he perceived his interest with the
minister fall off ever since he had been divorced from his neice, and
easily foresaw, that he would, from his friend, become in time his
greatest enemy, yet it gave him little or no concern, so wholly were
his thoughts and desires taken up with accomplishing what he had
resolved.

He was, however, for some time deliberating within himself to whom he
should direct his addresses on this score; the general acquaintance he
had in the world, brought many ladies into his mind, who seemed
suitable matches for him; but then, as they were of equal birth and
fortunes with himself, he reflected, that a long formal courtship
would be expected, and he was now grown too indolent to take that
trouble, as he was not excited by inclination to any of them, and had
determined to enter a third time into the bonds of matrimony, meerly
through the hope of depriving his brother of the estate.

Besides, the accidents which had lately happened to him, had very much
altered his way of thinking, and though he had shaken off great part
of the chagrin they had occasioned, yet there still remained a certain
languor and inactivity of mind, which destroyed all the relish he
formerly had of the noisy pleasures of life:--he began now to despise
that farce of grandeur he once testified so high a value for, and to
look on things as they really deserved;--he found his interest with
those at the helm of public affairs, was very much sunk, and he was so
far from taking any steps to retrieve it, that he seldom went even to
pay that court to them, which his station demanded from him;--he grew
so weary of the post which he had, with the utmost eagerness, sought
after, and thought himself happy in enjoying, that he never rested
till he had disposed of it, which he did for a much less consideration
than it was really worth, meerly because he would be in a state of
perfect independency, and at full liberty to speak and act, according
to the dictates of his conscience, or his inclination.

He was no sooner eased of his attendance at court by this means, than
he retired to his country seat, in which he now thought he found more
satisfaction, than the town, with all its hurrying pleasures could
afford; there he intended to pass the greatest part of the remainder
of his days, with some woman of prudence and good nature, which were
the two chief requisites he now wished to find in a wife.--There were
several well-jointured widows i