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cellars were closed, and in a few days 

 the whole genuine stock of wines was 

 offered for sale. They were eagerly pur- 

 chased by an old-established wine-mer- 

 chant in the town, who was glad to get 

 rid of a formidable rival to the monopoly 

 on which my father had already committed 

 a great inroad. 



After that calamity all thoughts of my 

 ever being fit for any profession or em- 

 ployment were abandoned, and I was kept 

 at home, under the watchful care of one or 

 other of the family, who never suffered me 

 to go out of his sight. I now became 

 sensible that I was a burden to those about 

 me, although the most constant and tender 

 attention was bestowed on my every move- 

 ment indeed on my every look , and I was 

 fully alive to and grateful for this affec- 

 tionate solicitude. But my spirits sunk 

 with my health; and, giving up all hopes 

 of partaking in the enjoyments of youth 

 either mentally or bodily, and losing all 



K2 



