Permit me, dear Sir, to beg your advice respecting a plan which gratitude and duty have suggested to me. I earnestly long to make some amends for my past behaviour, and convince my father that I have now a just sense of his goodness. I contracted many debts, the discharge of which involved him in difficulties; I have now determined to save a part of my income, and have reason to think I shall soon be advanced on account of my diligence. You know that for some years he has been obliged, as the only means to support himself, to attend some young gentlemen as a private tutor. Indeed he made himself a slave to it in order to support me in my extravagance, and, instead of banishing me from his house and heart, as I deserved, he received me with open arms, when I returned, and said, Blessed be heaven, I have again found my son! As his health begins to break, I wish to persuade him to give up his long troublesome walks; and I am sure that in a short time I shall be able to maintain both him and myself very genteely. I have now to mention another circumstance to you since you led me to see the charms of virtue, and experience its heart-felt pleasures. I have been attached to a very amiable young woman, who has a small fortune, and I should not hesitate a moment about marrying her, only I am afraid to entangle myself with a family before I have provided for my father. Added to this, one of my relations has proposed to me to marry an old widow who is very rich, and he assures me I should not be rejected, if I offered her my hand. After what I have told you, you may suppose I feel no great affection for her. Yet, I sometimes think, I ought this way to provide for a parent I have so grossly injured. I know not what to determine on; pray write to me soon, and give me your opinion without any reserve, by so doing you will add to the obligation already conferred on your sincere friend G. LANDBERGEN. LETTER XXXVIII. CHARLES _to_ LANDBERGEN.