,
communicated the young gentleman's sentiments and resolution; and finally
assured him, that unless he should think proper to ask pardon for the offence he
had committed, he would, in all appearance, never more behold the face of his
godson.
    The old commodore was utterly confounded at this piece of intelligence; he
had expected all the humility of obedience and contrition from the young man;
and instead of that, received nothing but the most indignant opposition, and
even found himself in the predicament of an offender, obliged to make atonement,
or forfeit all correspondence with his favourite. These insolent conditions at
first threw him into an agony of wrath, and he vented execrations with such
rapidity, that he left himself no time to breathe, and had almost been
suffocated with his choler. He inveighed bitterly against the ingratitude of
Peregrine, whom he mentioned with many opprobrious epithets, and swore that he
ought to be keel-hauled for his presumption; but when he began to reflect more
coolly upon the spirit of the young gentleman, which had already manifested
itself on many occasions, and listened to the suggestions of Hatchway, whom he
had always considered as an oracle in his way, his resentment abated, and he
determined to take Perry into favour again; this placability being not a little
facilitated by Jack's narrative of our hero's intrepid behaviour at the
assembly, as well as in the contest with him in the park. But still this plaguy
amour occurred like a bugbear to his imagination; for he held it as an
infallible maxim, that woman was an eternal source of misery to man. Indeed this
apothegm he seldom repeated since his marriage, except in the company of a very
few intimates, to whose secrecy and discretion he could trust. Finding Jack
himself at a non-plus in the affair of Emilia, he consulted Mrs. Trunnion, who
was equally surprised and offended, when she understood that her letter did not
produce the desired effect; and after having imputed the youth's obstinacy to
his uncle's unseasonable indulgence, had recourse to the advice of the parson,
who, still with an eye to his friend's advantage, counselled them to send the
young gentleman on his travels, in the course of which he would, in all
probability, forget the amusements of his greener years. The proposal was
judicious, and immediately approved, when Trunnion going into his closet, after
divers efforts, produced the following billet, with which Jack departed for
Windsor that same afternoon.
 
        My good lad,
            If I gave offence in my last letter, I'm sorry
