My mind being thus relieved from all regret at my departure, I now suffered it to look forward to the advantages of my return to England.

My love of excitement and variety made an election, in which I was to have both the importance of the contest and the certainty of the success, a very agreeable object of anticipation.
I was also by this time wearied with my attendance upon women, and eager to exchange it for the ordinary objects of ambition to men; and my vanity whispered that my success in the one was no unfavourable omen of my prosperity in the other.

On my return to England, with a new scene and a new motive for conduct, I resolved that I would commence a different character to that I had hitherto assumed.

How far I kept this resolution the various events hereafter to be shown, will testify.

For myself, I felt that I was now about to enter a more crowded scene upon a more elevated ascent; and my previous experience of human nature was sufficient to convince me that my safety required a more continual circumspection, and my success a more dignified bearing..