"If you please to fall back a little, because 'tis necessary to
look at the three next pictures at one view; these are three
sisters. She on the right hand, who is so very beautiful, died a
maid; the next to her, still handsomer, had the same 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 resolution, for he poisoned three mastiffs
to come at her, and knocked down two deer-stealers in carrying
her off. Misfortunes happen in all families: the theft of this
romp and so much money, was no great matter to our estate. But
the next heir that possessed it was this soft gentleman, whom you
see there: observe the small buttons, the little boots, the
laces, the slashes about his clothes, and above all the posture
he is drawn in (which to be sure was his own choosing); you see
he sits 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
those that had too much wit to know how to live in the world; he
was a man of no justice, 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 sign a deed that passed away half his estate with his
gloves on, but would not put on his hat before a lady if it were
to save his country. He is said to be the first that made love
by squeezing the hand. He left the estate 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