sions of his duty to me, in which I was informed
that he was going again to the university at Paris, where he should
remain four years; after that he intended to make the tour of Europe,
and then come and settle at The Hague. I returned him thanks in a letter
for his compliment, wished him all happiness, and a safe return to
Holland, and desired that he would write to me from time to time that I
might hear of his welfare, which was all I could now expect of him. But
this was the last time I heard from him, or he from me.

In about a month's time the news came that the privateer (which sailed
under British colours, and was divided into eight shares) had taken a
ship, and was bringing it into the Texel, but that it accidentally
foundered, and being chained to the privateer, had, in sinking, like to
have lost that too. Two or three of the hands got on shore, and came to
The Hague; but how terribly I was alarmed any one may judge, when I
heard the ship the privateer had was the Newfoundland merchantman, as I
had bought two shares in out of four. About two months after news was
current about The Hague of a privateer or merchantman, one of them of
the town, though not known which, having an engagement in the
Mediterranean, in which action both the privateer and trader was lost.
Soon after their names were publicly known, and, in the end, my partners
heard that they were our ships, and unhappily sailing under false
colours (a thing often practised in the time of war), and never having
seen each other, had, at meeting, a very smart engagement, each fighting
for life and honour, till two unfortunate shots; one of them, viz., the
privateer, was sunk by a shot between wind and water, and the trader
unhappily blown up by a ball falling in the powder-room. There were only
two hands of the trader, and three of the privateer, that escaped, and
they all fortunately met at one of the partners' houses, where they
confirmed the truth of this melancholy story, and to me a fatal loss.

What was to be done now? I had no money, and but few clothes left;
there, was no hope of subsistence from my son or his guardians; they
were tied down to be spectators of my misfortunes, without affording me
any redress, even if they would.

Isabel, though I was now reduced to the last penny, would live with me
still, and, as I observed before and may now repeat, I was in a pretty
situation to begin the world--upwards of sixty years of age, friendless,
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