Let him who has been deceived complain, let him give way to despair whose encouraged hopes have proved vain, let him flatter himself whom I shall entice, let him boast whom I shall receive; but let not him call me cruel or homicide to whom I make no promise, upon whom I practise no deception, whom I neither entice nor receive. It has not been so far the will of Heaven that I should love by fate, and to expect me to love by choice is idle.
Quéjese el engañado, desespérese aquel a quien le faltaron las prometidas esperanzas, confíese el que yo llamare, ufánese el que yo admitiere; pero no me llame cruel ni homicida aquel a quien yo no prometo, engaño, llamo ni admito. »El cielo aún hasta ahora no ha querido que yo ame por destino, y el pensar que tengo de amar por elección es escusado.