jilted
the girl, and fled from her and the parish to the tents where the law
could not disturb him. Why go on particularizing? What can the sons of
Adam and Eve expect, but to continue in that course of love and trouble
their father and mother set out on? O my grandson! I am drawing nigh to
the end of that period of my history, when I was acquainted with the great
world of England and Europe, my years are past the Hebrew poet's limit,
and I say unto thee, all my troubles and joys too, for that matter, have
come from a woman; as thine will when thy destined course begins. 'Twas a
woman that made a soldier of me, that set me intriguing afterwards; I
believe I would have spun smocks for her had she so bidden me; what
strength I had in my head I would have given her; hath not every man in
his degree had his Omphale and Delilah? Mine befooled me on the banks of
the Thames, and in dear old England; thou mayest find thine own by
Rappahannoc.

To please that woman then I tried to distinguish myself as a soldier, and
afterwards as a wit and a politician; as to please another I would have
put on a black cassock and a pair of bands, and had done so but that a
superior fate intervened to defeat that project. And I say, I think the
world is like Captain Esmond's company I spoke of anon; and, could you see
every man's career in life, you would find a woman clogging him; or
clinging round his march and stopping him; or cheering him and goading
him; or beckoning him out of her chariot, so that he goes up to her, and
leaves the race to be run without him; or bringing him the apple, and
saying "Eat"; or fetching him the daggers and whispering "Kill! yonder
lies Duncan, and a crown, and an opportunity".

Your grandfather fought with more effect as a politician than as a wit;
and having private animosities and grievances of his own and his general's
against the great duke in command of the army, and more information on
military matters than most writers, who had never seen beyond the fire of
a tobacco-pipe at Wills's, he was enabled to do good service for that
cause which he embarked in, and for Mr. St. John and his party. But he
disdained the abuse in which some of the Tory writers indulged; for
instance, Dr. Swift, who actually chose to doubt the Duke of Marlborough's
courage, and was pleased to hint that his grace's military capacity was
doubtful: nor were Esmond's performances worse for the effect they were
intended to produce (though