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Swift, Jonathan, 1667-1745

"A Tale of a Tub"

However, I shall by no means forget my character of a
historian, to follow the truth step by step whatever happens, or
wherever it may lead me.
The two exiles so nearly united in fortune and interest took a
lodging together, where at their first leisure they began to reflect
on the numberless misfortunes and vexations of their life past, and
could not tell of the sudden to what failure in their conduct they
ought to impute them, when, after some recollection, they called to
mind the copy of their father's will which they had so happily
recovered. This was immediately produced, and a firm resolution
taken between them to alter whatever was already amiss, and reduce
all their future measures to the strictest obedience prescribed
therein. The main body of the will (as the reader cannot easily
have forgot) consisted in certain admirable rules, about the wearing
of their coats, in the perusal whereof the two brothers at every
period duly comparing the doctrine with the practice, there was
never seen a wider difference between two things, horrible downright
transgressions of every point.


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