Page:Life memoirs & pedigree of Thomas Hamilton Dickson.pdf/11

 ferocity. While going up and down the room with me still in his arms, he hummed to himself the following couplet :-

While he marched round the room, with me in his arms, the footman entered and said, "most noble and gallant General, a gentleman below wishes to speak with you, if you are not engaged." "Go, sirrah, off immediately, and inform the gentleman that I am pre-engaged: he may call at any future period, this evening or to-morrow. Off, and give him the right- about-wheel."

"Well, Walter, you served in the Life Guards?" "Yes, most gallant General, and they were as fine a body of men as you could clap an eye upon. Why, they were every one of them picked men, more especially the body guards, which was a troop consisting of one hundred and twenty, and to which I belonged. It is now broken by the celebrated Mr. Pitt, and changed into another form, composed of lighter men and horses." "O, what of that? there never was one of you engaged in battle. Appearance is nothing without reality. It is said you are feather-bed soldiers, and never were in battle in your lives.