He possesses the great qualities of being portentous and dull, and of having a roll in his speech, and another roll in his gait; not to mention a certain gravely flowing action with his hands, as if he were presently going to Confirm the individual with whom he holds discourse.

Much nearer sixty years of age than fifty, with a flowing outline of stomach, and horizontal creases in his waistcoat; reputed to be rich; voting at elections in the strictly respectable interest; morally satisfied that nothing but he himself has grown since he was a baby; how can dunder-headed Mr.Sapsea be otherwise than a credit to Cloisterham, and society?
Mr.Sapsea's premises are in the High-street, over against the Nuns' House.

They are of about the period of the Nuns' House, irregularly modernised here and there, as steadily deteriorating generations found, more and more, that they preferred air and light to Fever and the Plague.
Over the doorway is a wooden effigy, about half life-size, representing Mr.Sapsea's father, in a curly wig and toga, in the act of selling.

The chastity of the idea, and the natural appearance of the little finger, hammer, and pulpit, have been much admired.
Mr.Sapsea sits in his dull ground-floor sitting-room, giving first on his paved back yard; and then on his railed-off garden.

Mr.Sapsea has a bottle of port wine on a table before the fire--the fire is an early luxury, but pleasant on the cool, chilly autumn evening--and is characteristically attended by his portrait, his eight-day clock, and his weather-glass.