20 
for the little economical houfehold. 
What fuel he did burn, his woods 
fupplied. © 
“To this uncle, and this property, 
Mr: Elwes fucceeded, when he had 
advanced beyond the fortieth year 
of his age. And for fifteei yea s 
jrevious to this period, it wis, that 
he was known in’ the fathionable 
circles of London. He had always 
a turn for play; and it was only late 
in life, aud from paying always, 
and not always being paid, that he 
conceived difgu% at the inclination. 
The theory wich he profefld, 
« that it was impoffible to afea’ gen- 
<< tleman for moitey,” he perfectly 
confirmed’ by the praGtice; and he 
never viblated this feeling to the 
Tateft hour of his ‘ife. 
» On this fubje&t, which regards 
the manners of Mr. Elwes, gladly I 
feize an opportunity to fpeak of 
them with the praife that is their 
due. They were fuch—fo gentle, 
fo attentive, fo gendematily, and 
fo engasing, that rudeneis could not 
ruffle them, nor ftrong ingratitude 
break their obfervance. He retain- 
ed this peculiay feature of the old 
court to the laft; but he had a 
praife far beyond this; he had the 
mot gallant difregard of his own 
perfon, and all care about himfelf, 
Lever witneffed in man. 
Tt is curious to remark, how he 
then contrived to mingle fmall at- 
tempts at faving, with objects of 
the mot unbounded diffipation. Af- 
* ter fitting up a whole night at play 
for tvoufands, with the moft fathi- 
onable and profligate men of‘ the 
time, amidft fplendid rooms, gilt 
fophas, wax lights, and waiters at- 
tendant on his’ call, he would walk 
out about four in the morning, not 
towards home, but into Smithiteld !- 
to:meet his own cattle, which were 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1790. 
hy 
coming to market from Thaydon- 
hall, a farm of his in Effex. There 
would this fame man, forgetful of 
the feeties he had juft left, ftand 
in the cold or rain, bartering with 
a carcafs-butcher fir a Jhilling? 
Sometimes when the cattle did not 
arrive at the hour he expected, he 
would walk on in the mire to: meet 
them; and, more than once, has 
gone on foot* the whole way to his 
farm without ftopping, which was 
feventeen miles from London, after 
fitting up thé whole night. 
' He always travelled on horfeback. 
To fee hitn fetting out on a journey, 
was a matter truly curious; his firft 
care was to put two or three eggs, 
boiled hard, into his great coat 
ket, or any feraps of bread 
which he found—bageage he never 
tooke-then, mounting one of his 
hunters, his next attention’ was to 
get out of London, into that road 
where turnpikes were the fewelt. 
Then, flopping under any hedge 
where grafs prefented itfelf for his 
horfe, and a little water for himfelf, 
he would fit down and refrefh him- 
felf and his horfe together. } q- 
Inthe life of Mr. Elwes, the lux- 
uriant fources of, induitry ar enjoy- 
ment all ftood ftill, He encouraged 
no art; he beftowed not on any im- 
provement; he ditfufed no bleffings 
around him; and the diftrefled re- 
ceived nothing from his hand. What 
was got from him, was only obtain- 
ed from his want of knowledge— 
by knowledge that was fuperior ; 
and knaves and fharpers might have 
lived upon him, while poverty and 
honefty would have ftarved. 
But not to the offers of igh in- 
tere? alone, were his ears open. ‘The 
making him trifling prefents, or 
doing bufinefs for him for nothing— 
were little fnug allurements which, 
im 
