The Touchstone of Fortune Being the Memoir of Baron Clyde, Who Lived, Thrived, and Fell in the Doleful Reign of the So-called Merry Monarch, Charles II

A baron of an ancient line opens his memoir by recalling the turbulent days surrounding the Restoration of Charles II. He paints a vivid picture of a court where fortunes are wagered on daring gambles, honor is strained by vice, and the allure of royal favor masks a relentless hunger for survival. Through his eyes we sense the delicate balance between loyalty to a “Merry Monarch” and the practical need to protect one’s own estate.

The narrative turns to his friendship with George Hamilton, a handsome, quick‑witted younger son of an illustrious family who navigates the same treacherous waters with a blend of bravado and generosity. Their shared ventures—risky cards, dubious appointments, and the promise of a “hundred‑to‑one” windfall—offer a glimpse of the charismatic daring that propels them forward. Yet the baron hints that this very audacity, set against the decadence of the age, will prove to be the very thing that unravels his rise.