ssions of friendship and regard. He demeaned himself with
a seemingly honest reserve, in point of profession; his advances to
Peregrine appeared to be the result of deliberation and experiment; he
chid the young gentleman for his extravagance, with the authority of
a parent, and the sincerity of a fast friend; and having, by gradual
inquiries, made himself acquainted with the state of his private
affairs, condemned his conduct with an air of candour and concern.
He represented to him the folly and dangerous consequences of the
profligate life in which he had plunged himself, counselled him
with great warmth to sell off his race-horses, which would otherwise
insensibly eat him up; to retrench all superfluous expense, which would
only serve to expose him to the ridicule and ingratitude of those who
were benefited by it; to lay out his money upon secure mortgages, at
good interest; and carry into execution his former design of standing
candidate for a borough, at the ensuing election for a new parliament;
in which case this nobleman promised to assist him with his influence
and advice; assuring him, that, if he could once procure a seat in the
house, he might look upon his fortune as already made.

Our adventurer perceiving the wisdom and sanity of this advice, for
which he made his acknowledgments to his generous monitor, protested
that he would adhere to it in every particular, and immediately set
about a reformation. He accordingly took cognizance of his most minute
affairs, and, after an exact scrutiny, gave his patron to understand,
that, exclusive of his furniture, his fortune was reduced to fourteen
thousand three hundred and thirty pounds, in Bank and South-sea
annuities, over and above the garrison and its appendages, which he
reckoned at sixty pounds a year. He therefore desired, that, as his
lordship had been so kind as to favour him with his friendship and
advice, he would extend his generosity still farther, by putting him in
a way of making the most advantage of his money. My lord said, that,
for his own part, he did not choose to meddle in money matters; that
Mr. Pickle would find abundance of people ready to borrow it upon land
security; but that he ought to be extremely cautious in a transaction of
such consequence; promising, at the same time, to employ his own steward
in seeking out a mortgager to whom it might be safely lent.

This agent was accordingly set at work, and for a few days made a
fruitless