A Discovery of New Worlds/To Monsieur de L—
TO
Monsieur de L———
SIR,
You expect I shou'd give you an exact Account in what manner I pass'd my Time in the Country, at the Castle of Madam the Marquiese of ——— but I am afraid this Account will enlarge it self to a Volume, and that which is worse, to a Volume of Philosophy, while you, perhaps, expect to hear of Feasting, Parties at play, and Hunting-matches. No, Sir; you will hear of nothing but Planets, Worlds and Tourbillions, nor has there been any other things discours'd on. Perhaps you are a Philosopher, and will not believe my Discourse, so ridiculous as it may appear to the less Learned; and possibly, you will be glad to hear that I have drawn Madam the Marquiese into our Party: We cou'd not have made an Advantage more considerable, since I always esteem'd Youth and Beauty as things of great value. If Wisdom her self wou'd appear to Mankind, with a Design to be well received, she wou'd not do ill to assume the Form and Resemblance of Madam the Marquiese; and cou'd she be so agreeable in her Conversation, I assure you, all the World wou'd run after her Precepts. You must not expect to hear Wonders, when I shall make you a Relation of the Discourse I had with this beautiful Lady; and I ought to have as much Wit as her self, to repeat all she said in the same graceful manner she express'd it; however, I hope to make you sensible of the Readiness of her Genius, in comprehending all things; for my part, I esteem her perfectly witty, since she is so with the most Facility in the World. Perhaps you will be apt to say, that her Sex must needs be wanting in those Perfections which adorn ours, because they do not read so much. But what signifies the reading of so many vast Volumes over, since there are a great many Men who have made that the Business of their whole Lives, to whom, if I durst, I wou'd scarce allow the Knowledge of any thing? As for the rest, you will be oblig'd to me. I know, before I begin to open the Conversation I had with Madam the Marquiese, I ought, of Course, to describe to you the Castle, whither she was retir'd, to pass the Autumn. People are apt, on such Occasions, to make very large Descriptions, but I'll be more favourable to you. Let it suffice, that when I arriv'd there, I found no Company, which I was very glad of: The two first Days there pass'd nothing remarkable, but our Time was spent in discoursing of the News of Paris, from whence I came: After this, pass'd those Entertainments which, in the Sequel, I will impart to you. I will divide our Discourse therefore into Nights, because, indeed, we had none, but in the Nights.