1791' HISTORY OF A FORTUNATE IDLER. 83 



clufion of thofe more polifliied manners I had cultivat- 

 ed abroad. Next winter I fell into the fociety of 

 my fox hunting friends, who followed me up from the 

 country to London, and the bottle, which had fornier- 

 ly been d'fagreeable to me in excefs, became neceflary 

 as a medium of friendfliip in the clubs I now frequen- 

 ted. 



I got into habits that extinguiflied all rational curi- 

 ofity and araul'ement ; and my looking glafs began to 

 hint to me, that I was about to get a red nofe to enlu 

 ven a face coafiderably bloached by diffipation, and 

 wrinkled by anxiety at the gaming table. 



Though now only five and twenty, I began to find 

 myfelf lefs admired than formerly, and to link in my 

 own eftimation. One evening, after having loft five 

 hundred at Brookes's, I came home fuddenly in great 

 uneafinefs, and being unable to fleep, I fent my fer- 

 vant to a circulating library for a book, by way of 0- 

 piate, which I ordered him to read to me, while I was 

 in bed, ftippofing that his whining uniform cadence 

 might procure me that choiceft bleffing of the unfortu- 

 nate, wliich is fo often fought for in vain. The fellow 

 having no inflruftion to call for any particular book, 

 brought the fiift that was offered by the fhop boy, and 

 being defired to begin and read, as he ihould accident- 

 ally open the volume, he began his work as fol- 

 lows ; 



*' If you ever read a letter, which is fent with the 

 more pleafure for the reality of the complaints, this 

 may liave reafon to hope for a favourable acceptance ; 

 and if time be tlie moft irretrievable lofs, the regret? 

 which foliow will be thought, I hope, the moft jufti- 

 fiable. Tlie regaining of my liberty from a long ftate of 

 indolence and inaftivity, and the defire of refifting the 

 fartlicr encroachments of idlenefs, make me apply to 

 you ; and the uneafinefs with which I recoUecl the palt 

 years, and the apprehenfions with which I expeft the 

 future, fooii detenniued me to it. 



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