s sincerity, and firmly believed, that he would
settle him in some place with the first opportunity, rather than continue to pay
this pension out of his own pocket. In all probability, this prediction would
have been verified, had not an unforeseen accident in a moment overwhelmed the
bark of his interest at court.
    Mean while, this short gleam of good fortune recalled the ideas of pride and
ambition, which he had formerly cherished. His countenance was again lifted up,
his good humour retrieved, and his mien re-exalted. Indeed, he began to be
considered as a rising man by his fellow-dependants, who saw the particular
notice with which he was favoured at the public levee; and some of them, for
that reason, were at pains to court his good graces. He no longer shunned his
former intimates, with whom a good part of his fortune had been spent, but made
up to them in all places of public resort, with the same ease and familiarity as
he had been used to express, and even reimbarked in some of their excesses, upon
the strength of his sanguine expectation. Cadwallader and he renewed their
consultations in the court of ridicule; and divers exploits were atchieved, to
the confusion of those who had sailed into the North of their displeasure.
    But these enjoyments were soon interrupted by a misfortune equally fatal and
unexpected: his noble patron was seized with an apoplectic fit, from which he
was recovered by the physicians, that they might dispatch him according to rule;
and accordingly, in two months after they were called, he went the way of all
flesh. Peregrine was very much afflicted at this event, not only on account of
his friendship for the deceased, to whom he thought himself under many and great
obligations, but also, because he feared that his own interest would suffer a
severe shock, by the removal of this nobleman, whom he considered as its chief
support. He put himself therefore in mourning, out of regard to the memory of
his departed friend, and exhibited genuine marks of sorrow and concern; though
he had, in reality, more cause to grieve than he as yet imagined.
    When quarter day came about, he applied to the steward of his lordship's
heir for the interest of his money, as usual; and the reader will readily own he
had some reason to be surprized, when he was told he had no claim either to
principal or interest. True it is, the manager talked very civilly as well as
sensibly on the subject. »Your appearance, Sir, (said he to Pickle)
