st
virtue, may prove the source of evil, both to ourselves and others.

Natura stayed but six months in Rome, and then passed on to Florence,
where having seen all the curiosities that place afforded, he only
waited to receive some remittances from his father, after which he
intended to cross the Appenines to Bolognio, then proceed to Venice,
and so through the Tirolose to Vienna, and flattered himself with
having time enough to visit all the different courts which compose the
mighty empire of Germany.

These remittances were delayed much longer than he had expected, and
when they arrived, were accompanied by a positive command from his
father to put an end to his travels, and return to England with all
the expedition he could.--His surprize at so unlooked for an order,
would have been equal to the mortification it gave him, if he had not
received a letter from his sister at the same time, which informed
him, that his being so suddenly recalled was wholly owing to the
misfortunes in which their family was at present involved:--that soon
after his departure, their father had discovered an intercourse
between his wife and a person who pretended to be a relation, no way
to the honour of either of them;--that frequent quarrels had at length
separated them;--that he was engaged in a law-suit with her, and also
in several others, with people to whom she, in revenge, as it was
supposed, had given bonds, dated before marriage, for very great sums
of money, pretended to have been borrowed of them by her;--that tho'
the imposition was too gross not to be easily seen through, yet the
forms of the courts of judicature could not be dispensed with, and the
continual demands made upon him had laid him under such
inconveniencies as obliged him even to lessen the number of his
servants, and retrench his table:--she added, that he spoke of his
dear Natura with the utmost tenderness, and was under a very great
concern that the necessity of his affairs would not permit to send him
any more such supplies as were requisite for the prosecution of his
travels.

Natura at first felt a very great shock at this account; but it is the
peculiar blessing of youth, not to be for any length of time affected
with misfortunes; his melancholly soon dissipated, and he thought of
nothing more than compliance with the command he had received, and
also to perform it in the cheapest manner he could.--On speaking of
his intentions of returning home, he