y Mr. Garrick this time (his
friend Dr. Johnson having spoken not unfavourably of the work), but my
friend and cousin, Hagan, was engaged by the manager to perform the part
of the hero, Captain Smith. Hagan's engagement was not made before it
was wanted. I had helped him and his family with means disproportioned,
perhaps, to my power, especially considering my feud with Madam Esmond,
whose answer to my angry missive of April came to me towards autumn,
and who wrote back from Virginia with war for war, controlment for
controlment. These menaces, however, frightened me little: my poor
mother's thunder could not reach me; and my conscience, or casuistry,
supplied me with other interpretations for her texts of Scripture, so
that her oracles had not the least weight with me in frightening me from
my purpose. How my new loves speeded I neither informed her, nor any
other members of my maternal or paternal family, who, on both sides, had
been bitter against my marriage. Of what use wrangling with them? It was
better to carpere diem and its sweet loves and pleasures, and to leave
the railers to grumble, or the seniors to advise, at their ease.

Besides Madam Esmond I had, it must be owned, in the frantic rage of my
temporary separation, addressed notes of wondrous sarcasm to my Uncle
Warrington, to my Aunt Madame de Bernstein, and to my Lord or Lady
of Castlewood (I forget to which individually), thanking them for the
trouble which they had taken in preventing the dearest happiness of my
life, and promising them a corresponding gratitude from their obliged
relative. Business brought the jovial Baronet and his family to London
somewhat earlier than usual, and Madame de Bernstein was never sorry
to get back to Clarges Street and her cards. I saw them. They found me
perfectly well. They concluded the match was broken off, and I did not
choose to undeceive them. The Baroness took heart at seeing how cheerful
I was, and made many sly jokes about my philosophy, and my prudent
behaviour as a man of the world. She was, as ever, bent upon finding a
rich match for me: and I fear I paid many compliments at her house to
a rich young soap-boiler's daughter from Mile End, whom the worthy
Baroness wished to place in my arms.

"You court her with infinite wit and esprit, my dear," says my pleased
kinswoman, "but she does not understand half you say, and the other
half, I think, frightens her. This ton de persiflage is very well in our
society