Mr。WebbthoughttheseversesquiteasfineasMr。Addison\'sontheBlenheimCampaign，and，indeed，tobeHectoralamodedeParis，waspartofthisgallantgentleman\'sambition。Itwouldhavebeendifficulttofindanofficerinthewholearmy，oramongstthesplendidcourtiersandcavaliersoftheMaisonduRoy，thatfoughtunderVendosmeandVilleroyinthearmyopposedtoours，whowasamoreaccomplishedsoldierandperfectgentleman，andeitherbraverorbetter—looking。AndifMr。Webbbelievedofhimselfwhattheworldsaidofhim，andwasdeeplyconvincedofhisownindisputablegenius，beauty，andvalor，whohasarighttoquarrelwithhimverymuch？Thisself—contentofhiskepthimingeneralgood—humor，ofwhichhisfriendsanddependantsgotthebenefit。
HecameofaveryancientWiltshirefamily，whichherespectedaboveallfamiliesintheworld:hecouldprovealinealdescentfromKingEdwardtheFirst，andhisfirstancestor，RoaldusdeRichmond，rodebyWilliamtheConqueror\'ssideonHastingsfield。
\"Weweregentlemen，Esmond，\"heusedtosay，\"whentheChurchillswerehorse—boys。\"Hewasaverytallman，standinginhispumpssixfeetthreeinches（inhisgreatjack—boots，withhistallfairperiwig，andhatandfeather，hecouldnothavebeenlessthaneightfeethigh）。\"IamtallerthanChurchill，\"hewouldsay，surveyinghimselfintheglass，\"andIamabettermademan;andifthewomenwon\'tlikeamanthathasn\'tawartonhisnose，faith，I
can\'thelpmyself，andChurchillhasthebetterofmethere。\"
Indeed，hewasalwaysmeasuringhimselfwiththeDuke，andalwaysaskinghisfriendstomeasurethem。Andtalkinginthisfrankway，ashewoulddo，overhiscups，wagswouldlaughandencouragehim;