The slightest distress, whether real or fictitious, touched him to the quick, and his soul laboured under a sickly sensibility of the miseries of others.

Thus disposed to relieve, it will be easily conjectured, he found numbers disposed to solicit: his profusions began to impair his fortune, but not his good-nature; that, indeed, was seen to encrease as the other seemed to decay: he grew improvident as he grew poor; and though he talked like a man of sense, his actions were those of a fool.

Still, however, being surrounded with importunity, and no longer able to satisfy every request that was made him, instead of money he gave promises.

They were all he had to bestow, and he had not resolution enough to give any man pain by a denial.
By this he drew round him crowds of dependants, whom he was sure to disappoint; yet wished to relieve.

These hung upon him for a time, and left him with merited reproaches and contempt.