had a still greater in discovering this to others, had not he been checked by discretion.  Life, in his opinion, was too short to read all sorts of books, and to burden one’s memory with a multitude of things, at the expense of one’s judgment.  He did not apply himself to the most learned writings, in order to acquire knowledge, but to the most rational, to fortify his reason:  he sometimes chose the most delicate, to give delicacy to his own taste, and sometimes the most agreeable, to give the same to his own genius.  It remains that he should be described, such as he was, in friendship and in religion.  In friendship he was more constant than a philosopher, and more sincere than a young man of good nature without experience.  With regard to religion, his piety consisted more in justice and charity than in penance or mortification.  He placed his confidence in God, trusting in His goodness, and hoping that in the bosom of His providence he should find his repose and his felicity.”—­He was buried in Westminster Abbey.]

The Chevalier was from that time his hero:  they had each of them attained to all the advantages which a knowledge of the world, and the society of people of fashion, could add to the improvement of good natural talents.  Saint Evremond, less engaged in frivolous pursuits, frequently gave little lectures to the Chevalier, and by making observations upon the past, endeavoured to set him right for the present, or to instruct him for the future.  “You are now,” said he, “in the most agreeable way of life a man of your temper could wish for:  you are the delight of a youthful, sprightly, and gallant court:  the king has never a party of pleasure to which you are not admitted.  You play from morning to night, or, to speak more properly, from night to morning, without knowing what it is to lose.  Far from losing the money you brought hither, as you have done in other places, you have doubled it, trebled it, multiplied it almost beyond your wishes, notwithstanding the exorbitant expenses you are imperceptibly led into.  This, without doubt, is the most desirable situation in the, world:  stop here, Chevalier, and do not ruin your affairs by returning to your old sins.  Avoid love, by pursuing other pleasures:  love has never been favourable to you.

["Saint Evremond and Bussi-Rabutin, who have also written on the life of the Count de Grammont, agree with Hamilton in representing him as a man less fortunate in love than at play; not seeking for any other pleasure in the conquest of a woman but that of depriving another of her; and not able to persuade any one of his passion, because he spoke to her, as at all other times, in jest:  but cruelly revenging himself on those who refused to hear him; corrupting the servants of those whom they did favour, counterfeiting their handwriting, intercepting their letters, disconcerting their rendezvous; in one word, disturbing their amours by everything which a rival, prodigal, indefatigable, and full