258 NEGOCIATIONS. ' 



same time was in a very declining state 

 of health. To extricate himself from the 

 one, and recover the other, could only 

 be accomplished by the disposal of his 

 very extensive concern. 



The negociation for carrying out this 

 last resource was left in the hands of 

 the representatives of at the same time 

 one of the principals in the firm to 

 which he was so largely indebted. 



This gentleman was a man of very 

 pleasing, I may say insinuating, manners, 

 as well as of good habits of business ; there 

 was rather a benevolent expression in 

 his countenance, that would disarm a 

 man of my father's calibre, from any 

 suspicion of selfish intrigue or personal 

 advantage indeed, there was a straight- 

 forward, honest simplicity, as we thought, 

 in making my parent the first offer of 

 this extensive and, as he represented, 

 very lucrative concern, that bore the 



