to-morrow-now to the right-again to the left-colours flying-drums beating -fifes playing-bugles sounding-rifles popping-bayonets fixing-cavalry prancing-musketry playing-cannons roaring-shells whizzing-bombs bursting -bullets whistling-form line-a volley -a cheer-a charge and a huzza! give me this, I say, and if I die, why let me die the death of the brave-let me die with a hole in my jacket, fully harnessed like a trooper's horse, by G-! -let my burial meet with military honours-a solemn dirge-a slow marcha few vollies-and then a merry peal, to send my soul to heaven on a jig— let me have this, I say, and a fig for your drawing-room etiquettes-court ceremonies-opera dancers-gewgaws-fiddlestrings and petticoats! I would not lead such a life, curse me, if you were to make me queen of the fairies !—Sir Henry, do you know what I have heard a wag a wag of a fifer play, after burying the sergeant, whom every man in the regiment was glad to accompany to his grave, on account of his severity in the execution of his duty, and the great promptitude with which he always brought the poor devils to the triangle? It seems this very fifer had before suffered from his severity, for as soon as the burial was over, and the men got the word quick march,' the mischievous scoundrel strikes up that comical air of 'Go to the devil and shake yourself.' He was a countryman of mine, and you know they generally do things the wrong way; though he might as well have sent him upwards, as where he wanted to whistle him to. For my part, sir Henry, I fear I will never have the honour of a shot fired over my grave, or a jig played for the repose of my soul. This cursed peace, blast it, no stir in any quarter-every thing as dead as a door door nail, by the Lord. England will be ruined, sir Henry, unless we have another war; I see it as clear as this hand on my body: England will never prosper in peaceable times: only think of how she thrived, and how happy the people were, during the last war: England is as much a warfaring as a trading country, and she can no more prosper without the one than the other. Don't you see it, sir Henry ?-I do as clear as the sun at noonday: give England war, and she will flourish-give her peace, and she will pine. I see it in myself. I am losing all heart since I was placed on half-pay, blast it, not fit to keep a man's head over water. It is plain, therefore, that our present ministry is not fit to govern the state, or else they would kick up a row with some country. D-n pity they did not send him, who is now in his grave, to Elba a second time, he would most likely give us some |