2 4 * TRAVELS THROUGH 

 fclf mafter of it, and faw the points wherein 

 diligence and penetrations were more parti- 

 cularly wanted. In them I exerted every 

 nerve, and carried order, regularity, and 

 execution farther than Du Pre ever dreamt of: 

 in a word, he found himfelf fo much at his 

 cafe from my attention, that he had in- 

 formed me of his defign of taking me into 

 partnership with him. 



" There was a remarkable fimilarity in 

 our hiftories : Du Pre was of a noble fa- 

 mily in Bretagne, and actually at the head 

 of it, when poverty made him formally lay 

 down his nobility for a while, in order to 

 increafe his fortune by trade. He embarked 

 for the Weft Indies, bought a fmall plan- 

 tation, fucceeded, enlarged his bufinefs ; 

 but contracted fo good a liking to increafing 

 wealth, that he had almofh given over the 

 thoughts of returning to France. 



" I was in this flattering fituation, when 

 I received an unlooked-for ftroke in the 

 fudden death of M. du Pre, which feemed 

 to come like a ftroke of Fate to level me 

 with the duft. He left an only daughter 

 and myfelf joint executors of his will, his 

 wife having been dead foine years, and to 



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