It is impossible to describe the pleasure with which Natura found his father was apprized of this affair, without being obliged to relate it himself, as he was now determined to have done:--all his obduracy being now intirely vanquished, and converted into the most tender, affectionate, and dutiful submission. 'Can there be a worse?' replied he, renewing his embraces, 'and can you know it, and yet vouchsafe to look on me as your son!'--'If your penitence be sincere,' said the good old gentleman, 'I neither can, nor ought refuse to pardon all:--but rise,' continued he, 'and freely give this worthy friend and myself, the satisfaction we require;--a full confession of all your misbehaviour, is the only attonement you can make, and that I can expect from you:--remember I have signed your pardon for all that is past, but shall not include in it any future acts of disobedience, among which, dissimulation, evasion or concealment, in what I demand to be laid open, I shall look upon as of the worst and most incorrigible kind.' He needed not have laid so strong an injunction on the now truly contrite Natura;--he disguised nothing of what he had done, even to the mean arts of gaming, to which he had been obliged to have recourse after his voluntary banishment from all his friends; and then painted the horrors he conceived at the things he daily saw, and the despair which had induced him to leave England, in such lively colours, that not only his father, but the merchant, were affected by it, even to the letting fall some tears. But not to be too tedious in this part of my narration, never was there a more perfect reconciliation:--the father till now knew not how much he loved his son, nor the son before felt half that dutiful affection and esteem for his father. It now remained to conclude how the forgiven youth was to be disposed:--there were two reasons which rendered it imprudent for him to go home; first, on the score of his mother-in-law, who being better informed than her husband could have wished, of the errors of his son, he feared would have behaved to him in a fashion which, he easily foresaw, would be attended with many inconveniences; even perhaps to the driving him back into his late vicious courses; and secondly, on that of the contract, which it would be more difficult to get Harriot to relinquish, if Natura were known to be re-established in his father's favour, than if concealed and supposed still in disgrace with him.--The generous merchant made an offer of an apartment in his house; but Natura, who had not seen his sister of a long time, proposed a visit to her; as thinking the society of that dear and prudent relation, would not only console, but establish him in virtue.