IMPRUDENCE. 123 



throw in the way, particularly whsre 

 there is little else to dwell on. 



He was a fine handsome promising 

 youth, in his eighteenth year, endeared 

 to the family circle by a most amiable 

 disposition, and, by his manly and gene- 

 rous conduct, had won the admiration and 

 enjoyed the friendship of many persons 

 of his own age and station. He was on 

 an excursion of pleasure round the 

 Island, with two or three others, prior 

 to their entering on their studies neces- 

 sary for the profession each of them 

 had adopted. He was a most excellent 

 swimmer, but imprudently, without a 

 thought of the consequences, under a 

 noonday's sun in the autumn, un- 

 dressed after a long ride on horseback, 

 and plunged into the sea, to indulge in 

 his favourite pastime. 



How he was first taken I do not know ; 

 but I found him in a cottage at Shank- 

 lin, in bed, with a burning fever attended 



