By Aphra Behn
FRANKWIT and Wildvill， were two young Gentlemenof very considerable Fortunes， both born in Staffordshire，and， during their Minority， both educated together， by whichOpportunity they contracted a very inviolable Friendship，a Friendship which grew up with them； and though it wasremarkably known to every Body else， they knew it notthemselves； they never made Profession of it in Words， butActions； so true a Warmth their Fires could boast， as needednot the Effusion of their Breath to make it live. Wildvill was ofthe richest Family， but Frankwit of the noblest； Wildvill wasadmired for outward Qualifications， as Strength， and manlyProportions， Frankwit for a much softer Beauty， for his inwardEndowments， Pleasing in his Conversation， of a free， andmoving Air， humble in his Behaviour， and if he had any Pride，it was but just enough to shew that he did not affect Humility；his Mind bowed with a Motion as unconstrained as his Body，nor did he force this Vertue in the least， but he allowed it only.
So aimable he was， that every Virgin that had Eyes， knew tooshe had a Heart， and knew as surely she should lose it. HisCupid could not be reputed blind， he never shot for him， buthe was sure to wound. As every other Nymph admired him，so he was dear to all the Tuneful Sisters； the Muses were firedwith him as much as their own radiant God Apollo； their lovedSprings and Fountains were not so grateful to their Eyes ashe， him they esteemed their Helicon and Parnassus too； inshort， when ever he pleased， he could enjoy them all. Thus heenamour’d the whole Female Sex， but amongst all the sighingCaptives of his Eyes， Belvira only boasted Charms to movehim； her Parents lived near his， and even from their Childhoodthey felt mutual Love， as if their Eyes， at their first meeting，had struck out such Glances， as had kindled into amorousFlame. And now Belvira in her fourteenth Year， （when thefresh Spring of young Virginity began to cast more livelyBloomings in her Cheeks， and softer Longings in her Eyes） byher indulgent Father’s Care was sent to London to a Friend，her Mother being lately dead： When， as if Fortune ordered itso， Frankwit’s Father took a Journey to the other World， tolet his Son the better enjoy the Pleasures and Delights of this：
The young Lover now with all imaginable haste interred hisFather， nor did he shed so many Tears for his Loss， as might inthe least quench the Fire which he received from his Belvira’sEyes， but （Master of seventeen Hundred Pounds a Year， whichhis Father left him） with all the Wings of Love flies to London，and sollicits Belvira with such Fervency， that it might bethought he meant Death’s Torch should kindle Hymen’s； andnow as soon as he arrives at his Journey’s end， he goes to paya Visit to the fair Mistress of his Soul， and assures her， Thattho’ he was absent from her， yet she was still with him； andthat all the Road he travell’d， her beauteous Image dancedbefore him， and like the ravished Prophet， he saw his Deityin every Bush； in short， he paid her constant Visits， the Sunne’er rose or set， but still he saw it in her Company， and everyMinute of the Day he counted by his Sighs. So incessantlyhe importuned her that she could no longer hold out， and waspleased in the surrender of her Heart， since it was he wasConqueror； and therefore felt a Triumph in her yielding. TheirFlames now joyned， grew more and more， glowed in theirCheeks， and lightened in their Glances： Eager they looked， asif there were Pulses beating in their Eyes； and all endearing，at last she vowed， that Frankwit living she would ne’er be anyother Man’s. Thus they past on some time， while every Dayrowl’d over fair； Heaven showed an Aspect all serene， and theSun seemed to smile at what was done. He still caressed hisCharmer， with an Innocence becoming his Sincerity； he livedupon her tender Breath， and basked in the bright Lustre of herEyes， with Pride， and secret Joy.