erson), that before passed unheeded,
now rises up in judgment against him, with all the exaggeration of the
observer's fancy; and the sagacious examiner perceives distraction in
every glance of the eye, turn of the finger, and motion of the head.
When he speaks, there is a strange peculiarity in his argument and
expression; when he holds his tongue, his imagination teems with some
extravagant reverie; his sobriety of demeanour is no other than a lucid
interval, and his passion mere delirium.

If people of the most sedate and insipid life and conversation are
subject to such criticisms, no wonder that they should take place upon a
youth of Peregrine's fiery disposition, which, on some occasions, would
have actually justified any remarks of this kind, which his greatest
enemies could make. He was accordingly represented as one of those
enterprising bucks, who, after having spent their fortunes in riot and
excess, are happily bereft of their understanding, and consequently
insensible of the want and disgrace which they have entailed upon
themselves, Cadwallader himself was so much affected with the report,
that for some time he hesitated in his deliberations upon our hero,
before he could prevail upon himself to communicate to him the
information he had received, or to treat him in other respects as a
man of sound intellects. At length, however, he ventured to make Pickle
acquainted with the particulars he had learned, imparting them with such
caution and circumlocution, as he thought necessary to prevent the young
gentleman from transgressing all bounds of temper and moderation; but,
for once, he was agreeably deceived in his prognostic. Incensed as our
hero was at the conduct of the minister, he could not help laughing at
the ridiculous aspersion, which he told his friend he would soon refute
in a manner that should not be very agreeable to his calumniator,
observing, that it was a common practice with the state pilot, thus to
slander those people to whom he lay under obligations which he had no
mind to discharge. "True it is," said Peregrine "he has succeeded more
than once in contrivances of this kind, having actually reduced divers
people of weak heads to such extremity of despair, as hath issued in
downright distraction, whereby he was rid of their importunities, and
his judgment confirmed at the same time. But I have now, thank Heaven,
attained to such a pitch of philosophical resolution, as will support me
against