"This little, pleasant Laundschip of Love, by its own destiny and mine, belongs moat properly to your fair eyes, and hands, and happier laps. And then, who would not lay his legge over a book; although that, sometimes, has been the complaint of a Schollar's solitude? But hold! There is nothing here to that purpose, but what Lycænium taught her Schollar in the Wood: Here Cupid is a Shepherd: Pan, a Souldier: Chloe, a maid, of whom Love would write a storie: a Youth, the Darling of the Nymphs: Love caught robbing an Orchard; and his own Herald from a Myrtle Grove. Here are Pipes that drown Pirats; others reduceing a Captive maid; pastorall Festivalls, and Games. The ceremonies, customes, and manners of the ancient Greekes; with a delightfull interspersion of their old and sweet Tales: And in short; nothing to vex you, unlesse perchance, in your own conscience. Chloe knew well enough (though the Author makes her simple) what, and where, her Fancie was; and Daphnis too, needed not Lycænium's Lanthorn to a plakit, or to follow Will with the wispe. But hark you Lady; and I will tell you a storie; one I had at a Tavern vesper; a Dialogue from a Summer shade. A boy, and a Girle were gott thither together: The boy opened his shop, and drew out all a young beginner had to show: The Girle askt him, what it was: The boy said, It was his purse: the Girlie looked upon her selfe; And, if that be thy purse; Then (quoth she) my purse is curt. And these are parallells to the simple ruralls here. But what say you to that Tradition of the Hebrewes; That a very wise man, knew not the way of a Serpent upon a Rock, nor of a young man with a maid? And those that say, Nicaula Sabæa had like to have puzzled him quite, with Boyes and Girles in the same dresse, but that he made them wash before him, and found out (as you do) all the Boyes, by a stronger kind of rubbing. But besides; it is so like your owne either simplicitie, or Art, you cannot but approve it here. You do not know what we meane, when we speak as plain as day. And now you have an Author too (which you never had before) to prove you do not counterfeit; The sophist in his third book; a man of great Authoritie; a Magistrate among the maids. For this, I have deserved a kisse of every sweet ingenious Girle; and if I find that this book lyes nearer to you, then the other Romances do, those of the affected twirling tongue; I shall trie, either to find, or ideate, somewhat for you, that for its various invention, intertexture, and the style; shall be composed, examin'd, and sent to your hands, by the test of Musick, beautie, Pleasure, and Love."
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, Daphnis & Chloe (1657), "Epistle Dedicatory: To Young Beauties"
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Daphnis_and_Chloe
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