'
Meanwhile his private character was none of the best. He had in early
life had one attachment, besides that unfortunate affair for which his
friends had removed him from Oxford, and in that had behaved with great
magnanimity. The young lady had honestly told him that he had a rival;
the Beau sent for him, settled on her a fortune equal to that her father
intended for her, and himself presented her to the favoured suitor. Now,
however, he seems to have given up all thoughts of matrimony, and gave
himself up to mistresses, who cared more for his gold than for himself.
It was an awkward conclusion to Nash's generous act in that one case,
that before a year had passed, the bride ran away with her husband's
footman; yet, though it disgusted him with ladies, it does not seem to
have cured him of his attachment to the sex in general.
In the height of his glory Nash was never ashamed of receiving
adulation. He was as fond of flattery as Le Grand Monarque--and he paid
for it too--whether it came from a prince or a chair-man. Every day
brought him some fresh meed of praise in prose or verse, and Nash was
always delighted.
But his sun was to set in time. His fortune went when gaming was put
down, for he had no other means of subsistence.
Pages:
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289