Incognita | Page 2

an unexpected accident, which has been the only
surprizing part of the Story, cause enough to make the Sequel look flat,
tedious and insipid; for 'tis but reasonable the Reader should expect it
not to rise, at least to keep upon a level in the entertainment; for so he
may be kept on in hopes that at some time or other it may mend; but the
'tother is such a balk to a Man, 'tis carrying him up stairs to show him
the Dining- Room, and after forcing him to make a Meal in the Kitchin.
This I have not only endeavoured to avoid, but also have used a method
for the contrary purpose. The design of the Novel is obvious, after the
first meeting of Aurelian and Hippolito with Incognita and Leonora,
and the difficulty is in bringing it to pass, maugre all apparent obstacles,
within the compass of two days. How many probable Casualties
intervene in opposition to the main Design, viz. of marrying two
Couple so oddly engaged in an intricate Amour, I leave the Reader at
his leisure to consider: As also whether every Obstacle does not in the
progress of the Story act as subservient to that purpose, which at first it
seems to oppose. In a Comedy this would be called the Unity of Action;
here it may pretend to no more than an Unity of Contrivance. The
Scene is continued in Florence from the commencement of the Amour;
and the time from first to last is but three days. If there be any thing
more in particular resembling the Copy which I imitate (as the Curious
Reader will soon perceive) I leave it to show it self, being very well

satisfy'd how much more proper it had been for him to have found out
this himself, than for me to prepossess him with an Opinion of
something extraordinary in an Essay began and finished in the idler
hours of a fortnight's time: for I can only esteem it a laborious idleness,
which is Parent to so inconsiderable a Birth. I have gratified the
Bookseller in pretending an occasion for a Preface; the other two
Persons concern'd are the Reader and my self, and if he be but pleased
with what was produced for that end, my satisfaction follows of course,
since it will be proportion'd to his Approbation or Dislike.

INCOGNITA: OR, Love & Duty RECONCIL'D
Aurelian was the only Son to a Principal Gentleman of Florence. The
Indulgence of his Father prompted, and his Wealth enabled him, to
bestow a generous Education upon him, whom, he now began to look
upon as the Type of himself; an Impression he had made in the Gayety
and Vigour of his Youth, before the Rust of Age had debilitated and
obscur'd the Splendour of the Original: He was sensible, That he ought
not to be sparing in the Adornment of him, if he had Resolution to
beautifie his own Memory. Indeed Don Fabio (for so was the Old
Gentleman call'd) has been observ'd to have fix'd his Eyes upon
Aurelian, when much Company has been at Table, and have wept
through Earnestness of Intention, if nothing hapned to divert the Object;
whether it were for regret, at the Recollection of his former self, or for
the Joy he conceiv'd in being, as it were, reviv'd in the Person of his
Son, I never took upon me to enquire, but suppos'd it might be
sometimes one, and sometimes both together.
Aurelian, at the Age of Eighteen Years, wanted nothing (but a Beard)
that the most accomplished Cavalier in Florence could pretend to: he
had been Educated from Twelve Years old at Siena, where it seems his
Father kept a Receiver, having a large Income from the Rents of several
Houses in that Town. Don Fabio gave his Servant Orders, That
Aurelian should not be stinted in his Expences, when he came up to
Years of Discretion. By which means he was enabled, not only to keep
Company with, but also to confer many Obligations upon Strangers of
Quality, and Gentlemen who travelled from other Countries into Italy,
of which Siena never wanted store, being a Town most delightfully
Situate, upon a Noble Hill, and very well suiting with Strangers at first,

by reason of the agreeableness and purity of the Air: There also is the
quaintness and delicacy of the Italian Tongue most likely to be learned,
there being many publick Professors of it in that place; and indeed the
very Vulgar of Siena do express themselves with an easiness and
sweetness surprizing, and even grateful to their Ears who understand
not the Language.
Here Aurelian contracted an acquaintance with Persons of Worth of
several Countries, but among the rest an intimacy with a Gentleman of
Quality