- Of all the accomplishments
you have caused me to be instructed in, geography, fortification, and
fencing, have been my darling studies.
- Of what use, sir, will they be
to me in an idle life? permit me then the opportunity of showing the
expense you have been at has not been thrown away. - I know they will say
I am too young to bear a commission, but if I had the means of going a
volunteer, I cannot help thinking but I should soon give proofs the
extreme desire I have to serve my country that way would well attone for
my want of years.
The more he spoke, the more the astonishment of his patron increased: he
admired the greatness of his spirit, but was troubled it led him to a
desire of running into so dangerous a way of life. - He represented to
him all the hardships of a soldier, the little regard that was sometimes
paid to merit, and gave him several instances of gentlemen who had
passed their youth in the service, and behaved with extreme bravery, yet
had no other reward than their fears, and a consciousness of having done
more than was their duty: in war, said he, the superior officers carry
away all the glory as well as profits of the victory; whereas in civil
employments it is quite otherwise: in physic, in law, in divinity, or in
the state, your merits will be immediately conspicuous to those who have
the power to reward you; and if you are desirous of acquiring a name, by
which I suppose you mean to become the head of a family, any of these
afford you a much greater prospect of success, and it lies much more in
my power of assisting your promotion.
To these he added many other arguments, but they were not of the least
weight with the impatient Horatio. He was obstinate in his entreaties,
which he even with tears enforced, and Dorilaus, considering so strong a
propensity as something supernatural, at last consented. - Never was joy
more sincere and fervent than what this grant occasioned, and he told
his benefactor that he doubted not but that hereafter he should hear
such an account of his behaviour, as would make him not repent his
having complied with his request.
The preparations for his going to Oxford were now converted into others
of a different nature. - Several of our troops were already sent to
Flanders, and others about to embark, in order to open the campaign; so
that there was but a small space between the time of Horatio's asking
leave to go, and that of his departure, which Dorilaus resolved should
be in a manner befitting a youth whom he had bred up as his own. He
provided him a handsome field-equipage, rich cloaths, horses, and a
servant to attend him; and while these things were getting ready, had
masters to perfect him in riding; and those other exercises proper for
the vocation he was now entering into, all which he performed with so
good a grace, that not only Dorilaus himself, who might be suspected to
look on him with partial eyes, but all who saw him were
perfectly charmed.
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