, and threw it into the Fire; resolving never to
visit the Lady more, unless it was to pay her the Money she had lent him, which
he was determined to do the very first Opportunity: for it was not at present in
his Power.
    This Letter threw him back into his Fit of Dejection, in which he had not
continued long, when a Packet from the Country brought him the following from
his Friend Dr. Harrison:
 
        »Sir,
                                                         Lyons, January 21. N.S.
            Tho' I am now on my Return home, I have taken up my Pen to
        communicate to you some News I have heard from England, which gives me
        much Uneasiness, and concerning which I can indeed deliver my Sentiments
        with much more Ease this way than any other. In my Answer to your last I
        very freely gave you my Opinion, in which it was my Misfortune to
        disapprove of every Step you had taken; but those were all pardonable
        Errors. Can you be so partial to yourself, upon cool and sober
        Reflexion, to think what I am going to mention is so? I promise you, it
        appears to me a Folly of so monstrous a Kind, that had I heard it from
        any but a Person of the highest Honour, I should have rejected it as
        utterly incredible. I hope you already guess what I am about to name;
        since Heaven forbid your Conduct should afford you any Choice of such
        gross Instances of Weakness. In a word then you have set up an Equipage.
        What shall I invent in your Excuse, either to others, or to myself? In
        truth, I can find no Excuse for you, and what is more, I am certain you
        can find none for yourself. I must deal therefore very plainly and
        sincerely with you. Vanity is always contemptible; but when joined with
        Dishonesty, it becomes odious and detestable. At whose Expence are you
        to support this Equipage? Is it not entirely at the Expence of others;
        and will it not finally end in that of your poor Wife and Children? You
        know you are two Years in Arrears to me. If I could impute this to any
        extraordinary or common Accident, I think I should never have mentioned
        it; but I will not suffer my Money to support the ridiculous, and I must
        say, criminal Vanity of any one. I expect therefore to find at my
        Return, that you have either discharged my whole Debt, or your Equipage.
        Let me beg you seriously to consider your Circumstances and Condition in
        Life, and to remember that your Situation will not justify any the least
