“From the tranquil and easy situation in which you left me, dear sister, I am reduced to that of the highest degree of vexation, which I need not set out to you better than by the plain matter of fact, which I heartily wish I had told you long since; and nothing hindered me but a certain mauvaise honte which you are reasonable enough to forgive, as very natural, though not very excusable where there is nothing to be ashamed of; since I can only accuse myself of too much good-nature, or at worst too much credulity, though I believe there never was more pains taken to deceive any body.  In short, a person whose name is not necessary, because you know it, took all sorts of methods, during almost two years [sic], to persuade me that there never was so extraordinary an attachment (or what you please to call it) as they had for me.  This ended in coming over to make me a visit against my will, and, as was pretended, very much against their interest.  I cannot deny I was very silly in giving the least credit to this stuff.  But if people are so silly, you’ll own ’tis natural for any body that is good-natured to pity and be glad to serve a person they believe unhappy upon their account.  It came into my head, out of a high point of generosity (for which I wish myself hanged), to do this creature all the good I possibly could, since ’twas impossible to make them happy their own way.  I advised him very strenuously to sell out of the subscription, and in compliance to my advice he did so; and in less than two days saw he had done very prudently.  After a piece of service of this nature, I thought I could more decently press his departure, which his follies made me think necessary for me.  He took leave of me with so many tears and grimaces (which I can’t imagine how he could counterfeit) as really moved my compassion; and I had much ado to keep to my first resolution of exacting his absence, which he swore would be his death.  I told him that there was no other way in the world I would not be glad to serve him in, but that his extravagances made it utterly impossible for me to keep him company.  He said that he would put into my hands the money that I had won for him, and desired me to improve it, saying that if he had enough to buy a small estate, and retire from the world, ’twas all the happiness he hoped for in it.  I represented to him that if he had so little money as he said, ’twas ridiculous to hazard at all.  He replied that ’twas too little to be of any value, and he would either have it double or quit.  After many objections on my side and replies on his, I was so weak to be overcome by his entreaties, and flattered myself also that I was doing a very heroic action, in trying to make a man’s fortune though I did not care for his addresses.  He left me with these imaginations, and my first care was to employ his money to the best advantage.  I laid it all out in stock, the general discourse and private intelligence then scattered