of his refusal, and at length, with some confusion,
said, 'Perhaps your finances are low?' M-- replied, that he had
wherewithal to defray the expense of his journey to London, where he
could be furnished with a fresh supply; and this answer was no sooner
made, than the other taking him by the hand, 'My dear friend,' said he,
'I am not unacquainted with your affairs, and would have offered you my
credit long ago, if I had thought it would be acceptable; even now, I do
not pretend to give you money, but desire and insist upon it, that you
will accept of the loan of these two pieces of paper, to be repaid when
you marry a woman with a fortune of twenty thousand pounds, or obtain an
employment of a thousand a year.' So saying, he presented him with two
actions of above two thousand livres each.

"M-- was astonished at this unexpected instance of generosity, in a
stranger, and, with suitable acknowledgment, peremptorily refused to
incur such an obligation; but at length he was, by dint of importunity
and warm expostulation, prevailed upon to accept one of the actions, on
condition that the gentleman would take his note for the sum; and this
he absolutely rejected, until M-- promised to draw upon him for double
the value or more, in case he should at any time want a further supply.
This uncommon act of friendship and generosity, afterwards had an
opportunity to repay tenfold, though he could not help regretting the
occasion, on his friend's account. That worthy man having, by placing
too much confidence in a villainous lawyer, and a chain of other
misfortunes, involved himself and his amiable lady in a labyrinth of
difficulties, which threatened the total ruin of his family, M-- felt
the inexpressible satisfaction of delivering his benefactor from the
snare.

"Being thus reinforced by the generosity of his friend, M-- resolved to
execute his former plan of seeing the south of France, together with the
sea-ports of Spain, as far as Cadiz, from whence he proposed to take a
passage for London by sea; and, with this view, sent forward his trunks
by the diligence to Lyons, determined to ride post, in order to enjoy a
better view of the country, and for the conveniency of stopping at those
places where there was anything remarkable to be seen or inquired into.
While he was employed in taking leave of his Parisian friends, who
furnished him with abundant recommendation, a gentleman of his own
country, who spoke little or no French