CHAP. I. In France. Jeremy, sick of the dissipa- tions of Paris, is seized with a fit of virtue, and becomes enamoured of rural life. The family of CHAP. II. The pretended son-in-law. Jeremy saves his host's life at the expense of a dangerous CHAP. III. Jeremy discovers that the daughter of his kind host has conceived for him an unfortunate CHAP. V. Fatal consequences of this resolution, CHAP. VI. Arrival of an English party at the cot- tage. Singular behaviour of the old man. CHAP. II. Relapse into dissipation. Firm of Splint and Drammer in the reviewing trade and the cause of the deterioration at present observable in the Edinburgh and Quarterly Reviews, CHAP. V. Jeremy is suddenly plunged into poverty CHAP. VI. Jeremy goes to sea. The vessel taken CHAP. I. In South America.- Cumana. Jeremy persuaded to believe himself sick, meets an old CHAP. V. The rendezvous. Unfortunate issue thereof, CHAP. VI. Mercury turned doctor. Discussion on - the wisdom of falling in love. The sex for and 264 80, CHAP. I. Adieu to Cupid.- Jeremy figures as a CHAP. II. A lesson to all parents.- Jeremy's son proves a bad sprout of a worse stock, and is SIXTY YEARS OF THE LIFE OF JEREMY LEVIS. BOOK SECOND. CHAPTER XXXIV. Here's the scroll, The continent and summary of my fortune. Merchant of Venice. "ONE hundred and twenty-seven thousand pounds sterling!-and all in funds that may be handled at any time! -What may not be done with one hundred and twenty-seven thousand pounds sterling !" I could think of nothing else for several days. When I rose in the morning, "One hundred and twenty-seven thousand pounds!" was my first exclamation; when I lay down at night, "One hundred and twenty-seven thou. sand pounds!" was the last murmur that died upon my lips; and, in my dreams, divers huge cornucopias with the figures £127,000 upon them, and filled to the mouth -not with fruits, but guineas, danced hornpipes before me, with an agility that would have done them honour had they had legs. Reader-it is easy to moralize upon the folly of being elated at the sudden favours of fortune,-just as easy, as it is to despise any thing else-which it is out of our power to possess―; but had Diogenes himself been left so large a sum, he would have kicked through the bottom of his tub at once, and erected a statue to Plutus. Now, I was neither an admirer of a house of staves, nor yet over twenty-one years old; so, I played the fool-as you, or any other wise and moderate youth had done under similar circumstances. My uncle's will was dated a year after I had put myself under his protection, a time when I stood in the very noon of favour. After making most noble provision for his wife, and bequeathing to my uncle Timothy (his sole executor) a diamond ring of great value, which he had received from a foreigner of rank in return for some eminent service, the whole of his ample property was left to me-which inheritance was swelled, by the death of my aunt, to the amount I have mentioned. On the back of the will, in the handwriting of my uncle Jeremy, was a note, which appeared to have been written soon after I had so ungratefully deserted him. As it will interest the reader who is acquainted with the old man's character, I copy it verbatim : Though my nephew has left me so unkindly, when "the ungrateful puppy knows that I love him better than "I do my life-O, Jerry! how could you treat your "poor old uncle so hardly?—and then, to shave my poor "Rose, when the creature never did you any harm, but "loved you, I believe, as much as the old fool, her master "does! I'd rather you'd have burnt my house above my "head!That looked a little spiteful, Jerry. However, "I might have done just so too, when I was youngand, to say the truth, the dog's his uncle over again; "Though for all this, I can find it in my heart to forgive him, and make no alteration whatever in my 66 66 |