which now I have in my view,
but shall then, I fear, quickly lose sight of; for I am but flesh, a
man, a mere man, have passions and affections as likely to possess and
overthrow me as any man: O be not my friend and my tempter both
together!"

If I was surprised before, I was quite dumb now, and stood silent,
looking at him; and, indeed, admired what I saw. The struggle in his
soul was so great, that, though the weather was extremely cold, it put
him into a most violent sweat, and I found he wanted to give vent to his
mind; so I said a word or two, that I would leave him to consider of it,
and wait on him again; and then I withdrew to my own apartment.

About two hours after, I heard somebody at or near the door of the room,
and I was going to open the door; but he had opened it, and come in: "My
dear friend," said he, "you had almost overset me, but I am recovered:
do not take it ill that I do not close with your offer; I assure you, it
is not for want of a sense of the kindness of it in you; and I come to
make the most sincere acknowledgment of it to you; but, I hope, I have
got the victory over myself."

"My lord," said I, "I hope you are fully satisfied, that you did not
resist the call of Heaven."--"Sir," said he, "if it had been from
Heaven, the same power would have influenced me to accept it; but I
hope, and am fully satisfied, that it is from Heaven that I decline it;
and I have an infinite satisfaction in the parting, that you shall leave
me an honest man still, though not a free man."

I had nothing to do but to acquiesce, and make profession to him of my
having no end in it, but a sincere desire to serve him. He embraced me
very passionately, and assured me, he was sensible of that, and should
always acknowledge it: and with that he offered me a very fine present
of sables, too much indeed for me to accept from a man in his
circumstances; and I would have avoided them, but he would not
be refused.

The next morning I sent my servant to his lordship, with a small present
of tea, two pieces of China damask, and four little wedges of Japan
gold, which, did not all weigh above six ounces, or thereabouts; but
were far short of the value of his sables, which indeed, when I came to
England, I found worth near two hundred pounds. He accepted the tea, and
one piece of the damask, and one of the pieces of gold, which had a fine
stamp upon it, of the Japan coinage, which I found he took for the
rarity of it, but