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a similar notice of a part of the family
that was more agreable to me. To improve
the acquaintance, the two elder ladies took
occasion to insinuate that a compliment
of a para apiece to the two young folks
would not be unacceptable. I could not choose
as may well be imagined, but oblige them
at so cheap a rate: respect for beauty prevented
my insulting their fair sister, who
had not been comprised in the intimation,
by a similar compliment. Perhaps the insult
might have been forgiven; but it is no great wonder
I believe, that Peabit should act in such
a case before reflection had time to modify
it. I feared that a present suitable to the
age of the receiver and the fancy of the giver
might have been deemed an attempt to purchase.
I soon found by experience what
I might have surmised from reason, that
Bulgarian delicacy did not shew itself in that
shape. I strolled soon after into another
house where there was no gentleman, but more
ladies and more children. After I had gratified
my curiosity awhile by in the examination
of the apartment and its furniture, and maintained
a sort of conversation by a few scatter'd
words eked out by nods and smiles, I
was made to understand that these young
folks had as little objection to paras as
the others: the readiness with which this intimation
was complied with encouraged the
elderly ladies (for such they were) to take
off the mask; and I now found that the reputation
of injustice would be incurred, if
matrons
matrons were to be denied an attention that
had been paid to children. Corrected by this
lesson, by the time that leave was to be taken
of our hosts, I had learnt to regulate my
notions of honour by the Bulgarian stile:
Upon that occasion the ladies of the family
were ranged in a row, the youngest,
as it happen'd nearest to me. I had provided
my waistcoat pocket with a stock
of paras: and I now found an unsuspicious
opportunity of repairing my former
failure: I must confess however to my
shame that my mode of distribution was
still so far from being conformable to the
laws of equity, that before my hand had
reached that of the eldest lady, my funds
funds were exhausted, and instead of paras
I was forced to entreat her acceptance of
an apology. If any body should wonder at
my scribbling this diffusely, let them know
that I am at this instant in another Bulgarian
palace, writing in the enjoyment of
such a scribbling apparatus as no Turkish
Inn has ever afforded me: a low corn
measure, made high enough to sit upon by
a cushion such as there is no want of: and
another higher corn measure for a table, big
enough to hold several papers, with a good
candle raised, by a convenient though odd
shaped earthen candlestick, almost to a level
with my eyes. Before I dismiss the subject
of paras , I will e'en add for the sake of
truth, how ill soever it may accord with
poetical prejudices in favour of rustic manners,
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Identifier: | JB/540/229/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 540.
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1785-12-10 |
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540 |
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229 |
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001 |
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Journal |
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Jeremy Bentham |
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