y behaviour on this occasion is no other way excusable, than
on account of the miserable perplexity of my circumstances, which were
often so calamitous, that I wonder I have not been compelled to take
such steps as would have rendered my conduct much more exceptionable
than it really is.

"At last all my hopes were blasted by the issue of my suit, which was
determined in favour of my lord. Even then I refused to yield: on the
contrary, coming out of retirement, I took lodgings in Suffolk-street,
and set my tyrant at defiance. But, being unwilling to trust my doors
to the care of other people, I hired a house in Conduit-street; and no
sooner appeared in the world again, than I was surrounded by divers and
sundry sorts of admirers. I believe I received the incense and addresses
of all kinds under the sun, except that sort which was most to my
liking, a man capable of contracting and inspiring a mutual attachment;
but such a one is equally rare and inestimable; not but that I own
myself greatly obliged to all those who cultivated my good graces,
though they were very little beholden to me; for where I did not really
love, I could never profess that passion; that sort of dissimulation is
a slavery that no honest nature will undergo. Except one worthy young
man whom I sometimes saw, they were a strange medley of insignificant
beings: one was insipid, another ridiculously affected, a third void of
all education, a fourth altogether inconsistent; and, in short, I found
as many trifling characters among the men, as ever I observed in my own
sex. Some of them I endeavoured to bring over to my maxims, while they
attempted to make a proselyte of me; but, finding the task impracticable
on both sides, we very wisely dropped each other.

"At length, however, I was blessed with the acquaintance of one
nobleman, who is, perhaps, the first character in England, in point
of honour, integrity, wit, sense, and benevolence; when I have thus
distinguished him, I need scarce mention Lord --. This great, this good
man, possesses every accomplishment requisite to inspire admiration,
love, and esteem. With infinitely more merit than almost ever fell to
one man's share, he manifests such diffidence of his own qualifications,
as cannot fail to prepossess every company in his favour. He seems to
observe nothing, yet sees everything; his manner of telling a story,
and making trifles elegant, is peculiar to himself; and, though he has
a thousand odd