taken care
to send my maid on an errand into the city, that I was sure would take
up time enough; and, from the people of the house, I had nothing to
fear, as they were plain good sort of folks, and wise enough to mind no
more other people's business than they could well help.

All dispositions then made, not forgetting that of lying in bed to
receive him, when he was entered the door of my bed chamber, a latch,
that I governed by a wire, descended and secured it.

I could not but observe that my young minion was as much spruced out as
could be expected from one in his condition: a desire of pleasing that
could not be indifferent to me, since it proved that I pleased him;
which, I assure you, was now a point I was not above having in view.

His hair trimly dressed, clean linen, and, above all, a hale, ruddy,
wholesome country look, made him out as pretty a piece of woman's meat
as you could see, and I should have thought any one much out of taste,
that could not have made a hearty meal of such a morsel as nature seemed
to have designed for the highest diet of pleasure.

And why should I here suppress the delight I received from this
amiable creature, in remarking each artless look, each motion of
pure indissembled nature, betrayed by his wanton eyes; or shewing,
transparently, the glow and suffusion of blood through his fresh, clear
skin, whilst even his stury rustic pressure wanted not their peculiar
charm? Oh! but, say you, this was a young fellow of too low a rank of
life to deserve so great a display. May be so: but was my condition,
strictly considered, one jot more exalted? or, had I really been much
above him, did not his capacity of giving such exquisite pleasure
sufficiently raise and enoble him, to me, at least? Let who would,
for me cherish, respect, and reward the painter's, the statuary's, the
musician's art, in proportion to the delight taken in them: but at my
age, and with my taste for pleasure, a taste strongly constitutional
to me, the talent of pleasing, with which nature has endowed a handsome
person, formed to me the greatest of all merits; compared to which, the
vulgar prejudices in favour of titles, dignities, honours, and the like,
held a very low rank indeed. Nor perhaps would the beauties of the body
be so much affected to be held cheap, were they, in their nature, to be
bought and delivered. But for me, whose natural philosophy all resided
in the favourite center of sense, and who was ruled