, hearing of his intention,
begged the favour of accompanying him in his expedition. With this new
companion, therefore, he set out for Lyons, where he was perfectly well
received by the intendant and some of the best families of the place, in
consequence of his letters of recommendation; and, after a short stay
in that city, proceeded down the Rhone to Avignon, in what is called the
coche d'eau; then visiting the principal towns of Dauphiny, Languedoc,
and Provence, he returned to the delightful city of Marseilles, where he
and his fellow-traveller were so much captivated by the serenity of the
air, the good-nature and hospitality of the sprightly inhabitants, that
they never dreamed of changing their quarters during the whole winter
and part of the spring: here he acquired the acquaintance of the Marquis
d'Argens, attorney-general in the parliament of Aix, and of his eldest
son, who now makes so great a figure in the literary world; and when the
affair of Father Girard and Mademoiselle Cadiere began to make a noise,
he accompanied these two gentlemen to Toulon, where the marquis was
ordered to take a precognition of the facts.

"On his return to Marseilles, he found a certain noble lord of great
fortune, under the direction of a Swiss governor, who had accommodated
him with two of his own relations, of the same country, by way of
companions, together with five servants in his train. They being
absolute strangers in the place, M--introduced them to the intendant,
and several other good families, and had the good fortune to be so
agreeable to his lordship, that he proposed and even pressed him to live
with him in England as a friend and companion, and to take upon him the
superintendence of his affairs, in which case he would settle upon him
four hundred a year for life.

"This proposal was too advantageous to be slighted by a person of no
fortune, or fixed establishment: he therefore made no difficulty of
closing with it; but, as his lordship's departure was fixed to a short
day, and he urged him to accompany him to Paris, and from thence to
England, M-- thought it would be improper and indecent to interfere with
the office of his governor, who might take umbrage at his favour, and
therefore excused himself from a compliance with his lordship's request,
until his minority should be expired, as he was within a few months of
being of age. However, he repeated his importunities so earnestly, and
the governor joined in th