and a vast Estate divided between her self and a young Sister, (who
liv'd with an unmarry'd old Uncle, whose Estate afterwards was all
divided between 'em) she put her self into this uninclos'd religious
House; but her Beauty, which had all the Charms that ever Nature gave,
became the Envy of the whole _Sisterhood_. She was tall, and admirably
shaped; she had a bright Hair, and Hazle-Eyes, all full of Love and
Sweetness: No Art could make a Face so fair as hers by Nature, which
every Feature adorn'd with a Grace that Imagination cannot reach: Every
Look, every Motion charm'd, and her black Dress shew'd the Lustre of her
Face and Neck. She had an Air, though gay as so much Youth could
inspire, yet so modest, so nobly reserv'd, without Formality, or
Stiffness, that one who look'd on her would have imagin'd her Soul the
Twin-Angel of her Body; and both together made her appear something
divine. To this she had a great deal of Wit, read much, and retain'd all
that serv'd her Purpose. She sung delicately, and danc'd well, and
play'd on the Lute to a Miracle. She spoke several Languages naturally;
for being Co-heiress to so great a Fortune, she was bred with the nicest
Care, in all the finest Manners of Education; and was now arriv'd to her
Eighteenth Year.

'Twere needless to tell you how great a Noise the Fame of this young
Beauty, with so considerable a Fortune, made in the World: I may say,
the World, rather than confine her Fame to the scanty Limits of a Town;
it reach'd to many others: And there was not a Man of any Quality that
came to _Antwerp_, or pass'd thro' the City, but made it his Business to
see the lovely _Miranda_, who was universally ador'd: Her Youth and
Beauty, her Shape, and Majesty of Mein, and Air of