RADCLIFFE. 127 liarity with Betterton, the famous tragedian, and at his persuasion was induced to risk no less a sum than 5000/. in a venture to the East Indies : the sliip sailed, and had a favourable passage ; when on her return, she was taken by the Mar- quis de Nesmond, and all her cargo, amounting in value to 120,000/. captured by the enemy. This loss ruined the poor player, but Radcliffe received the disastrous intelligence at the Bull's Head Ta- vern, in Clare Market (where he was enjoying himself with several persons of the first rank), with philosophic composure ; desiring his companions not to interrupt the circulation of the glass, "for that he had no more to do but to go up so many pair of stairs to make himself whole again." Nor did this pecuniary loss check the exercise of his liberal spirit, for it was in the course of this year that he contributed a considerable sum towards the repairs and embellishments of University College. In the following year, after long solicitation of his friends, he, for the first time, thought of matrimony, and began to pay his court to the daughter of a wealthy citizen. The parents of the young lady gave their consent, and it was settled that he should receive on the day of marriage 15,000/., and the residue of their property at their death ; his own fortune being then estimated to amount to 30,000/. The match, however, was broken off, upon Radcliffe discovering that the book-keeper of his intended bride's father had anticipated him in securing her affections, and possessed the most unequivocal claim to the title of her husband.
