markable for his attachment to the fair fex. He observed that no virtue was able to refift his arts and affiduity, and that scarce a farmer's daughter within ten miles round but what had found him fuccefsful and faithlefs. Though this account gave me some pain, it had a very a different effect upon my daughters, whofe features seemed to brighten with the expectation of an approaching triumph, nor was my wife lefs pleased and confident of their allurements and virtue. While our thoughts were thus employed, the hoftess entered the room to inform her husband, that the ftrange gentleman, who had been two days in the house, wanted money, and could not fatisfy them for his reckoning, "Want money!" replied the hoft, "that "must be impoffible; for it was no later "than yesterday he paid three guineas to "our beadle to fpare an old broken fol"dier that was to be whipped through "the town for dog-stealing." The hostess, however, ftill perfifting in her first affertion, he was preparing to leave the room, swear

ing

ing that he would be fatisfied one way or another, when I begged the landlord would introduce me to a stranger of fo much charity as he defcribed. With this he complied, fhewing in a gentleman who seemed to be about thirty, dreft in cloaths that once were laced. His perfon was well formed, though his face was marked with the lines of thinking. He had fomething short and dry in his addrefs, and feemed not to understand ceremony, or to despise it. Upon the landlord's leaving the room, I could not avoid expreffing my concern to the stranger at feeing a gentleman in such circumstances, and offered him my purse to fatisfy the prefent demand. "I take "it with all my heart, Sir," replied he, " and am glad that a late oversight in giv

ing what money I had about me, has "fhewn me that there is ftill fome benevo

"lence left among us. I muft, however, previously entreat being informed of the name and refidence of my benefactor, "in order to remit it as foon as poffible." In this I fatisfied him fully, not only men

tioning

tioning my name and late misfortunes, but

the place to which I was going to remove.

This," cried he, happens ftill more

luckily than I hoped for, as I am going the fame way myself, having been de"tained here two days by the floods, "which, I hope, by to-morrow will be "found paffable." I teftified the pleasure I should have in his company, and my wife and daughters joining in entreaty, he was prevailed upon to stay supper. The ftranger's converfation, which was at once pleaffing and instructive, induced me to wish for a continuance of it; but it was now high time to retire and take refreshment against the fatigues of the following day.

The next morning we all fet forward together: my family on horfeback, while Mr. Burchell, our new companion, walked along the foot-path by the road-fide, observing, with a smile, that as we were ill mounted, he would be too generous to attempt leaving us behind. As the floods were not yet fubfided, we were obliged to

hire a guide, who trotted on before, Mr. Burchell and I bringing up the rear. We lightened the fatigues of the road with philofophical difputes, which he seemed perfectly to understand. But what furprised me most was, that though he was a money-borrower, he defended his opinions with as much obftinacy as if he had been my patron. He now and then also informed me to whom the different feats belonged that lay in our view as we travelled the road. That," cried he, pointing to a very magnificent house which stood at fome diftance, "belongs to Mr. "Thornhill, a young gentleman who enjoys

a large fortune, though entirely depen"dant on the will of his uncle, Sir Willam Thornhill, a gentleman, who content with "a little himself,, permits his nephew to enjoy the reft, and chiefly refides in town." What!" cried I, "is my young landlord "then the nephew of a man whose virtues, generofity, and fingularities are "fo univerfally known? I have heard

"Sir William Thornhill represented as

one of the most generous, yet whimfical, men in the kingdom; a man "of confummate benevolence"

Something perhaps, too much fo," replied Mr. Burchell, "at least he carried be"nevolence to an excefs when young; "for his paffions were then strong, "and as they all were upon the fide of vir"tue, they led it up to a romantic ex"treme. He early began to aim at the

qualifications of the foldier and scholar; was foon diftinguished in the army, "and had fome reputation among men of learning. Adulation ever follows the

ambitious; for fuch alone receive most 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 "interest in univerfal fympathy. "loved all mankind; for fortune prevented "him from knowing that there were rascals.

He

Physicians tell us of a diforder in which

"the