We could not but congratulate the doctor on his having so considerable a hand (as Sir Charles always. Lord L. said, delighted to own) in cultivating his innate good principles, at so critical a time of life, as that was, in which they became acquainted.

The doctor very modestly received the compliment, and, to wave our praises, gave us another instance of the great manner in which Sir Charles conferred benefits; as follows:

He once, said the doctor, when his fortune was not what it now is, lent a very honest man, a mer-chant of Leghorn, when he resided there (as he did sometimes for a month or two together, for the conveniency of the EngHsh chapel) a considerable sum; and took his bond for it: after a while, things not answering to the poor man’s expectation, Mr. Grandison took notice to me, said the doctor, that he appeared greatly depressed and dejected, and occasionally came into his company with such a sense of obligation in his countenance and beha-viour, that he could not bear it: And why, said he, should I keep it in my power to distress a man, whose modesty and diffidence shew, that he deserves to be made easy? I may die suddenly: my exe-cutors may think it but justice to exact payment: and that exaction may involve him in as great diffi-culties as those were, from which the loan delivered Jiim. I will make his heart light. Instead of suf-fering him to sigh over his uncertain prospects at his board, or in his bed, I will make both his board and his bed easy to him. His wife and his five children shall rejoice with him; they shall see the good man’s countenance, as it used to do, shine upon them; and occasionally meet mine with grate-ful comfort.

He then cancelled the bond: and, at the same time, fearing the man’s distress might be deeper than he owned, offered him the loan of a further sum. But, by his behaviour upon it, I found, said Mr. Grandison, that the sum he owed, and the doubt he had of being able to pay it in time, were the whole of the honest man’s grievance. He declined, with gratitude, the additional offer, and walked, ever after, erect.

He is now living, and happy, proceeded the doc-tor; and just before Mr. Grandison left Italy, would have made him some part of payment, from the bap-pier turn in his affairs; which probably was owing to hie revived spirits: but Mr. Grandison asked, What he thought he meant, when he cancelled the obligation? Yet he told him, that it was not wrong in him to make the tender: for free minds, he said, loved not to be ungenerously dealt with.

What a man is this, Lucy!