he is a Gentleman who does not
a little value himself upon his ancient Descent, I expected he would
give me some 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
saying things, as they occur to his Imagination, without regular
Introduction, or Care to preserve the Appearance of Chain of Thought.

"It is," said he, "worth while to consider the Force of Dress; and how
the Persons of one Age differ from those of another, merely by that
only. One may observe also that the General Fashion of one Age has
been follow'd 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 Yeoman of the Guard; not without a good and Politick
View, because they look a Foot taller, and a Foot and an half broader:
Besides, that the Cap leaves the Pace expanded, and consequently more
Terrible, and fitter to stand at the Entrance of Palaces.

"This Predecessor of ours, you see, is dressed after this Manner, and
his Cheeks would be no larger than mine were he in a Hat as I am. He
was the last Man that won a Prize in the Tilt-Yard (which is now a
Common Street before _Whitehall_). You see the broken Lance that lyes
there by his right Foot: he shivered that Lance of his Adversary all
to pieces; and bearing himself, look you Sir, in this manner, at the
same time he came within the Target of the Gentleman who rode again
him, and taking him with incredible Force before him on the Pummel of
his Saddle, he in that manner rid the Turnament over, with an Air that
shewed he did it rather to perform the Rule of the Lists, 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
sat (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 play'd on the Base-viol as
well as any Gentleman at Court; you see where his Viol hangs by his
Basket-hilt Sword. The Action at the Tilt-yard you may be sure won the
Fair Lady, who was a Maid of Honour, and the greatest B