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[219] Poenitet hospitii. The description given by Paris of what he suffered, when forced to witness the mutual endearments of Helen and Menelaus, is finely conceived, and set off with all the embellishments that imagination can give. Paris, as a lover, was attentive to every motion and every look: he could not bear that Helen should shew any signs of tenderness, even for her own husband; and, upon such occasions, his uneasiness was so great, that he was scarcely able to conceal it. At the same time, as he found that Helen was not quite a stranger to what he endured for her sake, he omitted no opportunity of giving her hints of his passion. While he affect-

ed to give only the history of others, he, under borrowed names, gave her a description of his love, and made her acquainted with all his tender sentiments. He even sometimes counterfeited drunkenness, that he might use greater liberty, without having any particular notice taken of it. All this agrees perfectly well to the situation which Paris is here supposed to be in.

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