contribute a large sum toward making up that he wanted; the most he
got from any one being no more than five guineas, and all he raised
among the whole amounted to no more than twenty, and some odd pounds.

Distracted with his ill fortune, he ventured to go to an uncle he had
by the mother's side, and after many complaints of his father's
parsimony, told him, that having been drawn into some expences, which,
though not extravagant, were more than his little purse could supply,
he had broke into some money given him to pay his taylor, whom he
feared would demand it of his father, and he knew not how far the
ill-will of his mother-in-law might exaggerate the matter; concluding
with an humble petition for twenty guineas, which he told him he would
faithfully return by degrees.

As Natura had the character of a sober youth, the good old gentleman
was moved by the distress he saw him in, and readily granted his
request, tho' not without some admonitions to confine for the future
his expences to his allowance, be it ever so small.

Thus Natura having with all his diligence not been able to raise quite
half of the sum in question, was quite distracted what to do, and as
he afterwards owned, more than once repented him of those scruples
which had prevented him from serving himself at once out of his
father's purse; tho' had the same opportunity again presented itself,
it is scarce possible to believe by the rest of his behaviour, that he
would have made use of it, or if he had, that he could have survived
the shame and remorse it would have caused in him.

In his desperation he ran at last to the house of a noted
money-scrivener, a great acquaintance of the family, and in his whose