Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/151

 to Alcantara, and set out on my journey like a poor beggar on foot.

As I was pre-determined when I secretly left my estate under the care of Don Antonio never to apply to him for any remittances, nor let him know the places of my temporary residence, self-love and the mortification I now felt, made me still more averse to such a measure to extricate myself from difficulties. I set out from Madrid, with a very slender purse, which at the end of a few days journies, decreased very rapidly, and threatened me with every kind of the most humiliating distress. I resolved therefore to buy a guitar, before my stock should be-entirely gone, and knowing a great number of the most favourite popular ballads and songs by heart, I exercised my musical talents in every little town, burgh or village I passed, and met every where with tolerable success, especially among the women, whose ears I took care to treat with such songs, as I thought would best suit the temper of their mind. Thus, poor and contented, I got to within the distance of a few leagues from my villa, and in