AUTOBIOGRAPHY 9 



tional servants, engaged an architect, fiated my agent's 

 accounts, and started then for London so soon as a decent 

 respect towards the deceased would permit my appearing 

 in the metropolis. Of the rest, my dear Baronet, you 

 know sufficient particulars ; a presentable man, olim 

 in the Blues, and recently succeeding to a large and 

 unencumbered property, would soon " find room in 

 any place." I was speedily admitted to those chosen 

 circles which are impassable to those who want birth, 



impudence, or money. I ran the full round of dissi 



but, on this head, you^ my constant companion, require 

 but little information. 



In human life, George, every thing has its limits. 

 I am probably too rich to be permanently happy. I 

 tired of Brookes 's and Willis's and Crockford's ; I had 

 little taste for the play, and betted moderately, and with 

 even success : if I lost I was not depressed ; if I won 

 I was not exhilarated. The season was drawing to its 

 close, and I began to discover that I was not fated to 

 escape from sublunary annoyances. I was bored by 

 the dull dinners of stupid placemen, who calculated 

 on my borough ; I was persecuted by ancient gentle- 

 women who wished to rid themselves of daughters that 

 years ago were passies ; a young and titled widow 

 almost wooed me to desperation ; and the Dowager of 



shocked me by an assurance that Lord Leatherby 



expected, from my marked attention at the Horticultural 

 fete, that I would forthwith propose for that sandy- 

 haired fright, his daughter. God help me ! little did 

 I suppose that an act of common humanity, in sheltering 

 her red ringlets with a broken umbrella, would have been 

 thus tortured by that leaden-headed Lord, her sire ! 



I forgot in its proper place to notify an important 



