lord then the nephew of a man whose virtues, generofity, and fingularities are fo univerfally known? I have heard Sir William Thornhill reprefented as one of the moft generous, yet whimfical men in the kingdom; a man of confummate benevolence. '

Something, perhaps, too much fo,' replied Mr. Burchel, at least he carried • benevolence to an excefs when young; for his paffions were then ftrong, and as they all were upon the fide of virtue, they led it up to a romantic extreme. He early began to aim at the qualifications of the foldier and the scholar; was foon distinguished in the army, • and had fome reputation among men of ⚫ learning. Adulation ever follows the

་

' ambitious; for fuch alone receive moft

pleasure from flattery. He was fur• rounded with crowds, who fhewed him only one fide of their character; so that he began to lofe a regard for private intereft in univerfal fympathy. He

• loved

⚫ loved all mankind; for fortune prevented him from knowing that there were rascals. Phyficians tell us of a dif order in which the whole body is fo exquifitely fenfible, that the flightest touch gives pain: what some have thus suffered in their perfons, this gentleman felt in his mind. The flighteft diftrefs, whether 'real or fictitious, touched him to the quick, and his foul laboured under a fickly fenfibility of the miferies of < others.

Thus difpofed to relieve, it will be easily conjectured, he found. numbers difpofed to folicit: his pro * fufions began to impair his fortune, but not his good-nature; that, indeed, was. • feen to encrease as the other seemed to

decay: he grew improvident as he grew

poor; and though he talked like a man • of sense, his actions were those of a fool.. Still, however, being furrounded with importunity, and no longer able to fatisfy every requeft that was made him, instead of money he gave promifes. They were all he had to bestow, B 6

and

and he had not refolution enough to give any man pain by a denial. By this he drew round him crowds of de* pendants whom he was fure to disappoint; yet wished to relieve. Thefe hung upon him for a time, and left him with merited reproaches and contempt. But in proportion as he became contemptible to others, he became defpi• cable to himself. His mind had leaned upon their adulation, and that support taken away, he could find no pleasure in the applaufe of his heart, which he had never learnt to reverence. The • world now began to wear a different afpect; the flattery of his friends began to dwindle into fimple approbation Approbation foon took the more friendly form of advice, and advice, when rejected, produced their reproaches. He now, therefore, found that fuch friends as benefits had gathered round him, were little estimable: he now found that a man's own heart must be ever given to gain that of another. I now found,

that

← that——that———I forgot what I was going to obferve: in fhort, Sir, he re• folved to respect himself, and laid down a plan of restoring his falling fortune. For this purpose, in his own whimsical manner, he travelled through Europe on foot, and now, though he has scarce • attained the age of thirty, his circum+ stances are more affluent than ever. At prefent, his bounties are more rational and moderate than before; but still he preferves the character of an humourist, and finds most pleasure in eccentric • virtues..

My attention was fo much taken up by Mr. Burchell's account, that I fcarce looked forward as we went along, till we were alarmed by the cries of my family, when turning, I perceived my youngest daughter in the midst of a rapid stream, thrown from her horfe, and struggling with the torrent. She had funk twice, nor was it in my power to disengage myself in time to bring her relief. My

fenfations were even too violent to permit my attempting her refcue: fhe mult have certainly perifhed had not my companion, perceiving her danger, instantly plunged in to her relief, and, with fome difficulty, brought her in fafety to the opposite shore. By taking the current a little farther up, the reft of the family got fafely over; where we had an opportunity of joining our acknowledgments to her's. Her gratitude may be more readily imagined than defcribed; The thanked her deliverer more with looks than words, and continued to lean upon his arm, as if still willing to receive af fiftance. My wife alfo hoped one day to have the pleasure of returning his kindnefs at her own house. Thus, after we were refreshed at the next inn, and had dined together, as Mr. Burchell was going to a different part of the country, he took leave; and we pursued our journey. My wife obferving as we went, that she liked him extremely, and pro

testing,