620 AN EXCHANGE OF CIVILITIES,

get me, but I am recovered; do not take it ill that.I do not close
with your offer; I assure you, ’tis not for want of a sense of the
kindness of it in you: and I come to make the most sincere
acknowledgment of it to you; but, I hope, I have got the victory
over myself.”

“My lord,” said I, ‘I hope you are fully satisfied that you do
not resist the call of Heaven.” “ Sir,” said he, “if it had been from
Heaven, the same power would have influenced me to accept it;
but I hope, and am fully eatisfied, that it is from Heaven that I
decline it; and I have an infinite satisfaction in the parting, that
you shall leave me an honest man still, though not a free man.”

T had nothing to do but to acquiesce, and make professions to
him of my having no end in it but a sincere desire to serve him.
He embraced me very passionately, and assured me, he was sensible
of that, and should always acknowledge it: and with that he
offered me a very fine present of sables, too much indeed for me to
accept from a man in his circumstances; and I would have avoided
them, but he would not be refused. —

The next morning I sent my servant to his lordship, with a
small present of tea, and two pieces of China damask, and four
little wedges of Japan gold, which did not all weigh above six
ounces or thereabout, but were far short of the value of his sables,
which, indeed, when I came to England, I found worth near £200.
He accepted the tea, and one piece of the damask, and one of the
pieces of gold, which had a fine stamp upon it, of the Japan coin-
age, which I found he took for the rarity of it, but would not take
any more; and he sent word by my servant that he desired to
speak with me. '

When I came to him, he told me, I knew what ‘had passed
between us, and hoped I would not move him any more in that
affair; but that, since I had made such a generous offer to him, he
asked me, if I had kindness enough to offer the same to another.
person that he would name to me, in whom he had a great share
of concern. I told him, that I could not say [inclined to do so
much for any one but himself, for whom I had a particular value,
and should have been glad to have been the instrument of “his de-
liverance: however, if he would please to name: the person to me,