Company, who were as filent as myself. I knew he alluded to the Pictures, and as he is a Gentleman who does not a little value himself upon his ancient Descent, I expected he would give me fome Account of them. We were now arrived at the Upper-end of the Gallery, when the Knight faced towards one of the Pictures, and as we stood before it, he entered into the matter, after his blunt way of faying Things, as they occur to his Imagination, without regular Introduction, or Care to preserve the Appearance of Chain of Thought.

'IT is,' faid he, 'worth while to confider the 'Force of Dress; and how the Persons of one Age 'differ from thofe of another, merely by that only. 'One may obferve also, that the general Fashion ' of one Age has been followed by one particular 'Set of People in another, and by them preserved 'from one Generation to another. Thus the vast 'jetting Coat and small Bonnet, which was the 'Habit in Harry the Seventh's Time, is kept on ' in the Yeomen of the Guard; not without a good ' and politick View, because they look a Foot ' taller, and a Foot and an half broader: Befides 'that the Cap leaves the Face expanded, and con'fequently more terrible, and fitter to stand at the 'Entrance of Palaces.

'THIS Predeceffor of ours, you see, is dreffed

' after this manner, and his Cheeks would be no larger than mine, were he in a Hat as I am. He 'was the laft Man that won a Prize in the Tilt'Yard (which is now a Common Street before Whitehall) You see the broken Lance that lies 'there by his right Foot; He shivered that Lance ' of his Adversary all to Pieces; and bearing him'felf, look you, Sir, in this manner, at the fame ' time he came within the Target of the Gentle' man who rode against him, and taking him with 'incredible Force before him on the Pommel of 'his Saddle, he in that manner rid the Turnament ( over, with an Air that fhewed he did it rather to perform the Rule of the Lifts, than expose his 'Enemy; however, it appeared he knew how to 'make use of a Victory, and with a gentle Trot ' he marched up to a Gallery where their Mistress 'fat (for they were Rivals) and let him down with ' laudable Courtesy and pardonable Insolence. I 'don't know but it might be exactly where the 'Coffee-house is now.

'YOU are to know this my Ancestor was not only of a military Genius, but fit also for the Arts ' of Peace, for he played on the Bafs-Viol as well 'as any Gentleman at Court; you fee where his 'Viol hangs by his Basket-hilt Sword. The Action at the Tilt-yard you may be fure won the

с

'fair Lady, who was a Maid of Honour, and the greatest Beauty of her Time; here she stands the 'next Picture. You fee, Sir, my Great Great 'Great Grandmother has on the new-fashioned Petticoat, except that the Modern is gathered at the Waste; my Grandmother appears as if she ' stood in a large Drum, whereas the Ladies now 'walk as if they were in a Go-Cart. For all this

Lady was bred at Court, fhe became an excellent Country-Wife, fhe brought ten Children, and 'when I fhew you the Library, you shall see in ' her own Hand, (allowing for the Difference of 'the Language) the best Receipt now in England 'both for an Hafty-pudding and a White-pot.

'IF you please to fall back a little, because 'tis ' neceffary to look at the three next Pictures at one 'View; these are three Sifters. She on the right 'Hand, who is so very beautiful, died a Maid: 'the next to her, still handsomer, had the fame 'Fate, against her Will; this Homely Thing in the 'middle had both their Portions added to her own,

and was stolen by a neighbouring Gentleman, a 'Man of Stratagem and Refolution, for he poi'foned three Maftiffs to come at her, and knocked 'down two Deer-stealers in carrying her off. Mif'fortunes happen in all Families: The Theft of 'this Romp and fo much Money, was no great

But the next Heir that

C I matter to our Eftate. 'poffeffed it was this foft Gentleman, whom you 'fee there: Obferve the fmall Buttons, the little 'Boots, the Laces, the Slashes about his Clothes, ' and above all the Posture he is drawn in, (which to be fure was his own choofing ;) you fee he fits ' with one Hand on a Desk writing and looking as

it were another way, like an easy Writer, or a 'Sonneteer: He was one of thofe that had too 'much Wit to know how to live in the World; 'he was a Man of no Juftice, but great Good'Manners; he ruined every Body that had any thing to do with him, but never said a rude thing in his Life; the most indolent Person in the 'World, he would fign a Deed that paffed away ' half his Estate with his Gloves on, but would not 'put on his Hat before a Lady if it were to fave 'his Country. He is faid to be the first that made 'Love by fqueezing the Hand. He left the Ef'tate with ten thousand Pounds Debt upon it: but ' however by all Hands I have been informed that 'he was every way the finest Gentleman in the 'World. That Debt lay heavy on our House for 'one Generation, but it was retrieved by a Gift from ' that honest Man you see there, a Citizen of our 'Name, but nothing at all akin to us. I know 'SIR ANDREW FREEPORT has faid behind my