2

in which he took no share or met with reproaches which tho' he deserved
he could not endure.
Bereft of domestic happiness, and satieted with pleasure,
he was the sport of every passion, and finding himself always
dissatisfied, he became reckless and indifferent and to what became
of him--His time--his health--his fortune were wasted
and it was not until he found himself on the very brink
of maim, that startled into a sense of impending danger, like the
drowning wretch, he snatched even at a straw in hopes
of escape. Such was his condition, when he was drawn
by the artful counsels of Madam Luneville, to make to his
wife the proposition which offended her past forgiveness-
He had not as he solemnly averred meant any things dis-
honorable--he meant only to temperance--to break
off the threatening anger, until he could make arrangements of
a more efficient kind.--In the confusion which even
such a proposal occasioned--he had { ?} in so confused
hurried and embarrassed a manner, that he had conveyed
ideas, which he could not now obliterate. It
was in vain he endeavoured to exculpate himself
from a charge so base selfish and cowardly--The love,
which once cast a veil over his faults, had been gradu-
ally wearing away, and his errors were now viewed with-
out indulgence.--Disappointed in this last and only resource
Clifton in feeling his utter destitution, had become sensible
of the enormity of his conduct.--Left to himself, his
very misery, might have worked out his restoration
but he returned to the woman, who in his heart he
despised, and with an infatuation--which even the excess of passion
could scarcely excuse, again yielded to her baneful influence.
In the plan to which Julia
at last acceded resulted as a reprieve from impending danger;
he rejoiced to be once more restored to home; he
resolved on reform, and hoped for happiness. Had he adopted
the right means, both might have been attained.
As it was, his resolution proved as nugatory as
his hopes. The illusions of pleasure were dissolved--Indifference
had succeeded to the ardour of a happiness, once { ?}
by Madam Luneville, and now when he saw her daily,
in company with the { friends?}, the imprudently