Page:The Adventures of David Simple (1904).djvu/359

 having some business that way, he called at the apothecary's to inquire what was become of him, and heard he was dead; for he would drink hard in spite of any persuasions to the contrary; which, with the pain, threw him into a fever that killed him. "But," continued this good man, "I was moved with compassion (though not with a mixture of pleasure) when I heard that as soon as he found he must die, all his fancied infidelity vanished into nothing, and in its room succeeded horrors impossible to be described. He begged the apothecary to send to a neighbouring clergyman, and before them both dictated the ensuing account of the life he had led, which they writ down, and, at my request, gave me a copy of it. "'When I was a young fellow I took a delight in reading all those sort of books which best suited my own inclinations, by endeavouring to prove that all pleasure lay in vice; and that the wisest thing a man could do was to give a loose to all his passions and take hold of the present moment for pleasure, without depending on uncertain futurity. As I had but little money, I got in with a set of sharpers; and, by consenting to play all the game with them, was admitted to share some part of the booty. Whenever I had any success that way, I immediately spent it on wine and women. As to the latter, I had never any sort of affection for them, further than for their persons, and consequently was never much disappointed by any refusal from them, for I went from one to another; and as I was always certain of succeeding with some of them, I was very well satisfied. Promises cost me nothing; for I was full as liberal of them as I was sparing in the performance; and whenever I had by any means gained woman, as soon as I grew tired of her I made no manner of scruple of leaving her to infamy and