Love Letters From a Noble Man to his Sister, pt. 2 (1685)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Links to vols 1 and 3:

• Love-Letters Between a Noble-Man and his Sister (1684) (pt. 1)
• The Amours of Philander and Silvia, pt. 3 (1687)

Contents [hide] 1 Bibliographical Details 1.1 Title Page Transcript 1.2 Description 2 Contents 2.1 Dedication 2.2 The Argument 2.3 Plot 3 Commentary 4 Literature 5 E-text

[edit] Bibliographical Details

 

[edit] Title Page Transcript

Love Letters| FROM A| NOBLE MAN| TO HIS| SISTER:| Mixt With the| HISTORY| OF THEIR| ADVENTURES.| [rule]| The Second Part by the| same Hand.| [rule]| LONDON,| Printed for the Author, and are to be sold| by the Booksellers of London, 1685.

 

[edit] Description

p.[i] titlepage/ p.[] "Epistle", i.e. dedication to ./ p.1- Text/ 12°

 

[edit] Contents

 

[edit] Dedication

 

[edit] The Argument

 

[edit] Plot

Silvia's and Philander's flight to Holland

Silvia, dressed like a young man for disguise and calling herself Fillmond, and Philander run away to Holland. Brilljard, who has been married to Silvia to safe her from being married to another man by her parents, and two other men servants accompany them. On their journey they meet a young Hollander, Octavio, who is one of the States of Holland. Quickly, a strong friendship develops between Philander and Octavio. Not knowing that Fillmond is in fact a woman, Octavio nevertheless falls in love with Silvia on their joint journey. Philander confides to Octavio that he has fallen out with his King, and after Philander and Silvia decline Octavio's offer to stay with him in his Palace, he accommodates them at a merchant's house close by. There Philander and Silvia, still in disguise, spend a happy time together. Brilljard, staying with them, falls secretly in love with Silvia. When Silvia falls into a violent fever, her true sex is discovered by the servants and the whole truth of their story is revealed to Octavio by Philander.

Philander's flight from Holland

Octavio, torn between his affection for Silvia and his friendship to Philander, urges the same to leave the country within 24 hours as he fears he will otherwise be ren-dered up to the King of France. Philander's first response is that he'd rather die than leave Silvia behind. Also, he is scared that she might fall in love with someone else once he has left. But he then is convinced by Octavio and Brilljard – who both love Silvia and therefore have an interest in his departure unknown to him – to safe his own life not only for his but for Silvia's sake also. It is agreed that Silvia is to follow him as soon as she has recovered, and equipped with money from Octavio, after a last encounter with Silvia and without telling her of his flight, Philander finally takes his leave to Collen.

Brilljard's assault on Silvia

Silvia, devastated by his flight, believes his love has worn off already when she re-ceives her first letter from him. And indeed, Philander reveals in a letter to Octavio that he finds life without Silvia less painful than expected. Octavio seizes the opportunity and reveals his affection to Silvia, which she strongly dismisses. Silvia, in need for a second opinion on Philander's letter, shows it to Brilljard, who, seizing his chance to harm the rival, agrees with her that there is a change in Philander's attitude towards her. Silvia gets into such a state that she faints into his arms. Brilljard, overwhelmed by his feelings, almost rapes the defenceless Silvia, but for Octavio's appearance. Though Brilljard can conceal his attack at first, he is later found out by Octavio and Silvia, who after an attempt on Brilljard's life decides to forgive him for her own sake as she depends on him in his position as her husband. Brilljard notices that Octavio's feelings towards Silvia are more than that of friendship and in his jealousy closes a deal with Antonett, maid to Silvia, to betray any news to him in exchange for his affection. Also, Brilljard gets a letter from Philander who con-fesses to him that, though still in love with Silvia, he has an affair with another woman, and asks him to do anything in his power to delay Silvia's departure for Collen.

Octavio courts Silvia with the permission of Philander

While Silvia is waiting for further news from her Philander, Octavio is paying her regular visits and no longer hides his affection. Silvia, though she turns him down as she is still in love with Philander, is vain enough to be flattered and encourages him to pursue his advances further. In the course of the events, Silvia becomes increasingly sure of a growing decrease in Philander's love for her, and concludes that someone like him who has loved twice can fall in love for a third time, too. Her sorrow is more and more overcome with anger, and she decides to take revenge, using Octavio as an instrument. Hoping that jealousy will bring Philander back to her at last, she talks Octavio into writing a letter to Philander in which he confesses his love for Silvia, asking him for his permission to do so. Philander's answer is positive. He argues that in case Silvia is true to him, Octavio's love will not do any harm, and in case she turns false on him, she in his eyes is not worth to be preserved. Either way, he encourages Octavio to pursue his courtship.

