Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/288

278 The duke, before this event, had thrown himſelf at the feet of the Chevalier de St. George, as the only poſſible reſource he had left. Accordingly he wrote him a moſt moving letter, giving him a detail of his preſent ſufferings, very pathetically repreſenting the diſtreſs to which he was reduced, and humbly imploring his protection, with what little aſſiſtance might be neceſſary to enable him to ſupport ſuch a burthen of calamities, as he found otherwiſe too heavy to bear.

The duke having now returned to Paris, made a conſiderable reformation in his houſhold affairs, and placed himſelf in a private family, while the ducheſs went to a relation’s at St. Germains. In the mean while the anſwer of the letter ſent to Rome came in its proper time, in which his imprudent conduct was repreſented; but at the ſame time was touched with ſo light and delicate a hand, that it gave the duke but little uneaſineſs. No hopes were given him, that he ſhould be gratified in his extravagancies, or flattered in his levities; on the contrary he was told, ‘That as his paſt conduct had not merited any favour, nothing but his future behaviour could recommend him to it.’ The duke had ſufficient penetration to diſcover by this hint, that he was not likely to be abandoned, which was conſolation enough to one of his ſanguine temper, in the then deſperate ſituation of his affairs.The Chevalier de St. George ſoon after ſent him 2000 l. for his ſupport, of which he was no ſooner in poſſeſſion, than he ſquandered it away in a courſe of extravagance. In reality, money ſeemed to be ſuch a burthen to him, that he bent all his thoughts to get rid of it as faſt as poſſible; and he was as unwilling his companions ſhould be troubled with it as himſelf. As a proof of this ſtrange temper we ſhall