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workman had with much sagacity double sewn to preserve them from
falling. Resolving therefore to rid his coat of a huge quantity of
gold lace, he picked up the stitches with much caution and
diligently gleaned out all the loose threads as he went, which
proved to be a work of time. Then he fell about the embroidered
Indian figures of men, women, and children, against which, as you
have heard in its due place, their father's testament was extremely
exact and severe. These, with much dexterity and application, were
after a while quite eradicated or utterly defaced. For the rest,
where he observed the embroidery to be worked so close as not to be
got away without damaging the cloth, or where it served to hide or
strengthened any flaw in the body of the coat, contracted by the
perpetual tampering of workmen upon it, he concluded the wisest
course was to let it remain, resolving in no case whatsoever that
the substance of the stuff should suffer injury, which he thought
the best method for serving the true intent and meaning of his
father's will. And this is the nearest account I have been able to
collect of Martin's proceedings upon this great revolution.
But his brother Jack, whose adventures will be so extraordinary as
to furnish a great part in the remainder of this discourse, entered
upon the matter with other thoughts and a quite different spirit.
For the memory of Lord Peter's injuries produced a degree of hatred
and spite which had a much greater share of inciting him than any
regards after his father's commands, since these appeared at best
only secondary and subservient to the other. However, for this
medley of humour he made a shift to find a very plausible name,
honouring it with the title of zeal, which is, perhaps, the most
significant word that has been ever yet produced in any language,
as, I think, I have fully proved in my excellent analytical
discourse upon that subject, wherein I have deduced a histori-theo-
physiological account of zeal, showing how it first proceeded from a
notion into a word, and from thence in a hot summer ripened into a
tangible substance. This work, containing three large volumes in
folio, I design very shortly to publish by the modern way of
subscription, not doubting but the nobility and gentry of the land
will give me all possible encouragement, having already had such a
taste of what I am able to perform.
I record, therefore, that brother Jack, brimful of this miraculous
compound, reflecting with indignation upon Peter's tyranny, and
further provoked by the despondency of Martin, prefaced his
resolutions to this purpose. "What!" said he, "a rogue that locked
up his drink, turned away our wives, cheated us of our fortunes,
palmed his crusts upon us for mutton, and at last kicked us out of
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