, and
to support the dignity of his family accordingly. She gave him various
commissions to purchase goods in England, and though she as yet had sent
him very trifling remittances, she alluded so constantly to the exalted
rank of the Esmonds, to her desire that he should do nothing unworthy of
that illustrious family; she advised him so peremptorily and frequently
to appear in the first society of the country, to frequent the court
where his ancestors had been accustomed to move, and to appear always in
the world in a manner worthy of his name, that George made no doubt
his mother's money would be forthcoming when his own ran short, and
generously obeyed her injunctions as to his style of life. I find in the
Esmond papers of this period, bills for genteel entertainments, tailors'
bills for court suits supplied, and liveries for his honour's negro
servants and chairmen, horse-dealers' receipts, and so forth; and am
thus led to believe that the elder of our Virginians was also after a
while living at a considerable expense.

He was not wild or extravagant like his brother. There was no talk of
gambling or racehorses against Mr. George; his table was liberal, his
equipages handsome, his purse always full, the estate to which he was
heir was known to be immense. I mention these circumstances because they
may probably have influenced the conduct both of George and his friends
in that very matter concerning which, as I have said, he and his mother
had been just corresponding. The young heir of Virginia was travelling
for his pleasure and improvement in foreign kingdoms. The queen, his
mother, was in daily correspondence with his Highness, and constantly
enjoined him to act as became his lofty station. There could be no
doubt from her letters that she desired he should live liberally and
magnificently. He was perpetually making purchases at his parent's
order. She had not settled as yet; on the contrary, she had wrote out by
the last mail for twelve new sets of waggon harness, and an organ
that should play fourteen specified psalm-tunes: which articles George
dutifully ordered. She had not paid as yet, and might not to-day or
to-morrow, but eventually, of course, she would: and Mr. Warrington
never thought of troubling his friends about these calculations, or
discussing with them his mother's domestic affairs. They, on their side,
took for granted that he was in a state of competence and ease, and,
without being mercenary folk