When his friends heard of this offer, they pressed him with the
utmost earnestness to accept of it.
They did not fail to enumerate the many advantages which a certain
degree of spirit and assurance gives a man who would make a figure
in the world: they repeated their instances of good fortune in
others, ascribed them all to a happy forwardness of disposition; and
made so copious a recital of the disadvantages which attend the
opposite weakness, that a stranger, who had heard them, would have
been led to imagine, that in the British code there was some
disqualifying statute against any citizen who should be convicted
of--modesty.
Harley, though he had no great relish for the attempt, yet could not
resist the torrent of motives that assaulted him; and as he needed
but little preparation for his journey, a day, not very distant, was
fixed for his departure.
CHAPTER XIII--THE MAN OF FEELING IN LOVE
The day before that on which he set out, he went to take leave of
Mr. Walton.--We would conceal nothing;--there was another person of
the family to whom also the visit was intended, on whose account,
perhaps, there were some tenderer feelings in the bosom of Harley
than his gratitude for the friendly notice of that gentleman (though
he was seldom deficient in that virtue) could inspire.
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