man, rather in the decline of years, to keep his house,
pleasantly situated in a little village near Hampstead.

"He was a man of great talents, and of brilliant wit; but, a worn-out
votary of voluptuousness, his desires became fastidious in proportion as
they grew weak, and the native tenderness of his heart was undermined by
a vitiated imagination. A thoughtless career of libertinism and social
enjoyment, had injured his health to such a degree, that, whatever
pleasure his conversation afforded me (and my esteem was ensured by
proofs of the generous humanity of his disposition), the being his
mistress was purchasing it at a very dear rate. With such a keen
perception of the delicacies of sentiment, with an imagination
invigorated by the exercise of genius, how could he sink into the
grossness of sensuality!

"But, to pass over a subject which I recollect with pain, I must remark
to you, as an answer to your often-repeated question, 'Why my sentiments
and language were superior to my station?' that I now began to read,
to beguile the tediousness of solitude, and to gratify an inquisitive,
active mind. I had often, in my childhood, followed a ballad-singer,
to hear the sequel of a dismal story, though sure of being severely
punished for delaying to return with whatever I was sent to purchase.
I could just spell and put a sentence together, and I listened to the
various arguments, though often mingled with obscenity, which occurred
at the table where I was allowed to preside: for a literary friend or
two frequently came home with my master, to dine and pass the night.
Having lost the privileged respect of my sex, my presence, instead of
restraining, perhaps gave the reins to their tongues; still I had the
advantage of hearing discussions, from which, in the common course of
life, women are excluded.

"You may easily imagine, that it was only by degrees that I could
comprehend some of the subjects they investigated, or acquire from their
reasoning what might be termed a moral sense. But my fondness of reading
increasing, and my master occasionally shutting himself up in this
retreat, for weeks together, to write, I had many opportunities of
improvement. At first, considering money (I was right!" exclaimed
Jemima, altering her tone of voice) "as the only means, after my loss of
reputation, of obtaining respect, or even the toleration of humanity, I
had not the least scruple to secrete a part of the sums intrusted to
me,