of reforming, I had all the opportunity to do it with advantage
that ever woman had. For the common vice of all whores, I mean money,
was out of the question, nay, even avarice itself seemed to be glutted;
for, including what I had saved in reserving the interest of L14,000,
which, as above, I had left to grow, and including some very good
presents I had made to me in mere compliment upon these shining
masquerading meetings, which I held up for about two years, and what I
made of three years of the most glorious retreat, as I call it, that
ever woman had, I had fully doubled my first substance, and had near
L5000 in money which I kept at home, besides abundance of plate and
jewels, which I had either given me or had bought to set myself out for
public days.

In a word, I had now five-and-thirty thousand pounds estate; and as I
found ways to live without wasting either principal or interest, I laid
up L2000 every year at least out of the mere interest, adding it to the
principal, and thus I went on.

After the end of what I call my retreat, and out of which I brought a
great deal of money, I appeared again, but I seemed like an old piece of
plate that had been hoarded up some years, and comes out tarnished and
discoloured; so I came out blown, and looked like a cast-off mistress;
nor, indeed, was I any better, though I was not at all impaired in
beauty except that I was a little fatter than I was formerly, and always
granting that I was four years older.

However, I preserved the youth of my temper, was always bright, pleasant
in company, and agreeable to everybody, or else everybody flattered me;
and in this condition I came abroad to the world again. And though I was
not so popular as before, and indeed did not seek it, because I knew it
could not be, yet I was far from being without company, and that of the
greatest quality (of subjects I mean), who frequently visited me, and
sometimes we had meetings for mirth and play at my apartments, where I
failed not to divert them in the most agreeable manner possible.

Nor could any of them make the least particular application to me, from
the notion they had of my excessive wealth, which, as they thought,
placed me above the meanness of a maintenance, and so left no room to
come easily about me.

But at last I was very handsomely attacked by a person of honour, and
(which recommended him particularly to me) a person of a very great
estate. He made a long introduction to