literary
circles. We find it advertised in _Mercurius Politicus_, 19th January
1654:--"_Parthenissa_, that most famous romance, composed by the Lord
Broghill, and dedicated to the Lady Northumberland." It is a romance of
the style of _Cleopatre_ and _Cyrus_, to enjoy which in the nineteenth
century would require a curious and acquired taste. _L'illustre Bassa_
was a romance of Scuderi; and the passage in the epistle to which
Dorothy refers,--we quote it from a translation by one Henry Cogan,
1652,--runs as follows: "And if you see not my hero persecuted with love
by women, it is not because he was not amiable, and that he could not be
loved, but because it would clash with civility in the persons of
ladies, and with true resemblance in that of men, who rarely show
themselves cruel unto them, nor in doing it could have any good grace."

SIR,--The lady was in the right. You are a very pretty gentleman and a
modest; were there ever such stories as these you tell? The best on't
is, I believe none of them unless it be that of my Lady Newport, which I
must confess is so like her that if it be not true 'twas at least
excellently well fancied. But my Lord Rich was not caught, tho' he was
near it. My Lady Devonshire, whose daughter his first wife was, has
engaged my Lord Warwick to put a stop to the business. Otherwise, I
think his present want of fortune, and the little sense of honour he
has, might have been prevailed on to marry her.

'Tis strange to see the folly that possesses the young people of this
age, and the liberty they take to themselves. I have the charity to
believe they appear very much worse than they are, and that the want of
a Court to govern themselves by is in great part the cause of their
ruin; though that was no perfect school of virtue, yet Vice there wore
her mask, and appeared so unlike herself that she gave no scandal. Such
as were really discreet as they seemed to be gave good example, and the
eminency of their condition made others strive to imitate them, or at
least they durst not own a contrary course. All who had good principles
and inclinations were encouraged in them, and such as had neither were
forced to put on a handsome disguise that they might not be out of
countenance at themselves. 'Tis certain (what you say) that where divine
or human laws are not positive we may be our own judges; nobody can
hinder us, nor is it in itself to be blamed. But, sure, it is not safe
to take all liberty t