E-text prepared by Guus van Baalen
Transcriber's Notes:
1. Words which may seem to be transcriber's typos, or otherwise suspect, but which are reproduced faithfully (archaic spellings, printer's typos—sometimes I couldn't tell):
Ch. I: befel, undigged
Ch. III: chaperon
Ch. IV: babby, mun, valtz
Ch. V: zounded, dimpsey, after'n, ax'n, ax
Ch. VI: picquet, damitol
Ch. XI: alwaies, Desarts, Eternitie
2. Diphthongs, given as single characters in the printed copy, are transcribed as two separate characters.
by
A spinster, having borrowed a man's hat to decorate her front hall,excused herself on the ground that the house 'wanted a something.'By inscribing your name above this little story I please myself atthe risk of helping the reader to discover not only that it wants asomething, but precisely what that something is. It wants—to confessand have done with it—all the penetrating subtleties of insight, allthe delicacies of interpretation, you would have brought to Dorothea'said, if for a moment I may suppose her worth your championing. So Iinvoke your name to stand before my endeavour like a figure outsidethe brackets in an algebraical sum, to make all the difference bymultiplying the meaning contained.
But your consent gives me another opportunity even more warmly desired.And I think that you, too, will take less pleasure in discovering howexcellent your genius appears to one who nevertheless finds it amystery in operation, than in learning that he has not missed toadmire, at least, and with a sense almost of personal loyalty, thesustained and sustaining pride in good workmanship by which you haveset a common example to all who practise, however diversely, the artin which we acknowledge you a master.
October 25th, 1901
A mural tablet in Axcester Parish Church describes Endymion Westcote as"a conspicuous example of that noblest work of God, the English CountryGentleman." Certainly he was a typical one.
In almost every district of England you will find a family which,without distinguishing itself in any particular way, has held fast tothe comforts of life and the respect of its neighbours for generatio