ren of bounty to those who please them.

One might, on this occasion, recount the sense that great persons in all
ages have had of the merit of their dependents, and the heroic services
which men have done their masters in the extremity of their fortunes; and
shown, to their undone[49] patrons, that fortune was all the
difference[50] between them; but as I design this my speculation only as
a gentle admonition to thankless masters, I shall not go out of the
occurrences of common life, but assert it as a general observation, that
I never saw but in Sir Roger's family, and one or two more, good servants
treated as they ought to be. Sir Roger's kindness extends to their
children's children, and this very morning he sent his coachman's
grandson to prentice. I shall conclude this paper with an account of a
picture in his gallery, where there are many which will deserve my future
observation.

At the very upper end of this handsome structure I saw the portraiture of
two young men standing in a river, the one naked, the other in a livery.
The person supported seemed half dead, but still so much alive as to show
in his face exquisite joy and love towards the other. I thought the
fainting figure resembled my friend Sir Roger; and looking at the butler,
who stood by me, for an account of it, he informed me that the person in
the livery was a servant of Sir Roger's, who stood on the shore while
his master was swimming, and observing him taken with some sudden
illness, and sink under water, jumped in and saved him. He told me Sir
Roger took off the dress[51] he was in as soon as he came home, and by a
great bounty at that time, followed by his favour ever since, had made
him master of that pretty seat which we saw at a distance as we came to
this house. I remembered indeed Sir Roger said there lived a very worthy
gentleman, to whom he was highly obliged, without mentioning anything
further. Upon my looking a little dissatisfied at some part of the
picture, my attendant informed me that it was against Sir Roger's will,
and at the earnest request of the gentleman himself, that he was drawn in
the habit[52] in which he had saved his master.

R.

FOOTNOTES:

[41] _Family._ Family in its original Latin meaning of _household_.

[42] _Industriously._ On purpose.

[43] _With such economy ... beforehand._ With such thrift as always to
be well within his income.

[44] _Stripped._ Discharged.

[45] _Pleasant on this occasion._