 in the Service
was a sufficient Recommendation, Booth, who had been twice wounded in the Siege,
seemed to have the fairest Pretensions; but he remained a poor half-pay
Lieutenant, and the others were, as we have said, one of them a
Lieutenant-Colonel, and the other had a Regiment. Such Rises we often see in
Life, without being able to give any satisfactory Account of the Means, and
therefore ascribe them to the good Fortune of the Person.
    Both Colonel James and his Brother-in-Law were Members of Parliament: for as
the Uncle of the former had left him, together with his Estate, an almost
certain Interest in a Borough, so he chose to confer this Favour on Colonel
Bath; a Circumstance which would have been highly immaterial to mention here;
but as it serves to set forth the Goodness of James, who endeavoured to make up
in Kindness to the Family, what he wanted in Fondness for his Wife.
    Colonel James then endeavoured all in his Power to persuade Booth to think
again of a military Life, and very kindly offered him his Interest towards
obtaining him a Company in the Regiment under his Command. Booth must have been
a Madman in his present Circumstances to have hesitated one Moment at accepting
such an Offer, and he well knew Amelia, notwithstanding her Aversion to the
Army, was much too wise to make the least Scruple of giving her Consent. Nor was
he, as it appeared afterwards, mistaken in his Opinion of his Wife's
Understanding: for she made not the least Objection when it was communicated to
her, but contented herself with an express Stipulation, that wherever he was
commanded to go (for the Regiment was now abroad) she would accompany him.
    Booth therefore accepted his Friend's Proposal with a Profusion of
Acknowledgments; and, it was agreed, that Booth should draw up a Memorial of his
Pretensions, which Colonel James undertook to present to some Man of Power, and
to back it with all the Force he had.
    Nor did the Friendship of the Colonel stop here. »You will excuse me, dear
Booth,« said he, »if after what you have told me« (for he had been very
explicite in revealing his Affairs to him) »I suspect you must want Money at
this Time. If that be the Case, as I am certain it must be, I have fifty Pieces
at your Service.« This Generosity brought the Tears into Booth's Eyes; and he at
length confest, that he had not five Guineas in the House; upon which James gave
