Portraits of Children of The Mobility. Leigh Percival

are, it cannot be denied that they have much to do in the raising of the noblest houses; and if any part of the Mobility may lay claim to heraldic honours, these, as well as the proudest landlords, are entitled to bear the "Bricklayers' Arms." Their children display a peculiarly imperfect state of costume, owing to a practice, too common among their parents, of devoting the family revenues to the purchase of a certain spirituous liquor, and of converting, for this purpose, their wardrobes into ready money; conduct highly reprehensible, since, if oppressed by ennui, or incommoded by the calls of appetite, they ought to have recourse to the consolations of philosophy.

      1

      There are some real travellers among the Mobility, though most of their journeymen lead a sedentary life.