The  (act  is,  a  generous  man  is  always
made  a  fool  of  by  some  woman  or
other;  and  this  one  had  such  an  in-
fluence over  me,  that  she  could  turn
me  round  her  finger.*

Her  infernal  temper  (Mrs.  Stam-
mer was  the  jade*s  name),  and  my
wife's  moodv  despondency,  made  my
house  and  home  not  over-pleasant ;


hence  I  was  driven  a  good  deal
abroad,  where,  as  play  was  we  fashion
at  every  club,  tavern,  and  assembly,
J,  of  course,  was  obliged  to  resume
my  old  habit,  and  to  commence  as  an
amateur  those  games  at  which  I  was
once  unrivalled  in  Europe.  But
whether  a  man's  temper  changes  with
prosperity,  or  his  skill  leaves  him
when  deprived  of  a  confederate,  and
pursuing  the  game  no  longer  pro-
fessionaUy,  he  joins  in  it,  like  the
rest  of  the  world,  for  pastime,  I
know  not ;  but  certain  it  is,  that  in
the  seasons  of  1774- d  I  lost  much
money  at  White's  and  the  Cocoa  Tree,
and  was  compelled  to  meet  my  losses
by  borrowing  largely  upon  mv  wife's
annuities,  insuring  her  ladyship's
life,  and  so  forth.  The  terms  at
which  I  raised  these  necessary  sums,
and  the  outlays  requisite  for  my  im-
provements, were,  of  course,  very
onerous,  and  clipped  the  property
considerably;  and  it  was  some  a£
these  papers  which  my  Lad^  Lyndon
(who  was  of  a  narrow,  timid,  and
stingy  turn)  occasionally  refused  to
sign,  until  1  persuaded  her,  as  I  have
before  shewn.
