on, he laid out part of his money
in the purchase of it, and with the remainder set up the exempt's wife
in a milliner's shop, in which, being a woman of a gay polite
behaviour, she soon acquired great business, especially as she
pretended to have left France on the score of religion, and went
constantly every day to prayers, after having formally renounced the
errors of the church of Rome: Natura visited her very often out of
gratitude, and perhaps some sparks of a more warm passion; and they
had many happy hours together, which the talk of their past adventures
contributed to heighten, as afflictions once overcome, serve to
enhance present happiness.

Several matches were now proposed to Natura, but he rejected them all;
whether it were that he had not seen the face capable of fixing his
heart, or whether he was willing to wait the determination of his
father's affairs, in order to marry to greater advantage, it is hard
to say; tho' probably the latter was the true reason; for ambition now
began to display itself in his bosom, and by much got the better of
those fond emotions which a few years past had engrossed him: he now
began to think that grandeur had charms beyond beauty, though far from
being insensible of that too, he was not without other amours than
that he still continued with the French woman: the raising his fortune
was, however, his principal view, and for that purpose he neglected
nothing tending to promote it; he made his court to those of the great
men, who he knew could be serviceable to him with so much success,
that he had many promises of their interest for a better post, as soon
as opportunity presented.

Fortune for a while seemed inclined to favour him in a lavish manner;
his mother-in-law died, and with her many of the vexatious suits
dropped, and others were compromised at an easy rate, so that his
father was soon in a condition to make a settlement upon him
sufficient to qualify him for a seat in parliament, which, on the
first vacancy, thro' favour, he got into, though at that time the
house was not crowded with placemen, as it since has been: in fine, he
was beloved and caressed by persons of the highest rank, and every one
looked upon him as a man who, in time, would make a very considerable
figure in the world.

His friends remonstrating that as he was twenty-nine, it was time for
him to think of marriage, and a proposal being made on that account
with a young lady, of an ancient and