ssed well, and he soon had the Discourse all to himself, for
Squire _Paice_ came up, and detained _Father_, while the Doctor and I
walked on. I could not help reflecting how odd it was, that I, whom
Nature had endowed with such a very ordinarie Capacitie, and scarce
anie Taste for Letters, shoulde continuallie be thrown into the
Companie of the cleverest of Men,--first, Mr. _Milton_: then Mr.
_Agnew_; and now, this Doctor _Jeremy Taylor_. But, like the other
two, he is not merely clever, he is Christian and good. How much I
learnt in this short Interview! for short it seemed, though it must
have extended over a good half Hour. He sayd, "Perhaps, young Lady,
the Time may come when you shall find safer Solace in the Exercise of
the Charities than of the Affections. Safer: for, not to consider how
a successfulle or unsuccessfulle Passion for a human Being of like
Infirmities with ourselves, oft stains and darkens and shortens the
Current of Life, even the chastened Love of a Mother for her Child, as
of _Octavia_, who swooned at '_Tu, Marcellus, eris_,'--or of Wives for
their Husbands, as _Artemisia_ and _Laodamia_, sometimes amounting to
Idolatry--nay, the Love of Friend for Friend, with alle its sweet
Influences and animating Transports, yet exceeding the Reasonableness
of that of _David_ for _Jonathan_, or of our blessed _Lord_ for _St.
John_ and the Family of _Lazarus_, may procure far more Torment than
Profit: even if the Attachment be reciprocal, and well grounded, and
equallie matcht, which often it is not. Then interpose human Tempers,
and Chills, and Heates, and Slyghtes fancied or intended, which make
the vext Soul readie to wish it had never existed. How smalle a Thing
is a human Heart! you might grasp it in your little Hand; and yet its
Strifes and Agonies are enough to distend a Skin that should cover the
whole World! But, in the Charities, what Peace! yea, they distill
Sweetnesse even from the Unthankfulle, blessing him that gives more
than him that receives; while, in the Main, they are laid out at better
Interest than our warmest Affections, and bring in a far richer Harvest
of Love and Gratitude. Yet, let our Affections have their fitting
Exercise too, staying ourselves with the Reflection, that there is
greater Happinesse, after alle Things sayd, in loving than in being
loved, save by the _God_ of Love who first loved us, and that they who
dwell in Love dwell in _Him_."

Then he went on to speak o