as the Old Gentleman call'd) has
been observ'd to have fix'd his Eyes upon Aurelian, when much Company has
been at Table, and have wept through Earnestness of Intention, if nothing
hapned to divert the Object; whether it were for regret, at the
Recollection of his former self, or for the Joy he conceiv'd in being, as
it were, reviv'd in the Person of his Son, I never took upon me to
enquire, but suppos'd it might be sometimes one, and sometimes both
together.
Aurelian, at the Age of Eighteen Years, wanted nothing (but a Beard) that
the most accomplished Cavalier in Florence could pretend to: he had been
Educated from Twelve Years old at Siena, where it seems his Father kept a
Receiver, having a large Income from the Rents of several Houses in that
Town. Don Fabio gave his Servant Orders, That Aurelian should not be
stinted in his Expences, when he came up to Years of Discretion. By
which means he was enabled, not only to keep Company with, but also to
confer many Obligations upon Strangers of Quality, and Gentlemen who
travelled from other Countries into Italy, of which Siena never wanted
store, being a Town most delightfully Situate, upon a Noble Hill, and
very well suiting with Strangers at first, by reason of the agreeableness
and purity of the Air: There also is the quaintness and delicacy of the
Italian Tongue most likely to be learned, there being many publick
Professors of it in that place; and indeed the very Vulgar of Siena do
express themselves with an easiness and sweetness surprizing, and even
grateful to their Ears who understand not the Language.
Here Aurelian contracted an acquaintance with Persons of Worth of several
Countries, but among the rest an intimacy with a Gentleman of Quality of
Spain, and Nephew to the Archbishop of Toledo, who had so wrought himself
into the Affections of Aurelian, through a Conformity of Temper, an
Equality in Years, and something of resemblance in Feature and
Proportion, that he look'd upon him as his second self. Hippolito, on
the other hand, was not ungrateful in return of Friendship, but thought
himself either alone or in ill Company, if Aurelian were absent: but his
Uncle having sent him to travel, under the Conduct of a Governour, and
the two Years which limited his stay at Siena being expired, he was put
in mind of his departure. His Friend grew melancholy at the News, but
considering that Hippolito had never seen Florence, he easily prevailed
with him to make
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