has had no other ſupplies; and ſo ends my melancholy ſtory.’
In this deplorable ſituation did the duke leave Paris, an inſtance indeed of the ſtrange reverſe of fortune, but for which he could not blame the ſeverity of providence, or the perſecution of enemies, but his own unbounded profuſion, a ſlave to which he ſeems to have been born. As a long journey did not very well ſuit with his grace’s finances, ſo he went for Orleans, thence fell down the river Loire to Nantz in Britany, and there he ſtopt ſome time ’till he got a remittance from Paris, which was ſquandered almoſt as ſoon as received. At Nantz ſome of his ragged ſervants rejoined him, and from thence he took ſhipping with them from Bilboa, as if he had been carrying recruits to the Spaniſh regiment. From Bilboa he wrote a humorous letter to a friend at Paris, ſuch as his fancy, not his circumſtances, dictated, giving a whimſical account of his voyage, and his manner of paſſing away his time. But at the end, as if he had been a little affected with his late miſconduct, he concludes thus, ‘notwithſtanding what the world may ſay of me,
Be kind to my remains, and O! defend,
Againſt your judgment, your departed friend[1].’
When the duke arrived at Bilboa, he had neither friends, money, nor credit, more than what the reputation of his Spaniſh commiſſion procured him. Upon the ſtrength of that he left his ducheſs and ſervant there, and went to his regiment, where he was obliged to ſupport himſelf upon the pay of 18 piſtoles a month, but could get no relief for the poor lady and family he left behind him. The diſtreſs
- ↑ Theſe two lines are taken from Dryden, who addreſſed them to Congreve, when he recommended to him the care of his works.
