Page:Adventures of the extravagant wit, or, The English swindler.pdf/8

( 8 ) which ſhe might judge how well lined my pockets After reſolving ſome trivial queſtions, the then ſhewed me the way up ſtairs, into a very large dining room, adorned round with excellent pictures, the effigies of divers ladies (as I took them to be) celebrated in former ages for the faireſt and moſt beautiful of that ſex A ſervant brought us a bottle of Sack, without any order given, as I could perceive, out of which the old gentlewoman drank to me, expreſſing my welcome For want of other diſcourſe, (as I thought) becauſe we were both ſilent a while, ſir, ſaid ſhe, as you are a gentleman, you may have ſome knowledge in the noble art of limning, ſo much ſtudied by the entry of this nation; therefore, your judgement, ſir, which of all theſe pictures is the beſt drawn, or hath the best features? Madam, ſaid I, I ſhall freely give you my opinion; which is, This, in my opinion, (pointing at one) for ſhe hath a full large front, her arched eye brows are thich and black, her eyes are of the ſame colour, and ſeem to penetrate that which they look on;- view her lips, whoſe plumpneſs and redneſs reſemble a double cherry. what might be ſaid more of this repreſentation I ſhall wave, wiſhing myſelf no greater happineſs than to difcourſe the reſt with the real ſubſtance:-Which is not impoſſible, ſir, if you can have but the faith to believe your own eyes; and ſo inſtantly withdrew herſelf, leaving me amazed at what I had ſeen. Hearing a ruſtling of ſilks, I drew my eyes off the picture, and looking towards the door, there I ſaw enter an angel; for I could not believe there could be ſo much perfection in any one mortal. With profound reverence I ſtood at a diſtance, admiring, or rather adoring her perſon, till ſhe ſmilingly deſired me to ſit down. Being come to myſelf, began to talk to her, and in half an hour, confidence had repoſſeſt her ancient feat in me. It would not only take up too much time,