little journey, a plan of proceeding was formed between them, which
was executed in the following manner.

They went together into a tavern, and sent to the house the clerk had
directed, under pretence, that hearing a young man was there who had
an inclination for the sea, a master of a ship would be glad to treat
with him on that affair.--Natura, happily for him, not having yet an
opportunity of engaging himself, obeyed the summons, and followed the
messenger:--his father withdrew into another room, but so near as to
hear what passed, and there was only the merchant to receive him; but
the sight of one he so little expected in that place, and whom he knew
was so intimate in their family, threw him into a most terrible
consternation. He started back, and had certainly quitted the house,
if the merchant, aware of his intention, had not catched hold of him,
and getting between him and the door, compelled him to sit down while
he talked to him.

He began with asking what had induced him to think of leaving England
in the manner he was going to do;--reminded him of the estate to which
he was born, the family from which he was descended, and the education
which he had received; and then set before his eyes the tenderness
with which his father had used him, the grief to which he had exposed
him, and above all the madness of his present intentions:--Natura knew
all this as well as he that remonstrated to him; but as he had not
been capable of listening to his own reflections on that head, all
that was said had not the least effect upon him, and the merchant
could get no other answer from him, than that as things had happened,
he had no other course to take.

The truth was, that as he could not imagine by what means the merchant