tracted; and was therefore obliged to with draw from the fmall number of friends from whom he had ftill reason to hope for favours. His cuftom was to lie in bed the greatest part of the day, and to go out in the dark with the utmost privacy, and after having paid his vifit return again before morning to his lodging, which was in the garret of an obscure

inn.

Being thus excluded on one hand, and confined on the other, he fuffered the utmost extremities of poverty, and often fasted fo long that he was feized with faintness, and had loft his appetite, not being able to bear the fmell of meat, till the action of his ftomach was restored by a cordial.

In this distress, he received a remittance of five pounds from London, with which he provided himself a decent coat, and determined to go to London, but unhappily spent his money at a favourite tavern. Thus was he again confined to Briftol, where he was every day hunted by bailiffs. In this exigence he once more found a friend, who sheltered him in his houfe, though at the

4.

usual

ufual inconveniences with which his company was attended; for he could neither be perfuaded to go to bed in the night, nor to rife in the day.

It is obfervable, that in these various scenes of misery, he was always difengaged and cheerful: he at fome times purfued his ftudies, and at others continued or enlarged his epiftolary correfpondence; nor was he ever fo far dejected as to endeavour to procure an increase of his allowance by any other me thods than accufations and reproaches.

He had now no longer any hopes of affiftance from his friends at Briftol, who as merchants, and by confequence fufficiently ftudious of profit, cannot be supposed to have looked with much compaffion upon negligence and extravagance, or to think any excellence equivalent to a fault of fuch confequence as neglect of economy. It is natural to imagine, that many of those, who would have relieved his real wants, were difcouraged from the exertion of their benevca lence by obfervation of the ufe which was made of their favours, and conviction that VOL. III. relief

A a

relief would only be momentary, and that the fame neceffity would quickly return.

At laft he quitted the houfe of his friend, and returned to his lodging at the inn, ftill intending to set out in a few days for London; but on the 10th of January 1742-3, having been at fupper with two of his friends, he was at his return to his lodgings arrested for a debt of about eight pounds, which he owed at a coffee-house, and conducted to the houfe of a fheriff's officer. The account which he gives of this misfortune, in a letter to one of the gentlemen with whom he had fupped, is too remarkable to be omitted.

"It was not a little unfortunate for me, "that I spent yesterday's evening with you; "because the hour hindered me from enter

ing on my new lodging; however, I have now got one but such an one, as I believe "nobody would chufe.

"I was arrested at the fuit of Mrs. Read, "juft as I was going up ftairs to bed, at Mr. "Bowyer's; but taken in so private a man

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ner, that I believe nobody at the White

5

"Lion

Lion is apprifed of it. Though I let the "officers know the ftrength (or rather weak

ness) of my pocket, yet they treated me "with the utmost civility; and even when they conducted me to confinement, it was "in fuch a manner, that I verily believe I "could have escaped, which I would rather "be ruined than have done, notwithstanding "the whole amount of my finances was but "three pence halfpenny.

"In the first place I must infift, that you "will industriously conceal this from Mrs. "S-s, because I would not have her "good-nature fuffer that pain, which, I "know, she would be apt to feel on this oc"cafion.

"Next, I conjure you, dear Sir, by all "the ties of friendship, by no means to have "one uneafy thought on my account; but "to have the fame pleasantry of counteવંદ nance, and unruffled ferenity of mind, "which (God be praised!) I have in this, "and have had in a much feverer cala"mity. Furthermore, I charge you, if

yours, not to utter, or even harbour, the "least resentment against Mrs. Read. I be"lieve he has ruined me, but I freely for"give her; and (though I will never more "have any intimacy with her) I would, at a "due diftance, rather do her an act of good, "than ill will. Laftly (pardon the expref"fion), I abfolutely command you not to "offer me any pecuniary affiftance, nor to attempt getting me any from any one of your friends. At another time, or on any other occafion, you may, dear friend, "be well affured, I would rather write to you in the fubmiffive ftyle of a request, "than that of a peremptory command.

"However, that my truly valuable friend may not think I am too proud to afk a favour, let me entreat you to let me have 66 your boy to attend me for this day, not only for the fake of faving me the expence "of porters, but for the delivery of some let16 ters to people whofe names I would not "have known to ftrangers.

"The civil treatment I have thus far met "from those whose prifoner I am, makes me "thankful