spread among many, would have hurt only myself." This is vague and
metaphysical enough; but it bears corroborative intimations, that the
impression which he early made upon me was not incorrect. He was
vain of his experiments in profligacy, but they never grew to
habitude.

While he was engaged in the composition of his satire, he formed a
plan of travelling; but there was a great shortcoming between the
intention and the performance. He first thought of Persia; he
afterwards resolved to sail for India; and had so far matured this
project, as to write for information to the Arabic professor at
Cambridge; and to his mother, who was not then with him at Newstead,
to inquire of a friend, who had resided in India, what things would
be necessary for the voyage. He formed his plan of travelling upon
different reasons from those which he afterward gave out, and which
have been imputed to him. He then thought that all men should in
some period of their lives travel; he had at that time no tie to
prevent him; he conceived that when he returned home he might be
induced to enter into political life, to which his having travelled
would be an advantage; and he wished to know the world by sight, and
to judge of men by experience.

When his satire was ready for the press, he carried it with him to
London. He was then just come of age, or about to be so; and one of
his objects in this visit to the metropolis was, to take his seat in
the House of Lords before going abroad; but, in advancing to this
proud distinction, so soothing to the self-importance of youth, he
was destined to suffer a mortification which probably wounded him as
deeply as the sarcasms of the Edinburgh Review. Before the meeting
of Parliament, he wrote to his relation and guardian, the Earl of