Henry Ringwood became a shareholder in our Company, and the Earl of Crabs offered to be.
Our shares rose to a premium; our Director, his lady, and daughter were presented at Court; and the great West Diddlesex Association bid fair to be the first Assurance Office in the kingdom.
A very short time after my visit to Fulham, my dear aunt wrote to me to say that she had consulted with her attorneys, Messrs.

Hodge and Smithers, who strongly recommended that she should invest the sum as I advised.

She had the sum invested, too, in my name, paying me many compliments upon my honesty and talent; of which, she said, Mr.Brough had given her the most flattering account.

And at the same time my aunt informed me that at her death the shares should be my own.

This gave me a great weight in the Company, as you may imagine.