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298 view to bestow a favour equally upon the father as upon the son; considering it but just that the off-spring of one so worthy should also share his royal regard, and possess a rank that would prevent the father from longer blushing for his son, as might appear to be the case, from the late circumspection of the former in withholding the latter from notice.

Having the good fortune to be thus remembered by the Prince, had De Brooke, previously to his embarkation to Portugal, consulted less his pleasures, and made some sacrifice to ambition, independently of his father's greatness, how splendid was the prospect which lay before him! Alas! that such faded from his view he had no one but himself to blame.

The existing cause leading Sir Aubrey to the inspection of his son's affairs has now been traced. Suddenly and unexpectedly elevated by the special favour of the King, he considered it an indispensable obligation no longer to leave him concealed within the walls of a prison. And since the extent of his debts called for so large a disbursement, he determined, on making the sacrifice, to make also a virtue of necessity, by turning it to his own private views, and procure if possible his son's removal from the kingdom.