I am preparing to leave this kingdom. Mowbray and Tourville promise to
give me their company in a month or two.
I'll give thee my route.
I shall first to Paris; and, for some amusement and diversion sake, try
to renew some of my old friendships: thence to some of the German courts:
thence, perhaps, to Vienna: thence descend through Bavaria and the Tyrol
to Venice, where I shall keep the carnival: thence to Florence and Turin:
thence again over Mount Cenis to France: and, when I return again to
Paris, shall expect to see my friend Belford, who, by that time, I doubt
not, will be all crusted and bearded over with penitence, self-denial,
and mortification; a very anchoret, only an itinerant one, journeying
over in hope to cover a multitude of his own sins, by proselyting his old
companions.
But let me tell thee, Jack, if stock rises on, as it has done since I
wrote my last letter, I am afraid thou wilt find a difficult task in
succeeding, should such be thy purpose.
Nor, I verily think, can thy own penitence and reformation hold. Strong
habits are not so easily rooted out. Old Satan has had too much benefit
from thy faithful services, for a series of years, to let thee so easily
get out of his clutches. He knows what will do with thee. A fine
strapping Bona Roba, in the Charters-taste, but well-limbed,
clear-complexioned, and Turkish-eyed; thou the first man with her, or
made to believe so, which is the same thing; how will thy frosty face be
illuminated by it! A composition will be made between thee and the grand
tempter: thou wilt promise to do him suit and service till old age and
inability come. And then will he, in all probability, be sure of thee
for ever. For, wert thou to outlive thy present reigning appetites, he
will trump up some other darling sin, or make a now secondary one
darling, in order to keep thee firmly attached to his infernal interests.
Thou wilt continue resolving to amend, but never amending, till, grown
old before thou art aware, (a dozen years after thou art old with every
body else,) thy for-time-built tenement having lasted its allotted
period, he claps down upon thy grizzled head the universal trap-door: and
then all will be over with thee in his own way.
Thou wilt think these hints uncharacteristic from me. But yet I cannot
help warning thee of the danger thou art actually in; which is the
greater, as thou seemst not to know it. A few words more, therefore,
on this subject.
Thou hast made good resolutions. If thou keepest them not, thou wilt
never be able to keep any. But, nevertheless, the devil and thy time of
life are against thee: and six to one thou failest. Were it only that
thou hast resolved, six to one thou failest. And if thou dost, thou wilt
become the scoff of men, and the triumph of devils.--Then how will I
laugh at thee! For this warning is not from principle. Perhaps I wish
it were: but I never lied to man, and hardly ever said truth to woman.
The first is what all free-livers cannot say: the second what every one
can.
I am mad again, by Jupiter!--But, thank my stars, not gloomily so!--
Farewell, farewell, farewell, for the third or fourth time, concludes
Thy
LOVELACE.
I believe Charlotte and you are in private league together. Letters, I
find, have passed between her and you, and Lord M. I have been
kept strangely in the dark of late; but will soon break upon you
all, as the sun upon a midnight thief.
Remember that you never sent me the copy of my beloved's will.