sellers Shops at _Paris_ for some choice
new Tracts, to add to those which I shall receive from _Holland_,
but found nothing good besides what I have already sent thee, except
two little. Romances that are lately come out. The first is
intitled, _Les Egaremens du Coeur & de l'Esprit_; the Author of
which I have already made mention of in my former Letters.[13] He
writes in a pure Stile, understands Human Nature, and he lays the
Heart of Man open with a great deal of Clearness and Justice: But in
this Work he has fallen into an Error, which he has often condemn'd
in the Writings of others. He makes it plain to the Reader, that he
affects to be witty; and there are some Passages where Nature is
sacrificed to the false Glare. But this Error, which is not common,
is repair'd by a thousand Beauties. The Author of this Romance
paints rather than writes Things; and the Pictures he draws strike
the Imagination with Pleasure. Do but consider if it be possible to
define the first Surprize of a Heart with more Justness and
Clearness. _Without searching into the Motive of my Action, I
managed, I interpreted her Looks; I endeavour'd to make her least
Motions my Lessons. So much Obstinacy in not losing Sight of her
made me at last taken notice of by her. She looked upon me in her
turn, I fix'd her without knowing it, and during the Charm with
which I was captivated whether I wou'd or not, I know not what my
Eyes told her, but she turn'd hers away with a sort of Blush._

None but a Man who was at that Juncture, or had been formerly, in
Love cou'd, with so much Truth and Delicacy, have painted all the
Motions of the Soul. Genius, Wit, and Learning cannot draw Pictures
so much to the Life, it being a Point to which the Heart alone can
attain. When I say the Heart, I mean a tender Heart, and one that is
in such Situations. The following is the Character of a Prude in
Love. _Being not to be depended upon in her Proceedings, she was a
perpetual Mixture of Tenderness and Severity: She seem'd to yield
only to be the more obstinate in her Opposition. If she thought she
had, by what she said, disposed me to entertain any sort of Hopes,
being on the Watch how to disappoint me, she presently resum'd that
Air which had made me so often tremble, and left me nothing to
trust to but a melancholy Uncertainty_. One cannot help being struck
with the Truth and Nature which, prevail in this Character. Without
an Acquaintance with the World, and a perfec