As a beautiful and sought-after woman, Iris is well aware of the hours of reflection and sighing due to her—and of the dangers and temptations that await a man whose lover is absent. Thus,
the hour between 8 and 9, before Damon is enjoined to rise, may be spent in “Agreeable Reverie,” of which the principle subject would be, of course, Iris, while 5 o’clock is the
hour of “Dangerous Visits,” when Damon will be prey to the wiles and machinations of his female acquaintances. Interspersed with exquisite—and instructive—verse, The Lover’s Watch is
an ironic, sharp-witted observation of the universal manners of love as well as an invaluable manual for all eager suitors. Proto-feminist Aphra Behn was the first female professional writer
in the English language; the author of many plays, she also wrote the highly regarded philosophical novel Oroonoko.
