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 heated, soon boil'd over, and for that time put out the fire: mean while all this dalliance and disport had so far consum'd the morning, that it became a kind of necessity to lay breakfast and dinner into one.

In our calmer intervals Charles gave the following account of himself, every tittle of which was true. He was the only son of a father, who having a small post in the revenue, rather over-liv'd his income, and had given this young gentleman a very slender education: no profession had he bred him up to, but design'd to provide for him in the army, by purchasing him an ensign's commission; that is to say, provided he could raise the money, or procure it by interest, either of which clauses was rather to be wish'd than hop'd for by him: on no better a plan, however, than this, had this improvident father suffer'd this youth, and a youth of great promise, to run up to the age of manhood, or near it at least, in next to idleness, and had besides taken no