Page:The Monk, A Romance - Lewis (1796, 1st ed., Volume 1).djvu/178

 out upon my travels. My father supplied me liberally with money; but he insisted upon my concealing my rank, and presenting myself as no more than a private gentleman. This command was issued by the counsels of his friend the duke of Villa Hermosa, a nobleman for whose abilities and knowledge of the world I have ever entertained the most profound veneration.

"Believe me," said he, "my dear Raymond, you will hereafter feel the benefits of this temporary degradation. 'Tis true, that as the condé de las Cisternas you would have been received with open arms, and your youthful vanity might have felt gratified by the attentions showered upon you from all sides. At present, much will depend upon yourself; you have excellent recommendations, but it must be your own business to make them of use to you: you must lay yourself out to please; you must labour to gain the approbation of those to whom you are presented: they who would