Page:The female Quixote, or, The adventures of Arabella (Second Edition).pdf/246

 what so mortally offends them: But when a Lady sees a Man every Day, who by his Looks, Sighs, and Solicitude to please her, by his numberless Services and constant Attendance of her, makes it evident, that his Soul is possessed with a violent Passion for her; I say, when a Lady sees, and yet will not see, all this, and persists in using a passionate Adorer with all the Indifference due to a Man wholly insensible of the Power of her Charms; what must he do in such a mortifying Situation, but make known his Torments to her that occasions them, in order to prevail upon her to have some Sense of what he does and feels hourly for her sake?

But since he gains nothing by the Discovery of his Passion, resumed Arabella; but, on the contrary, loses the Advantages he was before possessed of, which were very great, since he might see and discourse with his Mistress every Day; and, haply, have the Honour to do her a great many petty Services, and receive some of her Commands; all these Advantages he loses, when he declares he loves: And truly, I think, a Man who is so unwise as to hazard a certain Happiness for a very improbable Hope, deserves to be punished, as well for his Folly as Presumption; and, upon both these Accounts, Banishment is not too rigorous a Sentence.