Sir Leicester Dedlock is only a baronet, but there is no mightier baronet than he. His family is as old as the hills, and infinitely more respectable. He has a general opinion that the world might get on without hills but would be done up without Dedlocks. He would on the whole admit nature to be a good idea (a little low, perhaps, when not enclosed with a park-fence), but an idea dependent for its execution on your great county families. He is a gentleman of strict conscience, disdainful of all littleness and meanness and ready on the shortest notice to die any death you may please to mention rather than give occasion for the least impeachment of his integrity. He is an honourable, obstinate, truthful, high-spirited, intensely prejudiced, perfectly unreasonable man.

Sir Leicester Dedlock is only a baronet, but his family is as old as the hills, and infinitely more respectable. He has the opinion that the world might get on without hills but would be finished without Dedlocks. He is a gentleman of strict conscience, disdainful of meanness: an honourable, obstinate, truthful, high-spirited, intensely prejudiced, perfectly unreasonable man.
