observed, is always grazing on the very verge of the circle to
which it is limited by its halter.

Do not accuse me of romance for obeying this impulse towards the
South; nor suppose that, to satisfy the imaginary longing of an
idle curiosity, I am in any danger of risking the solid comforts
of my present condition. Whoever has hitherto taken charge of my
motions has shown me, by convincing proofs more weighty than the
assurances which they have witheld, that my real advantage is
their principal object. I should be, therefore, worse than a
fool did I object to their authority, even when it seems somewhat
capriciously exercised; for assuredly, at my age, I might--
intrusted as I am with the care and management of myself in every
other particular--expect that the cause of excluding me from
England should be frankly and fairly stated for my own
consideration and guidance. However, I will not grumble about
the matter. I shall know the whole story one day, I suppose; and
perhaps, as you sometimes surmise, I shall not find there is any
mighty matter in it after all.

Yet one cannot help wondering--but plague on it, if I wonder any
longer, my letter will be as full of wonders as one of
Katterfelto's advertisements. I have a month's mind, instead of
this damnable iteration of guesses and forebodings, to give thee
the history of a little adventure which befell me yesterday;
though I am sure you will, as usual, turn the opposite side of
the spyglass on my poor narrative, and reduce, MORE TUO, to the
most petty trivialities, the circumstance to which thou accusest
me of giving undue consequence. Hang thee, Alan, thou art as
unfit a confidant for a youthful gallant with some spice of