294 The Duchess of Newcastle 



will in a fright take hold of their friend, thinking to 

 pull them from hurt, whereas that holding may be 

 the cause of their being killed, as not being suffered 

 to defend themselves. Thus may their loving fear be 

 the cause of their death; but I have wandered too 

 far, from feathers and women, to swords and death; 

 wherefore leaving all to fates and fashions, 



I rest, Madam, 

 Your faithful friend and servant. 



A TRUE RELATION OF HER COLD CONDITION 



Madam, — Give me leave to tell you, that I write 

 this letter with no small difficulty, for though I sit so 

 near the fire, as I have burned a part of my clothes, 

 yet the cold is so furious, as it doth not only freez the 

 ink in the standish, but in the pen I am writing with; 

 so that I am but a cold writer. Nay the very thoughts 

 seem to be frozen in my brain, for they move very 

 slowly, as if they were stupified, only my love to your 

 Ladiship keeps warm in my heart ; indeed, your love 

 doth help to maintain the fire of life. I know not how 

 cold it is at the poles, for I never was there in person, 

 but in my imagination yet, it cannot be colder there, 

 than it is here at this present time; for my part, I 

 could almost think, that this cold hath travelled from 

 the poles hither. But this thought of mine would be 

 contradicted through two reasons, the one, that cold 

 moves slowly; although to bring reason against reason, 

 it seems probable that cold is very quick, for it catches 

 every mankind by the fingers, and by the noses, as 

 soon as it comes near them, even as soon as burning 

 fire would do, and much sooner; the other reason is, 

 that cold in the long journy would get itself a heat, 

 and so wast by the way. But leaving these reasons. 



