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that hellish plot, whose final aim was not directed 

 against me, but it was deemed necessary to strike 

 me down before. 



As there was no time to lose, and I was not in- 

 formed of the peculiarity of your alien act, I did not 

 provide myself with the passports which I now find 

 necessary to enter England, and which I own are 

 very just precautions in such a time as this of war 

 and suspicions. Now at Penzance I am detained by 

 contrary winds, and by an embargo laid on all your 

 ships coming from abroad. I cannot without leave 

 from your government take the way of London by 

 land ; and even in case the ship will be permitted to 

 proceed to London, according to the master's hopes, 

 I cannot disembark there without such a permis- 

 sion. What I did for our common friend Brousso- 

 net at Lisbon in the days of my prosperity, I beg 

 from you now that I am in the same circumstances 

 he was then ; and I beg less, because I will not re- 

 main in England but just a few days. I will then 

 embark for anywhere else but Portugal and Spain, 

 to be out of reach of my infernal persecutors, who 

 (for some time at least) will, I am sure, be unrelent- 

 ing, and will not spare any just or unjust means, 

 false or true pretext, to hurt me as much as it will 

 be in their power. Happily I could bring with me 

 money enough to reach whatever part I will choose, 

 and live there for some months ; and I could leave 

 in Lisbon, in sure hands, about three hundred pounds 

 to begin my settlement where I will choose to re- 

 main. That makes me in some sort tranquil for 

 the future; but that does by no means diminish the 