Philander confesses his new love to Octavio

In return for Octavio's honesty, Philander reveals to him that he has fallen in love again, too. During his journey, he has made the acquaintance of and become friends with the Count of Clarinau, a Spaniard. Philander accepts Clarinau's offer to stay at his palace. On a walk through the grounds, Philander notices Clarinau's wife, a young girl named Calista which was taken out of a monastery to become Madam the Countess of Clarinau. He observes her secretly, but just as he is approaching her, the Count enters the scene and Philander rushes back into his hiding place without having spoken to Calista, who has not seen a young handsome man before and therefore believes she has seen a vision. Philander spends the following days look-ing for her, without success. He trusts Octavio, his rival, with this secret, at the same time asking him not to use it against him with Silvia. Octavio is outraged when he recognizes that Calista is his sister. He is torn between his friendship with Philander and his love for Silvia, but his honour forbids him to make use of Philander's secret by revealing it to Silvia.

Silvia's suicide attempt

At the same time, Philander also sends a letter to Silvia, in which he assures her of his love and criticizes her for being too self-interested to understand him. More certain of his betrayal on her than ever before, Silvia attempts to kill herself with a pen-knife, but is saved by Antonett. Being thus rescued, she turns to Octavio for his letter from Philander which she expects to be of use for her peace of mind, and at the same time replies to Philander, threatening him that if she ever found out about him lying to her, she would take revenge on him. At this point, it is not only her love for Philander that makes her go wild but also her pride that has been hurt. Silvia, who finds she is growing fonder of Octavio, still urges him to present the letter to her, and finally he confesses that he owns one. Though he at first denies her to see it, Silvia then gets herself in such a state that in the end, he begs her to let him show the letter to her.

Brilljard's deceit and its effects

This is postponed when Octavio is called away for a day on sudden business. Brilljard has learned from letters from Octavio to Silvia, which Antonett took to him rather than Silvia first, about Octavio's way of writing. When he also gets hold of a letter from Silvia to Octavio, he misjudges the situation and takes it for sure that they have become lovers already. He therefore sets out and feigns a letter to Silvia, in which he suggest in the name of Octavio that she to him is no more than a common mistress and that the price for Philander's letter would be she herself. Silvia is outraged at first, but still in want of Philander's letter, makes plans for a revenge on Octavio. She agrees with her maid that Antonett will disguise as Silvia and receive him. Again, Brilljard keeps the letter to himself. He also has the letter from Philander, which Octavio sent to Silvia as he had promised to give it to her before. It is Brilljard, disguised as Octavio, who meets Antonett, disguised as Silvia, that night. He hands over the letter, which Antonett passes on to Silvia in an unobserved moment. That night, however, does not proceed according to Brilljard's plans. He has taken aphrodisiacs which made him sick, so that he has to leave Antonett. However, their encounter is observed by Octavio who has returned earlier than expected and who at once hastens to Silvia to see how she has taken Philander's letter. Seeing only Antonett and taking her for Silvia, he is sure that Silvia is entertaining an affair. Silvia in the meantime has read Philander's letter to Octavio. Overwhelmed with an-ger and pain, she faints and it is only with the help of Antonett that she recovers. She then writes an angry letter to Philander in which she calls herself his fiend and curses him. Still, she is aware that a love once lost cannot be retrieved, and encouraged by Antonett, she decides not to pity herself but to set out for revenge.

Misunderstandings between Silvia and Octavio

Though still mad at Octavio and scared he might have found out what she believes to have been a deceit on him, she regards him as the person best suitable for her plans and therefore contacts him once more. Octavio, who is still in the dark about the previous night's happenings, is mad at her in return, and messages go back and fro further entertaining the misunderstanding between them which leaves him believing her to be a common mistress, while she is by then sure that he has found out about her cheat. It takes a couple of hot-tempered letters until the whole truth concerning the night in question is revealed.

The proposal

Octavio falls in love with Silvia all over again, and Silvia forgives him for the sake of her revenge to Philander, though she also has to admit to herself that she cares for him, too. Silvia promises Octavio anything he wishes for if only he takes part in the revenge. He proposes to her, but she refuses him, telling him that she is expecting a child from Philander. It is only when Octavio shows her another letter from Philander that Silvia, mad with rage and determined to take revenge, makes up her mind, not considering her marriage to Brilljard nor telling Octavio about it at all. In the letter concerned, Philander is giving an account of his affair with Calista, who he has courted successfully. The couple has almost been discovered by Calista's husband, the Count of Clarinau, but for a spectacular flight of Philander's. Philander closes his letter to Octavio by telling him that he has now lost all feelings for Silvia. The second part of the 'Love Letters' closes with Antonett and Silvia setting off for a church in a nearby village, where they will meet Octavio.

 

[edit] Commentary

 

[edit] Literature

Cf. detailed bibliography at The Novel in Europe, 1650-1749

 

[edit] E-text

Aphra Behn, Love Letters From a Noble Man to his Sister, pt. 2 (1685).