ess to me. Indeed I don't wonder at
it, for it is no new Thing, and in that I am the more oblig'd to you. My
_Sapidus_ I do, and it is my Duty to love you heartily for your Kindness
to me. In as much as in this Affair you have not acted the Part of a
Courtier, I do, and always shall thank you. I respect you, and thank
you, that you made my Affair your Care. You have oblig'd me very much by
that Kindness of yours. It is a great Obligation upon me that you have
manag'd my Concern with Fidelity. Of all your Kindnesses, which are
indeed a great many, you have shew'd me none has oblig'd me more than
this. I cannot possibly make you a Return according to your Merit Too
much Ceremony between you and I is unnecessary, but that which is in my
Power I'll do. I'll be thankful as long as I live. I confess myself
highly oblig'd to you for your good Service. For this Kindness I owe you
more than I am able to pay. By this good Office you have attach'd me to
you so firmly, that I can never be able to disengage myself. You have
laid me under so many and great Obligations, that I shall never be able
to get out of your Debt. No Slave was ever so engag'd in Duty to his
Master as you have engag'd me by this Office. You have by this good Turn
brought me more into your Debt than ever I shall be able to pay. I am
oblig'd to you upon many Accounts, but upon none more than upon this.
Thanks are due for common Kindness, but this is beyond the Power of
Thanks to retaliate.
* * * * *
_The Answer._
_Sa._ Forbear these Compliments, the Friendship between you and I is
greater than that we should thank one another for any Service done. I
have not bestow'd this Kindness upon you, but only made a Return of it
to you. I think the Amends is sufficiently made, if my most sedulous
Endeavours are acceptable to you. There is no Reason you should thank me
for repaying this small Kindness, for those uncommon Kindnesses I have
so often receiv'd from you. Indeed I merit no Praise, but should have
been the most ungrateful Man in the World if I had been wanting to my
Friend. Whatsoever I have, and whatsoever I can do, you may call as
much your own as any Thing that you have the best Title to. I look upon
it as a Favour that you take my Service kindly. You pay so great an
Acknowledgment to me for so small a Kindness, as tho' I did not owe you
much greater. He serves himself that serves his Friend. He that serves a
Friend does not
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