Page:Life of the honourable Col. James Gardiner (1).pdf/6

 When his liberty was regained by an exchange of prisoners, and his health established, he was far from rendering unto the Lord according to the mercy he had experienced. Very little is known of the particulars of these wild and thoughtless years which lay between the 19th and 30th of his life; except that he experienced the divine goodness in preserving him in several hot military actions; and yet, these years were spent in an entire alienation from God, and an eager pursuit of sensual pleasure as his supreme good.

Amidst oil these wandrings from religion, virtue, and happiness, he approved himself so well in his military character, that he was made a lieutenant in 1708: and, after several intermediate promotions, appointed major of a regiment, commended by the Earl of Stair. In January 1729-30, he was advanced to the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the same regiment: and here continued till April 1743, when he received a colonel’s commission over a regiment of Dragoons, at the head of which he valiantly fell, about two years and a half after he received it.

We now return to that period of his life, winch passed at Paris, where he resided in the family of the Earl of Stair, with some interruptions till about the year 1720.

The Earl's favour and generosity made him easy in his affairs, though he was, part of the time, out of commission, the regiment to which he belonged being disbanded. This was, in all probability, the gayest part of his life, and the most criminal. Whatever good examples he might find in the family where he lived, it is certain that the French Court was one of the most dissolute under heaven. What, by a wretched abuse off language, have been called intrigues of love and gallantry, constituted, if not the whole business, at least the whole happiness of his life; and his fine constitution, than which, perhaps, there was hardly ever a better, gave him great opportunities of indulging himself in those excesses; while his good spirits enabled him to pursue his pleasures, in such a manner, that