whom I had many in and about London. Accordingly, I took for a month, until I could have possession of chambers which I was treating for in Lincoln's inn, a small well-furnished house in Buckingham street; hired an old woman to make my fires and breakfasts; my dinner I got from a cook's shop; and left my lodgings in Norfolk street; took possession, and kept bachelor's hall. During my residence in this house, my visits were generally to and from my relations. When I dined or drank tea out, it was always with a respectable private family. I studied hard all the morning; but at night-ah! "there's the rub," I would steal out, occasionally, to Burlton's; but I played cautiously, and generally came off the winner. One night, indeed, I had a little tumble, by incautiously breaking my resolution; which was, never to play after I had lost what I took with me. However, I had the money at home, and gave a check for the amount due, to the bank, on George Fennell, and took him the cash to answer it with before ten o'clock the next morning.

During my residence in Buckingham street, I had several tea and card parties; when I could get the ladies and gentlemen of the families with whom I was intimate, to condescend to visit Bachelor's Hall. And here, best of all, I was visited by my father when he came to London.

The reader is not to suppose, that all my afternoons and evenings had been hitherto spent with my rakish companions. I visited frequently the most respectable company in and out of London.

Lord Folely intended being absent from Lincoln's inn about eighteen months, and wished a tenant for his

chambers, who would take them as they were, elegantly furnished, and richly ornamented with fine prints.-There were a drawing-room, library, two bed-rooms and a kitchen. This was what exactly suited me: accordingly, I took them for one year; and moved myself, my books, and my old woman into them. Here I found it necessary to be more frequent in attending commons, to save my term; for I had hitherto much neglected them. This operated towards the renewal of my intimacy with my former acquaintances; but I had an outer door to my chambers: so that when I wished to be private, I might be so by closing it.

I was so much pleased with my chambers, that they inclined me to study, and I spent most of my time in them. Many of my evenings were passed in solitude at home; and I began to estimate highly the observation of Plato:

Nunquam minus solus quam cum solus.

Still, however, the supper and the company occasionally drew me to Burlton's; but being cautious, I was generally successful.

Yet we are not always on our guard; and the evil spirit will wakefully watch every opportunity of thwarting our best resolves. Again, one evening, I had suffered myself to be seduced from the adherence to the rules I had laid down for my conduct when at Burlton's, and found myself, about three in the morning, a loser of five hundred pounds, beside what I had brought with me. The dealers were inclined to break off; but I insisted on another deal, which, after some altercation, was granted. By this one deal, I recovered the five

hundred pounds; all that I had brought with me, and was the winner, by the sitting, of eleven guineas.

This winter, on the 11th of December, 1787, I bccame of age, and was thereby entitled to receive my share of a certain sum of money, which was left to the children of three families, to be paid to them respectively as they came of age; but it was represented to me that I did not want the money, and that it would be preferable to let it lie till more of the nephews and nieces reached the age of twenty-one; that the expenses of obtaining it might be divided among a number; instead of which, if I claimed separately, I should have to pay them all. I consented, and deferred my claim. I received it about two years afterwards.

I had other claims, in which I was equally disappointed for a time. An uncle of my mother, Thomas Colby, esquire, commissioner of the victualling, had, in his will, left my mother and her two sisters, two thousand pounds each; not subject to the control of their respective husbands, but entirely at their own disposal; and a considerable balance, after the stated legacies should be paid, to be divided between the children of his three nieces as they came of age. He appointed my uncle, sir Piercy Brett, and Mr. Aylmour, a law. yer, as his executors. But a difference arose respecting the intentions of Mr. Colby. The question was, whether the children, then living, were exclusively to receive the legacies; or whether the children that might thereafter be born, were to be embraced by them. The executors, puzzled to decide, threw the will into chancery; and while it remained there, my youngest sister was born, and the lord chancellor decided on the

ques

tion in her favour: thus the money remained undivided till it pleased Providence to prevent the possibility of an increase of offspring.

During this winter I visited my father's family several times. Once, when they were about going to the play, I attended them. It was customary for the officers of Chatham barracks to perform, occasionally, for charitable purposes; and I undertook the part of Jaffier, which I performed, as I was told, considerably well.

About this time my aunt, the widow of captain Matteate Brady, had the misfortune to hear of the death of one of her sons abroad. All her relations went into mourning. At the expiration of a month after the arrival of the news, such of her relatives as were in and near London, were invited to dine and pass the afternoon with her. Among the rest, myself. She lived about five miles from London. Like a foolish, thoughtless young man, I determined to cut a dash on the occasion, absolutely forgetting that it was intended as a consolatory visit on the death of her son. I accordingly borrowed an elegant carriage of a friend of mine, coachman and footman; dressed myself in complete order; and that I might be still more fashionable, took good care to be too late. In this style I arrived at Mrs. Brady's door, to the great surprise of all the uncles, aunts, and cousins there present. I ordered the coachman to return about dusk; entered the house, and saluted Mrs. Brady as if nothing had happened. Then turning to see who was the next claimant on my respect, I perceived the whole company, male and female, in deep mourning. My heart rebuked me for my carelessness.

1

I was the only one in colours; and the eyes of the whole company were upon me. After saluting all, I made the best apology I could invent for my dress, by stating, that having sent my black suit to the tailor's, to get it prepared for the occasion, he had disappointed me; and that waiting for it had occasioned my being so late. There was present an uncle, named Arnaud, who lived at Portsmouth, but who was then on a visit to London; a worthy, honest, lively character, who had amassed a considerable property by industry, prudence, and frugality. He appeared to watch me closely, and every now and then, I thought I perceived a certain turn of countenance which seemed to say, that boy is going to ruin. This induced me occasionally to change my tone; and in the end I managed so well, that I obtained the consent of all the visiting uncles, aunts, and cousins, to come and sup with me at my chambers. As the evening approached, my carriage came to the door; and having taken leave of Mrs. Brady and her daughters, and reminded the rest that I should expect them, I took my cousin, John Brady, in the chariot with me, and drove home to my chambers. There I ordered my old woman to get every thing in nice order (though, to do her justice, she always kept them so) and, fool as I was, instead of desiring her to hide all the superfluous plate, I told her to bring out every article, as I was going to have a large party to supper. I then went to the coffee-house, at the corner of the square, whence I generally was supplied when I dined or supped at home, and requested that a waiter might be sent to prepare the table; and that they would send me supper for twelve persons, and returned hastily to my chambers; for I