In which the gentleman relates the history of his
life.
Sir, I am descended of a good family, and was born
a gentleman. My education was liberal, and at
a public school, in which I proceeded so far as to
become master of the Latin, and to be tolerably versed
in the Greek language. My father died when I
was sixteen, and left me master of myself. He
bequeathed me a moderate fortune, which he intended
I should not receive till I attained the age of twenty-five:
for he constantly asserted that was full early enough
to give up any man entirely to the guidance of his
own discretion. However, as this intention was
so obscurely worded in his will that the lawyers advised
me to contest the point with my trustees, I own I
paid so little regard to the inclinations of my dead
father, which were sufficiently certain to me, that
I followed their advice, and soon succeeded, for the
trustees did not contest the matter very obstinately
on their side. “Sir,” said Adams,
“may I crave the favour of your name?”
The gentleman answered his name was Wilson, and then
proceeded.
I stayed a very little while at school after his death;
for, being a forward youth, I was extremely impatient
to be in the world, for which I thought my parts,
knowledge, and manhood thoroughly qualified me.
And to this early introduction into life, without
a guide, I impute all my future misfortunes; for,
besides the obvious mischiefs which attend this, there
is one which hath not been so generally observed:
the first impression which mankind receives of you
will be very difficult to eradicate. How unhappy,
therefore, must it be to fix your character in life,
before you can possibly know its value, or weigh the
consequences of those actions which are to establish
your future reputation!
A little under seventeen I left my school, and went
to London with no more than six pounds in my pocket;
a great sum, as I then conceived; and which I was
afterwards surprized to find so soon consumed.
The character I was ambitious of attaining was that
of a fine gentleman; the first requisites to which
I apprehended were to be supplied by a taylor, a periwig-maker,
and some few more tradesmen, who deal in furnishing
out the human body. Notwithstanding the lowness
of my purse, I found credit with them more easily
than I expected, and was soon equipped to my wish.
This I own then agreeably surprized me; but I have
since learned that it is a maxim among many tradesmen
at the polite end of the town to deal as largely as
they can, reckon as high as they can, and arrest as
soon as they can.
The next qualifications, namely, dancing, fencing,
riding the great horse, and music, came into my head:
but, as they required expense and time, I comforted
myself, with regard to dancing, that I had learned
a little in my youth, and could walk a minuet genteelly
enough; as to fencing, I thought my good-humour would
preserve me from the danger of a quarrel; as to the
horse, I hoped it would not be thought of; and for
music, I imagined I could easily acquire the reputation
of it; for I had heard some of my schoolfellows pretend
to knowledge in operas, without being able to sing
or play on the fiddle.
